M is for Malice

I love Kinsey Millhone. But she's not everyone's cup of tea. I started reading the Alphabet series a few years ago - I think at the time it was up to O is for Outlaw. The idea of a mystery series each title beginning with a new letter amused me. I don't know why. I don't think it's particularly original. At least - I've seen a few others since. At the time though it was new to me and it just struck me as perfect. I flew through the series. Kinsey is riveting. She's brash and harsh and charming. She's fierce and flawed. She gets scared. She holds her own. She pushes herself to run often and tackles cases without judgement and with an open mind. Rosie and Henry are brilliant and I love the little family she builds around her.

But Kinsey show more Millhone isn't Jack Reacher - her speed is more Tracy Crosswhite. [book:My Sister's Grave|22341263] Her cases aren't full of action and high speed chases - they're slowly nitpicking away until something clicks into place. She writes down all her thoughts and places her facts and ideas on 3x5 index cards - which she often shuffles and rearranges to help her solve her case. And I love it. Kinsey Millhone is great - but she's not for everyone.

For some reason I've seen reviewers compare this to Stephanie Plum - I don't know why - this is absolutely NOTHING like that. Stephanie Plum is a very different character and an extremely different type of book. That's more fluff. Kinsey Millhone is more procedural mysteries. And this series isn't current - it was first published in the 80's - there's not really technology. Messages were relayed by calling the landlines. Paper files were still the main form of storage. Not everyone will enjoy reading this. But if you like your mysteries to be more like procedurals with a determined and fierce character - Kinsey Millhone is for you.



I love Kinsey. This mystery was really good. Some of it I saw coming, other parts blew me away. I guessed about Bennet and Paul being the ones that pulled off the forgery scam. I partly guessed about Claire being alive. I did not see the whole Myrna thing coming until it was already there. Robert Dietz is back in this one. The whole romance thing between them mostly sucks. It just never hits right for me. I kind of would've preferred to see how it went with Guy. Jonah Robb is the homicide detective which was interesting. Camilla has left him and is living with and pregnant to someone else. Kinsey and his detective partner, Betsy Bower is seeing him. The chat between them was freaking hilarious.

She said, “Rumor has it you’re involved with Lieutenant Robb.”
I squinted at her in disbelief. “He told you that?”
“Someone else. I’m afraid this is a small town, even smaller when it comes to law enforcement. So it’s not true?”
“Well, I was involved, but I’m not now,” I said. “What makes you ask?” The look on her face underwent a remarkable alteration. The careful neutrality fell away and in one split second, she went from blank to blushing. I sat back in my chair, taking a new look at her. “Are you smitten with him?”
“I’ve been out with him twice,” she said cautiously.
“Ohhh, I see. Now I get it,” I said. “Listen, I’m fond of Jonah, but it’s strictly over between us. I’m the least of your worries. It’s the dread Camilla you’d better be concerned about.”
Detective Betsy Bower had abandoned any pose of professionalism. “But she’s living with some guy and she’s pregnant.”
I raised a hand. “Trust me. In the continuing saga of Jonah and Camilla, the mere fact of this infant has no bearing on their relationship. He may act like he’s cured, but he isn’t, believe me. Camilla and Jonah are so enmeshed with each other I don’t know what it would take to split up their act. Actually, now that I think about it, you probably have as good a shot at it as any.”
“You really think so?”
“Why not? I was always too caught up in my own abandonment issues. I hated being a minor player in their little theater production. We’re talking seventh-grade bonding. Junior high school romance. I couldn’t compete. I lack the emotional strength. You look like you could tackle it. You have self-esteem issues? Are you a nail biter? Bed wetter? Jealous or insecure?”
She shook her head. “Not a bit.”
“What about confrontation?”
“I like a good fight,” she said.
“Well, you better get ready then because in my experience, she’s indifferent to him until someone else comes along. And for God’s sake, don’t play fair. Camilla goes for broke.”
“Thanks. I’ll remember. We’ll be in touch.”
“I can’t wait.”

Grafton, Sue. "M" is for Malice: A Kinsey Millhone Novel (pp. 248-250). Henry Holt and Co.. Kindle Edition.

I can't wait to see what happens with that. I've read up to U is for Undertow but if I read what happens with them, I can't remember it. Tasha Howard makes an appearance - the lawyer cousin. She suggests Kinsey be hired to find Guy. They chat a little but mainly stick to business. I'll be interested to see where it goes. Anyway it all wrapped up nicely and I can't wait to continue on.



This is such a great series. 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5. show less

One of the better entries, IMO, even if it re-uses several ideas from previous books. The title could easily be M is for Malek, since that's the name of the family of four brothers, all of whom Kinsey takes a quick dislike towards, except the fourth, a ne'er-do-well who ran away as a teen. She is tasked with finding him, after failure to find a second will disowning him puts a million dollars in inheritance at stake for the remaining three brothers. Of the re-used items, one is Detective Dietz, a past and current romantic interest, and another is the lack of a murder until the halfway point. A third recycled element involves how the book ends, so mum's the word here. The positives for me were the characters, who were more distinctive show more and interesting than those in some other entries, and the presence of an actual mystery puzzle, though it comes late in the novel. There's a touch of the supernatural for some reason.

Recommended for fans of the series, but not a good starting point, since several slowly developing arcs are involved. show less

Kinsey’s cousin Tasha hires her to find a missing person. Guy Malek ran away from home as a young man and has been missing for almost 20 years. He was always the black sheep of his wealthy family, but when his father passes away and names him in the will his brothers need to locate him. When Kinsey finds him she realizes that he has become a kind and sincere man, nothing like the teenage hellion she heard tales about.

For me, this was one of the best Kinsey Millhone books I’ve read. They tend to follow the same pattern, as most detective novels do, but some cases are stronger than others. After a few mediocre ones this book felt like it got back to the heart of who Kinsey is. She can’t help but look out for people, even if it show more isn’t to her benefit. She finds herself drawn to Guy and trying to look out for his interests.

This installment also includes the return of Robert, the fellow P.I. and romantic flame that we met in G is for Gumshoe. His presence has an interesting effect on Kinsey. She prides herself on being self-sufficient and never really needing anyone, but having him around makes her question that.

BOTTOM LINE: One of the best in the series so far, this case hits a lot of emotional buttons for Kinsey. It becomes very personal for her and she finds herself thinking about the losses she’s faced in her own life. show less

A re-read after many years. This one had some weird psychic stuff going on that I don't remember at all. Kinsey seeing things and feeling presences, and experiencing a tremblor that no one else in the same house at the same time felt . Not sure what that was all about; partly her processing her abandonment issues, but it felt odd to me at this point in her life when she'd never exhibited much in the way of spirituality before. Dietz is back in the picture, both improving and complicating her life. As usual, the job becomes personal, and Kinsey gets involved beyond the scope of her contract. At least she was in no personal peril in this one. I did figure out approximately who and why, which doesn't always happen.
July 2019

Current favorite of the series so far. For one thing, it didn't seem as if the emotional side and mystery side of the novel were competing or lacking. They both felt well fleshed out and balanced which made for a very satisfying book. I have to admit, I was wrong about the whodunit denouement and quite happy about it.

M is for Malice is the best Kinsey Millhone novel yet. I found this book surprising good after the less than stellar L is for Lawless.

Kinsey is beginning to reluctantly open up emotionally with her cousin Tasha, ex-lover Dietz and especially with the victim (before he is murdered, of course.) I love seeing personal character growth in long running series and I'm glad that Kinsey is beginning to progress as a character.

M is for Malice has a great mystery with twists and red herrings galore. I suspected everyone, some more than others. Kinsey takes a much more active role investigating this case and the character seems to be headed back in the right direction.

M is for Malice is puzzling and surprisingly touching. Kinsey's touch exterior show more may be beginning to soften, which could be considered good or bad, but at least she's detecting again instead of just letting things happen as they may. This book has injected some much needed energy into the series. show less

Really wanted to take a shower after this book – it just left me feeling dirty. None of the characters are that likable except for the dead person and the murderer. I don’t know how Kinsey survived this book emotionally because it was a rough ride.

As I listened to this book, all I could think was it should have been the “G” book for Greed because the Malik family was a whole bunch of greedy bast****. Kinsey gets rolled into this family drama through a lost heir search and results in her solving a cold case and a murder. Since she is hired by her family, there is that additional drama added to the situation plus the victims in both cases may have been adults but there was a level childhood innocence that truly makes the bad guys show more seem even more disgusting in my opinion. The sad part of this story is I felt there was no justice in the ending of this book for those victims.

Kinsey also has deal with the return of Dietz, her on/off love interest – these parts of the book are hard for me because I don’t see what Kinsey really sees in this guy but it’s her life. The best of these books is of course Judy Kaye who is the phenomenal voice of this series. show less