The Only One in the World: “A Study in Lavender” by JM Redmann
I was so fortunate and delighted that several very well-known and highly respected crime authors agreed to take part in this anthology, sharing not only their wonderful writing and elements of their own backgrounds and experience but, in the case of JM Redmann, one of their own creations.
Making a cameo appearance in ‘A Study in Lavender’ is Jean’s New Orleans private detective, Micky Knight, who has featured in ten novels since 1990. In her Clan Destine interview, Jean notes that she enjoyed having fun with this story, since her novels tend towards seriousness – and a lot of fun is being had here.
‘A Study in Lavender’ is set during Mardi Gras and has the exuberance to match. Sherrod Locke (Shirle-Locke) Holmes – as much at home in drag as in a flash suit and with all the flamboyance, focus and sharp intelligence we expect from a Holmes in any guise. His friend-and-colleague (and co-home-owner) is teacher-turned bartender Jane Watson, who narrates with some of canon Watson’s “pawky humour”.
Their reimagining in the LGBTQ community of New Orleans is incredibly vivid, full of the kind of colourful oddballs that populated Conan Doyle’s stories. It’s an absolute treat!
If you’re intrigued, take a look at Jean’s interview about her story on Clan Destine Press, where she answers three questions about writing her story – the most unexpected thing she learned while writing it, her favourite thing about writing it, and what is quintessentially American about her Holmes and Watson.
You can buy The Only One in the World at Clan Destine Press right now.
More about Jean:
Jean has published 10 novels featuring New Orleans PI Micky Knight. The first Micky Knight book, Death by the Riverside (1990) was one of the early hard-boiled lesbian detective novels. The latest in the series is Not Dead Enough (2020).
Her books have won many awards including three Lambda Literary awards, which highlight works which celebrate or explore LGBT themes. Jean has also co-edited three anthologies with Greg Herren (who wrote ‘The Affair of the Purloined Rent Boy’ in The Only One in the World).