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Kinsey Millhone #18
R is for Ricochet
Reba Lafferty was a daughter of privilege, the only child of an adoring father. Nord Lafferty was already in his fifties when Reba was born, and he could deny her nothing. Over the years, he quietly settled her many scrapes with the law, but he wasn't there for her when she was convicted of embezzlement and sent to the California Institution for Women.
Now, at thirty-two, Reba is about to be paroled, having served twenty-two months of a four-year sentence. Nord wants to be sure she stays straight, and stays at home - away from the drugs, the booze, and the gamblers.
He reaches out to Kinsey Millhone. As the blurb at the front of the book puts it, "It seems a straightforward assignment for Kinsey: babysit Reba until she settles in, make sure she follows all the rules of her parole. Maybe all of a week's work. Nothing untoward - the woman seems remorseful and friendly. And the money is good." But life is never that simple, especially for Kinsey. Reba is out of prison less than twenty-four hours when her old crowd begins to circle round.
Now, at thirty-two, Reba is about to be paroled, having served twenty-two months of a four-year sentence. Nord wants to be sure she stays straight, and stays at home - away from the drugs, the booze, and the gamblers.
He reaches out to Kinsey Millhone. As the blurb at the front of the book puts it, "It seems a straightforward assignment for Kinsey: babysit Reba until she settles in, make sure she follows all the rules of her parole. Maybe all of a week's work. Nothing untoward - the woman seems remorseful and friendly. And the money is good." But life is never that simple, especially for Kinsey. Reba is out of prison less than twenty-four hours when her old crowd begins to circle round.
363 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 13, 2004
1,064 people are currently reading
11.5k people want to read
About the author
Sue Grafton
247Ìýbooks6,433ÌýfollowersSue Grafton was a #1 New York Times bestselling author. She is best known for her “alphabet seriesâ€� featuring private investigator Kinsey Millhone in the fictional city of Santa Teresa, California. Prior to success with this series, she wrote screenplays for television movies. Her earlier novels include Keziah Dane (1967) and The Lolly-Madonna War (1969), both out of print. In the book Kinsey and Me she gave us stories that revealed Kinsey's origins and Sue's past.
Grafton never wanted her novels to be turned into movies or TV shows. According to her family she would never allow a ghost writer to write in her name. Because of these things, and out of respect for Sue’s wishes, the family announced the alphabet now ends at �Y�
Grafton was named a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America, the Ross Macdonald Literary Award, three Shamus Awards, and many other honors and awards.
Grafton had three children from previous marriages and several grandchildren, including a granddaughter named Kinsey. She and her husband lived in Montecito, California, and Louisville, Kentucky.
Grafton never wanted her novels to be turned into movies or TV shows. According to her family she would never allow a ghost writer to write in her name. Because of these things, and out of respect for Sue’s wishes, the family announced the alphabet now ends at �Y�
Grafton was named a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America, the Ross Macdonald Literary Award, three Shamus Awards, and many other honors and awards.
Grafton had three children from previous marriages and several grandchildren, including a granddaughter named Kinsey. She and her husband lived in Montecito, California, and Louisville, Kentucky.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,129 reviews
April 30, 2023
Book Review
4 out of 5 stars to , the 18th book in the "Kinsey Millhone" mystery series, written in 2004 by . Another great book in this series, I enjoyed the different type of case Kinsey took on. A wealthy man wants to ensure his daughter is on her best behavior while she gets out on parole after a few years. Her wild side seems to have quieted down while in jail, and Kinsey needs the money. So... she takes the case -- mistake #1. Then she realizes her case is not a calm woman looking to start new after getting sprung from the slammer... as she's just being dragged back into the crazy again. That's mistake #2. You'll have to read the book to know mistakes 3 and 4 (there are two of them!), but I'm comfortable saying the plot and the characters in this one feel as though Grafton kicked it up a notch. I really like this series and am hoping to pic back up at V as soon as I finish a few more reviews. You should give this one a chance. There are only 26 books to read! :)
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at , where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by.
4 out of 5 stars to , the 18th book in the "Kinsey Millhone" mystery series, written in 2004 by . Another great book in this series, I enjoyed the different type of case Kinsey took on. A wealthy man wants to ensure his daughter is on her best behavior while she gets out on parole after a few years. Her wild side seems to have quieted down while in jail, and Kinsey needs the money. So... she takes the case -- mistake #1. Then she realizes her case is not a calm woman looking to start new after getting sprung from the slammer... as she's just being dragged back into the crazy again. That's mistake #2. You'll have to read the book to know mistakes 3 and 4 (there are two of them!), but I'm comfortable saying the plot and the characters in this one feel as though Grafton kicked it up a notch. I really like this series and am hoping to pic back up at V as soon as I finish a few more reviews. You should give this one a chance. There are only 26 books to read! :)
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at , where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by.
September 22, 2020
I have developed a new technique for reading this author's books. I skim all the descriptions and it makes no difference to my understanding of the story at all. Grafton had a bad habit of giving far too much detail in her descriptions of houses, clothes, hotel rooms, routes driven from one place to another -in fact just about everything. Skipping them tightens up the reading experience considerably.
Consequently I can say I enjoyed this book despite the fact that Kinsey appeared to want to get beaten up. On at least two occasions she ran straight into action which anyone with sense would have run away from. I was glad she at least found an interesting man and hope he may be 'the one'. There are only a few books left now and I would like to see her settled down before the end.
Consequently I can say I enjoyed this book despite the fact that Kinsey appeared to want to get beaten up. On at least two occasions she ran straight into action which anyone with sense would have run away from. I was glad she at least found an interesting man and hope he may be 'the one'. There are only a few books left now and I would like to see her settled down before the end.
April 23, 2019
I finally understand why Beauty was willing to fuck the Beast. (That was the deal right? I mean, she was willing to go there, wasn't she? She didn't know he was going to turn into a human.)
You get trapped in a horrifying, dirty, smelly cell and you're horrified. But, after a while, you get used to the smell (like cat-owners must because they can't possibly think we don't smell that they have a box of shit in their house when we walk in the door. Seriously. I've NEVER been surprised when someone's cat walked into the room. NEVER.), and then you start to think maybe a few throw pillows is all that cell needs. Next thing you know, you are inviting friends to your pad for fondue and game night.
In other words, you get used to things.
Cat owners: "Oh, that's so cute and funny! Isn't he sweet?"
Non cat owners: "It's piss, Karen. An animal just pissed in your house."
Well, I guess I'm used to this crappy series now because I didn't mind this one too much. It was either a lot less crappy than usual, or I'm just putting the box of rat shit in the corner of my jail cell at this point and thinking no one will notice (like the cat owners).
So, for those of you unoffended (dog owners), in this book Kinsey actually has a guy like her. He was a character from a few books ago that I liked. A vice cop. Maybe he's also lowered his standards because he gives Kinsey a hair cut, because she usually cuts her own hair with nail scissors, and says that he likes that she doesn't wear make-up....
...wait a minute...
Did I just say he gave her a hair cut?
...my brother was a hair dresser.... and his boyfriend had made his wife's wedding dress for her. I always wondered why she didn't get a clue..
Okay, I'm not saying anything here.
*cough*beard*cough*
He's also a really great dresser - fashionable - and he is in great shape....
Yeah, I liked this guy a lot. Kinsey better not blow it.
Kinsey's job in this book is babysitting a rich girl who just got out of prison. Kinsey is being paid by dad to 1) pick the girl up 2) keep her on the straight and narrow 3) tell dad if she starts to screw up.
Much like in every other part of her life, Kinsey fails so hard that it almost lands HER in jail. Yeah, Kinsey is so desperate for the cool girl to like her that she breaks several laws with this chick.
She needs to stick with her usual friend - the 80 yr old man who lives downstairs.
Okay, after all of that, I realized that I didn't actually like this book. I just liked the guy who may or may not be gay.
Phew, that's a relief!
I worried myself for a minute there.
You get trapped in a horrifying, dirty, smelly cell and you're horrified. But, after a while, you get used to the smell (like cat-owners must because they can't possibly think we don't smell that they have a box of shit in their house when we walk in the door. Seriously. I've NEVER been surprised when someone's cat walked into the room. NEVER.), and then you start to think maybe a few throw pillows is all that cell needs. Next thing you know, you are inviting friends to your pad for fondue and game night.
In other words, you get used to things.
Cat owners: "Oh, that's so cute and funny! Isn't he sweet?"
Non cat owners: "It's piss, Karen. An animal just pissed in your house."
Well, I guess I'm used to this crappy series now because I didn't mind this one too much. It was either a lot less crappy than usual, or I'm just putting the box of rat shit in the corner of my jail cell at this point and thinking no one will notice (like the cat owners).
So, for those of you unoffended (dog owners), in this book Kinsey actually has a guy like her. He was a character from a few books ago that I liked. A vice cop. Maybe he's also lowered his standards because he gives Kinsey a hair cut, because she usually cuts her own hair with nail scissors, and says that he likes that she doesn't wear make-up....
...wait a minute...
Did I just say he gave her a hair cut?
...my brother was a hair dresser.... and his boyfriend had made his wife's wedding dress for her. I always wondered why she didn't get a clue..
Okay, I'm not saying anything here.
*cough*beard*cough*
He's also a really great dresser - fashionable - and he is in great shape....
Yeah, I liked this guy a lot. Kinsey better not blow it.
Kinsey's job in this book is babysitting a rich girl who just got out of prison. Kinsey is being paid by dad to 1) pick the girl up 2) keep her on the straight and narrow 3) tell dad if she starts to screw up.
Much like in every other part of her life, Kinsey fails so hard that it almost lands HER in jail. Yeah, Kinsey is so desperate for the cool girl to like her that she breaks several laws with this chick.
She needs to stick with her usual friend - the 80 yr old man who lives downstairs.
Okay, after all of that, I realized that I didn't actually like this book. I just liked the guy who may or may not be gay.
Phew, that's a relief!
I worried myself for a minute there.
July 25, 2023
This was a departure from the typical murder cases that Kinsey Millhone gets involved with. R is for Ricochet is the 18th novel in Sue Grafton's alphabet mystery series. Last year, I read the first 17 and I should hopefully finish the series this year.
Here, Kinsey is tasked with picking up a released prisoner out on probation from the Women's Correctional Facility, the daughter of an affluent man who want to ensure his daughter's best behavior by providing her with a "babysitter/good influence" for the first few days of her release. For Kinsey, she takes up the mantle without complaint and actually seems to develop a friendship with the self-destructive Reba Lafferty who has a penchant/addiction for gambling.
Kinsey tries to help Reba with her struggles and actually likes her, which is a stretch for Kinsey who generally prefers to go it alone. In fact, in this book, Kinsey seems to mature enough to have an opportunity at love/lust with a former cop acquaintance. In this novel, Kinsey is not the star. Still, I really liked this unique spin.
Here, Kinsey is tasked with picking up a released prisoner out on probation from the Women's Correctional Facility, the daughter of an affluent man who want to ensure his daughter's best behavior by providing her with a "babysitter/good influence" for the first few days of her release. For Kinsey, she takes up the mantle without complaint and actually seems to develop a friendship with the self-destructive Reba Lafferty who has a penchant/addiction for gambling.
Kinsey tries to help Reba with her struggles and actually likes her, which is a stretch for Kinsey who generally prefers to go it alone. In fact, in this book, Kinsey seems to mature enough to have an opportunity at love/lust with a former cop acquaintance. In this novel, Kinsey is not the star. Still, I really liked this unique spin.
June 17, 2015
I've read some of Grafton's other works and liked some (especially early on in the alphabet series), but this one left me asking the question: Why doesn't someone edit this woman's work? The amount of exposition and background info added to this book is almost Melvillenian (the 19th century whaling industry - fascinating, no?). Pages and pages of background on money laundering pigeon-holed into casual conversation.
Warning: I wouldn't recommend listening to this on audio book while driving. You're welcome!
Plus, she's drained every ounce of quirkiness from her supporting cast. How much more humor can there be in in the sex life of a 90 year old man? The answer would probably make me blanch.
So much nitpicking, which is a shame because she has/had a knack for story, dialogue and characterization.
Warning: I wouldn't recommend listening to this on audio book while driving. You're welcome!
Plus, she's drained every ounce of quirkiness from her supporting cast. How much more humor can there be in in the sex life of a 90 year old man? The answer would probably make me blanch.
So much nitpicking, which is a shame because she has/had a knack for story, dialogue and characterization.
January 24, 2025
4 Stars. One of the better Kinsey Millhone novels. As usual, Kinsey doesn't foresee complications coming until they hit her over the head. Instead, she sees this gig, babysitting a rich man's daughter as the woman transitions from prison to outside again after being found guilty of embezzlement and getting four years, as a piece of cake. Oops. Again, she needs the money and Nord Lafferty pays well. He wants Kinsey to stick with Reba, 32, for the first week or so to ensure she doesn't slip backwards into nightly parties, drugs, and wayward activities which led to her stay in the California Institution for Women. The best of a father's intentions, but it doesn't work. I really like these two women - different as night and day but, in their own way, people you'd enjoy meeting. While chasing Reba from one trouble to another, Kinsey begins to believe that she was far from the most guilty party in the embezzlement scheme. Did she take the fall for someone? Carefree and bubbling with life, that's likeable Reba. Smart too. And Kinsey - do you remember Cheney Phillips of the Santa Teresa Police Department? Can you handle Kinsey in love? A good read. (Ma2023/Ja2025)
April 18, 2023
Kinsey Millhone mystery No. 18: Another mid-serial first read, as I test out the Sue Grafton with reading the 18th(!) book in the alphabetically ordered Kinsey Millhone series. I enjoyed meeting unconventional private investigator Kinsey for the first time, liking her character and the way she portrays herself, but the actual case was all a bit flat and lifeless to be honest, I'll give the series another go though. A rather trite and sombre grading of 4 out of 12, just garnering Two Stars.
My 2010 reread one sentence review: "Kinsey finds herself unwittingly partnered up with a convict on parole she was paid to babysit, against suspected money launderers."
2010 and 2008 read
My 2010 reread one sentence review: "Kinsey finds herself unwittingly partnered up with a convict on parole she was paid to babysit, against suspected money launderers."
2010 and 2008 read
October 11, 2022
R is for Ricochet (Kinsey Millhone, #18) by Sue Grafton. (CD)
Reba Lafferty is a wild child born into an affluent home and spoiled by her aged father. It seems Nord Lafferty has succeeded in getting Reba out of every fix she managed to get into...that is until that last one. Reba has served some if her time for embezzlement at a women's correctional institute. Now at 32 she's being released and her Father wants Kinsey to babysit his wild child. That may be easier than it sounds even for Kinsey.
This installment of the alphabet series kept me listening and on the alert. Well written with non-stop action. Reba did take the spotlight off of Kinsey especially due to her compulsiveness. Excellently read by Judy Kaye.
Reba Lafferty is a wild child born into an affluent home and spoiled by her aged father. It seems Nord Lafferty has succeeded in getting Reba out of every fix she managed to get into...that is until that last one. Reba has served some if her time for embezzlement at a women's correctional institute. Now at 32 she's being released and her Father wants Kinsey to babysit his wild child. That may be easier than it sounds even for Kinsey.
This installment of the alphabet series kept me listening and on the alert. Well written with non-stop action. Reba did take the spotlight off of Kinsey especially due to her compulsiveness. Excellently read by Judy Kaye.
July 6, 2010
Millhone in classic form, almost outshined by Reba !
As with many of Sue Grafton's easy-reading tales about Santa Teresa private eye Kinsey Millhone, the books starts out pretty slow with Kinsey accepting a straightforward assignment to escort home a newly released parolee from women's prison, Reba Lafferty. The latter is an appealing young woman with fresh ideas and habits, including a past penchant for light drugs, booze, gambling, and her former boss Beck. That she landed in the slammer by pleading guilty to embezzlement was a bit of a surprise as it didn't really seem her specialty. Anyhow, it doesn't take Reba long to re-engage most of her old habits, including sex with the boss! What follows is a bit of a cat and cat game between her and Kinsey, who tries in vain to keep things on the up and up. The plot per se revolves around Beck's money laundering scheme and whether Reba will testify for the Feds against him. Some more surprises unfold as the story heats up, and ere it's over the women are embroiled in a murder and several nasty crosses and double crosses. Somewhat conveniently, the cops, especially in the form of Cheny Phillips, who to our shock has several sexual liaisons with (the normally not-by-choice celibate!) Kinsey, save the day, but not before quite a few twists and turns entertain us until the final gasps. Even Kinsey, in her usual brief epilogue, admits Reba just might have been the star of this yarn, and indeed rooting for her was much of the fun.
We have no doubt both fans and those newer to Grafton will enjoy this book. If a bit less of the road navigation details, wardrobe analysis, and octogenarian romantic foibles of landlord Henry and his relatives could be pared down (a frequent quibble with this series), we just might have one of the better light mysteries of the year. Meanwhile, a nice summertime read for deck or beach!
As with many of Sue Grafton's easy-reading tales about Santa Teresa private eye Kinsey Millhone, the books starts out pretty slow with Kinsey accepting a straightforward assignment to escort home a newly released parolee from women's prison, Reba Lafferty. The latter is an appealing young woman with fresh ideas and habits, including a past penchant for light drugs, booze, gambling, and her former boss Beck. That she landed in the slammer by pleading guilty to embezzlement was a bit of a surprise as it didn't really seem her specialty. Anyhow, it doesn't take Reba long to re-engage most of her old habits, including sex with the boss! What follows is a bit of a cat and cat game between her and Kinsey, who tries in vain to keep things on the up and up. The plot per se revolves around Beck's money laundering scheme and whether Reba will testify for the Feds against him. Some more surprises unfold as the story heats up, and ere it's over the women are embroiled in a murder and several nasty crosses and double crosses. Somewhat conveniently, the cops, especially in the form of Cheny Phillips, who to our shock has several sexual liaisons with (the normally not-by-choice celibate!) Kinsey, save the day, but not before quite a few twists and turns entertain us until the final gasps. Even Kinsey, in her usual brief epilogue, admits Reba just might have been the star of this yarn, and indeed rooting for her was much of the fun.
We have no doubt both fans and those newer to Grafton will enjoy this book. If a bit less of the road navigation details, wardrobe analysis, and octogenarian romantic foibles of landlord Henry and his relatives could be pared down (a frequent quibble with this series), we just might have one of the better light mysteries of the year. Meanwhile, a nice summertime read for deck or beach!
August 26, 2016
I heard about this series on Central Standard (NPR) and thought I'd give it a go. The good news first. Grafton choose to set the entire series in the 1980's. It takes sleuthing to a level I haven't seen since Magnum PI. Detective Milhorne often stops by the office to check her message machine, she uses phone books and pay phones, and she uses resources at the library to find facts! Fun, fun!
Now the bad news. Mystery authors walk a fine line with their readers. Make the mystery too difficult to piece together and we complain that not enough was left to the reader. Make the mystery too obvious and we not only feel insulted, but we also lose faith in our crime solving protagonist. Sadly, the latter is the case with this novel and i found myself disappointed in Detective Milhorne. Three times she had to be clued into an important connection in the case (which I'm sure was written for the reader but makes our detective look stupid). Further, I seldom saw her do any type of sleuthing. In fact it was another character that did most of the detective work. I think detective Milhorne should have a chat with author Sue Grafton about making her look bad.
Now the bad news. Mystery authors walk a fine line with their readers. Make the mystery too difficult to piece together and we complain that not enough was left to the reader. Make the mystery too obvious and we not only feel insulted, but we also lose faith in our crime solving protagonist. Sadly, the latter is the case with this novel and i found myself disappointed in Detective Milhorne. Three times she had to be clued into an important connection in the case (which I'm sure was written for the reader but makes our detective look stupid). Further, I seldom saw her do any type of sleuthing. In fact it was another character that did most of the detective work. I think detective Milhorne should have a chat with author Sue Grafton about making her look bad.
February 22, 2021
So this hands down ended up being one of my favorite in the Kinsey Millhone series. Probably because Grafton for once didn't have Kinsey being the entire focus. We get an interesting new character (Reba) and things progressing on Kinsey's romantic front with Santa Teresa detective Cheney Phillips. I thought the entire plot was interesting and the ending satisfying.
"R is for Ricochet" follows Kinsey as she is asked to "babysit" a recently released convict, Reba Lafferty. Reba was found embezzling funds from her last job and went to prison for almost 2 years. When Kinsey meets up with Reba, she thinks it's not going to be a hard job. She likes Reba and her prickly personality. However, things turn when Kinsey is approached to help with a federal racketeering case that involves Reba. When Kinsey tries to "butt" in and then gets asked to step out of the fray, things get explosive.
Kinsey was great in this one. She makes a friend of sorts with Reba and per usual is not as stupid as others around her would hope. She realizes right away something is up with Reba and starts to put dots together. When she gets asked by Cheney about helping out the two of them finally get back to discussing what almost developed between them a few books back. Grafton doesn't really do sex scenes, but we get some nice lead up and fade to black situations. I am going to say it here and now. I always preferred Cheney over Dietz.
So Reba was delightful. I always wished that she would appear in future books because unlike Kinsey, Reba understood computers, technology, etc and though the series takes place in the late 80s, we know that Kinsey is going to need to get with the modern times. But I also liked Reba for being unapologetic about what she was going to do in order to get some payback.
We also get some of the usual suspects in this one: Henry, Rosie, William, and others.
The writing in this moves faster than a lot of the prior books. Kinsey is on the move constantly in this one.
The ending as I said was pretty cool and I liked how it ended up.
"R is for Ricochet" follows Kinsey as she is asked to "babysit" a recently released convict, Reba Lafferty. Reba was found embezzling funds from her last job and went to prison for almost 2 years. When Kinsey meets up with Reba, she thinks it's not going to be a hard job. She likes Reba and her prickly personality. However, things turn when Kinsey is approached to help with a federal racketeering case that involves Reba. When Kinsey tries to "butt" in and then gets asked to step out of the fray, things get explosive.
Kinsey was great in this one. She makes a friend of sorts with Reba and per usual is not as stupid as others around her would hope. She realizes right away something is up with Reba and starts to put dots together. When she gets asked by Cheney about helping out the two of them finally get back to discussing what almost developed between them a few books back. Grafton doesn't really do sex scenes, but we get some nice lead up and fade to black situations. I am going to say it here and now. I always preferred Cheney over Dietz.
So Reba was delightful. I always wished that she would appear in future books because unlike Kinsey, Reba understood computers, technology, etc and though the series takes place in the late 80s, we know that Kinsey is going to need to get with the modern times. But I also liked Reba for being unapologetic about what she was going to do in order to get some payback.
We also get some of the usual suspects in this one: Henry, Rosie, William, and others.
The writing in this moves faster than a lot of the prior books. Kinsey is on the move constantly in this one.
The ending as I said was pretty cool and I liked how it ended up.
August 5, 2016
This is a very different story from the previous Kinsey stories and it's gotten some bad reviews because of that but it's in the top 5 for me. It's clever and kept my curiosity up through the whole story.
Kinsey has been hired by a elderly gentlemen to pick up his 30 year old daughter, Reba, from the Correctional Institute for Women after doing 2 years for embezzlement. He wants her to get the daughter home and settled, then her job is done. Of course, we know it won't end there. Turns out, Reba was working with her employer when the money disappeared and they are heavily involved with money laundering. The FBI is after them and wants Reba to turn on her former boss. The way this all plays out makes a a clever story, in my opinion. There is no murder mystery here but the story we do have is great.
We have two other side issues going on. Kinsey's relationship with Cheney and Henry's relationship with his brothers and the woman he's interested in. They keep Kinsey feeling like a real person in a real world.
Yes, this is not the same type of story we've had in the past but it's one of the best.
Kinsey has been hired by a elderly gentlemen to pick up his 30 year old daughter, Reba, from the Correctional Institute for Women after doing 2 years for embezzlement. He wants her to get the daughter home and settled, then her job is done. Of course, we know it won't end there. Turns out, Reba was working with her employer when the money disappeared and they are heavily involved with money laundering. The FBI is after them and wants Reba to turn on her former boss. The way this all plays out makes a a clever story, in my opinion. There is no murder mystery here but the story we do have is great.
We have two other side issues going on. Kinsey's relationship with Cheney and Henry's relationship with his brothers and the woman he's interested in. They keep Kinsey feeling like a real person in a real world.
Yes, this is not the same type of story we've had in the past but it's one of the best.
October 17, 2020
The job sounds easy enough to private investigator Kinsey Millhone. She’s been hired to pick up Reba Lafferty when she is released early from a prison sentence for embezzling and help her adjust to normal society again. However, it isn’t long before Reba encounters people from her former life and Kinsey is approached by Federal agents who want to meet with Reba. As things spiral out of control, can Kinsey keep Reba safe and out of prison?
This book started out well, introducing us to Kinsey’s new assignment and the key players. But eventually, I noticed some things that bothered me. Kinsey was more reactive than active in this book, and Reba’s behavior made me cringe as well. The story was still strong enough to keep me engaged, but these things bothered me. I suspect it was on purpose, but the results didn’t work well for me. Romance is a strong factor in the book, with a couple sub-plots involving romances for series regulars. I actually enjoyed that part since it gave us a chance to get to know these regulars better, and I hope we see more from this growth as the series continues. While not the strongest entry in the series, there is definitely still enough here to recommend the book.
Read my full review at .
This book started out well, introducing us to Kinsey’s new assignment and the key players. But eventually, I noticed some things that bothered me. Kinsey was more reactive than active in this book, and Reba’s behavior made me cringe as well. The story was still strong enough to keep me engaged, but these things bothered me. I suspect it was on purpose, but the results didn’t work well for me. Romance is a strong factor in the book, with a couple sub-plots involving romances for series regulars. I actually enjoyed that part since it gave us a chance to get to know these regulars better, and I hope we see more from this growth as the series continues. While not the strongest entry in the series, there is definitely still enough here to recommend the book.
Read my full review at .
June 21, 2012
Should have been titled "S is for Slow" or "T is for Tedious"
Published in 2004 by Random House Audio
Read by Judy Kaye
Duration: 11 hours, 33 minutes
"Occasionally I'm simply a minor character in someone else's play." -Kinsey Millhone.
R is for Ricochet really is an appropriate title for this one since, like a misfired bullet that bounces around and hits uninvolved bystanders, Kinsey gets caught up in a client's mess and nearly gets herself killed.
Set in July of 1987, this is one really slow-developing book. Lots of detailed descriptions of Kinsey's clothing, her client's clothing, the bad guy's clothing, Kinsey's thought processes about her clothing choices, the clothing of the IRS agent in the story, the clothing of a witchy rich lady, the clothing of Kinsey's love interest, the clothing a stripper wears to work, shopping malls, the clothing they look at in the shopping mall, hotel hallways, hotel lobbies, streets, and two separate descriptions of the same office hallway all make it one boring audiobook experience.
Now, don't get me wrong - the reader (Judy Kaye) does a tremendous job of giving each individual character a distinct voice and she captures Kinsey's wisecracking side perfectly, but this story cannot be saved by a great presentation. It is too slow and it should have been about one-half as long. I listen to audiobooks as a diversion as I drive. Many times I had to turn this "diversion" off so I would not fall asleep and careen off the road. It is not saved by the fact that the book does pick up the pace at the end - all that did was make me wonder why we had to lollygag through the first 80% of the book.
Published in 2004 by Random House Audio
Read by Judy Kaye
Duration: 11 hours, 33 minutes
"Occasionally I'm simply a minor character in someone else's play." -Kinsey Millhone.
R is for Ricochet really is an appropriate title for this one since, like a misfired bullet that bounces around and hits uninvolved bystanders, Kinsey gets caught up in a client's mess and nearly gets herself killed.
Set in July of 1987, this is one really slow-developing book. Lots of detailed descriptions of Kinsey's clothing, her client's clothing, the bad guy's clothing, Kinsey's thought processes about her clothing choices, the clothing of the IRS agent in the story, the clothing of a witchy rich lady, the clothing of Kinsey's love interest, the clothing a stripper wears to work, shopping malls, the clothing they look at in the shopping mall, hotel hallways, hotel lobbies, streets, and two separate descriptions of the same office hallway all make it one boring audiobook experience.
Now, don't get me wrong - the reader (Judy Kaye) does a tremendous job of giving each individual character a distinct voice and she captures Kinsey's wisecracking side perfectly, but this story cannot be saved by a great presentation. It is too slow and it should have been about one-half as long. I listen to audiobooks as a diversion as I drive. Many times I had to turn this "diversion" off so I would not fall asleep and careen off the road. It is not saved by the fact that the book does pick up the pace at the end - all that did was make me wonder why we had to lollygag through the first 80% of the book.
August 6, 2014
What happened to Grafton's Kinsey Millhone?! She totally disappeared in this installment of the series. Oh she's there, narrating the story as usual but she lacks her usual bravado, instincts, initiative, and personality. The secondary character, Reba, seems to assume Kinsey's persona this time around. Plus a new development in Kinsey's love life seems to derail her a bit as well from being who Grafton has been developing her in the past 17 books. It was disappointing. It feels like Grafton let the character of Kinsey down. She was bumbling as a P.I. and that is so contradictory to who she has been thus far.
The short of this disappointing read is that Kinsey is asked by Reba's father to retrieve her from the California Women's Correctional Institution where she has been for the past 2 years on charges of embezzlement. Sounds simple right? It never is with Kinsey. She gets involved in Reba's activities beyond her release from prison and that's where her character takes a sharp departure from who Grafton has introduced us to in books A-Q. I finished the book confused as to why Grafton departed from her star P.I.
The short of this disappointing read is that Kinsey is asked by Reba's father to retrieve her from the California Women's Correctional Institution where she has been for the past 2 years on charges of embezzlement. Sounds simple right? It never is with Kinsey. She gets involved in Reba's activities beyond her release from prison and that's where her character takes a sharp departure from who Grafton has introduced us to in books A-Q. I finished the book confused as to why Grafton departed from her star P.I.
May 3, 2007
I love the alphabet series, but this is not her best. Its okay, but most of the others are far better.
August 18, 2008
Very disappointing addition to this series - hardly any action and a unimaginative plot
September 19, 2021
To be honest, I was less than thrilled with this one. It was rather a dry read, with only a few things I did like, which I'll mention toward the end.
Kinsey is asked to pick up Reba, a young woman who's being released from prison. Reba's father, a very wealthy man, has hired Kinsey to do this and to keep an eye on Reba for a short time. Make sure she keeps clean - no drugs, alcohol, shady behavior - and to meet with her new parole officer. From there on...
It's more of a character sketch, a study of a person - Reba - who's somewhat like Kinsey in personality, desires, attitude toward life and authority, etc.. However, Reba is totally unrestrained. Whereas Kinsey keeps a lot of her 'wilder side' under control, Reba does not. It's rather like Kinsey is being confronted with her worst self even though she finds Reba likeable, entertaining, unfettered and free.
The whole book is really a measure of all this, along with Kinsey's usual routines and interactions with characters who appear in most of her books. There's not a lot of suspense, or action, or even a mystery or major crime here. The 'criminal activity' that there is revolves around money laundering, failure to pay taxes, and similar types of chicanery involving Reba's past and her involvement with an old boyfriend.
I kept waiting for something BIG to happen! So I am disappointed in this one, though I always do enjoy reading about Kinsey's life. Her routines. Her take on things. The way she survives day-by-day. And her enduring love for fast food.
Three stars.
Kinsey is asked to pick up Reba, a young woman who's being released from prison. Reba's father, a very wealthy man, has hired Kinsey to do this and to keep an eye on Reba for a short time. Make sure she keeps clean - no drugs, alcohol, shady behavior - and to meet with her new parole officer. From there on...
It's more of a character sketch, a study of a person - Reba - who's somewhat like Kinsey in personality, desires, attitude toward life and authority, etc.. However, Reba is totally unrestrained. Whereas Kinsey keeps a lot of her 'wilder side' under control, Reba does not. It's rather like Kinsey is being confronted with her worst self even though she finds Reba likeable, entertaining, unfettered and free.
The whole book is really a measure of all this, along with Kinsey's usual routines and interactions with characters who appear in most of her books. There's not a lot of suspense, or action, or even a mystery or major crime here. The 'criminal activity' that there is revolves around money laundering, failure to pay taxes, and similar types of chicanery involving Reba's past and her involvement with an old boyfriend.
I kept waiting for something BIG to happen! So I am disappointed in this one, though I always do enjoy reading about Kinsey's life. Her routines. Her take on things. The way she survives day-by-day. And her enduring love for fast food.
Three stars.
March 5, 2013
A definite winner! This was a page-turner for me. It’s July 1987, a few weeks after Kinsey’s 37th birthday. Kinsey (Grafton?) opens philosophically:
“The basic question is this: given human nature, are any of us really capable of change? The mistakes other people make are usually patently obvious. Our own are tougher to recognize. In most cases, our path through life reflects a fundamental truth about who we are now and who we’ve been since birth. We’re optimists or pessimists, joyful or depressed, gullible or cynical, inclined to seek adventure or to avoid all risks. Therapy might strengthen our assets or offset our liabilities, but in the main we do what we do because we’ve always done it that way, even when the outcome is bad…perhaps especially when the outcome is bad.� (1)
Kinsey takes on what seems on the surface to be a simple case making sure an ex-con (Reba Lafferty) checks in with her parole officer on time and has a smooth transition from the California women’s correctional facility to life on the “outside.� Of course, nothing with Kinsey is ever simple. She ends up helping the IRS, FBI and other federal agencies solve an elaborate money-laundering scheme happening right in Kinsey’s hometown.
A subplot of “R� is Kinsey’s love life: brief reflections on most recent “boyfriend� Dietz and her ex-husbands and then a new involvement with Cheney Phillips, a law enforcement officer she’s known for years and worked with a couple of years earlier. When she sees him at Reba’s parole officer’s office, Kinsey explains, “When I heard he’d gotten married, I’d moved his name, in my mental Rolodex, from a prominent place near the front to a category I labeled ‘expunged without prejudice� near the back of the file.� (44) When she discovers Cheney’s recent marriage is over after only five weeks, she’s interested in following the chemistry between them.
Turns out the opening philosophical passage sets the scene for more than one character in “R.�
Kinsey charges $500 a day for PI work. Her favorite author is John le Carré. She still craves McDonald’s QPs with cheese. She’s a member of AAA and loves to pick up strip maps for a trip even when she knows where she’s going.
When she gets herself in a life-threatening situation near the end, I’m reminded again how much safer she will be once she has a cell phone. But that’s a few years away. Remember…in Kinsey time it’s still 1987.
“The basic question is this: given human nature, are any of us really capable of change? The mistakes other people make are usually patently obvious. Our own are tougher to recognize. In most cases, our path through life reflects a fundamental truth about who we are now and who we’ve been since birth. We’re optimists or pessimists, joyful or depressed, gullible or cynical, inclined to seek adventure or to avoid all risks. Therapy might strengthen our assets or offset our liabilities, but in the main we do what we do because we’ve always done it that way, even when the outcome is bad…perhaps especially when the outcome is bad.� (1)
Kinsey takes on what seems on the surface to be a simple case making sure an ex-con (Reba Lafferty) checks in with her parole officer on time and has a smooth transition from the California women’s correctional facility to life on the “outside.� Of course, nothing with Kinsey is ever simple. She ends up helping the IRS, FBI and other federal agencies solve an elaborate money-laundering scheme happening right in Kinsey’s hometown.
A subplot of “R� is Kinsey’s love life: brief reflections on most recent “boyfriend� Dietz and her ex-husbands and then a new involvement with Cheney Phillips, a law enforcement officer she’s known for years and worked with a couple of years earlier. When she sees him at Reba’s parole officer’s office, Kinsey explains, “When I heard he’d gotten married, I’d moved his name, in my mental Rolodex, from a prominent place near the front to a category I labeled ‘expunged without prejudice� near the back of the file.� (44) When she discovers Cheney’s recent marriage is over after only five weeks, she’s interested in following the chemistry between them.
Turns out the opening philosophical passage sets the scene for more than one character in “R.�
Kinsey charges $500 a day for PI work. Her favorite author is John le Carré. She still craves McDonald’s QPs with cheese. She’s a member of AAA and loves to pick up strip maps for a trip even when she knows where she’s going.
When she gets herself in a life-threatening situation near the end, I’m reminded again how much safer she will be once she has a cell phone. But that’s a few years away. Remember…in Kinsey time it’s still 1987.
February 16, 2016
It’s hard to believe I’m up to number 18 in this series. In many ways it seems like I just started reading them but to me, they are comfortable reads now and it’s like visiting old friends every time I read one.
This time that seemed even truer. The story revolves around Reba Lafferty, the 32 year old daughter of a rich businessman. She may have been born to riches but she has burned the candle at both ends for most of her life. As a result she has served a ~ 2 year prison term for embezzlement, taking the rap for her boss/boyfriend. The beginning of the novel finds our protagonist, Kinsey Millhone, being hired by the rich elderly father to simply pick up his daughter from prison as she is about to be paroled and then to “watch over� her for a few days until she gets her life back together. Easy money. Of course it isn’t that simple and Kinsey gets dragged into adventures beyond her expectations.
This could almost be classified as a thriller rather than a mystery. Kinsey as well as the reader recognizes who the good guys/bad guys are from near the beginning and it is only a matter of time before the situation resolves. The only question is Reba. As much as we are pulling for her, she certainly skirts the law in pursuit of her sense of “justice� and we tag along for the ride and wonder if she will go too far.
Another enjoyable entry in the series. I know some reviewers dislike the day-to-day life aspects we see of Kinsey that don’t have much to do with the case but I am reading these in order and enjoy the way the larger, multi-volume story arcs play out. For that to happen effectively we need to see what is happening outside the case itself.
Still reading these at a rate of 4 per year to time the ending to line up when “Z� is published.
This time that seemed even truer. The story revolves around Reba Lafferty, the 32 year old daughter of a rich businessman. She may have been born to riches but she has burned the candle at both ends for most of her life. As a result she has served a ~ 2 year prison term for embezzlement, taking the rap for her boss/boyfriend. The beginning of the novel finds our protagonist, Kinsey Millhone, being hired by the rich elderly father to simply pick up his daughter from prison as she is about to be paroled and then to “watch over� her for a few days until she gets her life back together. Easy money. Of course it isn’t that simple and Kinsey gets dragged into adventures beyond her expectations.
This could almost be classified as a thriller rather than a mystery. Kinsey as well as the reader recognizes who the good guys/bad guys are from near the beginning and it is only a matter of time before the situation resolves. The only question is Reba. As much as we are pulling for her, she certainly skirts the law in pursuit of her sense of “justice� and we tag along for the ride and wonder if she will go too far.
Another enjoyable entry in the series. I know some reviewers dislike the day-to-day life aspects we see of Kinsey that don’t have much to do with the case but I am reading these in order and enjoy the way the larger, multi-volume story arcs play out. For that to happen effectively we need to see what is happening outside the case itself.
Still reading these at a rate of 4 per year to time the ending to line up when “Z� is published.
February 27, 2023
I first listed to the audio version during a round trip to Arizona. The reader was excellent and did all the various voices well. But my previous complaint about murder mystery audiobooks, that it's not easy to go back to check on a clue that I'd missed, raised its ugly head here too. Thankfully I was able to get the print version from my local library when I returned and learn what I needed to know. So far I've been reading 's alphabet series in order, and I must warn readers that is crafted differently than the earlier books. To quote Kinsey's epilogue, "In the passing of life, I'm usually the heroine, but occasionally I'm simply a minor character in someone else's play." But I found the plot interesting, and because I saw The Laundromat, a 2019 film starring Meryl Streep about the Panama Papers, I understood the financial chicanery involved in money laundering, shell corporations, and offshore banking. I liked how Kinsey rekindled a relationship with an old flame. In fact this novel could have been subtitled "R is for Romance, because there are also the two love affairs of secondary characters that do not end so well.
August 17, 2009
Having read the first 17, this is beginning to feel like being forced to try all 26 flavors at the ice cream store. The first few were good, the next few, not as much, then the experience eventually slides down into a force feeding totally devoid of enjoyment. Its not that her writing is any worse (or any better, really) than before, its the same, or at least it feels that way to me. I still like the lead, Kinsey Millhone, but this is now like watching Simon & Simon episodes. The plot tricks have all been used and reused by now, so we are left with the writing and characters, both of which seem to have devolved in some way to a more juvenile version of their earlier forms. I like Grafton, I like Kinsey, Im just starting to not like these books.
May 22, 2018
So I admit I had issues with Kinsey in this one. I would have left Reba to her own devices long before Kinsey. I just didn’t understand her need to make sure Reba was okay or what she was thinking in going along with Reba’s dumb ass antics. I also didn’t like the focus on Kinsey’s love life. I never feel as though any of these guys are going to be in Kinsey’s life for the long-term so I don’t see why need to invest so much time with them.
The case interesting and really brought to light how much people of a certain class are allowed the freedom to get away with stuff. It also showed that it doesn’t matter how much money or “class� someone has they can still be a criminal or a greedy bitch. I do like the ingenuity that Sue Grafton uses to bring new cases into Kinsey’s orbit. Very rarely is it just some stranger walking in the door to ask for Kinsey’s help. I liked seeing more of Henry and his relationship because it showed that you can learn something about yourself at any age.
I know this isn’t much of a review but that is about all I have.
The case interesting and really brought to light how much people of a certain class are allowed the freedom to get away with stuff. It also showed that it doesn’t matter how much money or “class� someone has they can still be a criminal or a greedy bitch. I do like the ingenuity that Sue Grafton uses to bring new cases into Kinsey’s orbit. Very rarely is it just some stranger walking in the door to ask for Kinsey’s help. I liked seeing more of Henry and his relationship because it showed that you can learn something about yourself at any age.
I know this isn’t much of a review but that is about all I have.
August 9, 2011
Things are slow for Santa Teresa PI Kinsey Millhone, when wealthy Nord Lafferty hires her to pick up his daughter from prison and keep her company for a couple of days. Reba Lafferty is on parole after doing 22 months for embezzlement. Things seem to be fine until Kinsey catches Reba using her as a beard to meet her married lover, who also happens to be the ex-employer she supposedly stole $350,000 from. Reba seems thrilled to be back in Beck’s arms until an overzealous FBI agent slips her some compromising photos of him and her supposed best friend, Onni. At the same time Reba’s life seems about to spin out of control, Kinsey is approached by attractive cop, Cheney Phillips, who wants her to talk Reba into giving evidence against Beck for money laundering. Kinsey had a thing for Cheney once, but he ran off and got married. Now, however, Cheney is single again, and Kinsey gives in to the attraction immediately.
The love interest definitely picked up the story, but I found Cheney annoyingly bossy, and Kinsey irritatingly obedient. While professing some personal interest in Reba Lafferty’s well being, at a word from Cheney she stops taking her calls. Amazingly, Reba goes off the deep end, after some help from the FBI who prodded her into action and then couldn’t be bothered to meet with her. Kinsey may have been able to keep an eye on her, which was what she had been hired to do, except she was following her lover’s orders instead of doing her job. She then does the cops� job for them—unpaid—tracking Reba down after they completely mishandled her case, and winds up right where she wasn’t supposed to be—right in the middle of Reba’s dangerous drama.
The last few books in this series weren’t all that much fun, but this one felt more like the earlier Kinsey Millhone mysteries with a touch of humor and humanity. Unfortunately, her on-again off-again treatment of Reba bugged me, as well as her willingness to let the big, strong man she had let into her bed tell her what to do. It would have been just as easy to weave the same elements into this story, and more in line with Kinsey’s personality, had she not followed orders. That complaint aside, this was a pretty good book, and it’s nice to see some life back in this series.
The love interest definitely picked up the story, but I found Cheney annoyingly bossy, and Kinsey irritatingly obedient. While professing some personal interest in Reba Lafferty’s well being, at a word from Cheney she stops taking her calls. Amazingly, Reba goes off the deep end, after some help from the FBI who prodded her into action and then couldn’t be bothered to meet with her. Kinsey may have been able to keep an eye on her, which was what she had been hired to do, except she was following her lover’s orders instead of doing her job. She then does the cops� job for them—unpaid—tracking Reba down after they completely mishandled her case, and winds up right where she wasn’t supposed to be—right in the middle of Reba’s dangerous drama.
The last few books in this series weren’t all that much fun, but this one felt more like the earlier Kinsey Millhone mysteries with a touch of humor and humanity. Unfortunately, her on-again off-again treatment of Reba bugged me, as well as her willingness to let the big, strong man she had let into her bed tell her what to do. It would have been just as easy to weave the same elements into this story, and more in line with Kinsey’s personality, had she not followed orders. That complaint aside, this was a pretty good book, and it’s nice to see some life back in this series.
September 9, 2015
Another great addition to the Kinsey series. I liked that her & Cheney seem to be becoming involved, I hope for Kinseys sake he stays around :)
January 29, 2021
This book was very fun for me, I like crime texts and this was no exception, I like the character of Kinsey Millhone as well... enough to eventually read Grafton's entire alphabet??? stay tuned..... it starts with Silence next!
August 2, 2009
Sue Grafton is my favorite detective writer. Anyone up to "T" in her series and still coming up with ingenious new plots is someone we can all learn from. Not only that, I've met her, and she is a very nice person.
Also, she's quite challenging. She asked me if I am brave. I am. It takes courage to be an author (whether you write online, or for magazines, or books, or all of the above).
Not that being nice has anything to do with her skill as a writer . . . except, maybe it does. Generous people write generous books and articles and don't skimp on their readers. Here's to you, Ms. Grafton, may your fingers never falter.
This is a a great mystery. They're all good, and S and T were even better.
Also, she's quite challenging. She asked me if I am brave. I am. It takes courage to be an author (whether you write online, or for magazines, or books, or all of the above).
Not that being nice has anything to do with her skill as a writer . . . except, maybe it does. Generous people write generous books and articles and don't skimp on their readers. Here's to you, Ms. Grafton, may your fingers never falter.
This is a a great mystery. They're all good, and S and T were even better.
January 7, 2016
3.75 stars out of 5, rounded up.
I enjoy the audiobook versions of this series. In fact, that's how I first discovered the series a few years ago. Yes, I'm very late to it. I was trying to find something to listen to on a bus trip to Toronto, and dl'd the first two books.
Something I've just noticed that actress Judy Kaye does in her narration -- when she does a male voice, she shifts her voice *up* an octave or two. I'm not sure why she does it, whether it's something she's unaware of, or something she does on purpose -- it's interesting, and kind of funny. Most of the men in these books are really, really awful people, and I enjoy it when they have a higher pitched voice than Kinsey. If they were real, they would hate it; serves them right. ;-)
I enjoy the audiobook versions of this series. In fact, that's how I first discovered the series a few years ago. Yes, I'm very late to it. I was trying to find something to listen to on a bus trip to Toronto, and dl'd the first two books.
Something I've just noticed that actress Judy Kaye does in her narration -- when she does a male voice, she shifts her voice *up* an octave or two. I'm not sure why she does it, whether it's something she's unaware of, or something she does on purpose -- it's interesting, and kind of funny. Most of the men in these books are really, really awful people, and I enjoy it when they have a higher pitched voice than Kinsey. If they were real, they would hate it; serves them right. ;-)
February 21, 2019
Another good one! This was a simple case for Kinsey that turned into more. I enjoyed Kinsey's entanglement with Reba and all that ensued. Also glad to see Cheney back.
October 16, 2019
2.5 Stars
rounded up to 3 Stars. Did not appreciate Kinsey portrayed basically as an inept sidekick to the far more beguiling Reba.
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