If you love clever historical mysteries, sharp-witted heroines, and the greatest detective of all time reimagined in his later years, Laurie R. King’s Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series is pure gold. Since the first book dropped in 1994, this beloved series has grown to 18 novels (as of 2025) plus novellas and short stories that fans devour.
Whether you’re a longtime Russellian or just discovered the series because of the buzz around a possible TV adaptation, here’s your ultimate reading order guide—complete, spoiler-free, and updated for 2025.
Complete Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes Series by Laurie R. King: All Books in Order (Updated December 2025)
Dive into the captivating world of Laurie R. King’s Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series with this exhaustive list. As of December 2025, the series boasts 19 full-length novels and numerous short stories/novellas, blending sharp mysteries, historical depth, and an iconic partnership. We’ve organized everything into clear tables for easy reference—novels first (in publication order, the recommended reading sequence), followed by shorts.
Note: O Jerusalem is a prequel set in 1918 but reads seamlessly in publication order. Direct sequels like The God of the Hive should follow their predecessors. All dates are original publication years.
Full-Length Novels in Publication Order
| # | Title | Publication Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Beekeeper’s Apprentice | 1994 |
| 2 | A Monstrous Regiment of Women | 1995 |
| 3 | A Letter of Mary | 1996 |
| 4 | The Moor | 1998 |
| 5 | O Jerusalem | 1999 |
| 6 | Justice Hall | 2002 |
| 7 | The Game | 2004 |
| 8 | Locked Rooms | 2005 |
| 9 | The Language of Bees | 2009 |
| 10 | The God of the Hive | 2010 |
| 11 | Pirate King | 2011 |
| 12 | Garment of Shadows | 2012 |
| 13 | Dreaming Spies | 2015 |
| 14 | The Murder of Mary Russell | 2016 |
| 15 | Island of the Mad | 2018 |
| 16 | Riviera Gold | 2020 |
| 17 | Castle Shade | 2021 |
| 18 | The Lantern’s Dance | 2024 |
| 19 | Knave of Diamonds | 2025 |
Short Stories and Novellas in Publication Order
These add delightful layers to the series—many from Holmes’s or Russell’s perspectives. Most are collected in Mary Russell’s War (2016) or available as e-books.
| # | Title | Publication Year | Notes/Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mrs. Hudson’s Case | 1997 | Short story (in anthology) |
| 2 | Mary’s Christmas | 2003 | Short story |
| 3 | Beekeeping for Beginners | 2011 | Novella (Holmes POV) |
| 4 | Hellbender | 2011 | Short story (in anthology) |
| 5 | The Marriage of Mary Russell | 2016 | Novella |
| 6 | Mary Russell’s War (collection) | 2016 | 10 stories, including new ones |
| 7 | Stately Holmes | 2017 | Short story |
Mary Russell & Sherlock Holmes Books in Publication Order (Recommended)
This is the order Laurie R. King wrote and published them—perfect for experiencing the character growth and evolving relationship exactly as intended.
- The Beekeeper’s Apprentice (1994) The one that started it all. 15-year-old Mary Russell literally stumbles over a retired Sherlock Holmes tending bees on the Sussex Downs in 1915. Brilliant, life-changing, and still the fan favorite.
- A Monstrous Regiment of Women (1995) Oxford, theology, a feminist religious movement, and Mary coming into her own. (Winner of the Nero Award!)
- A Letter of Mary (1996) An archaeologist friend brings an ancient manuscript to Baker Street… and then turns up dead.
- The Moor (1998) Dartmoor, haunting atmosphere, and a certain ghostly hound. Yes, it’s a deliberate nod to Conan Doyle.
- O Jerusalem (1999) A prequel-of-sorts set in 1918 Palestine during the events briefly mentioned in The Beekeeper’s Apprentice.
- Justice Hall (2002) Aristocracy, WWI scars, and the return of characters you’ll love from The Moor.
- The Game (2004) India, Rudyard Kipling’s Kim grown up, and a missing spy. Pure adventure.
- Locked Rooms (2005) San Francisco, 1924. Mary confronts her traumatic past while earthquakes (literal and emotional) rumble.
- The Language of Bees (2009) Sherlock’s estranged son Damian arrives… and brings murder with him.
- The God of the Hive (2010) Direct sequel to Language of Bees—don’t read them out of order!
- Beekeeping for Beginners (2011) – Novella Holmes’s POV of meeting Russell. Read after The Beekeeper’s Apprentice or anytime after Book 5.
- Pirate King (2011) A hilarious meta-adventure involving silent films, pirates, and a kidnapping (or is it?).
- Garment of Shadows (2012) Morocco, amnesia, and 1920s espionage.
- Dreaming Spies (2015) Japan in 1924, a missing book, and ninja librarians (you read that right).
- The Murder of Mary Russell (2016) The title had everyone screaming. Trust me—just keep reading.
- Mary Russell’s War (2016) – Short story collection Journal entries and stories from WWI era. Optional but delightful.
- Island of the Mad (2018) Venice, 1925, and a hunt for Vivian’s aunt who may (or may not) be in an asylum.
- Riviera Gold (2020) The French Riviera, Mrs. Hudson’s surprising past, and glittering 1920s intrigue.
- Castle Shade (2021) Transylvania—yes, vampires are mentioned. No, it’s not what you think.
- The Lantern’s Dance (2024) India again, family secrets, and shadowy dancers. The most recent full novel!
Coming Next? Laurie R. King has hinted that Book #20 is in the works—possibly set in Portugal or Spain. Follow her newsletter or the official Mary Russell website for updates.
Short Stories & Novellas (Chronological-ish Bonus Reads)
- “Mary’s Christmas” (2003) – Sweet early-days holiday story
- “Mary Russell’s War” stories (2016)
- “Beekeeping for Beginners” (2011) – Holmes POV
- “The Marriage of Mary Russell” (2016) – A tiny gem you’ll scream about
- “Stately Holmes” (2017) – Pure fun
You can find most of these in the collections Mary Russell’s War and on Laurie’s website under “Free Stories.”
New to the Series? Start Here.
Just read in publication order (list above). The only slight exception: O Jerusalem jumps back in time, but King places clues so you’re never confused if you read it in publication order.
Why Readers Are Obsessed in 2025
- Mary Russell is a 20th-century woman with a razor-sharp mind—Sherlock finally meets his intellectual equal (and more).
- Rich historical detail without ever feeling like a textbook.
- Slow-burn romance done right.
- Mrs. Hudson deserves her own spin-off (and kind of gets it in Riviera Gold).
Ready to fall in love with Mary and Sherlock all over again? Grab The Beekeeper’s Apprentice and clear your weekend—you won’t want to put the series down.
Happy reading, Russellians! 🐝
Which book is your favorite? Drop it in the comments—I’m always curious who loves The Game as much as I do!
P.S. Bookmark this page—I’ll update it the second Laurie R. King announces the next title!
