You haven’t read a thriller until you read #1 New York Times bestselling author Sue Grafton’s novels with her unforgettable P.I. Kinsey Millhone… “C” is for Corpse He was young-maybe twenty or so-and he must once have been a good-looking kid. Kinsey could see that. But now his body was covered in scars, his face half-collapsed. It saddened Kinsey and made her curious. She could see he was in a … her curious. She could see he was in a lot of pain. But for three weeks, as Kinsey’d watched him doggedly working out at the local gym, putting himself through a grueling exercise routine, he never spoke.
Then one Monday morning when there was no one else in the gym, Bobby Callahan approached her. His story was hard to credit: a murderous assault by a tailgating car on a lonely rural road, a roadside smash into a canyon 400 feet below, his Porsche a bare ruin, his best friend dead. The doctors had managed to put his body back together again-sort of. His mother’s money had seen to that. What they couldn’t fix was his mind, couldn’t restore the huge chunks of memory wiped out by the crash. Bobby knew someone had tried to kill him, but he didn’t know why. He knew he had the key to something that made him dangerous to the killer, but he didn’t know what it was. And he sensed that someone was still out there, ready to pounce at the first sign his memory was coming back. He’d been to the cops, but they’d shrugged off his story. His family thought he had a screw loose. But he was scared-scared to death. He wanted to hire Kinsey.
His case didn’t have a whole lot going for it, but he was hard to resist: young, brave, hurt. She took him on. And three days later, Bobby Callahan was dead.
Kinsey Millhone never welshed a deal. She’d been hired to stop a killing. Now she’d find the killer.
“A” Is for Alibi
“B” Is for Burglar
“C” Is for Corpse
“D” Is for Deadbeat
“E” Is for Evidence
“F” Is for Fugitive
“G” Is for Gumshoe
“H” Is for Homicide
“I” Is for Innocent
“J” Is for Judgment
“K” Is for Killer
“L” is for Lawless
“M” Is for Malice
“N” Is for Noose
“O” Is for Outlaw
“P” Is for Peril
“Q” Is for Quarry
“R” Is for Ricochet
“S” Is for Silence
“T” Is for Trespass
“U” Is for Undertow
“V” Is for Vengeance
“W” Is for Wasted
“X”
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While working out at the gym, PI Kinsey Millhone is approached by a young man who was in a horrific accident 10 months ago take took part of his memory. He doesn’t think it was an accident but attempted murder and he wants Kinsey to find out why someone would want to kill him. She just begun when tragedy strikes. Can she solve this 10 month old puzzle?
Another strong entry makes it easy to see why this long running series is so popular. The characters are sharp; in fact, it is a pleasure to see how easily the author creates characters with just a few sentences. The plot moves along well, although I did figure things out a bit before Kinsey did. That’s a minor issue in this enjoyable novel.
Most of Sue Grafton’s “Kinsey Millhone” novels are like sitting down with old friends. This one is no different. There’s a rhythm to these novels. Kinsey is “lost,” but persistent. She finds one minor fact (clue), then another and another until a picture is formed. Right at the end her life is in danger. Oh, and she’s not interested in getting married, tied down, ever. Doesn’t need that. I expect “D is for Deadbeat” to be the same, but different.
I love all of the grafton alphabet books. They always end with a surprise.
Third book by Sue Grafton in the dashing trip through the Alphabet Series and get better with each book. Kinsey Millhone is smart, twice-divorced and a private eye who has been hired by super-rich young Bobby Callahan to find out who almost killed him months before in a car crash that his best friend, Rick Bergen, didn’t survive. Kinsey starts with Bobby’s mixed-up family—cool, deeply devoted mother Glen, not-too-bright stepfather Derek, whose adolescent daughter Kitty is starving and drugging herself to death. Then, there are family friends—pathologist James Fraker and gorgeous wife Nola, surgical nurse Sufi Daniels and Kitty’s psychiatrist, Leo Kleinert. Kinsey hasn’t a glimmer of light through all this and more when Bobby dies in another car crash. Intensifying efforts to find the killer while managing to rescue her lovable old landlord Henry from the clutches of a seductive lady crook. Kinsey has brains and a sense of humor all through the book.
I have the entire alphabet from Sue Grafton. Enjoyed them all.
I love this whole series of books! Her characters are always so good
Kinsey Milhone is such a wonderful character. In this era of tech it is nice to go back in time where everything was done without computers. Great plots. If you love female PI stories, Sue Grafton hit the mark. RIP Sue.
I love Kinsey. Mow reading T for TRESPASS!
Love these books!!!
This entire series is exceptional.
Kinsey Millhoune is a former cop turned freelance detective. She’s willing to take on almost any job to pay the rent. She’s down to earth, smart, witty, tough, brave, and really cares about people.
In this book, she takes a bodyguard position helping a man who has been involved in a car accident. The accident has left him dazed and convinced that someone is out to kill him. If only he could remember.
Loved this 3rd book in the series.
Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Milhone is realistic, independent, flawed, admirable, and her Southern California stomping grounds are recognizable. Her sometimes hard skepticism can be tempered by compassion, and it often turned on herself. Read them all. From A is for Alibi, to Y is for Yesterday, which was, sadly, her final novel. She and Kinsey are sorely missed. As her daughter said upon her death, “The Alphabet ends with Y.” They are 25 novels and a character worthy of your time.
Every book in this series is fun to read.
I love all of Sue Grafton’s books miss her books have read all her books and think I have a hard copy of all of them will probably read them all again.
I still love Kinsey, but this was not my favorite book.
I got frustrated halfway through because it felt like it was just going in circles and it was a little boring.
It did come together in the end, and nicely, just getting there was an issue for me.
Still, I look forward to reading the next mystery in the series. it just might be awhile.
2.5/5
Love every book in this series!
I’ve read most of Sue Grafton’s Books and have loved them all, haven’t read the last couple. Will be watching for them on my book club.
I have read all this series.
Love the entire Alphabet series