Mary Russell is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Mary Russell & Sherlock Holmes mystery series by American author Laurie R. King. She first appears in the novel The Beekeeper's Apprentice. Books 1, 2, and 5 cover seven years of Mary’s life from age 15 to 21, while later books in the series take place between ages 21 through 27. In Riviera Gold, she is 25 years old. In 2000, Monica Dolan starred as Russell in a 4-part BBC Radio drama of The Beekeeper's Apprentice, with James Fox playing Holmes.