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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
After years of living this series I was very disappointed with this book. Those who work undertake policing/detective work in real life tend to be exasperated by the way fiction omits all the tedious detail. Unfortunately it's all included in this book. I kept checking how much further there was to go! And frankly when we got there? I still wasn't impressed.
There are some serious editing issues here overlaying a major lack of plot. I gave it an extra half star for old times sake.
There are some serious editing issues here overlaying a major lack of plot. I gave it an extra half star for old times sake.
I remember when I used to love this series, and couldn't wait for the next one. Alas, that is no longer the case. I just don't enjoy it any more. I will make myself finish it, though, just to see how it ends with Y and Z.
I liked this book best of all the recent ones I have read... at least the ones since, like Q or S. The interweaving of multiple mysteries keeps the book moving along really well right from the start. I also like how my perception of the people changes as the story progresses: in some ways everyone's goodness is a shade of gray rather than black or white.
If I were writing an essay about this book, I'd focus on how the various things Kinsey investigates act as foils for each other, but I'm not likely to go off and write an essay about this book. There are too many other books I could be reading in that time instead.
I'm really looking forward to reading the next book in this series, whenever it gets written. I'll wait...
If I were writing an essay about this book, I'd focus on how the various things Kinsey investigates act as foils for each other, but I'm not likely to go off and write an essay about this book. There are too many other books I could be reading in that time instead.
I'm really looking forward to reading the next book in this series, whenever it gets written. I'll wait...
Good but not great. Kinsey seems to have lost her ...... Something. I cannot but my finger on it. Spunkiness? Grit? Energy? Definitely, she has lost her love life. Maybe she is getting old, I have been reading about her for 30+ years. This story was not much mystery, more just telling of events.
There's a trend in this series's later books - the case/mystery described by the publisher is only one of two or three (it seems) covered in the story. In this latest installment, X, Grafton's woman detective uncovers a serial killer based on a different PI's preliminary work, exposes an art heist, and counterfeit money makes an appearance.
The serial killer storyline is written into the bigger, in my opinion, case Kinsey is working on which is the art heist. The serial killer part of the book concludes the book but it doesn't dominate the book overall. I looked up "words that start with X" and Grafton was stuck regarding this letter. It's pretty obvious why she just called the title X and let it lie.
As seems to be the case with this series, I don't have anything new to say about this title. It was predictable as the series has been and the Millhone character falls into that predictability as well.
The serial killer storyline is written into the bigger, in my opinion, case Kinsey is working on which is the art heist. The serial killer part of the book concludes the book but it doesn't dominate the book overall. I looked up "words that start with X" and Grafton was stuck regarding this letter. It's pretty obvious why she just called the title X and let it lie.
As seems to be the case with this series, I don't have anything new to say about this title. It was predictable as the series has been and the Millhone character falls into that predictability as well.
The storyline wasn't one of Sue Grafton's strongest, so only 3 stars. This aside, I enjoyed my trip back to the 80s - We left our mobile phones, PC and the internet behind, so the investigation needed to be cleverer than just a Google search. It was good to spend quality time with private eye Kinsey - not done that for a while... also good to relive the time period (Oh, I've already said that...)! I especially liked the digs at office computerisation, which is being introduced - slowly
These used to be fun summer reads for me: read a couple, then a couple years later read a couple more.
I almost abandoned this one. Not sure what’s changed. There was a ton of deception and people not being what you think. I liked the rich couple/art story line. And I like that Pete got a bit redeemed, but …. Reading was sometimes a chore.
Hey: they called out the defeat of Jesse James in Northfield MN at one point. There’s still an annual celebration in that town: The Defeat of Jesse James Days. I’d rather sit through the reenactment a few 100 times than reread this book.
The big dilemma…. I abandoned Y…. Do I try Z?
I’ll save that dilemma for a different summer.
I almost abandoned this one. Not sure what’s changed. There was a ton of deception and people not being what you think. I liked the rich couple/art story line. And I like that Pete got a bit redeemed, but …. Reading was sometimes a chore.
Hey: they called out the defeat of Jesse James in Northfield MN at one point. There’s still an annual celebration in that town: The Defeat of Jesse James Days. I’d rather sit through the reenactment a few 100 times than reread this book.
The big dilemma…. I abandoned Y…. Do I try Z?
I’ll save that dilemma for a different summer.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I hadn’t read the other books in this series. I mainly picked it up because I needed an X for a reading challenge. However, being that this was the 24th book in the series I enjoyed it as a stand-alone. There was a ton going on so you for sure have to be following along to keep up between the neighbors issues, her cases and the false information she gets, her helping friends, breakins, etc. there is just a lot going on. I wish she would have caught Ned Lowe, but I did enjoy the book and may have to start at A.