Kinsey does it again!
Trespass Kinsey Millhone Mystery ebook
"To the cynics among us, I must sound like an idiot, but I do hold to the good, working wherever possible to separate the wicked from that which profits them." -- Kinsey Millhone.
I enjoyed "T is for Trespass" as much as, or more than, any of the Grafton books, and I've read them all. I think they just get better and better as they proceed through the alphabet.
"T" is very much about the everyday work life of Kinsey Millhone, private investigator -- a realistic view of the mundane world of serving processes, tracking down accident witnesses, and going after insurance cheats -- punctuated by her battle of wits with a truly evil abuser of an elderly neighbor. The fact that the victim of the evil-doer is a totally unlikeable and nasty S.O.B. just emphasizes Kinsey's devotion to good and justice. And Kinsey is very human and makes mistakes just like any one of us might do, which is one thing that makes these books so likable.
"T" is not so much a mystery as it is a story about our favorite detective. We know who the villain is from the beginning, so we just have to enjoy the story unfolding to what we hope will be a climax that satisfies our sense of justice and vengeance.
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This is a real page turner, so don't start reading it just before bedtime. Grafton tackles two hot issues: identity theft and elder abuse. The ease with which identity theft is accomplished in this latest novel will make all of us a bit nervous about our own identities and just who may have borrowed them. And we will probably be a bit concerned about what will happen in our own old age. Unsettling ideas in an excellent plot.
The real genius in Sue Grafton's work is how she is able to continue to set her stories in the 80's and yet have them still be relevant to today. In an interview several years ago, she said she was lagging so that her heroine would not grow old before her time. Kinsey Milhone is her fantasy self, leading the life Grafton imagines she would if she were a PI in the 80's. Although it doesn't seem that long ago, it is 20 years after all. And the electronic gadgets that would make Kinsey's job easier are not available to her yet. This book is her best yet. Darker, and despite the 20 year lag, topical. She is able to juggle several story lines and keep them all fresh and interesting, satisfyingly complete.
The 20th novel in Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone series is one of the best. In her last outing, "S" IS FOR SILENCE, Grafton altered her style a bit, actually entering other characters' points of view to tell parts of the story so that they shared the narrating duties with Kinsey herself. With this new novel, that device is used to chilling effect--between reports from Kinsey, we enter the mind of a woman who is possibly her most twisted adversary to date.
Solana Rojas is a caregiver, a home-help nurse's aide much like the thousands you'll find all over America. But the woman assigned to care for Kinsey's elderly friend is not your usual "angel of mercy." For one thing, she is not the real Solana Rojas--she has stolen that woman's identity. And she has plans. To tell you more of the plot would be--well, criminal.
The best aspect of Grafton's excellent series is her ability to keep up with current social and legal problems, despite the fact that Kinsey's stories are set somewhere in the 1980s. In this novel we have identity theft, the inherent problems of home care, and--perhaps most disturbing--the tendency of society in general to ignore and/or mistreat our most vulnerable citizens. At least this elderly victim has Kinsey Millhone as a champion. And what a champion she is! "T" IS FOR TRESPASS will captivate longtime Grafton fans, and it should make her a lot of new fans as well. Highly recommended.
"To the cynics among us, I must sound like an idiot, but I do hold to the good, working wherever possible to separate the wicked from that which profits them." -- Kinsey Millhone.
I enjoyed "T is for Trespass" as much as, or more than, any of the Grafton books, and I've read them all. I think they just get better and better as they proceed through the alphabet.
"T" is very much about the everyday work life of Kinsey Millhone, private investigator -- a realistic view of the mundane world of serving processes, tracking down accident witnesses, and going after insurance cheats -- punctuated by her battle of wits with a truly evil abuser of an elderly neighbor. The fact that the victim of the evil-doer is a totally unlikeable and nasty S.O.B. just emphasizes Kinsey's devotion to good and justice. And Kinsey is very human and makes mistakes just like any one of us might do, which is one thing that makes these books so likable.
"T" is not so much a mystery as it is a story about our favorite detective. We know who the villain is from the beginning, so we just have to enjoy the story unfolding to what we hope will be a climax that satisfies our sense of justice and vengeance.
When Kinsey's crotchety octagenarian neighbor Gus takes a fall, the good hearted detective takes on the responsibility for seeing to his welfare. The nurse who is hired comes with glowing recommendations, but soon, a web of stolen identity, embezzlement, abuse, and murder swirls around her, and Kinsey's met her match. This plot is the best Grafton has produced in the last several years, with Kinsey juggling her personal life and her caseload, which, in addition to Gus's life threatening problems, include insurance fraud and a reclusive ex-con, best friend Henry's tangled romance, and a Mexican tarantula, just to name a few of stumbling blocks that pop up to trip her. Even when all seems resolved, trouble still lurks in the wings to disturb Kinsey's peace of mind. In addition to the engaging main characters, Grafton can be relied upon to produce a lively cast of courageous allies and menacing villains without resorting to types. T is for Trespass is more than a mystery, it's an adventure, a look into the dark recesses of some souls, and into the finer instincts of others.
Every now and again Sue Grafton's alphabet series produces a book that is slightly less compelling than most -- but not this time! Her sense of suspense; her plotting and use of character description; ditto her sense of "place" and action -- ALL superb. Whenever I look for ease of writing, comfortable reacquaintance with character, enjoyable pacing and believable situation -- I ALWAYS turn to Sue Grafton. Can't wait for the next one!!
For 25 years, author Sue Grafton has gifted her readers with one of the most consistently quirky characters in fiction. Kinsey Millhone, Grafton's fiercely independent heroine, has been at the front and center of 19 alphabetically titled stories, beginning with "A is for Alibi" in 1982.
With "T is for Trespass," Grafton again proves why she's topped every best sellers list here at home and has been published in 26 languages and 28 countries.
For those unfamiliar with Kinsey, here's some background.
She works as a private investigator in the fictional town of Santa Teresa, Calif. She's single, having been divorced twice and broken up with boyfriend Cheney Phillips, a police officer. She lives in a studio apartment owned by retired baker and sexy senior citizen Henry Pitts.
Kinsey's parents were killed in a car wreck when she was five. Raised by her mother's sister, Kinsey didn't do well in school, but found a home in police work, and later as a private investigator.
She wears blue jeans. She runs along the beach to stay in shape, a task necessary to counter her love for greasy fast food. She cuts her hair with cuticle scissors and she owns one black dress.
Since her 1974 pale blue Volkswagen bug was crushed by a bulldozer in "S is for Silence," Kinsey is now driving a vintage 1970 Ford Mustang, "with a gaudy Grabber Blue exterior."
Instead of working a case out of her office downtown, this time around, Kinsey faces a challenge closer to home.
Her elderly neighbor Gus Vronksy, a prickly curmudgeon who has very few likeable traits and no nearby relatives, needs home health care after a fall.
Solana Rojas, the person hired to care for Gus, turns out to be one of the most dangerous psychopaths in recent memory.
Kinsey, Henry and Gus' niece from New York City must unravel Solana's carefully crafted plan - complete with stolen identity, violence and murder - before it's too late for Gus.
Grafton has always released books according to her timetable, refusing to give in to pressure to publish stories that weren't fully developed. She's never sold out to Hollywood, either, bless her heart.
Gratefully, nothing has changed. Grafton's storytelling skills and her ability to build suspense are in fine form here. Once began, it's difficult to put down any Grafton novel, and "T is for Trespass" is no exception.