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Product Description
From Amazon
Although O Jerusalem is Laurie King's fifth book in her Holmes-Russell series, it actually takes us back to the era of her first book, The Beekeeper's Apprentice. Perhaps King was afraid that her characters, Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, were becoming too cozy as an old married couple, and she wanted to recreate the edgy sexual tension of their first encounter.
It's 1918. Nineteen-year-old Mary and her fiftysomething mentor are forced to flee England to escape a deadly adversary. Sherlock's well-connected brother Mycroft sends them to Palestine to do some international sleuthing. Here, a series of murders threatens the fragile peace.
Laurie King connects us, through details of language, custom, history, and sensual impressions, to this very alien environment. Russell, Holmes, and two marvelously imagined Arab guides named Mahmoud and Ali trek through the desert and visit ancient monasteries clinging like anthills to cliffs. They also find time to take tea with the British military legend Allenby in Haifa and skulk through or under the streets of Jerusalem. King puts us into each scene so quickly and completely that her narrative flow never falters.
Stepping back in time also gives King a chance to show us Holmes through the eyes of a Russell not yet as full of love as a honeymooner, nor as complacent as a comfortable wife. "There it was--sardonic, superior, infuriating," Mary says about Holmes's voice at one point.
Wisdom is knowing when, and how much, to shake things up--even in a successful series. Laurie King is a wise woman indeed. --Dick Adler --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
O Jerusalem marks the fifth appearance of Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes (The Moor, LJ 12/97). This time around they have fled to Palestine on a mission for Mycroft Holmes. Disguised as itinerant Muslims and paired with two Arab spies, Russell and Holmes travel through the Holy Land trying to figure out exactly why Mycroft has sent them. A pair of seemingly unrelated murders sets them on the track of a brilliant and power-hungry killer. Only Holmes and Russell (along with some unexpected allies) can stop their adversary from destroying JerusalemAif they can get to him in time. King's clear prose and her vivid depiction of a British-occupied Palestine torn between opposing cultures are the book's main strengths. A bit slow at the start, the action gradually builds to a satisfying and dramatic conclusion. Strongly recommended for all public libraries.
-ALaurel Bliss, New Haven, CT
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
-ALaurel Bliss, New Haven, CT
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic,
By
This review is from: O Jerusalem (Mass Market Paperback)
Laurie King has written another great book as a prequel to her Justice Hall novel. I get something new out of it every time I read it.
5.0 out of 5 stars
first-rate character development,
By
This review is from: O Jerusalem (Paperback)
King's brilliant character development in 'O Jerusalem' is first-rate. Russell and Holmes are tested by their two shadowy companions, and not one of the four are happy with the arrangement. Holmes is rougher then I've know him to be in this previous Russell novels and all four evolve throughout the story in a very realistic and nature way in this dangerous "spy thriller".
5.0 out of 5 stars
O Jerusalem- Different but still great,
By A Customer
This review is from: O Jerusalem (Hardcover)
I have been into the Mary Russell series for a few years, and this book has been one of my favorite books ever since. Although O Jerusalem has a slower pace than The Beekeeper's Apprentice, it still manages to capture the flavor of the Mary Russell series while incorperating a lot of the Middle Eastern culture. It begins with Mary and Holmes escaping from a deadly enemy back in England. Holmes' brother, Mycroft, suggests a few places for them to go, and they end up landing in Palestine. Their guides, Ali and Mahmoud, lead them through deserts, villages, and wadis as they look for the answer to the mystery. What started as a simple murder evolves into a complex mystery involving salt smugglers, bombs, and the famous Dome Rock. It (the mystery) is based on the precarious balence between the different religions living together in the Holy Land, each doubting the other.What makes this book stand out is the amount of history and culture included, much more than The Beekeeper's Apprentice had. I would say Laurie King chose to focus more on the culture rather than the plot or character developement, because it seems to me that the plot is a bit difficult, and the character's personalities aren't as well described as in The Beekeeper's Apprentice. However, I believe that too is a part of how the Middle East is potrayed to the outside world- in other words, a bit mysteriously. In any case, I think this is one of the best books so far in the series, and it is definitely worth giving a try.
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