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Kate Martinelli is a homicide detective in San Francisco, and she has seen a lot over the years but her latest case is unique. Philip Gilbert's body was found in an abandoned cave in a public park, dead from a blow to his head. Kate and her partner, Inspector Al Hawkin finds out the man was such a Sherlock Holmes fan that his home was a replica of Holmes's living quarters. He also spent time dressed up in Holmes's type of clothing, making a fine living collecting and selling anything to do with Holmes and entertaining like-minded members of his chapter of a Sherlockian Society. As Kate and Hawkin delve into Gilbert's affairs to find some clues as to his demise and body's unusual disposal, they find that Gilbert had in his possession what he thought was an unknown and unpublished story by Arthur Conan Doyle about a character who in all probability must be Holmes. If it's real, the manuscript is considered priceless. Here, the full story is presented inside THE ART OF DETECTION printed in a font that looks as if it were handwritten. Kate and Hawkin read the story and discover that the work is set in San Francisco and tells the tale about a forbidden love affair between a solider and a popular transsexual entertainer. Stranger still, the body in the story was found in the exact location as Gilbert's body was discovered and the cause of death was similar. It's up to Kate and Hawkin to interview everyone and wade through their stories to find the truth about the murder. This is the latest in Laurie R King's Kate Martinelli series and it's a compelling one. The core of the book has to do with the change in society's views, or lack of change over the years, dealing with homosexual couples. From Kate's story with her female long-time companion Lee and their child, to the way Gilbert felt he had to hide his own sexuality so as not to tarnish the name of Holmes, a legend he so admired, it touches Kate and makes solving the murder case personal. The writing is fast paced and will draw you in and not let you set the book down. THE ART OF DETECTION is yet another fine volume in the Kate Martinelli series and is well worth reading.
Reviewed by Sharon Katz, February 2006
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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