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topdragon's review against another edition
4.0
The 9th book in the Kinsey Milhone series marches on although now, due to events in the last book, she works out of a room in a law office instead of an insurance company. This seems like a good move for the series since it will be easier to land interesting cases. This time it's a homicide case handed to her by the lead lawyer in the firm, where the assumed bad guy has already been found innocent in the criminal courts but is now up on civil charges. Everybody assumes he is guilty but hopes to convict him this way. Much like the OJ case. However, as Kinsey's investigation digs deeper, she begins to wonder if he might actually be innocent after all. Add to that some fun suspense builders like the fact that the previous PI working the case dropped dead of a heart attack (or was it something more sinister?) and a cold case drunk driving crime that would have crucial implications for the homicide investigation.
The author does her usual excellent job of plotting and world building in the fictional city of Santa Teresa, California. An interesting side note that I just learned: Santa Teresa is the same fictionalized version of Santa Monica used by Ross Macdonald in a couple of his books back in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
Throughout this novel, we get to follow Kinsey around day-by-day and really minute-by minute as she conducts her investigation. Lots of procedural activity in these books and lots of character interviews and re-interviews. And in the final 25-30 pages the novel turns into a thriller as it reaches its climax.
Another enjoyable book in the series. I plan to continue reading at a 4 per year pace so as to get to the end of the alphabet at about the same time as the author does.
The author does her usual excellent job of plotting and world building in the fictional city of Santa Teresa, California. An interesting side note that I just learned: Santa Teresa is the same fictionalized version of Santa Monica used by Ross Macdonald in a couple of his books back in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
Throughout this novel, we get to follow Kinsey around day-by-day and really minute-by minute as she conducts her investigation. Lots of procedural activity in these books and lots of character interviews and re-interviews. And in the final 25-30 pages the novel turns into a thriller as it reaches its climax.
Another enjoyable book in the series. I plan to continue reading at a 4 per year pace so as to get to the end of the alphabet at about the same time as the author does.
gossamerwingedgazelle's review against another edition
5.0
As always, fantastic! Good story, characters and plot.
hirvimaki's review against another edition
4.0
This is one of the Kinsey books I remember the most from when I first read them. Something about the method of the murder stuck with me for 25 years. (And it made me a tad uncomfortable looking through any door's security peephole since then. Grafton has a sly way of broadening Kinsey's world in this novel - and by that I mean that she set things up for future novels (which I only know because I've read them before). A very good mystery that has one of the best misdirections I've encountered.
jnordgren's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
zarahogy's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
poorcate's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
badseedgirl's review against another edition
4.0
These Kinsey Millhouse novels are the perfect summer reads. Kinsey is in a new office, and is the contractor for a new client. I'm going to miss California Fidelity Insurance and the characters i met there, but change can be good.
I spent this entire story swinging back and forth as to whether David Barney killed his estranged wife. I honestly did not like David Barney. If this book was written today , he would have been labeled a stalker. He even started stalking Kinsey. But does that make him a killer. I was surprised by the answer.
I spent this entire story swinging back and forth as to whether David Barney killed his estranged wife. I honestly did not like David Barney. If this book was written today , he would have been labeled a stalker. He even started stalking Kinsey. But does that make him a killer. I was surprised by the answer.
gabmc's review against another edition
3.0
This book is getting back to the Kinsey Millhone I know and love. After recently being fired from California Fidelity insurance which also meant she lost access to her office, Kinsey has to start again. She rents space from Lonnie Kingman, a local lawyer and ends up being hired by him as well. His previous investigator Morley Shine (you have to love the names!) recently died of a heart attack. The case Lonnie has her working on is the civil trial of David Barney. Barney has been acquitted of the murder of his wife Isabelle. However he is being sued by Isabelle's first husband, Ken Voigt, for wrongful death. As Kinsey once trained with Morley, she is shocked at the state of his files. She has to start again by piecing together who Morley has actually interviewed and what information he has uncovered. Then Kinsey starts to wonder about the timing of Morley's death - and the manner ... was it really a heart attack? As she recreates the night of Isabelle's death, more and more doesn't add up. I also loved the side story featuring her lovely landlord Henry and his brother who has come to stay.