Laurie R. King

Laurie R. King (born September 19, 1952) is an American author best known for her detective fiction.

Life and career

Laurie was born in Oakland, California, earned a degree in comparative religion from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1977 and a masters in theology from the Graduate Theological Union in 1984, where her thesis was on "Feminine Aspects of Yahweh". She later received an honorary doctorate from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific.

Among King's books are the Mary Russell series of historical mysteries, featuring Sherlock Holmes as her mentor and later partner, and a series featuring Kate Martinelli, a fictional lesbian police officer in San Francisco, California. Using the pseudonym "Leigh Richards", she has published a futuristic novel, Califia's Daughters (2004).

King's first book, A Grave Talent (1993), received the 1994 Edgar Award for Best First Novel and a 1995 John Creasey Memorial Award. This was followed by the 1996 Nero Award, for A Monstrous Regiment of Women, the 2002 Macavity Award for Best Novel, for Folly, and the 2007 Lambda Award for Best Lesbian Mystery, for The Art of Detection. She has also been nominated for an Agatha, two Anthonys, a Barry, two additional Edgars, another Macavity, an Orange Prize, and four RT Reviewers' Choice Awards.