**I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.**

Ever since book one of this series, I've been thoroughly enchanted by the world Laurie King has created. As usual, her characterization of Sherlock in this installation had that interwoven breath of authenticity that only she has managed to capture from the original works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. "Castle Shade" is on par with the rest of the series, and the dynamic between Mary and Sherlock is lovely as usual. I don't think there will ever be a time when I don't dive headfirst into one of these novels with anticipation and delight.

Castle Shade stars Sherlock Holmes and his wife of almost five years, Mary Russell. In 1925, they are hired by the Queen of Roumania, Queen Marie, to determine who is sending her threatening notes. However, after arriving at her castle in rural Transylvania, they discover the locals fear a strigol, or vampire, is loose in the village. Holmes and Mary try to solve both cases while befriending the locals.

The best part of Castle Shade is its Transylvanian setting. I learned a lot about the region’s history. Per the end notes, the nobles depicted here are real too. The solutions to the two mysteries, however, are much too simple to solve. Therefore, this book will appeal much more to historical fiction fans than to armchair detectives like myself. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars!

Thanks to Bantam, Random House and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

1920’s Transylvania might be centuries from the Blood Countess and Vlad the Impaler, but something dark is lurking in the shadows of Castle Bran sending Russell and Holmes to delve into the mystery. I couldn’t wait to crack the cover on this latest historical mystery in a long-time series that I love and it didn’t hurt that the setting was the atmospheric Romanian countryside.

Castle Shade is the seventeenth of the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series. It could be read standalone in a pinch though it offers a better reading experience when the series is taken in order.

After wrapping up their latest adventure in Monaco and tucking away the secret she is keeping from Holmes, Mary Russell is ready to assist on a new case with her husband, Sherlock Holmes, commissioned by Romania’s Queen Marie who believes a threat has been made against her youngest daughter and seems focused at her retreat, Bran Castle. Mary and Holmes find a village and castle steeped in the superstition of the past, but with modern ways making gradual in roads. They discover a chain of curious events affecting those in the village and castle that seem designed to rouse the village into a fervor of terror aimed at their queen. Late night forays, careful engagements with village personalities like the Roma in their nearby encampment, a woodsy witch, a modern doctor, and a castle majordomo who might know more than he’s saying.

At this point, Mary Russell has come into her own and has been a full detecting partner with her husband, Sherlock Holmes for some time. They divide tasks and sleuth away. This doesn’t mean that they don’t fear for each other’s safety or get upset when their partner is hurt. Nor, does it mean that they have married life figured out. In fact, they seem to struggle a bit figuring that part out when the other side of their partnership goes so well. I’ve enjoyed seeing Mary grow into womanhood and grow into her roles throughout the series. She truly is the equal of the great detective and challenges his intellect as he does, hers.

The setting for this latest mystery, rural post-WWI Romania, was written well. The author included the royal aspect, politics, traditions, and social life to add layers to the plot. I enjoyed this backdrop of the people from all classes who were well-represented in several side characters.

The mystery was a slow burn type as they steadily gathered facts and worked out who, what and why. They figured out what was going on and then the who. I was interested, but I confess that the mystery side was a little lackluster. There was no dearth of exciting moments, but they didn’t feel as life threatening so my heart was in my throat.

That said, it was a pleasurable diversion and well worth my anticipation for the latest series release. Those who love Sherlock Holmes and Historical Mysteries should definitely give this a go.

Laurie King at her finest! I have long been a fan of Russell and Holmes. Mix in a spooky castle setting, eloquently written and researched, and we have a winner. This is probably my favorite installment out of the last several in this series.
I adore Russell and Holmes evolving relationship. They're proof that no matter how long you've been with someone, there's always room to grow and learn about your partner.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Castle Bran setting. I could picture everything. I would love to curl up by one of the giant fire places with some of the cook's specialty walnut cookies and listen to the wind and the wolves howl outside.
I highly recommend this series to any fans of Sherlockian fiction, to fans of historical fiction in general, and to a wide age-range - there is never any explicit content.

This is a very enjoyable series. The mystery always keeps me guessing. I like that they travel so murders are happening outside of one area, and that you get to visit numerous, sometimes unusual, locations.. I also enjoy this take on Sherlock and of him having a wife he partners with.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest reveiw.

This book was very interesting. Without spoiling anything I will say I enjoyed the storytelling from the various states of the characters. They were very distinct and I could feel what they felt in the moment. I’ve greatly enjoyed the series and love this entry into it. I was allowed to have an early copy but decided to wait to review until release date, with my two copies in hand

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine for the ARC to read and review.

This installation of Mary Russell;’s adventures is a continuation of King’s long and endearing series. Set in Transylvania, Mary and Sherlock investigate strange events in Castle Bran, the home of the Queen of Roumania,

Very gothic, lots of history. This is one that Marry Russell fans will enjoy.

Having never read a Mary Russel mystery before, I was a little taken aback at how the character of Sherlock was portrayed. Although different from what I had expected, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I appreciated how the author kept to one character’s point of view for the most part, only diverging between Sherlock and Russell when they were apart from each other. I felt that their relationship and how they work together to solve the mystery was very well done and I applaud the author for using a strong female lead as the main character, even if she does rely on Sherlock a little more than I feel like she should. I will definitely be checking out the other stories in this series.

This is the 17th book in Laurie R. King’s Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series, but it stands on its own. Although this is the first book I’ve read in this series, I never felt lost.

The book is written in the first person, primarily from Mary Russell’s point of view, although we do get a few chapters from Sherlock Holmes’s point of view. The descriptions are very detailed, which could be considered positive or negative. I enjoyed the setting in a small Transylvanian village and an ancient castle, but I would have preferred a little more action and excitement. The story gets off to a very slow start, and the pace doesn’t really pick up much until the second half.

I enjoyed the characterizations, and I particularly appreciated the portrayal of so many strong-willed women. I also liked how the mystery incorporated local history, myths, and legends. I thought the ending was very sweet. The author also includes brief endnotes describing the historical people included in the story.

I received an ARC through NetGalley, and I volunteered to provide an honest review.

Mary Russell, Sherlock Holmes, a dilapidated castle in Transylvania, some shady characters, a gypsy here and there, what more could you ask for? A queen’s honor is in question and it is up to Mr. & Mrs. Holmes to unravel an old dark fairy tale which appears to have been reborn. While they are chipping away at the possible suspects, things are going bump in the night, people are being attacked, girls are going missing. Bran Castle is at the heart of this mystery and each twist and turn in the story brings us back to this castle that has been gifted to the Queen. Lots of questions - Would he, What would they find when, if?

Laurie King has give us a solid addition to this series. Thank you NetGalley and Bantam Books/Random House for a copy.

As always, a fun read with Mary Russell and her husband. As an English teacher who used to teach Dracula, I enjoyed the setting. I also enjoyed the continued reverberations from the previous book in the series!

Linda Semler
4.0 out of 5 stars A delightful and engrossing read
Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2021
I received an ecopy of this book from Netgalley.
I found this book to be an easy and entertaining read. The scenes of traveling and the picturesque writing gives this novel a surprising tale woven with intrigue and mystery using Sherlock Holmes and his wife as the main characters in a very interesting story. Any follower of the Holmes saga would enjoy this journey to Transylvania and old Europe. Weaving a story of one of Queen Victoria's children and grandchildren as they follow their mother and grandmother in ruling and continuing the reign of a dynasty

I am always thrilled when Laurie King writes another Mary Russell mystery. Although it can be read as a stand-alone, most readers will appreciate the background the previous books provide about 21- year-old Mary Russell the wife of the much older Sherlock Holmes. I thought I really felt their relationship as husband and wife really jelled here. Holmes and Russell have gone to Roumania soon after WWI to help Queen Marie. It looks like someone is trying to turn people against her by making it appear she is a vampire. Her favorite castle is Castle Bran, right there in Transylvania. But with Russell and Holmes on the case, the reader can rest assured all will be fine. The author’s research notes and the endpaper explaining who the real Queen Marie was is helpful in sorting out fact and fiction.

“Castle Shade” is another enchanting book in a long-running and absurdly entertaining series. Laurie R. King’s "Mary Russell” series puts Sherlock Holmes’ wife into the center of his investigations, where her intelligence and courage are key to their solution. Castle Shade is castle Bran, in Roumania, home of Queen Marie, granddaughter of Queen Victoria and the Tsar of Russia. The queen has asked Holmes to join her to investigate a threat to her daughter, but there are several threads to this mystery, all satisfactorily wrapped up in the final pages.

King does such a great job of writing historicals, weaving setting, history and adventure into a compelling read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have happily travelled around the world with Mary Russell and her husband, Sherlock Holmes, from Oxford to Japan to Egypt and more.
In “Castle Shade”, they are off to Romania and deep into Dracula territory. As always, more than one mystery needs solving and Laurie King has us not only wondering who the perpetrators are but, also, what motivates them.
“Castle Shade” kept me guessing and, ultimately, all were brought to very satisfying endings. If you liked the others in the series, you will enjoy this one as well.

Castle Shade by Laurie R King is another Mary Russell novel, heavy with Sherlock Holmes, her husband. As always King has infused her novel with the heart of Sherlock, using formal language and vocabulary that begs for a dictionary. Reading on my iPad affords me the ability to look up words, things, and places referenced in the book since I am unfamiliar with much of it. It enhances the experience. Russell, like Holmes, notices the minutiae, although it id of a different variety than Holmes. She is also much more aware of people than Homes could ever be, making them the ideal partnership. This story revolves around Marie of Romania, one of Queen Victoria's granddaughters, who marries the Crown Prince, to eventually rise to Queen. It is a new country with a made-up monarchy, which Marie is very much accountable for its success.

Like other Holmes' pastiche authors, King is able to find Conan-Doyle's voice and replicate it so her books are convincingly Sherlock Holmes. Mary Russell is a relatively new character but has risen to prominence in the past years. She does a fine job with the mystery involved as well, making it more difficult to suss out and eventually solve. It is more obscure than most modern mysteries and as such, makes it one only Holmes and Russell could solve. It is well-written and immensely entertaining. It is also very educational, introducing things and people many readers are unfamiliar with. It is definitely a cut above many contemporary mystery novels. I highly recommend you read the entire series, including this newest entry.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Castle Shade by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #castleshade

Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes sleuth together in Laurie R. King's 17th Russell/Holmes mystery, Castle Shade. I much prefer the novels using them together, rather than those which feature Mary Russell alone. The give-and-take between the two is a lot of fun.

This time the pair travels to Romania at the behest of Queen Marie, who fears her teenage daughter may be in danger. There is much historical detail about Romania and references to its folktales, perhaps too much for some readers, but it does provide the somewhat creepy atmosphere of the narrative. Above all, though, this is a detective solving a mystery novel, and there are several layers of possible answers to the mystery through which Mary and Sherlock must sort.

At Castle Bran, the Queen's summer residence in Transylvania, there are sinuous shades (ghosts) and perhaps even vampires threatening the area, especially dangerous to young women. As soon as Mary and Sherlock arrive, a witch's hexbag is found, and soon after Mary is abducted. She is able to escape, and with her husband, they decide that someone is attempting to blacken Queen Marie's stellar reputation with her subjects.

Suspicion is being cast on Marie as an evil witch or nighttime blood drinker. In in the early 1900s it was likely that people in the Transylvanian countryside still believed their folklore was history. This is an effective piece of the mystery which must be connected to others, like the ghost of a local soldier haunting the castle and summonses from the graveyard – not to mention the fang-like puncture wounds on Mary's neck!

An entertaining read, especially for fans of the series.

In this slow-moving addition to the series featuring the wife of Sherlock Holmes, Mary Russell is called on to help Holmes get to the bottom of threats made on Queen Marie of Roumania. The queen is especially worried that her daughter is in danger, but it is Mary who ends up kidnapped when she attempts to find out what is behind the appeals to the local superstitions about vampires. There is more detailed and somewhat pedantic description than would have made this a page-turner for me, and I am not tempted to read other books in the series.

Splendid. Simply splendid. I don’t remember when I last read a book that was more satisfying. More than a nod to the Sherlock Holmes era, this book is an infusion of life and vitality that our beloved Watson would have enjoyed thoroughly. A feminine aspect, but completely without frailty or the much scoffed-at frivolity that Holmes detested.

Mary Russell Holmes, “Russell,” as he affectionately calls her, is as quick witted and ready to be off after a villain as Conan Doyle’s version of Holmes was, and she can infiltrate and enquire where he could not. As a married team, this version of Holmes and Russell is dynamic and devious in just the right amounts to solve the case, and do it with a minimum of “need-to-know,” for others—aside from us—of course!

The trouble begins with a threat made to the Queen of Romania (modern spelling), and possibly her daughter, Ileana. They move to the castle Bran every year in the spring, and remain there until the end of summer. But it isn’t the threat alone that troubles the fierce and independent Queen. There are strange things happening. Things that would be amusing if they weren’t also threatening, because they hint at strigoi, the Romanian word for vampire. And not just that, but other disturbing rumors and events. The Queen is much loved by her adopted people, for her unwavering service and devotion to them, but tensions are rising. That’s why the detectives were asked to come.

Of course, Sherlock’s brother, Mycroft has something to do with...something in that part of the world. So politics are sure to be involved, but don’t despair! There is plenty of adventure and mayhem ahead!

If you don’t know, Bran resides in what is a region and former province called Transylvania. In the spring and summer, the land near the Carpathian mountains is a deep green; not dark, just jewel-like and deep. Hay fields are piled high with widely spaced tall mounds of bright yellow hay, using carved wooden pitchforks. Village roads are often lined with arched gates to each yard; ornately carved and decorated with pride, sometimes with a clever bench tucked to one side, so one can sit at the gate and talk to neighbors as they pass on the narrow packed-earth streets. I had the pleasure of visiting Romania briefly over 25 years ago, and found it impossible to not instantly love the place and the people. This book was like a second visit to that beautiful place. And if you don’t search for pictures to accompany this story as you read it, you will miss out on a great deal of the charm and beauty.

I hope this review encourages you to read this adventure, and perhaps enjoy a bit of the Transylvania I love!

5/5 Stars #CastleShade #NetGalley

Hard to believe this is the 17th book in this series. I recently watched an interview with Laurie King and Barbara Peters from The Poisoned Pen and they showed photos of their visit to Castle Bran and Romania and talked about how that turned into this book. Fascinating!