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April 1924.
Sailing across the Pacific, bound for California, Mary Russell is plagued by a series of disturbing dreams. The dark and restless ocean crossing proves to be a harbinger of what awaits Russell and her husband, Sherlock Holmes, in San Francisco.
In the eighth adventure of the Russell/Holmes series, things take a personal turn for the investigative duo as they delve into Russell's past. Ten years ago, Russell was the sole survivor of an automobile accident that claimed the lives of her mother, father, and brother. The crash occurred along a treacherous stretch of California coastal highway, and for a decade Russell, who believes she distracted her father by starting an argument with her younger brother, has held herself responsible for the deaths of her family members.
Intending to be in San Francisco just long enough to wrap up business affairs related to her parents' estate, Russell instead is drawn into revisiting her childhood --- in particular her presence during the 1906 earthquake, which devastated the city, and why she has long denied she was there. When an attempt is made on Russell's life soon after she arrives in San Francisco, it's evident that someone is intent on hiding the past at all costs.
Suspecting that the deaths of the Russell family might not have been an accident, and with his wife in an uncharacteristic state of distraction, Holmes enlists the aid of former Pinkerton agent and fledgling crime fiction writer Dashiell Hammett. The clues begin to pile up, as does the number of suspicious deaths. An interesting cast of secondary characters lends color to the story, including Tom Long, the owner of a Chinatown bookshop; Dr. Ming, an elderly feng-shui expert; Flo Greenfield, a flapper and childhood friend of Russell's; and Ricky Garcia, the scrappy leader of a band of street children employed by Holmes. Eventually Holmes's and Russell's paths converge, bringing them ever closer to uncovering the truth about what really happened to her family --- and who is responsible.
LOCKED ROOMS is a fun, intelligent read and a literary lover's delight. Russell and Holmes are an intriguing, well-matched pair --- both personally and professionally --- and the interplay between them gives the novel much of its spark. Along with the presence of the iconic Hammett, there are references to Arthur Conan Doyle, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and even a contraband copy of ULYSSES.
From the stately Russell family home in Pacific Heights to a wild car chase through the streets of Chinatown, from the history of the 1906 earthquake and its aftereffects to the present age of jazz and Prohibition, Laurie R. King --- a native of northern California --- turns San Francisco into a vibrant backdrop for this compelling caper. Readers of the series will enjoy this journey into Mary Russell's past, and newcomers will find it an engaging introduction.
At one point in the narrative, Hammett says to Holmes, "When you're putting together a story, sometimes you just have to skip over the boring bits." In LOCKED ROOMS, there aren't any.
--- Reviewed by Shannon McKenna
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