Product Description
Snake River, Idaho--Ariel Behn, a toxic materials expert at a remote nuclear site, finds her well-ordered life shattered when her cousin is slain by an unknown assassin. His shocking death leaves Ariel as the sole heir to a family legacy: a sinister cache of manuscripts that sweeps her into the deadly center of international intrigue--and a mystery that spans the centuries...

Jerusalem, 32 A.D.--During the last week of the life of Christ, as the world stands on the brink of a new two-thousand-year circle, Emperor Tiberius works desperately to deciper the tantalizing clues to an age-old enigma. He will not be the only one. For whoever assembles and interprets these cryptic clues will possess the power to control the fate of the world...

Now, at the center of this circle of ancient riddles stands the one woman who can pull the strands together: Ariel Behn. What strange powers lie hidden with in the manuscripts? As Ariel races across the continents to reveal the dark secrets buried in her family's past, she begins to unlock the chilling truth of the coming millenium.

Born in Toronto, Megan Follows starred in the Emmy Award-winning production of Inherit the Wind, and appeared in the feature films A Time of Destiny, Stacking, and Silver Bullet. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (307)

Much Ado About Nothing
Omigod! What a mess! After wading through 552 pages of mish-mash that includes jet-hopping, excursions into Roman history and the bible; and a family tree so ridiculously complicated that in the end each new "surprise" just makes one's eyes glaze over, the reader is none the wiser as to the manuscripts' value, and cannot really care in whose hands they end up. It is only in the last two pages of the book that there is an attempt to explain precisely why the various characters would kill to get their hands on the manuscripts, and what is their earth-shattering content: The latter seems to boil down to the lesson that we need to take care of women and mother earth. Hmm. A valid point in and of itself, but this is the great climax after 552 pages?What a joke! A must-miss, in my opinion!

I also think it unfair to describe the book's critics as unintellectual. One can be perfectly capable of understanding and making it through this obstacle course of a book, and still find it unsatisfying. After all, there is a difference between intellect and dysfunction; and sadly, this book is all over the place and could have done with some serious editing before being published.

Worst book I've read
I picked up this book in the airport a year or so ago and finally got to it. Hoped to have a relaxing day reading in the rain.This book was a COMPLETE MESS.The main quirky character is likeable enough. The poorly transitioning history lesson inserts along with the character's crazy geneaology were so overwhelming and confusing that I had a migraine by the end of the day.I didn't even understand the point of anything going with the time jumping most of the time. All way too far-fetched.I rarely toss a book before finishing, but this is one I wish I'd just tossed in the trash.I'd really like to ask the author what the heck she was thinking!

Disappointed with AudioBook Magic Circle
I didn't realize the audiobook was an abridged version of the Magic Circle.I purchased it used and received it with all of the markings of a public library copy (as in the property of).The abridged version left me even more frustrated with this really good story. The book has me struggling through all of the historical detail the author throws in which is why I thought the audobook would help. The abridged version didn't.I won't be looking for the unabridged version.

Get a genealogy program
Before you even start this book get a genealogy program or lots of blank family charts.You will need them to even get a clue about who is going on in this book.

I don't mind extended families but this was horrible.I guess there might have been a good story there but I spent so much time confused about the characters in the family that I'm not sure about the story.And, as well as family members that are legion, there are non-family member characters.Skip this book.

Completely forgettable
I found this book on my bookshelf and thought - hmm, must have missed this one.I read the synopsis, was immediately drawn in, and wondered why it had taken me so long to get around to reading it.So I started reading.Things seemed somewhat familiar.I thought that maybe I had started this once upon a time and for whatever reason wasn't able to finish.I read on.300 pages, 350 pages - geez is this deja vu or what?!It seriously took me around 400 pages to realize I had in fact already read the whole book!I NEVER forget plots or stories!Never say never.So I had to finish it after putting in all the hard yards - what a convoluted and verbose piece of rubbish!It's so completely far-fetched.If Katherine Neville ever read a history book it was about as memorable to her as The Magic Circle was to me the first time around.So if you haven't read this - don't bother and if you can't remember, best to leave it forgotten. ... Read more

Product Description
Anne of Avonlea

For over half a century Anne Shirley, the charmingly unpredictable heroine of Anne of Green Gables, has captured the hearts -- and imaginations -- of millions. In this three-hour abridgment of the second book in L.M. Montgomery's unforgettable saga, Anne's story continues... in a tale that will delight children and grown-ups alike.

"When Anne reached the school that first morning, she was confronted by prim rows of shining morning faces and bright, inquisitive eyes. She hung up her hat and faced her pupils, hoping that she did not look as frightened and foolish as she felt and that they would not perceive how she was trembling."

It seemed only yesterday that the skinny, freckled redhead had first come to Prince Edward Island. Now here was Anne, a pretty sixteen, teaching at the Avonlea school and all grown up. Well, not quite grown up. In fact, Anne was not very different from her restless young pupils -- mischievous and high-spirited as ever.

With this special reading by Megan Follows, L.M. Montgomery's timeless classic will entertain you and your family again and again! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (67)

Anne's Story Continues...
It has been a long time since I first read this series, and I must admit that I remembered much less of this installment in the life of Anne Shirley than I did of her scrapes and adventures in _Anne of Green Gables_. Still, this made for a delightful read, and it always put me in a better mood, even if I only read a chapter or two at a time. To see the world through Anne's eyes certainly improves it! And though Anne was much more grown up here at the age of 17, she still managed to fall into ... (show more)

It has been a long time since I first read this series, and I must admit that I remembered much less of this installment in the life of Anne Shirley than I did of her scrapes and adventures in _Anne of Green Gables_. Still, this made for a delightful read, and it always put me in a better mood, even if I only read a chapter or two at a time. To see the world through Anne's eyes certainly improves it! And though Anne was much more grown up here at the age of 17, she still managed to fall into some mischief, and the antics of her students and Davy brought genuine joy and laughter to the book. I can't wait to see what is "around the bend" for Anne Shirley!

Another Great Anne Story
In L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Avonlea, we pick-up the story of Anne Shirley where Anne of Green Gables leaves off. Anne is now a teacher at the Avonlea school. Despite having "grown up" a bit, Anne is still Anne, and with the help of some delightful new characters, continues to get herself into trouble in a way only she can!

Anne of Avonlea is a wonderful story. We see Anne growing a little older and wiser in the ways of the world, while still maintaining her whimsical spirit. She is a wonderful, positive heroine, and immediately becomes a "bosom friend" to anyone and everyone who reads her story.

Montgomery's descriptions are both beautiful and beguiling. Her writing style is entertaining and readable, making it impossible not to become lost within Anne's favorite haunts in Avonlea. When reading these books it is easy to see why so many fans of the series vacation on Prince Edward Island!

beautiful story
I read this with my 12-year-old daughter and we both loved it. A real classic.

Anne and the Bridge to Tomorrow...
Lucy Maud Montgomery's excellent "Anne of Avonlea" picks up the story of the orphan Anne Shirley at the end of "Anne of Green Gables."Anne passes up college to stay with Marilla Cuthburt, the now ailing woman who raised her.At just sixteen, Anne is also the new village schoolmarm, full of good intentions for molding young minds.Many of her school mates are still in Avonlea; her beautiful Prince Edward Island home is hers to conquer.

Anne will face many challenges in the next two years.She discovers the theory and practice of teaching can be quite different.Marilla's decision to adopt the orphaned young twins Dora and Davy will thrust parenting responsibilities on the willing Anne.Anne and her friends form the Avonlea Village Improvement Society, and find that the best of intentions can lead to the strangest of results.Anne's sympathy for her eccentric neighbors will lead to some interesting adventures.Her rich imagination will get her into more than one delightful fiasco.

If "Anne of Green Gables" was a rounded story, complete of itself, "Anne of Avonlea" is a bridge across the last of Anne's girlhood to the woman of her future.Montgomery has the delicate touch to linger over Anne's enthusiasm for natural beauty and her delight in many deep friendships, from the lonely little schoolboy Paul Irving, to her best friend Diana, to the reclusive spinster Miss Lavender.Along the way, Anne's growing maturity is the reader's to share.In a touching final scene, Anne finally comes to glimpse clearly the future of her relationship with the handsome and patient Gilbert Blythe, a signal of childhood's end.

"Anne of Avonlea" is most highly recommended to fans of the irresistable Anne Shirley and the "Anne" series.

Why is this novel so dull?
I thoroughly enjoyed Anne of Green Gables, but Anne of Avonlea is devoid of all that made the first lively and captivating.We rarely see the world through the descriptive lens of Anne's eyes and colorful words in the second book as we did with the first.Instead we are bludgeoned over the head with narrative bucolic scenery after narrative bucolic scenery.Gone is the tension between Anne and Gilbert and gone is the hilarity of Anne's growing pains, and no sympathy is created for the twins Anne and Marilla have adopted.It's as if Montgomery has dumped them into the story and left them there to fend for themselves.I am only halfway through, but the narrative has become so tedious and dull with scenery and very little story, that I may not be able to wade through what should have been edited and rewritten. ... Read more

Product Description
When an accident occurs on a road near their castle, Laura and her father take in the stranded survivor. Carmilla and Laura both appear young, beautiful, and innocent. But one is an ageless vampire; the other, an unsuspecting victim. True to vampire rituals involving blood, fear of dying, and obsessive eroticism, Carmilla herself falls victim to the "rapture of cruelty that is love." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Haunting version of this classic
A very beautiful version of this classic. The lady speaker is wonderfully talented at describing scenes and images from the book and makes one's spine creep with her stylish performance of Sheridan's vampire. The entire recording which spans two full length tapes consisting of around 3 hours of audio recording left me spellbound and wishing that there was much more. The only failing in this otherwise excellant production was that there was no background music at certain points of the story which could have heightened the experience. Not that it spoiled the overall superb recording but that it would have added an extra diemension if handled carefully to the spooky effects.

Would recomend this recording to anyone who enjoys a shiver or two late at night and to anyone who appreciates a classic story performed in a highly professional but unique style.

Classy version of classic horror story
"Carmilla," which predates Stoker's "Dracula," introduced the lesbian vampire to literature, and this reading of the entire text by Megan Follows breathes real life into LeFanu's somewhat antiquated Victorian style.Follows makes the narrator Laura into an intelligent and compelling guide through the tale; she also puts the proper ambivalence in the descriptions of Carmilla's advances, vampiric and otherwise.Indeed, what's most impressive is how clearly the lesbian subtext is presented, and how much emotion is involved. Altbough the plot is a little obvious after two centuries of rip-offs, LeFanu's innate storytelling skill and Follows' presentation make the anachronisms fairly painless, and the uniquely unsettling bits still have their chills. ... Read more

Product Description
"How horrible it is that people have to grow up!"

Wishing couldn't keep Anne of Green Gables from growing up. Anne's whole world was changing. Her childhood friends were beginning to get married, and Anne herself was leaving the island for four years of college. Now handsome Gilbert Blythe wants to win Anne's heart, and suddenly Anne must decide if she's ready for love... and for following her dreams if they mean leaving Green Gables behind forever. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (71)

Anne's Choice...
"Anne of the Island" is the third novel in Lucy Maud Montgomery's superb "Anne of Green Gables" series.After two years teaching school at Avonlea, the 18-year old red-haired orphan Anne Shirley is finally off to college.She will be joined by Queens Academy classmates Priscilla Grant, Stella Maynard, Charlie Sloane, and Gilbert Blythe.

Redmond College in Kingsport will be a big adjustment for Anne.Fortunately, vivacious new friend Phillippa Gordon will fill out a foursome for the girls to rent cozy Patty's Cottage as a home base for studies and an active social life.

The once awkward Anne has grown into an attractive, passionate, and caring young woman who excels at her studies and her many friendships.She will receive several offers of marriage.At least two proposals will pose tough choices.Anne's relationship with longtime friend and admirer Gilbert Blythe is complicated.Anne is attracted to Gilbert and cherishes their friendship, but she is not prepared to see her childhood chum as a romantic leading man.When Gilbert makes clear he wants more from Anne than her friendship, she makes an anguished refusal of his proposal.

Wealthy, charming and worldly fellow student Roy Gardner will seem to embody Anne's notion of romance.Anne will ignore some warning signs, not least her continuing feelings for Gilbert, during their two year courtship.Roy's expected marriage proposal will force Anne to face the potential consequences of a choice: a comfortable life with a wealthy man who is not a kindred spirit, a lonely spinsterhood of good works, or, perhaps, a second chance with the man who completes her.

"Anne of the Island" is very highly recommended to "Anne of Green Gables" fans as a moving and emotionally decisive chapter in her life.

Loved It!
Anne of the Island is book 3 in L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables series. It is a continuation of the story of Anne Shirley as she goes away to school at Redmond College in Kingsport. Some of Anne's old chums from Avonlea are also at Redmond - Charlie Sloane and Gilbert Blythe, but Montgomery also introduces new and interesting characters. L.M. Montgomery certainly has a way with characters! She writes people that are really believable. These are people you will wish were in your life - as you follow them on their journey, they become your friends as well.

Anne of the Island is the book that finally sees some serious development in the Gilbert/Anne dynamic, and for this reason it seems to be the favorite of the series for a lot of Montgomery fans. While I enjoyed the story just as much as the previous two books, I wouldn't say it would be my favorite - my heart will always belong to the little orphan girl from Anne of Green Gables. She becomes a remarkable young woman over the course of the years, but some of my favorite Anne-escapades take place in the first book.

As always, L.M. Montgomery is a master of the literary form. Her descriptions are well-formed and breathtaking in their scope - not a single word could be omitted:
"The sea was roaring hollowly in the distance, the fields were bare and sere, scarfed with golden rod, the brook valley below Green Gables overflowed with asters of ethereal purple, and The Lake of Shining Waters was blue-blue-blue; not the changeful blue of spring, nor the pale azure of summer, but a clear, steadfast, serene blue, as if the water were past all moods and tenses of emotion and had settled down to a tranquility unbroken by fickle dreams."
Isn't that fantastic!? Drink in the beauty...

These are wonderful books for all ages and there is a little something for everyone here: adventure, romance, drama, suspense, and comedy. If you give Anne a chance, you'll have a bosom friend for life!

A trip back in time....
I love all the Anne books...and I'm almost 70 years old!They were "old fashioned" when I was a child, and perhaps even more so now, but they take me back to a simpler, sweeter time, and when I am done reading them on my "every decade or so" re-reading binge, I hate to leave that time behind.I was missing this one from my "collection" of them, and enjoyed catching up on Anne again.

Anne still delivers
Every summer, my daughter, Amber, who has cerebral palsy, has me read Anne of Green Gables to her. It's tradition. And, this sequel is just as good as the first two. This author, L.M. Montgomery, was so skillful, it's as if she poured out a beautiful soul onto the pages, fully alive and full of wonder, inviting us, her kindred spirits, to join her in her imaginings and adventures.
We're halfway through Anne of Avonlea now, and can't wait to start Anne of the Island next. Nobody wrote characters more real. There is no way to fully experience the richness of these works except by reading them, or hearing them read. Movies can never do them justice, as good as they can be.

Yes, Anne still delivers thrills, scrapes and wonders after all of these years, and they're just as fresh now as they ever were.

Anne of the Island
This third book of the series (Anne of Green Gables) is as good as the first and better than the second. ... Read more

Product Description
A long-lost novel by the author of Gone with the Wind provides a richly romantic saga of a stormy love triangle and characters torn between passion and honor, whose lives are forever altered by a terrible catastrophe. Amazon.com Review
Until 1995, Gone with theWind--the 1937 Pulitzer Prize winner and perhaps thebestselling novel of all time--was the only published work of fictioncredited to Margaret Mitchell. But 45 years after her death, the Roadto Tara Museum unveiled what amounts to a national treasure--a novellawritten by America's most beloved storyteller. Lost Laysen isan exciting tale of love and honor on a South Pacific island. Arough-edged Irish boatsman is smitten with the feisty and independentCourtenay Ross. "Charley boy, I sure did love that little woman,I couldn't help it, tho I knew I never had a chance--she wasn't mykind. I wonder why it's always the little women that appeal to us bigfellows?" Courtenay is engaged to a dapper young American wholoves her so much, he follows her to the remote island of Laysen topersuade her to come home. What's so remarkable about this story isthat Mitchell was just 16 when she put pen to paper and wrote theentire piece in less than a month's time.

Henry Love Angel, a close friend and likely admirer, was the recipientof the two notebooks in which the manuscript for Lost Laysenwas written. It was Angel's grandson who discovered the amazingtreasure that had been passed down to him--a box of photographs,negatives, correspondence from Mitchell to Angel, and themanuscript. "My dear--" begins one letter. "I was soproud of you, last time I saw you--proud of your love, your courageand resignation and most of all your self confidence. Don't let itdrop my dear. I have prayed so hard that you would have it becausewithout it you can never amount to much. With it and work, the worldlies ahead. If ever you begin to get discouraged and lose confidencein your self--draw on my supply for I believe in you. Just set yourmark and go to it." The never-before-seen photographs showMitchell and a variety of friends goofing for the camera. This bookprovides charming insight into a brief period of Mitchell's life--onefull of youthful folly, exuberance, and obvious joy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Lost Laysen by Peggy Mitchell
Written by the author of 'Gone With the Wind' at sixteen years old. A sea captain falls in love with a socialite.

Tragic, epic, and astonishing it was written by one so young. I was ecstatic when I realized Margaret Mitchell had a second novel.

Worth every penny.

good first effort from a very young writer
When judged against Gone With The Wind, this book (really more of a short story) fares badly, but you have to keep in mind the youth and inexperience of the author. I found the plot trite, the main character more annoying than inspiring, and the ending unbelievable.And yes, there's an obvious racist slant. If the story weren't written by Margaret Mitchell, I doubt it would ever have seen the light of day. However, it's worth a read to see how even the best writers start with amateurish efforts. If nothing else, it shows aspiring writers that there's hope if they persevere. GWTW is a magnificant achievement, and this book can't take away from that.

I loved this book
This book is a great gift for anyone who loves Margaret Mitchell.I am fascinated with her and absolutely enjoy learning all I can about her.To think that she wrote this book when she was so young is amazing.Read it, you will love it.

A fifteen-year-old (racist) writing sensation and her relationship with recently come to light love, Henry Love Angel.
When Margaret Munnerlyn Mitchell completed the novella (a 20 to 30 minute read) Lost Laysen (a "volcanic island of the Tongas group"), she was a few months shy of her sixteenth birthday. The story itself will be familiar to fans of Gone with the Wind. A beautiful, passionate, headstrong woman pursued by multiple suitors bravely faces dangers that come her way, undeterred by their attempts to sway her towards safer actions. In this case, she is a petite, nineteen-year-old gray-blue eyed missionary American woman with a mouth "made for kissing" named Courtenay Ross. Beau Douglas Steele, "son of D.G. Steel, the arms manufacturer" and "one of the big athletes of America" follows Miss Ross to the ship carrying her to the island in hopes of convincing her not to go. Irish-born, rough-around-the-edges six foot three inches tall twenty-nine-year old Billy Duncan, "first mate on the `Caliban,' a little old tub that carried passengers and did trading among the Tongas," narrates the tale. A rich, handsome, "slim, dark man" a "[h]alf breed...possessing the devils own dark beauty," a"fiend out of hell" named Juan Mardo rounds out the cast. Mardo makes a "vile" remark about Miss Ross. Duncan attacks the man but ends up with the worst injuries. Will any of the men win her love? The rest of it (without spoiling the plot) is a lesson in the importance of a woman's honor.

Unfortunately, the story (as with her use of the "n" word in Gone with the Wind) is filled with racism against Asians and what she refers to as "half breeds." Most of the offending derogatories are included in the next to the last complete sentence on page 72, but are repeated many times throughout the story. Racism is wrong. Excusing racism is also wrong. Editor Debra Freer can't stop at just euphemistically calling it what it is, (p 124) "Today we can agree on the inappropriateness of certain words and characterizations..." but plunges on with an excuse for Ms. Mitchell's racism, "Margaret Mitchell mixed her knowledge of the real world into her fiction, creating characters who spoke with the language of their era, a time when most rough seafaring men spoke disparagingly of other races..." What about the language of lady Courtney Ross, who says, (p 87) "I am a missionary and I'm going to wash dirty little Japs and teach `em not to stick knives in people"? [pardon me, nihonjin] Racism aside, it's an impressive story for a fifteen-year-old to have written. Fans of the author will undoubtedly enjoy the samples of her writing, through the letters written to Henry Love Angel, who you can't help feeling a bit sorry for (he never got the girl) but respecting (he never sought the limelight) just the same. Lost Laysen, with it's 57 photos, 15 letters, and novella, is a tribute to Margarett Mitchell, the power of (unrequited) love, and the ridiculousness of racism, is better left for serious fans of the author and Gone with the Wind.

Megan Follows breathes life into the reading of this tragic romance.
I didn't know the story of this novella until I received the cassette. This is an indication of the loss to the world of all the works destroyed at Margaret's death. Like the romantic young woman who wrote this tale, perhaps she couldn't bear the thought of her works not being presented as she would have them be. I can't help but see a lithesome Megan Follows at nineteen in the role of Miss Ross when I hear her read this, with her usual mastery. I don't know how it is possible, but she makes the transition from sweet young lady to grizzled seaman in a way that makes this a pleasure to hear. The South Pacific locale and ship terminology seemed real and my limited knowledge found no technical snags-not bad at all for a sixteen year old! The only fault I can think of is that it ends so quickly. Although I believe I could listen to Megan read the phone book, this is much less a strain on her considerable talents. It is a steal at these discounted prices. ... Read more

Product Description
"She'll have to go back."

Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert had decided to adopt anorphan. They wanted a nice sturdy boy to helpMatthew with the farm chores. The orphanage sent a girlinstead - a mischievous, talkative redhead who the Cuthberts thought would be no use at all.But as soon as Anne arrived at the snug, whitefarmhouse called Green Gables, she knew she wanted tostay forever. And the longer Anne stayed, theharder it was for anyone to imagine Green Gableswithout her Amazon.com Review
When Marilla Cuthbert's brother, Matthew, returns home to Green Gables with a chatty redheaded orphan girl, Marilla exclaims, "But we asked for a boy. We have no use for a girl." It's not long, though, before the Cuthberts can't imagine how they could ever do without young Anne of Green Gables--but not for the original reasons they sought an orphan. Somewhere between the time Anne "confesses" to losing Marilla's amethyst pin (which she never took) in hopes of being allowed to go to a picnic, and when Anne accidentally dyes her hated carrot-red hair green, Marilla says to Matthew, "One thing's for certain, no house that Anne's in will ever be dull." And no book that she's in will be, either. This adapted version of the classic, Anne of Green Gables, introduces younger readers to the irrepressible heroine of L.M. Montgomery's many stories. Adapter M.C. Helldorfer includes only a few of Anne's mirthful and poignant adventures, yet manages to capture the freshness of one of children's literature's spunkiest, most beloved characters. There's just enough to make beginning readers want more--luckily, there's a lot more in the originals! Illustrator Ellen Beier creates vibrant pictures to portray the beauty of the land around Green Gables and the spirited nature of Anne herself. (Ages 5 to 8) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Customer Reviews (311)

Great classic for children
I first read the abridged version of Anne of Green Gables from my school library as a kid. I read it because I really liked the summary given at the back. But after sometime I forgot all about it. When my sister bought the unabridged version of this book I started reading this book with a renewed interest and greater understanding about the plot and character.
Marilla and Mathew have lived in the Green Gables for as long as most of the people of Avonlea remember. Marilla persuades Mathew to send for a boy from the orphanage to help in their farm. But they are surprised when a talkative 12 year old girl with an overactive imagination arrives instead of the boy they had sent for. Red-headed Anne with her hot temper and romantic ideas causes havoc in the peaceful society of Avonlea. But with her jovial and good nature she soon wins over the practical minded people of Avonlea.
Anne ,the protagonist of the book has an overactive imagination which get her into scrapes many a time. She loves romantic namesand instantly flares up if any one teases her about her hair. She is headstrong and mostly jumps into things without thinking twice. Though she is liable to get into trouble but she does try to get out of them by telling lies.
Marilla, who has no experience in bringing up children,is always brisk in her mannerisms and is practical minded.
Mathew is the shy and introvert brother of Marilla. Though he lives in mortal fear of young girls he develops an instant likeness for Anne. Mathew though rarely goes against Marilla's wishes is ever ready to twist some rules for Anne's happiness. He is a hard working man and is happy to handle the farm on his own. He has an unwavering belief in Anne.
I think Anne as a character reminded me a lot of myself as a kid, with an unecessarily overeactive imagination.Though the book starts with the right speed but by the end of the book it becomes a little too fast, so much so that the reader tends to lose the track of time in the book. Like most books it's not the only the story which makes a book readable but also how the story is told. Montgomery takes a simple story of the everyday life a young orphan girl and manages to win the heart of the readers. The simple yet humorous way the writer tells the story keep the reader interested in story right through the book. Though there are other books on similar themes like the Anne of Green Gables but this book is unique in itself. While reading the book the reader would never feel as if they had read something like this before. The author stuck to the story right through the book. The storyline is not lost anywhere in between the book. Maybe that's what is special about this book- the author manages to tell such a simple story without once wavering from the plot. The readers would never feel that any character is bland. The author has defined all characters of the book so finely that the reader can almost imagine how a characters looks, walks or talks. The author has accomplished to make her characters breathe for the readers. All characters have their interesting points from the nosey Rachel Lynde to the practical Marilla.
Something that I didn't like about this book is that the author made the main character a little too perfect. Anne seems to be liked by most of the characters in the books which seems a little too unrealistic as even the best of people are not liked by many. Indeed the author has shown all most all of her characters as saintly people . But I recommend the people to read this book at least once.
What I liked best in the book was the innocence of the main protagonist of the book. Though she is gets into a lot of scrapes but she never intentionally breaks the rules. The humorous yet fascinating way in which the author has described the antics of Anne won the book for me. Anne has managed to win my heart by her romantic ideas and far fetched imagination.




Recommended?





I would like to recommend it to all children over the age of eleven and to all adults who want to refresh their childhood memories. It is a really good book for light reading. The story connects with all of at one point or the other. Be it the regular scrapes we got into when we were children or the absurd ideas we had about various things. Mrs Lynde could remind the readers of their nosey yet good natured neighbour. This book teaches us take pleasure in simple things in life and to put people before riches.
Some other similar books I recommend are the Little Women by Louisa May Alcott and What Katy Did by Susan Coolidge. Though these two books are different from the Anne of Green Gables in many respects but they all relate to the everyday lives of young girls. While Little Women is about the five March sisters who learn to live happily even in poverty while their father has gone off to the war, What Katy Did is about the tomboyish twelve year old Katy Carr who learns to happily face the adversities of life. Those who liked this book may also like to read the other parts of the book which follows Anne's story in various stages of her life. Though the other books are too are good but my firm favourite is the Anne series. Maybe this is so that I am a bit partial towards books written with humour in it.

Anne of Green Gables
I like all of the Anne books I have read so far, my least being Rainbow Valley. I like Anne's humor - chatty and and peppy- and I like most of the characters. I give the entire series four stars. I just finished House of Dreams, and it may have been my favorite in all. I really like Anne of Green Gables.

Review of Anne of Green Gables
Anne of Green Gables is the story that comes to mind when I think about the books I read alone as a child.

There are very few in the readers world that are unfamiliar with this story. The movies made were fantastic and Megan Follows the perfect choice to play Anne with an E, but nothing can compare to the original story.

I picked up Anne of Green Gables because I was challenged on Twitter to pick up a book I loved and read it, instead of picking up a book I should be reading. I read half of the book in a single evening, devouring it with the same satisfaction that I would my mom's potato salad or my grandmothers Texas cake.

My favorite scene in the book is when Anne, just after her performance at White Sands, speaks to the girls and talks about how she likes being just Anne of Green Gables. I'm a person who loves and cherishes home and that, I think, is why I love this book so much. Anne understood me as a child, a teenager and as an adult. She was my literary kindred spirit, as I'm sure she was countless others as well.

One last thing before I wrap this sentimental review up. I still own the 1983 Junior Illustrated Edition of Anne of Green Gables. This is the only book I've read the story in. It's spine is broken and some of the pages are loose and stained with fingerprints or sustained water damage. The illustrations inspire memories of their own, laying on the top bunk of the bunk bed in my grandparents basement, sitting on the big, green chair in my parents living room, eating a sandwich at the battered, scuffed dining table. Each illustration felt like an old friend had emerged from the shadows of my memory and waved hello, and just like that, once again, Anne has inspired my dramatic imagination to flare again.

A Timeless Classic!
Anne of Green Gables is one of my all-time favorite books! I'm re-visiting some old classics from my youth this summer, and L.M. Montgomery's beautiful series about the "Anne girl" is at the top of my list. The story is well-known and loved - purely by mistake, plucky orphan Anne Shirley comes to live with Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert. They wanted a boy to help with the farm work, but what they got was a charmingly verbose little girl who quickly makes a place for herself in their lives. Anne gets into so much trouble that it would be nearly impossible to chronicle in a review without retelling the whole story, so suffice it to say that she is definitely the queen of the caper!

Anne Shirley is wonderfully relatable - she is a smart and creative girl, full of spirit and amazingly introspective for someone her age. Anne is a unique and entertaining character in a novel full of interesting characters - I want to be Anne Shirley when I grow up! From Marilla and Matthew to their curmudgeonly neighbor Rachel Lynde, Montgomery created a fascinating cast of characters that are impossible to forget.

L.M. Montgomery crafted a true masterpiece with Anne of Green Gables. The story is timeless and the setting is meticulously illustrated with a graceful use of words and phrases. The writing is simply delightful - there is true magic between the covers of this book!


"Mrs Rachel Lynde lived just where the Avonlea main road dipped into a little hollow, fringed with alders and ladies' eardrops, and traversed by a brook that had its source away back in the woods of the old Cuthbert place; it was reputed to be an intricate, headlong brook in its earlier course through those woods, with dark secrets of pool and cascade; but by the time it reached Lynde's Hollow it was a quiet, well-constructed little stream, for not even a brook could run past Rachel Lynde's door without due regard for decency and decorum; it probably was conscious that Mrs Rachel was sitting at her window, keeping a sharp eye on everything that passed, from brooks and children up, and that if she noticed anything odd or out of place she would never rest until she had ferreted out the whys and wherefores thereof."


Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I rest my case - Montgomery's own words are the only ones that do the story justice. Pick-up Anne of Green Gables immediately if not sooner for a real adventure!

Oh, what a perfect novel!
This book will always stand out in my memory as the first book that ever made me cry - and while hundreds of other books have brought me to tears since then, even in re-reading this book nothing makes me cry harder than this one! Re-reading this has given me such pleasure, that I think I will have to re-read the whole series! In fact, I don't know how far I ever made it in the series, I don't think I have read them all, to be honest. I am looking forward to this project! This book just fills me with such joy! What a perfect delight it has been to re-acquaint myself with Anne Shirley. ... Read more

Product Description
Readers will easily identify with Megan and her challenges, as she seeks to find joy and love once again.An entertaining LDS romance with enough plot twists to satisfy any reader.A great gift book!Ten years after high school graduation, Megan Garrett is living the quiet life. Too quiet. Her life is complete with a new job selling real estate, a great little house, and a dog. She definitely is not the same person she was in high school. As a teenager-with her bleached blonde hair, designer clothes, and the class hunk for a boyfriend-Megan had thought her life was destined to be wonderful. Now, with her natural brown hair, discount clothes, and as single as ever, Megan's life seems destined for monotony.But destiny works in mysterious ways. When Trevor Riley shows up at their ten-year high school reunion, he changes her quiet life with a simple kiss. He charges in like a whirlwind, planning and controlling every detail. But is it possible to control love?Confronting the past is the only way Megan can begin anew. As she comes to grips with her parents, her ex-fiance, and herself, she realizes that she has to trust her heart in order to gain true happiness.Reviews-Guymon has created a book filled with unexpected and fully-drawn characters who add just the right blend of humor and sensitivity to a complex time in Megan's life. A Trusting Heart surprised me by its depth and its thought-provoking storyline. . .This is a valuable addition to any LDS woman's bookshelf.-Terrie Bittner, BellaOnline ... Read more

Product Description
Third in Laurie King's popular Mary Russell crime series: 'Beguiling variation on Sherlock Holmes sequels!civilised, ingenious and engrossing' -- Literary ReviewAugust, 1923. The quiet in the Holmes household in Sussex is shaken when Dorothy Ruskin, an amateur archaeologist from the Holy Land, appears with an exquisite inlaid box containing a scrap of ancient writing. Miss Ruskin soon dies in a traffic accident that Holmes and Mary prove was murder. But what was the motivation? Was it the little inlaid box holding the manuscript? Or the woman's involvement in the volatile politics of the Holy Land? Or could it have been the manuscript itself -- a letter seemingly written by Mary Magdalene that contains a biblical bombshell.Beautifully written and steeped in authentic period detail, A Letter of Mary is a fascinating and intelligent read.Amazon.com Review
Sherlock Holmes and his scholarly companion Mary Russell arecaught up in an exciting mystery when an archaeologist leaves them witha treasured find, a papyrus supposedly written by Mary Magdalene.When the archaeoligist winds up dead and someone attempts to make offwith the artifact, Holmes and Russel become embroiled in a rollickingstory filled with political intrigue and highbrow sleuthing.Thelevel of writing hasn't been higher in this Laurie King series. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (53)

A Letter of Mary by Laurie R. King
Great book and part of a wonderful series. Laurie King has created an intelligent and gutsy heroine in Mary Russell Holmes.

fascinating premise, beloved characters, some disappointment
Once again, the relationship between Holmes and Russell makes for fascinating reading. The "Letter of Mary", a scroll potentially written by Mary Magdalene, is timely given renewed interest and scholarship related to her over the last few decades.All the ingredients of a great book were here...

But I was incredibly disappointed by the lack of backbone Russell exhibits in this story.Her "Mary Small" experiment was upsetting on multiple levels.Worse was the final resolution concerning the letter of Mary (stop reading here if you don't want to hear anything at all about the ending!). Would a strong, centered, feminist, scholarly woman deny deep truth in order to appease a limited and abusive man whom she has virtually no relationship with?A depressing conclusion to a book with enormous potential.

Still love this series, but was really disappointed by the ending of this installment.

Old friends
As this, the third in the Mary Russell series of cozy mysteries begins Mary and her husband Sherlock Holmes are contacted by an old acquaintance, Dorothy Ruskin.Dorothy who is making a rare visit to England from her beloved Palestine wishes to meet with the pair to discuss a letter than had recently come into her possession.After a delightful afternoon spent talking over old times in Jerusalem Dorothy returns to London but leaves the letter in Mary's care.A few days later Mary and Holmes discover that within hours of her arrival in London their friend had been killed in an automobile accident.It doesn't take long for the pair to realize that it had been no accident but rather a case of cold blooded murder, but why?In order to find the motive and the killer numerous old friends are called into service including Mycroft and Inspector Lestrade's son.Even Lord Peter Wimsey lends a hand.

This is a charming series of cozy mysteries featuring the delightful Mary Russell and her illustrious husband Sherlock Holmes.These stories are much less the clever intellectual puzzles of the original canon but will still give the reader a surprise or two.The focus here is the byplay between Mary and Holmes, their repartee is reminiscent of a Nick and Nora Charles or Amelia Peabody and Emerson.It is a delightful discovery for those of us who were not content to think of Sherlock in his Sussex cottage tending his bees and nursing his rheumatism.

cerebral, sweet, interesting
I continue to adore the Mary Russell series, although A Letter to Mary turned out to be a weak link for me.Partly because the meaty, intellectual subject that Mary Russell chews on through the book is the historical Mary Magdalene's role in the early Christian church, and even though it's more interesting, more intelligent, more thorough here than in Dan Brown...the subject feels a little tired to me right now.What can I say, I'm not a fan of the Da Vinci Code and anything that reminds me of it is a turn off.

Now that I've got that off my chest...Lord Peter Wimsey has a cameo!A wonderful one!That was very exciting.

Watching the developing relationship between Holmes and Russell continues to be fascinating.Holmes is still, by a large margin, the more competent detective - is this because we are still so early on in the series, or because Holmes will always reign supreme?Something to watch in the next books.I love their relationship, not just the closeness they share but their separations, too, the way two largely solitary individuals navigate a companionship.

The other thing that sort of dampened my excitement about the plotting was a particular red herring that I thought went on too long.

All quibbles aside, I love this series and I've already bought the next book, which I will read with great relish.

Conan Doyles Sherlock continues
Any good mystery always leaves you wanting more. King gives you this so brilliantly and flawlessly that it seems Conan Doyle stills walks among us. ... Read more

Product Description
In this sequel to The Beekeeper's Apprentice Mary, and Oxford student, again teams up with her mentor Sherlock Holmes in a quest to discover the motives of the enigmatic Margery Childe, the leader of a powerful women's movement in London. The grave danger encountered by Mary, and her evolving relationship with Holmes make for an irresistible story. Simultaneous hardcover release from St. Martin's Press. 2 cassettes.Amazon.com Review
In The Beekeeper's Apprentice, Laurie R. King came up with a completely originalstory that had Sherlock Holmes as one of its principal characters but was inno way part of the Holmes canon.The focus of that book was a young woman,Mary Russell.Now in A Monstrous Regiment of Women, Mary Russell'sadventures as a student of the famous detective continue.A series of murders claims members of a strange suffrage organization's wealthy youngfemale volunteers, and Mary, with Holmes in the background, investigates, little knowing what danger she personally faces.

Laurie R. King is also the author of the Edgar Award-winning novelA Grave Talent. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (87)

The Sexiest Kiss in Fiction
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0030MQJ64/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_img

This novel is terrific for many reasons. It offers feminist scriptural information that is present but invisible to most people; it has fascinating characters including a real but misinformed mystic; and most important, it is a love story involving two people almost as logical as Star Trek's Spock. I learned from it and enjoyed it, especially with the knowledge that the author and her husband both have advanced degrees in theology, so I know the comments on scripture are accurate. The plot is enjoyable as a plot; as a picture of real life it is totally depressing. Laurie King is a writer well worth reading, and I wish I wrote as well.

Great Sherlock Holmes Series
Awesome Sherlock series.Enjoy the characters and the mysteries.You can't just read one.

A Monstrous Regiment of Women is a monstrously good read
The second book of Laurie King's adventures of Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes is a very good read.The character development continues to entertain and delight.That which is mysterious kept me turning pages to see how Russell/Holmes solves the case. I am looking forward to the third installment.

An excellent followup to a great novel - Definitely recommended
I jumped into this second book in the 'Mary Russell' series, hoping it would be as good or better than the first novel, The Beekeeper's Apprentice.Beyond that, I really had no expectations.

The book started out a little slower than I might have liked for a sequel.However, the genre and the way the book is set up essentially required a certain amount of buildup in order to set the plot for the newest mystery in the series.

Thus, even though we already had a great deal of information about the relationship between Mary Russell and the famous Sherlock Holmes, it was vital that we learned more about Mary's studies, her "coming of majority" and receiving her inheritance, her interest in scripture/religion, and basically take the time to get to know her better.

It's been a bit since I read the first book, but it seemed like this novel focused a lot more on Mary's character and let her come into the limelight a bit more.In Beekeeper, she did hold her own with Holmes in many ways, but he was often an overpowering factor.In Monstrous Regiment, the general setting (a feminist organization), Holmes was forced to take the passenger seat (he most definitely wasn't relegated to the back seat).

Holmes was still very present with all of his precise observations and intense/eccentric behaviors.But Mary definitely came "of majority" both in terms of receiving her inheritance but also in terms of being a viable character and a force to be reckoned with.

The mystery of the book was developed very gradually.Mary has a school friend who is having some 'man trouble' and seeks Mary's advice.Before we go too far into thinking that he will be at the heart of the plot, Mary is quickly invited to attend a 'service' at this "Regiment of Women" where she becomes very intrigued by the woman who controls the organization.Her intrigue grows to a combination of admiration, curiosity and finally suspicion.A handful of coincidental deaths lead Mary to dig deeper and to use some of Holmes's influence to utilize police (and other - Mycroft) records to investigate the society.

The "man problems" subplot managed to stay in the periphery due to the man's drug addiction and I really liked the way King wove the drug addiction throughout the main plot as well.Her descriptions of the "high" and "low" points of addiction and recovery were very vivid and especially intriguing as Mary experienced some of that dark underworld.

The final unraveling of the mystery happened a bit too quickly for me after the slow buildup.Fortunately there was an intense period towards the end that helped bridge the gap.The 'revelation' phase did work out pretty well, though part of me still felt like there were a number of unfair additions (primarily who the real villain was) but there was enough previous buildup to make it work.

So overall, I really enjoyed this book.I had a lot of fun getting to know Russell a bit better and to learn more about her interactions with Holmes (there was on surprise referred to early on that then hangs over the entire book and partially resolves itself at the end...I'd heard rumors of this from my wife when she read the series, but the way Holmes presented this to Mary still shocked me).The Regiment of Women was very interesting both in terms of their makeup in the plot and the ideas and concepts presented.There were a lot of very interesting religious and educational discussions that were a lot of fun.

This book is definitely a sequel to its predecessor.If you wanted to read it as a standalone, you could certainly do that without missing out on too much.But the first book was good as well so I'd suggest that if you're interested at all.I'm looking forward to reading through the rest of the series and so far I can heartily recommend it.

****
4 out of 5 stars

Mary comes of age
As this sequel to THE BEEKEEPER'S APPRENTICE opens Mary Russell is a few days away from her long awaited 21st birthday and her liberation from the oppressive guardianship of her aunt.Mary takes an early leave of the Christmas festivities taking place in her home to visit her friend and neighbor Sherlock Holmes.When she discovers that Holmes has himself left Sussex for London Mary decides to follow, to locate her mentor.While in London Mary meets an old school friend and through her the charismatic Margery Childe, a woman who has combined feminism with religion to create a power base for herself and her followers.Mary is uncertain whether to be impressed or repulsed by Margery and her Temple but when her friend is injured under mysterious circumstances Mary, aided by Holmes, begin their investigations.

This is the second in a series of novels featuring Mary Russell, a young American heiress, and Sherlock Holmes.In the first novel we meet Mary as a 15 year old coming to terms with the death of her family.In this novel Mary is now nearly 21, and has completed her education.As she begins her life as an adult Mary begins to realize that there will be many choices before her, including some she had not quite anticipated.

This is a wonderful continuation of the Sherlock Holmes stories for those of us who were never quite contented to contemplate our hero quietly retiring to Sussex to keep his bees.These are much more in the line of cozy mysteries rather than the more intellectual stories of the original cannon but the interplay between Holmes and Mary is delightful and the stories imaginative and clever enough to give the reader a surprise or two along the way. ... Read more

Product Description
Instinct told them that the way home lay to the west. And so the doughty young Labrador retriever, the roguish bull terrier and the indomitable Siamese set out through the Canadian wilderness. Separately, they would soon have died. But, together, the three house pets faced starvation, exposure, and wild forest animals to make their way home to the family they love. The Incredible Journey is one of the great children's stories of all time--and has been popular ever since its debut in 1961. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (86)

A Fine Modern Classic for Advanced Readers
Sheila Burnford's story of three beloved family pets (a Labrador retriever, bull terrier and Siamese cat) who make a cross-country trek across Canadian wilderness to reach their home has an undeniable appeal for animal lovers.The book is written in a realistic style without anthropomorphic overtones, and each animal's personality is developed in line with the characteristics of its breed.

For parents who wish to cultivate a biblical view of humans stewarding the environment in line with the Creator's dominion mandate given in Genesis 1:28, this story holds a particular appeal.Rather than being coequal with humans or returning to some ideal state of nature during their journeys, these pets are thoroughly domesticated.They brave the wilderness only to return to the family to which they are loyal and beloved.Furthermore, at each point when the animals' adventures take them beyond their ability to cope, they find help from kind humans that cross their path and so are able to continue.

It is not only in the pets' relationship with humans that Burnford's view of dominion is revealed.In chapter six the author describes a Finnish family who lead lives

as frugal and orderly as the fields they had wrested from the wilderness.They had tamed the bush, and in return it yielded them their food and their scant living from trap lines and a wood lot, but the struggle to keep it in subjection was endless.

This positive description of people subduing their environment for the benefit of their family (while extending benevolent help to the obviously needy cat who crosses their path) is clearly in line with the biblical mandate to rule over creation and care for it on behalf of its Creator.

One flaw of this book is an encounter the animals have in chapter four with a group of Ojibwe.In this scene, the white dog and his companion cat become omen-bearers to the tribal people, fulfilling a traditional legend which seems to be entirely made up.This is an unfortunate plot feature, like being kidnapped by gypsies, that often appears in literature of this era, but the final paragraph in chapter four, in which the "legend" is described, can be skipped without doing great harm to the story.

Burnford's writing style is magnificent, and her precise use of uncommon vocabulary makes the book best suited for confident readers, although if read aloud with interpretive help from adults it can be appreciated by younger listeners.A great part of the story's pleasure comes from savoring Burnford's eloquence, and if the adience has too much trouble following the story they are likely to become bored.

Incredible!!!!!!!
This book was Incredible. It's about a person who owns 2 dogs, and a cat and they go on a journey and the owner and the kids become sad becauses they can't find them. One day, they came across a bear and one of dogs atacked the bear by himself. They were traveling and traveling though the forest. Then, they meet a hunter that was going to kill them. They ran though the forest to escape the hunter. They ran and ran and they escaped the hunter.

One of the dog fell in a creek by acciendt. The cat went in to save the dog. The dog and the cat were both cold and wet.

Then one day, the cat cames home but the dogs didn't come home. So the family kept searching for them. The kids were sad, too. The dogs were missing.The kids were on a liner on the gulf.

When the kids got off the liner, they found out the dogs came home! The kids started to hug and kiss the dogs.

This book is sad and action. If your a dog or cat lover, I think you might like this book but, if you read it, read it again if you thought my review helped!

GREAT for family reading
You want to see a big, tough kid cry over a happy ending?Read this to your family.

It's a quick book -- only 11 chapters.

For a book with almost no dialog, the story really moves along.There is captivating action and very good development of the animals' "personalities."There are 12 or 13 illustrations in my edition (the one pictured here), all set at the beginning of the chapters and providing a little foreshadowing.I'm a good one for reading a couple of chapters, showing the next illustration, and then closing the book until next time.

It's summer, so I had the kids keep a vocabulary list -- this book uses beautiful language, and the repetition of some adjectives and verbs makes it a little better for young readers -- they see the same words once or twice in a book, they learn them better.I also had the talker-child illustrate some scenes for us, and the tinkering-child write up some sentences each day.Etc.It's summer -- I love to see what they can do.

The reunion scenes at the end are very moving, even for grown ups.Great book -- share it with your kids!

Delightful and Endearing!
I just finished reading aloud this book with my 11 year old son and we both loved it and found it an absolutely delightful story.My husband overheard us reading it aloud and was also immediately hooked on the story.

I am dismayed to read so many negative reviews on this book and suspect, after reading their comments, that a number of them were written by children who may not appreciate good literature and may possibly have been required to read it (oh the horror!!).Some of these reviews are simply ridiculous and I wish amazon would better screen some of the obvious frivolity as it is unfair to the book and to those of us who read the reviews with expectations of serious and well thought input from others.

This book was copyrighted in 1960 and is a great example of timeless literature with an enduring story.It is full of beautiful writing and extraordinary vocabulary -- a number of words new to me, and as well to my 11 year old, which increases the value of the book for educational purposes.The writing style is sophisticated, not "dumbed down" which I find most welcome, and rare among much of the more recent/modern literature put out for children.Though, I'm not sure if this book was originally intended as a children's book or not, perhaps just a good story for all to enjoy.

The author's obvious intimacy with the world of dogs and cats, their idiosyncrasies and endearing traits, was charming and well communicated throughout the story.We laughed at the incredibly accurate descriptions of "cat" behavior and delighted in the personalities she created that seemed so authentic.This is a well told, well written story that brings a smile to your heart.

BORING
I was trying to read and read until half of the book. I couldn't find one interesting part that made it a memorable book. I mean with some of the pages, describing something took half of the page. It was also very boring in the little parts. I tried to stay awake when reading this. Seriously. ... Read more

Product Description
Long retired, Sherlock Holmes quietly pursues his study of honeybee behavior on the Sussex Downs. He never imagines he would encounter anyone whose intellect matched his own, much less an audacious teenage girl with a penchant for detection. Miss Mary Russell becomes Holmes' pupil and quickly hones her talent for deduction, disguises and danger. But when an elusive villain enters the picture, their partnership is put to a real test. Martin's Press. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (214)

Sherlock Holmes acquires a partner
Brilliant and bespectacled, fifteen year old Mary Russell stumbles over a retired Sherlock Holmes on the Sussex Downs where he is involved with his beekeeping activities. He recognizes in this adolescent an exceptional astuteness to match his own and proceeds to teach her the art of detection and disguise. She challenges him as no one probably since Irene Adler and humanizes him during her apprenticeship. They partner in their first case when Mary is eighteen and proceed to solve other cases together with him overseeing her activities until she makes a decision to step out on her own in the case of the American Senator's kidnapped daughter.

It is during a particularly challenging case that involves Holmes' past and endangers those close to him that Mary becomes a full partner in an emotionally taxing game of deception that pits Holmes' life and self-esteem against a criminal who appears to be deliberately toying with him. Holmes, the solitary worker, offers himself as bait to this devious criminal mind, in the full expectation that his apprentice has achieved master status and will be there to capture the criminal as Holmes appears to fall headlong into a trap. It is an inspired juxtaposition of forces and a great read.

Quote from Holmes to Russell: "It is, I can even say, a new and occasionally remarkable experience to work with a person who inspires, not by vacuum, but by actual contribution."

I've discovered a new mystery writer
An aquaintance recommended this book; I'm glad I followed up.I thoroughly enjoyed the story and writing.I only had general knowledge of Sherlock Holmes but since reading this book (and the next in the series)I'm now working my way through Sherlock Holmes Complete Works Volume 1.

I enjoy the author's depiction of Mary Russell, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.Mary's energy rejuvenates the other characters.I'm always pleased to find strong female characters with wit and intelligence.I look forward to experiencing the rest of the series.

The beginning of a beautiful friendship
This is the first book of the Mary Russell series of novels featuring Sherlock Holmes and his protege Mary Russell.

Tragedy had struck hard at Mary Russell.Her parents and little brother had been killed in a car accident in her native America.The accident had left Mary scarred both physically and emotionally.It had also left her a very wealthy young woman, one who owned large amounts of property in both America and England but since Mary was still a teenager it was determined that she have a guardian, a suitable older female relative to guide her through the perils that would face a young heiress in the early days of the 20th century.While Mary's guardian might have been deemed 'suitable' by her solicitors her Aunt was far from that in Mary's opinion.The aggravating woman often drove Mary from the isolated Sussex farmhouse they lived in to wander the countryside seeking quiet places to read.On one of her escapes Mary met her reclusive neighbor, an older gentleman who was peacefully tending his bee hives when Mary (literally) bumped into him.Mary was quite surprised to discover that her neighbor was none other than the 'fictional' detective Sherlock Holmes and also that he took an interest in her, a quiet, bookish schoolgirl.The unlikely pair soon formed an unlikely friendship, with Mary becoming the Great Detective's apprentice.

When first hearing about a series of novels involving Sherlock Holmes in a relationship with a girl quite young enough to be his daughter most people react with a feeling of distaste but after the first few pages the charm of the story erases the 'creepy' factor.Holmes treats young Mary as an equal, as a young person who may be in need of a mentor but one who can match him in intelligence and insight.The adventures the two share are interesting and challenging, the verbal exchanges between the two are worthy of Nick and Nora Charles.

This is the beginning novel into a series that will bring the reader eagerly back to find out what the pair will be up to next.

They are Singing Songs of Love, but Not for Me.........


I just do not get it with this series of books....I purchased 4, and have read each of them....but, the characters are not engaging or of interest in an absorbing style....cold....i just really do not get this author .....how the Russell/Holmes books are on the NYTimes best seller list.....I think this author writes at cross purposes.....she has created two characters, who have intersected, and then writes much of what is of interest to her particular interests....read, you will understand what I am saying....Nope....my copies are headed to the Used Book Store to trade in for reading that is of higher and more engaging interest....let's hope!!

The resurrection of Sherlock Holmes
Laurie King has given Holmesians around the world cause for joy. She has resurrected The Great Detective and given him new life with the assistance of a young apprentice, Miss Mary Russell, a recently orphaned teenage girl from the Downs, whence he has retired to a semi-sedentary life of beekeeping and occasional detection. As Mary studies with an eye toward entering Oxford University, she becomes fast friends with Holmes--such a stimulating neighbor. Soon her curiousity slides into an apprenticeship at the feet of the Master.

King writes with fine style, re-energizing Holmes as he is transformed by his new friend's youthful vigor and first-class mind. The author has given us a vivid picture of the second half of Holmes' life and career, a far cry from the bleak solitude of rural retirement described so dourly by Watson in Doyle's final story, "His Last Bow." Holmes certainly deserved far better, and King has provided a much more satisfactory possibility.

As a longtime Holmes fan and Baker Street Irregular, I always felt stung by Watson's descriptions of this great intellectual's alleged misogynism. King allows us to see that it was perhaps Watson, or the times, which fed this illusion. As a worldly-wise and most observant Victorian gentlemen, Holmes was surely too bright not to notice the manifest intelligence and pragmatism of the female sex. With pertinent allusions to his apiary predilections, he is revealed as a very human man with all his senses intact.

Thanks to Laurie King from the world of Sherlock Holmes followers, who surely will find this book a most satisfying continuation of the Master's casebook. I look forward to the continued exploits of this dynamic duo. ... Read more