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Justice Hall (2015)

Justice Hall (2015)

Book Info

Rating
4.17 of 5 Votes: 3
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ISBN
000711138X (ISBN13: 9780007111381)
Language
English
Publisher
harpercollins

About book Justice Hall (2015)

This sixth novel in the Mary Russell / Sherlock Holmes series may be my favourite so far. If so, it is not because of the mystery, which is whether the battlefield execution of a young officer in WWI was in fact a sophisticated murder. Nor it is because of anything that Russell and Holmes actually did in the course of the novel, although they remain on good form. In my view, the chief strength of the novel lies in two characters who made their first appearance in the preceding novel in the series – O Jerusalem – albeit in a very different guise - and in another character introduced in the novel, the redoubtable Iris. These three are great characters: compelling, exotic and just believable enough. Another strength is the moving theme of battlefield executions during WWI and the experience of war in the trenches, which is poignantly described. The scene involving Russell and Holmes and the elderly chaplain is particularly moving.King writes lovely, fluid prose, with interesting dialogue and powerful descriptive language. The narrative is – as is usual in this series - from the perspective of Mary Russell, whose observations are caustic and witty. The mystery is secondary to other themes and the resolution is consequently not terribly suspenseful. While this is certainly a weakness in a crime fiction novel, it did not unduly disturb me because of the novel’s strengths. Something which may be perceived as a strength or a weakness depending on the perspective of the reader, is the setting the major part of the novel: the country estate of an English aristocrat. It’s all rather Downton Abbey. If I weren’t somewhat addicted to that television series, I might roll my eyes. But as I am, the setting only added to my reading pleasure. This novel contained several scenes which moved me to tears. This doesn’t happen to me that often when I read crime fiction and when it does, it’s a definite mark in the writer’s favour. Overall, this is a solid novel in a solid series.

This was one of the most heartwarming and tearjerking novels I have read in a long time. At the same time, the last chapters was so suspenseful I had a choice of reaching for a soda or a tissue. The story is set in post-World War I and talks a lot about the experiences of the troops, the incompetency of British military leadership and its aftermath, and how it impacted even an important British family. Mary went to Canada to find an individual and the heir to a British family, but it did not end there.She had to clean up the mess made by British military leadership and set a family back on its course. Naturally, there is a lot of pomp and circumstance around upper-class behavioral protocols which we in this country may not actually appreciate. I know that I did not. While she was talking about the 800 year history and glory of this family I was saying to myself "just get on with it".In many ways, the story had a fairytale ending but without that fairytale ending, the entire novel would've been a failure.I am not sure if the experiences of the soldiers in World War I and the current experiences in Afghanistan are any different. The misery of the infantry has been universal since before the battle of Thermopylae. It makes you wonder why humans continue to do this stuff.

Do You like book Justice Hall (2015)?

Another fantastic adventure of Mary Russell and her husband, Sherlock Holmes. Seemingly unevenly matched, Mary is quite a bit younger than her husband, interested in theology, and rich as can be. However, they are a match, mind to mind, wit to wit, and adventurous spirit to adventurous spirit.In this sixth volume, Mary and Holmes are invited to Justic Hall. A familiar stranger visits them and invites them to the home of the Duke of Beauville, Justice Hall. A very prominent family guided by duty, honor, and justice. The current duke was called back from the mysterious life he was living after the sudden death of his brother. His brother's heir had died during the Great War.The identity of the current Duke is revealed (this is not a spoiler) as the Muslim travelers Russell and Holmes had encountered in the previous book. A reluctant heir with no children, they are to investigate a claimant to the dukedom. Before long, greater mysteries present themselves including the death of the young soldier, an attempted murder, and at least two suspects with power and money wishing for more.This is another grand adventure with amazing depth of detail and description, a rousing adventure, edge of the seat suspsence, and a deeply moving picture of a soldier's life in the trenches. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator, again, does a fantastic job. She a vibrant storyteller.
—Gail

This is the 6th in the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series. It picks up very shortly after the 5th book's conclusion and, indeed, involves two of my favorite characters from the series (outside of Holmes and Russell): Ali and his brother Mahmoud. In fact, the attraction of this particular entry in the series is not Russell or Holmes or even the mystery that permeates this story. Rather it is those two "supporting" characters and the mystery of their lives and backgrounds. Throw in the setting itself, Justice Hall and you have the makings of a great novel. I did not award 5 stars simply because I listened to the audio version of this one and I found the narrator's voice a bit tedious at times. And I didn't care for her voice for Sherlock at all. I suspect reading the book versus listening to it might well have bumped it up to the 5 star level for me.
—Benjamin Thomas

Justice Hall begins with a bang, when Russell opens the door and finds their friend Ali (whom we met in O Jerusalem) wounded and fainting on the doorstep; it turns out that Ali and his cousin Mahmoud are really Alistair and Marsh Hughenfort, and that Marsh is in fact the Duke of Beauville. Ali asks for Holmes and Russell to help Marsh, thus drawing them into a web of family loyalties and treacheries dating back to the execution of the ducal heir during WWI. The mystery is intriguing, the pacing taut, and the characterization superb; this remains one of my favorite books in this series.
—Margaret

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