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Laurie R. King

ローリー・R・キング

Rōrī R. Kingu

Pen Names: Leigh Richards（Pseudonym used for a science fiction novel）

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1952-09-19 （Oakland, California, U.S.）
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Residence History
Watsonville, California (in the hills above Monterey Bay)

Career

Occupations
Writer, Author
Active Years
1993-
Memberships
The Baker Street Irregulars
Influenced By
Arthur Conan Doyle
Nominations
Anthony Awards (nominated), Barry Award (nominated), Edgar Awards (additional nominations), Macavity Awards (additional nominations), Orange Prize / Women's Prize for Fiction (nominated), RT Reviewers' Choice Awards (multiple nominations/wins)

Education

University of California, Santa Cruz
Bachelor of Arts (Comparative Religion) / Comparative Religion
Degree: BA
Period: 1973–1977
Year of Graduation: 1977
Country: United States
Graduate Theological Union
Master of Arts (Theology) / Theology
Degree: MA
Period: 1982–1984
Year of Graduation: 1984
Country: United States
Thesis on "Feminine Aspects of Yahweh"
Church Divinity School of the Pacific (honorary doctorate)
Degree: Honorary Doctorate
Country: United States
Received an honorary doctorate

Awards

Edgar Award (Best First Novel)
1994
Work: A Grave Talent
Category: Best First Novel
Organization: Mystery Writers of America
Result: Winner
John Creasey Memorial Award (CWA New Blood Dagger)
1995
Work: A Grave Talent
Organization: Crime Writers' Association
Result: Winner
Nero Award
1996
Work: A Monstrous Regiment of Women
Organization: The Wolfe Pack
Result: Winner
Macavity Award (Best Novel)
2002
Work: Folly
Category: Best Novel
Organization: Mystery Readers International
Result: Winner
Lambda Literary Award (Best Lesbian Mystery)
2007
Work: The Art of Detection
Category: Best Lesbian Mystery
Organization: Lambda Literary
Result: Winner
Agatha Award (Best Historical Novel)
2015
Work: Dreaming Spies
Category: Best Historical Novel
Organization: Malice Domestic
Result: Winner
Edgar Award (Grand Master)
2022
Category: Lifetime Achievement
Organization: Mystery Writers of America
Result: Winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

A Grave Talent

1993 Detective fiction

Laurie R. King's debut novel. A San Francisco-based police/detective story that launched her career.

crimepsychologypolice procedure

The Beekeeper's Apprentice

1994 Historical mystery

First in the Mary Russell series, introducing young Mary Russell and her mentor Sherlock Holmes and beginning their partnership.

mentor-protégé relationshiphistorical settingsdetection

The Art of Detection

2006 Detective fiction

A Kate Martinelli novel that employs multiple perspectives and timelines to unravel a long-standing mystery; notable for LGBT themes and craft of detection.

investigationLGBT themesintersecting timelines

Dreaming Spies

2015 Historical mystery

A Mary Russell novel set with international intrigue and the lingering effects of World War I affecting characters and investigations.

effects of warinternational relationshistorical intrigue

Califia's Daughters

2004 Science fiction

Published under the pen name Leigh Richards; a science fiction novel exploring future societies and feminist perspectives.

future societyfeminism

Bibliography

  • A Grave Talent (1993)
  • The Beekeeper's Apprentice (1994)
  • A Monstrous Regiment of Women (1995)
  • The Art of Detection (2006)
  • Folly (2001)
  • Califia's Daughters (as Leigh Richards) (2004)
  • Dreaming Spies (2015)
  • The Murder of Mary Russell (2016)
  • Island of the Mad (2018)
  • Riviera Gold (2020)
  • Castle Shade (2021)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Mysteries combining detailed description with historical contextHumanist prose emphasizing character development
Recurring Motifs
effects of war on veteransmentor-protégé relationship (Holmes & Russell)women protagonists' growth and exploration

Legacy

Laurie R. King has made significant contributions to contemporary historical mysteries and detective fiction, winning multiple major awards and maintaining critical acclaim for her series; she was named an Edgar Grand Master in 2022.

Academic Societies

  • The Baker Street Irregulars

Archives

  • Ex Libris Archives: Laurie R. King

Trivia

  • Writes under the pen name Leigh Richards for at least one science fiction novel.
  • Received a BA from UC Santa Cruz in 1977.
  • Received an MA from the Graduate Theological Union in 1984; thesis titled "Feminine Aspects of Yahweh."
  • Married to historian Noel Quinton King (1977–2009); has two children.
  • Named an Edgar Award Grand Master in 2022.