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Tillabooks: Will's Book Blog

Wednesday, September 01, 2004

With Child by Laurie R. King. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1996. ISBN: 0-312-14077-0

What can I say? Here is yet another of Laurie King's spectacular Kate Martinelli mysteries. A good, solid, engaging read from start to finish. I now have more Laurie King entries in my blog than for any other author. Just check the author index alongside to the right.

My only complaint about With Child is that King falls into that trap that practically every mystery series writer seems unable to avoid sooner or later: the plot line, the mystery we have to unravel, involves the detective too directly. That is, the person that becomes the focus of the investigation, in this case, the kidnap victim, is a personal acquaintance of the detective.

This always seems improbable to me. I mean, here we have a San Francisco police detective, whose very job involves solving crimes. So it just strains one's normal suspension of disbelief to believe that a crime would happen to the detective herself, instead of coming to her through the normal channels. Too much of a coincidence.

But, I forgive her (King), as it gives us more of a chance to become acquainted with Jules, the brilliant beyond her years step-daughter of Kate's police partner. Jules is quite a character, in every sense of the word, and the relationship that grows between the two of them (Jules and Kate) is a pleasure to behold.

Highly recommended for mystery fans and anyone who loves a good book. Just don't start here, start with the first of the Martinelli mysteries, and work your way up to this one in the proper order.

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