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backlogbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Quick Info: F is for Fugitive by Sue Grafton is a mystery book about Kinsey Millhone, a private detective who takes the seventeen year old case of the murder of a seventeen year old girl who was murdered, allegedly by Bailey Fowler, who took a plea deal for manslaughter, but escaped just one year after his imprisonment. Now, he’s been caught once more and needs to prove his innocence for the original crime. His ailing father hires Kinsey Millhone to do just that, but in order to do so, she has to probe deep into the small town and the web of mostly illicit relationships tying everyone together–and keep the real murderer from going after her next.
Overall Vibe: exactly what I’m looking for when I pick up a fat paperback mystery & I’m def adding Kinsey Millhone to my go-to list for these kinds of books
What I liked:
- it was a solid mystery, well set up and well revealed
- Kinsey was not a likable character but I liked her anyway; it was refreshing to have the worldly, slightly if not mostly misanthropic PI be a woman tbh
- it had the Private Investigator Story Vibe™
- plus small town politics!
- everyone knows everyone’s business
- but also the pull-together scenes in times of death–women of the town coming with food and cleaning and manning the sympathy calls, etc.
- Kinsey was judgmental, but I felt like it was evenly spread out between the men and the women, which was a nice surprise–I’m used to these types of books having their character judge the women but be more lenient towards the men
- I liked Kinsey’s tactics for solving the mystery
- the author made it seem real–there was a comment about how lock picking is actually hard in real life, and doesn’t just happen like in the movies, which was a good detail
- the sense of danger built as the story went on, right up to the climax
- the author is good at descriptions of places & people
- i liked the little details of Cali living
- I figured out the mystery when Kinsey did–the clues were there for me to figure out, so nothing was hidden from the reader that wasn’t also hidden from Kinsey
What I didn’t like:
- the fatphobia- I don’t mind that Kinsey was judgmental, but it was almost always fatphobic, which along with being gross, felt lazy to me
- not enough condemnation of the grown men who slept with a seventeen year old girl
- I wanted more action! Though judgingin by the previously-on, Kinsey was coming off a pretty action packed book (ending in a bomb?!), so that’s probably why
Tw: murder (obviously), pedophilia/rape discussed (grown men had sex with the murder victim when she was seventeen, but it’s not shown on page as it happened in the past)
Especially recommended for: fans of private investigator stories/fat paperback mysteries
teawithdee's review against another edition
4.0
Well I am definitely into this series now. F was read in one day - basically one seating. I am a huge Kinsey fan.
polywogg's review against another edition
3.0
BOTTOM-LINE:
There are a few plot elements running loose.
.
PLOT OR PREMISE:
A dying father hires Kinsey to look into a 17-year-old murder case when his fugitive son is arrested after being on the lam since the original case.
.
WHAT I LIKED:
The story is far from linear, and Kinsey has to do her normal knocking and stumbling around to find the answer in a small town world. She is also staying at a motel that a bunch of the characters live in, so it has a bit of a cozy feel at times.
.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
There's a strange sub-story that crops up twice, refuted at the end, and left unanswered as to the original lies. Equally, there are a few too many nutjobs running around, as well as just too many people in general.
.
DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow her on social media.
There are a few plot elements running loose.
.
PLOT OR PREMISE:
A dying father hires Kinsey to look into a 17-year-old murder case when his fugitive son is arrested after being on the lam since the original case.
.
WHAT I LIKED:
The story is far from linear, and Kinsey has to do her normal knocking and stumbling around to find the answer in a small town world. She is also staying at a motel that a bunch of the characters live in, so it has a bit of a cozy feel at times.
.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
There's a strange sub-story that crops up twice, refuted at the end, and left unanswered as to the original lies. Equally, there are a few too many nutjobs running around, as well as just too many people in general.
.
DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow her on social media.
booksonthebrain20's review against another edition
4.0
Bailey Fowler was convicted of voluntary manslaughter seventeen years ago. About a year into his sentence, he escaped from prison and created a new life for himself. A fluke accident leads to his arrest and discovery. His father hires Kinsey Millhone, private detective, to uncover what really happened the night of Jean Timberlake's murder and to clear his son's name. Knowing that this case is a long shot, Kinsey agrees to try and travels to the tiny town of Floral Beach, a town mired in secrets.
This is a solid entry to Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone novels. Kinsey continues to shine as she travels to a new location and ingratiates herself with the residents of the town--sometimes less successfully than others. I always enjoy watching how Kinsey works, how easily she talks to people and draws information from them. I like getting little pieces of the mystery to try and put together and solve before she does. This one completely alluded me. I admit: I thought Grafton had a pattern as to how she introduced the "big bad" and, thus assured, quickly fingered one of the cast as the most likely suspect. Grafton did little to dissuade me from my choice, planting red herring after red herring until, suddenly, she swerved left. And, oh, what a swerve! This was a fun ride and a great story.
This is a solid entry to Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone novels. Kinsey continues to shine as she travels to a new location and ingratiates herself with the residents of the town--sometimes less successfully than others. I always enjoy watching how Kinsey works, how easily she talks to people and draws information from them. I like getting little pieces of the mystery to try and put together and solve before she does. This one completely alluded me. I admit: I thought Grafton had a pattern as to how she introduced the "big bad" and, thus assured, quickly fingered one of the cast as the most likely suspect. Grafton did little to dissuade me from my choice, planting red herring after red herring until, suddenly, she swerved left. And, oh, what a swerve! This was a fun ride and a great story.
hollie313's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-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? No
3.0
rainsage's review against another edition
5.0
I can't get enough of Kinsey Millhone as a character, she's imperfect and doesn't try to act otherwise, but she doesn't whine about it either (it's refreshing lol). The pace of the story is always just right and it's an enjoyable ride to the end when you find out who did what. Totally recommend it!
mimii's review against another edition
4.0
Fast read... good story... motives and suspects abound... Kinsey is away from home so some fresh, interesting characters.
bdplume's review against another edition
4.0
I like these a little more as I go. They aren't deep or complicated, but they are fun reads for an idle afternoon.
leighryks's review against another edition
"F" is for Fugitive (The Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries) by Sue Grafton (2005)
kevink's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I love a Kinsey Millhone mystery. She's the type person you want to know. Quirky, independent, courageous, and totally unpretentious. She doesn't care all that much about her physical appearance and has a sparse wardrobe. She drives an old VW. She knows who she is and she's comfortable with it.
Wrap that one-of-a-kind PI around a plot that keeps you turning pages, surround her with interesting characters harboring secrets, include a dash of murder, and finish it off with an unexpected ending. It leaves you wanting to read the next one.
Wrap that one-of-a-kind PI around a plot that keeps you turning pages, surround her with interesting characters harboring secrets, include a dash of murder, and finish it off with an unexpected ending. It leaves you wanting to read the next one.