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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
Well-we're coming close to the end of the alphabet and our time with Kinsey Millhone. Just finished the book and read many of the negative reviews it got. I love mysteries and am okay with the fact that I usually can't see what's coming. Had this one figured out about 1/2 way through, but that doesn't mean I still spent my afternoon reading to get to the end.
" a remorseless serial killer who leaves no trace of his crimes. Once again breaking the rules and establishing new paths, Grafton wastes little time identifying this sociopath. The test is whether Kinsey can prove her case against him before she becomes his next victim."
" a remorseless serial killer who leaves no trace of his crimes. Once again breaking the rules and establishing new paths, Grafton wastes little time identifying this sociopath. The test is whether Kinsey can prove her case against him before she becomes his next victim."
I haven't read all the Alphabet books, but have picked them up here and there over the years. They are, by default, the books my husband and I download for long road trips because they're straightforward mysteries that don't pull punches, are fun to listen to, and all tie up cleanly at the end.
This one was not as much fun as the others we've listened to. It rambled on about the irrigation problems of the neighbors and had so many loose ends that I had trouble keeping it all in line - and even more trouble caring about the case, which she wasn't even hired to do! I was disappointed, but it won't keep me from picking up others in the series. (We've never read any of them in order and don't have issues picking and choosing at random.)
This one was not as much fun as the others we've listened to. It rambled on about the irrigation problems of the neighbors and had so many loose ends that I had trouble keeping it all in line - and even more trouble caring about the case, which she wasn't even hired to do! I was disappointed, but it won't keep me from picking up others in the series. (We've never read any of them in order and don't have issues picking and choosing at random.)
And this finishes my 2024 Alphabet Reading Challenge! A - Z fun ... #ilovelists
‘X’ by Sue Grafton is one of the best I’ve read in the Kinsey Millhone detective series! (Readers must start with [b:A Is for Alibi|64863|A Is for Alibi (Kinsey Millhone #1)|Sue Grafton|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388198817l/64863._SY75_.jpg|1299178].) Besides being written, as usual, in a first-person narration that showcases Kinsey’s process of procedural detection, Grafton also manages to show Kinsey’s cynical nature along with her amusement in her exacting observations. The two cases Kinsey solves in this novel are intricate and extremely interesting. There are some brief 1980-ish infodumps that are perhaps not welcome for some 21st-century mystery genre readers, though. Kinsey is a character who lives and solves cases in the 1980’s throughout all 25 books in the series. Grafton has always given Kinsey space to have friends, and issues from her personal life in every book in the series, too.
I have copied the book blurb:
”An inventive plot and incisive character studies elevate MWA Grand Master Grafton’s twenty-fourth Kinsey Millhone novel...This superior outing will remind readers why this much-loved series will be missed as the end of the alphabet approaches.”— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
The number ten. An unknown quantity. A mistake. A cross. A kiss...
Perhaps Sue Grafton’s darkest and most chilling novel, X features a remorseless serial killer who leaves no trace of his crimes. Once again breaking the rules and establishing new paths, Grafton wastes little time identifying this deadly sociopath. The test is whether private investigator Kinsey Millhone can prove her case against him—before she becomes his next victim.”
Like most writers who are becoming elderly (sorry if I am not being politically correct, but I am an elder myself), Grafton became a little bit openly garrulous/opinionated in her writing of later books, as I see I also am in my reviews if I re-read them months later. However, Kinsey’s procedural voice is still there in these novels.
Real life experiences and feelings from a long life seem to erupt from authors’ (and many elderly people) memories when they are telling stories. Without an editor, authors (and old people) can’t seem to stop themselves from putting into conversations off-topic memories, thoughts, knowledge and feelings of their real lives that popped up in their heads while discussing something else. I have seen this in many series where books come out over a period of twenty years, one every year or so. Anne Rice and Stephen King imho was/is guilty of this increasing tendency to infodump either with off-topic or distracting subjects in their books. I also do this in talking to people, or in writing GR book reviews, this review of mine being a particular case in point I suppose. But you all know this by now if, gentler reader, you are a follower of my reviews...
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The novel ends on a cliffhanger I think, so I have eagerly checked out the next book in the series, ‘Y’. Although I had originally planned to participate in most of the book selections of my various Goodreads reading clubs for this month, I guess I am delaying picking up those books for now. I had gotten curious to see if Grafton had been able to complete more books in the Millhone series so I looked it up. I had been caught up, but that had been a few years ago. I have always loved this series. I grew up alongside Kinsey Millhone. Her era of the 1980’s was when I was in my late 20’s/30’s too. Kinsey, I think, is about 38 or so in this novel. Grafton nails the period perfectly.
https://youtu.be/JnxTT7XXMPA?si=8BlqCnoLl8PAe6Bm
I have copied the book blurb:
”An inventive plot and incisive character studies elevate MWA Grand Master Grafton’s twenty-fourth Kinsey Millhone novel...This superior outing will remind readers why this much-loved series will be missed as the end of the alphabet approaches.”— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
The number ten. An unknown quantity. A mistake. A cross. A kiss...
Perhaps Sue Grafton’s darkest and most chilling novel, X features a remorseless serial killer who leaves no trace of his crimes. Once again breaking the rules and establishing new paths, Grafton wastes little time identifying this deadly sociopath. The test is whether private investigator Kinsey Millhone can prove her case against him—before she becomes his next victim.”
Like most writers who are becoming elderly (sorry if I am not being politically correct, but I am an elder myself), Grafton became a little bit openly garrulous/opinionated in her writing of later books, as I see I also am in my reviews if I re-read them months later. However, Kinsey’s procedural voice is still there in these novels.
Real life experiences and feelings from a long life seem to erupt from authors’ (and many elderly people) memories when they are telling stories. Without an editor, authors (and old people) can’t seem to stop themselves from putting into conversations off-topic memories, thoughts, knowledge and feelings of their real lives that popped up in their heads while discussing something else. I have seen this in many series where books come out over a period of twenty years, one every year or so. Anne Rice and Stephen King imho was/is guilty of this increasing tendency to infodump either with off-topic or distracting subjects in their books. I also do this in talking to people, or in writing GR book reviews, this review of mine being a particular case in point I suppose. But you all know this by now if, gentler reader, you are a follower of my reviews...
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The novel ends on a cliffhanger I think, so I have eagerly checked out the next book in the series, ‘Y’. Although I had originally planned to participate in most of the book selections of my various Goodreads reading clubs for this month, I guess I am delaying picking up those books for now. I had gotten curious to see if Grafton had been able to complete more books in the Millhone series so I looked it up. I had been caught up, but that had been a few years ago. I have always loved this series. I grew up alongside Kinsey Millhone. Her era of the 1980’s was when I was in my late 20’s/30’s too. Kinsey, I think, is about 38 or so in this novel. Grafton nails the period perfectly.
https://youtu.be/JnxTT7XXMPA?si=8BlqCnoLl8PAe6Bm
Nearing the end of the Alphabet Series, I've been contemplating doing it again! I just love these books. But this one . . . once will probably be enough. The story is engaging, as most all of the previous ones have been. But the entire time I felt physically ill because I had a Ned Lowe in my life for a long time. It's a pisser it's been almost thirty years and it still has that effect on me. Such is the way with the Ned Lowes of the world.
The book has lots of twists, turns and "Ah HA!" moments, which I love, but the sub-plot involving Henry and his new neighbors is almost the best part!
The one thing I'm not enjoying in the last few offerings of the series is the constant onslaught of spoiled, entitled, self-righteous jerks. People who are old enough to know better, but missed the Maturity Train at some point. It's all part of the story, and it isn't like it's out of place, but sometimes I wish Kinsey would do or say something. No, it wouldn't do any good, just as in real life, but it might be fun to see how [a:Sue Grafton|9559|Sue Grafton|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1319510564p2/9559.jpg] would write such a scene.
The book has lots of twists, turns and "Ah HA!" moments, which I love, but the sub-plot involving Henry and his new neighbors is almost the best part!
The one thing I'm not enjoying in the last few offerings of the series is the constant onslaught of spoiled, entitled, self-righteous jerks. People who are old enough to know better, but missed the Maturity Train at some point. It's all part of the story, and it isn't like it's out of place, but sometimes I wish Kinsey would do or say something. No, it wouldn't do any good, just as in real life, but it might be fun to see how [a:Sue Grafton|9559|Sue Grafton|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1319510564p2/9559.jpg] would write such a scene.
At this point in the series, each new novel is like visiting an old friend. While you can read any of the books and not feel as though you’re missing much, that little you will feel you miss makes the story a lot richer. This story is no exception.
As is her trend as of late, this book has two main (and a few sub) plots. The first is the case she takes on and the second is a task from her personal life. The Case, finding the recently release bank robber for the mother who gave him up for adoption decades ago, is over in short order. It then turns into something more than a case. The task from her personal life is following up on leads from a late PI with whom she was acquainted. One of the blurbs on the back cited the villain from that plot was the most disturbing ever. The reviewer must not read the same book I do. While by no means a paragon of virtue, the dude wasn’t nearly as frightening as he could have been.
A third plot is her elderly new neighbors and the “more than meets the eye” trait they have. This was a good contrast with the characters in the case plot. Both sets aren’t what they seem.
I always find the endings of these books a little anticlimactic. But the characters are so great and I’ve come to love them so much that it doesn’t bother me.
As is her trend as of late, this book has two main (and a few sub) plots. The first is the case she takes on and the second is a task from her personal life. The Case, finding the recently release bank robber for the mother who gave him up for adoption decades ago, is over in short order. It then turns into something more than a case. The task from her personal life is following up on leads from a late PI with whom she was acquainted. One of the blurbs on the back cited the villain from that plot was the most disturbing ever. The reviewer must not read the same book I do. While by no means a paragon of virtue, the dude wasn’t nearly as frightening as he could have been.
A third plot is her elderly new neighbors and the “more than meets the eye” trait they have. This was a good contrast with the characters in the case plot. Both sets aren’t what they seem.
I always find the endings of these books a little anticlimactic. But the characters are so great and I’ve come to love them so much that it doesn’t bother me.
Long time fan, stickin' to the end, love that Kinsey girl.
When I started this book I though, oh ho hum, another Kinsey Millhone story, more of the same. But, you know what? This one is better than the last few and Sue Grafton is definitely not coasting towards the letter Z. Well written, with some of the same characters and settings, but new ones, too, and enough of a mystery to keep me guessing.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
This might be the first Grafton book I’ve read. I’m on a long trip and before I left I raided all the nearby “Little Free Libraries” (and a few along the way). Did you know you can search Google maps for them? Anyway, I had a hard time keeping all the characters straight in this book. Plus there seemed to be three separate stories, so not just characters, but the plot was hard to follow. I kept thinking somehow at the end the author would tie them all together, but that didn’t happen. There are just three separate stories that don’t intersect in any way. (I don’t consider this a spoiler because it’s pretty obvious from the book jacket.). I now think that maybe I expected something different. In a Grafton novel (or at least this one) the oh-so-cute first person female detective is the main attraction, not the mystery. It’s about her gritty observations on life, her resourceful strategies, her poverty-chic lifestyle and her wacky friends that are the point of the book. Not to mention excellent advice for would-be private detectives like making sure you pee before a stakeout, and always start a car chase with a full tank of gas. One thing I found annoying: Grafton (or her protagonist) loves long descriptions of scenery, like describing people and places, usually having no bearing on the story. Yes, I know detail adds realism, but for me in this case it was just “skim-over-this -paragraph” tedious