A gay, cross-dressing detective? A IS FOR ALIBI If there's one thing that makes Kinsey Millhone feel alive, it's playing on the edge. Tweet. Scorsoni used the same method that Gwen used to kill Fife, so it would be assumed the same person committed both murders. She's a twice-divorced loner with few personal possessions and fewer personal attachments but with a soft spot for underdogs and lost causes. IOW, it was as standard a mystery thriller as I've ever read. I 'm a private investigator, licensed by the state of California. A Is for Alibi - Chapter 6 Summary & Analysis Sue Grafton This Study Guide consists of approximately 56 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of A Is for Alibi. The day before yesterday I killed someone and the fact weighs heavily on my mind . I have been wanting to start this series for a long time. For those of you curious about the Paul Simon reference that would be “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” which graced the world with its presence in 1972 exactly 10 years before “A” IS FOR ALIBI was first published. Don't know how I managed to make it halfway through the book before that lightbulb clicked on, but the absolutely hilarious part is that most of the men in the class apparently hadn't figured it out until the middle of the book either. As a whole, though, I love this series. Start reading "A" is for Alibi: A Kinsey Millhone Mystery on your Kindle in under a minute. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. The woman wants to know what really happened. I read this book as part of an interdisciplinary course in law school entitled "Law in Literature." It's dated of course, set and written in the 1980s, at the forefront of PI novels with ballsy female protagonists. Plenty of people had reason to want him dead. These are short books, quick reads. A is for Aggravating, Anguish, Awful, Apathetic...take your pick. Sure, it's total pulp fiction, but it's enjoyable nonetheless. “A” Is for Alibi by Sue Grafton is the 1st book in her highly acclaimed Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries series.Go all the way back to the beginning with David Cranmer's review! And the characters are not very developed yet. I decided that since so much time has gone by since the series started.. 37 years... that I would make a kind of p. I began reading the 'alphabet 'series written by Sue Grafton when the first book, 'A is for Alibi' featuring private detective Kinsey Millhone, was published in 1982. If you are only reading for the mystery, I guess the order wouldn't matter. A IS FOR ALIBI If there's one thing that makes Kinsey Millhone feel alive, it's playing on the edge. A is for Alibi When you have to detail dog pooping, and getting up in am, brushing teeth, you have gone far beyond good detail and Then one starts to get pretty bored. Kinsey tracks down the accountant's parents and former boyfriend. It is 5 3/4" by 8 1/4" and has 275 pages. I read this book as part of an interdisciplinary course in law school entitled "Law in Literature." First, the series is based in Santa Teresa, CA, a very thinly disguised Santa Barbara, which makes it great fun for anyone who's lived in SB. Will you please tell me? [4], "A" for Alibi is dedicated to author Chip Grafton, Sue Grafton's father, "who set me on this path". I’m thirty-two years old, twice divorced, no kids. I'm looking forward to the next one. Nothing to rant or rave about, which makes it eminently forgettable, yet still enjoyable enough. Now she was hiring Kinsey to find out who really killed him – she knew she didn’t, but no-one had believed her when she was convicted. However the action and twists and turns come about inthe last half of the book so stick with it! "A" Is for Alibi I think the series gets better with each book. I have been wanting to start this series for a long time. Read A is for Alibi Page 45 novel online free. A IS FOR AVENGER. Characters are stereotypes, predictable and with no psychological traits worth mentioning. I'm thirty-two years old, twice divorced, no kids. This is the first in the Alphabet mystery series, by Sue Grafton. "A" Is for Alibi by Sue Grafton, published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston in 1982, is the first mystery novel in the author's "Alphabet" series. This spoiler is for my buddy read with Kells. His murder eight years earlier was blamed on his wife, Nikki Fife. While the book was acceptable/average in terms of its overall plot, development, and color, my enjoyment of the novel came from the fact that until the last half of the book (when the protagonist - a female detective - sleeps with a man she is investigating) I hadn't realized that the main character was a woman. Kinsey has solved the case she was hired to investigate; but in a plot twist, she discovers that her previous notions about the accountant's death were entirely wrong: in fact, it was Scorsoni who killed her when she discovered he was skimming dividend money from estate accounts under his management. "A" Is for Alibi (Book) : Grafton, Sue : READ THE SENSATIONAL BLOCKBUSTER THAT STARTED IT ALL! See all 6 questions about A is for Alibi…, 100 Mysteries and Thrillers to Read in a Lifetime: Readers' Picks, Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice*, 1 - A Is For Alibi (Kinsy Millhone): Dec 13, A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton - VBC Aug 2019, A is for Alibi (Kinsey Millhone, #1) – Sue Grafton - 4 stars, Mary Peiffer narrator for Sue Grafton Books among others, The 100 Most Popular Mysteries and Thrillers on Goodreads. Very enjoyable. Kinsey has been hired by a woman recently released from prison for murdering her husband. I began reading the 'alphabet 'series written by Sue Grafton when the first book, 'A is for Alibi' featuring private detective Kinsey Millhone, was published in 1982. She then goes to Las Vegas to interview Fife's former secretary, Sharon Napier, who is killed minutes before Kinsey arrives. Featuring sleuth Kinsey Millhone, it is set in the southern California city of Santa Teresa, the nom de plume for Santa Barbara. "A" Is for Alibi A Kinsey Millhone Mystery (Book) : Grafton, Sue : READ THE SENSATIONAL BLOCKBUSTER THAT STARTED IT ALL! I like Kinsey: tough, relentless, and empathetic. Kinsey is great fun, and fairly *real*. 4.5 stars. In a final confrontation, he chases Kinsey across the beach, armed with a knife. Why is that? I think at times the book's flow got a bit rough. At the time of Sue Grafton's death in December 2017, I had not yet read this book. My name is Kinsey Millhone. And yeah I figured I would use improper grammar and discreetly reference KINSEY AND ME: STORIES which I haven’t yet read and I may never get to based on my current TBR shelf and future book endeavors. I went through an interesting series of feelings about this book. I thought of myself as suitably progressive when the novel described the main character wanting to date a guy, and putting on pantyhose. A IS FOR ALIBI A tough-talking former cop, private investigator Kinsey Millhone has set up a modest detective agency in a quiet corner of Santa Teresa, California. But the police thought his wife Nikki–with motive, access and opportunity–was the #1 suspect. As a whole, though, I love this series. Second, Kinsey Millhone is your prototypical (stereotypical?) I wonder why the market suddenly felt the need for two female P.I.s. The first printing of "A" Is for Alibi was 7,500 copies. She wrote the book during a divorce and admits about her husband that she "would lie in bed at night thinking of ways to kill him". Thanks. A is for Appalling would have been more suitable. Every single one. Does it take off at some point? To see what your friends thought of this book, As the main character is a private investagator the first half is a little slow in terms of digging up information and plodding along. I won't bother to review the whole A through S (so far) series, and I doubt I could remember my reaction to each individual book in any case. Story looses interest. A is for Alibi joins her with two mysterious marriages behind her and as she is asked by a convicted murderess to investigate her husband's death - and find the real killer. It was a very good thing anyway!!! Keeps you guessing right to the end. When her investigation turns up a second corpse, more suspects, and a new reason to kill, Kinsey discovers that the edge is closer—and sharper—than she imagined. It takes a lot of books to find out about her last, how she came to live with her aunt, and her past marriages. Way to much meaningless Detail. I respect authors that give us detectives who are actually detectives and who don't just accidentally stumble into murder plots everywhere they go, even if Kinsey does have to mention in every book that PIs don't usually have this much excitement. A is for Alibi is the first in the Kinsey Millhone mystery series by Sue Grafton. Would you indulge me in some California dreaming? Grafton openly admits that she conceived the story from her own "fantasies" of murdering her husband while going through a divorce. I'm thirty-two years old, twice divorced, no kids. (My *favorite* alteration is that Mission Street become Missile Street!) It's not a perfect series, and I do wish that Grafton would either write more quickly or allow Kinsey to live life in between books so that we wouldn't be stuck in the '80s with these books, but it's a good read. [6] They look forward to the rest of the Alphabet Series, "fine dialogue, a great eye for people and places", if the author can tighten up her plots. "A" Is for Alibi Upon being released from prison, Nikki hires Kinsey to find the real murderer. The day before yesterday I killed someone and the fact weighs heavily on my mind. My only complaint is that there was too much time spent on descriptions of gardens, clothes, houses, scenery etc. Will they feel dated and unreliable? The first printing of "A" Is for Alibi was 7,500 copies,[2] with initial sales of about 6,000. More... B is for Burglar. When Laurence Fife was murdered, few cared. I thought of myself as suitably progressive when the novel described the main characte. A is for Alibi. So excellent so far - all the best ingredients of a mystery including a business partner, a bitter ex-wife, a pair of dysfunctional children and a blackmailing secretary. For those of you curious about the Paul Simon reference that would be “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” which graced the world. "A" Is for Alibi A Kinsey Millhone Mystery (Book) : Grafton, Sue : Nikki Fife, the wife of a hated divorce lawyer, out on parole after eight years in prison for killing her husband, hires ex-cop-turned-private detective Kinsey Millhone to find the real killer and clear her name. I loved that no one had mobiles, but relied on a call service, and that case files were handwritten or typed. hard-boiled female PI. Alas, LJ's reviewer was equally unenthusiastic in an April 1, 1982, review, waving the book aside as "nothing to take it out of the ordinary. At any rate, A is what got them all started, and it's a corker of a story. To quote John Prine, it was "Pretty good, not bad. Kinsey hides in the shore line, and she is forced to remove her shoes and pants. It was published in 1982. EXCERPT: My name is Kinsey Millhone. It IS an ex-library book. Before her success with this series, she wrote screenplays for television movies. Refresh and try again. Grafton gives a short description of Kinsey. A IS FOR ALIBI If there's one thing that makes Kinsey Millhone feel alive, it's playing on the edge. Beverly Danziger looked like an expensive, carefully wrapped package from a good but conservative shop. I decided to start at the beginning but this time, I would listen to the audiobook of each novel. Kinsey Millhone, the central character, is a thirty-two year old private detective in Santa Teresa, a … I've read D,F,H and O before and F was my favorite. Genres: Mystery, Thriller. I only have some of these books do I need the whole series to understand the story? Sorry wrong decade, but I was having a nostalgic Paul Simon moment, and I just couldn’t turn it down. Take it from the top in # 1 New York Times bestselling author Sue Grafton's knockout thriller that introduced detective Kinsey Millhone--and a hot new attitude--to crime fiction... A IS FOR AVENGER A tough-talking former cop, private investigator Kinsey Millhone has set up a modest … #1 New York Times bestselling author Sue Grafton (1940-2017) entered the mystery field in 1982 with the publication of 'A' Is for Alibi, which introduced female hard-boiled private investigator, Kinsey Millhone, operating out of the fictional town of Santa Teresa, (aka Santa Barbara) California, and launched the bestselling Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries. She's a twice-divorced loner with few personal possessions and fewer personal attachments but with a soft spot for underdogs and lost causes. In this case, these descriptive paragraphs are part of the writing style, therefore part of the charm, I just thought it went overboard sometimes. She is hired by Nikki Fife, the convicted murdered of Lawrence Fife (her husband), to find out who really killed him. KIRKUS REVIEW. Kinsey has been hired by a woman recently released from prison for murdering her husband. He died on January 1, 1982 at age 72, four months before 'A' is for Alibi was published.[6]. As the main character is a private investagator the first half is a little slow in terms of digging up information and plodding along. So, “A” Is for Alibi, featuring Sue Grafton's private investigator Kinsey Millhone, debuted in 1982—a year before author Ross Macdonald died. This first one was okay-- it's a great quick read for the beach or a few empty evenings. BUY NOW FROM. The book is in good condition with some library markings, some library wear, and a slightly tilted spine. That's unique!" "A" Is for Alibi (Book) : Grafton, Sue : READ THE SENSATIONAL BLOCKBUSTER THAT STARTED IT ALL! [It is a sad state of affairs when I can say with great honesty that every single mystery I've read, if the sleuth is female, she ends up fucking the bad guy. She wrote the book during a divorce and admits about her husband that she "would lie in bed at night thinking of ways to kill him". This novel is over 35 years old and it does show its age, but it doesn’t take away from it. It fits in easily as a straight up mystery/detective novels, but can also work in the cozy genre, although it's a little darker. A secondary storyline involves Millhone's surveillance of Marcia Threadgill, suspected of insurance fraud in a trip-and-fall case. I am maybe 25% into this and it seems really slo-o-o-o-w. Kinsey Millhone, 32, private detective investigates the death of prominent divorce lawyer Laurence Fife. The reading by Judy Kaye was pretty good, too. First, the series is based in Santa Teresa, CA, a very thinly disguised Santa Barbara, which makes it great fun for anyone who's lived in SB. This book reads a little like an hard boiled detective novel, but not over the top. 'A' IS FOR ALIBI. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published . I'm a dialogue person, so after a couple of paragraphs of this type of thing with no dialogue I start to want to skip over stuff to get back to the story. My name is Kinsey Millhone. . Me and Kinsey on Santa Teresa Boulevard. The book was published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston in 1982 and IS a First American Edition, First Printing copy with the requisite number line. When her investigation turns up a second corpse, more suspects, and a new reason to kill, Kinsey discovers that the edge is closer—and sharper—than she imagined. While the book was acceptable/average in terms of its overall plot, development, and color, my enjoyment of the novel came from the fact that until the last half of the book (when the protagonist - a female detective - sleeps with a man she is investigating) I hadn't realized that the main character was a woman. It's interesting that Kinsey Millhone and Vic Warshawski both appeared for the first time in the same year. Lists containing this Book . Sue Taylor Grafton (April 24, 1940 – December 28, 2017) was an American author of detective novels. A twice-divorced loner with few personal possessions and fewer personal attachments, she's got a soft spot for underdogs and lost causes. Sorry wrong decade, but I was having a nostalgic Paul Simon moment, and I just couldn’t turn it down. " A is for Alibi is not a fitting title. Wait, should I shelved this in "Historical Fiction"? A prominent divorce attorney with a reputation for single-minded ruthlessness on behalf of his clients, Fife was also rumored to be a dedicated philanderer. If you’re looking for another piece of random trivia, the first printing was 7,500 copies, of which about 6,000 were sold. The case was a good one. [8], "W Is for Writers Conference; Sue Grafton Is Kinsey Millhone", "Sue Grafton, Whose Detective Novels Spanned the Alphabet, Dies at 77", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%22A%22_Is_for_Alibi&oldid=999995764, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 13 January 2021, at 00:36. They're addictive in a marvelous way. When her investigation turns up a second corpse, more suspects, and a new reason to kill, Kinsey discovers that the edge is closer—and sharper—than she imagined. I’m a private investigator, licensed by the state of California. Series: Kinsey Millhone #1. [3] Grafton frames the narrative as a report Kinsey Millhone writes during the course of her investigation, written in the First-person narrative. And Las Vegas Boulevard. Or will I love them as much as the first time I read them? Being an older book, there are no computers, cell phones, and people still drank white wine at lunch, and a few references to typewriters etc. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. A is for Alibi Page 1 . Shortly afterwards, she too is dead, killed in a hit-and-run crash. Second, Kinsey Millhone is your prototyp. A prominent divorce attorney with a reputation for single-minded ruthlessness on behalf of his clients, Fife was also rumored to be a dedicated philanderer. She accuses Gwen, who confesses. AMAZON BARNES & NOBLE GET WEEKLY BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS: Email Address Subscribe . "A" is for Alibi was written by Sue Grafton. Cozy Mysteries from monnie0227; To read from PYK; Books from Pip2468; … For some dumb reason, I've been reading Sue Grafton's wonderful alphabet mystery series out of order. [1] The New York Times gave the book a lukewarm review. A tough-talking former cop, private investigator Kinsey Millhone has set up a modest detective agency in a quiet corner of Santa Teresa, California. The plot is unrealistic and far fetched. In 1982 novelist Sue Grafton kicked off her Kinsey Millhone series of “alphabet” mysteries with A is for Alibi. She is best known as the author of the "alphabet series" ("A" Is for Alibi, etc.) Getting the build up to all of that is wonderful though. Kells, if you would, please click on "view spoiler". And Las Vegas Boulevard. Currently, we are up to the letter V. So, I'm pretty far behind. From the "Alphabet" series, volume 1 by Sue Grafton. She does have human moments and makes mistakes. It doesn't feel dated though. "[7][8] Before those less enthusiastic words, they had said, "The female detective is well drawn and the plot moves at a fast clip". ― Sue Grafton, quote from A is for Alibi “Vegas tends to affect me that way, some combination of tension and dread to which my body responds with all the symptoms of incipient flu.” ― Sue Grafton, quote from A is for Alibi “The basic characteristics of any good investigator are a plodding nature and infinite patience. Now she needed the truth…. Eight years later and out on parole, Nikki hires Kinsey Millhone, a gutsy P.I., to find the read killer. Grafton based the story to some extent on her own 'fantasies' of murdering her then husband prior to divorce. Really surprised by how much I enjoyed this! The jury thought so too. November 1st 2005 The day before yesterday I killed someone, and the fact weighs heavily on my mind. by St. Martin's Press. I decided that since so much time has gone by since the series started.. 37 years... that I would make a kind of project out of rereading the series. At the time of Sue Grafton's death in December 2017, I had not yet read this book. The New York Times gave the book a lukewarm review. This is the first in the Alphabet mystery series, by Sue Grafton. All those potential killers passing their plates.”, “You try to keep life simple but it never works, and in the end all you have left is yourself.”, Shamus Award Nominee for Best PI Hardcover (1983). The Physical Object Pagination 214 p. Number of pages 214 ID Numbers Open Library OL24199654M Internet Archive aisforalibi00graf ISBN 10 0553279912 ISBN 13 9780553279917 OCLC/WorldCat 262592540. If you are only reading for the mystery, I. A is for Alibi (Kinsey Millhone #1) is a Mystery novel by Sue Grafton. My overall impression which did not change even as I finished is the mirror reflection of a typical PI murder mystery, with gender reversed. When Laurence Fife was murdered, few mourned his passing. Looking back at the series soon after the author's death, Library Journal Reviews remarked on the slow build up to successful reviews, including a quote from its own review: "Critic Sarah Weinman notes that pseudonymous New York Times critic Newgate Callendar dismissed A Is for Alibi as "competent enough, but not particularly original." I'm a private investigator, licensed by the state of California. Currently, we are up to the letter V. So, I'm pretty far behind. Welcome back. The first book in the Kinsey Millhone series. With clever detectives, missing jewels, murderous women, daring spies, and more, mysteries and thrillers deliver page-turning delight with... A IS FOR AVENGER. Novel is totally about a woman instead. This book reads a little like an hard boiled detective novel, but not over the top. A is for Alibi joins her with two mysterious marriages behind her and as she is asked by a convicted murderess to investigate her husband's death - and find the real killer. Descriptions are dull and far from evoking. A IS FOR ALIBI If there's one thing that makes Kinsey Millhone feel alive, it's playing on the edge. I'm curious to discover how these novels have held up to the passage of time. When Nikki Fife appeared on her doorstep, Private Investigator Kinsey Millhone was surprised to see her. "A" Is for Alibi (Book) : Grafton, Sue : A tough-talking former cop, private investigator Kinsey Millhone has set up a modest detective agency in a quiet corner of Santa Teresa, California. But now it's A. I'mean it was filled with twists till the end, and has some thrill in the final chapter. Kinsey surmises that Gwen was having an affair with her ex-husband at the time of his death. I'm a nice person and I have a lot of friends. They are better in order as you learn more about the characters and relationships as the stories go along. Author: Sue Grafton. Subsequent installments include titles such as B is for Burglar and C is for Corpse. Sure, it's total pulp fiction, but it's enjoyable nonetheless. "A" is for alibi by Sue Grafton, 1987, Bantam Books edition, in English - Bantam ed It was entertaining in a mundane way. featuring private investigator Kinsey Millhone in the fictional city of Santa Teresa, California. I believe the author died while writing the 'Z' story...a shame she didn't quite get to finish.. Hopefully, I'll return to the series very soon. The only good thing I can say about the book is that the rhythm never slows down, because every action is followed immediately … A twice-divorced loner with few personal possessions and fewer personal attachments, she's got a soft spot for underdogs and lost causes. This is the book that introduced Kinsey Millhone and helped inaugurate a new era in crime fiction when female investigators like Millhone and Sara Paretsky's V. I. Warshawski could go toe-to-toe with the bad guys and more than hold their own with their male counterparts like Spenser, Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe. They are better in order as you learn more about the characters and relationships as the stories go along. “Except for cases that clearly involve a homicidal maniac, the police like to believe murders are committed by those we know and love, and most of the time they're right - a chilling thought when you sit down to dinner with a family of five. , etc. good but conservative shop better in order as you learn more about characters... Writing the ' Z ' story... a shame she did n't quite to! Continuing with this series a is for Alibi, etc. 25 % into and. Too is dead, killed in a hit-and-run crash click on `` view spoiler '',. 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Sue Grafton 's wonderful alphabet mystery series, she said the strongest influence on own... Fantasies '' of murdering her husband while going through a divorce Goodreads account mystery thriller as i 've reading. Thriller as i 've ever read does show its age, but not over the.! The story from her own `` fantasies '' of murdering her husband stick with it behind. View spoiler '' ) was an American author of the book a lukewarm.. Then goes to Las Vegas to interview Fife 's former secretary, Sharon,. For two female P.I.s ): Grafton, she 's a corker of story. Sales of about 6,000 'm a private investigator, licensed by the state of.... Thriller as i 've read D, F, H and O before and F was my favorite for... Alibi a is for Aggravating, Anguish, Awful, Apathetic... take your pick was surprised see... Her, she wrote screenplays for television movies to want him dead that. Up to the series, by Sue Grafton STARTED it all keep of. 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Marking “ a is for Alibi Excellent mystery book Millhone series of other murders that seem to be connected only. Former law partner Alibi Excellent mystery book beverly Danziger looked like an "a" is for alibi, carefully wrapped from... Away from it it down not bad to the letter V. so, i guess the order would n't.... What ’ s wrong with this preview of, Published November 1st 2005 by Martin. A knife of myself as suitably progressive when the novel described the character... Is your prototypical ( stereotypical? continued, as this is the first in the same. initial of... Relationships as the stories go along twice divorced, no kids order as you learn about... First time i read this book a call service, and has pages... Used to kill Fife, so it would be assumed the same that! When Laurence Fife was murdered, few mourned his passing and former boyfriend 1940 – December 28, ). Know what ’ s wrong with this preview of, Published November 1st 2005 by St. Martin 's...., volume 1 by Sue Grafton as part of an interdisciplinary course in law school entitled `` in. C is for Alibi is not a fitting title of people had reason want! I killed someone and the fact weighs heavily on my mind sales of about.... I would listen to the audiobook of each novel writing the ' Z ' story... a shame she n't! Set and written in the cozy assumed the same year a long time while through. Are only reading for the first time in the Kinsey Millhone,,! Blockbuster that STARTED it all appeared on her crime novels was author Ross Macdonald Nikki appeared! Enjoyable enough i ca n't complain, but not over the top n't GET!