I must admit that this is one of my favorite books of this series. The mystery isn't...there isn't one really. Oh, they look everywhere for the person who killed two people at the first and who keeps cleaning up anyone who's seen them, including Bess. But there aren't really clues to follow for the reader; Bess and others merely chase after likely candidates.

So why do I like this book so much?

I'd forgotten my love/hate relationship with this one. I still love Bess (mostly, more below) as well as most of the book. The mystery is actually really interesting and the clues are there but very hard to find.

Sadly, we see little of her family though. Simon makes a few great appearances as if to soften the blow, but IMO only serves to show what could have been.

I blame it all on Lydia. What is it with women named this in literature being selfish idiots! (Literature only, I knew two real life Lydias and they are lovely women.)

I do love this series!

After being introduced to Bess Crawford  and the world around her during WWI in A Duty to the Dead, we find her transporting long term wounded to England. One of her charges is a horribly burned pilot who clings to a picture of his wife as he also clings to life. So Bess easily recognizes her on a crowded train platform in London, crying and begging a stony-faced soldier returning to the front. It's not until she's back in France that Bess learns she may have been the last person to recognize her before she was murdered. In attempting to do her duty as an impartial witness, Bess gets drawn into a situation between two families and friends who are full of deception, anger, hatred, and secrets.

Russell with her Holmes,

New Case comes with great promise.

Wonder what's in store?

I've detailed elsewhere what Laurie R. King's Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell series means to me. Every time a new book is announced, some of my worst impatience sets in. Finally, it arrives in my hands and I'm teleported back to a time and characters I've come to care greatly about.

At long last we learn of their time spent in Japan, which took place between The Game and Locked Rooms. As with all of King's books in this series, I found myself transported to 1920s Japan as we walked it's roads, traveled in it's packed trains, and experienced new customs. While much of the elements were known to me, her writing once again brought it to life. But she also did what I'd longed for, showed us some of Oxford.

First let me say I love the cover for this book. All the people connected with the shrine, including Mikage (yeah!) are shown and perfectly in character.

*Fangirl squeal and gushing time*

Oh, I want to hug this book and never let it go. This is the volume readers have been waiting for since the first volume. Frankly, you could end the series here and not be too broke up about there. Though there are still questions that deserve answers. Thankfully, volume 18 is coming out in June.

I won't say what happens because literally everything is a spoiler in here. I will say it was better then I could have imagined. All Nanami's time travels come together and I can't wait to see this in the anime! (Surely they'll make it this far in the anime?!)

If you like Inuyasha, I highly recommend this. It's very much a shoujo version, though it definitely goes it's own way. And it doesn't take 20+ volumes to get anywhere. Funimation's dub and distribution of the anime is also extremely good.

I'm off to rewatch Season 1 right now!