He Huli ʻUlaʻula: A Study in Scarlet

Dear Reader, When first I left my home of Worcester, Massachusetts, in the fair hills and glens of New England, I had no idea that I would be caught up in chronicling the adventures of my cousin, Lydia Kamakaʻimiʻike Kāwau Holmes. Her Father was Brother to my Mother, but the relationship had grown so distant that I was in greatest trepidation during the entirety of my voyage to her isles, and entirely unsure of what welcome I should receive. None in Worcester had mentioned this Uncle, nor his daughter, to me, and so I was ignorant of the relationship until after the death of both my parents and I was instructed to pack all of my belongings to leave my dear home.
Fevronia H. Watkins

"Through the eyes of Kamaka and Fevronia, the enchanting heroines of the story, the author D. Leilehua Yuen embarks on a journey that takes the reader to a transitional period in Hawaiian history; accurately recounting the social paradigm of the day into a tapestry of spectacular colors interwoven with mystery "
Lucia
Author of Daughters of Haumea"

EXCERPTED FROM THE FORWARD

As a Sherlockian, the father of five daughters, and a resident of Hawai'i, I am delighted that you, dear reader, have chosen to discover this unique version of A Study in Scarlet (He Huli ʻUlaʻula). It is always a treat to read The Canon (the original 4 novels and 56 short stories about Sherlock Holmes) and the many pastiches it has inspired. But it is a further joy when young ladies are strong and clever as they come of age in such a story set in the late 19th century. The fact that all this is happening in Hawaiʻi is a cultural cherry on this special Sherlockian sundae.

In the spirit of The Grand Game played by Sherlockians around the globe, I feel a special obligation to recognize the "literary agent" involved with this effort. Her name is D. Leilehua Yuen and she is a fellow member of The Shaka Sherlockians of Hawai'i. Leilehua is a noted Hawaiian historian, educator, artist, and author. This is her first work of fiction-excuse me, her first foray into The Grand Game. As the literary agent Sir Arthur Conan Doyle brought to life the words of Dr. John Watson, so Leilehua Yuen brings to life the words of Miss Fevronia Watkins, chronicler of Miss Lydia Kamakaʻimiʻike Kāwau Holmes.

He Huli ʻUlaʻula (A Study in Scarlet) is a timeless adventure which will be embraced by both young adults and adults. The theme of friendship between cousins Fevronia and Kamaka shines through in much the same way it dominates and threads all the stories of The Canon. Readers will learn more about life in late 19th century Monarchial Hawaiʻi, while reinforcing their love of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John H. Watson.

Yes, the game is indeed afoot...but this time in Hawaiʻi
Dr. Joseph T. Page Jr.
Gasogene - The Shaka Sherlockians of Hawai'i
Author of The Kingdom Queen: A Medieval Novella
November 2020

This first in the Fevronia Watkins series, He Huli ʻUlaʻula takes place during the reign of Ka Lani Kāwika Kalākaua, the penultimate monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Step back into that romantic era when the Hawaiian flag flew over an independent kingdom nestled in the vast Pacific.