Reviews
Praise for W IS FOR WASTED "Nearing the conclusion of this celebrated series, Grafton continues to shape Millhone's character, toughened by circumstance but still both understanding and forgiving."- Booklist "Grafton has lost none of her ability to bring her character vividly to life: Kinsey is as witty and engaging as ever, although somewhat more subdued and thoughtful owing to the emotionally charged tasks she has to perform. As Grafton nears the end of her long-running alphabet series, readers of mystery and suspense and Grafton's many fans will delight in and savor this latest addition."- Library Journal (starred review) Praise for Sue Grafton "After three decades Grafton's iconic detective remains a quirky delight. With the help of McDonald's pit stops and her single no-wrinkle black dress, Kinsey is sure to keep up the good fight through W, X, Y and Z-taking punches for the little guys and keeping the bad ones at bay." - People "Millhone's complexity is mirrored by the novels that document her cases: books that nestle comfortably within the mystery genre even as they push and prod its contours."- The Wall Street Journal "I've come to believe that Grafton is not only the most talented woman writing crime fiction today but also that regardless of gender, her Millhone books are among the five or six best series any American has ever written."- The Washington Post "Grafton purposively begins with a standard situation . . . and then sets about breaking every cardinal rule of the mystery novel."- The Los Angeles Times, Praise for W IS FOR WASTED "Grafton is a writer of many strengths-crisp characterizations, deft plotting, and eloquent dialogue among them-and she has kept her long-running alphabet mystery series fresh and each new release more welcome than the last. Her greatest skill may be the way she melds disparate, unwieldy, often difficult subjects into a cohesive whole that satisfies as both entertainment and art. It's one thing to write a bestseller (or 23), but quite another to do so while addressing larger societal ills. Achieve both, and you reach the pinnacle of the profession-as Grafton has. Her work is layered, textural, sensate-ingenious and satisfying in any genre. . . Lesser authors churn books out; Grafton continues to knock them out of the park."- Louisville Courier-Journal "'W is for Wasted' is further proof as if it were needed of Grafton's immense talent. And her ability to give equal weight to the story of the detective and the detective story sets her apart in the world of crime fiction." Richmond Times-Dispatch "Nearing the conclusion of this celebrated series, Grafton continues to shape Millhone's character, toughened by circumstance but still both understanding and forgiving."- Booklist "Grafton has lost none of her ability to bring her character vividly to life: Kinsey is as witty and engaging as ever, although somewhat more subdued and thoughtful owing to the emotionally charged tasks she has to perform. As Grafton nears the end of her long-running alphabet series, readers of mystery and suspense and Grafton's many fans will delight in and savor this latest addition."- Library Journal (starred review) Praise for Sue Grafton "After three decades Grafton's iconic detective remains a quirky delight. With the help of McDonald's pit stops and her single no-wrinkle black dress, Kinsey is sure to keep up the good fight through W, X, Y and Z-taking punches for the little guys and keeping the bad ones at bay." - People "Millhone's complexity is mirrored by the novels that document her cases: books that nestle comfortably within the mystery genre even as they push and prod its contours."- The Wall Street Journal "I've come to believe that Grafton is not only the most talented woman writing crime fiction today but also that regardless of gender, her Millhone books are among the five or six best series any American has ever written."- The Washington Post "Grafton purposively begins with a standard situation . . . and then sets about breaking every cardinal rule of the mystery novel."- The Los Angeles Times, Praise for W IS FOR WASTED "Nearing the conclusion of this celebrated series, Grafton continues to shape Millhone's character, toughened by circumstance but still both understanding and forgiving."- Booklist Praise for Sue Grafton "After three decades Grafton's iconic detective remains a quirky delight. With the help of McDonald's pit stops and her single no-wrinkle black dress, Kinsey is sure to keep up the good fight through W, X, Y and Z-taking punches for the little guys and keeping the bad ones at bay." - People "Millhone's complexity is mirrored by the novels that document her cases: books that nestle comfortably within the mystery genre even as they push and prod its contours."- The Wall Street Journal "I've come to believe that Grafton is not only the most talented woman writing crime fiction today but also that regardless of gender, her Millhone books are among the five or six best series any American has ever written."- The Washington Post "Grafton purposively begins with a standard situation . . . and then sets about breaking every cardinal rule of the mystery novel."- The Los Angeles Times, Praise for Sue Grafton "After three decades Grafton's iconic detective remains a quirky delight. With the help of McDonald's pit stops and her single no-wrinkle black dress, Kinsey is sure to keep up the good fight through W, X, Y and Z-taking punches for the little guys and keeping the bad ones at bay." - People "Millhone's complexity is mirrored by the novels that document her cases: books that nestle comfortably within the mystery genre even as they push and prod its contours."- The Wall Street Journal "I've come to believe that Grafton is not only the most talented woman writing crime fiction today but also that regardless of gender, her Millhone books are among the five or six best series any American has ever written."- The Washington Post "Grafton purposively begins with a standard situation . . . and then sets about breaking every cardinal rule of the mystery novel."- The Los Angeles Times, Praise for W IS FOR WASTED "Grafton is a writer of many strengths-crisp characterizations, deft plotting, and eloquent dialogue among them-and she has kept her long-running alphabet mystery series fresh and each new release more welcome than the last. Her greatest skill may be the way she melds disparate, unwieldy, often difficult subjects into a cohesive whole that satisfies as both entertainment and art. It's one thing to write a bestseller (or 23), but quite another to do so while addressing larger societal ills. Achieve both, and you reach the pinnacle of the profession-as Grafton has. Her work is layered, textural, sensate-ingenious and satisfying in any genre. . . Lesser authors churn books out; Grafton continues to knock them out of the park."- Louisville Courier-Journal "'W is for Wasted' is further proof as if it were needed of Grafton's immense talent. And her ability to give equal weight to the story of the detective and the detective story sets her apart in the world of crime fiction." Richmond Times-Dispatch "Kinsey Millhone, the well-nigh immortal sleuth in this enduring series, still has time to play her rebel role simply by living a spartan existence in a world of greedy narcissists…How sweet it is to see the California private eye back in her garage apartment…It's also fun to watch her at work, taking notes on index cards, typing reports on a Smith-Corona and here's what really matters-communicating with people face-to-face." New York Times Book Review "Involving, amusing and fast-paced."- The Wall Street Journal "Nearing the conclusion of this celebrated series, Grafton continues to shape Millhone's character, toughened by circumstance but still both understanding and forgiving."- Booklist "Grafton has lost none of her ability to bring her character vividly to life: Kinsey is as witty and engaging as ever, although somewhat more subdued and thoughtful owing to the emotionally charged tasks she has to perform. As Grafton nears the end of her long-running alphabet series, readers of mystery and suspense and Grafton's many fans will delight in and savor this latest addition."- Library Journal (starred review) Praise for Sue Grafton "After three decades Grafton's iconic detective remains a quirky delight. With the help of McDonald's pit stops and her single no-wrinkle black dress, Kinsey is sure to keep up the good fight through W, X, Y and Z-taking punches for the little guys and keeping the bad ones at bay." - People "Millhone's complexity is mirrored by the novels that document her cases: books that nestle comfortably within the mystery genre even as they push and prod its contours."- The Wall Street Journal "I've come to believe that Grafton is not only the most talented woman writing crime fiction today but also that regardless of gender, her Millhone books are among the five or six best series any American has ever written."- The Washington Post "Grafton purposively begins with a standard situation . . . and then sets about breaking every cardinal rule of the mystery novel."- The Los Angeles Times, Praise for W is for Wasted "Grafton is a writer of many strengths--crisp characterizations, deft plotting, and eloquent dialogue among them--and she has kept her long-running alphabet mystery series fresh and each new release more welcome than the last."-- Louisville Courier-Journal "Further proof--as if it were needed--of Grafton's immense talent. And her ability to give equal weight to the story of the detective and the detective story sets her apart in the world of crime fiction."-- Richmond Times-Dispatch "Involving, amusing and fast-paced."-- The Wall Street Journal "Nearing the conclusion of this celebrated series, Grafton continues to shape Millhone's character, toughened by circumstance but still both understanding and forgiving."-- Booklist "Grafton has lost none of her ability to bring her character vividly to life: Kinsey is as witty and engaging as ever."-- Library Journal (starred review) More Praise for Sue Grafton and the Alphabet Series "I'm going to miss Kinsey Millhone. Ever since the first of Sue Grafton's Alphabet mysteries, A Is For Alibi , came out in 1982, Kinsey has been a good friend and the very model of an independent woman, a gutsy Californian P.I. rocking a traditional man's job...it's Kinsey herself who keeps this series so warm and welcoming. She's smart, she's resourceful, and she's tough enough to be sensitive on the right occasions."-- New York Times Book Review "The consistent quality and skillful innovations in this alphabet series justify all the praise these books have received over the past 35 years."-- Wall Street Journal "A superb storyteller."-- Publishers Weekly "Grafton's endless resourcefulness in varying her pitches in this landmark series, graced by her trademark self-deprecating humor, is one of the seven wonders of the genre."-- Kirkus Reviews