T is for Trespass (2007)

Once again Sue Grafton has changed up the technique she uses to tell the story in T is for Trespass. In this book, we get to see the action from the POV of the bad guy (gal, in this case) as well as from Kinsey's. It's an interesting idea that gives us some background we wouldn't have gotten from Kinsey alone.

This book is definitely not a murder mystery. It has two plot lines. One involves an accident that Kinsey is investigating and the eyewitness who is extremely reluctant to come forward. The other involves an elderly neighbor who is in need of some nursing help in his home after taking a fall. Neither of these sounds like the stuff of a page-turning book but one of them is.

I wasn't sure until I was done with this book whether I even liked it or not. It was so out of character for Kinsey. But the part that made me unsure of what I thought was that it kept me on edge the whole time I was reading it. I was nervous for the safety of the characters in the story and my sense of unease grew the longer I read. This book was making me sweat! I felt as if I had to get to the end to protect everyone. As I said, nothing relaxing here! I realized when I finished, that Sue Grafton's masterful use of words reminded me of the way Stephen King can manipulate my thoughts and emotions. When a person can use words that well, I have to give it 5 stars. ( )

One of favorites of the 20 thus far. I sometimes can get burned out on a particular series and need a break but after i've read Q, R, T (S was first I read way back) but I'm not burnt on Grafton's Kinsey and plan to make U my next mystery read and feel confident I'll go to V after that ( )

Sue Grafton’s alphabet books are one of only two crime fiction series I have read completely, in order, roughly at the time of their release (Sara Paretsky’s V I Warshawski novels being the other series). I discovered them both when I was in my teens and looking for a grown-up version of the Trixie Beldon and Nancy Drew books I’d loved as a kid.

For those who’ve never met her Kinsey Millhone is the star of this series and is a private investigator in the fictional town of Santa Teresa, California. She’s in her late thirties, lives alone in a converted garage owned by her 88-year old neighbour Henry and spends some of her spare time socialising at a local bar where she eats whatever Hungarian meal the owner, Rosie, decides she should have, and chats with Rosie and her new husband (Henry’s hypochondriac brother William). Kinsey can be relied upon to doggedly progress through whatever investigations she’s employed to undertake and sometimes, as with this book, she becomes embroiled in cases where her drive to sort out the problem is a moral one rather than financial. Either way Kinsey does not give up. Ever. In T is for Trespass we see Kinsey investigating a potential insurance fraud at the same time as she steps in when she suspects that one of her neighbours might be the victim of elder abuse. As always happens in Kinsey Millhone novels there’s a fair amount of detail about the mundane processes involved in private investigation and while this can be interesting it’s getting a little repetitive by now. Especially as this book has twice the number of pages as the first one (released in 1983) but, in my humble opinion, does not have twice as much story (so the bulk is, by and large, more mundane details and more eating of pimento sandwiches).

Despite appearing in a total of 20 books time has moved very slowly for Kinsey Millhone. [b:A is for Alibi|64863|A is for Alibi (Kinsey Millhone Mystery)|Sue Grafton|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170624852s/64863.jpg|1299178] was a contemporary novel but this latest book takes place in the few weeks either side of New Year 1988 which makes it, for want of another term, historical. Transitioning between these two types of writing (contemporary and historical) within the one series hasn’t always been successful and there have been occasions when I’ve really noticed that she’s included a reference to some trend or event only due to the benefit of 20/20 hindsight but, to be fair, I didn’t notice any specific incidents in this particular book.

The story in this book is a good one. The last 150 pages or so had me glued in a way that I haven’t been since the middle of the alphabet. And, as always, the intricate plot is well executed and credible, especially if you’re familiar with Kinsey and Henry who behaved in ways that you and I might not but that they definitely would do. Trust me, I’ve known these people for 26 years now. Frankly I could have done without the ‘filler’ content but a memo seems to have gone out to all crime fiction authors everywhere that more is better because it’s becoming impossible to find a book with less than 400 pages I guess I have to get used to it.

As my reading tastes have matured and I’ve discovered dozens of new authors I’ve stopped reading lots of my former favourites. But while it’s often occurred to me that I might not read the next Kinsey book I always seem to end up with it in my hands at some stage and, at least in this instance, I’ve thoroughly enjoying reacquainting myself with her. I really can’t make an objective recommendation to people who’ve never read one of this series before but if you’re an old friend of Kinsey’s too I think you’d enjoy this outing.

My rating (4.5/5) (but that’s a very subjective score based on the memories this brought back as well as the enjoyment of the current book) ( )

Love Kinsey. Can't remember enough to distinguish one book from another in the alphabet series. Some are better than others. All are enjoyable. ( )

Kinsey Millhone is at it again. The time is 1987. The next door neighbor, Gus, has fallen and can't take care of himeself and the only living relative is a niece on the east coast., She has assumed the identity of Solana Rojas and is now taking care of Gus. As time goes on she has cleaned out his home and also his bank account. Her overweight mentally retarded son, Tiny, stays at Gus' and after Kinsey has closed in on what is going on, Tiny attacks her and ends up dying. "Solana" is very devious. She lures Kinsey to a local hotel and finds Henry (her landlord) on the floor drugged. Solana tries to attack Kinsey but succombs to her death via the balcony and the pool deck below.