Detectives and spies

Shocked to see we are in November and my last post was in January of this year! Well, it has been a strange year, but fortunately we have books to take us to other worlds and adventures. I have continued working, and therefore have needed some gentle books to relax in my spare time. I started off my re-reading my beloved Chalet School books, but as time went on, I branched out and tried some new authors. 

I love Bond films, but had never thought to read the books, so I took the opportunity to read a collection of four of Ian Fleming's short stories, "Octopussy and The Living Daylights". Octopussy, the story, was brilliant, as it brought together, in a short tale, so many elements from the different Bond films, and finished with a very creative suicide. I enjoyed it, because the author clearly enjoyed natural history, and shared his knowledge, making the story even more interesting. Property of a Lady was wonderful as it described the auction of a Fabergé egg, belonging to a lady who worked in the offices of Bond's headquarters, and earning £50 per month. Clearly there is a mystery there, but I am not going to spoil it. It is a superb read, and again very interesting, as I hadn't realised that Fabergé created these eggs to help the aristocracy make their jewels more portable, when they had to disappear in a rush! By the way, interesting fact, Ian Fleming also wrote "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang", which I really must add to my list!

Another book I have read is "Enola Holmes: The Case of the Missing Marquess", written by Nancy Springer. I had watched the film first, and really enjoyed it, so I thought I would see what the book was like. They were quite different, and to be honest, I think that if I was the author, I would be quite annoyed at how much of the book was changed. They took the main character, and pretty much created a different story. They are both equally good, but I think it would have been interesting to see the book translated accurately in to a film. In case you don't know, Enola Holmes is the much younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes, and they return to the family home when their mother disappears. In the book, Enola is poorly educated but clearly very bright, and applies the same deductive techniques as her older detective brother, Sherlock, as she tries to find out what has happened to her mother. It was a really good read, and I have ordered the next two in the series, and I am looking forward to the next in the series, although I have just discovered that I missed a book that Fannie Flagg has written called The Whole Town's Talking, so I am quickly catching up with that first! Stay safe and well everyone!

The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R King

Happy New Year to you all! So, a couple of months ago, a lovely friend in America introduced me to a fabulous series of books – the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes mysteries. The first is The Beekeeper’s Apprentice, and it is just amazing; beyond brilliant, in fact! Written by Laurie R King, the story behind this series, is that the author received a mysterious package, containing a series of journals and other gifts.

The journals were written by an orphan called Mary Russell, and they start when she is 15 years old, after the sudden death of her family, and her first encounter with the retired Sherlock Holmes, who is living in Sussex with his housekeeper, while tending his bees. They meet on the Sussex downs, and despite their age difference, they form a professional friendship, with Holmes becoming Mary’s mentor, and Russell becoming Sherlock’s apprentice. He teaches her his skills and tests her abilities, and together they become a team and solve complex crimes together. I am not doing these books justice. The first was so good, I had to immediately get the next two, and I have almost finished those now, so am ready for the next instalments. The second book is a collection of short stories, and provide some background information to give a better picture of Mary Russell’s history.

There are some incredibly powerful insights into World War I and what the soldiers endured in the trenches, but I also had not appreciated the impact that war had on women. Not only did many lose the prospect of being a wife and a mother, because many men either did not return from the war or were too badly injured or traumatised to become husbands and fathers. Furthermore, while the war was on, women took on traditionally-male roles, such as farming the land, flying planes across the country, and keeping the home-fires burning so that returning soldiers would have something to come home to. However, once they were home, they took back those jobs, and the women were left with fewer options. I found this all so thought-provoking!

The development of Mary and Sherlock’s personal relationship is also described in one of the short stories, culminating in their marriage, when she is of age. It is beautifully done, with no improprieties. Their relationship is complex, and they are clearly dependent on each other. I am so delighted to be reading this series of books, as they are such a pleasure to read. The books are so well-written, informative, suspenseful, sensitive, and unexpected. I am very grateful for the introduction!