Another Stunner by Ms. King, she always keeps me hooked. Believable, Russell is the natural evolution for Holmes from Watson. ( )

4.5 stars, I loved this episode of Mary Russell and Sherlock. The characters are lively and the story is heartbreaking and makes you care deeply about the resolution. I wouldn't say there was much Sherlockian detecting going on, but it was still a good time. ( )

Justice Hall story takes place quite directly after The Moor when Holmes and Russell find a bloodied guest at their doorstep begging for help. It actually makes a lot of sense to why O Jerusalem came before this book despite that the story takes place directly after The Moor. You just have to rad this book and the previous to find out why...

Russell and Holmes have to help Marsh Hughenfort discover the truth about the death of his nephew Gabriel Hughenfort who died in the Great War of 1918. But, there is someone out there that doesn’t want the truth to be reveal and will do anything to stop Holmes and Russell finding out the truth…

This is also, like O Jerusalem, a book that took some rereads for me to really warm up to it. I was actually a bit surprised to find I have only given it 4-stars on Goodreads (so I changed it to 5-stars) since I actually like it quite a lot nowadays. I like the connection this book have to O Jerusalem and the case is very interesting and tragic. It’s a very good book. ( )

Justice Hall is possibly - maybe - my favourite Mary Russell book to date. It didn't start that way, but by the end I was sad to leave the Hall and its inhabitants. I was ambivalent about Mahmoud and Ali in O Jerusalem so their re-appearance didn't thrill me at the beginning of Justice but by the end I was quite attached and found them endearing. I also loved Iris; I'd love to see her pop-up again in future books. As always, I could have used more Sherlock.

As I write this, I find myself downgrading my review from 4.5 to 4 stars, because as I look back on it, the mystery itself, the whodunit plot, felt awkward. By the end, it sort of felt like the author just randomly chose the villain to keep the solution from being obvious from the beginning. The wrap up at the end also left a lot of loose threads: were there any consequences, good or bad, for the Darlings? They seemed to have just disappeared, and I'd have liked to have known more about how the changes affected them.

But overall, it was a fantastic story of the murder-at-the-English-country-estate type. The WWI letters were heartbreaking and difficult to listen to; the author certainly had to have done some extraordinary research to achieve this level of verisimilitude.

I'm looking forward to staring the next one on audio (although I'm taking a break for a Halloween season audio). ( )

I love this series but I just didn't care for this one at all. ( )

This was a struggle as I've never been interested in English aristocratic hereditary lines. Very little action in this first half but picked up in the second but realised the images conjured stay with me for a long time afterwards. I'm still thinking of the images from O Jerusalem who proceeded this book. ( )

Holmes and Russell have just returned home after their adventures on Dartmoor and are hoping for some quiet time when a knock at the door brings an old friend with a huge problem. Holmes and Russell met Ali Hazr in Palestine four years earlier. Now they are seeing him in his other identity as Alistair Hughenfort.

Ali has come to beg for their help in rescuing his brother Mahmoud from a future that he doesn't want. As the second son of the Duke of Beauville, he wasn't expected to ever inherit the dukedom and the tremendous responsibility and the weight of family tradition. However, his brother's heir nineteen-year-old Gabriel died during World War I and his brother died soon after.

Ali wants Sherlock and Mary to c.onvince Marsh Hughehfort to abdicate in favor of another heir so that they can resume their lives in Palestine as Mycroft's agents. Marsh is not happy with his new responsibilities. In fact, Mary likens him to a man who is just waiting to die. But his long family history won't let him abandon those who depend on him. He does have questions though. Was his nephew executed for some sort of military crime? And if he was, who engineered his death? And, did his brother Lionel really marry and have a child who could be a new heir?

As Mary and Sherlock investigate Gabriel's death, they discover all sorts of questionable things from missing records to unexplained transfers. As they dig deeper it becomes clear that someone engineered young Gabriel's death. And, after a hunting accident that could have killed Marsh, it is clear that the manipulator isn't finished with his crimes.

This story ranges from Justice Hall to London to Paris and to a small town outside of Toronto as Mary and Sherlock investigate this complex conspiracy. The setting and time period are so well drawn that they feel real. The aristocratic lifestyle of Justice Hall is already showing some cracks as the results of World War I and the loss of so many young men are making for great changes in the culture.

The descriptions were so detailed both for Justice Hall and for Ali's home. The characters were complex. Although we don't ever meet Gabriel we get to know him through the memories of those who did know him and through his diaries and letters. There are many secrets and startling revelations in this story which adds to the excitement and to the mystery. It was a compelling story both as a mystery and as a window into a time long gone. ( )

Holmes and Russell have just returned home after their adventures on Dartmoor and are hoping for some quiet time when a knock at the door brings an old friend with a huge problem. Holmes and Russell met Ali Hazr in Palestine four years earlier. Now they are seeing him in his other identity as Alistair Hughenfort.

Ali has come to beg for their help in rescuing his brother Mahmoud from a future that he doesn't want. As the second son of the Duke of Beauville, he wasn't expected to ever inherit the dukedom and the tremendous responsibility and the weight of family tradition. However, his brother's heir nineteen-year-old Gabriel died during World War I and his brother died soon after.

Ali wants Sherlock and Mary to c.onvince Marsh Hughehfort to abdicate in favor of another heir so that they can resume their lives in Palestine as Mycroft's agents. Marsh is not happy with his new responsibilities. In fact, Mary likens him to a man who is just waiting to die. But his long family history won't let him abandon those who depend on him. He does have questions though. Was his nephew executed for some sort of military crime? And if he was, who engineered his death? And, did his brother Lionel really marry and have a child who could be a new heir?

As Mary and Sherlock investigate Gabriel's death, they discover all sorts of questionable things from missing records to unexplained transfers. As they dig deeper it becomes clear that someone engineered young Gabriel's death. And, after a hunting accident that could have killed Marsh, it is clear that the manipulator isn't finished with his crimes.

This story ranges from Justice Hall to London to Paris and to a small town outside of Toronto as Mary and Sherlock investigate this complex conspiracy. The setting and time period are so well drawn that they feel real. The aristocratic lifestyle of Justice Hall is already showing some cracks as the results of World War I and the loss of so many young men are making for great changes in the culture.

The descriptions were so detailed both for Justice Hall and for Ali's home. The characters were complex. Although we don't ever meet Gabriel we get to know him through the memories of those who did know him and through his diaries and letters. There are many secrets and startling revelations in this story which adds to the excitement and to the mystery. It was a compelling story both as a mystery and as a window into a time long gone. ( )

The best in the series...so far ( )

Although not a sequel to a previous book in the Mary Russell series, O Jerusalem, this book does include two of its Arab brothers and traveling companions in Jerusalem, Mahmoud Hazr and the younger Ali Hazr. Although their early relationship has a rocky start, the two soon learned to respect Holmes and Mary Russell.

When this book opens, Holmes and Russell have recently returned from their latest adventure and are resting at home only to be interrupted by a loud pounding on their front door and discovers it to be Ali Hazr. Shortly, the investigative duo discover that Ali and Mahmoud are actually English aristocrats, Alistair Hughenfort, and his cousin Marsh, who has recently returned from the Middle East to assume his position as the the seventh Duke of Beauville. Already tiring of this responsibility, Ali has asked Holmes and Russell to find Marsh's younger brother's son to replace him as next in line. Marsh's younger brother apparently died in WWI from pneumonia shortly after marrying an ambulance driver who became pregnant before he died.

Of course, as Holmes and Russell begin their investigation at Justice Hall, Marsh's ancestral home they quickly discover that events are not quite what they seem. Additionally, their investigation leads to an attempted murder by one of the guests visiting Justice Hall.

I listened to this book as an audiobook. It is probably best to read this one rather than listening to it. At times, the plot plodded along and I found it difficult to maintain my attention. However, I did enjoy that Russell took much more of the pages limelight and got to learn about this character. ( )

Holmes and Russell have just returned home after their adventures on Dartmoor and are hoping for some quiet time when a knock at the door brings an old friend with a huge problem. Holmes and Russell met Ali Hazr in Palestine four years earlier. Now they are seeing him in his other identity as Alistair Hughenfort.

Ali has come to beg for their help in rescuing his brother Mahmoud from a future that he doesn't want. As the second son of the Duke of Beauville, he wasn't expected to ever inherit the dukedom and the tremendous responsibility and the weight of family tradition. However, his brother's heir nineteen-year-old Gabriel died during World War I and his brother died soon after.

Ali wants Sherlock and Mary to c.onvince Marsh Hughehfort to abdicate in favor of another heir so that they can resume their lives in Palestine as Mycroft's agents. Marsh is not happy with his new responsibilities. In fact, Mary likens him to a man who is just waiting to die. But his long family history won't let him abandon those who depend on him. He does have questions though. Was his nephew executed for some sort of military crime? And if he was, who engineered his death? And, did his brother Lionel really marry and have a child who could be a new heir?

As Mary and Sherlock investigate Gabriel's death, they discover all sorts of questionable things from missing records to unexplained transfers. As they dig deeper it becomes clear that someone engineered young Gabriel's death. And, after a hunting accident that could have killed Marsh, it is clear that the manipulator isn't finished with his crimes.

This story ranges from Justice Hall to London to Paris and to a small town outside of Toronto as Mary and Sherlock investigate this complex conspiracy. The setting and time period are so well drawn that they feel real. The aristocratic lifestyle of Justice Hall is already showing some cracks as the results of World War I and the loss of so many young men are making for great changes in the culture.

The descriptions were so detailed both for Justice Hall and for Ali's home. The characters were complex. Although we don't ever meet Gabriel we get to know him through the memories of those who did know him and through his diaries and letters. There are many secrets and startling revelations in this story which adds to the excitement and to the mystery. It was a compelling story both as a mystery and as a window into a time long gone. ( )

It took a bit to fall into this book, but once I did enjoyed it. I love how she carries characters from one story into another, so the series can be seen as a whole. I agree with some of the comments, it was a bit far-fetched but still very enjoyable. I'm completely hooked into this series much like I was with Dorothy Sayers, Jacqueline Winspear, and for contemporary fiction of similar genre, Donna Leon. They create a whole world that I can fall into book after book. ( )

This novel undoubtedly features one of the most devious murder methods I have encountered in fiction. In one way it is a tribute to the virtues of aristocracy, in another a condemnation. Since learning of the Shot at Dawn Project I have not ceased to be sure that Great Britain deserved to lose it empire. I eagerly wait for the rest of her dominions to free themselves.

Mary and Holmes are back at home in Sussex and are resting and recovering from their adventures in Dartmoor, when they are surprised by unexpected visit from someone they haven't seen since their time in Jerusalem. It turns out that the brothers Maohmoud and Ali Hazard the met in Palestine , are in fact two British Peers. Mahmoud has just inherited the title of Duke. Mary and Holmes are invited by Ali to his brother's home, Justice Hall, to see for themselves how unhappy Mahmoud really is, as he assumes the responsibilities being a Duke. Mary and Holmes agree to help investigate whether the the next in line for the title of Duke is an imposter or not. They are also asked to look into the death of Gabriel Hughenfort, who would've been the current Duke if he hadn't died while serving in the army during World War I. If Muhammad can find a way to set aside his inheritance and title, so he could free to resume his former life of disguises and go back to his beloved Palestine.

The author gives us another grand adventure with her attention to detail in her depth and descriptions of the characters and English countryside. This is a real who done it with lots of twists and turns mixed in with emotional overtones. ( )

Mary and Holmes are back at home in Sussex and are resting and recovering from their adventures in Dartmoor, when they are surprised by unexpected visit from someone they haven't seen since their time in Jerusalem. It turns out that the brothers Maohmoud and Ali Hazard the met in Palestine , are in fact two British Peers. Mahmoud has just inherited the title of Duke. Mary and Holmes are invited by Ali to his brother's home, Justice Hall, to see for themselves how unhappy Mahmoud really is, as he assumes the responsibilities being a Duke. Mary and Holmes agree to help investigate whether the the next in line for the title of Duke is an imposter or not. They are also asked to look into the death of Gabriel Hughenfort, who would've been the current Duke if he hadn't died while serving in the army during World War I. If Muhammad can find a way to set aside his inheritance and title, so he could free to resume his former life of disguises and go back to his beloved Palestine.

The author gives us another grand adventure with her attention to detail in her depth and descriptions of the characters and English countryside. This is a real who done it with lots of twists and turns mixed in with emotional overtones. ( )

My new favorite in this series, with recurring characters from a previous Russell and Holmes book. There was more "detecting" with both Holmes and Mary, which I liked. The story was simply more interesting to me than the last one. Highly enjoyable. ( )

You can read this full review on my blog The Body on the Floor at https://goo.gl/TFqE9o

As I’ve explained in another post, The Moor nearly made me give up this series altogether. O Jerusalem, however, played right into my lifelong love of MiddleEastern culture. [1] So to say King is becoming a bit of a hit-or-miss author for me is an understatement.

Enter Justice Hall, a book that combines two of my favorite Middle Eastern characters from the series with my all-time favorite mystery setting, a grand English manor. Upon first glance, it's not exactly a setting portmanteau I'd think would work, but King manages to make the two diametrically opposed worlds and the tension between them play together wonderfully. It’s a neat trick, and I can’t help but mentally tip my hat to author Laurie R. King for pulling it off.

The plot has all the elements needed to make it a fun, albeit a tad predictable, read for the mystery lover. Secret passages, a traditional English hunt, a huge, grand gala, a war-torn love story, family secrets. Like a traditional dish of comfort food untouched by the gluten free movement that uses real butter, King has crafted a shamelessly indulgent (and satisfying) piece of genre fiction.

There is a panoply of interesting, diverse characters, a well-plotted, complex mystery and several other artfully constructed settings besides Justice Hall as well. I found some of family genealogy aspects yawn-inducing but I know plenty of people simply love that kind of thing. And, in all fairness, it is the focal point upon which the plot turns.

Another compelling element of this installment is how King handles the time period. The struggle of an upper-class society attempting to find its footing in the turbulent wake of social changes brought by World War I is not a focal point of the book but is adequately explored through telling details such as the preparations for a huge party and the more casual dress and demeanor of houseguests. (I tried not to think this installment was not a mercenary attempt by King to capitalize on the Downton Abbey craze).

One aspect of this installment, one that I can’t help but wonder if it contributed to my deep enjoyment of this book, is that Sherlock himself is largely absent for a large part of it.

I have commented before on how unnecessary and pointless I find Mary and Sherlock’s marriage to be. In addition to being fairly far-fetched (and I say this as a woman whose husband is 10 years older than her), it is poorly handled and simply doesn’t do anything to further any of the stories or the characters.

Improbably in this installment, for example, Mary has to be reminded at one point that Sherlock, not being as young as he used to be, may take longer to recover from injuries. Again, as woman with an older husband (I am 34, my husband is 45), believe me – you can’t be in an intimate marital relationship and not pick up on something like that, let alone forget it. I don’t care how fit or healthy Sherlock is; a 20-year-old young man is simply not that easily confused with a man in his forties.

In addition, the relationship is extraordinarily cold and passionless anyway, which means when it does come up it gets in the way.

Russell and Holmes’ relationship feels like an intimate friendship between a girl and a mentor; why not just let it be that? I’m not looking for a romance novel and don’t need any bodice ripping, but for a young woman who is so willing to dive into life-threatening adventures the notion that she is essentially asexual is discordant.

We expect that from Holmes, of course, but for me Mary’s haughty, cold-fish nature only exacerbates the grating Mary Sue aspect of her character (speaking of the Mary Sue tendency, she has an absolutely eye-roll inducing part to play in an otherwise excellently done traditional English hunt).

At this point, I wish Mary would discover she’s a lesbian and fall passionately in love with a woman, or even another, younger man, or at least admit her marriage with Holmes is merely one of convenience so they can stay in the same hotel room or whatever when need be. It is the only thing that demotes these books from a fairly well-done pastiche to borderline adolescent wish fulfillment fan fiction.

[1] My obsession and love of the Middle East began after reading a special edition of National Geographic from my grandfather. (Oh how I loved his bi-yearly deliveries of that heavy stack of glossy, wonder-filled pages!)

Specifically, a special edition on the disappearing traditions of the Middle East. I think I was in third or fourth grade, possibly younger. There was one particular photo of a lone, robed Pashtun chief, robes billowing, walking away from the camera amidst gaping-mouthed modern tourists on a paved road that I will never forget. But it was the sidebars that got me – the folklore, the beautiful script I couldn’t read, the explosive colored mountains of spices, intriguing stories of women with "faces like the moon" and treasure that was likely to be coffee or spices as jewels...I was determined to travel the Middle East as a nomadic adventurer when I grew up.

Obviously, that is a dream deferred for a litany of reasons, but with every report of ISIS destroying Syrian artifacts or other Middle Eastern treasures, my heart simply breaks. ( )

This is absolutely my most favorite series ever! Every book in the series is fantastic-5 star! If you like Sherlock Holmes, you have to read this pastiche. It's the best one I've read yet. ( )

I finally had to give up on this series of books. I like to read fiction for entertainment primarily and to stimulate my thinking secondarily. Unfortunately this series became more like a heavy history tome and less entertaining and stimulating. One of the things I liked best about ACD's books was learning about history based on the actions of the characters. King's books are just too "preachy" about history. ( )

Justice Hall story takes place quite directly after The Moor when Holmes and Russell find a bloodied guest at their doorstep begging for help. It actually makes a lot of sense to why O Jerusalem came before this book despite that the story takes place directly after The Moor. You just have to rad this book and the previous to find out why...

Russell and Holmes have to help Marsh Hughenfort discover the truth about the death of his nephew Gabriel Hughenfort who died in the Great War of 1918. But, there is someone out there that doesn’t want the truth to be reveal and will do anything to stop Holmes and Russell finding out the truth…

This is also, like O Jerusalem, a book that took some rereads for me to really warm up to it. I was actually a bit surprised to find I have only given it 4-stars on Goodreads (so I changed it to 5-stars) since I actually like it quite a lot nowadays. I like the connection this book have to O Jerusalem and the case is very interesting and tragic. It’s a very good book. ( )

A good book but O Jerusalem, the previous book in the series, is a hard act to follow. It was great to see Mahmoud and Ali again but I wanted the backdrop of Palestine. ( )

I like the series - nothing real exciting - just dependable. An aging Sherlock Holmes and his young female protégée, turned wife, engage in another adventure. I can turn to this series for an enjoyable read and they are usually available at the library in Kindle format! ( )

King's time-line gets kinda screwy around this point in the series. Book five, [b:O Jerusalem|77259|O Jerusalem (Mary Russell, #5)|Laurie R. King|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320389276s/77259.jpg|2570140], backtracks to where the series started with the plot taking place in the middle of [b:The Beekeeper's Apprentice|91661|The Beekeeper's Apprentice (Mary Russell, #1)|Laurie R. King|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1298438298s/91661.jpg|891863]. At the time I didn't feel like doing a flashback with the characters, so I skipped to this book since it takes place almost immediately after [b:The Moor|184059|The Moor (Mary Russell, #4)|Laurie R. King|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172521731s/184059.jpg|177886]. I had assumed that I would be safe skipping that book but I was kinda wrong.

During [b:The Beekeeper's Apprentice|91661|The Beekeeper's Apprentice (Mary Russell, #1)|Laurie R. King|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1298438298s/91661.jpg|891863], Mary and Holmes went on a trip to Jerusalem on some business for Holmes' brother Mycroft. During this trip they made friends with two brothers, Ali and Mahmoud, one of which turns up bleeding on their doorstep. The injured Ali, has come to ask for Holmes and Mary's help in convincing his brother to return to Jerusalem with him. Owing Ali and Mahmoud their loyalty for the help they offered all those years ago, Holmes and Mary set on a journey that both of them view as rather pointless. However, when they arrive at the sprawling mansion that Mahmoud has taken up residence in they are disturbed by the immense changes in their friend. Shackled with an outdated responsibility to his family, Mahmoud has become quite the miserable drunk. Wanting to help, Mary and Holmes attempt to figure out a way to make it so Mahmoud can return to Jerusalem with Ali.

The story here had a really interesting tone. This is the first novel in the series where King gives us a glimpse of the roaring 20's the way I typically imagine it, with extravagant parties and a cast of eclectic characters. It was pretty amusing to see serious Mary navigate her way through the fast-paced party atmosphere that this investigation foisted on her. Her horror/amusement at the parties and people found in them, paired with Holmes dodging out of going to the shindigs with her, was a definite highlight. It also offered a nice contrast to the more depressing aspects of the mystery that involved a World War I execution.

Seriously though, I was a little lost in parts of this novel because I hadn't read [b:O Jerusalem|77259|O Jerusalem (Mary Russell, #5)|Laurie R. King|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320389276s/77259.jpg|2570140]. Which took me by surprise since most of King's novels seem to stand well on their own. However, King does give some back-story concerning Holmes and Mary's history with the two brothers, but it wasn't enough to explain why they both have such unswerving loyalty to Mahmoud and Ali. All this, of course, is my own fault for skipping the previous book. So I would definitely recommend reading [b:O Jerusalem|77259|O Jerusalem (Mary Russell, #5)|Laurie R. King|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320389276s/77259.jpg|2570140] before diving into this one. ( )

Oh dear!

I don't like fan fiction. I think writers should use their own imagination and not steal other people's worlds and characters.

I see the novels are popular. Sigh! I find it hard to credit that the fastidious Sherlock Holmes would have anything to do with Mary Russell. Seems more like the author's wish fulfilment than a serious attempt to convince the reader that Holmes, who admired only one women in his life, would have anything to do with Russell.

I prefer my Sherlock Holmes by Conan Doyle.

I loved this book. I had just read O Jerusalem and it was fun having the two characters continue in such a different setting. I couldn't put it down. ( )