The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge is for bloggers who wish to participate by publishing a blog post every day in April except for Sundays. Each blog post will focus on a letter of the alphabet. For example April 1 will be A, April 2 will be B and on it goes. By the end of April, a blog post for every letter of the alphabet will have been posted.
Summary
A Kinsey Milhone mystery
This is the 24th novel in Sue Grafton’s series of novels that are named after each letter of the alphabet. Investigator Kinsey Milhone, known by regular readers of this author, is based in a fictional city in Los Angeles and ready to solve the latest mystery.
A glamorous redhead hires Milhone to find her long lost adopted son. This should have been a quick easy job for an investigator but the mystery quickly builds when Milhone finds that she was paid with notes that were marked. It becomes clear very quickly that this client has something to hide.
My Thoughts
I’m not a regular reader of the crime genre but I did enjoy this suspenseful mystery, with it’s very well rounded characters. As this is the 24th book in this ‘alphabet’ series, I can help but wonder if Grafton’s books are written to an obvious winning formula. I will definitely be reading another of her books, and expect to be able to form an opinion after that reading.
Recommendation
“Kinsey Milhorne is up there with the giants of the private-eye genre, as magnetic as Marlowe, as insouciant as Spenser…….Exhilarating” – Times Library Supplement
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
About The Author
Sue Grafton was a Number One International Bestselling and very prolific author of mystery and detective novels. Her books have been published in many languages and have appeared on The New York Times Bestseller lists many times and for many weeks each time. She passed away in 2017 before Z for Zero was published and so the alphabet series ends at Y.
Published by Random House publishing in 2015
Have you read any of Sue Grafton’s novels. I’d be very interested to hear what you think and promise to reply to all comments
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Jennifer's Best Bookish Blog 
I’m a crime novel addict so I’ve been reading Sue Grafton since the alphabet series began…she was an early leader in women writing crime fiction. Another was Sara Paretsky. I like that the series stayed locked in the 80s as it reminds us how technology has changed so much. To an extent it is formulaic but then I guess that’s what appeals in part about crime series. Over the series Kinsey’s relationships and life progress so there’s a balance between new and familiar. Sadly the author died after she finished Y so there’ll be no Z. I guess she was a portaganist for the A to Z series.
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It’s so good to hear your thoughts Pauleen. As I don’t read much crime I didn’t have much idea. Good to know some of the background. I love an organised list so part of my would like to start with A and work my way through. But I’m not so sure I have the time.
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I don’t tend to read crime though I do read and write mysteries. However, Recently Sue Grafton has come up in lots of FB group conversations so maybe I’ll need to squeeze in more reading time and include hers. (that all elusive ‘lack of time’ thingy! 😉 ) https://nancyjardine.blogspot.com
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I’ve read a few of Sue Grafton books and, as usual, I can’t remember which ones. 😀 I did enjoy the read. There’s only two authors where I read through every book and that’s J.K.Rowling and Stephen King. (that I can remember) Can you imaging Sue Grafton coming up with such a unique idea as A to Z? 😉 And sad that she didn’t get to finish Z.
https://meinthemiddlewrites.com/2019/04/27/atozchallenge-april-world-holidays-letter-x/
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Oh, I didn’t know that Sue Grafton passed away just before finishing the alphabet. I wonder if she felt compelled to finish once she has started the series and it was a millstone round her neck, or whether it was a welcome boon that was her bread and butter? Or perhaps a bit of both. I’ve only read part of one of the series, and couldn’t imagine that they weren’t based on some sort of winning formula; but your post encourages me to try again–thank you. The only murder mystery writer’s series I’ve ever followed avidly has been the Inspector Wexford series by the late, great Ruth Rendell. Highly recommended.
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They’re easy reading by and large but you could read A and then jump forward. She does keep you in the loop with key elements.
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I now have book 1 on my to be read pile.
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I loved reading your thoughts on this series. I have read one Ruth Rendell book and enjoyed it.
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Squeezing more reading time in is my dream Nancy. But can be difficult
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I have read several over the years. Recently at a Rotary Book Fair I purchased those titles I had missed. I have been reading these in order and tossing them when I finish. They are written to a formulabut I find comfort in returning to familiar characters and places.
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I’ve only read a few of them. Yes written to a formula but a relaxing read. I have a few more on the bookshelf for when I get time
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