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

What suspense?

I am a major fan of Laurie King and have raced through every book in this series as they just got better and better, until I got to this one! To say that there was no "suspense" is an understatement. Mind numbingly boring is the only way to describe it. The entire premise of why Mary was investigating to begin with was unbelievably weak and Holmes' role was almost totally peripheral. The dozens of characters were confusing, uninteresting, and for the most part, poorly developed. There were numerous times when I thought, ah, now something will happen but no! I kept waiting for something, anything, to happen - waiting, waiting, waiting! Jenny Stirlin did her usual perfect narration but the story could not be salvaged. I'm surprised she could stay awake long enough to narrate it. It is fortunate that this is not the first of the series or I would have gone no further. I have forced myself to listen till the end, thinking every minute that it just HAD to get better but sadly, it never did. If you have read the rest of the series, you may think you have to read this one too for completeness but trust me, you won't be missing a thing. Such a disappointment.

Not Up to L. R. King's Usual Standard

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

A better story line.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Something by Elizabeth Peters or Rosamunde Pilcher if they have anything else by her yet.

What about Jenny Sterlin’s performance did you like?

J. Sterlin's performances in the previous Mary Russell novels have always been enjoyable.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment!

Any additional comments?

So much time was spent by the author explaining the odd circumstances that the story never developed- No real suspense. Barely interesting. I found myself thinking of other things rather than paying attention to the story, indeed would not have bothered to finish except that I bought and downloaded it!
I have enjoyed most of the other Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes novels by Ms. King but this one was not worth the time. Very flat, rather monotonous.

Fool your fans only once

Shame on the author for trying get a tax write off for her trip to Lisbon with a dull, ridiculous, and pointless book. If her tax situation is not the reason for this book then the fans of this series might as well hold the funeral right now. It's truly the worst thing I've ever read by her, I frankly couldn't finish it, and I've read and enjoyed every book in this series. The narration is great as usual but she has nothing to work with. It has no real plot, no suspense, nothing to recommend it whatsoever. Even the well worn characters seem slightly out of sorts. So if you are a fan, DO NOT waste your credit or your time. Hold your breath and hope the next book is better.

A Disappointing Surpruse

I have so enjoyed this entire series. But this book was so contrived and ridiculous it was difficult to finish. Don’t bother with this installment. It adds nothing to the overall adventure and is a major waste of time and money.

The Worst

The worst in the series. It was a struggle to finish. If I wasn't a completest I would have abandoned this less than halfway through.
Barely a mystery, just pages of dull descriptions of boats and a cast of characters too numerous and indistinguishable from one another to matter. I'm really hoping the next one makes up for this.

Really Disappointing

I have loved all the Mary Russell books so far. This one was very disappointing. If your doing the series, skip this one.
I couldn’t even finish it.

Skip this one

I have lived all the Mary Russell books, but this one is not up to par. There is also nothing in it that has any bearing on the characters' back stories. Read all the other books, but don't bother with this one. It was dull for the first 3/4 or the book.

Save your credit

Shame on Laurie King for writing this, her agent for submitting it, and her editor and publisher for letting it see the light of day. I'm a fan, but this book is a real stinker: no plot, endless boring scenes, and a really stupid premise.

So Disappointed!

I loved every other book in Laurie R. King's Mary Russell / Sherlock Holmes series. Pirate King dragged for most of the book. Skip this one...

Insufferable book

Laurie King is magnificent. This song-song story was not. It was her worst story yet. Better luck next time😝