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A review by karieh13
Dreaming Spies by Laurie R. King
4.0
I just love this series of books. I can’t seem to get enough of Sherlock Holmes lately (Benedict Cumberbatch’s version in particular) – and when Holmes is paired with a woman…and a woman as smart as he is – the combination is electric.
Some of the recent volumes in the series have let me down a bit. The one involving WAY too much Pirates of Penzance, for instance. Or the books in which Holmes and Russell are separated for far too long – depriving the reader of their banter and electric wit. But “Dreaming Spies” brought them right back to what makes them wonderful. The clear, smart prose outlines an interesting plot – this one having a bit of Christie feel as the main characters take a luxury cruise with several “English drawing room types”. And the descriptions of character and place are, as always, very well done.
When Mary seeks refuge in a typical English pub, “Heaven lay within, an ancient gathering space that could only be in England, every breath testifying to its centuries of smoke and beer, damp dogs and the sweat of working men.” The reader can see, smell, nearly taste the experience.
This book also introduces as fascinating new character (that I hope we encounter again), Sato Haruki. She meets the couple on the cruise to Japan, and her voice, the character the reader gradually comes to know, is very well developed.
“The haiku captures a fleeting moment. Of great beauty, or heartbreak. A moment that, hmm,…encapsulates the essence of a season. Such as the fragrance of blossoming cherries, or the sound of snow, or the feel of hot summer wind blowing the bamboo.”
“Dreaming Spies” was a great read and a wonderful way to spend some cold winter hours.
Some of the recent volumes in the series have let me down a bit. The one involving WAY too much Pirates of Penzance, for instance. Or the books in which Holmes and Russell are separated for far too long – depriving the reader of their banter and electric wit. But “Dreaming Spies” brought them right back to what makes them wonderful. The clear, smart prose outlines an interesting plot – this one having a bit of Christie feel as the main characters take a luxury cruise with several “English drawing room types”. And the descriptions of character and place are, as always, very well done.
When Mary seeks refuge in a typical English pub, “Heaven lay within, an ancient gathering space that could only be in England, every breath testifying to its centuries of smoke and beer, damp dogs and the sweat of working men.” The reader can see, smell, nearly taste the experience.
This book also introduces as fascinating new character (that I hope we encounter again), Sato Haruki. She meets the couple on the cruise to Japan, and her voice, the character the reader gradually comes to know, is very well developed.
“The haiku captures a fleeting moment. Of great beauty, or heartbreak. A moment that, hmm,…encapsulates the essence of a season. Such as the fragrance of blossoming cherries, or the sound of snow, or the feel of hot summer wind blowing the bamboo.”
“Dreaming Spies” was a great read and a wonderful way to spend some cold winter hours.