Pirate King

A Novel of Suspense Featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes

By: Laurie R. King

Narrated by: Jenny Sterlin

Length: 11 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best-selling author Laurie R. King’s books have received high praise from critics and have earned the Edgar, Creasey, Wolfe, Lambda, and Macavity awards. As Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes embark on their 11th adventure together, they find themselves immersed in the world of silent filmmaking. Here, the pirates are real—and unlike the shooting done with a camera, this sort can be deadly.

In England’s young silent-film industry, the megalomaniacal Randolph Fflytte is king. Nevertheless, at the request of Scotland Yard, Mary Russell is dispatched to investigate rumors of criminal activities that swirl around Fflytte’s popular movie studio. So Russell is traveling undercover to Portugal, along with the film crew that is gearing up to shoot a cinematic extravaganza, Pirate King. Based on Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance, the project will either set the standard for moviemaking for a generation - or sink a boatload of careers.

Nothing seems amiss until the enormous company starts rehearsals in Lisbon, where the 13 blond-haired, blue-eyed actresses whom Mary is bemusedly chaperoning meet the swarm of real buccaneers Fflytte has recruited to provide authenticity. But when the crew embarks for Morocco and the actual filming, Russell feels a building storm of trouble: a derelict boat, a film crew with secrets, ominous currents between the pirates, decks awash with budding romance—and now the pirates are ignoring Fflytte and answering only to their dangerous outlaw leader. Plus, there’s a spy on board. Where can Sherlock Holmes be? As movie make-believe becomes true terror, Russell and Holmes themselves may experience a final fadeout.

Pirate King is a Laurie King treasure chest—thrilling, intelligent, romantic, a swiftly unreeling masterpiece of suspense.

Listen to another Novel of Suspense Featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes.

©2011 Laurie R.King (P)2011 Recorded Books, LLC

Not My Favorite Mary Russell Story

I had listened to ten other Mary Russell books when I started this one, Pirate King. This one seemed to have a slow start but ended well.

Ms King does humor

While this story remains in the mystery genre, Ms King, to my great delight, actually introduces humor to this book and her protagonists' characters. If you already like the series, this is a wonderful addition. If you're iffy on the series, this one might make a believer of you.

Almost Gave Up!

I was so excited to find a LRK I hadn't read yet. Then as I listened and listened I got more and more bored. I have always admired LRK's ability to really "capture the real spirit of Sherlock", and maybe for that reason I found this book difficult to get into. Sherlock is not present for the first few chapters, and by the time he arrives on the scene "Russell's" sarcasm has started sounding like a poorly done farce... But as you can see by my rating, the story did eventually pick up and kept me engaged to the very end!

Left wondering

I enjoy this series however I am left to wonder why this particular installment was written. I listened to the book on audible and nothing of consequence took place for the first 7 hours...the last 4 hours pretty much had the whole of the story. I am keeping my fingers crossed this was a one time affliction and the next installment returns to the level of the previous books.

Too convoluted

While I have been in general enjoying this series, I found this particular book overly convoluted and complicated and not as enjoyable as the others. There is a story within a story within a story within a story within a story.

Quite a slog in the beginning

This book has the fatal flaw for a "novel of suspense" in that the first 2/3 is boring. Very boring. The last third picks up and is more interesting, but I almost gave it up slogging through the first parts. It does setup the next book though, which is quite good.

Not King’s Best Effort

I have been completely enthralled by All of the earlier works in this series, but this one seemed little more than a pale “Cops & Robbers” offering, with neither significant plot nor character development. I’ll give Ms. King one more chance to redeem herself, but otherwise will abandon the series. The reader, however, is as usual absolutely delightful.

Least favorite in the series so far

I have enjoyed the other books in the series much much more than this one. I found this to be tiresome and much less entertaining.

Less a mystery than a ............hmmm, what?

Would you try another book from Laurie R. King and/or Jenny Sterlin?

The story moves slowly, it took some real effort to keep returning to the recording - not because of Jenny Sterlin the narrator, she was fine, but because the pace was so slow. Mary plays the biggest roles in these books, Sherlock is marginal but he is so marginal in this book as to be missing in action in my opinion. Read it because you like Mary, and not necessarily want to solve a mystery. The setting is interesting and the narrator does a good job of helping you picture it.

Very Uncharacteristic Start

I almost gave up on this one, so prolonged and detailed the setting of the story line. Glad I didn’t.