Play Book Tag discussion

The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King, is a retelling of Sherlock Holmes. It imagines that Sherlock Holmes retires to a country farm and raises bees, with a little investigation work on the side. Mary Russell is a brilliant orphaned teenager who owns the farm next door. They become friends and over the years she become his apprentice, and an excellent investigator herself.
I really enjoyed the psychological depth of this book and the author's writing. I see some similarities in the partnership dynamics in this book and the TV show Elementary, with a female Dr Watson, and I wonder if the TV show borrowed ideas from King's series as well as the original books.

I really liked the first half of the book, but I was disappointed by the Moriarty type story in the last half of the book. This plot trope (where a criminal gets obsessed with a detective) is a pet peeve of mine, but more importantly it was just illogical and stretched out much too long. Overall I'll give the book 3.5 stars (rounded to 4) because of the things I really liked about the book. I'm planning to read the second book in the series because of a suffrage plot, but unless I'm really wowed by it, I'm not sure I'll continue with the series.

I look forward to hearing from other people who read books in this series.

I've enjoyed this series for years. Like most series the books vary. Some work better than others. I always listen to them. They provide easy entertainment.

The publication order of the next few books doesn't follow the story line exactly. O Jerusalem is the fifth book published, but it's actually the story of events that took place in the middle of the first book. It might make more sense to read that one next.

This is on my TBR...thanks for the informative review

I wonder if I'll like this--I have it hear along with another novel to see if I'll like one of them for the tag. I am sick and tired of perps being obsessed with the detective as well (got sick of it way back when with that TV show The Profiler--it worked in that show and then I was tired of it--it's a once is enough thing for me.)

Jgrace wrote: "I've enjoyed this series for years. Like most series the books vary. Some work better than others. I always listen to them. They provide easy entertainment.

The publication order of the next few ..."

Ah, I was wondering what they did when they left London for so long. It sounds like a very interesting setting for the story. Thanks!

I read that ages ago and I remember liking it but not loving it. Maybe I should try again. . . but that's a long time between books and I'm not sure I can just pick it up.

Karin wrote: "I wonder if I'll like this--I have it hear along with another novel to see if I'll like one of them for the tag. I am sick and tired of perps being obsessed with the detective as well (got sick of ..."

Oh, I remember that show. I liked it too. You're right about that. I didn't mind it then, and I didn't mind it in Harry Potter either. This trope -if I'm using that term correctly - first annoyed me when I was reading the Alex Cross series. I've seen in it many other series (plus tv series) in one form or another. I remember learning in school (many decades ago) that antagonists create more conflict and interesting drama. I get that, but if an antagonist is going to spend all their time and resources trying to kill the protagonist, there ought to be a really good reason for it.

Barbara wrote: "I read that ages ago and I remember liking it but not loving it. Maybe I should try again. . . but that's a long time between books and I'm not sure I can just pick it up."

I would suspect that it wouldn't be hard to pick up where you left off, since this is a largely character driven series. I don't think she would spoil the cases in previous books, or rely on the reader to remember them.

A retelling of Sherlock Holmes, what a great idea for the monthly tag!

Joi wrote: "A retelling of Sherlock Holmes, what a great idea for the monthly tag!"

*bleah* lol