What do you think?
Rate this book
Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes #2.5
The Marriage of Mary Russell
When Mary Russell and her long-time mentor Sherlock Holmes decide to marry in early 1921, it’s a practical decision, merely an extension of their partnership—right? No romantic nonsense for these two. Only, this simple arrangement soon begins to go sideways, and....
2 pages, Audiobook
First published March 15, 2016
449 people are currently reading
2839 people want to read
About the author
Laurie R. King
135 books6,841 followersEdgar-winning mystery writer Laurie R. King writes series and standalone novels. Her official forum is
THE LRK VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB here on Goodreads--please join us for book-discussing fun.
King's 2018 novel, Island of the Mad, sees Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes travel from London's Bedlam to the glitter of Venice's Lido,where Young Things and the friends of Cole Porter pass Mussolini's Blackshirts in the streets. The Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series follows a brilliant young woman who becomes the student, then partner, of the great detective. [click here for an excerpt of the first in the series, The Beekeeper's Apprentice] The Stuyvesant and Grey series (Touchstone; The Bones of Paris) takes place in Europe between the Wars. The Kate Martinelli series follows an SFPD detective's cases on a female Rembrandt, a holy fool, and more. [Click for an excerpt of A Grave Talent]
King lives in northern California, which serves as backdrop for some of her books.
Please note that Laurie checks her Goodreads inbox intermittently, so it may take some time to receive a reply. A quicker response may be possible via email to info@laurierking.com.
THE LRK VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB here on Goodreads--please join us for book-discussing fun.
King's 2018 novel, Island of the Mad, sees Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes travel from London's Bedlam to the glitter of Venice's Lido,where Young Things and the friends of Cole Porter pass Mussolini's Blackshirts in the streets. The Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series follows a brilliant young woman who becomes the student, then partner, of the great detective. [click here for an excerpt of the first in the series, The Beekeeper's Apprentice] The Stuyvesant and Grey series (Touchstone; The Bones of Paris) takes place in Europe between the Wars. The Kate Martinelli series follows an SFPD detective's cases on a female Rembrandt, a holy fool, and more. [Click for an excerpt of A Grave Talent]
King lives in northern California, which serves as backdrop for some of her books.
Please note that Laurie checks her Goodreads inbox intermittently, so it may take some time to receive a reply. A quicker response may be possible via email to info@laurierking.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 336 reviews
August 30, 2020
Update December 4 2018: Listen to the audio version. Fabulous version and I'm raising the rating from 4 stars to 5 stars! :)
************
Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes got married at the end of A Monstrous Regiment of Women. Not much detail is given to the act. More a statement that they did get married.
This little novella tells the story of how it all happened. And, it's a glorious story, with both humor, seriousness, and a trigger-happy cousin. Say what? You just have to read the story to find out! ;)
On a side note, I have read The Murder of Mary Russell and there are parts that brought a smile to my face thanks to the knowledge of the story in the book.
I hope you will enjoy this short novella as much as I did!
************
Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes got married at the end of A Monstrous Regiment of Women. Not much detail is given to the act. More a statement that they did get married.
This little novella tells the story of how it all happened. And, it's a glorious story, with both humor, seriousness, and a trigger-happy cousin. Say what? You just have to read the story to find out! ;)
On a side note, I have read The Murder of Mary Russell and there are parts that brought a smile to my face thanks to the knowledge of the story in the book.
I hope you will enjoy this short novella as much as I did!
January 18, 2023
This novella is of interest solely to the fans of the "Mary Russel and Sherlock Holmes" series. If you read and liked the first two book in the series, consider taking a look at it. Otherwise, don't bother.
I'm usually very jealous of modern authors using an abusing the perfect literary creation and my childhood superhero Sherlock Holmes, so I didn't expect much from this series with an unlikely premise of Sherlock Holmes discovering a fellow detective soul in a teenage girl who grows up to become his assistant and eventually his partner and wife. But contrary to my low expectations, I quite enjoyed books 1,2 and 3 in the series. Then I very much disliked books 4, 5 and 6 and stopped there. Reading this short story now made me want to get back into the world of Mary Russel and Sherlock Holmes, sometime.
I'm usually very jealous of modern authors using an abusing the perfect literary creation and my childhood superhero Sherlock Holmes, so I didn't expect much from this series with an unlikely premise of Sherlock Holmes discovering a fellow detective soul in a teenage girl who grows up to become his assistant and eventually his partner and wife. But contrary to my low expectations, I quite enjoyed books 1,2 and 3 in the series. Then I very much disliked books 4, 5 and 6 and stopped there. Reading this short story now made me want to get back into the world of Mary Russel and Sherlock Holmes, sometime.
November 24, 2018
To those of us fully engaged in the thrilling and delightful saga of Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, you know that they eventually get married. Sorry to you who have not begun or those who are only at The Beekeeper's Apprentice. This is many years down the road from when they originally meet in the above book.
The account of the proposal, considerations and eventual ceremony, is not provided anywhere else. Laurie King does her best to invest this recounting by Mary Russell with some dramatic tension but i cannot recommend it as a stand-alone for anyone who is not reading the series. For those who are already fully engaged, it is a nice bit of embellishment, but nothing that you should read out of order, so ignore the Goodreads designation "2.5" because you will know exactly when it is right to bring this into your collection.
The account of the proposal, considerations and eventual ceremony, is not provided anywhere else. Laurie King does her best to invest this recounting by Mary Russell with some dramatic tension but i cannot recommend it as a stand-alone for anyone who is not reading the series. For those who are already fully engaged, it is a nice bit of embellishment, but nothing that you should read out of order, so ignore the Goodreads designation "2.5" because you will know exactly when it is right to bring this into your collection.
September 13, 2017
A great short about an event that fans have been asking about for years. So nice to get the story. And a beautiful segue (so many little hints woven in!) to the newest in the series: The Murder of Mary Russell.
And now I really want to go pick up A Monstrous Regiment of Women again, just to read that dock scene one more time.
And now I really want to go pick up A Monstrous Regiment of Women again, just to read that dock scene one more time.
July 29, 2019
A little story, strangely written but it got the job done. It tells the “how it happened” and I am satisfied. The “how” is the subject of the title, remember? Enough said.
March 15, 2016
So I read the first nine-ish books of the Mary Russell series, but eventually fell away because I grew tired of Mary and Holmes spending most of the books apart from each other. And not seeming much like a married couple at all.
This seemed like maybe it would address some of these objections! But not really. I don't feel like it added much to the series. You still don't get much of them as an actual couple. And this is addressed, kind of, in a great line about their affection being a private thing. But surely there is a way to let the reader in on at least a little of that affection?
(PS: This is also a short story, not a novella. Which, yes, the Amazon page says, but I still didn't realize it.)
This seemed like maybe it would address some of these objections! But not really. I don't feel like it added much to the series. You still don't get much of them as an actual couple. And this is addressed, kind of, in a great line about their affection being a private thing. But surely there is a way to let the reader in on at least a little of that affection?
(PS: This is also a short story, not a novella. Which, yes, the Amazon page says, but I still didn't realize it.)
May 4, 2022
I don't know how I feel about this book. I initially was really excited to read this series because I love Sherlock Holmes and I really wanted to read more Holmes in later in life. I felt like Mary Russell was also an admirable companion for Holmes to work with. She didn't really feel like much of an insert into the world of Arthur Conan Doyle, and I found the tone to match the original books fairly well.
A lot of that went out the window when it came to this book, and it really came down to one choice the author of this series made: the person Mary Russell marries.
At the risk of Spoiling this book series, Mary Russell ends up marrying Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock is a man who is almost 30 years her senior if I remember this correctly. That age difference is a little disconcerting and shocking to be honest. This age difference is chalked up to her being a bit anti-establishment and unorthodox. While I would never judge the characters intelligence or understanding of herself, since she is suppose to rival or even surpass Holmes skill, I can't help but feel like this is skeevy at the very best and a case of grooming at the very worse. The whole thing makes me feel very uncomfortable.
In addition for the "in book" reasons for this to feel creepy and a bit wrong. There is also the fact that it feels a lot like the author Laurie King is stepping into this story in a very heavy handed and awkward way to cement her character, who is barely an adult, into the Holmes mythos. I don't know if "Mary Sue" is the correct phrase for this, but I does feel a lot like King is exploring her own desires through Mary Russell here.
The whole thing just feels like an unfortunate overstep by the author in an otherwise well written story about Sherlock Holmes and his later life. It feels like such a misstep that I am contemplating continuing the story all together, since it really made me uncomfortable to read about a 21 year old woman marrying a 50-60 year old man. I know that love is blind, and that it was MUCH more common for younger women to marry older men back in the 20s and even before then. However, this whole thing just feels a little wrong. I wish they had just let them remain mentor/mentee or master/apprentice, heck even just platonic friends (god forbid) and NOT gone down this route. Unfortunately she did not.
A lot of that went out the window when it came to this book, and it really came down to one choice the author of this series made: the person Mary Russell marries.
At the risk of Spoiling this book series, Mary Russell ends up marrying Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock is a man who is almost 30 years her senior if I remember this correctly. That age difference is a little disconcerting and shocking to be honest. This age difference is chalked up to her being a bit anti-establishment and unorthodox. While I would never judge the characters intelligence or understanding of herself, since she is suppose to rival or even surpass Holmes skill, I can't help but feel like this is skeevy at the very best and a case of grooming at the very worse. The whole thing makes me feel very uncomfortable.
In addition for the "in book" reasons for this to feel creepy and a bit wrong. There is also the fact that it feels a lot like the author Laurie King is stepping into this story in a very heavy handed and awkward way to cement her character, who is barely an adult, into the Holmes mythos. I don't know if "Mary Sue" is the correct phrase for this, but I does feel a lot like King is exploring her own desires through Mary Russell here.
The whole thing just feels like an unfortunate overstep by the author in an otherwise well written story about Sherlock Holmes and his later life. It feels like such a misstep that I am contemplating continuing the story all together, since it really made me uncomfortable to read about a 21 year old woman marrying a 50-60 year old man. I know that love is blind, and that it was MUCH more common for younger women to marry older men back in the 20s and even before then. However, this whole thing just feels a little wrong. I wish they had just let them remain mentor/mentee or master/apprentice, heck even just platonic friends (god forbid) and NOT gone down this route. Unfortunately she did not.
March 20, 2016
Such a treat to read this e-book about the marriage of Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes. Both such serious, practical people who go about the business of marriage exactly like you'd expect them to, almost. There are lovely surprises and background material about Sherlock's past existence as a mere boy. I loved this hole being filled in for the couple that I've come to adore.
July 31, 2021
The title says it all. This is a short story that fills in about the marriage. Sweet but only meaningful if you read the series.
January 16, 2018
This is classic Mary Russell-Sherlock Holmes interaction. Poor Mary always has to be on her toes around Holmes. The story gives some interesting backstory, and things come together nicely at the end. I've fallen away from the series a bit; I got frustrated that Holmes and Russell were apart so much, but I think that I enjoyed this enough to pick it back up again.
November 5, 2024
Short story about the marriage of Mary Russell and Sherlock. I'm struggling to continue to be interested in these books.
June 15, 2021
This reads a lot like fan fiction. She didn't add a wedding in any of her novels which I'm sure her readers didn't like. So she has to satisfy her fans and gives them this. Thank goodness I didn't actually buy this.
May 29, 2021
A fun short story that answers the long time questions of when and where did Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell get married. It also has some nice tidbits that go along wonderfully with The Murder of Mary Russell
I was hoping for a bit more in regards to their relationship... something along the lines of Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers, but any long time reader of the series knows that any romance is very much 'between the lines'. I still enjoyed it though! And I think it hinted very much towards a book in the future that deals with Holmes' childhood.
I was hoping for a bit more in regards to their relationship... something along the lines of Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers, but any long time reader of the series knows that any romance is very much 'between the lines'. I still enjoyed it though! And I think it hinted very much towards a book in the future that deals with Holmes' childhood.
March 15, 2016
A fun and fluffy account if a fairly major event which received far too little attention in previous books!
I've felt a real lack of Mary-and-Sherlock as a team - let alone a married one - in recent books so this treat hit the right notes for me.
I've felt a real lack of Mary-and-Sherlock as a team - let alone a married one - in recent books so this treat hit the right notes for me.
May 10, 2016
A very short but very satisfying account of Russell and Holmes' marriage. Just ridiculous enough.
March 16, 2017
...and now I know the rest of the story. It is a quick read and much appreciated information. Who knew about the romantic Sherlock? Recommend
April 4, 2017
I love Mary Russell. She takes everything that is good about Sherlock Holmes and just makes it better. This was a fun, short read and I loved every sentence.
June 13, 2022
This is a short story not a full novel. I feel that so many fans wish that Sherlock, and Mary would show some real tenderness, and love for each other. Even a brilliant detective needs a kiss now and then. This story was written to fill in the short wedding the novels never share, and though they are both pragmatic you do feel they do admire, trust, and love each other. That is a lot for our stoic characters. I’m glad I borrowed this book. It helped ,but I wish it went further in the actual novels. Yes they treat each other’s wounds, and save each other when there is trouble. They even walk together, and show affection, yet no kisses in the novels. We do love Holmes for his brilliant deductions, and Mary also has keen reasoning witch goes with the characters. This helped, but your readers would like to hear a tender moment once in a while, or him holding her very close after a series of murders to close, and say. I’m so glad I didn’t loose you, it would hurt me more than you realize. 3.5 stars. Rounded to a four. It is Sherlock Holmes after all.
February 28, 2021
A pleasant short story in the interlude of the series reflecting back on the unconventional wedding of two main characters in the series, Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, this short story was a fun, brief diversion focused more on character than plot. Not terribly mystery like, but more of a sketch of the personalities in the usual mystery plots, it will be a quick, fun read for fans of the series.
December 1, 2021
This is another short story but it fills in the gaps about Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell and shows a delightful glimpse into Holmes' early life from another author's viewpoint. I Love anything Holmesian related even more so if it is well written and expressed. Laurie R. King does just that and breathes new life into "The Great Detective" Wonderful story. Well worth the read
December 28, 2024
Yes, it was short. But like a sweet mouthful of chocolate mousse, you don’t need a lot. Loved every minute. Especially when he promised not to knock her out UNLESS NECESSARY. And she promised to obey but only if she were going to do it anyway.
Ha! Perfect.
Ha! Perfect.
July 13, 2020
Delightful short story. I chuckled more than once outloud.
June 16, 2023
Did I need this little story, no. Did it help me understand why in the hell a girl of 21 would enter into a union with a man, mentor, colleague 28 years her senior not for family and lust but for connection both in prosperity and adversity, no.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2024
Short and sweet -- setting the tone for their future relationship. As with all of these books, the romance is extremely subtext -- but there. A very fun minor little caper.
July 22, 2024
What a wonderful short story. I always cry at weddings...🥰
August 16, 2025
Cute.
Still weirded out quite a bit.
Still weirded out quite a bit.
April 9, 2020
Fun short story about Holmes and Russell's wedding.
May 7, 2017
Charming short story of the marriage of Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes. A must-read for fans of the series.
April 6, 2016
The Marriage of Mary Russell by Laurie R. King is a terrific little short story details the actual act of marriage between Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes that in the series only gets a passing mention. Though initially what seems to be logical arrangement, this short story gives us a glimpse into the true hidden emotions shared by Holmes and Russell.
For newcomers to the Mary Russell series, and seriously if you have never read one of these books and consider a mystery or Sherlockian buff, then you need to readjust your mindset. These novels are some of the best, new Sherlock Holmes stories to be found. Even more so because they really aren't Sherlock stories.
Mary Russell is a young woman who is something of an outsider. Having come into an inheritance she decides she doesn't want to conform to what is expected of a young English lady in the early 1900s. Instead she decides to move herself to the country and begin her life of solitude. Impetuous and hard headed, she finds herself embroiled in something of a mystery. Together with an older neighbor, a strange little beekeeper, she sets out to solve the mystery. The Beekeeper is of course a retired Sherlock Holmes and the book is the Beekeeper's Apprentice. Russell becomes Holmes assistant in these adventures, whether solving a local murder or stopping an international scandal, she becomes the new Dr. Watson. But there are huge differences between Russell and Watson. That is that Russell is in fact, a female version of Holmes himself.
The usual cast of characters come and go in the novels, only they are now twenty years older than in the Conan Doyle stories and age has had their way with them. But no matter, they are just as intriguing and fun as they were in the past. But it is Russell who is the main driving force behind these stories and it is through eyes, ears, and mind that we see the mysteries unfold.
It is in fact Mary who proposes marriage to Holmes. Not so much as a romantic aspiration but as a practical one. As a way to maintain control of her fortune and because it is expected of her to marry. She realizes that after all this time, there is only one man whose company she enjoys. Only one man she has grown to care for. Holmes himself.
What begins as a practical arrangement becomes more as we watch through these novels, these two emotionally challenged sleuths, become something far more and the fondness blossom into something that resembles a very dysfunctional love.
For fans of the series, this short story is a must read. For those who have yet to discover Mary Russell, this is a glimpse into the world you have been missing.
For newcomers to the Mary Russell series, and seriously if you have never read one of these books and consider a mystery or Sherlockian buff, then you need to readjust your mindset. These novels are some of the best, new Sherlock Holmes stories to be found. Even more so because they really aren't Sherlock stories.
Mary Russell is a young woman who is something of an outsider. Having come into an inheritance she decides she doesn't want to conform to what is expected of a young English lady in the early 1900s. Instead she decides to move herself to the country and begin her life of solitude. Impetuous and hard headed, she finds herself embroiled in something of a mystery. Together with an older neighbor, a strange little beekeeper, she sets out to solve the mystery. The Beekeeper is of course a retired Sherlock Holmes and the book is the Beekeeper's Apprentice. Russell becomes Holmes assistant in these adventures, whether solving a local murder or stopping an international scandal, she becomes the new Dr. Watson. But there are huge differences between Russell and Watson. That is that Russell is in fact, a female version of Holmes himself.
The usual cast of characters come and go in the novels, only they are now twenty years older than in the Conan Doyle stories and age has had their way with them. But no matter, they are just as intriguing and fun as they were in the past. But it is Russell who is the main driving force behind these stories and it is through eyes, ears, and mind that we see the mysteries unfold.
It is in fact Mary who proposes marriage to Holmes. Not so much as a romantic aspiration but as a practical one. As a way to maintain control of her fortune and because it is expected of her to marry. She realizes that after all this time, there is only one man whose company she enjoys. Only one man she has grown to care for. Holmes himself.
What begins as a practical arrangement becomes more as we watch through these novels, these two emotionally challenged sleuths, become something far more and the fondness blossom into something that resembles a very dysfunctional love.
For fans of the series, this short story is a must read. For those who have yet to discover Mary Russell, this is a glimpse into the world you have been missing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 336 reviews