The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King

Title: The Beekeeper's Apprentice: On the Segregation of the Queen (Mary Russell #1)
Author: Laurie R. King
Reviewer: Karen
Genre: Mystery/Historical Fiction
Rating: Fabulous
Alerts/Warnings: Mild Language
Premise: "A chance meeting with an elderly beekeeper turns into a pivotal, personal transformation when fifteen-year-old Mary Russell discovers that the beekeeper is the reclusive Sherlock Holmes, who soon takes on the role of mentor and teacher." (King County Library System)
Opinions: I LOVE this series from the moment I read this book for the first time. I just re-read it for the 5th time so that I could lead a book club discussion. I still LOVE this book. I've read many of the original Sherlock Holmes stories, and have seen even more of the film portrayals of them. I have always loved the way the stories are told, the mysteries, and the brilliant deductions. This book lets me continue my love for these type of stories by seeing the intricacies of the life of Sherlock Holmes from Mary Russell's point of view. The stories become even more brilliant because of Mary Russell herself. She is a complex character that matches wits with Sherlock Holmes and can possibly excel further from being under his tutelage. I love also seeing other characters from the traditional stories through a new, modern, and brilliant light. I also love how the characters become so real to you as you read. This is a must read if you love Sherlock Holmes or detective novels. And once you read this then you should read the ENTIRE series (I'm just saying....its that good).