Garment of Shadows (Mary Russell, Book Twelve)

Garment of Shadows (Mary Russell, Book Twelve)
Laurie R. King, 2012

Premise: Sequel to Pirate King. Russell wakes in Morocco with her memories scrambled, but not her wits. Despite the loss of purpose and identity, she eludes pursuit and hides in the maze-like city of Fez. Holmes looks for her, and for another absent friend. They are both drawn into the complicated and volatile political struggle in the region, and each have a piece of the puzzle they’ll need to solve to make it out alive.

This novel was not without flaws, but reading it was like snuggling into a cozy blanket with a cup of tea: familiar and comfortable and very pleasant. I think I had a big smile on my face during much of the reading.

I enjoyed Russell’s attempts to deduce who or what she was by her meagre possessions and apparent skills. Holmes was very well written in this volume as well, and their sections complimented each other well. The politics and history are interesting.

Don’t worry, Russell doesn’t spend too long lost in the fog, and I really liked following her reclaiming her memories and life a little at a time. It’s a rather short book, which helps the pace move along nicely, and nothing becomes tedious. The red-herrings and twists in the plot are well placed, and if I didn’t love every aspect of the resolution, at least it was much better than several recent entries in this series.

An enjoyable and exciting adventure with characters I’m quite fond of is a lovely way to spend an afternoon.

4 Stars - A Very Good Book