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A Grave Talent Paperback – July 1, 1995
- Print length368 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherCrimeline
- Publication dateJuly 1, 1995
- Dimensions4.21 x 0.99 x 6.87 inches
- ISBN-100553573993
- ISBN-13978-0553573992
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Product details
- Publisher : Crimeline (July 1, 1995)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 368 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0553573993
- ISBN-13 : 978-0553573992
- Item Weight : 6.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 4.21 x 0.99 x 6.87 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #2,989,944 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #89,199 in Suspense Thrillers
- #190,837 in Mysteries (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
New York Times bestselling crime writer Laurie R. King writes both series and standalone novels. For a complete list of her books in order, please visit http://www.laurierking.com/books/complete-book-list
In the Mary Russell series (first entry: The Beekeeper's Apprentice), fifteen-year-old Russell meets Sherlock Holmes on the Sussex Downs in 1915, becoming his apprentice, then his partner. The series follows their amiably contentious partnership into the 1920s as they challenge each other to ever greater feats of detection. For a complete list of the Mary Russell books in order, click here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/bookseries/B00CJLA42C/kindle/ref=sr_bookseries_null_B00CJLA42C.
The Kate Martinelli series, starting with A Grave Talent, concerns a San Francisco homicide inspector, her SFPD partner, and her life partner. In the course of the series, Kate encounters a female Rembrandt, a modern-day Holy Fool, two difficult teenagers, a manifestation of the goddess Kali and an eighty-year-old manuscript concerning Sherlock Holmes.
The Stuyvesant and Gray books feature Harris Stuyvesant, a Bureau of Investigation agent who finds himself far out of his depth, first in England during the 1926 General Strike (Touchstone), then in Paris during the sweltering confusion of September, 1929 (The Bones of Paris).
King also has written stand-alone novels--A Darker Place as well as two loosely linked novels, Folly and Keeping Watch--and a science fiction novel, Califia's Daughters, under the pseudonym Leigh Richards.
King grew up reading her way through libraries like a termite through balsa before going on to become a mother, builder, world traveler, and theologian.
She has now settled into a genteel life of crime, back in her native northern California. She has a secondary residence in cyberspace, where she enjoys meeting readers in her Virtual Book Club and on her blog.
King has won the Edgar and Creasey awards (for A Grave Talent), the Nero (for A Monstrous Regiment of Women) and the MacCavity (for Folly); her nominations include the Agatha, the Orange, the Barry, and two more Edgars. She was also given an honorary doctorate from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific.
Check out King's website, http://laurierking.com/, and follow the links to her blog and Virtual Book Club, featuring monthly discussions of her work, with regular visits from the author herself. And for regular LRK updates, follow the link to sign up for her email newsletter.
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Now I know, as I was overwhelmed by her writing, that it is more than the Russell series, it is King's writing itself that fascinates me. The "A Grave Talent" story is very credible and the plot lines are so carefully and well crafted; she leaves subtle and careful clues of things to come - be it characterization or plot. The setting of modern San Francisco and her contemporary diction, as opposed to the Victorian diction from the Russell series, is well done. She instills in her characters a believability which takes them out of the trite or stereotypical detective story world into characters who you care about or simply find interesting.
This story introduces female detective Casey Martinelli and her partner Al Hawkins; the initial premise is a bit common place in today's detective stories - a veteran detective, Hawkins, is assigned a new, younger female partner, Kate Martinelli. Kate is not a rookie; she has studied and worked hard to relatively quickly move up in the ranks of the police department. Hawkin's has been assigned a high profile murder case of children, and he has been assigned, like it or not, this new female partner, Martinelli. The "higher ups" in the department want a female cop on the investigation of a little girl's murder, a bit of politics for the public. Together they investigate the murders of three little girls in what seems to be separate incidents, but the bodies are all found in the same isolated area called "The Road." Now, let the mystery unwind and go for a delightful ride.
Laurie King won the Edgar Award for best first novel over 20 years ago! I came to it late, as I did with her Mary Russell series. I was not disappointed, and I am looking forward to reading more of Martinelli and Russell too. I strongly recommend that anyone who enjoys a well crafted book that not only makes you think, but delivers great enjoyment, to read Laurie King!
In this book Kate has just been promoted to detective and is assigned to work with a seasoned male detective who has recently transferred from Los Angeles. The case involves young girls who are strangled, but not molested, and left on the grounds of a rural gated community which is a home to various unconventional folks. When a famous female artist, who is living in the community under another name, turns out to be an ex-con who was convicted of murdering a child, it appears they have their culprit. Yet after meeting her, they start to have their doubts.
At first the young inexperienced woman and the hardened male detecive seem an odd couple that will not get along. Yet the novel is as much about their finding commonalities, and finally friendship, as it is about solving the high-profile case. This turns out to be a strong start to a mystery series that will deal with character development as well as criminal activity.
Laurie King has also written the Mary Russell series of historical mysteries involving a young woman and an older detective, the fictional Sherlock Holmes. She seems at home with the older man/young woman dynamics of both these series and brings a very human side to her characters while writing convincing mysteries.
2-4) and I was excited to read this. It was nice to see how Kate Martinelli
started and her professional and personal life as she and her partner investigate
missing children who turn up dead. Who is being this and can they find them
before another dies? Must read.
This is NOT a horrible book. Just not great. I don't resent the time I spent on it, but I won't read another in the series either.
Top reviews from other countries
The plot is surprising, and one is forced to keep back one's breath almost until the last page for fear of evil befalling the heroine and her surroundings. Fortunately, there is also a brief space for catching one's breath at the end, otherwise the reader would surely die of lack of oxygen!
Also, I find that the book raises the issue of homosexuality in a very noble and poignant manner, and I, as a European and as a Dane reading the book in 2013, twenty years after its first being published, am let to glimpse at what was, and presumably still is, a very difficult situation, especially if you are working as a servant of the public as is Kate Martinelli.
All in all I am of the opinion that this book is not only a truly great read, it also shows great sympathy with those not cast in the same mould as what is usually accepted by society. Laurie R. King has time and again shown us that she masters those characters who stand apart in thought, in body, in religion, in sexuality. Frankly my dears, I do give a damn!
Laurie R. King gives an amazing and glorious experience with every book - "A Grave Talent" not the least.
Susanne K.A. Nielsen