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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN num: 9780553574555
ISBN number: 0553574558
Label: Crimeline
Manufacturer: Crimeline
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 320
Printing Date: June 01, 1996
Publishing house: Crimeline
Release Date: May 01, 1996
Sale Popularity Level: 186527
Studio: Crimeline
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
Celebrated author Laurie R. King dazzles mystery lovers once again in this, her second Kate Martinelli mystery. The story unfolds as a band of homeless people cremate a beloved dog in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. When it comes to incidents like this, the authorities are willing to overlook a few broken
regulations. But three weeks later, after the dog's owner gets the same fiery send-off, the SFPD knows it has a serious problem on its hands. Other than the fact that they're dealing with a particularly grisly homicide, Inspector Kate Martinelli and her partner, Al Hawkin, have little else to go on. They have a homeless victim without a positive ID, a group of witnesses who have little love for the cops, and a possible suspect, known only as Brother Erasmus. Kate
learns that Erasmus is well-acquainted with the park's homeless and with the rarefied atmosphere of Berkeley's Graduate Theological Union, yet he remains an enigma to all. It's apparent that he is by no means crazy--but he is a fool. Kate begins the frustrating task of interrogating a man who communicates only
through quotations. Trying to learn something of his history leads her along a twisting road to a disbanded cult, long-buried secrets, the thirst for spirituality, and the hunger for bloody vengeance.
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers 
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I really enjoyed this book. I was looking for another mystery from Ms. King after reading A Grave Talent and this one kinda was but not really. You don't really know who the killer is until the end but this book is more about the process of a tragic human being. I'm not going to go into a plot summary since so many others have already did this on Amazon. But I was fascinated with the characters. Ms. King writes such rich, complex characters. Throughout this series she has been letting you see more and more into the characters. I agree with others that I had hoped that Al was in this book more but I do realize that Kate is the main lead character of the series. This book I really got into the secondary characaters. Ms. King explores their mind sets and why they do what they do. There are some twists in the book that you don't see coming which are reasonable and logical in the book. I would highly recommend this book.
Rated by buyers 
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Laurie R. King's knowledge of California, religous movements, the GTU (if only they had a church music program..."sigh"), and her skill in creating enigmatic and fascinating characters combine to create one of those fantastic late-night page turners wherein you know you needed to go to bed three hours ago, but you just can't put it down.
Rated by buyers -
To Play the Fool is the second of a series of mystery novels by Laurie King that feature the San Francisco homicide detective Kate Martinelli. The very first book, A Grave Talent, was an Edgar Award winner.
This book picks up about a year after the first, and finds Martinelli and her partner Al Hawken investigating the death of a homeless man in Golden Gate Park. There are no witnesses or evidence, but an enigmatic old man called Brother Erasmus who speaks only in quotations becomes a prime suspect. Quickly the story changes from a homicide investigation to an endeavor to find out about the mysterious Erasmus, who is either a saintly fool or mentally ill.
Laurie King is in her element as the scholarly street person quotes from the Bible and Shakespeare to answer all questions, leaving the two worldly detectives to puzzle over his meaning. Either he killed the man, or he knows who did. They must find a way to make him talk in a way that will make sense to the legal system to solve the crime.
As with A Grave Talent, King creates wonderfully complex characters that draw the reader into the story. Also her plot is sufficiently complex to keep you guessing. I fell in love with the kindly Brother Erasmus and the people who were drawn to him. A delightful story that is well told.
Rated by buyers -
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. The well-developed characters make the mystery. Each character has a unique quality that, when intertwined they manage to draw a full spectrum of emotions from the reader. Not one of the characters is underdeveloped, which means the characters themselves pull you into the mystery.
My only complaint would be the ending. But in all fairness, I appear to have issues with the endings to a great many of the books I read lately. My issue this time is with the character who, in the end, "breaks character."
Rated by buyers -
This is Laurie R. King's second Kate Martinelli book, and it's a well-chosen follow-up to her previous novel. Slimmer and more concise than the sometimes-wordy very first volume, this book places its focus on Brother Erasmus, a homeless preacher, committed Fool, murder suspect, and one of the most interesting characters in recent popular fiction.
When a much-loathed panhandler is found partially cremated in Golden Gate Park, all the evidence points to Brother Erasmus. After all, the two had butted heads in the past; the disposition of the body mirrors how Erasmus took care of a beloved dog; and Erasmus is incapable of defending himself, since he speaks only in quotes. But somehow Brother Erasmus, both gentle and crafty, doesn't feel right for the crime. Did someone else really do it, or is Kate losing her edge and getting sentimental?
Brother Erasmus is surely one of the most interesting characters in ANY genre of fiction in the last several years. He feels like someone you know and want to trust, but he also remains enigmatic. And Kate's efforts to crack his shell reveal as much about her as they reveal about him.
As in the previous book, character is more important than crime. The resolution of the mystery is almost an afterthought; indeed, the mystery itself is important mainly to introduce us to Brother Erasmus. Not everyone will like this style, which more closely resembles mainstream literary fiction than most paperback mystery. But for readers willing to invest themselves in the story and the characters, this is one of the most interesting and promising character-driven stories published in over a decade. Highly recommended for mystery fans and newbies, this novel is one that will sit in a treasured place on your shelf for years to come.
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