This is quite an interesting instalment in this series, Kinsey learns that rather than being alone in the world she has an extended family and learns more about her mother's rift with the family. This is unresolved at the end of the book, which is a little frustrating. The mystery is also quite interesting. Kinsey is rehired by California Fidelity to investigate the alleged sighting of a man whose recently been declared dead. As always things are not as simple or straightforward as expected. The theme of family runs through this book, and after ten books, I think I may be finally warming to Kinsey. ( )

Spoiler last paragraph. Good up to then.

This was my first Sue Grafton. It wasn’t bad although I didn’t realize that Kinsey Millhone is a serial sleuth. She was interesting in a detached sort of way. She went about her craft with a ‘this is what it takes’ attitude, even if she didn’t particularly like it or was forced into a situation because of her own stupidity.

I normally don’t start with ‘serial mysteries’ in the middle because I think I’ve lost continuity if I do that. I noticed that this writer didn’t fill in the details of the past that she may have gone over in previous books. I’m reading a Marcus Didius Falco mystery again and that writer is doing just that. It makes me, the serial reader feel somewhat exasperated having to listen to all that again.

I liked the ending when Kinsey figures out that it was Jaffe’s girlfriend Renata who actually did kill him. When Renata throws herself naked into the pacific and begins to swim out, Kinsey follows but only so far. Afterwards, Kinsey ruminates about the case and thinks that Renata may have done this before. No one witnessed her dead husband’s death in Spain and there are no records that his body ever was shipped here. She could make herself disappear and no one would be the wiser.

Kinsey Millhone is re-hired by California Fidelity to find out the truth about a pseudocide case. As a sidebar she finds out she has family in the area that wants to meet her. ( )

Not bad. I wish she'd gone a little further into the family stuff, however. I was expecting a little more closure on that before the end of this book. ( )

PI Kinsey Mullhone feelances ex-exployer, CA Fid. Insurance

my first booktalk with props

9.97