Island of the Mad: A novel of suspense featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock… (utgåvan 2019)

Russell and Holmes are in Venice on dual missions -- the saving of a Lady in distress and the investigation of the growth of Fascism in Italy. All this takes place in the hedonism of the 20s. There y also an interesting collection of side characters. I love this series. ( )

As always, if you're looking for a solid mystery with a well-researched historic setting, then the Mary Russell series is a good bet. Island of the Mad was a fun read with plenty of historical fiction elements that take Russell and Holmes from the insane asylum at Bedlam to the pre-world War II party lifestyle of Venice. I especially loved the descriptions of Venice, the gondolas, the different islands, the carefree lifestyle of the ex-pats staying there, but especially the ominous presence of Mussolini's black shirts. Laurie King does such an amazing job not only describing the physical setting but giving you a sense of the overall feelings in Italy on the brink of war. And as I read more books in the series, I definitely become more and more attached to Russell and Homes. Totally enjoyable!

I received a free copy from the publisher through Library Thing's Early Reviewer program. Thank you Library Thing and Bantam Books! ( )

Well, hmm. This is a tricky one to review. First of all, I'd like to remind readers to start at the beginning of the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series and don't jump around. I apparently haven't read a few of them in the series, and the beginning of this one left me slightly baffled.

That being said, I think it could *mostly* stand on its own. Russell and Holmes head to Venice to find the aunt of one of Russell's friends (and this is where my memory of Russell's own history gets hazy, because I can't quite remember how she knows the niece). Holmes reluctantly goes along, having been convinced by his brother to do his own snooping around; the Fascists are coming to power around this time (the book is set i 1925) and Mycroft wants to know how it could/will impact Britain.

There's a mishmash of historicals in here, including Il Duce himself and Cole Porter, but overall it fails to cohere. I did love the world building, as Venice is fascinating to me, but I didn't really enjoy the plotline all that much and the characters seemed a bit humdrum.

I enjoyed it, would recommend it to anyone who's read any of the other books, but wouldn't recommend anyone to start with this one. For various reasons. ( )

As always it is great to be back with Mary Russell and Holmes. The mystery ends up being quite straight forward but the commentary on madness and the Injustice of innocence versus power is deftly done... There are layers going on, with the rise of fascism and the inequality of men and women and the differences in classes. ( )

I’ve read all of Laurie R. King’s Sherlock & Russell books and have loved almost all of them. This one was no different, except one of the things I appreciated the most about it was the underlying and not very subtle comparison that is made between the start of the Mussolini era in Italy and the era we are living through today. The banter, admiration and love that Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes have between one another is, as always, the heart of these books. But their fierce intelligence and sharp perception gives the reader a clear look at the similarities between Venice in the beginning of the Mussolini dictatorship and the run-up the world is experiencing now to more of the same.

Mycroft & Sherlock Holmes observe and start in probe at the happenings in Italy, “The two were going on about Mussolini again, the unexpected fervor with which his country had embraced him, how economic pressures and Great War losses could shape a country’s wishes and expectations, how a harsh message of patriotic destiny and racial superiority could get a nation to overlook a brutal murder and clumsily staged cover-up.”

And later, “If one plays on fear, takes away any remotely complicated ideas, and offers people a sense of confidence and right, one’s followers will beat to death any enemy they are pointed at.” The line sent a chill down my spine. Knowing how these tactics worked in that time frame makes the atmosphere we are living in right now even more terrifying.

This book introduces Cole Porter as a character. His relationship with his wife is a fascinating one – a marriage of mutual affection with many underlying secrets. When confronted with a Blackshirt thug and his homophobic disdain, Porter touches her with just a finger, and communicates the need to stay silent in the face of this hate. “She held his gaze, an argument of a thousand words taking place in utter silence and in the space of four seconds.” The following scene, full of his shame and the stark realization of the danger they are living in, was extremely powerful.

I love these Russell & Holmes books for the mystery, wit and the match of equals. Now I like them even more for what they say not only about them, but about us. ( )