Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    The Murder of Mary Russell: A novel of suspense featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes
    The Murder of Mary Russell: A novel of suspense featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes
    The Murder of Mary Russell: A novel of suspense featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes
    Audiobook13 hours

    The Murder of Mary Russell: A novel of suspense featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes

    Written by Laurie R. King

    Narrated by Jenny Sterlin and Susan Lyons

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Laurie R. King's bestselling Mary Russell-Sherlock Holmes series weaves rich historical detail and provocative themes with intriguing characters and enthralling suspense. Russell and Holmes have become one of modern literature's most beloved teams. But does this adventure end it all? Mary Russell is used to dark secrets-her own, and those of her famous partner and husband, Sherlock Holmes. Trust is a thing slowly given, but over the course of a decade together, the two have forged an indissoluble bond. And what of the other person to whom Mary Russell has opened her heart: the couple's longtime housekeeper, Mrs. Hudson? Russell's faith and affection are suddenly shattered when a man arrives on the doorstep claiming to be Mrs. Hudson's son. What Samuel Hudson tells Russell cannot possibly be true, yet she believes him-as surely as she believes the threat of the gun in his hand. In a devastating instant, everything changes. And when the scene is discovered-a pool of blood on the floor, the smell of gunpowder in the air-the most shocking revelation of all is that the grim clues point directly to Clara Hudson. Or rather to Clarissa, the woman she was before Baker Street. The key to Russell's sacrifice lies in Mrs. Hudson's past. To uncover the truth, a frantic Sherlock Holmes must put aside his anguish and push deep into his housekeeper's secrets-to a time before her disguise was assumed, before her crimes were buried away. There is death here, and murder, and trust betrayed. And nothing will ever be the same.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateApr 5, 2016
    ISBN9781501911798
    The Murder of Mary Russell: A novel of suspense featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes
    Author

    Laurie R. King

    Laurie R. King is the Edgar Award–winning author of the Kate Martinelli novels and the acclaimed Mary Russell-Sherlock Holmes mysteries, as well as a few stand-alone novels. The Beekeeper’s Apprentice, the first in her Mary Russell series, was nominated for an Agatha Award and was named one of the Century’s Best 100 Mysteries by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association. A Monstrous Regiment of Women won the Nero Wolfe Award. She has degrees in theology, and besides writing she has also managed a coffee store and raised children, vegetables, and the occasional building. She lives in northern California.

    More audiobooks from Laurie R. King

    Related to The Murder of Mary Russell

    Titles in the series (18)

    View More
    View More

    Related audiobooks

    Mystery For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Helen

      Jun 5, 2023

      She was a friend of my family—the Carlins, as I have chosen to call them. She and my father met in the fifties through the editor of the architecture magazine where she began her career. My father had taken her out a few times. They were never lovers

      30 min read

    • Article

      I'll Be Seeing You

      Mar 1, 2023

      I'll Be Seeing You
      25 min read

    • Article

      Book Club

      Apr 27, 2022

      Book Club
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Woman At Home

      Jan 29, 2019

      From the journals of Samuel P. Perceval,bookseller: Covent Garden, Dec. 15, 1974 This spring, I found a curious letter sewn into the hem of a coat belonging to my late great-aunt Florence. Crudely enveloped in what appeared to be a page torn from

      5 min read

    • Article

      The Angel In The Juniper

      Apr 10, 2021

      Old Clyde Adamson was plotting with the Jacobin faction. Holly, who had studied under him only the subjects he taught on the side—Neoplatonism in the early Church Fathers, and Classical Drama—had hired on a month ago as his secretary, and was now per

      10 min read

    • Article

      The Angel In The Juniper

      Jan 10, 2024

      Old Clyde Adamson was plotting with the Jacobin faction. Holly, who had studied under him only the subjects he taught on the side—Neoplatonism in the early Church Fathers and Classical Drama—had hired on a month ago as his secretary and was now perfe

      10 min read

    • Article

      Dolly’s Star Turn

      Jul 12, 2023

      Dolly’s Star Turn
      7 min read

    • Article

      The Last Friend on Earth

      May 4, 2023

      It was as if Doreen Saunders had been waiting for me, passing the time until my arrival. She might as well have been sitting in a rocking chair, knitting needles clicking, jam tarts cooling on the side, the door wide open, waiting for the next visito

      6 min read

    • Article

      A Bloody Grand Finale

      Apr 13, 2023

      A Bloody Grand Finale
      4 min read

    • Article

      Australia Reads At Home

      May 18, 2020

      Australia Reads At Home
      7 min read

    • Article

      I Got 99 Problems

      Nov 4, 2020

      I have never been in a serious relationship and my whole family is convinced I’m secretly gay. I’d happily tell them if I were, but I’m content on my own. How can I make them understand? A. S., North Yorkshire No problem here, that I can detect. Tr

      4 min read

    • Article

      I’m So Glad To Be Gay

      Oct 20, 2021

      Even in so blessed an era of sexual- preference enlightenment, coming out to a parent isn’t easy. One might imagine it were otherwise. One may, in one’s smugly hetero way, assume that any ‘stigma’ perished too long ago to make such a confession one i

      3 min read

    • Article

      Dolly’s Star Turn

      Aug 9, 2023

      Dolly’s Star Turn
      7 min read

    • Article

      Orange You Glad

      Jun 1, 2021

      Orange You Glad
      13 min read

    • Article

      Dolly’s Star Turn

      Jul 12, 2023

      Dolly’s Star Turn
      7 min read

    • Article

      Haunted

      Sep 27, 2023

      Haunted
      6 min read

    • Article

      The Man Behind the Counter

      Mar 4, 2019

      The Man Behind the Counter
      8 min read

    • Article

      Meeting Eve Babitz

      Jan 7, 2019

      Meeting Eve Babitz
      7 min read

    • Article

      Seedlings

      May 6, 2021

      Seedlings
      9 min read

    • Article

      The Inventions of Witches

      Oct 30, 2017

      The Inventions of Witches
      7 min read

    • Article

      A tender THREAD

      Jan 5, 2022

      A tender THREAD
      9 min read

    • Article

      Sam Delaney Is At Home

      Oct 24, 2022

      I received an unsolicited package in the mail. It was a padded envelope, pretty crumpled, my name and address scrawled in Sharpie. Maybe I’ve watched too many police procedurals, but I immediately analysed the handwriting as being that of a psychopat

      2 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for The Murder of Mary Russell

    4/5

    274 ratings52 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      Best In the series so far. An intriguing storyline giving a fascinating arc and background to Mrs. Hudson Brava!
    • 5/5
      On my first foray into the world of Mary Russell, it’s easy to see why this series featuring Mary and her husband, Sherlock Holmes, has been so successful. The author, Laurie R. King, brings new life to the Holmes' pantheon. She takes some of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s lesser characters and builds on their profiles, fully fleshing them out until they are as real to us as the Sherlock Holmes character. This novel centers on the enigmatic life of Mrs. Hudson, Holmes' landlady at 221B Baker St. How in fact did she become his landlady? What of her younger days? What of her son? Surely there must have been some exciting mysterious tale hidden below the surface in this staid landlady’s untold youth? In deed there is. The author delves deeply, taking us on a journey of adventure and sorrow that is a welcome addition to the Holmes' stories. She lifts aside a curtain to reveal the true character of the woman who is entrusted with maintaining Holmes' abode.
    • 5/5
      Excellent continuation of the series -- I was at the edge of my seat many times, and Laurie King's storytelling just seems to get better and better. I also love that this book explores Mrs. Hudson's past in a way I think no other Sherlockian novel has ever thought to do.

      Advanced readers copy provided by edelweiss.

      Re-read and found it just as riveting.
    • 4/5
      1925 Sussex. While alone at home, Mary Russell receives a visitor, but not for her, but their housekeeper Mrs Hudson. Her son, Samuel, has arrived from Australia. But in the next few moments everything changes. What is the history of Mrs Hudson? and how does it impact on the present?
      An enjoyable and well-written historical mystery reaching bach to the 1850s.
    • 5/5
      This mystery arises out of housekeeper Mrs. Clara Hudson's past and illuminates that past for us as readers and gives glimpses of it to Mary. It also gives us fascinating glimpses of a young Sherlock Holmes and the very complicated relationship he has with Mrs. Hudson.It begins with Mary receiving an unexpected visitor - Mr. Samuel Hudson - who has arrived from Australia looking for his mother with some sort of revenge in mind. It goes back in time to explore events chronicled by Dr. Watson in "The Adventures of the Gloria Scott." The book has mutiny, murders, and betrayals of all sorts. I really liked getting to know Mrs. Hudson in a very different way than the quiet housekeeper who has been a background figure in all of the books and stories that have come before. I admire her for her survival skills and for her resiliency. Fans of the Sherlock Holmes books will enjoy this new look at a very familiar character.
    • 3/5
      The Murder of Mary Russell is an interesting read. It switches characters frequently in the middle of intense scenes that are either finished or talked about later. A good portion of the book tells of Sherlock Holmes housekeeper from her parents meeting to her present life. Sherlock then appears near the middle of the book which makes the ending of the book both hard to put down as well as confusing. One of the major themes of the end of the book can be guessed chapter prior. Overall the constant changing directions of the storyline make this an interesting, confusing as well as hard to put down book.
    • 5/5
      Good Show!
    • 5/5
      I received this book almost a year ago as a giveaway and it's taken me this long to pick it up. In contrast, I read it in a single day this past weekend. I'm now regretting taking so long to start it as that means I've gone a year longer than I should have before discovering how much I love Laurie King!While the book is technically #14 in a series, it stands quite well on it's own and I've already planned to go back to the beginning and read the entirety of the series, along with anything else Ms King has written. The language is formal enough to give you a good feel of the time period without slowing it down. I can't speak to the others in the series, but this book followed three different narrators in two different time periods and still was not difficult to keep track of when or who you were.
    • 4/5
      As a murder of Mary Russell, it is a very good history of Mrs. Hudson, who had a very interesting life of her own. Mrs. Russell met Sherlock under trying circumstances and it could have gone very differently. But, the characters being who they were, things went on a much more intriguing trail for all of them. It turns out Mrs. Hudson has some very useful talents we have not been privy to......She should have her own series of books intertwining with these.
    • 5/5
      LRK is a seasoned writer that consistently pens solid and entertaining novels. This latest installment in the series is no exception. I just wish it had been ... more. Just more. It's meatloaf and mashed potatoes with gravy. I had a craving for something more insightful and gripping like her first Martinelli mystery. Still it's King and I recommend it, I just wish I could relish it and moan in pleasure instead of simply dining on it. More.
    • 2/5
      For me, too much Mrs. Hudson backstory, too little detective work.
    • 5/5
      An unexpected visitor motored up to Mary Russell's house to break the silence of a spring day. He claimed to be the son of Mrs. Hudson, the housekeeper, and spun a tale to Mary about his mother's past. Arriving at the home later in the morning, Mrs. Hudson found a pool of blood but no one in the house and came to suspect foul play involving Mary. That and other clues warrant contacting Sherlock Holmes to solve the mystery of what happened to Mary, his wife. The mystery is not the whole thing though. The deliciously unfolding life history of Clara (aka Clarissa) Hudson reveals the shady past of her family, her remarkable talents and how she came to meet Mr. Holmes and later became his housekeeper. The crisp and detailed writing engaged this reader from the beginning. I do not have the benefit of having read the previous Mary Russell novels but I think this certainly works as a standalone. It encourages me to read the series.
    • 5/5
      I received this book in exchange for a review. Wow, so many twists and turns. Laurie King sure knows how to keep you guessing. The back story of Mrs Hudson is exciting and intriguing. Mary Russell proves to be as capable as Mr Holmes himself. This book is a real page turner and if you enjoy Sherlock Holmes this book is for you.
    • 5/5
      Having read the first 3 Mary Russell novels and The Bones of Paris, I expect a lot from Laurie King. The Murder of Mary Russell did not disappoint. Mrs. Hudson's back story, the reason for my interest in this ARC, was brilliantly done just as I would have expected from King. I particularly enjoyed how she cleverly used Doyle's The Adventure of the Gloria Scott as a plot device in the story.
    • 5/5
      Ms. King is the master of writing a series but somehow managing to make each book completely unique. This latest installment brings depth and color to the character of Mrs. Hudson - someone who in Sherlock Holmes cannon is little more than a name. I particularly enjoyed some of the subtle things done - the objects that kept showing up, the significance of the Act, and the genuine affection each of the characters has for the others.
    • 4/5
      This is the first book in the Mary Russell series I have read. I had a few reservations when I found out that there are thirteen previous books in the series. Often this far into a series the books have a tendency to lose some of their luster. However, that is not the case with this novel. Reading it more as a stand alone novel I found the premise, characters and plot very fresh and engaging. I was also impressed with how the novel focused on the somewhat secondary character of Ms. Hudson. It was enjoyable to take some time to understand the backstory of Sherlock and Ms. Hudson as it wove itself through the mystery of what happened to Mary Russell. Although the first part of the novel moved a bit slow, I found that once details started to emerge I was totally drawn into the action. Needless to say I'll be going back to the beginning of this series with great expectation.
    • 5/5
      I received this book, in exchange for an honest review, through my participation in the Early Reviewers group on Library Thing.Having read all the previous volumes in this series (this is the 14th), I wondered where Laurie R. King was going to go next. I hadn't been especially thrilled with the most recent books, but when I saw the chance to receive this one, I had to do it. I'm thoroughly glad I did, because I enjoyed this one very much.The beginning was indeed thrilling, after an unexpected visitor appears and something grave happens to Mary Russell. We're left with the mystery of not only *what* happened, but *why*. Sherlock Holmes is devastated, but must carry on the investigation.For a change, the real focus of this historical mystery was not on either Mary or Holmes, but instead on Mrs. Hudson, who, it turns out, had a very checkered past. We learn about her in alternating flashback chapters; her early childhood, her apprenticeship with her father; and her sketchy existence before meeting a young Mr. Holmes.The mystery is a good one, and Ms. King definitely knows how to wrench up the suspense. I literally had a difficult time waiting for the denouement. Thank you to Bantam for the opportunity to catch up with the series, and to Library Thing for offering it.Some violence; very little foul language; adult situations but no sex. Highly recommended for those who think they knew Mrs. Hudson's history.
    • 4/5
      This was the best installment of the Mary Russell series in a while. The reader is treated to a return to the basic characters with the added treat of some hitherto unknown personal histories. Full of secrets, gasps, tension and daredevil adventure, this read is delightful!
    • 5/5
      Synopsis: Mary is home alone when a man appears at her door asking for Mrs. Hudson. When the housekeeper returns, she finds broken pottery and blood on the parlor floor. Has Mary been murdered and who is the mysterious man?Review: This was an excellent book that gave the back story of Mrs. Hudson and also of Billy (the page who served Sherlock in London). The tension begins in the first chapter and continues throughout the greater part of the book. The conclusion is every bit as well done as the rest of the book.
    • 5/5
      I always suspected there was more to Clara Hudson than meets the eye...now we know! Her backstory plays a key role in this Russell/Holmes story that hops back and forth from her past to the Holmes' present, combines mystery with manhunt, and leads to a highly satisfying ending. Finished it 30 minutes ago and I'm still grinning.A few comments more appropriate to those of you who are familiar with the entire series: The last Russell/Holmes story I really enjoyed was Locked Rooms...the ones that immediately followed, to me, were convoluted and improbable; then I missed a few, which I hope to remedy soon. Skipping some in the series does no harm--the story is easy to dive into. The Murder of Mary Russell is a refreshing return to Laurie King's earlier, enjoyable editions.
    • 4/5
      I've read all the books in this series and really enjoyed them. Like all series, some individual books have been better than others of course, and this was one of the titles I especially enjoyed reading. It is quite different from the earlier stories, delving into the history of Mrs. Hudson, a character we rarely hear much about. Reading her background felt very similar to the lengthy background stories set in foreign locales that Conan Doyle often incorporated into his longer Sherlock Holmes stories. I was impressed by how authentic to the Conan Doyle style this novel managed to remain, while introducing new characters and history that seamlessly expand the original stories in intriguing new ways. That balance is what drew me to 'The Beekeeper's Apprentice' in the first place, and this novel was a wonderful return to the obvious creativity and respect for the original characters that was evident in the earliest books in the series.
    • 5/5
      Another great story weaving Sherlocks Holmes into a strong supporting character, sidekick to his strong, independent wife, Mary Russell. This one is vital to any Sherlock Holmes fan, because it creates a fascinating past life for Mrs. Hudson and how she came to be the Holmes housekeeper. According to Laurie King, there’s a lot more to the quiet, dignified woman than she permits the reader to see in previous books. Well-written and a book that makes great escape reading.
    • 5/5
      Mary Russell was alone at home going through when she was interrupted by a man looking for Mrs. Hudson, the Holmes’s long time housekeeper. When he claimed to be her son, it threw Mary for a loop and she allowed him to enter their house. She told him that Mrs. Hudson was out and then, with her instincts for hospitality taking over he instincts for caution, she invited him into the house for a cup of tea. When she came out of the kitchen, she found herself looking a revolver pointing directly at her.Three and a half hours later, Mrs. Hudson and their friend Patrick returned from their shopping expedition and saw that a saucer that had belonged to Mrs. Hudson’s mother lie shattered on the floor. After she put away the groceries, she discovered a few other items that were amiss and there was an unusual smell in the house. She then saw two pools of blood and realized the smell was from a gunshot. Mary was not in the house.Most of THE MURDER OF MARY RUSSELL is Mrs. Hudson’s story. Mary had known her almost as long as she had known her husband, Sherlock Holmes, but knew very little of her background. Laurie R. King supplies all the missing information, beginning with Mrs. Hudson’s parents. Her mother died when Clara (that was Mrs. Hudson’s first name) was a child and tells about her relationship with her father and her younger sister, who was her father’s favorite. Her father always had plans for getting money, necessary to pay back a loan from a crime boss, primarily illegal. Soon after the story begins, he was working on a ship to Australia with British prisoners, most of whom had committed crimes of a financial nature. By the time she was ten years old, he realized that he could use Clara to help him attract marks. The story moves from England to Australia and back again. It also explains how the bond between Sherlock and Clara developed and why it remained solid through the decades. While most of the chapters are about Mrs. Hudson, many are about Mary and her disappearance. The book is a well-written quick read with excellent descriptions and answers a lot of questions the readers of the Sherlock Holmes books never knew they had: Clara Hudson had a very interesting life.
    • 3/5
      In spite of the title, much of this book doesn't revolve around Russell in any way, nor is it from her perspective. It's about Mrs Hudson.I'm here for Russell's first-person narration - for her observations of the world around her, for the historical scenery and the details about Oxford and the times when she goes undercover. So this book and I definitely have different priorities - but that's okay.I ended up skimming through the third-person Mrs Hudson flashbacks, (by that point the book was overdue at the library). I read enough to get the general gist of her history, enough to confirm that although it would have been more engaging if I had made the effort to read it properly, it wasn't the sort of story that particularly appeals to me. (Perhaps I would care more about Mrs Hudson - and particularly about this version that - if I was more familiar with Holmes canon.)I enjoyed the non-flashback scenes.
    • 4/5
      The series is well back on form with this volume, I'm very pleased to say. Some fascinating and surprising backstory to Mrs. Hudson, an excellently paced plot, and just a ripping good read. After the last couple I was getting worried, but those fears have been greatly allayed.
    • 3/5
      I'm conflicted in my feelings about this book: on one hand, I truly enjoyed the extensive backstory King has created for Mrs. Hudson; on the other hand, when I pick up a book entitled The Murder of Mary Russell: A novel of suspense featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, I am not looking for a biography of Holmes' housekeeper, no matter how well written it is. I think I would have liked this book more if it was just Mrs. Hudson's story, with the Mary Russell story line as a separate novella.
    • 4/5
      King turns out another excellent entry in the uneven Mary Russell series. The Canonical story The Gloria Scott is the springboard for this well-plotted story that reveals Mrs. Hudson's checkered past.
    • 4/5
      A Tribute to Mrs. Hudson...

      I'm a huge fan of the Mary Russell series so I've been not so patiently waiting for this next book, especially considering the title is "The Murder of Mary Russell." My imagination was running wild, wondering what happens to Mary so I was a little disappointed when the book started off as a recitation of Mrs. Hudson's past. It was quite a bit different from King's usual format of jumping right into the story. I really wanted to just hurry up and get to the present heart of the matter so it seemed like the past recital took forever to get through. I can't believe I'm saying this because I thoroughly enjoyed every other book in the series and I do like Mrs. Hudson and she deserves a little time in the limelight but the beginning of this one just dragged on way too long. However, once I got about midway through and the story moved into the present and back to King's tried and true style, the book started redeeming itself. The past and present story lines started aligning and I just enjoyed the second half a lot more then the first. I really hope though that in the next book, King doesn't take another departure from her usual style. I would much rather prefer to read about Mary & Sherlock and whatever trouble they get mixed up in, especially when that trouble takes them to some foreign locale.

      *I received this ARC from NetGalley & Random House Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!


    • 5/5
      ***This book was reviewed for San Francisco Book Review***The Murder of Mary Russell, care of Laurie R. King, is a fascinating glimpse into the life of a person oft in the background, yet of a very essential nature in the life of Sherlock, and later of Mary. This story, despite the title, is all about Mrs Hudson. From her earliest years, to current day, we learn all about the enigmatic, ever-present lady who has tended to Sherlock, and put up with his antics for a good chunk of his adult life. Now we know why.Mrs Hudson, born Clarissa, began her life in colonial Australia, after her ma conspired to get herself transported to this far distant penal colony in order to be with her husband. Talk about some kind of devotion! Sadly, her ma died soon after giving birth to a baby brother, who passed not long after his dam. Clarrie threw herself into caring for younger sister Alicia when their da succumbed to the loss of wife and son, throwing himself into the bottle. A surprising talent of Mrs Hudson’s brings life back to her father, and takes her all the way from Australia to London, where she manages to get herself in a spot of trouble, after being taken advantage of by an unscrupulous nobleman. A different sort of trouble brought her to Sherlock's attention, as he’s hunting her da. Sherlock sets her off to Australia. A year later, she re-enters Sherlock's life, having given her infant son over to the care of her sister, and sister’s husband. You might be wondering what Mrs Hudson’s past has to do with the rather alarming title. To tell that would give far too much away! Suffice to say, it is very relevant. This young Mrs Hudson reminds me of Sophie Devereaux, and that's how I saw her much of the story. Perceptive people will have a clue from that name as to the nature of her past. By necessity, this story jumps between past and present, and between different players. Normally stories like this annoy me. I invariably prefer one thread to the exclusion of the other. Not so here! While I definitely preferred the past thread to the present, I thoroughly enjoyed both. Just be forewarned, there's a major change at the end, one that left me quite asea. It's easy to get in the habit of seeing stories as time capsules, unless you are reading works by GRR Martin… They aren't though, are they? Major changes come to all. People come, people go. Nothing ever stays the same, no matter how much we might wish it. One thing is certain- change brings new growth, whether it is slow or swift, and that is only ever a positive thing.????? Highly recommended for lovers of mystery in general, and of Sherlock and Mary Russell in particular.
    • 4/5
      I love Laurie R. King books! And this is no exception.It's a fun, satisfying quick read, not quite a page turner but close enough and filled with wonderful Holmes characters doing what they do best, solving mysteries!