What would modern mystery writers do without the inimitable Sherlock Holmes? Conan Doyle's detective figures prominently in two of my favorite mystery series, The Enola Holmes series by Nancy Springer, in which Holmes has a much younger sister, and The Mary Russell series by Laurie R. King, in which a retired Holmes attains a much, much younger female partner and (I hope I'm not spoiling this for anyone) eventual wife, Mary Russell. (The first book in the series is The Beekeeper's Apprentice.)

I'd love to see Enola meet up with Mary Russell. My calculations make Enola approximately 15 years older than Mary. What could that brash, independent and strikingly intelligent younger sister have accomplished in the 20 plus years since her escape from the Holmes family estate at age 14? She and Mary have a great deal in common and both of them could do with a female family member to commiserate with when the Holmes men - all of them - become unbearable.

All of them?? According to most experts, there are only TWO members of this branch of Holmes', Sherlock and his older brother, Mycroft. In Laurie R. King's latest Mary Russell novel, The Language of the Bees, the reader is introduced to new members of the Holmes family, members that even the great detective himself was not aware of.

The Language of the Bees, (I'm not positive about that "the"), is the beginning of a longer story. Holmes and Russell become involved with a religious cult that might be responsible for a series of deaths at ancient sites. Those mysterious new family members are in danger and also suspected of evil doing. Mycroft's London digs are even raided by Scotland Yard!!! Disguises and the painstakingly slow research of a world before reliable telephones and Wikipedia are all part of this novel. So is a bone shaking aeroplane journey and fugitive status for the main players. And Holmes' bees behave badly. The ending has me waiting impatiently for the next book in Laurie R. King's acclaimed series.