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 the best of the Russell/Holmes books

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

There were about three chapters that held my attention, but the rest could have been edited down considerably. All of the other Russell/Holmes books had good story lines, but this one was really slow and somewhat pointless.

What do you think your next listen will be?

I've listened to all of the others in this series, so I'll find something else.

Have you listened to any of Jenny Sterlin’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes. She does a fine job, but there wasn't much to work with in this story.

Could you see Pirate King being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

I hope not.

Not her best but...

...very entertaining non the less. I breezed right through it and thought it much better than most if the previous reviewers. No match for the best of the series but quite good fun on it's own

Not my favorite but glad I listened.

This was not my favorite Mary Russell novel. Like others have commented the story was slow, a bit repetitive, and lacked Sherlock's presence for much of the tale. However, I do enjoy Russell's character and that is present and strays not far from the norm. I enjoyed the tale despite its flaws and am glad I listened rather than following other reviewer's recommendations to skip the title. I believe a bit of the disappointment may lie in the fact that the previous 3 titles were so very good, full of suspense, that this one leads the thrill seeker a bit off the path of suspense. However, I will take Mary where I can find her, even when her assignments are a bit silly and frivolous.

Here's to the Pirate King!

Sterlin's performance was superb, as always!

intetesting

intetesting departure from the usual Mary Russell story. I enjoyed this light hearted story. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

lovely book murdered by narration

What did you love best about Pirate King?

I am a huge fan of Laurie King's Mary Russel series, have them all in different formats. This one is hilarious, it's an operetta, a Gilbert and Sullivan kind of a book. Pirates, Valentino, Pessoa, Byron, sheiks and grand pianos... it's a great romp across seas, continents, and genres.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

I already read the book, I know the plot, I just wanted to listen to it as well.

What didn’t you like about Jenny Sterlin’s performance?

She killed the book, literally butchered it. Laurie King's books (and this one especially) are full of humor, sometimes dry, sometimes sly, always intelligent but it is present in almost every paragraph. Sterlin sounds pompous, monotonous and has none of the intelligent levity and ironic approach that this text demands. If falling bricks could sound nasal, that's how they would sound. I will have to check - if other Russel series books are also narrated by her, I personally will most definitely skip them.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Had to make breaks - my ears felt tired because of the heavy and monotonous narrator's style.

Any additional comments?

What would I give to listen to King's series narrated by Rosamund Pike...

Almost missed this

Due to bad reviews, I almost missed this one. It was really as interesting as most of the series. Of course I have my favorites. I appreciate the stories where Mary and Holmes are more of a team. The more repeat characters the greater the connection. Always love the “Arab brothers” and Mrs. Hudson and Mycroft.

Good

This was different and confusing at first but got better.

Looking forward to more in this fab series

Boring

I have been listening to the series one after the other. No action in this story until the last two hours. Cannot recommend this book to anyone.
Jenny Sterling is an amazing narrator.

Horrible.

Any additional comments?

I was really surprised to dislike this book as I did. I love Laurie R. King's books. This is the first one I could barely finish. I think it was not just the narrator, who I did not love. It was the slowness of the plot and the disagreeableness of the characters, even though it was an interesting setting.

dull. boring. in spots, difficult to follow.

I tried to read this book when it first came out, I failed. So, i listened to it on audible. I found chapter after chapter of drivel and claptrap so utterly mind numbing it was sheer torture to finish this book. After much eye rolling during the reading, it comes down to Mary whiping out her cape and slapping a large S on her shirt to singlehandedly save the day! all the while Holmes stands by mute and apparently frozen in place. I do recommend all the other books in this series.