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1924: An Earthquake of San Francisco destroys yet reveals secrets
Locked Rooms (Mary Russell 9)
What you need to know before your trail
In 1924, San Francisco is booming. The great fire and earthquake of 1906 cleared the ground for a modern city, but the closer she comes to the place she used to call home, the more troubling Mary Russell’s dreams become. As Russell and her husband, the great detective Sherlock Holmes, attempt to settle their affairs in the City by the Bay, Mary’s past isn’t the only thing that catches up with them – a mysterious stranger is waiting for the pair, and may be the only one who holds the key to the locked rooms that have been haunting Mary’s dreams…
Locations
Reset- America/ USA - California - San Francisco
- A: St. Francis hotel
- B: Union Square
- C: China Town - Grant Ave
- D: Post/Powell Street
- E: Pacific Heights - Filmore Street
- F: Golden Gate Park
- G: San Francisco Fire Department Museum
Travel Guide
San Francisco
We came at last to my childhood home , the West’s biggest, youngest city, which spread over the end of a Peninsula between ocean and bay. Eighty years ago, a ship coming through the Golden gate would have seen nothing but a handful of India shacks clustered around a crumbling mission. Then in 1848, John Marshall picked up a gleaming lump of yellow metal from a creek near Sutter’s Mill, and the world came pouring in.
Mary Russell comes back to her childhood home of San Francisco following the earthquake of 1906 and the fire which charred and destroyed much of the city. She returns to her family home which has been shut up all these years.
Union Square
“Union Square was full of other citizens enjoying the sunshine” It’s here that she recognizes the sound that symbolizes the city of San Francisco – the noise of the tram cars. The noise puts her into some sort of trance and takes her back to her childhood and her memories. She gets very vivid memories of the city and modern day smells such as petrol perfume and perspiration. Quite the mix!
China Town
Much of the story takes place here and looks the community and people who live there. This is where Mr Long and his wife lived who play a major role in the story and in the family affairs of the Russell Family.
“The changes had not erased the essential nature of Chinatown. This was a place apart, a small intricately crafted miniature city with rules and mores all of its own. the air here was not the same as that outside of its borders; the people moved differently.”
Streetview Maps
A) San Fransisco - St Francis hotel/ Union Square
C) San Francisco - Grant Avenue
Booktrailer Review
Susan: @thebooktrailer
The first in the series I’ve read and now I’m annoyed at myself for not finding this fine series before now! I’ve now gone out and bought five in the series and am hoping to get more soon. The only thing I didn’t like about the book was the small print. But everything else I loved!
A clever idea first of all to have Sherlock Holmes as the husband of the main character. Mary Russell has enough mystery and secrets about her as anyone. And going back to her family home, having dreams about locked rooms, wanting to find out what really happened when her family died in a car crash on the San Francisco hills.
The story has so much history and depth to it it’s like falling back in time and seeing, smelling, experiencing the city after the earthquake and fire. Boy, is this novel immersive or what. It’s a great reading experience as the city is fascinating and the history blends into the story and vice versa very nicely indeed. Seamless even.
The mystery is nicely done and weaves in and out a bit like those trams through the streets. Mary has a lot of questions to answer and the story involving the lovely Long family from China town was one of my favourite threads. Their story, how it all began was touching and represents I’m sure much of the camaraderie from that time.
A real favourite this one. Can’t wait to dive into the series as a whole!
Booktrail Boarding Pass: Locked Rooms (Mary Russell 9)
Destination : San Francisco Author/Guide: Laurie R. King Departure Time: 1924
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