About the author: Sue Taylor Grafton (1940 – 2017) is best known as the author of the 25 "alphabet series" ("A" Is for Alibi, etc.) novels featuring private investigator Kinsey Millhone in the fictional city of Santa Teresa, California (based upon Santa Barbara). She was the daughter of detective novelist C. W. Grafton.
Major characters:
- Beverly Danziger, Kinsey's brief client
- Elaine Boldt, Beverly's missing sister
- Martha Grice, deceased, Elaine's former neighbor
- Orris & May Snyder, Elaine's other neighbors
- Leonard Grice, the widower
- Mike, Leonard's nephew
- Tillie Ahlberg, apartment manager in Santa Teresa
- Pat Usher, apartment sub-lessor in Boca Raton
- Julia Ochsner, neighbor in Boca Raton
- Kinsey Millhone, priate investigator
Locale: Santa Teresa, CA and Boca Raton, FL
Synopsis: Beverly Danziger approaches P.I. Kinsey Millhone. She has a legal estate document which needs the signature of her sister, Elaine Boldt. However, Elaine cannot be located. She is supposed to be at her summer condo in Boca Raton, Florida; however, Kinsey finds that condo occupied by Pat Usher, who claims she sublet it from Elaine. Without Elaine around, no can prove whether that is or is not the case.
All Kinsey's inquiries come to a dead end. She suggests to Beverly that a missing persons report be filed with the police. This causes Beverly to panic, ending their P.I.-client relationship. Beverly clearly doesn't want the police involved.
A big question mark is the burned-out house adjacent to Elaine's Santa Teresa condo. The fire occurred about the same time Elaine was last seen, and the murdered/burned body of the homeowner, Martha Grice, was found in the wreckage. The body was identified dentally as Grice, so there was no thought of a switcheroo. The widower, Leonard, is calmly waiting out the period for a modest insurance policy to pay off. His nephew, Mike, visits the property regularly and keeps occupied in a storage shed in the backyard.
Investigation in Boca Roton go nowhere, but elderly neighbor Julia Ochsner proves to be an enthusiastic and helpful operative, and becomes Kinsey's client - and Boca Raton eyes - in order for her to continue the investigation.
Review: This was a good one-day beach read. It moves right along. The setup is transparent: one woman missing, and oh by the way, there is a dead woman xnext door burned beyond recognition. Hmmmm. Could there be a connection?
A couple of interesting characters were fun: the punk-rock teen Mike, who is mature beyond his appearance; and elderly Julia Ochsner who channels Miss Jane Marple.
The only drawback - and this is minor - is trying to believe some old retired folks could come up with a complicated, risky murder plot in order to get away with something for only a modest payoff. Oh well, for them perhaps it is more exciting than playing bingo at the senior center.
No comments:
Post a Comment