I am a huge fan of Laurie R King's Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series and found it at the time that O Jerusalem (book #5) was published. I've had this series on auto-buy ever since. The later books in the series have settled into a different pace than earlier books but are no less enjoyable and The Lantern's Dance is no exception.

Fans of the Arthur Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes series will find a Sherlock Holmes they both recognize and love in Laurie R King's series. Laurie R King is an exceptional writer who manages to deliver new characters and plots which are fully-developed and enjoyable while remaining true to the ACD cannon. While The Lantern's Dance can be read as a stand-alone familiarity with the series (and to some extent the ACD cannon) will make for a much more enjoyable and richer reading experience. If you haven't read the series yet, start with The Beekeeper's Apprentice.

The Lantern's Dance was a solid 4.5 star rating for me until she nailed the ending. 5 stars.

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House for an early review copy of The Lantern's Dance.

The Lantern Dance is the 18th Mary Russell novel, and it’s an interesting one. I’ve been reading the Mary Russell novels since I was twelve (for context: I am now thirty-five), and this one stands out from the others because its style is so very different. On the surface, it seems like your typical Russell – Holmes and Russell are in a new country, having just come from another country, and a mystery is to be solved. Except the mystery itself is so very different from the types we find in previous books that I barely feel like it counts. In truth, this Russell is more of a family study and a character study more than anything, with undercurrents of a study in how cultures and societies change over the course of a century. It’s a quieter novel, with less explosive action and diabolical mysteries happening; even the actual crime is handled quickly, and the codebreaking is done almost entirely off page. What matters in this book is people, not crime; while the Russell books have always cared about people, the crime is usually the vehicle by which we get to know everyone, and this book stands out for that not being the case. And I did love the characters. The mysterious Lakshmi is delightful, and the people we meet through her journal are fascinating, complex, interesting people. I enjoyed spending more time with Damian Adler, though I wish Estelle and Aileen had been on the page more.

I think people who want a classic Russell may be disappointed in this book, but I am incredibly intrigued. I am hoping that LRK uses the next Russell novel to build on this one, because it FEELS like setup for the next book; I also hope that the ending sentence of this book points to something happening in the next book that I have been desperately hoping for since book ten. (I do feel like every review I have written for the Russell books over the past several years has been hoping for that payoff; I probably need to let go of the hope that I will ever get it and admit that these books just aren’t interested in it, even if I am.) I do feel that this book was too short in some ways; it is, to my estimation, the second shortest Russell novel, with only Garment of Shadows being shorter. The ending was very abrupt, to the point where I thought I was missing some pages. If the book had even just had 40-50 more pages, I think it would have had a stronger, more conclusive ending, which will be especially important if the next book goes off in another direction. Sometimes I feel like I cannot properly review a Russell until the next book comes out, letting me know if there are just loose threads left, or if the author picked up those threads in the next one.

Despite some of my qualms about endings and loose threads, I very much enjoyed my time with this book. I love the LRK decided to pick up a not-uncommon idea in Holmesiana (as she notes in her author’s notes) and add it to the canon she’s created. I hope she’ll do something further with it and make the events of this book matter in the novels to come, rather than have it just be a single point of interest that is never addressed again. I’m looking forward to adding the finished book to my collection once it releases. Thanks to NetGalley for providing an eARC. All thoughts are my own.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.
Brief summary:
Homes and Russell are going to visit Holmes' son Damian and his family in a small French village.
But when they get their Damian is gone with his family after someone breaks into the house. Russell is left behind with a sprained ankle while Holmes goes after his son. And the adventure begins.....

This was a very interesting adventure because I couldn't tell if there was danger there or it was imagined. I loved Russell delving into deciphering the journal instead of waiting around. She is so good at puzzles. The second story in the story is the Journal and it felt so real and exciting. The adventure turned more personal than either of them expected and I liked that part. It was good to see some backstory that build on the Doyle "canon". Damien seems to hold a lot of anger towards his dad for not being perfect--which no parent is. But maybe he's finally starting to understand him.

I loved the glimpses into the Indian society under British rule and the description of the caste system. I would have loved more of the story taking place there but I think there are adventures there that we might find out about later.

I totally loved this book and was so happy to get a chance to read it before it is released. I can't wait to see where Laurie King will take this interesting family.

The eighteenth adventure of Mary Russel and Sherlock Holmes has them making a visit to the home of Sherlock's son Damian Adler who is an artist. When they arrive at Damian's home, they discover that the family - Damian, his young daughter Estelle, and his fiancee Dr. Aileen Henning - have left abruptly leaving behind their shotgun-carrying handyman.

Apparently, a middle of the night intruder bearing a machete has caused the family to flee. Luckily, the handyman has instructions for when Russell and Holmes arrive. Holmes fears that the intruder was someone from the cult he and Russell had exposed and who might have a reason to seek revenge on Damian. He determines to go to his son and family and find them a safe place before he returns to discover who the intruder was.

Meanwhile, Mary who has a badly sprained ankle will remain behind and explore some boxes that Damian recently retrieved from the French art institute that were left there until claimed by someone named Adler or Holmes.

Mary discovers that the crates contain a variety of detritus including a number of paintings by various Vernets - a family of French artists with a connection to Sherlock. Among the contents of the chests is a journal written in code which, if uncoded, will tell a lot about the past, Sherlock's history, and even what is causing the current troubles.

This was an excellent and engaging episode in this long-running series. I loved learning more about Sherlock's past. I loved Mary's determination to decode that journal and follow the clues. Anything more about her discoveries in the journals would be a spoiler and I don't want to do that. I loved the way the story slowly unfolded until its rather surprising ending.

I’m always excited to read a new Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes book! This one did not disappoint, though the beginning was a bit slow to get going, at least for me. But stay with it, the details being set forth in the beginning do matter. The mystery, as always, builds and then delights with both its resolution (for the moment) and slight teasers that leave us knowing that we do not yet see the entire story - these are not cliffhangers, but hints that there’ll be more to look forward to in future stories.

Holmes and Russell, even when working separately on a case as they do here for a time, make for a formidable detective team, and an interesting, married partnership!

This is book #18 in the series. I think there are enough details given in this book, of returning characters and past cases, that it could be enjoyed as a standalone, but it’s such a good series it’d be worth starting from the beginning and binge away through them all!

I received an advance readers copy from Net Galley, this is my honest unbiased review

Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes go to visit Sherlock's artist son Damian in a small town outside of Paris, and arrive to find a man with a shotgun and Damian not home. They soon find out that Damian and his wife and daughter have fled to Provence after someone tried to break into their house. Several boxes had recently been delivered to the house from a Paris museum with things belonging to the Vernet family to which Holmes belonged. Mary had recently injured her foot and couldn't walk very far, so she settled into the house and goes through the boxes which include a wonderful journal from one of Sherlock's ancesters while Sherlock heads for Provence to make sure Damian and his family are safe. Mary soon realizes the journal probably has a connection to the threat to Damian.

The book keeps the reader guessing what will happen. I thank Random House and Netgalley for the ARC.

A new Russell/Holmes story is always a must-read for me, as I am a long-time fan of Laurie R. King’s series.
In their latest adventure, Russell and Holmes arrive in France for a visit with Holmes’ son Damian Adler and family, only to find that they have fled their home after mysterious strangers appeared in town asking about Damian. Are they in danger?
Holmes goes off in search of the strangers and his son; Russell stays behind in Damian’s house. While there Russell finds a journal written in code. Always up for an intellectual challenge, Russell sets out to decipher the journal, the writing of young woman. As she works, Russell becomes more and more enthralled by this young woman whose life she is learning about. Who is she and what does she have to do with Damian…and Holmes?
This is a story of family history, secrets, separation, resentments, and reunion.
“The Lantern’s Dance” will join “Locked Rooms” and “The Murder of Mary Russell” as my favorites in Laurie R. King’s series.

Thank you to Penguin/Random House and NetGalley for an advance copy for review.

As readers of historical mysteries know, every one of Laurie R. King's Russell and Holmes mysteries is a delight. The characters are complex and fascinating. The plotting is detailed. The research is impeccable. Having said that, I want to add that within this body of work, The Lantern's Dance is a standout. This volume reveals a great deal more about Holes and his family history—at least King's version of it. You'll leave it feeling that you've deepened your relationship with Holmes and will also meet characters you hope will appear in future volumes. Even if you've had somewhat mixed experiences with this series, The Lantern's Dance is not to be missed.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

I haven't been a consistent reader of the series, but delving into The Lantern's Dance was like visiting old friends. I'm sure Sherlock Homes is the the draw for most people, but for me, Mary is the reason I keep returning. She's bright and fun. The mysteries are solid too.

Who would have thought that there were mysteries in Sherlock Holmes' own past! Certainly not the Master Detective himself. I think Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would have loved this book as much as I did. This book is so well written (as all of Laurie King's books are) I don't want to spoil it for you by saying much more, but you will find out some mysteries I would have never thought Mr. Holmes and his family had. I looked forward to my reading time every day, and highly recommend you read this book. It does help to at least be familiar with this series, but it is a standalone for those not familiar with Holmes and Russell.

I love this series, and the latest installment does not disappoint! Sherlock Holmes and his younger wife, Mary Russell, arrive for a visit at the French home of Holmes' son, Damien Adler, only to find that the family has fled after Damien confronted an armed intruder. As Russell has recently sprained her ankle, she remains at the house while Holmes goes to meet with Damien and make sure his family is safely hidden, especially after learning two other suspicious men have been asking around, trying to find the artist Adler. To bide her time while Holmes is gone, Russell sorts through a set of crates recently delivered to Damien that belonged to Holmes' grand-uncle and artist, Horace Vernet, discovering not only an intriguing zoetrope lantern but also a small journal written in code. Mary sets out to break the code and discovers the life story of a young girl taken from France to India as a young child. As the story contained in the journals is slowly revealed, Russell realizes there may be a connection to recent events and to Holmes as well as Adler; saying anything more would give too much away! Well written, meticulously researched, and cleverly organized, this story fascinated me as I tried to figure out the connections and anticipate where the plot would lead.

“The Lantern’s Dance” by Laurie R. King is #18 in this series. I admit I haven’t read one in a long time but have always been a Sherlock Holmes fan. This book develops his relationship with his son to a deeper level and lets us see the talents of his current wife Mary Adler’s investigative skills. I did figure out the mystery way before the end of the book as well as finding this book a slow read. If you are a fan of Sherlock you will learn a lot more about his family in this book and I recommend the book for that reason to all his true fans.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Lantern's Dance is two stories. Russell and Holmes trying to protect Damian Adler and his family from unknown danger is the main story. The second involves Russell decoding and translating an unknown woman's journal. That story is totally engaging. I enjoyed watching Russell fall and root for the unknown woman as she reads her adventurous, poignant life story. I enjoyed Holmes picking his way carefully around his son, trying to help without dictating what is to be done. His attempt at modifying his behavior for his son's benefit is lovely. This is a wonderful story which is very personal for the Holmes' family.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I discovered Mary Russell in 1998, a few years after the series premiered. I have thoroughly enjoyed the series for the most part. Laurie R. King is a fantastic writer, but this book was a little disappointing to me.

I'm not a big fan of the Damien Adler storyline, not because the great Holmes had a love child, but how he and Mary treat Damien. Also, I used to lament when Holmes and Russell would go their separate ways and investigate independently. Now I am used to it, so it doesn't bother me as much, but because of a sprained ankle, Mary's investigation consists mostly of translating a text. A good portion of the story is the translation.

And the big reveal? Saw it coming a mile away.

There were good parts to the story, and I liked it, but didn't love it. It's certainly not as bad as The Pirate King, which turned me off of the series for several years. ;

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for giving me the privilege of reading this newest book in the series.

I remember purchasing the first book of this series when it was first published - 1994. I cannot believe this series is thirty years old. I have always liked Mary Russell, an independent intelligent woman who could match wits with the great detective Sherlock Holmes. As the series went on, Holmes' history was developed; he had an affair with Irene Adler and has a son, Damian. Past books focused on the developing relationship between father and son. This book continues with this trend.

I enjoyed the altering perspectives - Holmes, Russell, and the journal Russell deciphered. I did figure out who the author of the journal was before the reveal near the end of the book. This is not essentially a bad thing because I was invested in the characters and how they would react. I am definitely curious as to how this development will affect future books. I am looking forward to the next installment.

The latest installment in a long running series- I love the series and am eager to read each new one, which is a rarity for a series on its 18th book. I enjoyed this one for itself- like all of them, it is very well written, the quality of writing is far far beyond most mystery series- but in the context of the series it was not one of my favorites. A couple of reasons for that: One, the books are best when Holmes and Russell are together and in this one they're separate for pretty much all of it. Secondly, and the biggest reason really, Russell's chapters were pretty much just dedicated to journal entries she was reading about someone else, so not much about her/she wasn't doing much. The tale those entries were telling was, again, well written and interesting in and of itself but for a Holmes/Russell book it's a letdown (to me at least) to have so much devoted to that.
The overall plot of the book and the twist at the end was farfetched- certainly in the context of the novels I can suspend my disbelief and accept it, but it was a bit eyeroll worthy. Definitely all worth reading and an enjoyable read in and of itself, just a bit of a letdown in the context of an installment of this stellar series.

From the first sentence we are back in the world of Russell and Holmes. I like this world. Russell is a bit cranky, being restricted in her physical movements, but it turns out to be a good thing. It gives her time to do an amazing decoding/translation that becomes pivitol to the entire series. There are three POV's that intertwine with Russell, Holmes, and the author of the item being translated. When all is said and done, I was fully satisfied with this book. And yet, it definitely leaves the promise, hopefully, of more to come. I highly recommend this book and this series.

A wonderful addition to the Mary Russell series - really well done with the various perspectives and jumping from diary to Holmes to Russell and back again. King is a master.

I enjoyed this novel very much, but it was challenging because of the. Multiple plot lines and narrators. There are opportunities to meet Sherlock’s son and his family. There is also an intruder who seems to offer a threat, boxes of family paintings, and a nearly untranslatable journal that may be connected to the men investigating Damian Adler.
A challenging but engrossing book.

Mary Russell and her husband Sherlock Holmes were supposed to be paying a visit to his semi-estranged son Damian Adler and his family. However, they arrive at the quaint French village to find the whole Adler crew gone, spooked by a late night intruder. Holmes rushes off to find the Adlers, get them someplace safe, and find their stalker, but Russell is nursing a sprained ankle so she stays behind. Luckily, the crates of ephemera from a distant relative Damian recently acquired contain an enciphered memoir, the decoding of which keeps Russell entranced. Not very action-packed, but does a ton to flesh out the Holmes family as a whole.