Book Style: The Moor

The fourth Mary Russell book, The Moor, has the most direct link to any of the original Conan Doyle stories. This time Laurie R. King has Russell and Holmes revisiting the scene of his previous case, The Hound of the Baskervilles. In a case that involves presumptive heirs, Dartmoor legends, boisterously obnoxious American gold miners, and a touching mention to a real-life Dartmoor historian we get the most haunting of all of the Mary Russell adventures. 

If you're traipsing around a foggy and potentially haunted moor on horseback (well ponyback) you're going to want to stay warm and comfortable. Sturdy, stylish and comfy boots paired with knee-high socks are good for the feet. I love this green tulip skirt so much (ignore the impracticality of it for horseback riding). A warm-camel coat has a very strong '20s silhouette while maintaining a modern vibe. One stylish trilby to keep the water off her eyeglasses and a scarf printed with text from The Hound of the Baskervilles to keep that pesky cold at bay. A paw print necklace pays homage to the creepy legend of the devil hound and the hedgehog ring had to be included, because there is an adorable and super important hedgehog in this story!

Book Style: A Letter Of Mary

Next up in my Mary Russell Book Style series is the third book, A Letter of Mary. This time around Russell and Holmes find themselves visited by an old friend from their sojourn in Israel and Palestine during the events of The Beekeeper's Apprentice. Dorothy Ruskin, a spunky archeologist, leaves the pair with a mysterious gift, an ancient manuscript that could be the missing Gospel of Mary Magdalene. When Miss Ruskin is killed in a hit and run Russell and Holmes work frantically to uncover her killer, who may or may not have a link to the establishment-shattering document.

In this adventure, Russell goes undercover in a chauvinistic gentleman's home that requires her to girl-ify her look a bit more than usual, so I felt that a feminine dress was in order with this outfit. The OPI nail lacquer in "First Date at the Golden Gate" is a nod to Russell's San Francisco roots, which we get to discover a bit more of in this story. I included a sports car pendant for Russell's passion for automobiles and for the grisly murder weapon. Those earrings, oh how I need those earrings, are a Holmes reference via the new BBC rendition: They're yellow smiley faces on a wallpaper background!