Island of the Mad

Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes #15

by Laurie R. King

Laurie R. King’s New York Times bestselling series featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes is “the most sustained feat of imagination in mystery fiction today” (Lee Child)!The last thing Mary Russell and her husband, Sherlock Holmes, need is to help an old friend with her mad, missing aunt. Lady Vivian Beaconsfield has spent most of her adult life in one asylum after another, since the loss of her brother and father in the Great War. Although her mental state seemed to be improving, she’s now disappeared after an outing from Bethlem Royal Hospital . . . better known as Bedlam. Russell wants nothing to do with the case—but she can’t say no. To track down the vanished woman, she must use her deductive instincts and talent for subterfuge—and enlist her husband’s legendary prowess. Together, the two travel from the grim confines of Bedlam to the murky canals of Venice—only to find the shadow of Benito Mussolini darkening the fate of a city, an era, and a tormented English lady of privilege. Praise for Island of the Mad “Full of lush details and clever twists.”—Booklist “Once again validates Laurie R. King as the preeminent Holmes writer working today.”—Bookreporter “A truly memorable mystery . . . Laurie King brings her always amazing imagination to the page to enthrall readers, as only she can do.”—Suspense Magazine “Superb . . . shocking . . . Come for the mystery, stay for the sightseeing, the gibes at fascism, and the heroine’s climactic masquerade as silent film star Harold Lloyd.”—Kirkus Reviews “There’s no shortage of entertainment. . . . If you are a fan of the series, you won’t be disappointed!”—San Francisco Book Review “Well-plotted . . . This ranks as one of the better recent installments in this popular series.”—Publishers Weekly

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Historical Mystery, Audiobook, Crime

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 12, 2018

About the author

Edgar-winning mystery writer Laurie R. King writes series and standalone novels. Her official forum is
THE LRK VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB here on Goodreads--please join us for book-discussing fun.

King's 2018 novel, Island of the Mad, sees Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes travel from London's Bedlam to the glitter of Venice's Lido,where Young Things and the friends of Cole Porter pass Mussolini's Blackshirts in the streets. The Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series follows a brilliant young woman who becomes the student, then partner, of the great detective. [click here for an excerpt of the first in the series, The Beekeeper's Apprentice] The Stuyvesant and Grey series (Touchstone; The Bones of Paris) takes place in Europe between the Wars. The Kate Martinelli series follows an SFPD detective's cases on a female Rembrandt, a holy fool, and more. [Click for an excerpt of A Grave Talent]

King lives in northern California, which serves as backdrop for some of her books.

Please note that Laurie checks her Goodreads inbox intermittently, so it may take some time to receive a reply. A quicker response may be possible via email to info@laurierking.com.

Reviews

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 One would think that a series featuring Sherlock Holmes would be outstanding and difficult to solve mysteries. While at the heart there always is intrigue or another, in this case a missing wealthy woman, but this is a series that those who don't read mysteries. They are so much more, some well researched history, in this case the Fascists in Italy and the rise of Mussolini. They are travelogues, here we travel to Venice where Holmes will put together a team of irregulars as usual, but here it will be gondeliers, who travel throughout the canals and hear much.

Her books, and this one is no exception, are always interesting, well plotted with so much atmosphere, here it is the masked and costumed balls held by the wealthy. Cole Porter and his wife Linda are an integral part of this outing, with Holmes taking up the violin. We start out with a short tour of Bedlam, where the missing young women had been a patient, and end up in Venice at another such island institution. The pace is slow but my interest was sustained by some excellent writing throughout.

As for Holmes and Russel's relationship as Mary says,

"It is a precious thing, to be in agreement with ones husband, particularly when it comes to misbehavior."

ARC from Netgalley.

[Sabrina Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whenever I read a book in this series, it feels like coming home. I loved Island of the Mad. Holmes and Russell spent quite a bit of time together in the book, and there was a very big nod to Nelly Bly—a female stunt reporter/investigative journalist in the late 1800s.

[Jen Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m going to mark this down as my most anticipated book of 2018. There will be other new releases, but if I’m going to have a sick day and go into hiding in the local library, it will be the day the new Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes book arrives on my Kindle. The anticipation won’t kill be but only because I’m sooo excited to read a new one!!

[Teri-K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Island of the Mad is a good story and I enjoyed reading it, but I didn't love it. Before this book came available at the library I'd started rereading O Jerusalem, one of my favorites, and the contrast between the two is pretty strong. Jerusalem has Mary and Sherlock in a difficult, sometimes life-threatening, situation. They have to depend on others who may not be trustworthy, and the stakes are quite high if they don't succeed - possibly another World War. Also, because it is Mary's first visit to the Holy Land, there are some personal feelings and reactions from her that let you see more into her heart and mind. Combined with some fascinating minor characters, it makes an amazing book.

In contrast, this one never really has any danger for our MCs. Sure, there are fascists running around, violent and cruel, but Mary and Sherlock never come up against them. When the book ended I was really disappointed that Holmes never interacted with the Fascists at all, despite the fact that his excuse for going was to spy for Mycroft. It felt like the author set up the idea and then didn't follow through. Holmes' excuse that he's getting older didn't add up.

The stakes here are important - a woman's safety - but not on the same level as a threat to destabilize an entire region and start more wars. And, though Mary visited Venice several times with her mother, there are no personal remembrances or reflections beyond a couple of thoughts about motherhood early on. In fact the story felt impersonal - like it could have been about anyone, not necessarily Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes. Despite the fact that Mary and Sherlock are both prominent in the book, they rarely interact in any significant way, which was disappointing too. In the same way I thought the secondary characters, including Cole Porter and his wife, were more stereotypes put there to hammer home King's theme, public perception of homosexuality at the time, than to add to the story. The author sometimes gets too wrapped up with her themes at the expense of telling a great story, I think, and she did that here. And finally, I thought the solution to the mystery was obvious, which is never good.

So though the book held my interest it didn't have the complexity and depth that some of the others in this series have for me and I can only give it 3 stars. It's not bad, of course - King is an accomplished writer - but it's not particularly good, either.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

One more off the pile although at this rate, I'll be leaving Mount TBR to my descendants in my will. Lots of reviews already as I'm fashionably late getting to this but I will say I enjoyed this much more than the last book. We're back to travelling with Mary & Sherlock & get a neat little mystery along with an interesting look at Mussolini's Italy that seems frightening relevant today.

[Mary Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best Russell/Holmes, but far from the worst. That distinction belongs to Pirate King, the only real stinker in the series and the only one of Laurie R. King's many novels to which I've given a 2-star rating. The backdrop of this one is mid-1920s Venice (think Brideshead Revisited), an intriguing city and so unlike any other in Italy. Mary's old Oxford friend, Lady Veronica Beaconsfield (Beekeper's Apprentice and Monstrous Regiment of Women), now Fitzwarren, reappears along with her young aunt, Lady Vivian, who is confined to Bethlem Hospital (Bedlam) as allegedly being mad. The adventures, of course, follow in full measure. King gives us the ageless Venice with gratifying historical accuracy and with her customary literary style.

[Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to admit that having Mary Russell's old friend Veronica Beaconsfield making an appearance in this book brought back a lot of fond memories from the earlier books. Yeah, I got nostalgic and all remembering Mary and Veronica's school days not to mention the religious sect "The New Temple of God" that Veronica was involved with that turned out to be quite an adventure for Mary.

READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!

[Barbara K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've selected each of the last three books I've read for a different reason, but oddly enough they ended up overlapping in time - and with the theme of the many challenges facing English and American women in the early 20th century who wished to assert autonomy over their lives.

Not Mary Russell, of course, blessed as she is with inherited money, intelligence, determination and a husband who respects her. But other women in this novel are not so fortunate, and their circumstances form much of the richly textured plot. Through that plot and the actual historical figures she integrates into the story, King also addresses issues of gender identity and sexual preference in the Jazz Age, a theme also present in another of my recent reads.

This one begins with Russell and Holmes relaxing at their Sussex home, but quickly picks up speed as Mary answers a plea from an old friend to help locate her aunt, gone missing from the dreaded insane asylum Bedlam. Before long the plot has the couple in Venice, where Sherlock assists Mary in hunting down Aunt Vivian, while also performing reconnaissance on the growing power of Benito Mussolini's Blackshirts on behalf of his politico brother Mycroft. The two themes coincide (of course!) with the assistance of Cole Porter and Elsa Maxwell, whose gifts for music and party-giving, respectively, become cornerstones of the plot.

I'm now only two books behind in the series, and based on a bit of foreshadowing of upcoming plots and themes, I'm looking forward to catching up. These books are just a lot of fun.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars; I wouldn't call it "amazing" necessarily, but certainly great fun and a delightful return to form for Ms. King. Good mystery, great current events, the rich travelogue we've come to expect from this series, all painstakingly researched and with notes in the back - and Holmes and Russell, back at their best.

I particularly appreciate the history in this volume, as it is frighteningly relevant again today. I also appreciate the lightness and exuberance of the story - anything darker might have been too much.

I received an ARC of this book - possibly because I rated the last one so poorly. :) It worked.

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5 stars.

As Mary searches 1925 Venice for the missing (and insane) aunt of one of her best friends, and hangs out with the Bright Young Things on the beaches of the Lido, Sherlock Holmes watches the fascists (on a suggestion from his brother), and gets a little help from Cole Porter.

A fun installment in the series.

[Shomeret · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Island of the Mad, Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes conduct their investigations in Venice which is under the rule of Mussolini. I received a digital ARC from the publisher via Net Galley and this is my honest review.

For Mary Russell, this is a missing person case that begins in England. She is searching for a college friend's aunt who had been consigned to Bedlam. Holmes accompanies Russell, but he is on a mission for his brother, Mycroft. Holmes' investigation brings an espionage element into the book. The involvement of American musician Cole Porter adds extra interest.

Yet it was the disappeared Aunt Vivian who really held my attention. She is an independent minded woman. Desiring independence was still considered enough of a sin against convention that she might well be committed to an institution for that alone, but there are secrets motivating the missing woman that Mary Russell will uncover as part of the process of finding her.

There are some feminist themes and the fascist environment provides relevant political commentary for our contemporary times. I think that Island of the Mad should be considered one of the best books in Laurie R. King's Russell/Holmes series.

For my complete review see http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2018/...

[Linda Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's 1925, and Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes are still recovering from the events of The Murder Of Mary Russell and the loss of their longtime friend and housekeeper, Mrs. Hudson. Her departure forces Russell to undertake domestic duties with frustrating and less than stellar results. One evening Russell receives a call that will upturn their lives and take them into the fledgling fascist state taking shape in Italy. Her friend Ronnie Beaconsfield's aunt Lady Vivian Beaconsfield has disappeared from a family gathering, along with her nurse. Lady Vivian, still young in her early 30's, has been in and out of asylums most of her adult life. Her most recent home is Bethlehem Hospital, the notorious "Bedlam." Bedlam is a far cry from the nightmare it was in previous centuries, and Vivian is now voluntarily committed, having been placed there by a less than sympathetic half-brother. Ronnie is unable to help in the search as she is still a recent widow, in straitened circumstances with a toddler to raise on her own.

As their investigation proceeds, Russell and Holmes discover that there is more than there appears to be to Vivian and her half-brother. Vivian is not mad, and her brother may be more sinister than the average upper-class twit. They are lead to believe that Vivian fled on her own, with the aid of her nurse, and may be hiding among the louche expatriate society which congregates on the Lido in Venice in summer. Sherlock's brother Mycroft importunes him to investigate what is going on in Italy, in the fear that fascist ideology is gaining a foothold in England. Russell and Holmes encounter Black-shirted brutality on their first evening in Venice and learn to steer away from the thugs. Both Elsa Maxwell (who I actually remember from the ancient TV show, Whats My Line?) and famous songwriter, Cole Porter, play a part in the search for Vivian. Both Russell and Holmes are playing roles; Russell as a rich party girl and Holmes as an itinerant violinist

I was not on board with the Russell-Holmes series in the beginning. The idea that Holmes might have an adolescent girl as a partner and later wife seemed absurd. It only took reading The Beekeeper's Apprentice to win me over, however. Ms. King has a beautiful knack for bringing places in particular and history into focus. We have traveled all over the world with Holmes and Russell; Palestine, France, Japan, San Francisco, and more. Each place is so well-described that I felt I had visited there myself. Actual historical figures who appear in the books are always accurately represented, even though they are placed in fictional situations. There is a broad vein of feminism running through all the books and political commentary on the times. Ms. King makes a tongue in cheek disclaimer in her afterword about the book "not being political." It is hard to not draw parallels to our own times, with the rise of right-wing politics, intolerance for homosexuality and attempts to roll back hard-won women's rights. I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys the Holmes oeuvre and historical fiction. I would suggest starting at the beginning of the series to get the full enjoyment. Thanks to Bantam Books and NetGalley for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A visit with Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell is one of my favorite ways to spend time. Since falling in love with this series with its first book, The Beekeeper's Apprentice, Laurie King has never failed to give me a tale that keeps that love burning. Two people of such spectacular problem-solving intelligence and consistently delightful wit as Russell and Holmes are rare and, thus, all the more special. In Island of the Mad, #15 in the series, I'm thrilled that Russell and Holmes are working together again, even though Holmes has a job he's taking care of for his brother Mycroft, too. The duo are such superb sleuths together, and their witty repartee always entertains me. And, as much as I love an English setting, the setting of Venice in this book completely captivated me with its unique beauty and history.

Barely having had enough time to catch their breaths since The Murder of Mary Russell and the departure of the steadfast Mrs. Hudson, Mary is drawn into a search for a friend's aunt. A call from Mary's oldest friend Ronnie, Veronica Beaconsfield, about her missing aunt, Lady Vivian Beaconsfield, has Mary promising Ronnie to look into the disappearance. Lady Vivian, who is not much older than Mary and Ronnie, had been home to the Beaconsfield estate from her residence at Bethlem Royal Hospital, a London mental institution, for her brother Edward's birthday celebration when she was discovered missing after the party. Lady Vivian's nurse from Bedlam (the informal name for Bethlem) has also disappeared. With Ronnie tied to the care of her toddler, it's up to Mary to do the footwork and follow the clues, clues which lead to the colorful island paradise of Venice, Italy. Mary is excited about revisiting a place where she has ties involving her mother, a place of fond memories and mysterious geography. It being 1925, Mycroft Holmes and the British government are interested in the effect the new facist government of Italy under Mussolini is having, so Holmes is the natural choice to investigate that interest while in Venice.

Venice is the proverbial needle in the haystack location to find someone, even with excellent sources of gossip and information. There is the city of Venice; the Lido, where the rich and un-tethered Americans and other nationalities like to play in the sun and party all night; the islands of San Clemente and San Servolo, housing mentally ill women and men respectively; and Poveglia, an island associated with tragedies such as the plague and WWI. Add to the many hiding places, the hampered transportation means of navigating the canals and open waterways, and Venice becomes a tricky place for Mary to find her friend's aunt and nurse. Sherlock has his challenges, too, needing to infiltrate the scene where fascists may end up or be the topic of conversation. Of course, both of these capable sleuths are masters at playing a part, with the right costuming and props. Mary works her way into the Lido crowd, where American Elsa Maxwell holds court and proves helpful in Mary's plans. Sherlock takes on the role of a violinist and works his way into the good graces and musical performances of American Cole Porter. There is the unexpected danger of someone from England, who figures into both of the investigations and especially threatens Mary's. Venice proves the perfect place to both find and lose people.

There is so much to enjoy in this latest Russell and Holmes, and Laurie King's taking our sleuthing couple to Venice provided many opportunities to bring in new, exciting characters who actually did live and play in Venice. The history of Venice, both past and at the present time of the book, 1925, was fascinating to me. The fascists black shirts and their beginning infiltration into the life of vibrant Venice was a voice hearkening from the past to the present. History teaches us if we care to pay attention. Just having finished one World War, Sherlock and Mycroft both agree that yet another one is on the horizon. And, on a lighter note, I found great satisfaction in King's witty dialogue for her characters, as always. Russell and Holmes are so in sync that Russell can merely feel Holmes' nod and move forward. A pair that at first might have seemed an unlikely one has once again demonstrated their perfect pairing indeed.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked much of the story. It was fascinating, mysterious, and held some nice twists. Russell's university friend Veronica's aunt has been in and out of mental institutions for the last decade or so, and then she suddenly disappears, so Veronica asks Russell to look for her aunt. Russell and Holmes follow her trail to Venice, which has just come under the rule of Mussolini and the fascists, and all the historical details were awesome. They end up rubbing elbows with people like Cole Porter, so that was fun.

But I was bothered by Russell and Holmes' very modern reactions to finding out various people involved in the case were homosexuals. They were practically ho-hum, and while many people in the 21st century would react that way, it felt pretty weird for the time and place the book was set. Yes, Russell and Holmes have always been unconventional characters, but this began to feel like the foisting of an author's agenda into her characters' behavior and words that I just didn't appreciate or enjoy. It was like if Holmes and Russell suddenly started talking about reducing emissions and saving the ozone layer and needing to find sustainable fuel -- it just didn't seem to fit.

So anyway, if you like the series, you'll still have fun hanging out with Holmes and Russell here. But this won't be a favorite of mine.

[MDNewbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Because Mary and Sherlock were in a city that I have visited and enjoyed, the book held my interest. However, there wasn't much of a mystery in this book - a woman from a mental asylum has gone missing. Lots of emphasis on clothing, costumes and masks which is understandable considering the city; however, this one is not the strongest book in the series.

[Empress Reece (Hooked on Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was written more in the style of King's earlier books in the series which is what I like. It was adventurous and had the Venetian backdrop to give it that exotic atmosphere. I'm glad she chose to revert back to her 'tried and true' method.

*Note to self: I was suppose to receive a hardcopy ARC from LibraryThing and the publisher months ago but never received it.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great entry in the Mary Russell series! With much of the book focused on experiencing a new place that has personal meaning for Russell (Venice!) and becoming the right character for the investigation, it hearkened back a bit to some of my favorite parts of The Game and O Jerusalem. Maybe a touch less danger to Russell and Holmes than some of the earlier books. And I always love when we get to see characters that are old friends again.

If you are already a fan of the series, you will love this one too. If you've never heard of Mary Russell, this is a great introduction.

[Cherie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Am I just burned out, or dare I ask "Is that all there is?" I loved the tour of the Venice lagoon and the interesting - and real, larger than life characters, and Holmes dressed up as Zorro but the ending left me feeling let down, like I have been cut off and am adrift.

[Kris Sellgren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this installment in the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series. It starts in 1925 Britain with a college friend asking Mary to find her missing aunt. The aunt has been in and out of insane asylums since the end of WW I, almost always voluntarily. Family secrets, the rise of fascism in Europe, and wild behavior during the 1920’s combine into a heady mix of detective work and danger. It was particularly interesting to see Mary Russell being both tempted by and repulsed by the Lost Generation’s partying, to which she might have been more exposed with if she hadn’t married a man twice her age.

[Kathy Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary gets a phone call from a college friend which sends her off on her next case. Ronnie Beaconsfield Fitzwarren is concerned about her Aunt Vivian who has disappeared. Vivian has spent years in and out of asylums, most recently Bedlam for a series of mental health issues. Mary met her once when she accompanied Ronnie and her new baby son to Bedlam to show him off to her aunt.

Apparently, she and a nurse got a weekend pass to visit her older brother Edward, Marquess of Selwick, on the occasion of his fiftieth birthday. She disappeared along with jewels she inherited from her mother and a few other trinkets from the family safe. She had a pretty good head start since she left before the birthday celebration and wasn't noted as missing until she didn't return to Bedlam some days later.

Mary goes down to Selwick to investigate and get a better picture of Lady Vivian than her one meeting afforded her. She meets the Marquess and takes an immediate dislike to him as he is a rather unintelligent misogynist in love with his own opinions and the sounds of his own voice and who has taken a strong interest in Benito Mussolini who is bringing fascism to Italy. Her other interviews with staff who remembered her don't really give her any clues to where she might be.

Meanwhile, Holmes has been looking for Lady Vivian in London including checking jewelers and pawn shops which might have received her jewelry. Mary decides she needs to check Lady Vivian's medical files at Bedlam and manages to get herself committed - briefly. Speaking with other inmates and checking Lady Vivian's files leads her to think that she might have gone to Venice.

Holmes was all set to let her go to Venice alone until Mycroft drafts him to go along and look into the fascists who are gaining control there. Together and separately, Russell and Holmes investigate with Holmes becoming an acquaintance of Cole Porter and his wife and Russell becoming part of Elsa Maxwell's Lido set.

Secrets are discovered and the two cases come together. Along the way, the reader sees what Venice was like in 1925, what is was like to be a woman at that time, what the social and sexual mores were, and what fascism was doing to Italy. The clever conclusion allows right to triumph and villains to get their well-earned comeuppance. This was another wonderful entry into a long-running series.

[Elaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won a copy of Island of the Mad from a Goodreads Giveaway.

I confess I was lured mainly by the dark title and intrigued to read it since this is my first Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes story.

I didn't know what to expect so I went in with an open mind.

Mary Russell's college friend's great aunt Lady Vivian has absconded with the family jewels with her caretaker.

Mary agrees to take on the case, interviewing associates and family members of this once vibrant young woman who has spent several years in and out of mental institutions.

Mary's investigation leads her and Holmes to Venice, a favorite destination of Lady Viv's, and where Mary hopes the woman has come to seek refuge.

On the surface, its an interesting case, filled with the dark history of the current times; the background of mental asylums, Fascism, the rise of Mussolini, Holmes' interaction with the famous Cole Porter and his socialite wife, Linda, hobnobbing with society's elite and ruffians.

But there were too many things I didn't like including:

1. How the story drags. Mary spends most of her time hanging out with snobs and half-wits, trying to weasel her way into their parties to search for Vivian.

2. Subplots having to do with Viv's disgusting half-brother, the perverted Marquess, and his love for the Italian dictator; Holmes' investigating Fascism for his brother Mycroft and meeting the Porters.

3. Random POV switches; first we get Mary's perspective for many chapters and suddenly, now its Holmes.

4. I figured out why Lady Viv was lashing out at her brother way before Mary did but that may be due to the current state of our modern society and our sexual politics.

5. It took me awhile to realize Mary and Holmes were married and it kind of grossed me out.

I understand back in ye olden days, it was safer (and expected) for a woman to be married than single but why did Mary have to be so much younger than Holmes? It reeks of cliche.

I haven't read any of the previous 14 books so I don't know how they hooked up but the writing reads of a marriage of convenience which is acceptable given ye olden times.

They call each other by their last names. They are cordial, polite. They talk about their cases and offer insight and opinions. I just don't understand why she has to be half his age!

[Ginny · Rating 1 out of 5]

Minority opinion here. I think that by 15 in series, it might be worn out.

Read the first of this series long ago, and enjoyed the premise. Found this book on a library display and borrowed it to read on an upcoming plane ride.

A plethora of crazed characters, silly action and preposterous situations had this reader desperate for something - anything - else to read on the flight.

I finished the book ONLY because there was no Sky Mall catalog available, which I am sure would have seemed like literature in comparison.

[farmwifetwo]

DNF pg 149. I have tried to read it for nearly a mth. I am bored. May try it again later . Many others have enjoyed it , so don't take my word for it . It is due to the library and we'll see how it goes later.

[Barb in Maryland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahh, this is more like it. (I was not a big fan of the previous book which featured Mrs Hudson).
Mary and Sherlock head for Venice, each on a case. Mary is doing a favor for a dear friend--trying to find the friend's aunt Vivian(who may have mental health problems). Mary believes Vivian to be in Venice, but how to find her? There's where it get tricky.
Meanwhile, Sherlock is doing a bit of observation for his brother Mycroft--keeping as eye on Mussolini's Fascist Blackshirts--as well as giving an assist to Mary.
The plot gets a bit convoluted at times but the story is clever and fun. Both Mary and Sherlock get involved with ex-pat Americans staying in Venice in 1925: Mary with Elsa Maxwell and her Lido party crowd, Sherlock with Cole Porter and his wife Linda and their crowd of friends.
Casting a shadow over all the frivolity is the omnipresence of the Blackshirts, who have an important role to play in the exciting climax. While the author obviously had fun with the partying Americans and British upper crust, the Fascisti were treated as the seriously scary group that they were.
As for Vivian, she is found, and the threat to her welfare is thwarted in a very satisfactory manner.
Case closed.
I am already looking forward to the next book.

[eyes.2c · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tricky enquiry!

Not only but also! An absorbing investigation by Mary and Sherlock that takes us from Bedlam to the Lido and onto the Venetian asylum island of Poveglia.
What a fabulous conondrum for the wonderful Mary Russell and her ever fascinating husband Sherlock Holmes. Mary is asked by an old friend to find out about her aunt Vivian Beaconsfield who seems to have absconded from Bedlam along with some family jewels. The whole family seems cowered by Vivian's brother the Marquess of Selwick, who may or may not have been responsible for confining Vivian to Belam.
The search leads Mary to pre war Venice with Mussolini in power and his Blackshirts are instilling their reign of terror. Wonderful descriptions of the Lido and the going on of the permanent visitors to Venice, including Cole Porter are detailed. (Mycroft has asked Sherlock to look at the Fascists. He is disquieted!) I love the way King has Holmes dropping one off lines to Cole that end up as songs that are well known down through the generations. An amusing way to have Sherlock's influence quietly confirmed, all fiction of course, but a titillating idea.
Venice, it's gondoliers, it's residents, the islands that served as places and asylums are all well interpreted. The threat of the rise of fascism thinly veiled.
A very clever and racy read that had me fairly galloping towards a satisfactory Holmesian end. A brilliant foray into pre war Venice of 1925.

A NetGalley ARC

[Mayda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary is asked by an old friend for help in finding her aunt. Aunt Vivian has been in and out mental institutions for years, and after a recent home visit, she and her nurse failed to return to the asylum and have gone missing. Mary, as determined as ever when a mystery arise, goes to extreme lengths, including searching the asylum from the inside. Sherlock accompanies her on her quest, as it coincides with a request from Mycroft. They go to Venice, ingratiate themselves with some of the upper-crust there, including Cole Porter and his wife. The research that author Laurie King did in advance of penning this intriguing story is evident in the details she included concerning the Fascists, Mussolini, the Blackshirts, and the lunatic asylums of that time period. The excellent writing, well-developed characters, and complex plot all add to the enjoyment of this fascinating mystery.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Island of the Mad takes Mary Russel and Holmes to Venice, when Mary is asked to find the aunt of an old friend. I love the relationship between Mary and Holmes - they are truly partners, both resourceful and intelligent. One of the things I enjoyed most about this book (besides the mystery itself) was the historical setting. From Bedlam, to Mussolini, to Cole Porter, it was fun to see the slices of history interspersed with the story, and I got interesting enough in some of them to do some research online in between chapters.

This book would be ok to read as a stand-alone, but as with most long-running series, some extra enjoyment will be had for those who get to revisit some past books' characters.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty solid 4 and had lots of fun moments, especially the end. I loved that Cole Porter (and his wife) were in it and the way King incorporated his life into this story. I looked up Porter after reading this and it's rather plausible--in fact, I could even see Porter doing something like what happened in this story, ha ha! Very cleverly done. Overall, this was a fun book and I liked that Russell and Holmes worked together on this.

[Cat M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these characters so much and am always thrilled to come back to this series.

Once again, King manages a nice balance between serious topics and madcap adventures, keeping the arc of the story hopeful, but never diminishing or dismissing the darkness underneath.

And there is darkness here. The background is the rise of fascism in Europe: the first inklings of flirtation in England, and then the reality of Italy under Mussolini.

In England, a friend of Mary’s comes to her for help. Her aunt Vivian, who has for years been a voluntary resident of Bedlam Asylum, has suddenly disappeared, along with her not inconsiderable personal financial resources and one of her nurses. Mary’s friend is concerned for her aunt’s safety and wishes reassurance that she is well and not being manipulated or controlled by someone else.

The search for Vivian takes Holmes and Russell to Venice, into the overlapping circles of wealthy and queer English and American summer residents.

Vivian’s story is one of resilience, of escape, and of building light out of darkness. It’s about queerness and mental illness and “madness” as both a response to trauma and an explanation for women who refuse to behave as their families wish.

In places this is a very hard read for a woman with mental illnesses of my own. There are several scenes that take place within mental institutions which I found to be respectful of the women described, but also unflinchingly honest about the realities of their lives and thus quite difficult to read.

In Venice, the madcap elements of the story are helped on by the vibrant presence of two larger-than-life real-life personages: the influential hostess and society figure Elsa Maxwell, and the up-and-coming songwriter Cole Porter. The entire sequence of Sherlock Holmes and Cole Porter meeting and becoming friends is a goddamn DELIGHT and even if the rest of the book were disappointing (it’s not) that subplot alone would make me happy to have read it.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in wonderful Venice.