Kinsey Malone is a PI with a small practice. She is hired by Nikki Fife to find out who killed her husband, a crime Nikki was convicted of and spent 8 years in jail for. Kinsey has a low key style and is good at looking for gaps whose plugging can lead to interesting trails. She's tenacious and smart. A few characters not so thoroughly investigated as should have been open up more questions. She picks away and circles around, constantly looking for missing pieces. She can get side tracked but eventually gets the right path. Well developed MC. First book I've read by Grafton. I liked that this was written in the 80s and look forward to seeing how Kinsey changes with the times throughout the series. Can see why Grafton has such a following. ( )

"A" is for Alibi by Sue Grafton
"A" is for Alibi" is the first book in Sue Grafton's alphabet mystery series, featuring Kinsey Millhone, a 32-year-old Private Investigator residing in California. I've just begun this series and found this book quite enjoyable. The mystery is compelling, suspenseful, and makes for a quick read. Kinsey's character is fiercely independent, and she's portrayed in a way that makes you feel intimately acquainted with her. Nikki Fife, recently released from prison after serving eight years for the murder of her husband Laurence, enlists Kinsey to uncover the real culprit. As Kinsey delves into the investigation, she discovers a similarly executed murder that occurred days after Laurence'sâ€â€the victim being Libby Glass, the accountant for Laurence's law firm, poisoned in the same manner. With the trail cold for eight years, Kinsey is aware that uncovering the truth will be challenging. She starts piecing together the profiles of those involved and the events leading to Laurence's death. However, her probing does not sit well with someone who is intent on keeping the truth buried. As Kinsey edges closer to the truth, she finds herself in peril, with a determined adversary attempting to thwart her efforts. ( )

A IS FOR AVENGER. A tough-talking former cop, private investigator Kinsey Millhone has set up a modest detective agency in a quiet corner of Santa Teresa, California. She's a twice-divorced loner with few personal possessions and fewer personal attachments but with a soft spot for underdogs and lost causes. ( )

Took awhile to get going, I got confused trying to keep track of who everyone was, and I thought the ending gathered force beautifully before abruptly letting all the air out of itl. That said, the detective is nicely drawn and interesting, and it has all the hallmarks of a successful series--which of course it was. ( )

This was, oddly, my first reading of Sue Grafton, so I logically started with "A." I'm happy enough that I did, as it will be fun to see how Grafton sharpened her skills as she worked her way through the alphabet. This early effort is well written and enjoyable to read, even if the story gets a bit addled as it works toward the conclusion. ( )

Fast-paced private investigator story set in California. Full of humanity and action. ( )

mystery fiction (orig. published 1982), 1st in series starring private investigator (employed just frequently enough in insurance fraud cases to pay her bills), Kinsey Millhone in Santa Teresa, "a Southern California town of eighty thousand, artfully arranged between the Sierra Madres and the Pacific Ocean--a haven for the abject rich." The investigation of an 8-years cold double homicide leads her to Las Vegas and Claremont, among other places.

award-winning series with sharp, likeable protagonist (though she doesn't like dogs and for some reason enjoys jogging). The slightly judgy views on fat people and favorable opinions on pantyhose make it somewhat dated, but otherwise seems like a decent mystery series to satisfy fans of the genre.

picked up from a Little Free Library, part of my trying various popular authors I've never read before-- ( )

I've been eying down the Kinsey Millhone books for years. I've always wanted to read them, but I could never find this first book! I always found the books near the middle or the end of the alphabet. It was so frustrating, but my luck turned a few weeks back - I found A is for Alibi. I truly want to read all of these books, solely because the titles are fun. Sure, don't judge a book by it's cover, but why not judge for a cool title?

This book was slow for a thriller, but it was a real good read. We follow Kinsey, a private investigator who's recent job is for Nikki. She's been released from prison after a stint due to the murder of her husband. But, Nikki is insistent she didn't murder him and there's definitely others out there who had a reason to kill him. Kinsey is down for the challenge, and she starts looking into his ex wives, ex business partners, and even his kids...

There's a lot of filler in this book that could have been left out and the story would have been the same. I did enjoy it, but I also started getting drained by just how MUCH filler there was. The story itself wasn't obvious either. Sure, the odd clue was left behind, but I couldn't piece the mystery together myself which is my preferred kind of mystery/thriller book. If we get all of those details... Can they at least be important?

I'll still work on continuing this series. The first books aren't always the best, so here's hoping the books go up.

Two out of five stars. Just too darn slow and too much fluff for my personal tastes. ( )

it kept me guessing, but wasn't my favorite...going to try a few more in the series.
( )

This is the first book in a well-known mystery series set in southern California, and featuring detective Kinsey Millhone. A woman who was wrongly accused and convicted of murder is released from prison, and hires Kinsey to conduct a fresh investigation and identify the real killer. The case follows a fairly straightforward formula without feeling predictable, and provides an opportunity to get to know Kinsey and the area where she lives and works.

This book was published in 1982 and still holds up. Some references to population and traffic may be less accurate now, but I’m not familiar enough with southern California to notice. Kinsey’s technology is dated by today’s standards (she uses a typewriter, not a computer), but again this did not affect my enjoyment. While it’s sad that Sue Grafton died before she could write a finale to this series, I’m glad there are still 24 books ahead of me. ( )

This feels like a black and white detective show, it definitely had the old school vibes. Felt very long winded and rambly, and maybe would have been better as a printed for mat. I may or may not continue the series, I haven't really decided. You can definitely feel the age in the writing style and I don't really feel like it has aged very well. I dont particularily like Kinsey and her annimosity towards the dogs didn't really win her any favors in my book. Also they whole sleeping with someone thats involved in your current case doesn't float my boat either. I"m just glad there wasn't any detailed sex scenes. very meh ( )

*SPOILERS*
I started this book on a camping trip and could not put it down. After reading many classic hard boiled mysteries with characters like Philip Marlowe, Lew Archer, etc. I think Grafton did a great job of creating a modern (post-women's lib) female character who fits this genre. Kinsey's asides and descriptions had a subtle humor that made me laugh out loud at times. There were a couple of things that were kind of unlikely (a woman would never shower at a strange man's camper after first meeting him. Too vulnerable.)
Grafton did something in this book that I have never seen in the thousands of mystery series I've read in my life: the bad guy was someone the female lead had slept with (a skilled lover, no less) and she did not hesitate to kill him when she had to. Mickey Spillaine killed off many, many female characters and many women that Travis McGee slept with conveniently died at the end of those books.
Kinsey doesn't blame herself for not being able to commit, like many female protagonists do. She doesnt spend a lot of time being neurotic. it was a breath of fresh air. This is good stuff, especially for 1982. ( )

I love Kinsey Millhone. But she's not everyone's cup of tea. I started reading the Alphabet series a few years ago - I think at the time it was up to O is for Outlaw. The idea of a mystery series each title beginning with a new letter amused me. I don't know why. I don't think it's particularly original. At least - I've seen a few others since. At the time though it was new to me and it just struck me as perfect. I flew through the series. Kinsey is riveting. She's brash and harsh and charming. She's fierce and flawed. She gets scared. She holds her own. She pushes herself to run often and tackles cases without judgement and with an open mind. Rosie and Henry are brilliant and I love the little family she builds around her.

But Kinsey Millhone isn't Jack Reacher - her speed is more Tracy Crosswhite. [book:My Sister's Grave|22341263] Her cases aren't full of action and high speed chases - they're slowly nitpicking away until something clicks into place. She writes down all her thoughts and places her facts and ideas on 3x5 index cards - which she often shuffles and rearranges to help her solve her case. And I love it. Kinsey Millhone is great - but she's not for everyone. But if you like your mysteries to be more like procedurals with a determined and fierce character - Kinsey Millhone is for you.


This is a typical murder mystery. A is for Alibi doesn't tread new ground. Well it may have when it was first written - but I've read a million and one books like this. But it was good. The murder mystery was interesting and I enjoyed following Kinsey as she gathered clues and evidence and found the truth. The murderer was somewhat predictable but I don't mind that.

For some reason I've seen reviewers compare this to Stephanie Plum - I don't know why - this is absolutely NOTHING like that. Stephanie Plum is a very different character and an extremely different type of book. That's more fluff. Kinsey Millhone is more procedural mysteries. And this series isn't current - it was first published in the 80's - there's not really technology. Messages were relayed by calling the landlines. Paper files were still the main form of storage. Not everyone will enjoy reading this. But if you like procedurals - this is a great start to a series.



3.8 stars, rounded up to four. ( )

Hmm - not usually my genre but rattled through it in two big sessions. Perhaps that's why the ending felt a bit rushed. Didn't quite match the painstaking nature of the rest of the investigation. Prime for screen adaptation I'm sure :) moderately enjoyable overall - may try another. ( )

Mystery was good, but character kind of boring - no humore ( )

I liked this, the first in the Kinsey Millhone series, but I didn’t love it. Kinsey herself is a great character, and the mystery is decent, but I found the characters muddled together in my head a little and I had to check my understanding of things a few times. Still an entertaining read though and I’ll definitely read more Sue Grafton. ( )

There are aspects of this book that I enjoyed very much, and there are also parts that I felt could have done better. It doesn't feel dated. The only thing that stood out was there was no cell phone or social media. The plot is your typical round-on-the-mill mystery thriller. A quick read for someone on the go.

So what went wrong?

The main character Kinsey Millhone did not feel like a real female to me. She is crass, which makes her seem uneducated and low-class. Attempts at presenting emotion from her were not believable; she simply came across as apathetic to the entire novel. And how she could solve any crime with the amount of alcohol she consumed in this book is beyond me.

The writing is bare-minimum stuff. It rehashed the plot from old pulp stories. I felt detached during the climactic finale, and the end of the book seemed overly abrupt. The ultimate explanation was plausible, but not particularly intriguing, and I would have been interested to read more about the repercussions of what ultimately went down.

In Summary

It alright novel filled with your typical round of the mill mystery thriller. An easy read for someone who just wants to waste some time.

Find me elsewhere: Dreamwidth | Blogger ( )

I liked these books from the beginning, but they began to get better and better as she moved through the alphabet. Still, I would start here. ( )

I've always enjoyed this series - quick read. ( )

I read this book for the first time twenty-five years ago. It must not have been that memorable since in the second reading nothing seemed familiar. But most mystery fiction is like that. It is just a story to enjoy, not a classic to ponder and meditate upon. The first time I read A is for Alibi I enjoyed it because I was a transplanted Californian living in New York. The fictional Santa Teresa in Ms. Grafton's stories is based on Santa Barbara. I could picture the setting of the novel because I knew the prototype so well. I realized later that my image of the setting was not the author's skilled writing but my own memory. The whole series is enjoyable and I expect I will attempt B is for something to see if I remember anything from it. I gave this book 4 stars for my first reading but I am reducing that to three now. ( )

Re-read. Quick easy read. I love the character of Kinsey Millhone. The first in the series, so we will see more of her landlord later. ( )

After reading the first books in this series in the early 1990's, I recently started listening to the audiobooks. "A" is for Alibi has not aged well in some regards. 30 years ago, I probably found the description of individuals to be a sign of a good description. Now, the emphasis on people's weight and mannerisms feels unnecessarily cold and dated - unnecessarily judgemental. The author's choice of descriptions and analogies didn't work for me. Furthermore, the characters are flat. After listening to the first two books (A and B), I don't know - or care - about Kinsey Milhone at all. But then again, I never cared about Perry Mason either.

That said, the mystery was still entertaining. As a result, I didn't lower my rating. ( )

A bit too many characters for me to keep a track of and too many motives. I get the feeling her writing will improve with later books and I need a new series to read so will persevere. ( )

I have been meaning to read these for years, and I just never got around to it. So when I needed something different this week, I picked it up fromm the library and chugged on.

It starts out a bit slow but once you hit about the 70% mark, the rest of the book seems to fly by in heart pounding action. I have read largely young adult novels for the last couple of years, so a good mystery seems to be just what I had needed right now.

Kinsey Millhone is the type of character that any woman can relate to. She could be any one of us. No special powers, no hidden abilities, just raw nerves of steel and the refusal to let a question go unanswered.

The characters in this novel are complex and while part of me saw the ending coming, feeling like it had been choreographed a bit, I was still surprised at the ending and how it played out.

If you want a good heart pounding, intense mystery, this is definitely the book to read. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. ( )

As a librarian, I knew about this series of books. I ordered them for the library and was happy when they were checked out. However, I had never read one myself. So where better to start than the beginning of the series?

So I started "A" is for Alibi and read it through quickly. I wasn't ever bored with it, although I felt sort of guilty whenever Kinsey went jogging, and I was sitting around reading. Since Kinsey jogs at the drop of a hat, I felt vaguely guilty throughout the book.

What I liked about the book is that it did feel like a slice of Kinsey's life. She is working on more than one case at a time. She does have to track down information (this is set before the ubiquitous smartphone or even laptop) to verify what is happening. What's more, she isn't perfect. She makes mistakes but tries to fix the problems they cause. Some of her choices are less than wise but don't we all make that sort of error?

The mystery was a good one, although I guessed the murderer before it was officially announced. That's okay because it meant the author played fair with the readers.

So it is onward with the next book in the series. At least they are easy to keep in order! I'd suggest this for anyone who likes PI novels. It only got four stars because it has the feel of a "first novel" with perhaps too much description. ( )