"The Language of Bees" by Laurie R. King (Bantam, $25) Reviewed by Ealish Waddell Laurie R. King's excellent Mary Russell books follow the adventures of an extraordinary crime-solving duo: a feisty, whip-smart feminist of the 1920s and her husband, retired beekeeper (and former worldfamous detective) Sherlock Holmes.

"The Language of Bees," the latest in the series, opens with the couple returning home to Sussex from an extended trip abroad to find an unexpected visitor on their doorstep – Holmes' son, whom they had thought lost for good to drugs and despair.

The relationship between the estranged father and son, only recently come to light, has been volatile and strained, but Damian Adler is desperate. His wife and young daughter have disappeared, vanished into London's vast underworld, and he will do anything to find them – no easy task.

Bohemian London of 1924 is a place of both culture and decadence, freedom and scandal, a world in which everything seems to be allowed – or at least attempted.

It seems that Damian's wife was caught up in the religious fervor of the sinister Church of Lights, a society with beliefs both fashionably modern and very, very ancient. As more is revealed about the bizarre and shady doings of the church, the circle of suspects expands to include even Damian himself.

Does the cunning brain, artist's mind and father's heart conceal the soul of a killer? And if so, can Holmes handle it?

As always, Russell and Holmes are a perfectly matched pair, their mutual intelligence and respect informing their affection for each other in a way that feels real and satisfying.

The addition of Damian Adler adds an interesting dynamic to the relationship, bringing in elements of Holmes' past story that predate Mary's presence in his life; but the way she deals with these revelations is both natural and refreshingly angst-free.

With characters and settings this intriguing, "Bees" is a welcome addition to the mystery shelves.

(c) 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.