A Monstrous Regiment of Women

Well written and entertaining. Enjoyable mystery series, with a strong female lead and some interesting questions about faith, god and love.

I am in love with this series. I came upon the Beekeeper's Apprentice accidentally some years ago in the library, but I was forced to leave it behind at that time. I later went to search for it only to discover it was a series! This book was read in one sitting and at several moments, I was so immersed that I forgot that it was a book and not a film. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a suspenseful adventure and a strong female lead.

In reading several other opinions of this book, it seems that for "traditionalists" the romance in this story might be off putting. I, however, a mystery and romance fan, found this to be one of the most compellingly romantic stories I have ever read. While at its heart it's a suspensful mystery with wonderful action sequences, I found that the on going dynamic between Russell and Holmes added depth of character in a way that most cozy mysteries often overlook. Age meant nothing, Mary's confusion was sincere and Holmes has now become a great romantic hero. Well done.

I adored the Beekeeper's Apprentice and was almost hesitant to read the second in the Mary Russell series, even while dying to find out more about Holmes and Russell. I wasn't disappointed. Monstrous Regiment surpassed my expectations by a mile. Mary Russell is mature, in command of her fortune and sparks between her and Holmes are starting to show. This book was so fascinating that it got me started researching the suffragete movement in England. A wonderful read, a great mystery and a lovely coming of age story. Laurie R. King does it again!

I recently reread King's Mary Russell series after reading the newest edition, "The Game," and I think "A Monstrous Regiment of Women" is still my favorite, though I'd recommend the whole series to anyone who's interested in an intelligent turn-of-the-century mystery starring an acerbic, intelligent woman who is more than the equal of the famous Sherlock Holmes. I think "A Monstrous Regiment of Women" is the book I most enjoyed because it shows Russell pursuing a case that is entirely her own -- mysterious deaths among the followers of a charismatic feminist preacher -- and coming into her own as a woman in every sense of the word. Sherlock Holmes is very much present, but this is Russell's story and Russell is one of the most interesting characters I've encountered in mysteries. I also enjoy the book because of the developing romantic relationship between Holmes and Russell. I've read the howls of protest from fans of Sherlock Holmes over this series, but I find King's books more enjoyable than Arthur Conan Doyle's. I took a course in college on Holmes and always viewed the stories as a rather quaint, stodgy, stilted picture of the Victorian era. By giving him Russell as a partner, King gave him a much needed shot in the arm and human vulnerabilities. Why wouldn't this Holmes fall in love with his best friend and partner? They're clearly soul mates. King makes the 39-year age difference insignificant.

I had heard mixed reviews of A Monstrous Regiment of Women before I read it, directly after its prequel, The Beekeeper's Apprentice. I didn't think I would enjoy it nearly as much as the first one--I was wrong. For fans of Mary Russell, this is surely a book to be enjoyed. I read the Holmes/Russell novel for Sherlock Holmes, however. Though he isn't in the book much at this time, the scenes he -is- in are absolutely charming and unforgettable. Many people don't enjoy Holmes in this book--To them he doesn't seem to be the Holmes of Watson. Naturally, he isn't. He's seen from an entirely different perspective in Russell's narration, he's allowing Russell to take the case on her own, rather than stepping in and doing the work for her--And he finally has a woman astute and edgy enough for him to realize that women aren't always something to scoff at. This woman happens to be Mary Russell, thirty-nine years his junior with an intelligence, arrogance, and attitude remniscent of Holmes himself. Mary Russell is, indeed, Holmes as a young woman--including her own weakness to opium derivatives.I'm not a fan of mystery novels as it is, so I found the character work in the King novels fascinating. Russell's narrative focuses on the people involved, and personal matters, rather than just the case. You get a sense of who people are and why they're involved, not who did it in the where with the what. In order to grasp all of this development, you MUST read The Beekeeper's Apprentice before this book.A Monstrous Regiment of Women contains some of the best scenes in all of the Holmes/Russell series--Short passages between Holmes and Russell will jump out from the page. You can hear them in your mind and the characters will suddenly become real. Anyone who followed Holmes and Russell through the first six years will find true delight in reading this book.