and like to imaginitvely explore the geography (physical and spiritual) of the holy land circa 1919, then you will love this.

I a..Show More »gree with other reviewers that this is not for those who want a fast-paced, straight forward mystery.

I love the narration; in fact, I don't think I'd enjoy reading this series. But I can see that the very distinctive style is one that listeners will either love or hate, especially if they discovered this series first in print.

A bonus: This fiction can actually help you better understand the Middle East and the aftermath of WWI - It sent me to listening to "Paris 1919" once I'd finished.

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This is my favorite detective series; the writing is superb and the narrator is perfect. This is currently the only one available on Audible, however..Show More », and although the book can stand on its own as a complete story, it is a richer experience to listen to them in chronological order. Assuming Audible will make the rest of the series available soon, the order is: Beekeeper's Apprentice, O Jerusalem, Monstrous Regiment of Women, A Book of Mary, The Moor, and Justice Hall last. (This is not the order in which they were written, but the order in which they take place.)

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The Mary Russel series is a grand conceit that extends the Sherlock Holmes character into middle age where he first mentors then partners with and fin..Show More »ally marries Ms. Mary Russell. She is thoroughly competent and very emancipated. Each story is told from Russell's point of view. The novelty of the stories is the way she includes historical characters both real and literary. In this seventh of the series Laurie R. King introduces Rudyard Kipling's Kim as an older British spy in 1924 India who has an adolescent son. The story plot is built around a mythical Indian prince who is up to no good. It was a delightful listen.

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This is a jewel of a book! It's part of a series, and you won't want to miss any of its related titles. I only wish there were a dozen more of them. <..Show More »br />
I ran across the first book in this series by accident several years ago. I listened to it as an audiobook, and have no doubt the narration was key to my liking the book so much.

The premise is clever: These are the stories of Sherlock Holmes -- who supposedly was not a fictional character at all -- and his brilliant young female protegee, Mary. King deftly explains away any evidence that Holmes was not a real person, including Conan Doyle's involvement in the his chronicles. She depicts Holmes as a delightfully eccentric and complex man, making him much more appealing and interesting than Doyle's sometimes dour character.

Mary is the real star of these books, however, and she is one of the most fascinating fictional characters I've ever encountered. She is both brave and vulnerable, and brilliant without being intimidating. Her relationship with Holmes grows as the series continues, and is characterized by a mutual love and respect very uncommon during the time in which the novel is set. Just seeing the brilliant Mary and equally brilliant Holmes interact is worth the price of admission, and the clever plotlines and dialogue are icing on the cake.

The narrator for this series is unparallelled, capturing the essence of both Mary and Holmes so precisely that I can't imagine how anyone could enjoy this book as much in print.

If you're a Holmes fan, you won't want to miss this series. If you're not, this might turn you into one!



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I have read all of the short stories that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote about Sherlock Holmes in the Strand, I have seen every movie that I could find ..Show More »about Holmes, I have read other author's that have written about Holmes, and I even countinue to watch the British T.V. series about Sherlock Holmes...needless to say I am a Holmes Buff, and I can pick out a phony in a second (in my eyes a phony is someone that writes about Holmes but has not done their home work about him and his manorizisms)...
Laurie King should be considered the reincarnated Sir Arthur Conan Doyle!!!
Laurie hits the essence of Sherlock Holmes out of the park, and it feels as though I am listening to Doyle tell new stories about Holmes and his new apprentice.
These audiobooks are great whether you are a Holmes reader or not and I highly recommend this story and any others written by Laurie King to anyone that loves mystery, suspense, and a little brain work also!

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I don't think anyone new to the characters (Russell along with King's casting of M & S Holmes) would find this a 5 star listen, but King f..Show More »ans may. There's not much new to the characters, but after a slow start, there is enough atmosphere and winding plot to completely absorb the listener.

You need not have read part 1 - "The Language of Bees" because that plot is nicely summarized in bits distributed through the first quarter of the present work; however, I think to appreciate this listen you need to have gotten to know Mary Russell and the aging Holmes through at least a couple of the previous instalments. Also, you must like Sterlin's narration style because more characters wind their way into the tale than usual.

I think this the strongest in the series next to the first book, "The Beekeeper's Apprentice."

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A great addition to "The Beekeeper's Apprentice." A good short story and good narration.

Pirate King is the 11th Mary Russell book by Laurie R. King. I still like Mary Russell, but this wasn't my favorite book of hers.

Recap:..Show More » Mary and Holmes are caught up in another adventure as Mary infiltrates a silent film company to investigate allegations of illegal activity.

Review: I am a huge Mary Russell fan. She's independent, she speaks seven languages, and she can throw a knife. However, this book does not showcase her many talents. Pirate King is subtitled "a novel of suspense featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes." Unfortunately, there is a lack of suspense, little Holmes, and even Mary is missing for a stretch.

The movie industry is one of my least favorite settings. I've seen these stock characters and standard situations before. I was hoping in a Mary Russell book some people might buck their stereotypes. Maybe the director could be accommodating or the female lead humble. No such luck. Even Mary falls into standard cliches as she travels and doesn't listen when her translator warns her about cultural differences. Listen to your informants, Mary. You're better than this.

The sections with Holmes were excellent, as always. I would have liked to have more time with him and Mary together. It would be great if they could just be home to see their day to day interactions.

Reading: For me Jenny Sterlin is Mary Russell. Her voice takes some getting used to. It's a bit gravelly, and she makes Mary a little more sarcastic than I picture her, but the reading is so energetic I just get swept away. This story had a couple British pronunciations I liked. Shiek is pronounced "shake" and harem "har-eem." It's always fun to learn a new language.

Final thoughts: For anyone who likes Sherlock Holmes or strong women characters

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I agree that this is a good entry, especially welcome after the disappointing "Pirate King". It is wonderful to see both Holmes and Russell present h..Show More »ere and pondering an intellectual puzzle together. There's excellent action and suspense as well.

My one reservation is about the series' seeming direction. King obviously has a fine grasp on the history and culture of the Middle East and does a great deal of research into the politics of that area between the World Wars. So, this is becoming more an international spy saga and less a variation of the traditional Sherlock Holmes - basically British - mystery. Not sure how I feel about that for the series' future.

The double narration is OK, but I'm not sure it's necessary. In past entries, Sterlin has done a fine job alone, interpreting all voices.


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In Locked Rooms, when Laurie R. King mentioned the stop Holmes and Mary made in Japan on their way from India to San Francisco, it was clear that ther..Show More »e would be a book based on their Japanese adventures. Four books later, we have that tale.
King adds another layer which took place a year later, in Oxford. It is a very satisfying double story, one which allowed King to contrast the attitudes and actions of Mary and Holmes with those of their Japanese allies. The plot takes many twists, surprising even Holmes.
Couple the intelligence and skill with which King writes, with the intelligence and skill Sterlin brings to the narration and you have a winning audiobook. It's been well worth the wait!

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I loved this sweet short! Full of fun, but true to the L.R.K. characters I've come to love. As always, J. S. does a fabulous job bringing the charact..Show More »ers to life.

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I don't think it's a spoiler to reveal what any fan of this series will know even before picking up this latest installment in the Holmes/Russell seri..Show More »es: the title is a tad misleading!

That said, it was quite smart of Laurie R. King (a woman whose intelligence obviously equals that of her creations!) to take the story in a new direction. Her latest additions have involved separation of the characters, foreign lands and plots, and (let's be honest) a certain flatness in the Holmes/Russell progression. This departure makes for a good way to return to the earlier freshness of the series and to the British basis of the Doyle canon.

The twists, turns, and revelations in "The Murder of Mary Russell" make the book a real treat for Sherlock Holmes fans. Although the reader may initially think Mrs. Hudson an unusual choice for front-and-center treatment, in the hands of King, nothing could be further from the truth!

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It is so enjoyable to have these stories that flesh out the life that Mary Russell and Holmes shared together. And with each Laurie King novel or shor..Show More »t story i am once again delighted with the humor and wit of Mary Russell.
And Jenny Sterlin, THE voice of Mary Russell. May it always be thus.

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