{{Short description|Novel by Laurie R. King}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox book | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Novels or Wikipedia:WikiProject Books --> | name = To Play the Fool | title_orig = | translator = | image = To Play the Fool.jpg | caption = | author = Laurie R. King | illustrator = | cover_artist = | country = United States | language = English | series = Kate Martinelli series | genre = | publisher = St. Martin's Press | release_date = 1995 | english_release_date = | media_type = Print (hardback & paperback) | pages = 260 | isbn = 978-0-312-11907-2 | oclc = 34963280 | preceded_by = A Grave Talent | followed_by = With Child }}
'''''To Play the Fool''''' is the second book in the Kate Martinelli series by Laurie R. King.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/laurie-r-king/to-play-the-fool/ | title=TO PLAY THE FOOL | Kirkus Reviews }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780553574555 | title=To Play the Fool by Laurie R. King }}</ref> Preceded by ''A Grave Talent'' and followed by the novel ''With Child'', it describes the investigation into the murder of a homeless man.
==Plot summary== A homeless man is murdered and Kate must determine the culprit's identity. Everything seems to point to a man whom the homeless community regards as an important religious figure.
==Characters in ''To Play the Fool''== *Kate Martinelli is a member of the San Francisco Police Department. *Lee Cooper is Kate's lover. *Al Hawkin is Kate's partner at work.
==Allusions/references to other works== The title is taken from William Shakespeare's ''Twelfth Night'' (Act 3, scene 1), in which Feste the jester is described as "wise enough to play the fool."
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == * [http://www.laurierking.com/ Laurie R. King official website] * [http://www.laurierking.com/books/kate-martinelli/to-play-the-fool-1995 ''To Play the Fool'' at Laurie King's website]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:To Play The Fool}} Category:1995 American novels Category:Kate Martinelli (novel series) Category:Fictional portrayals of the San Francisco Police Department
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