It began as a problem in one of Holmes' beloved beehives, led to a murderous cult, and ended - or so they'd hoped - with a daring escape from a sacrificial altar. Instead, Mary Russell and her husband, Sherlock Holmes, have stirred the wrath and the limitless resources of those they've thwarted. Now they are separated and on the run, wanted by the police, and pursued across the Continent by a ruthless enemy with powerful connections. Unstoppable together, Russell and Holmes will have to survive this time apart, maintaining ...
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It began as a problem in one of Holmes' beloved beehives, led to a murderous cult, and ended - or so they'd hoped - with a daring escape from a sacrificial altar. Instead, Mary Russell and her husband, Sherlock Holmes, have stirred the wrath and the limitless resources of those they've thwarted. Now they are separated and on the run, wanted by the police, and pursued across the Continent by a ruthless enemy with powerful connections. Unstoppable together, Russell and Holmes will have to survive this time apart, maintaining tenuous contact only by means of coded messages and cryptic notes. With Holmes' young granddaughter in her safekeeping, Russell will have to call on instincts she didn't know she had. But has the couple already made a fatal mistake by separating, making themselves easier targets for the shadowy government agents sent to silence them? From hidden rooms in London shops and rustic forest cabins to rickety planes over Scotland and boats on the frozen North Sea, Russell and Holmes work their way back to each other in the most complex, shocking, and deeply personal case of their career.
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A continuation of volume nine, The Language of Bee
This is the tenth volume in the author?s ?Mary Russell? series. It is actually a continuation of the ninth novel in the series, "The language of Bees." Separating the two is quite difficult as ?God?? takes up immediately where ?Language?? leaves off and expands on the same events that began in the earlier publication.
In this novel, the adversary, whose thoughts and comments began appearing in ?Language??, becomes distinct and reveals his aims. The British Government is in peril as hidden treasure and unlimited power tempt another Faust to his damnation. Mycroft is the immediate target of a schemer who has spent years perfecting his approach and preparing his tools. All that stands between him and access to undreamed of power are Sherlock and Mary and a few tag-ends of war refuse and ?odds and sods.?
Mary pursues her task of preserving her husband?s grandchild while fleeing the villain of the prior volume and stumbling into the villain of this volume. The distinction between the two only becomes apparent over time as she and Sherlock pursue their own agendas until Mycroft?s funeral. Both, of course, are still wanted for unspecified crimes by Scotland Yard and are thrown onto their own resources as they rush back to London.
As is true for most of Laurie King?s novels, the story is the journey and not the destination. The characters are lovingly drawn and polished until they shine. The reader never knows when one character will suddenly assume major proportions and another will fade away as if into a dream. The bright presence of Sherlock?s granddaughter illuminates the dark days of this book as Mary encounters archetypes of British history. The Evil Wizard gives way to the Green Man and he, in turn, is replaced by the epitome of modern man, the organization.
The ending is inevitable, but not satisfying. At best, the future is delayed, but the mechanization of humanity that will manifest itself as Hitler?s war machine lies just beyond sight. The halcyon days of respite from war and upheaval continue for a while, but dark armies gather in the wings and the mechanized forces of evil are testing their workings.
