I’ve been writing a few blog posts about “the OTHER Laurie R. King” (see the rest here) that talk about why I write those stories that aren’t inside the Russell & Holmes universe. In some cases, the world Russell inhabits is a little too whimsical for the theme I want to explore. Other times I get tired of breathing 1920s air. Or there may be a voice in my head that’s strong and sure and definitely does NOT belong to Miss Russell. And then there’s genre: sometimes the limitations of the traditional mystery begin to chafe.
Which brings me to “Hellbender,” a story I wrote a few years ago for Gardner Dozois and George RR Martin, an “urban noir” piece for a collection called Down These Strange Streets.
It’s a PI story, classic in its gumshoe hard-talk and bottle-in-the-drawer beginning—but far from usual in its protagonists.
I looked across my desk at my new client, wondering what she’d say if I fished out the bottle and offered her a drink.
Might be a little early in the morning, I decided. Might be a little straitlaced.
…
At that, I raised my eyes to hers. They were big and blue and welling with just enough tears to get the message across, but not enough to threaten her makeup. The color had to be some kind of an implant, I thought—although you’d swear her hair was a natural blond.
Interesting fact: People of her kind just weren’t born blond.
…
Interesting fact: People don’t know just how many of us there are. Oh, you may think you do, and you can bet Uncle Sam does, but it didn’t take very many bombings and riots before even the government could see that playing things down might be a smart idea. Once the Supremes turned in their decision regarding our human status, the feds were ready, and pretty much everything about us went away: numbers, characteristics, identities. There’s even the occasional Web rumor that says we’re nothing but a myth, which is fine with me.
And then when his client starts talking about gills…
When genetic engineering, politics, and religious fanaticism meet tough-guy P? Definitely the other Laurie R. King.
**
Merrily Taylor says
May 5, 2017 at 8:48 amI loved that story and would enjoy seeing that world again!
Alice Wright says
May 5, 2017 at 10:51 amI don’t usually read noir, not my sort of thing, but I gave this a go and found it enthralling. I felling for protagonist and would love to read more of his world.
Susan in Las Vegas says
May 5, 2017 at 3:26 pmI bought it way back when. Time to re-read it! I remember that I loved it, and wanted more. (Why aren’t there more?)
Helenmary Cody says
May 5, 2017 at 8:58 pmOK. I’ll bite. It sounds like fun!
And while I love the Russell books, I can perfectly understand why you might want to step out of them once in awhile. I look forward to reading Hellbender!
Louise Clark says
May 6, 2017 at 9:38 amDear Laurie,
I am a huge fan of all your writing but am so frustrated with e-books, as I have neither a Kindle nor a Nook, and am not able to purchase either. Any chance of your e-books coming out in print or audio?
Louise Clark
Laurie King says
May 6, 2017 at 3:31 pmThere are only a few left that are only available as ebooks, and we hope that at some point, those will go into print collections. Sorry!
Laurie
Bradley Harper says
May 7, 2017 at 6:16 amI love noir. The beats in the dialogue and descriptions are unlike anything else. I applaud you writing what YOU want to write, and not just for commercial success. If you’re having fun, the reader most likely is, too!