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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
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When we were married more than 20 years ago, I began listening to audiobooks from the library. I was on a Sherlock Holmes kick at the time, and devouring every pastiche I could get. One of those books was [b:The Beekeeper's Apprentice|91661|The Beekeeper's Apprentice (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, #1)|Laurie R. King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1590945421l/91661._SY75_.jpg|891863], the first volume of the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes mystery series. I was skeptical until I listened to the audiobook, and was immediately hooked. At the time, there were only three volumes in the series, and over the years I have patiently awaited each volume as it has been released. I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy of Castle Shade via NetGalley and Bantam Books in exchange for an honest review.
I took my time reading Castle Shade, savoring every page. I think I was spoiled by having a Mary Russell book come out just a year ago, because they normally don’t come out once a year. But thanks to the pandemic, many writers, include Laurie R. King, put their nose to the grindstone, as it were, and were able to put out another book. In that respect, the pandemic is great for readers.
Once again, Laurie R. King weaves a tale full of ambiance and character studies. I admire how her fluid descriptions of various settings brings them to life. I normally have a hard time imagining how things look, but not with King’s prose. I could picture Castle Bran and it’s exterior and interior with ease. The village and it’s inhabitants come to life right off the page under the author’s expert writing.
The thing I appreciated about Castle Shade was the multiple levels of intrigue and mystery. Just when I thought I had figured out part of the mystery, King throws in some more information that creates another mystery that must be solved. There are so many different layers going on, but it’s not confusing. It just compels you to keep reading, to keep up with Mary and Sherlock, to keep gathering clues to solve the myriad of mysteries going on.
While Mary is quite the independent woman who does quite well on her own despite her relative youth (relative to my youth, that is. She’s the same age I was when I discovered her books and I was nowhere near as smart), it’s when she and Sherlock work together that I enjoy the most, and there’s plenty of that in Castle Shade. At this point in their relationship, they’re always on the same page, and can anticipate each other’s moves. In fact, Mary counts on that ability for Holmes to find her when she goes off in the search of more information, not knowing where she’s going to wind up.
Because of Castle Shade, I will most likely look up history books to find out more on Queen Marie of Roumania and that branch of Queen Victoria’s and the Russian Romanov’s family. Queen Victoria had something like 90 grandchildren so it goes without saying that I do not know the history of most of her descendants. That’s what I think makes the best historical fiction so interesting; it can make you reach out and learn more about some aspect of history for which you have little knowledge.
Castle Shade goes on sale to the public on June 8, 2021.
When we were married more than 20 years ago, I began listening to audiobooks from the library. I was on a Sherlock Holmes kick at the time, and devouring every pastiche I could get. One of those books was [b:The Beekeeper's Apprentice|91661|The Beekeeper's Apprentice (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, #1)|Laurie R. King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1590945421l/91661._SY75_.jpg|891863], the first volume of the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes mystery series. I was skeptical until I listened to the audiobook, and was immediately hooked. At the time, there were only three volumes in the series, and over the years I have patiently awaited each volume as it has been released. I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy of Castle Shade via NetGalley and Bantam Books in exchange for an honest review.
I took my time reading Castle Shade, savoring every page. I think I was spoiled by having a Mary Russell book come out just a year ago, because they normally don’t come out once a year. But thanks to the pandemic, many writers, include Laurie R. King, put their nose to the grindstone, as it were, and were able to put out another book. In that respect, the pandemic is great for readers.
Once again, Laurie R. King weaves a tale full of ambiance and character studies. I admire how her fluid descriptions of various settings brings them to life. I normally have a hard time imagining how things look, but not with King’s prose. I could picture Castle Bran and it’s exterior and interior with ease. The village and it’s inhabitants come to life right off the page under the author’s expert writing.
The thing I appreciated about Castle Shade was the multiple levels of intrigue and mystery. Just when I thought I had figured out part of the mystery, King throws in some more information that creates another mystery that must be solved. There are so many different layers going on, but it’s not confusing. It just compels you to keep reading, to keep up with Mary and Sherlock, to keep gathering clues to solve the myriad of mysteries going on.
While Mary is quite the independent woman who does quite well on her own despite her relative youth (relative to my youth, that is. She’s the same age I was when I discovered her books and I was nowhere near as smart), it’s when she and Sherlock work together that I enjoy the most, and there’s plenty of that in Castle Shade. At this point in their relationship, they’re always on the same page, and can anticipate each other’s moves. In fact, Mary counts on that ability for Holmes to find her when she goes off in the search of more information, not knowing where she’s going to wind up.
Because of Castle Shade, I will most likely look up history books to find out more on Queen Marie of Roumania and that branch of Queen Victoria’s and the Russian Romanov’s family. Queen Victoria had something like 90 grandchildren so it goes without saying that I do not know the history of most of her descendants. That’s what I think makes the best historical fiction so interesting; it can make you reach out and learn more about some aspect of history for which you have little knowledge.
Castle Shade goes on sale to the public on June 8, 2021.
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Good book to pass the time. Not as gripping as the early ones in the series.
When Mary Russell wakes on a train, with her husband Sherlock Holmes smoking a pipe fit to asphyxiate them both in the enclosed train compartment, she is chagrined to find they are not heading homeward toward England, but are stuck on a siding in some obscure Eastern European country. Their destination appears to be Budapest. Holmes has agreed to investigate threats against Queen Marie of Roumania, one of many offspring of Queen Victoria's family, now the respected Queen of her barely restored post-World War I nation.
Budapest, however, is a stopping point. The Queen is in residence in a castle given to her by a portion of her nation just rejoined to Roumania--Transylvania. With the recent Bram Stoker vampire novel too much in mind, Mary is unhappy about their invitation to Castle Bran, especially as she suspects Holmes' brother Mycroft is again pulling strings to involve them in politics. But the case proves both more complex, and more personal, as the threats seem aimed at the Queen's youngest daughter, Ileanna.
Soon the detective duo are separated, with Holmes tracking down political connections in Budapest and Roumania's capital of Sinaia, while Mary pursues investigations in Castle Bran. These include incidents involving inept attempts at implicating the Queen in witchcraft, or worse, vampirism. Then, Mary herself is attacked by a cloaked figure... who leaves twin puncture wounds in her neck.
This is a fun excursion for Holmes and Russell, who is particularly cranky in this outing, both because she begins the case ill and sleep-deprived, and because she knows that there is a rational explanation for the incidents, and cannot find the correct string to pull to find it. (Russell can be every bit as imperious as a Queen when she is aroused; her managing the Serbian station master into helping them acquire passage on a train heading to Budapest is particularly amusing.) we also have secret passages, a Castle ghost, and a mysteriously unforthcoming Castle major domo. There is a chase and rescue at the end of the tale, after which the Holmeses may finally be able to return home to Sussex.
Love this series, which serves the original Holmes very well.
Budapest, however, is a stopping point. The Queen is in residence in a castle given to her by a portion of her nation just rejoined to Roumania--Transylvania. With the recent Bram Stoker vampire novel too much in mind, Mary is unhappy about their invitation to Castle Bran, especially as she suspects Holmes' brother Mycroft is again pulling strings to involve them in politics. But the case proves both more complex, and more personal, as the threats seem aimed at the Queen's youngest daughter, Ileanna.
Soon the detective duo are separated, with Holmes tracking down political connections in Budapest and Roumania's capital of Sinaia, while Mary pursues investigations in Castle Bran. These include incidents involving inept attempts at implicating the Queen in witchcraft, or worse, vampirism. Then, Mary herself is attacked by a cloaked figure... who leaves twin puncture wounds in her neck.
This is a fun excursion for Holmes and Russell, who is particularly cranky in this outing, both because she begins the case ill and sleep-deprived, and because she knows that there is a rational explanation for the incidents, and cannot find the correct string to pull to find it. (Russell can be every bit as imperious as a Queen when she is aroused; her managing the Serbian station master into helping them acquire passage on a train heading to Budapest is particularly amusing.) we also have secret passages, a Castle ghost, and a mysteriously unforthcoming Castle major domo. There is a chase and rescue at the end of the tale, after which the Holmeses may finally be able to return home to Sussex.
Love this series, which serves the original Holmes very well.
I couldn't finish it. I will give it another try at another time.
This is the only Mary Russell book I have not yet listened to (I've both read and listened to all the other ones at least twice), and although it took my brain some time to readjust, I really enjoyed this one. Perhaps it's because I've always been fascinated by the legends of Dracula, but I really enjoyed this one more than some of the most recent ones, partly because it felt more like the old Holmes/Russell partnership. There is definitely a shifting of perspectives from one to the other, although Russell's portions are written in first-person POV and Holmes' sections are written in third-person POV. This book continues on from their adventures in Monte Carlo and the Riviera (two previous books) and the situation in this book is alluded to in the last one. Queen Marie of Roumania is having some unusual things happening in Castle Bran (a gift to her from the residents) that potentially threaten her or her daughter. If it were just herself, she might not even bother, but her daughter seems to be in potential danger. I absolutely loved the feel of this book, with the history of the people and the country, and even the politics of the time were not annoying distractions. The castle sounded like something that would be fun to explore and the inclusion of some of the modern amenities in Russell's suite was rather fun to imagine. I loved the investigative parts they each did on their own as well as the parts they did together. Without revealing any spoilers, I loved the midnight ride at the ending! It was fun to imagine the entire scene up to and including the ending, haha! Overall, this one felt a lot more like the early adventures that I loved so much, except Mary and Sherlock know each other so much better!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
My only problem with this book is that it kept bringing [b:Royal Blood|7895168|Royal Blood (Her Royal Spyness Mysteries, #4)|Rhys Bowen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328009347l/7895168._SY75_.jpg|11133284], which has some superficial similarities, mostly from the setting and vampire references.
I'm happy to be done with the Mrs. Hudson sequence, at least for now.
I'm happy to be done with the Mrs. Hudson sequence, at least for now.
Note: Thank you, NetGallery and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, for giving me a free ARC of Laurie R. King's newest title, "Castle Shade," for my honest review.
I've loved Sherlock Holmes stories for a long time, especially re-imagining versions of the stories, such as the Robert Downey Jr. movies and, of course, the excellent BBC series starring Benedict Cumberbatch.
This latest installment in Laurie R. King's series focused on Mary Russell is right up there with the others for me. I love Mary's ingenuity and her relationship with her husband. I've only read one other book in this series, and that was the first book, "The Beekeeper's Apprentice".
Castle Shade brought elements in a story I enjoy. History, the supernatural, mystery, and folklore.
The setting in Bran was familiar to me as I had previously read a historical non-fiction book on the Crimean war. I also felt that the small town featured in the story felt like any small town. I think whether it's the early 20th century, 19th century, or today, small towns have the same feel all over, especially in fiction. There are family ties, legends, and feuds.
Using Dracula's castle was delightful as I am a big fan of Bram Stoker's novel and myth surrounding the most famous vampire.
The relationship between Mary and Sherlock is wonderful. They make it work despite their huge age gap. If anyone could get the eternal bachelor to settle down, it was definitely Mary. I love their banter. I also enjoy that Sherlock doesn't talk down to his wife. He encourages her to come up with her own opinions, and even if he disagrees, he doesn't tear her down. At least in this book, I have yet to read the other books in this series.
I highly recommend picking this installment of Mary and Sherlock's adventures. It'll keep you guessing until the end.
I've loved Sherlock Holmes stories for a long time, especially re-imagining versions of the stories, such as the Robert Downey Jr. movies and, of course, the excellent BBC series starring Benedict Cumberbatch.
This latest installment in Laurie R. King's series focused on Mary Russell is right up there with the others for me. I love Mary's ingenuity and her relationship with her husband. I've only read one other book in this series, and that was the first book, "The Beekeeper's Apprentice".
Castle Shade brought elements in a story I enjoy. History, the supernatural, mystery, and folklore.
The setting in Bran was familiar to me as I had previously read a historical non-fiction book on the Crimean war. I also felt that the small town featured in the story felt like any small town. I think whether it's the early 20th century, 19th century, or today, small towns have the same feel all over, especially in fiction. There are family ties, legends, and feuds.
Using Dracula's castle was delightful as I am a big fan of Bram Stoker's novel and myth surrounding the most famous vampire.
The relationship between Mary and Sherlock is wonderful. They make it work despite their huge age gap. If anyone could get the eternal bachelor to settle down, it was definitely Mary. I love their banter. I also enjoy that Sherlock doesn't talk down to his wife. He encourages her to come up with her own opinions, and even if he disagrees, he doesn't tear her down. At least in this book, I have yet to read the other books in this series.
I highly recommend picking this installment of Mary and Sherlock's adventures. It'll keep you guessing until the end.
Fans of Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell rejoice! The famed duo is at it again, this time in Romania to investigate whispers, village intrigue, and not-so-long-forgotten fairy tales.
When Queen Marie summons them to Castle Bran, a centuries old castle with as many secrets as the characters of this tale, the pair is reluctant to get involved in the politics surrounding the newly ensconced royal family. But is it a political plot or something closer to home that threatens Queen Marie, Princess Ileana, and their family? Laurie King does a wonderful job describing the country, the people, food, and traditions, and pulling the reader headlong into a multilayered mystery that seems to reach back through the ages of Castle Bran and Romania’s bloody history. I love Russell mysteries and Castle Shade is no exception. King griped me from the opening line through my breathless finish.
Big thanks to #NetGalley and Laurie King for an advance copy of #CastleShade. I can’t wait for the next installment of the Russell/Holmes series!
When Queen Marie summons them to Castle Bran, a centuries old castle with as many secrets as the characters of this tale, the pair is reluctant to get involved in the politics surrounding the newly ensconced royal family. But is it a political plot or something closer to home that threatens Queen Marie, Princess Ileana, and their family? Laurie King does a wonderful job describing the country, the people, food, and traditions, and pulling the reader headlong into a multilayered mystery that seems to reach back through the ages of Castle Bran and Romania’s bloody history. I love Russell mysteries and Castle Shade is no exception. King griped me from the opening line through my breathless finish.
Big thanks to #NetGalley and Laurie King for an advance copy of #CastleShade. I can’t wait for the next installment of the Russell/Holmes series!
Who knew that a granddaughter of Queen Victoria became Queen of Roumania?