In Which We Leave Bombay

Half the population of the Thomas Carlyle was leaning on the rails, sweating into their flimsiest garments and glaring down at terra firma, while the great engines throbbed and the sun bellowed its way up the eastern sky.

“There.” Holmes nodded up the docks, past the nearly-completed Gateway, physical assertion of the British Empire’s claim to the lands beyond.

Gateway of India, Wikipedia

Gateway of India, Wikipedia

The Twenties were when the cruise industry got under way, and although luxury liners plied regularly back and forth across the Atlantic, Asia was another matter. Ships took passengers from Europe to India and Australia, but it was more a matter of transportation than entertainment.

So when Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes find themselves on the closest the Far East had to a cruise ship, they are, shall we say, taken aback. Amateur dramatics? Deck tennis? Shuffleboard?

Shuffleboard

Well, no doubt they’ll come up with something to keep their minds busy, during the three weeks to Japan…

*  *

27 days until Dreaming Spies! Other posts about writing and researching the book can be seen here, or you can read a long excerpt here

You can pre-order a signed copy from Poisoned Pen Books or Bookshop Santa Cruz, and unsigned or e-books from IndiebooksAmazon/Kindle, or Barnes & Noble/Nook.

My upcoming events are here.

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2 Comments

  1. Merrily Taylor on January 21, 2015 at 6:26 am

    Having been privileged to read an ARC, I know that they do indeed keep themselves occupied – people have such a treat in store!
    One of the things I enjoyed so much about this book (no spoilers) is that for once we’re in a country where Holmes is a stranger, too, and it’s great fun to see them both figuring out the culture and language…

  2. The Bold Flying Officer on January 21, 2015 at 2:30 pm

    Do I espy the RMS (Royal Mail Ship) Queen Mary as the location for the deck sports illustration?
    I’m agog with anticipation.
    Mike aka TBFO

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