1st to Die: A Novel (Women's Murder Club (Hardcover))
by James Patterson
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (05 March, 2001)
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Editorial Review

The Women's Murder Club pits four San Francisco women professionalsagainst a serial killer who's stalking and murdering newlyweds in bestsellingauthor James Patterson's newest thriller. Lindsay Boxer is a homicide inspectorwho's just gotten some very bad news. She deals with it by immersing herself inher newest case and soliciting the personal as well as professional support ofher closest friend, who happens to be the city's medical examiner. The twowomen, along with an ambitious and sympathetic reporter and an assistant DA,form an unlikely alliance, pooling their information and bypassing the chain ofcommand in an engaging, suspenseful story whose gruesome setup is vintagePatterson.

"What is the worst thing anyone has ever done?" the killer muses to himselfearly in the narrative. "Am I capable of doing it? Do I have what it takes?"Answering his own question, he embarks on a murderous spree that takes him fromthe bridal suite in a Nob Hill hotel to a honeymoon destination in the NapaValley and thence to a wedding reception at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame andMuseum in Cleveland, Ohio. Dispatching his victims on the happiest day of theirlives, he purposefully leaves enough clues for his distaff trackers to discoverhis identity and put him behind bars. But just when the women think they've gotthe case all wrapped up, the killer turns the tables on them in a bloodydenouement that even the most discerning reader won't see coming. Patterson,author of the popular Alex Cross mysteries, promises future adventures for theWomen's Murder Club, which may give him an opportunity to develop his heroines'characters more completely and win new fans among those who prefer theirdetectives in high heels and lipstick. --Jane Adams ... Read more

Reviews (455)

1 Star as a "Book", 3 Stars as a "Genre Book"
I read this book as an attempt to broaden my horizons as a casual reader - never much for mysteries - and I wound up wanting to put it down 1/2 way through.

Like other reviewers, I found the characters to be fairly thin confections, and the plot to be overly twisty.But my biggest problem is simply that the Author "cheats".By that I mean that instead of simple misdirection, sections of the book are written that, in light of later developments, simply "aren't true".

I guess I'm used to straightforward books where you read what is before you, and can more or less trust it.But when you read something that is abruptly twisted later on, or ignored, or given an almost unbelievable interpretation to make the plot creak along, well, my "suspension of disbelief" flies right out the window.

The last chapter of the book was just too much.Ugh.I may try another mystery, but not in this series, and perhaps, not ever again one by Patterson.

Not up to the quality of his Alex Cross books
I read this novel based on the strong recommendation of a fellow suspense lover. While I did find it entertaining, the ending had one plot twist too many and I found the Women's Murder Club plot device to be forced, at best.

Yes, I realize that these four women are the basis for a number of other books to follow and the character development will follow but, to me, it seemed like the pilot episode of a TV show - you get to meet all of the characters, they do something cool so you'll continue to watch and the character development will follow.

Based on this first novel, I doubt that I'll continue on with the series - there are too many other books in the library to read!

great book
this was a great book.it's different than the alex cross series but still a great book.i've really enjoyed the women's murder club books. ... Read more

Isbn: 0316666009
Subjects:  1. American Mystery & Suspense Fiction    2. California    3. Female friendship    4. Fiction    5. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    6. Mystery & Detective - General    7. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths    8. Mystery/Suspense    9. San Francisco    10. Women detectives    11. Women in the professions   

Postmortem
by Annette Burget Bailey
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 December, 2002)
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Reviews (1)

POSTMORTEM
Will Henderson has lived a solitary life, working for the San Francisco Post Office for over twenty-five
years. He rides around San Francisco on his rusty old-ten speed, listening to his Walkman, and lives
alone with his little dog, Bingo, in a tiny one-room studio apartment south of Market. Will is very, very
shy and rarely even talks to anyone, except Bingo. On his mail route he very rarely even
acknowledges any of his customers, except the obligatory "Hi" when called upon. However
there is one old lady who Will has become quite close to in a mother/son type of way. Emily
Everington is everything that Will wished his mother had been, that is if he had known his mother. But
even before his parents were killed in an automobile accident, they were emotionally detached from
him. His mother, being a very strict Catholic did do one thing though, she instilled plenty of guilt and
strict moral codes, into her son. So strict in fact that Will has no friends, or fun in his life. His only
"fun" is his job, a job he absolutely loves. His only friends being Bingo, and Mrs.
Everington. Mrs. Everington is a very wealthy lady, and enjoys being with Will. They go to baseball
games together, and just sit and talk sometimes. Mrs. Everington would sometimes have Will do
different little chores for her that she wasn't able to do anymore. And Will enjoyed doing them for her.
There is one postal worker in the office that Will does have his eye on, Roxie LaRue. A fifty-some
bleached blonde Dolly Parton look-alike. Roxie has a garbage mouth that would make a longshoreman
blush, but there is something about her that just makes Will melt every time he comes in contact with
her, if only to look. Roxie and Will both led similar lives, in that they both grew up without family
support and emotional contact. Roxie having survived living from one foster home to the next, while
growing up. Roxie had been transferred to the same postal station where Will works because she had
a problem. She was constantly jumping from bed to bed, with any man that she came in contact with,
including her working cohorts. But Will is smitten, although he knows it will go nowhere. On a very hot
day in July, Will is delivering his mail as usual, when he comes to Mrs. Everington's home. As Will is
about to deliver her mail, Mrs. Everington gives him an envelope to post. One that seems very
important to her. She seems afraid, and tells Will that someone is out to kill her. Will passed this off
as one of the old lady's delusions, however the thought doesn't completely leave his mind. That next
day Will wakes to the news that Mrs. Everington is dead. The news reports say that she jumped off
the Golden Gate bridge, however Will knows that this is not possible. Soon after the reports of Mrs.
Everington's death, Will receives a phone call from an attorney, Stephan Martinelli. Mr. Martinelli tells
Will that he has become the sole beneficiary in Mrs. Everington's will. She has left him fifteen million
dollars! Will doesn't quite know how to handle this, or why she would leave him her entire estate.
When Will returns to home after seeing the attorney, he finds Roxie on his doorstep. She tells him
that she had just come by to see how he was, and then one thing leads to another and they find
themselves in bed together. When Will announces his new "friendship" at work the guys
tease him, telling him that what Will has found, most of the males in San Francisco have already
found with Roxie. But that doesn't stop Will from going out with Roxie again, and after a night of
drinking, which Will has never done, and going to bars, again which Will has never done, Will finds
himself getting married to Roxie the next day. Before he knows it Will is mixed up in murder,
seduction, betrayal and a life that he never would have even dreamed of becoming a part of, much less
a player in before. POSTMORTEM is an exciting story of good versus evil, and what can happen to an
innocent, shy, and very naive person who never ventured from the sheltered existence he has built up
around him. A story of a man who gets pulled into a life he has no control over, nor wants any part of.
Where even the "good guys" are out to get him. Ms. Bailey has written a very good story,
however the conversations did get rather confusing at times, especially in the beginning. But the story
is strong, and it does keep your attention throughout the book. The characters are multifaceted and
the scenery is very real, if you know anything about San Francisco at all, all will ring very true. There
are some very poignant scenes, and the ending is very, very surprising. I do think you would like
POSTMORTEM and do recommend it to you as a good read. ... Read more

Isbn: 0595258425
Sales Rank: 1495599
Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Mystery & Detective - General    4. Suspense   

The Poet
by Michael Connelly
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 January, 1997)
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Editorial Review

Jack McEvoy is a Denver crime reporter with the stickiest assignment of his career.His twin brother, homicide detective Sean McEvoy, was found dead in his car from a self-inflicted bullet wound to the head--an Edgar Allen Poe quote smeared on the windshield.Jack is going to write the story.The problem is that Jack doesn't believe that his brother killed himself, and the more information he uncovers, the more it looks like Sean's death was the work of a serial killer. Jack's research turns up similar cases in cities across the country, and within days, he's sucked into an intense FBI investigation of an Internet pedophile who may also be a cop killer nicknamed the Poet. It's only a matter of time before the Poet kills again, and as Jack and the FBI team struggle to stay ahead of him, the killer moves in, dangerously close.

In a break from his Harry Bosch novels--including The Concrete Blonde and The Last Coyote--Edgar-winning novelist Michael Connelly creates a new hero who is a lot greener but no less believable. The Poet will keep readers holding their breath untilthe very end: the characters are multilayered, the plot compelling, and the denouement a true surprise. Connelly fans will not be disappointed. --Mara Friedman ... Read more

Reviews (205)

"Long, Rich, Multilayered, and Satisfying"
I heard different things from the Poet and decided to pick it up. At first the book was ver slow, but once it got started I couldn't put it down. The charactors are deep and well crafted. Michael Connelly is very good at this. He even makes you dislike a charactor, but when he dies you feel bad. Talk about twisted emotions. Also this book gets very creepy towards the end. After you find out what the poet really does to his targets. The book is wriiten so well, any writer should read this peice of literature to improve and understand writing better. Alot of people thought the end was dumb and unlikley, while I loved it. Trust me you will not guess who the real killer is, and the ending is truly intense. As i thought about the twist it fit altogether so simple like it was right there in front of you the whole time. I recomend this book to just not a mystery lover, but someone who loves a wonderful, worth time novel. I loved this book and I hope everyone who reads it enjoys it just as much. Like Stephen King quoted "LOng, rich, multilayered, and satisfying" that basicly descibes this awesome book.

don't read this at night
this is one of the scariest books I have ever read.

Great book marred by a predictable and silly ending
Michael Connelly is, today, one of my favorite thriller/policial authors. He knows how to weave a competent plot, with interesting and close-to-reality characters, full of flaws and earthly ambitions. He may be best known by his Harry Bosch series, but his standalone books are also considered very good.

"The poet" is one (or was one, until recently) of the standalone books. His main character, Jack McEvoy is a reporter in Denver. His twin brother, Sean, was a cop. He commited suicide, appearently because of an unsolved case he couldn't stop thinking of. But Jack doesn't want to believe his brother killed himself. With pacience and help from the FBI - to which he turned to when he started disclosing some interesting clues about his brother's death - Jack will try to hunt a serial killer they call "The poet" because of the suicide notes found on the crime scenes of his victims.

The plot is very good. I consider Connelly one of the top writers when the issue is police procedures. "The poet" is not a thriller, but more like a "whodunnit", with Jack and the FBI - especially beautiful agent Rachel Walling, with whom Jack starts a not-too-beliavable relationship, but this is fiction, right? - following the Poet's murders around the country.

The problem with this book is the final pages. After what seems to be the climax, comes another twist - and that's where Connelly looses his ground. This final twist can be seen a mile away, and it's so unreal that it almost ruins the entire book. Many other reviewers have complained about the ending, and I think they're right. I understand it was made to be a cliffhanger to a possible (and now published) future novel, but that is not reason enough.

Anyway, I liked "The poet". It has Connelly's style, only with a bad ending.

Grade 8.0/10
... Read more

Isbn: 0446602612
Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Mystery & Detective - General    4. Mystery fiction    5. Mystery/Suspense    6. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General   

Four Blind Mice
by James Patterson
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (18 November, 2002)
list price: $27.95
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Editorial Review

In this latest thriller from perennial bestselling author JamesPatterson, Washington cop Alex Cross gets involved in his partner's effort to save the lifeof an old Army buddy who's facing execution for a horrendous and inexplicablemurder spree in North Carolina. The Army's evidence against Sergeant EllisCooper, a decorated Vietnam vet, is overwhelming, which isn't surprising sinceit's all been planted by a quartet of killers whose reason for framing theerstwhile hero isn't revealed until long after they are. The big secret is whoset the murderers loose, and in true cliffhanger fashion, Patterson keeps itunder wraps until the very end. Meanwhile, his usual blend of action, violence,fast pacing and uninspired-though-serviceable prose prevail, and will probablydo so all the way to the top of the bestseller lists. --Jane Adams ... Read more

Reviews (223)

Another Cross Suspense Thriller
James Paterson's narrative style has improved with this writting. We once again follow Alex Cross as he works on a homicide case. But this time, he is brought into the case by his best friend and partner John Sampson.

An old army budy of John's from Vietnam, a decorated veteran with a perfect record, is convicted of a brutal murder. And Alex can not accept this. He ask Alex to investigate this crime as a favor. As they delve into the murder, they find that there is more then one crime associated with the Army that have the same profile. The army does not cooperate with Cross, and we are left wondering if they are protecting their own, or hiding something.

There are a lot of distractions in this book, and some background. We learn why John feels like he was rasied by Alex's grandmother, Nana. The fact that John servered in Vietnam before going to the police academy. Both John and Alex have new budding relationships. And Nana is sick.

As usual, we know who the killers are toward the begining of the book. And we get to see things from the killers propsective as our hero, Alex Cross tries to catch them. Still, the book is a page turner and I read it in one day.

Four Blind Mice (James Patterson)
As many reviewers have indicated, this book is not nearly as good as Patterson's earlier works.Is it possible Patterson now employs a ghost writer?

For people who enjoy thrillers, his first few books are fun. Don't bother with recent ones, though.

5th blind mouse.
Wish I hadn't picked this book up.It was nasty.There was no flow to the writing, the plot was weak, every sentence seem to be a new chapter.I got the feeling that the story was writen as a screen play.The author didn't take the time to develop the story, characters or environment.Just a long list of names and a ridiclious case that had more holes then the OJ trial.Read CRAIS, or Connelly, or Ludlum.They are stories, this is Mr. Mugs finds a clue. ... Read more

Isbn: 0316693006
Subjects:  1. Courts-martial and courts of i    2. Courts-martial and courts of inquiry    3. Cross, Alex (Fictitious charac    4. Cross, Alex (Fictitious character)    5. Fiction    6. Fiction - Psychological Suspense    7. Legal    8. Mystery & Detective - General    9. Police    10. Suspense    11. Thrillers    12. Washington (D.C.)    13. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General   

H Is for Homicide (A Kinsey Millhone Mystery)
by Sue Grafton
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (15 May, 1991)
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Reviews (31)

Kinsey in the Seedier Side of LA
Sue Grafton continues to keep the reader entertained in her alphabet series with H IS FOR HOMICIDE. Her unique writing style is more like someone telling his/her favorite story and you only have to sit back and enjoy the tale.

In this book Kinsey Millhone is hired to investigate the death of a claims adjuster and uncovers an insurance scam in the process. The trail leads into Los Angeles on her pursuit of a violent individual who may be the murderer. Kinsey is not afraid of following the suspect through the seedier side of LA and even into a bar adequately named "The Meat Locker" (gee, can you guess what kind of bar this is?). This is the fearless Kinsey Malone that we see in this saga.

Yes, this is the insurance world's underground and Sue Grafton leads us through it with humor and a very biased opinion. Who else could come up with a singles bar named "The Meat Locker" and get away with the reader chuckling about it? Her books show her very funny sense of humor and nothing is immune to her wit.

In H IS FOR HOMICIDE, Grafton shows us that no one is protected from corruption and does this in such a way that not only do we find it funny but disgusting at the same time. As always, her characters are, well for lack of a better description, characters. They continuously encompass a wide variety of people from every walk of life that is one of the reasons people can submerse themselves into Grafton's books.

Her continuing books revolving around Kinsey Millhone are interesting reading and not the type of books that are a cerebral exercise, but more of a story being told by a master storyteller. They are definitely books to be enjoyed.

Fraud in the barrio
Private Investigator Kinsey Millhone is checking out the death of an insurance claims adjuster and trying to link it with a gang who is running a fraudulent claims racket, involving car accidents. She befriends the hooker girlfriend of a gang leader in the Los Angeles barrio, purposely hitiing a policewoman so as to be locked up overnight in a cell with her. She is tentatively accepted as a gang member, allowed to take part in the scams but closely watched at all times. It's an exciting, fast read with plenty of descriptions of barrio life, morals and codes, which holds the reader's interest, so much so that I'll be looking out for some more of these alphabet stories.

Maybe my favorite
It's really hard to say that one Kinsey Millhone book is my favorite, but it might be this one. I love the Hannah Moore persona and the way Kinsey slides into her new life, creating it out of circumstance and gut feeling. The line between right and wrong begins to shift along with Hannah's personality and involvement. Grafton's perceptive eye and great writing give terrific believability. ... Read more

Isbn: 080501084X
Sales Rank: 293835
Subjects:  1. American Mystery & Suspense Fiction    2. California    3. Detective and mystery stories    4. Fiction    5. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    6. Millhone, Kinsey (Fictitious c    7. Millhone, Kinsey (Fictitious character)    8. Mystery & Detective - General    9. Mystery & Detective - Hard-Boiled    10. Mystery and detective stories    11. Mystery/Suspense    12. Suspense    13. Women private investigators    14. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General   

Body of Evidence
by Patricia Cornwell
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 May, 1999)
list price: $7.99
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Reviews (59)

Still love Cornwell, just a sophomore bump in the road here
This is not Patricia Cornwell's best book. I have read two others by her, a little out of order, `Body Farm,' which is a magnificent mystery/thriller achievement and `Postmortem' was a grand opening to what is turning out to be a wholly engrossing series I hope. But `Body of Evidence' felt like an unsure sophomore effort on the part of Cornwell. Not that it was bad, I have no real glaring complaints about this book, but on the other hand the plot was a bit clunky. I think that if you do read the entire series, which is my plan, this is an adequate book that won't leave you terribly disappointed. It just felt a little unnecessary, as if you were renting the 14th James Bond flick. The book was fun, but predictable and pretty much the same as its predecessor. All of that aside, having started in the middle of the series with `Body Farm', I know in advance that Scarpetta will undergo a series of personal upheavals that I will enjoy encountering I am sure as the novels progress.

My main complaint here (and this could be a spoiler) is that the ending is almost identical to `Postmortem'. Not only that, but it was a fair stretch to pull Scarpetta in as the victim here. I just did not buy it. Also, as she travels around, the descriptions of place were a little underwhelming as others have pointed out. I felt like the first half of the book; Cornwell was attempting to imitate some of Agatha Christie's work here. The second half of the book became a mish mash of styles that set up a wholly new genre; only it was done here unclearly and ultimately unsatisfactorily.

If you like Cornwells books, I would recommend two other authors that don't go way over the top. Denis Lehane, who wrote `Mystic River,' (perhaps the best thriller I have ever come across) also wrote a series of five books that were fun to read about a pair of detectives in Boston. Harlan Coben wrote a series of books that he is well known for (Myron Bolitar) but they are just ok. If you check out Coben's stand alone, more recent novels you will be in for a treat.

One of the Reasons Cornwell is a Favorite!
In BODY OF EVIDENCE, a writer is killed after months of feeling like she is being constantly watched and receiving numerous annoying phone calls. Soon, Kay Scarpetta, everyone's favorite chief medical examiner, is on the trail of this killer by finding forensic evidence needed to put the jigsaw puzzle of this crime together. Little does she know that the killer is close, maybe too close, and knows she's getting closer.

BODY OF EVIDENCE is one of the reasons Patricia Cornwell is a favorite among mystery bibliophiles all over the world. It's filled with constant action, non-stop thrills and chills, and seems like an endless roller-coaster ride from page one (did I leave out any clichés to describe this story???). Cornwell delves into her main characters' psyches and we see what makes Scarpetta and Moreno tick (a glimpse into their real beings). Between the great development of her main characters and the storyline that will keep you constantly guessing, Cornwell once again created a masterpiece.

If you haven't read any of her other books, this is a good one that will definitely hook you with her writing style!

another Scarpetta vs the sick world story
Patricia Cornwell does a very good job of uncovering some of the sickest sides of humanity.Once again, our hero, Dr Scarpetta, is not only using the fine details of physical evidence around (multiple, as usual in her stories) dead bodies, but the sick killer seems to be after her as well.With sidekick police detective Marino protecting her, will she survive?And what about old boyfriend Mark James?Can she trust him?The suspense is very good at times.My only complaint is the ending was a bit of a disappointment.It was good, but didn't meet the level of excitement building throughout most of the book, which up to that point was a solid 5-star book. ... Read more

Isbn: 0671038567
Sales Rank: 104856
Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Legal    4. Mystery & Detective - Series    5. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths    6. Mystery fiction    7. Thrillers    8. Fiction / General   

Last Dance, Last Chance (Ann Rule's Crime Files)
by Ann Rule
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (30 December, 2002)
list price: $7.99 -- our price: $7.99
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Reviews (35)

not her best, but good
This is another of Rule's true crime files books. The main story is about a sociopathic doctor who is not what he pretends to be, a loser who wanted to be one of the world's best physicians. Well he was one of the worst. He constantly lied about everything, couldn't even get his license in America, he was such a lousy med student so he got one from a foreign country. He had fake degrees hanging on his walls.He was going bald, and invented a toupee with bolts that screwed into his skull! He thought he would become a millionaire with this contraption, but men obviously thought being bald was better than being a Frankenstein's monster. He was doing a breast implant in his office without a licensed anesthetist,(he did it himself and didn't know how). He killed this woman, went to trial and was fined. Then his wife gradually became very ill, and was found to have been poisoned with arsenic. Yes, he did that too. He finally went where he belonged, prison. The other stories were okay, but a couple were kind of boring. I still love Ann's books and read them all. She's the best true crime writer out there.

One of her best!
This true story is hard to believe it is really true! Wonderfully written by Ann. It gives us all a warning to check our Doctor's out throughly before having procedures performed such as plastic surgery. The horror this man put his wife and others through is unforgivable. A must read.

Debbie a Victim?
Well written and interesting...but the main "victim" Debbie, comes off more like an accomplice, than the Angel that Ms. Rule intended for her to appear like. So much rang false for me. ... Read more

Isbn: 067102535X
Sales Rank: 67658
Subjects:  1. Case studies    2. Crime    3. Homicide    4. Murder    5. Murder - General    6. Nonfiction - True Crime / Espionage    7. True Crime    8. United States    9. True Crime / General   

J Is For Judgment
by SUE GRAFTON
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (12 June, 1995)
list price: $5.99
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Reviews (24)

J is for Just Under Par
Sue Grafton is a little off target with this mystery and Kinsey Millhone, her now famous female sleuth is doing what she does best -- she's solving a case that seems simple and turns into something unexpected.

If you've been reading along the alphabet as I have been, we've learned that Kinsey was fired from California Fidelity Insurance, the employer who occupied all of her time with their cases. Now they need Kinsey back working for them on a tough case and are willing to pay her price. The case itself is a little confusing (and has been overdone by other writers): guy is missing from his boat while sailing on the ocean, leaves suicide note, wife and children are left with nothing, his business partner is put in jail for fraud. Then five years later, he's officially declared dead and his wife receives $ 500,000 from California Fidelity Insurance. Everything seems on the up and up so far, until an insurance agent spots the dead man in a Mexican hotel. Off Kinsey goes to find the evidence so the insurance company can get back its money only to have the guy elude her. Rumor has it that his son is in trouble and she's sure he's back in his hometown to try and help.

Sue Grafton had the story line down pat and the characters were born in detail. I'm not sure where she loses her momentum but it's somewhere along the way with this story. It could be in the fact that she's trying too hard to give us glimpses into future books with the bits and pieces of Kinsey's family and not concentrating on the story at hand. The ending is a bit lame and it seems as if she's trying to tone down Kinsey's personality that we've all come to know and love. The story itself is in need of a serious rewrite in order to achieve the greatness that Grafton so often emits.

This is still a good book, better than most, but it's starting to go downhill fast and I hope Grafton can get the future books back on track or I may have to stop the alphabet series somewhere along the way. As my daughter said when she was learning the alphabet, "A, B, C, D, E, F, G, I'm done with this" if it doesn't get back to where she was around G is for Gumshoe.

Where is Wendall Jaffe? Did He Fake His Own Death?
Kinsey Millhone has to solve the case of what happened to Wendall Jaffe. Did he fake his own death in order to defraud the
insurance company? Kinsey spends most of the book trying to put the clues together and runs into trouble along her way.

I enjoyed the book and found it a good read, though not as good as some of the others in this series.

"J" is for Judgment and Jaffe
"Wendell Jaffe is about six four, weight maybe 230. He's in his late 50's, but is in good shape," for a dead guy.Around this man and his infamous disappearing acts, Sue Grafton opens the files to a once closed case about money fraud and alleged suicides.Narrator, Kinsey Milhone, along with the Jaffe family paves the way for this suspense filled and invigorating novel. Through Grafton's use of setting, characterization, language and plot she ties this story into a well-written piece of literature.For any aspiring investigator or just a fan of a good mystery, this book along with the rest of the Grafton alphabet series would be appropriate.
Kinsey, ex-California Fidelity Insurance Agency employee, just received a call to open a case from about five years before involving millions of dollars said to be stolen. The suspect`s, Jaffe, boat was found off the Californian coast with a suicide note alongside soon after the news of his business` failure.Kinsey immediately launches a tracking excursion and follows him to Mexico.While there, they receive news of Jaffe's youngest boy being arrested and charged with murder. Suddenly, Jaffe disappears, yet again. While Jaffe runs from the cops and searches for the love of his family left behind, Kinsey gets involved with a little family exploration as well.
To get the full affect, go back in time about ten years ago.Take a trip west to the southern part of California and there Ms. Milhone and the Jaffe family`s story will take place. Grafton uses so much descriptive language that one feels they are surfing the waves as Kinsey "...drives down Highway 10 with the salty air from the ocean rushing by."In everything Grafton masters imagery, by telling just enough and then letting each imagination complete the picture as it sees fit.
Just as well as Grafton uses the setting to draw the reader into this realistic, yet make-believe world, she takes the reader into Kinsey's head as well.Throughout the story, Kinsey is the omniscient narrator and therefore can only tell us x-number of details. However each character has been used accordingly and created purposefully for every detail in the book. Characters bring not only their actions, but their individual lives and stories to help devise this mystery of love, lose, and revenge.
Each specific character is a unique individual as well as there dialogue should be, too.Grafton uses very likely and everyday language for each specific character and circumstance. Since they live in southern California, quite close to Mexico, Kinsey enrolls in a Spanish class to help further her knowledge of the language and it actually helps her to gain information about the Jaffe case while in Mexico.Another instance, the Jaffe boys receive news of their fathers doings and are outraged.As young adults growing up in this era, both express some extreme and foul language to show their emotions.
Since the main purpose, stereotypically, of a mystery should represent suspense and misleading, Grafton does not leave anything out. She does an excellent job of keeping the book snappy and going, making each chapter significant and exposing new evidence or yet another twist.She tends to lead you to believe one thing, letting the imagination soar, and then veers off course with new facts that turn the whole lot around.The conflicts seem to be mostly external are and easy to pick out. The dénouement and resolution do not appear until the end, making it harder and harder to wait for those last unraveling details.
Putting this all, the setting, characterization, language, and plot, plus everything not mentioned composes quite the tale. With Kinsey's high spirits and Jaffe's well-known disappearing acts, this book is full of apprehension and a shocking ending. Kinsey said, "Put me close to an interesting proposition and my pulse accelerates," and for readers, that is captured. ... Read more

Isbn: 0517153971
Sales Rank: 1392728
Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Mystery & Detective - Hard-Boiled    3. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths    4. SALE BOOKS    5. Sale Books - Adult