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Type of bind: Mass Market Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN num: 9780553588330
ISBN number: 0553588338
Label: Bantam
Manufacturer: Bantam
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 528
Printing Date: May 29, 2007
Publishing house: Bantam
Release Date: May 29, 2007
Sale Popularity Level: 177088
Studio: Bantam
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Product Description:
In this thrilling new crime novel that ingeniously bridges Laurie R. King’s Edgar and Creasey Awards—winning Kate Martinelli series and her bestselling series starring Mary Russell, San Francisco homicide detective Kate Martinelli crosses paths with Sherlock Holmes–in a spellbinding dual mystery that could come only from the “intelligent, witty, and complex” mind of New York Times bestselling author Laurie R. King….
Kate Martinelli has seen her share of peculiar things as a San Francisco cop, but never anything quite like this: an ornate Victorian sitting room straight out of a Sherlock Holmes story–complete with violin, tobacco-filled Persian slipper, and gunshots in the wallpaper that spell out the initials of the late queen.
Philip Gilbert was a true Holmes fanatic, from his antiquated décor to his vintage wardrobe. And no mere fan of fiction’s great detective, but a leading expert with a collection of priceless memorabilia–a collection some would kill for.
And perhaps someone did: In his collection is a century-old manuscript purportedly written by Holmes himself–a manuscript that eerily echoes details of Gilbert’s own murder.
Now, with the help of her partner, Al Hawkin, Kate must follow the convoluted trail of a killer–one who may have trained at the feet of the greatest mind of all times.
From the Hardcover edition.
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers 
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I really love both the Martinelli and Russell/Homes series, but I found the last Martinelli outing disappointing. It was a great pleasure to see Kate back in grand form, with the added deliciousness of the Russell/Holmes tie-in. I love watching Kate deal with the peculiarities of reenactors and the "is it real or is it fake" manuscript market -- a nice change from more typical urban violence
While I agree that the pace is slower in this plot than is typical for this series, I didn't find that the narrative dragged. Moreover, the reasons for the slow-down were laid out explicitly and are the kinds of issues investigators encounter when they aren't forced to solve their cases before the subsequent show comes on: confused jurisdiction; uncertainty as to whether a homicide has occurred; no indication that the public at large is endangered; no close relatives or friends to interview (or to hassle the police).
The pace also allows for exposition of Kate's personal life to flow through the story without holding it up. King has done her usual brilliant job of juxtaposing lives, cultural/historical attitudes, and personal quirks to illuminate the sadness and waste of a needless tragedy. (She also does a GREAT job showing the investigators and the criminal making use of the same tech trail.) Her social commentary manages to be explicit without being preachy and is an essential thread in the plot.
Rated by buyers 
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I've read several of Laurie King's books over the years. With the exception of A Grave Talent which was quite good, most of her books are just average, this one included. She is NOT a master of plotting. Her books meander here and there and eventually reach a conclusion that may be less than satisfying. So it is with The Art of Detection. The supporting characters are only vaguely drawn. Her protagonist, Kate Martinelli, is not that interesting. Now I'm a liberal Californian, but I could hardly stand to read one more line about the cultural rainbow of San Francisco, and all the OVERT EXAMPLES of what constitutes a "family" there. All right already. We get it. King's books are not terrible, just way back in the middle of the pack of mystery writers.
Rated by buyers -
I love Laurie King's Mary Russell novels, and I really like her Kate Martinelli mysteries, so I was very much looking forward to this meshing of those two worlds. But after reading it, I was left thinking, "Why bother?" Going back over it, I really can't find any one part of the book that was particularly bad, but it just didn't draw me in. The descriptions of the landscape in and around San Francisco are vivid; the details of the lives of the Sherlockian characters are fascinating (and it was amusing to see Kate wrestling with the concept of their dedication to their hobby); and the Holmes story-within-a-story was quite entertaining. But there seemed to be a lack of excitement throughout--a sense of apathy about the case and it's connections to the mysterious rediscovered manuscript which made the sudden violence of the ending seem completely out of place and the sudden happiness following that even more disconcerting. And I have to admit, that as a fan of both series, I was really hoping for at least some reaction from any of the characters when they discovered what the manuscript could really be. A quick reference in the last sentence frankly was not enough for me. I'm glad I waited until it was in paperback to buy it.
Rated by buyers -
Kate and Al are investigating a murder on the old gun emplacements outside of San Francisco. The victim is a fan of Sherlock Holmes, even going so far as to dress as he did and to decorate part of his home according to the description of Holmes' study. The investigation hinges on the question of a manuscript the victim supposedly purchased, said to be a long lost work of Conon-Doyle. Kate is especially interested in this as her partner is a Holmes fan. The ending was a surprise for me and I read all of Laurie Kings's work. A rousing good read.
Rated by buyers -
I was looking forward to reading a Kate Martinelli/Sherlock Holmes novel, since I've enjoyed King's Martinelli and Mary Russell novels equally (for those who aren't familiar with her Mary Russell books, Sherlock Holmes is a major character in the series). _The Art of Detection_ was even better than I expected! What I liked best were the several threads that tie this novel together with some of her others; in particular, you might want to also read _Locked Rooms_ as it's a Russell/Holmes book set in San Francisco.
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