Dreaming Spies: A novel of suspense featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes

Written by Laurie R. King

Narrated by Jenny Sterlin

For years now, readers of the Russell Memoirs have wondered about the tantalizing mentions of Japan. Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes had spent three weeks there, between India (The Game) and San Francisco (Locked Rooms). The time has finally come, to tell that story. 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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 17, 2015
• ISBN: 9781490627762

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.

Reviews for Dreaming Spies

[chrirob · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mary Russel and her husband Sherlock Holmes are determined to have a nice, relaxing holiday in Japan...but fate does not allow these two to relax for long! Blackmail and missing passengers cross their path while a young Japanese passenger begins to appear more and more suspicious. Will Russel and Holmes ever find out what happened to the missing passenger, who is blackmailing whom, or what the Emperor of Japan might have to do with this whole mystery? Dreaming of Spies was a good book, although a bit hard for me to get into at first. I think it was the writing style as I have not read any Sherlock Holmes books before and none of the books in the Mary Russell series. I would definately be interested in reading the first book of the series to see how Russell and Holmes met and married!

[asomers_8 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was my first Mary Russell/Sherlock holmes mystery. I will definitely be looking for more.

[velopunk · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I find the Mary Russell books a bit on the slow side, but this one seemed a little faster moving to me. Holmes and Russell are on an extended trip to the Far East in 1925. Part of their journey is by ocean liner from India to Japan. On the boat Holmes notices an English Lord, Lord Darley, who has been involved in blackmail in the past. Holmes has a particular dislike for blackmailers and starts closely following the man's activities. The book features a young Hirohito, who is Prince Regent, not yet Emperor. The young prince rashly presented a book to the King on a state visit to Great Britain. This book had some documents hidden in it that were vital to Japan and its nationhood. Lord Darley has learned of the importance of this book and is offering to give it back to Hirohito for £20,000. Ninjas are introduced in the book and a family close to Hirohito is involved in helping Holmes and Russell return the book to Japan without an international incident or adverse publicity to Hirohito.

[mmignano11 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Dreaming Spies featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes was both lovely and suspenseful, with its combination of Haiku, insights into Japanese culture and search for an ancient manuscript. Mary Russell is a feisty and refined woman, a partner to Sherlock Holmes, who plays a secondary role in this series by Laurie King.

[hoosgracie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I quite enjoyed this outing of Mary and Sherlock's. It was an interesting look into Japanese culture.

[jennybeast · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Marvelous continuation of the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes stories -- this time with shipboard intrigue and a distinctively glorious sojourn in Japan. A dream of a book, melding Oxford and haiku and unlikely partnerships. (this time with ninjas, since she already covered pirates....)

advanced reader's copy provided by Edelweiss

[gwernin · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'm not sure how I came to miss reviewing this book, but I suppose better late than never...I've read all of Laurie King's "Mary Russell" books to date, and generally enjoyed them. I liked the earliest half dozen or so best, and have often reread them. "Dreaming Spies" falls somewhat short in my opinion, partly because of the strange framing. It starts after "Garment of Shadows", and then drops back to the period between "The Game" and "Locked Rooms", after which it jumps forward again to end the first segment. (If this description is a bit confusing, so was the plot.) I liked the middle section, which takes Russell and Holmes to Japan, more than the other two parts, and have reread the book more than once for that part. On the scale of my most favorite to least favorite Russells, this one fall in the middle. It's the usual high standard of writing; I just found the plot construction awkward.

[bardbooks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A remarkable read, beginning to end. While this is a Mary Russell book, it's truly Haruki's tale, spun with a level of restraint and skill that takes away my breath. Judging by the continuing and lively GR chat and debate over this book, fans and book award panels will be giving this work a great deal of attention.

[ma_washigeri · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not much character development in this one, either Holmes or Russell, although fills out Mary Russell's Oxford space. They met in 1915 and married in 1921 and are about 65 and 25 here. A light and enjoyable read.

[francesmcnama-876774 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Laurie R. King's series about Mary Russell is one of my favorites. In the Bee Keeper's Apprentice she meets a retired Sherlock Holmes and eventually marries him though she's much younger. Like Holmes himself Russell is a wonderful character who sticks in the mind. They are written in first person and I just really like her voice.

I especially like when they become immersed on other worlds as they follow a case, like the Holy Land, India, even the English countryside. I just enjoy the people and places. This time they are on a cruise ship to the far east and later they are travelling undercover in Japan. It's a really fun world and fun adventure to get lost in.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This story takes place in 1924 and 1925 and concerns an investigation for the Prince Regent of Japan. It begins in India where Russell and Holmes have finished the case retold in THE GAME. They are boarding a ship for a vacation in Japan before continuing on to California to deal with some of Mary's business affairs. Almost the first thing that happens is that Holmes recognizes one of the passengers as the Earl of Darley. Holmes is convinced that Darley is a blackmailer that he had encountered some ten years earlier. They also notice a young Japanese woman who boards at the same time as Lord Darley, his wife and his son.Mary meets the young woman who introduces herself as Haruki Sato, a student returning from studying in the US and from a family of acrobats. Mary has some suspicions about the young woman but she and Holmes still recruit her to teach them some Japanese and some Japanese customs. Meanwhile, Holmes is investigating the Darleys and some suspicious disappearances of things from the ship. After a final exam in Japan which has Russell and Holmes travel through Japan to a meeting with Haruki, they meet the Prince Regent and learn that he gave King George a book when he was his guest in England which, unknown to him, contained an embarrassing secret. Now he is being blackmailed, apparently by Lord Darley, and needs their help to get the book back. Haruki is one of a family of ninjas who have been watching over the emperors and empresses of Japan for a couple hundred years and the final exam she prepared was to make them ready to meet Hirohito. Holmes' extreme distaste for blackmailers would have had him involved without all the convincing. They work with the Satos to recover the book and seem successful except for the death of Lord Darley and Haruki's father. The book is recovered and the problem is solved. Mary and Sherlock take off for California thinking the case is closed.A year later Haruki comes to Mary at Oxford, injured from an encounter with a fence, and tells her that the Darley's substituted a forged copy of the book without the secret paper. She's ready to break into the Bodleian to retrieve the correct copy which leads Holmes and Russell to get involved in the new investigation which has included blackmail, murder, treachery, and multiple copies of the desired book.I enjoyed this story from shipboard life through Japan in the 1920s and onto Oxford. It had wonderful historical detail and an intriguing plot. Haruki is a wonderful character who manages to play Holmes and Russell like few others have been able to.

[tgpistole · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[ritaer_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[drled_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[liscarey · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[jbd1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[iambookish-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[empressreece · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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...

[dreesie-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[jamespurcell · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.

[herenya_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a series of related mysteries: the first is set on a passenger ship between Bombay and Japan, the second in Japan and the third at Oxford.I really enjoy Russell's narration. There's something soothingly familiar about her voice, about the way she observes the world. I feel similarly about her as I do about Mary Stewart's heroines - and not just because, like Stewart's narrators, she so vividly captures the places she travels to and the suspense of her adventures.I'm not sure whether I'd prefer to be a Mary Stewart heroine, or to be Russell - Russell has Holmes, who would annoy me exceedingly but on the other hand, she has Oxford. Oxford in the early 20th century! The details about Oxford were one of my favourite about Dreaming Spies.I also enjoyed watching Russell and Holmes assume different roles as they conducted their investigations, and I liked there's a thematic thread running through the story about women who are underestimated.I've had quibbles to make about the last few Russell and Holmes' mysteries. I have no quibbles with this one.And the cover is really pretty. (Priorities: I have them!)

[ecurb_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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

[nodosaurus · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[blueraine_91 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received this book as part of LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers giveaway. I have read many books in both of Laurie King’s mystery series and enjoyed them all immensely. I was excited to receive this newest installment and in the Mary Russell series, and it didn’t disappoint! King’s writing does a wonderful job of drawing the reader in and describing Japanese culture, which is critical to this story. It kept me guessing to the end!

[ckgs_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell are back in the thirteenth mystery in a most satisfying series. Traveling to Japan on a passenger ship, Holmes and Russell are on the trail of the blackmailer, The Earl of Darley, who has been in Sherlock Holmes’ crosshairs for some time. During their time aboard ship, they meet a most interesting person, Miss Sato, who is on her way home to Japan. During the voyage, Holmes, Russell, and various shipboard passengers are taught various Japanese customs and language by Miss Sato, who is much more than she appears.Laurie King writes wonderful description as the reader meanders through the Japapanese countryside. We learn the intimate details of life among a culture previously unknown to most westerners. Blackmailers, ninjas, stolen artifacts and Japanese royalty make Dreaming Spies a satisfying read.

[carolo_77 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mary, Holmes, Ninja.Help blackmailed Japanese Prince.Who is being played?Poetry is woven throughout this novel, particularly haiku. The story picks up on board an intercontinental cruise but revolves around their visit in Japan. An introduction to the beauty and culture of Japan is integral to solving this mystery. As is the case in all of the Mary Russell stories, this one has many layers to the plot and enough twists and turns to keep your interest to the end. This book is not just entertaining, it is beautifully educational.

[brangwinn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.

[anneb10 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.

[rosareads · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is an ARC review: I have read several Laurie R. King Sherlock Holmes/Mary Russell series. I did not enjoy this one as much as the others. I think the content, Ninja Warriors, may not have been as interesting to me. However, Kind continues to create in interesting series with well-developed and "fun" characters that read like old friends.Rosareads

[mattshark · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have read all of Laurie King’s books, and am a fan of the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series. This review of Dreaming Spies is a Library Thing Early Review. In this adventure, the pair find themselves on board a cruise ship, learning Japanese culture and uncovering the world of the Ninja. The book is well written, and the story in interesting. I did not find myself as captivated by this book as others in the series, and in fact found that it dragged at points. There was a lot less detective work that Sherlock Holmes is famous for, and a lot more slow relationship development. More critically, I didn’t find myself too invested in the outcome of whether the mystery was solved or not, a major flaw in this type of book. I look forward to the next installment in the series and other work from King.