The Lantern's Dance cover art

The Lantern's Dance

A Novel of Suspense Featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes (Mary Russell Mysteries, Book 18)

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The Lantern's Dance

By: Laurie R. King
Narrated by: Amy Scanlon
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About this listen

Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, hoping for a respite in the French countryside, are instead caught up in a case that turns both bewildering and intensely personal

After their recent adventures in Transylvania, Russell and Holmes look forward to spending time with Holmes' son, the famous artist Damian Adler, and his family. But when they arrive at Damian’s house, they discover that the Adlers have fled from a mysterious threat.

Holmes rushes after Damian while Russell, slowed down by a recent injury, stays behind to search the empty house. In Damian’s studio, she discovers four crates packed with memorabilia related to Holmes’ grand-uncle, the artist Horace Vernet. It’s an odd mix of treasures and clutter, including a tarnished silver lamp with a rotating shade: an antique yet sophisticated form of zoetrope, fitted with strips of paper whose images dance with the lantern’s spin.

In the same crate is an old journal written in a nearly impenetrable code. Intrigued, Russell sets about deciphering the intricate cryptograph, slowly realizing that each entry is built around an image—the first of which is a child, bundled into a carriage by an abductor, watching her mother recede from view.

Russell is troubled, then entranced, but each entry she decodes brings more questions. Who is the young woman who created this elaborate puzzle? What does she have to do with Damian, or the Vernets—or the threat hovering over the house?

The secrets of the past appear to be reaching into the present. And it seems increasingly urgent that Russell figure out how the journal and lantern are related to Damian—and possibly to Sherlock Holmes himself.

Could there be things about his own history that even the master detective does not perceive?

©2024 Laurie R. King (P)2024 Recorded Books
Detective Fiction Historical International Mystery & Crime Mystery Women Sleuths Women's Fiction Sherlock Holmes Suspense
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What listeners say about The Lantern's Dance

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Dreadful Reading

I had to abandon this book but will, may, get a printed copy. The reader is stilted and expressionless....had she read the other books in this wonderful series? The late Jenny Sterlin is a hard act to follow: she had warmth and humour in her voice. I do think greater effort could have been made to find the right voice to carry on the series. I am disappointed.

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Brilliant story

The story is fantastic as always. Laurie R King has done an amazing job of weaving this story through not only her own complex canon, but also the original Conan Doyle stories.

Adjusting to the new narrator was always going to be difficult after the truly exceptional job the wonderful Jenny Sterlin has done over the years. She shows promise, but her voices, Russell and Holmes in particular, need work. It would be good to hear the sparkle of wry intelligence and quick banter that is the hallmark of Russell's narration and Holmes' voice come through more in the next book, not just stereotypical posh English. I suspect she had a difficult job identifying their normal dynamic as there is less of the Russell/Holmes relationship establishing dialogue in this book (given the subject matter, they have other things to talk about!) to inform her characterisation choices.

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Worth the wait

I really enjoyed Laurie King's latest Mary Russell novel. As usual, it's a very clever plot. I did miss Jenny reading though....

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    3 out of 5 stars
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A shame

A narrator who seems to have changed Mary from a kiss ass, strong, independent woman to a weak, whining thing and a story where she is little more than an afterthought. So sad as I have loved this series up to now

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unable to finish before returning the book

Regret I couldn't focus on this much-anticipated book because I found the narration so stilted, very disappointing.

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