Another fun outing in the Mary Russell-Sherlock Holmes series. In this one, Mary’s ne’er-do-well uncle appears when, conveniently, Sherlock is away. Uncle Jack has a caper in mind that Mary can best help with, and she agrees. Off they go to Ireland to find some long-lost jewels. A lot of fun and good narration. No need to read the earlier ones, but you may want to do so anyway, as it’s a fun series for classical Holmesian mysteries. The audiobook is well narrated.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @RecordedBooks, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of #KnaveofDiamonds for review purposes. Publication date: 10 June 2025.

'Knave of Diamonds' is the nineteenth book in the 'Mary Ryssell and Sherlock Holmes' series.

The book, being one of many, has already established relationships and lore, but the author does an amazing job filling in for the first-time reader and ensuring that one has enough information to grasp the story without being overbearing.

Additionally, the story incorporates numerous historical references, which the author skillfully utilizes to enhance the plot's intrigue and complexity.

In addition, the characters were interesting and well written, and the POVs were enjoyable.

However, the second half and towards the end, the story got a bit tiring.

Finally, the audiobook was nicely narrated and produced.

Bonus points for the extra story in the end!

This review was also posted on Goodreads and Storygraph

Knave of Diamonds by Laurie R. King
Narration by Amy Scanlon, Jefferson Mays, Steven Crossley
Book 19 Mary Russell Series

Having read this series from the beginning, I didn’t really enjoy this book nearly as much as the previous two in this series. I just didn’t find the storyline that interesting and there seemed to be a lot of repetition due to the three POV. I see that Uncle Jake maybe had to have his own sections but not sure why Sherlock Holmes needed his own also. There have been plenty of other characters in previous books and this was never necessary before. Also, way too many references to the cold, the wet, seasickness, and the train schedules.
Although I liked all three narrators, it’s a bit confusing because each one gave each character a different voice and also different pronunciations for some names, especially Richard Gorges and the O’Mahoney.
The actual story of the theft of the Irish Crown Jewels was mildly interesting and new to me but maybe not enough so to use as the basis for an entire novel.
I did like the idea of the addition of character of the new housekeeper. I expect further developments for her to be intriguing.

Thanks to NetGalley, Bantam Books, and RB Media for the digital copy of this book and audiobook; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I fell in love with the Russell/Holmes series way back in 1998, when I started borrowing audiobook cassettes from the library. I have eagerly anticipated each book because of Laurie R. King’s writing. It’s such a pleasure to read engrossing historical fiction that is expertly researched and put upon the page.

Such is the case with Knave of Diamonds. The crux of the mystery surrounds the disappearance of the Irish Crown Jewels in 1907. They were in a secured safe at Dublin Castle a couple of days before an investiture ceremony involving King George and Queen Mary. Mary Russell’s black sheep Uncle Jake was rumored to be involved in the heist, and he disappeared from Mary’s life during her formative years.

Now, Uncle Jake is back, looking for help from Mary, adding a third POV narrative. I was a little worried about listening to the audiobook because the former narrator, Jenny Sterlin, embodied Mary Russell with every breath. However, Amy Scanlon, Jefferson Mays, and Steven Crossley do an excellent job of narration and add their own unique style to the book.

What’s interesting about Jake’s return is that he wants Mary’s help to find the missing jewels. What’s even more interesting is that Sherlock had investigated the theft, provided the authorities with his thoughts and was dismissed. Now Jake is asking Holmes and Russell to hunt for the stolen items.

As is the case with some of the Russell/Holmes mysteries, there are mentions of real-life people scattered throughout the text. F. Scott Fitzgerald (who made an appearance in another volume of the series), Arthur Conan Doyle, and even DCI John Kane, who was the actual detective assigned to the case.

Knave of Diamonds can be read as a standalone mystery novel, but King’s writing is so good, you’ll want to go back and read the rest of the series!

⭐️⭐️ 2/5 Stars (Meh)
Setting: Primarily set in post–World War I England, with flashbacks and references to Dublin, Ireland, particularly around the time of the infamous 1907 theft of the Irish Crown Jewels from Dublin Castle.
Genre: Historical Mystery; Historical Fiction, with elements of spy fiction and detective fiction

I thought I would like Knave of Diamonds; a family mystery with royal jewels and international intrigue should’ve been a win. But this one just didn’t work for me.

The plot felt oddly disjointed—like it couldn’t decide whether it wanted to be a family drama, a historical caper, or a spy novel. Uncle Jake’s sudden reappearance seemed more convenient than compelling, and while there were a few interesting moments, it all dragged far too long for the payoff we got. And asking Mary to keep secrets from Sherlock? That felt off, especially after all they’ve been through.

#netgalley #knaveofdiamonds #booked_this_weekend

Thank You RBmedia and Netgalley for the Early Listening Audio.

First I would suggest reading the first 18 books in the serious to understand the complete dynamics of each character. But with some basic knowledge of Sherlock Holmes I was able to stay with the story.

Its done in 3 separate POV Holmes, Mary Russell (wife) and Uncle Jack. The three go on an adventure thru Ireland searching for the missing/stolen/hidden Irish Jewels once owned by Irish Royalty. Uncle Jack and Vickers actually initially stole the jewels and when Vickers home burned down the wife took them else where. Uncle Jack has brought Mary (his Niece) into his plans, which in toe Sherlock Holmes joins. Once the Jewels are found its realized that only ONE single stone in the entire set is actually valuable.

Fun story I may go read the rest of the series.