Although I’m not familiar with the series that this is a part of, it works quite well as a stand-alone story. It features Mary Russell, wife of Sherlock Holmes, whose dodgy uncle Jake turns up out of the blue to involve her in an old case relating to the theft of the Irish Crown Jewels several years earlier.

An entertaining romp with great period detail. I’m not sure Conan Doyle would recognise the Sherlock Holmes of this story but nice to see a familiar literary character live to solve another case.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Even if this is the 19th instalment in this series there's no loss of creativity or entertainment. Well plotted and solid as usual, it kept me reading and turning pages.
Some changes make this novel easy to read even if it's the first you read in this series.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This was the first book I have read in this series, book 19, and I have to say that didn’t detract from my enjoyment and the book reads well as a standalone.

Mary Russell is married to Sherlock Holmes, and following returning from a wedding in Paris married is approached by an uncle she hasn’t seen in many years. He was originally involved in the theft of the Irish Crown Jewels in 1907 that ultimately went missing. She then heads off with him to help him find those jewels.

Overall this was a good read, and it is a good story that takes them back and forth from England to Ireland. The characterisation was very good, and I quite liked, but didn’t trust, her uncle Jake. Where I however struggled a bit with it was in it being written from three viewpoints - Uncle Jake, Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes. Whilst these three different viewpoints added to the story in some way, I felt it made the story at times quite stilted and seemed to affect the flow of my reading. I personally would have rather it was written in a more conventional way and I feel this would have worked better, but this was just my own opinion.

The book built to a good suspenseful ending with a few twists and turns along the way, and overall was a good cosy read with quite an intricate plot. I found initially keeping all the characters from the original theft in my mind was a bit tricky and it could have benefitted with a list of the main characters at the beginning of the book.

Having read this book I am now intrigued to pick up the first book in the series and see how Holmes and Russell got together as there is quite an age difference between them. If you enjoy good books involving Holmes, and enjoy good cosy mysteries with a historical dimension I would definitely recommend the book and it may be worth taking a look at the series in its entirety.

I did not at first realise this was book 19 of a series but I enjoyed it anyway. This story is based on a historical case of the stolen Irish Crown Jewels and here we find a story, a cosy mystery that is written in three POV's. This could become confusing but the writer has written it so well that is is easy to follow and easy to read.

As I said I have not read any of the others in this series but I still enjoyed reading this book as it had everything I like about a Sherlock Homes story and a cosy mystery. Now I must go find the others in the series so I can get a more in-depth idea of Holmes and his wife Mary. A great read and well written so if you enjoyed this genre you will enjoy this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Allison & Busby for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Entertaining Holmesian adventure
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Based on a historical case of the stolen Irish Crown Jewels, Mary Russell and her husband Sherlock Holmes are forced to search for the hoard when Mary’s long-lost uncle Jake turns up like a bad penny, claiming that he was part of the original heist. Told in alternating chapters between Holmes, Mary and Jake, this is a true return to form for King’s entertaining series, aided by cameos from the famous and infamous from the Roaring Twenties, as well as Mycroft and other special guests. Beginning with a new narrator in Jake, even new converts to the series (this is volume 19!) will be welcomed to the usual derring-do and deduction that any Holmesian mystery promises.

This book is part of a long running series and while it can be read as a stand alone it is best to read them in order other wise you might miss out on a lot of things like how Mary met Holmes and why they married despite the large gap in their ages. As you would expect there are plot twists, double crossings and intrigue, to keep you guessing until the end why Mary's Uncle Jake has appeared in her life again what he want and what happened to the Irish crown jewels. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thanks Allison & Busby and NetGalley for ARC.

This might be the umpteenth in the highly preposterous series featuring bookish heiress/private detective Mary Russell and her husband Sherlock Holmes, but it's as enjoyable as the first.
It unfolds after a little scandal in Dublin in 1907 involving gems that came to be known as the Irish Crown Jewels. One of Mary's scattered and generally long-lost family turns up looking for help at the same time as Sherlock's brother expresses an interest in the same incident.

Of course there are disguises, deceptions and sleights of hand, improbable journeys and feats of questionably legal derring-do. Don't worry about which is fact and which is fiction, even though real people and places may feature. Surrender to a master of the adventure novel and have a blast.
Could be read as a stand-alone if you want, but beware - it might whet your curiosity for the whole series.

I’ve been a fan of the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series by Laurie R. King since I was a teenager. Having read all 19 books, this series feels like a part of my life. Knave of Diamonds might be one of the best so far. Laurie R. King is a truly talented author who knows exactly how to craft compelling characters and stories that stay with you. The story was incredibly captivating, it felt like returning to old friends and being drawn into their world right from the start. This time, Mary’s uncle Jake, whom she believed was dead, returns, and I absolutely loved hearing more about him. He felt like such a real character to me, and his story definitely added an exciting layer to this book. I really enjoyed hearing from Mary’s, Sherlock’s, and Jake’s perspectives. There was also a character introduced who I felt was a great part of this book, and I believe she will have significance in upcoming books. The adventure itself was a lot of fun, mixing humor with suspense in a way that really pulled me in. The story pulled me in so deeply that I almost forgot what I was doing while reading. I highly recommend this book and the entire series. ❤️📚✨

I’m a fan of Laurie R King’s Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes books, and thoroughly enjoyed this. I think it could be read as a standalone but it’s probably best to have some familiarity with the rest of the series.

Mary’s uncle Jake makes an appearance after a number of years, and together they work to solve the mystery of the missing Irish Crown Jewels. They travel to Ireland, and the plot is narrated by a mixture of Russell (Mary), Holmes and Jake.

It was also good to meet Mrs Hudson at the end.

The latest Mary Russell novel is a good addition to the series but I found it occasionally confusing as the narrative switches around between chapters from the narrative of Mary's long-lost uncle Jake, to Mary and to Sherlock.

Some years ago the Irish Crown Jewels were stolen. Uncle Jake appeals to Mary for her help in retrieving the jewels. He had been peripherally involved in their theft, and claims he wants nothing to do with the jewels but that he doesn't want his co-conspirators who betrayed him to get to them first. Mary has to overcome her crippling sea sickness, going to Ireland multiple times to solve the mystery. The story works around real life events involving real characters at certain points.

Pacy, unpredictable novel with plenty of twists.

An enjoyable read. As I hadn't read the rest in the series, I found it difficult to get into. I also found the plot disjointed. Unfortunately not for me.
Despite my negative reaction, I am sure it will be popular with many people.
3 and a half stars. rounded up to 4.

This is the first book I’ve read in this series but it didn’t hinder my enjoyment. Mary Russell, wife of Sherlock, is an intelligent woman with skills of her own. Her uncle, Jake, is back and seems to be quite a character and not always on the right side of the law. Jake does have secrets of his own and doesn’t share all of them. This story involves the theft of Irish Crown Jewels and what happened to them. This investigation took them to Ireland and Clevedon, near Bristol. They were a number of interesting characters, including the mysterious Mrs Walsh. This was an engaging read, I enjoyed the interaction between Russell, Sherlock and Jake and I look forward for reading more in this series. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

although i was cnofused (and had to reread several times) the opening to try to work out who was who - is the narrator Mary Russell (but they say not) but then who is it? i had to read farther along to work that out, and repeat opening chapters to see if I got the 'clues' I needed to work it out. Like so many others I am a sucker for Sherlock Holmes stories, so this one was fun and King is an adept storyteller. I realise too that you have to know the Holmes' lore to get it how important it is that Adler was involved with Holmes - even though the purported intimacy might be apocryphal. anyway - great fun - i've enjoyed!!

Mary Russell is an intelligent, quick witted woman and happens to be married to the much older Sherlock Holmes. When Mary’s charming but rakish Uncle Jake reappears in her life after a long , unaccounted for absence, he draws her into a quest to recover the stolen Irish Crown Jewels. With plot twists, double crossings and intrigue, author Laurie R King kept me guessing until the end what Jake’s real motive was for recruiting his niece. Although this is part of a much larger series, this book is good as a stand alone story, but I suspect that reading the rest of the series would reward me with answers to how Mary met Holmes and why they married despite the age gap and why Mary’s family died in a car crash.

This was a mystery with an intricate plot that traced the theft of the Irish Crown Jewels. The main character is the indefatigable Mary Russell, married to Sherlock Holmes. She finds out that an uncle whom she presumed was dead was part of the original plot to secure the baubles. When he appears on her doorstep, together they embark on a quest to recover them. The plot is ingenious with plenty of twists and turns, but for my mind, the balance between explanation and action was wrong. I would have preferred more of the former, however, this did not spoil an enjoyable read

This is the 19th book in the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes Series, but my first, and is told from three POVs, those of Holmes, Mary and Mary’s Uncle ‘Jake’ Jacob, the black sheep of the family and the knave of the book title. Centred around the theft of the Irish Crown Jewels from Dublin Castle in 1907, a factual event, and Jake’s involvement in this incident this reads well as a stand-alone, although there were clearly some references to events in earlier books.

Briefly, returning from a wedding in France Holmes goes off to London to see his brother Mycroft. In his absence Mary is surprised to see Jake for the first time in thirteen years and even more surprised by his confession about the missing Irish Crown Jewels. The original theft and subsequent investigation identified a number of suspects but for political reasons this was not pursued. Holmes was part of the original investigation but even he couldn’t solve the crime.

Holmes and Mary seem like an odd couple, I always saw him as a confirmed bachelor, and Mary is much younger than him, but she is also his intellectual equal and they are the perfect foil for each other. Although Mary was the main protagonist in this book I can see that working together they would be almost infallible. The plot was good, and relatively straightforward, but it was very well done and a very entertaining cosy mystery.

I thought that this book was a sensational read and I really enjoyed reading it!
When Mary Russell was a child, she adored her Uncle Jake, the black sheep of the family. But she hasn't heard from him in many years, until her ne'er-do-well relative presents himself at her door with an abundance of problems for his clever niece to deal with. Not the least of which is the reason the family rejected him in the first place: his involvement in the infamous disappearance of the Irish Crown Jewels from Dublin Castle in 1907

It was a theft that shook a government, enraged King Edward VII and threatened the establishment. Juggling conflicting loyalties and international secrets, Russell is entangled in the web of a case that not even the great Sherlock Holmes could solve.
I have never read any of this authors books before but I intend to remedy that omission in the coming days and read the earlier books. I strongly recommend this story as one of the best books that I've read this year.

Laurie R King’s Knave of Diamonds features Sherlock Holmes and his wife, Mary Russell, together with Mary’s long-lost Uncle Jake. Jake is a loveable rogue, the Knave of the book title – even Holmes eventually admits to liking him. About thirty years ago, I saw the first two Holmes & Russell novels by King and grabbed them, putting them on a shelf until I had time to read them. I assume they are still on a shelf somewhere in the house! Based upon Knave of Diamonds, I have missed out, as it is excellent.

The basic plot is that Uncle Jake re-enters Mary’s life while Sherlock is away from home the day after they return from France. Jake confesses that he was involved in the 1907 theft of the Irish Crown Jewels and saying “I need you to go with me to Ireland.” They go and find Holmes waiting for them when they sail back to Fishguard, having deduced what has happened. The plot really gathers speed then, with rapid travel involving England and a return to Ireland.

What I loved about this book is the depiction of Mary as a truly independent person. She leaves a note for Holmes and goes off with her uncle – just like that. No fretting about whether she should wait for Holmes and discuss it; what he will do without her; whether she should tackle the pile of laundry accumulated during their trip to France (they have no servants). Following Jake and Mary’s return from Ireland, Mary is alone and makes a decision to set off by herself. Holmes may be renowned for his deductive logic, but Mary is his equal.

Although Holmes and Russell are fictional, the theft of the Irish Crown Jewels was a real event. The theft was never solved and the author cleverly inserts her characters into history with a highly plausible outcome.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has enjoyed Sherlock Holmes stories and to anyone who wants to see how to depict true equality between the genders.

#KnaveofDiamonds #NetGalley

Knave of Diamonds by Laurie R King sees Mary Russell confronted with a family mystery that tests her loyalties. When her estranged Uncle Jake suddenly reappears, Mary is drawn into a high-stakes adventure involving the infamous disappearance of the Irish Crown Jewels—a crime that even Sherlock Holmes could not solve.

The story moves at a brisk pace, shifting away from the quieter, reflective tone of earlier books in the series towards a more action-driven plot. The conflict of loyalty between family ties and her partnership with Holmes adds depth, while the international intrigue keeps the narrative engaging.

Though the mystery itself takes a backseat to the adventure, the book captures the excitement of a classic Holmesian case with fresh energy. Fans of Mary Russell will appreciate the exploration of her complicated family history alongside the brisk plotting.

I found this instalment a compelling blend of family drama and mystery, even if it sacrifices some of the introspection for pace. It makes for a gripping read, particularly if you enjoy fast-moving plots set against richly detailed historical backdrops.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

This was ok, not mind blowing for me personally. I didn’t like Sherlock or Mary or anyone really and I found it very slow (and Sherlock annoying) at times.

However , overall, it’s a nice read. It’s just personal preference here!

My thanks to Netgalley and Allison & Busby for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.