Dreaming Spies: A novel of suspense featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes    by Laurie R. King Order:  USA  Can Bantam, 2015 (2015) Hardcover, Softcover, e-Book      Reviewed by Hilary Williamson Have you been following Laurie R. King's long-running Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes novels? They're a cross between traditional Holmes/Watson and Indiana Jones. The (now married) bespectacled young woman and sardonic recluse make a formidable team. Their latest caper, Dreaming Spies, begins in 1924 with the pair traveling incognito (or so they believe) on a cruise ship from Bombay to Kobe, Japan. In that country they ally with ninjas in the service of the young Emperor-to-be. Their quest continues back in Oxford, England (where Mary most reluctantly robs the Bodleian library), but I have to admit that I enjoyed their adventures in Japan the most. On the cruise they meet and befriend a young Japanese woman, Haruki Sato. She gives them lessons on Japanese language and customs. Holmes also keeps an eye on Lord Darley and his entourage (including his wife and son). Darley is an 'amateur blackmailer' whom Holmes had encountered before. There is a death on the cruise ship and a seeming poltergeist. Further adventures and violence follow in Japan, where they receive a different kind of lesson on its way of life, as well as an astonishing revelation about haiku master Matsuo Bashô (whose work I have long enjoyed in translation). In Dreaming Spies, Mary makes a friend who is her match in every way. This thirteenth is one of the better episodes in an outstanding series. But if you haven't found it yet, do start at the beginning with The Beekeeper's Apprentice. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews