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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
mysterious
tense
medium-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
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-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
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The 19th book in the Kinsey Millhone series proved once again that the author is not content to simply repeat the formula of earlier novels and rest on her laurels. This time, Kinsey is hired to solve a cold case of a missing person named Violet Sullivan who disappeared 34 years previously. Most people assume Violet is dead but Violet’s daughter holds out hope that she simply ran away from her abusive husband and so hires Kinsey to close the loop.
The author uses quite a few flash back chapters, each from the point of view of those closest to the case and each one a potential suspect. I enjoyed these sequences a lot as they gave me a much greater sense of “being there” than what Kinsey was able to gather on her own from all of her workmanlike interviews and records research. They melded seamlessly with the modern day narrative and in many ways reminded me of the early years of the “Lost” TV show with those flashback sequences. It was pretty cool to see the reverse foreshadowing that occurred, finding clues in both timelines. The author’s expertise in crafting the plot in such a way was on full display. The title itself, of course, is a double (or even triple) entendre but I can't say why without spoilers.
This novel is very much a stand-alone novel in the larger series. There are virtually no subplots involving Henry, (Kinsey’s octogenarian friend and landlord) nor Kinsey’s newly re-acquainted family relations. Not even a scene involving Kinsey’s romantic life. It’s all about this one cold case mystery and its rather thriller-like climax.
Another good entry in the series and of course, “T” is on the horizon.
The author uses quite a few flash back chapters, each from the point of view of those closest to the case and each one a potential suspect. I enjoyed these sequences a lot as they gave me a much greater sense of “being there” than what Kinsey was able to gather on her own from all of her workmanlike interviews and records research. They melded seamlessly with the modern day narrative and in many ways reminded me of the early years of the “Lost” TV show with those flashback sequences. It was pretty cool to see the reverse foreshadowing that occurred, finding clues in both timelines. The author’s expertise in crafting the plot in such a way was on full display. The title itself, of course, is a double (or even triple) entendre but I can't say why without spoilers.
This novel is very much a stand-alone novel in the larger series. There are virtually no subplots involving Henry, (Kinsey’s octogenarian friend and landlord) nor Kinsey’s newly re-acquainted family relations. Not even a scene involving Kinsey’s romantic life. It’s all about this one cold case mystery and its rather thriller-like climax.
Another good entry in the series and of course, “T” is on the horizon.
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this was such a mid book it actually took me forever to get through. I was left with so many unanswered questions and the beginning was boring
I haven't visited Kinsey in quite some time, so it was nice to check in on her again and see what she was up to. This wasn't my favorite of her adventures, but it held my attention well and had plenty of interesting characters and an intriguing premiss. The cold case angle was nice to explore and only possible in a small town like this where everyone knew each other and had pretty much stayed around. The only thing that tripped me up a bit was that it was hard to keep up with all of the men Violet slept with. Grafton is nothing if not consistent.
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes