★★★½
Genre: MYSTERY
Subject: captivity, pirates, early film making
Setting: Portugal, Morocco
Main Characters: Mary Russell, Sherlock Holmes,Randolph Fflytte, Geoffrey Hale, Captain La Roche
Series: yes, #11 Mary Russell series
Dates Read: May 1 - May 6
Number of pages: 120
Off the Shelf (pre-2012)? Source?: no
Category for 12 in 12 challenge: English Lit
"Honestly, Holmes? Pirates?"
The opening words of the latest installment of the Mary Russell series, show the reader that we are in for some fun rather than the heavy dramatic volumes of the last few books. We see again the frivolity of the earlier adventures even though Holmes doesn't really surface until mid story.
How many of us have accepted just about any dutiful activity to avoid time with the in-laws? Mary Russell heads off to perform a favor for Inspector LeStrad to escape two weeks with Mycroft Holmes when he comes for a visit. She heads out to be the assistant to a filmmaker who is taking the story of Gilbert & Sullivan's "Pirates of Penzance" and putting it on film. Rather than trying to film in London, the production is headed to Portugal to hire actors to be the pirates.
Russell is overwhelmed with Stage mothers for the many little blonde actresses and the pirates that are hired to play actors who are playing pirates. When they arrive in Morocco however, they women are imprisoned separately from the men and here is where the fun begins.
When I started this book I had great expectations but was disappointed as it progressed at the beginning however, once Mary Russell is joined by the magnificent Sherlock Holmes the book takes off. The dialogue was entertaining throughout and the situations were recollections of the old Russell and Holmes of the early adventures.
The light hearted antics were a pleasant change from the previous books but I hope that Ms. King will return to the deeper mysteries showcasing Holmes and Russell's talents in the future.
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