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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
I looked at this book on the shelf for I kid you not, 30 years and never thought to read it. My mother bought it from some book club or another during her Let's Explore Book Genres phase (which was awesome because I mean, how many people get the opportunity to embark on a quest to Read All The Things?) and it sat on a shelf in the house I grew up in, alongside other books I grew to know and love, but I never picked it up. I could tell you who wrote it and what it looked like because it was a beloved piece of scenery, but that's about it. A month ago, my mom gave me a huge pile of books to paperbackswap, and this was one of them. I listed it with a wistful sigh and stuck it in a box. A week ago, someone ordered it, so I pulled it from the box, and flipped through the first few pages... then I canceled the order and inhaled the book. This book now lives on my shelves permanently.
Murder mysteries are not my favorite genre, but I like them well enough now and again. Published in 1986, this book seems to have been in the vanguard of tough, no nonsense badass female private investigators who drink a little too much, have hard luck backstories and no luck with men. The heroine here is a loner; terse, highly-observant, capable, and stuborn, and recovering from an injury we assume has been sustained in a previous volume. She can also be hard-headed, though she seems to know when to listen rather than speak in the service of her investigations. She's unafraid of voicing unladylike opinions and loyal to a fault. That I just told you more about her that I know about some of my friends tells you that this character was beautifully drawn.
The mystery was fun(if tragic), the story was short, supporting characters believable. not all likeable. My main complaint was that the end was somewhat abrupt, but that's a very small complaint. I may not hunt down the rest of the books in this series right now, but if I ever feel the need for another murder mystery helmed by a hard-boiled female detective, I may indeed come back to it.
Of note, the very 1986 references to aerobics and leotards and "health food restaurants" (and HA, Telex) are not so overpowering as to render the story hopelessly unrelatable, and instead serve as amusing reminders of a time before cel phones and under armour. :)
Murder mysteries are not my favorite genre, but I like them well enough now and again. Published in 1986, this book seems to have been in the vanguard of tough, no nonsense badass female private investigators who drink a little too much, have hard luck backstories and no luck with men. The heroine here is a loner; terse, highly-observant, capable, and stuborn, and recovering from an injury we assume has been sustained in a previous volume. She can also be hard-headed, though she seems to know when to listen rather than speak in the service of her investigations. She's unafraid of voicing unladylike opinions and loyal to a fault. That I just told you more about her that I know about some of my friends tells you that this character was beautifully drawn.
The mystery was fun(if tragic), the story was short, supporting characters believable. not all likeable. My main complaint was that the end was somewhat abrupt, but that's a very small complaint. I may not hunt down the rest of the books in this series right now, but if I ever feel the need for another murder mystery helmed by a hard-boiled female detective, I may indeed come back to it.
Of note, the very 1986 references to aerobics and leotards and "health food restaurants" (and HA, Telex) are not so overpowering as to render the story hopelessly unrelatable, and instead serve as amusing reminders of a time before cel phones and under armour. :)
While the last chase seemed a tad unlikely, I enjoyed this story a lot. This case is about a guy who you know in the first couple of pages has already died.
This is my second reading of C if for Corpse. I forgot how funny Kinsey could be!
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The classic sort of twist and intense scenes that Grafton is known for are so descriptive and thrilling. I wish more of the ending had been fleshed out; it felt a bit rushed. I liked the minor plots with Jonah and Henry. It helped with pacing.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I really enjoy Kinsey's observations of people's homes and appearances. And I enjoy the methodical persistence as opposed to the dumb luck stories of some other series.
The mystery had me changing my mind about who did it until the end.
I do wish some loose ends had been tied up better at the end. The end seemed a little rushed. Unlike the rest of the book, which is in "real time," the conclusion is summed up in past tense.
Nonetheless, a good page turner that's a reliable read in between riskier gambles.
The mystery had me changing my mind about who did it until the end.
I do wish some loose ends had been tied up better at the end. The end seemed a little rushed. Unlike the rest of the book, which is in "real time," the conclusion is summed up in past tense.
Nonetheless, a good page turner that's a reliable read in between riskier gambles.
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
fast-paced
Lovely story where Kinsey gets emotionally involved with her client. When he is killed, she continues to investigate to finds out who is behind it.