Another thoroughly enjoyable read from Laurie R. King. I've read all her books, but especially enjoy the Mary Russell series, for its sheer creativity and solid intelligence. Each one also bids me view history in a new (Holmesian) light and lets me visit exotic cultures that I may or may not have visited in real life. In this case, Sherlock Holmes' intrepid young wife heads to Venice, with husband in tow, to help a friend -- after a brief, daring, muckraker-style stay at Bedlam, London's infamous mental hospital. What was true to the series: cameos and longer appearances by actual historical figures, set in new context (fledgling composer Cole Porter, gossip columnist Elsa Maxwell). What was different in this book: There was less mayhem, and no murder, which I enjoyed. But the trademark suspense was as strong as ever. I do love it when a writer respects the readers' intelligence.

I’m a fan of Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell (and of Mary’s biographer, Laurie King), but was disappointed in the last episode (The Murder of Mary Russell), which seemed to me to be very dark. I’m happy to say that the joy has returned in the latest adventure The Island of the Mad.

I received access to a copy from NetGalley on Monday, and finished reading it on Tuesday (luckily for me that I was on spring break and had no pressing obligations that I was ignoring). This is clearly Mary’s investigation and story as Sherlock plays only a supporting role. It was interesting to see some cracks in his stoic facade as he wonders if Mary had any regrets about their marriage and their vocation (as it was thrust upon her), but she reassures him that she is content.

While the mystery seemed somewhat contrived (and I quickly, unlike Mary, deduced the reason behind Lady Vivian’s madness), I enjoyed the story and the details of Venice during the onset of facism. All in all, a great addition to the Mary Russell canon, and I recommend “The Island of the Mad”.

Home after several years of nonstop adventure and intrigue, Mary Russell responds to the distress of her friend. From insane asylum to the glamor of Venice, the decadent side of the Roaring Twenties comes to light as Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes follow the in the footsteps of a “mad” woman.

Though I have never been overly fond of Mary Russell, the cases Laurie R. King concoct and the detailed settings keep me coming back to the series. This time, we get a balanced view of the workings of a working asylum at the time, the terror someone might have being thrust into it, but the safety others might find.

It was a bit disconcerting to have certain life choices accepted so readily in a time where they would not be. While I understand the author’s modern viewpoint and that such situations occurred, it didn't feel authentic.

For readers who have an open mind about how Sherlock Holmes could have spent his older years, there is much to be enjoyed with this newest addition to the series.

Another fantastic addition to the Russell & Holmes canon - witty dialogue, intriguing plot twists, with a slice of historical context. The plot revolves around Russell helping an old University friend locate her missing aunt, deemed "mad" by her other relatives. Clues lead to Venice, where Russell and Holmes navigate the canals and encounter colorful characters. Meanwhile, Holmes is also tasked (via brother Mycroft) to investigate the rise of Fascism in Italy, and its possible infiltration to England.

I enjoyed the interweaving of fact and fiction, and the interactions between the (usually) serious Russell and Holmes and the exuberant (expatriate) revelers, for whom provide the detective duo with pertinent information and insight to the case at hand. While the events are set in 1925, some of the attitudes and events in this story curiously echo / reflect what is happening (or could / might happen) in 2018.

Highly recommended reading; I'm wondering if (when?) these stories will be adapted for the screen (either film or television).

In the new Mary Russell novel, she is reunited with college friend Veronica Beaconsfield. Veronica's aunt Vivian has spent many years in and out of asylums. On a visit home from Bethlem (Bedlam), she and her nurse disappear with several valuable items. Did the Vivian's nurse have a hold over her, or did Vivian leave of her own free will. Russell and her husband, Sherlock Holmes, will follow clues to the Lido, where they mingle with the jet-set, including Cole Porter and Elsa Maxwell. Mussolini and his Blackshirts provide a menacing background as King reflects on sexual politics that still resonate today,

ISLAND OF THE MAD by Laurie King

From Bedlam (Bethlhem Royal Hospital) to Venice, busy with parties, water skiing, and Fascists, it does seem the world is indeed on a path toward madness. Holmes and Russell boldly go, to try to find Mary’s friend’s missing aunt, and with an additional mission on behalf of Mycroft. Using their wits and humor, they sort through layers of “all is not as it seems.” Allies include a “platoon if not a company of waterborne Irregulars,” Mary’s stalwart pair of on-call gondoliers, and fascinating historical personae, Cole Porter and “Miss Elsa Maxwell? Of San Francisco?”
As Mary chastises herself for not seeing something sooner, I feel better for not seeing it either.
Writing that flows, characters one truly cares about, wit and suspense add up to a satisfying reading experience (and neglect of other pastimes and duties) — worth it!
Life lessons and observations:
“It is a precious thing, to be in agreement with one’s husband, particularly when it came to misbehaviour.”
“The man (Porter) seemed to spin words and music as a peasant woman spun her thread: at all spare moments . . . without appearing to be aware of it as labour.”
“An evil reputation can be a protective wall.”

There are more books with the main character of Sherlock Holmes that I can count. And that doesn't include the originals by Sir Conan Doy.le. This is the 15th entry in the Mary Russell books by Laurie King. It always did take a bit of a stretch of the imagination to think of Mr. Holmes as falling in love with a girl half his age & then marrying her. But the books are well- written and the mysteries intriguing. Although I enjoyed reading "The Island of the Mad", I felt that Ms.. King is slowly removing the qualities and quirks of Sherlock Holmes to the detriment of his character. I hope her next book in the series (and I do hope there will be more) presents a more believable character as is the due of the great Sherlock Holmes. (I can't mark it in the recommendation but I give it 3 1/2 stars, not just 3.)

I’ve been a fan of Laurie King’s Mary Russell series for years, but the last couple felt a little played out. This one, unfortunately, continued that trend. The younger Russell would have twigged on the reason for Lady Vivian’s “madness” long before this Mary Russell figured it out. I found myself shaking my head at her thickness by chapter 4. I think it’s time to move on.

Another great addition to the Mary Russell, Sherlock Holmes stories. A missing crazy heiress, Venice, Mussolini's Black Shirts, Cole Porter and Elsa Maxwell, what could be more fun.

It's such a joy, and a relief, to read an intelligient, well-written, FUN mystery. An added bonus when it incorporates favorite real and imaginary characters (Cole Porter, Sherlock Holmes) with a beautiful location (Venice), intrigue, and a bit of old-fashioned naughtiness!

I read and enjoyed 'The Beekeper's Apprentice' years ago, but then was disappointed by another book in the series... then horrified/downright traumatized by 'A Grave Talent.' I haven't read anything of hers since--and I think I've been missing out! This series, at least, is fun and fascinating: I didn't want to put this book down, and read it in two days. Such a clever concept (Holmes +) and so well-executed. As a hopefully soon-to-published novelist myself, I can only hope to build a world, craft characters and tell a story as well as Laurie King. Highly recommend!

This is yet another fabulous book by Laurie R. King.
She keep Russel and Holmes fresh and exciting.
The setting, pre-WWII, is portrayed as the slowly creeping presence of fascism. The historical reality of who finds that option desirable is fascinating.
Add to that the central question of where the missing woman went and why. As that unfolds, we get another chilling aspect of societal norms of the time.
Thank goodness for the creativity and tenacity of Russell and Holmes (and Laurie R. King's amazing research and imagination)!

In her series about Mary Russell, Laurie King has partnered the infamous Sherlock Holmes with a wife that is his intellectual and deductive equal, despite being half his age. When asked by her best friend to investigate the disappearance of an aunt who has been voluntarily living in Bedlam, Mary would like to decline, but both she and Holmes agree that a trip to Venice, where Lady Vivian might be hiding, would be preferable to staying home.
Venice itself almost becomes a character itself, as King describes it. The islands, the waterways, the various inhabitants – all of them are described in great detail and reverence. It is obvious that King has done a significant amount of research about the city, both past and present, and has probably walked down the streets and perhaps attempted to row a gondola as Mary does in this novel.
The timeframe for the novel is the early 20th century, the start of the Roaring Twenties, when both Americans and Europeans gathered in Venice to party and forget the horrors of the Great War and the potential for another. As an added touch of verisimilitude, King adds the character of Cole Porter as a peer of Holmes. The description of Porter, his marriage, and his part in the trick that Russell and Holmes play in the end all jive with what has been written in history about this musician.
As is usual with King, she has more to tell than just a mystery. She implies her political views by adding the fascist characters and describing their brutal actions and ways, in line with the takeover of Italy by Benito Mussolini. She also reaffirms her feminism by drawing on the ways in which most women were treated during this period, particularly those unprotected single female family members who had little to no money of their own and no place else to go. Including Mussolini’s wife as a patient at the mental hospital that Mary visits was another nice historic touch.
Overall, the mystery that King lays out is complicated enough to keep a reader interested, but she includes enough details that the conclusion makes total sense. The series just keeps getting better and better, with vivid descriptions, wry humor, and interesting history.

I've loved the Mary Russell series since I was a teen and was super excited to get an ARC of the newest one. I was definitely not disappointed. It felt entirely true to the series and I got a real feel for Venice. It made me want to go reread all the other books.
I'd definitely recommend this installment to patrons & have recommended the series already!

I was lucky enough to read an advanced copy of this book. Accepting it was a no-brainer - I adore Mary Russell AND Laurie King. My Mother-in-law recommended the Mary Russell books to me while I was pregnant with my son - about 18 years ago! I'm not a huge Sherlock Holmes fan but these books are amazing.
Mary is a young, super intelligent Jewish/American girl. She came to Cornwall after her parents and brother were killed in a horrible car accident in San Francisco. Suffering survivor's guilt as well as PTSD she spends hours walking the countryside and happens upon an odd man observing bees. He turned out to be Sherlock Holmes, a friendship was born and bloomed into love after she attended Oxford and went to work with him. These are not fluffy romance stories - they are adventures, thrillers, suspense novels that delve into historical events and let us live them through the lives of these intriguing characters. "The Island of the Mad" is yet another, fascinating case.

The beginning of the book finds Sherlock and Mary on a break - the first one they've had in years. One of Mary's school friends contacts her for help in locating her "mad" aunt who has escaped the mental institution known as "Bedlam" in London. Laurie King manages to work in a discussion of the changes that have taken place in the treatment of the mentally ill - thank goodness. We also learn how many women were locked up by rich, controlling husbands and/or families who did not approve of modern behavior or attraction to members of the same sex. We learn that Aunt Vivian was living at Bedlam voluntarily and left during a leave weekend for her brother's party. She also left with a valuable necklace, Faberge egg and other money. Mary gets herself admitted to "Bedlam" (actually Bethlehem hospital" , escapes and is joined by Sherlock as they head to Venice in order to locate the missing women and, in Sherlock's case, aid Mycroft Holmes in assessing the city's climate in regards to Facism. Throughout the search for the Vivian we get an in depth tour of Venice and the city's history, a look at the high life of the wealthy who party on the beaches, and an introduction to American composer, Cole Porter.
All this is accompanied by King's spectacular attention to detail, and history and delicious descriptions of the food and fashion of the era. This book is one of her best and I highly recommend it to everyone, fans of Holmes, history, women's literature and excellent fiction in general!.

I never get tired of King's mystery series featuring Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell. King always manages to capture the attention of her readers with her intriguing plots and settings. Russell and Holmes are on the trail of the missing aristocratic aunt of Russell's old Oxford friend, Ronnie. She disappeared from the Bedlam insane asylum along with some valuable jewelry and her nurse. Russell and Holmes track her to Venice, a hot spot in the 1920s for the rich, famous and titled. The period detail and descriptions of Venice transport the reader back in time on a journey that illuminates the beauty of the partnership between Russell and Holmes. Who could resist a story replete with mad houses, haunted islands, Mussolini's Blackshirts and Cole Porter? King's fans will not be disappointed by her latest. #IslandOfTheMad #NetGalley

I do love the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series by Laurie R. King. One of my most anticipated reads this year was the 15th in the series, Island of the Mad. Its 1935 and the duo is looking for Mary’s friend’s aunt who has disappeared from Bedlam Asylum. Their search brings them to Venice and hanging out with such colorful characters as Cole Porter. This is a very nice addition to the series.
As a side note, the covers are drastically changing!

Laurie King has returned to her Mary Russell series to do what she does best: write of familiar characters, placing them in situations that are historically accurate, and letting her imagination rip. The plot of Island of the Mad fairly races along, in more ways than one and mostly on track in pursuit of the beloved contemporary aunt of one of Mary’s friends from uni. As usual, King employs many of Sherlock Holmes’s known eccentricities and talents, sometimes stretching them well beyond credulity. And, of course, everything has to fall into place as planned, often hastily. But, no matter. Anything goes and readers of this series will be delighted to have this book in their hands, physically or digitally, and most will be well satisfied with it and eager to read another. Readers who are new to the series or unfamiliar with Sherlock Holmes (assuming that some exist) will be well advised to start with The Beekeeper’s Apprentice. They’ll have the treat of discovering this satisfying series.

I had a lot of fun with this book. There are a lot of instances where Holmes has the narrative, which I like. This book also reminded me how little time has passed between books. I often think that the time in the books is longer, like the publication schedule, and this book reminded me that a lot has happened all at once (and alludes to other mysteries that they've done in the space between books that we haven't seen). I still, like Mary, have trouble reconciling the past and fate of Mrs. Hudson, but it makes for a unique connection between me and the character. I really enjoyed this book. I liked the mystery, I liked the beach pyjamas (I want a pair of my own) and I liked all the Cole Porter musical references. Definitely check this one out!

The earlier King books were better, then she went off the tracks. This book is a return to form, more or less, but not as entertaining as the first books, which I suppose is par for the course. We do get more Sherlock this time around.