This series is really well-written and I was somewhat enthralled by the process Holmes and Mary took assuming a new identity. It was very realistic. I wanted the ending to happen faster but that's a common complaint of mine.

This entry in the series actually takes place chronologically between books 1 and 2. It's been a long time since I read the first of the series, so it was a little confusing to go back and try to remember that storyline. Otherwise, a good story.

Mary and her knife!

Dayam, that was a long book.

I think this has been my favorite in the series so far. Mary Russell shows her strength of body and will as a spy for England along with Holmes. They are working for Mycroft, trying to evade a villain in England who is trying to murder them, and end up confounding a plot to destroy Jerusalem. We get a view of Mary as scholar and Jew in this story that has only been touched upon in other books of this series.
The quotations at the beginning of chapters seemed more meaningful than in some of her other books and inspired a wish in me to pursue those sources.

The fifth in the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series, but it wasn't in chronological order of the four prior novels. Not sure the purpose the author had unless she had the idea for this book after publishing the other ones. It threw me off a little bit, but not enough to distract me from reading the book.

Unfortunately it was the slow pace of this one that made reading difficult; as if the author was trying to make the reader feel like they too were walking miles and miles and miles to Jerusalem. King has an MA in Old Testament Theology and her schooling certainly comes out in this book. Readers who are well versed in the Bible will appreciate the historical references in the Holy City.

Some of the characters I met here will appear in the next Russell/Sherlock book, and hopefully it will move alot faster - maybe they will have cars this time!

This book took me awhile to get through. I loved the setting! It brought me back to my all too brief study abroad program in Israel and and surrounding countries. The customs and descriptions were spot on. The reason for the 3 was that the mystery was just not that compelling until about 2/3rds of the way through. It was convoluted and just wasn't as good as her other mysteries with the incomparable Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell.

So, for me, the setting is what made this book. Otherwise, the mystery was so so.

This book was out of order in the series which I found disturbing and confusing at times. Because it took place an earlier time the relationship between Mary Ann homes was quite different. Also Mary played a much more minor role in this book, particularly in the first 2/3 than any of the other books and she is my favorite part of the story typically. Despite that, it was a good and engaging story, full of action.

Another excellent book in this series. Mary Russell is a wonderful character and better foil for Holmes than Watson ever was! The story is set in Palestine after WW1 and of course potential terrorism was alive then as it is now.

The author writes in a literary style with lovely scene setting that allows you to see through the protagonists eyes.

I’ve loved all of this series so far...