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    Dreaming Spies
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    Dreaming Spies
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    Dreaming Spies
    Ebook412 pages7 hours

    Dreaming Spies

    By Laurie R. King

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    1925. Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes arrive home to find a stone. The stone is inscribed with the same name that they last saw in the Tokyo garden of the future emperor of Japan. It is the first indication that the investigation they did for him a year ago might not be as complete as they had thought.
    In Japan there were spies; in Oxford there are dreams. In both places, there is a small, dark-haired woman, and danger . . .

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAllison & Busby
    Release dateFeb 19, 2015
    ISBN9780749018160
    Author

    Laurie R. King

    Laurie R. King is the Edgar Award–winning author of the Kate Martinelli novels and the acclaimed Mary Russell-Sherlock Holmes mysteries, as well as a few stand-alone novels. The Beekeeper’s Apprentice, the first in her Mary Russell series, was nominated for an Agatha Award and was named one of the Century’s Best 100 Mysteries by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association. A Monstrous Regiment of Women won the Nero Wolfe Award. She has degrees in theology, and besides writing she has also managed a coffee store and raised children, vegetables, and the occasional building. She lives in northern California.

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    Reviews for Dreaming Spies

    4/5

    261 ratings64 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I usually enjoy books in this series and this was no exception. I realized part-way into the book that I has actually listened to it before. Typically I would stop and go on to another but I had gotten caught in the story and, although I remembered a few key points, it felt largely like a new read for me. As with all the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes books there are pieces that truly stretch the imagination. In this book these instances did not detract from my enjoyment of it. I also enjoy learning a bit about the culture--in this case mostly Japan--that accompanies the story line. Nicely done.
    • 4/5
      A suspected shipboard suicide turns out not to be the main mystery, nor is the card sharping son of an Earl the main villain. The quiet Japanese woman willing to instruct her shipboard company in basic language and customs of her land is not what she seems either and a long trip as humble pilgrims prepares Mary and Sherlock for a meeting that is totally unexpected. Can they help the Crown Prince recover a secret document that has made him subject to blackmail? There are twists and turns and the scene truns from Japan to Mary's beloved Oxford before the finale.
    • 4/5
      Synopsis: 'It is 1925, and Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes arrive home to find a stone. A stone with a name, which they last saw in the Tokyo garden of the future emperor of Japan. It is the first indication that the investigation they did for him in 1924 might not be as complete as they had thought. In Japan there were spies, in Oxford there are dreams. In both places, there is a small, dark-haired woman, and danger.'Review: Interesting plot with a nice entanglement to the ninja community.
    • 4/5
      It's 1925, and Mary Russell recounts an adventure only hinted at earlier--the three weeks she and Holmes spent in Japan, between India (The Game) and San Francisco (Locked Rooms), along with the journey from India to Japan on the cruise ship Thomas Carlyle. On board the ship, they meet the Darleys--the Earl, whom Holmes believes to be a blackmailer, his new wife, and his adult son, as well as Miss Haruki Sato, a young Japanese woman headed home after studying in America for a year. There's definitely something unusual about Miss Sato, but Holmes, Russell, and quite a few of their fellow passengers are happy to take lessons in Japanese language and customs from her, both the while away their voyage and to prepare for their time in exotic Japan.

      It turns out Miss Sato has a particular reason for wanting Holmes and Russell in particular well prepared. They're being prepared for a particularly important client.

      This is both an exciting case, with danger and adventure in both Japan and England, and a fascinating look at Japan in the years after World War I, with World War II not yet visible on the horizon. Russell's is a good narrative voice, and both she and Holmes are strong, engaging characters.

      Recommended.

      I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
    • 4/5
      Author Laurie King has written several Sherlock Holmes pastiches in which his sidekick/wife, Mary Russell is the narrator. King also has produced another novel leaning heavily on her descriptive research in the geographical areas in which she sets her story. This mystery combines good writing with the usual sense of suspense common to the genre. I found it a good read for mystery fans, despite the limited contributions of Sherlock Holmes to the narrative, and a must read for King subscribers.This novel was received from the publisher in e-book format in exchange for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      A perfectly good installment in the Holmes-Russell series, though it's a bit slow to get started and doesn't quite rise to the level of many of the other volumes.
    • 4/5
      I had only read one book in this series previously, and for whatever reason had never picked up another, but I'm so glad that I was able to read this current installment. Not only is the mystery an excellent who-done-it, but the richness of the characters, settings, and historical details elevate the story to another level.
    • 4/5
      The book is in 3 parts: the voyage from India to Japan, their time in Japan, and a year later back in England. The case is blackmail. As a reader of the series I had felt like things were dragging a bit. This book got back to the fun of the first books! I really liked the time spent in Japan. It was a nice look at that country in the 20's. And I liked that Sherlock and Mary didn't quite get everything right.It seemed like Sherlock was a little less involved and I missed him. But overall a really fun read.
    • 5/5
      A frequent ploy of authors is to cover travel expenses by using places visited as "local color" in their writing. Laurie King does it wonderfully well as she explores the history, literature and culture of the Japanese Empire by having Russell and Holmes travel the Kisokaido Road. Yes, there are mysteries to be resolved and miscreants brought to justice but the power of this book lies in its ability to transport you another time and place. As a bonus, we get to visit Oxford's Bodleian Library and learn its origins, history and evolution as a quintessential resource for scholars. A double bonus is added by the poems, in classic form, that precede each chapter.
    • 4/5
      Although Dreaming Spies is not as good as the early Russell/Holmes books is it is still a good read. The hiaku at the beginning of each chapter added to the book for me because I liked to try and predict the chapter from the three lines. I am a huge fan of the Holmes Canon and as usual I found Laurie R. King's writing and writing style to be respectable and enjoyable
    • 5/5
      This is not the book to reading start the Mary Russell series. It's definitely a series that you need some background to understand Mary Russell's marriage to Sherlock Holmes. As she says in this book she married the older Holmes for adventure. It's a marriage that abounds in this. In mostly flash backs she tells the story of time spent in Japan, her friendship with a real ninja and how she helps retrieve a valuable book for the emperor of Japan, Hirohito. Although I knew from almost the beginning who the real blackmailer was, there are plenty of red herring. And unlike some books when I' expectations solved the meaning early, there's enough action a travel dialogue about Japan to keep me up till 1am to reach the satisfying end. One of the things I like about the Mary Russell series is her relationship to Holmes. I've always considered Holmes pompous and conceited. Mary manages to remain his intellectual, independent partner.
    • 4/5
      Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes are traveling to Japan when they encounter a mysterious young Japanese woman who cultivates their acquaintance. They think she is just doing them a favor when she agrees to tutor them in the language and customs of Japan, but it turns out that she has ulterior motives. About half of the book is spent getting to Japan and then figuring out who is employing the young woman and what that employer wants from them. For the remainder of the book, the scene returns to Oxford and involves art forgery, blackmail, and clandestine activities in vast country estates. This was an interesting look at Japan in the 1920s. I enjoyed the book, although I have to say I caught on to where the object in question was hidden when the hiding place made its first appearance. I didn't enjoy this book as much as I did "The Pirate King" but then, I am a die-hard Gilbert & Sullivan fan so "The Pirate King" was right up my alley. I received this book through the Early Reviewers group on LibraryThing.com.
    • 4/5
      Laurie R. King provides this installment in the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series with a splendid sense of time and place. The settings -- ocean liner, Japan, and Oxford in the mid-1920's all ring true. Characterizations are sound, as well, although the minor characters are more stereotypes than humans. The plot, though, baffled me a bit, at first seemingly quite simple and in the end overly complex. The MacGuffin is not well explained and (unlike the Maltese falcon) there's not just one copy but many. Enjoyable enough, if you're a fan of the series.
    • 4/5
      Holmes and Russell meet their match in the ninja tradition. Holmes is out thought by a woman again. Nice details on Japanese life.
    • 5/5
      Once again I have nothing to critize about her books. I absolutely love this series! I only wish she would produce more frequently. Great job! Must read if you love Sherlock Holmes...
    • 4/5
      This is book 13 of the Mary Russel stories of Sherlock Holmes. This book is more a cultural story of Japan and Japanese culture in the 1920s than a true mystery, I'm not sure there's enough information for the reader to solve the puzzle. The story opens on a cruise from India to Japan. Sherlock cannot relax and enjoy the trip, he finds questions to ponder, a suspicious English lord and an odd acrobat are part of a growing mystery that involves royalty and extortion. The Japanese culture is exposed through two unusual characters. They become closely intertwined in the mystery for most of the book. They present a cultural experience that seems extreme, but can be forgiven due to the nature of these characters. One of the books minor themes are haiku by Basho. Each chapter begins with a haiku, presumably in the style of Basho. The haiku does relate to events in the chapter and can provide additional meaning. They are well worth reading for content. Overall, the book has good pacing and is interesting enough to keep the reader involved. Laurie King does not disappoint her audience.
    • 4/5
      Ninjas, cruise ships, and books with a secret compartment, oh my! Holmes and Russell are travelling to Japan by ocean liner (a means of travel in the 1920's, not the "fun" vacation kind), when they encounter a young woman who becomes the heart of this mystery. Prince Hirohito needs to right a foolish wrong and who better to assist him than this dynamic team of sleuths. There is much to learn here of Japanese culture and customs of this time period and Russell winds up in Oxford, of course, to complete her research. The book does bog down a bit with the descriptive passages of background material, but an enjoyable read in this series. My thanks to the author, Netgalley and Goodreads for a complimentary copy.
    • 4/5
      As a fan of the Russell/Holmes series, my reaction to this book was "This is more like it!" The plot flows naturally (as opposed to her Gilbert & Sullivan-themed "The Pirate King"), and the characters are fascinating and multifaceted. I also loved seeing Japan filtered through Mary Russell's keen intelligence and droll observations. Two caveats: this is not a typical mystery, being more of a "how-will-they-fix-it" rather than a whodunit, and Russell and Holmes don't have as much direct involvement in this case as in some of their others. But this is still a welcome return to form.
    • 4/5
      I quite enjoyed this outing of Mary and Sherlock's. It was an interesting look into Japanese culture.
    • 5/5
      Full Disclosure - I received my copy of this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program.Set between THE GAME and LOCKED ROOMS in the same series, I've been looking forward to this book ever since it was teased in the latter book. Going home the long way 'round after the events in India (THE GAME), Holmes and Russell are detoured to Japan on behalf of His Majesty's (read: Mycroft) government on a mission of diplomatic delicacy involving the heir to the Japanese throne.Thrown into the deep end of a culture in transition - one neither detective has any real experience with - the couple must sink or swim. Failure in their mission - which stretches all the way back to England - could have far-reaching effects for the entire world.Set during the transformative era of Emperor Taisho (1912 - 1926), when Japan was steadily westernizing, Holmes and Russell get a crash course of Japanese culture and try to save the day. If you love this series, you'll love this latest outing. The Japanese culture in the book rang true, and I adored reading it. Looking forward to the next book.
    • 4/5
      This was my first Mary Russell/Sherlock holmes mystery. I will definitely be looking for more.
    • 5/5
      free through LibraryThing early readers. As always I started reading this book with some reservations. I mean, Sherlock Holmes with a wife? And as always Ms. King pulls it of without a hitch. Holmes and Russell use their intellect, and some physicality, to solve three mysteries in one. The reader learns about traditional Japanese culture while enjoying a close to traditional Sherlockian mystery. I enjoyed it and highly recommend it.
    • 4/5
      This installment of the Mary Russell series was very satisfying. The humor, engaging plot, and intriguing narrative of the earlier installments were all present again. Very good story with world travels, international intrigue, and even female ninjas!
    • 4/5
      Dreaming Spies is one of the best in the series! Sailing eastward from India, Holmes and Russell find themselves drawn into a web of intrigue involving the heir and acting ruler of Japan and a Lord of the Realm known for setting up his peers for blackmail. In proving their worthiness to meet and 'aide' the heir, they are set upon a path of exploration and education through the Japanese countryside.
    • 4/5
      I have read all the books in Laurie King's Mary Russell series and have enjoyed most of them, including this one. The mystery was intriguing, but what I really like about these books is the interaction between Mary and Sherlock, and this time reading about the two of them learning how to behave in Japanese society was the best part.
    • 3/5
      A good story although it only gets going about halfway through the book. After that it is an exciting and interesting read.
    • 4/5
      I received an advanced reader copy of Dreaming Spies in A Goodreads giveaway, and am here giving an independent review.

      I am a longtime fan of Laurie R. King, so there was no surprise in the witty pokes and prods between her two characters, Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell. It certainly began in an interesting way, with two brief unexplained incidents, then the main story in a gigantic flashback. I liked the characters, the 'can I trust my judgement?' feeling to Mary's perspective. Pacing was quick without feeling hurried, and the action was exciting and culturally fascinating--I loved learning about the Kisokaido and a few other Japanese traditions I had not studied or been immersed enough in my 1-week visit to Tokyo to observe.
      A very readable, entertaining, and enriching novel, with a few very funny moments orchestrated by our own Mary Russell.
    • 4/5
      After the last disappointing book in the Russell and Homes series, King is back to form with this one.

      This time they go to Japan, work with a Ninja, and catch a blackmailer or two. The story makes sense, nothing feels too forced, and some of the usual minor characters put in appearances. No spoilers here, so that's all you get.
    • 4/5
      I usually enjoy the Mary Russell mysteries and this was no exception. They are light hearted and can be gulped down for pleasure. There's no real mystery - it's just the pleasure of travelling with Mary and her husband to get to the resolution. After the dip of "Pirate King" I am enjoying these again.
    • 5/5
      Dreaming Spies is an engrossing, intricate tale that kept me interested from the first page to the last. Mary and Sherlock are again in fine form, and this time Ms. King takes them to Japan. Ms. King's grasp of the era and of Japanese customs and history provide exquisite detail and meaning to this story of a lost document that could bring down an Empire. The story is complex and layered, with subtle but surprising twists and turns. This book was a treat--so well-written, with a novel mystery and interesting, complicated characters. I was sad to come to the end of this book and eagerly await the next installment!