Aloha from Hawaii

[LindaU]

Hello everyone, I'm new to this site and a new fan of Laurie King's Mary Russell/Sherlock Homes book series. I applaud Laurie for achieving the difficult task of breathing new life into one of literature's most beloved characters and giving Holmes a happy ending to his brilliant career, with a life partner worthy of him. I've been a Holmesian for many years, have read and reread all the stories, and once belonged to the Sherlock Holmes Society of Los Angeles, so I can appreciate the many issues involved with taking on "the Canon" as it's known. I think The Beekeeper's Apprentice is one of the best Holmes pastiches I've ever read and enjoyed it immensely. I'm looking forward to diving into the rest of the series and am so glad to see that there are new books on the horizon. I plan to be in England this summer and will try to make it over to Sussex to see the area where Holmes and Russell met and lived.

[KarenB]

Hi Linda! Welcome to the VBC. We're always glad to have new people join in the conversations here - and we have a LOT of conversations! I envy you being able to go to England - that would be so much fun. Browse around and join in any thread, even the old ones are still open and every once in a while someone will comment on one and open it up again. After you have been here a while, the new posts button at the top of the page will be very useful. It will show the posts that have been made since you were last here.
And do let us know what you are reading now - we are always looking for recommendations! KarenB

[Strawberry Curls]

Hi Linda,

Welcome to the VBC. I see you have jumped in and posted to several threads and joined LOM. I love anyone who gets involved from the get go. You said you have just finished GAME on another thread. Oh, how I envy you still reading the books for the first time, walking through the journeys that Russell and Holmes have in LOCK, LANG and GOTH. You will find a community here that really enjoys connecting over books and any number of other things. Welcome again!

I'm a fan of the Big Island, Kona is almost my second home. March of 2009 I was there for the Left Coast Crime conference with Laurie King and my good friend Merrily (whose work you will find on LOM).

If you are going to Sussex you might want to read my travelogue of last year's journey through Russell's England that appeared in June and July, 2009 on Laurie's blog Mutterings (http://www.laurierking.com/2009/06) starting with the post "Friends of Russell, on the road" and continuing as "Adventures In Russell-Land. We covered Oxford, Devon and Dartmoor, and Sussex. A great trip!

[Pat Floyd]

Welcome, Linda. We're so glad to have you join us. Have you read the Russell series up to GAME? If not, be sure to read O Jerusalem and Monstrous Regiment of Women before Justice Hall. We are very interested in other reading you enjoy and look forward to your observations.

[Donna]

Linda,
Love to have you posting! Any Holmesian devotee is certainly welcome and glad you like what LRK has found out about this great hero... We'll look forward to your insights and comments. Welcome!

[2bnallegory]

Hi Linda, nice to have you join the conversations, I've already seen your other posts. See you around.

[LindaU]

Hi and thanks for the warm welcomes. I have read MRW but not the one after that... The Game was great and didn't seem problematic to read out of sequence. I have ordered O Jerusalem! and hope to get it soon. (I buy all my books online anymore, so much easier than bookstores-- and Hawaii is a retail desert.) So I think the one after that is Letter of Mary--? I am really enjoying the stories and the characters' relationship. Laurie's dialogue is great.

[LindaU]

I have seen the Baker Street museum of Sherlock Holmes years ago, it was a perfect reproduction of the rooms at 221b. Was a bit puzzled at the comment that it was a 'construction zone' in 2005 - hope it's still there. And I love Oxford, whenever I go there I get some of Frank Cooper's Oxford Marmalade, it's fantastic. A great university town. I will be in Merrie Olde this September for a canal boat week and then the Goodwood Revival, an amazing festival of antique automobiles, motorcycles and aeroplanes. It's near Sussex so I will also trek over to see Beachy Head and the environs of Holmes' beekeeping cottage. Looking forward to it.

[LindaU]

Oh and I guess I never mentioned that I am a voracious reader of all the best British mystery writers and have read all the works of Margery Allingham, Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh and Martha Grimes. Plus a few assorted others. I like Elizabeth George too (an American, she used to live in the same town as I, Huntington Beach, CA). So for me it's a huge treat to find Laurie King, so I can devour all of her books too.