I started reading Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone series with A is for Alibi, way back in 1982, when it was published. That’s 32 years ago. Kinsey should be about 64 years old now, but that’s another story. I’ve read every single book in the series, which is A LOT of books.I've just listened to the audio book of V is for Vengeance, which I actually read back in 2011 when it came out. It’s been so long between Kinsey books (W is for Wasted was published late in 2013), that I had forgotten that I had already read the V book, so I grabbed an audio book copy from my local library. Once I started on the audio book, I was once again hooked. I have never reviewed a Kinsey novel. For those readers who enjoy Grafton’s series, Kinsey is an old friend, smart, cranky, loving, loyal, gutsy, and snarky. You simply do not ask how well the character of your best friend is developed. You just enjoy their company.Listening to V is for Vengeance is the first time I’ve enjoyed a Grafton novel in the audio book format. I have no idea why, since I almost always enjoy the audio version of a book (unless it’s a bad reader, in which case the book exits my player before the first CD is done).So, why am I here? Because listening to this book, admirably read by Judy Kaye, I am for the first time aware of how damn good a writer Sue Grafton is. How could I have not noticed this before? Kinsey may be a fictional character, but Grafton so closely identifies with her, and so deeply develops her personality, that the quality of the writing can be missed in its subtlety and complexity. Listening to the words spoken, I can almost hear Grafton composing a sentence, searching for the perfect adjective or adverb to illustrate the situation, and always finding it. I can hear her smiling as she inserts one humorous thought after another into Kinsey’s head, the sorts of thoughts that we all have, or wish we had after we hear Kinsey express them. Grafton’s running commentary on the eccentricities and quirkiness of life, as told through Kinsey’s churning mind, never fail to bring a smile, and a spark of recognition, to any reader.The Kinsey plot is the usual Grafton taut and suspenseful yarn, which is to say a page-turner (can an audio book be a page-turner?). But it’s the subplot of Dante/Nora, and their respective personal lives, that places this book in the rarefied world of great story-telling. Without giving too much away, let’s just say that those of you who think that girls who prefer bad boys grow into women who prefer accountants are in for a surprise, a smoldering and seductive conquest unlike any you have previously encountered in print. The emotional power of Dante/Nora is riveting. Fasten your seat belts. Grafton (Kinsey) can be very funny at times. Kinsey is meeting a cop at an out-of-the-way restaurant. As she enters the parking lot, she peruses the premises and has this thought, “Once upon a time I’d come close to being killed in the big trash bin outside. This counts as nostalgia for someone like me.”If you’ve read this far, you are already a big fan of Grafton. I’m only sorry the alphabet is coming to an end. Perhaps she’d like to start with numbers, although Janet Evanovich already owns that one. What about the Greek Alphabet? Alpha is for Alphabet Soup? Beta is for Bellicose? Gamma is for Grandma? Nah, I think I’ll keep my day job, reviewing books. I believe this is my first Sue Grafton novel. One can see that she has developed a certain style which her faithful readers must be used to, including the self-effacing heroine who tells you minute details about her daily routine from what she eats for breakfast to what kind of container she pees in while on stakeout. Her plot in V is quite involved, but one has faith given her past successes that she will bring it all together. I found one element didn't quite add up, which (spoiler alert) is whether Dante knew that his brother was ratting him out to the police. The justification for Cappi's doing so was also lost on me, other than the fact that the cop he was talking to was a dirty cop who was already on the payroll. The ending is ultra-modern in the sense that not all the bad guys end up in the clink. A fun read especially when on vacation.
What do You think about V Is For Vengeance (2011)?
Kinsey is fabulous. How can you not love someone who has one dress, a black multi-purpose dress that never wrinkles and never wears out and may still be fashionable. She cuts her own hair with manicure scissors and whacks off any offending sprigs. Kinsey is like most of us and exercises because she feels she should and, for her, it could help to save her from the bad guys one day. And she always becomes embroiled in a mess while trying to earn a living as a private detective. This time she was innocently buying new underwear when she sees a woman shoplifting. She reports the theft and so begins another case when the shoplifter is found dead due to a jump off of a bridge or was she helped along? Another great read in a wonderful series by Sue Grafton.
—skittles
As always, Sue Grafton offers a reliable story with Kinsey at the helm. The style she chose this time is not one of my favorites (I prefer to be completely in the dark, while this time she let the reader in on what was happening from almost the beginning) but I still enjoyed the novel and was pulled along in the plot. While this installment may not be the strongest, there is still enjoyment to be had by fans of Kinsey Millhone.
—Kaznder
I love these books, quick reads & have read them all!
—Shawnie
