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Kinsey Millhone #17
Q Is For Quarry
Sue Grafton delivers an intensely gripping mystery based on an actual unsolved murder in this #1 New York Times bestseller featuring private investigator Kinsey Millhone.
She was a "Jane Doe," an unidentified white female whose decomposed body was discovered near a quarry off California's Highway 1. The case fell to the Santa Teresa County Sheriff's Department, but the detectives had little to go on. The woman was young, her hands were bound with a length of wire, there were multiple stab wounds, and her throat had been slashed. After months of investigation, the murder remained unsolved...
That was eighteen years ago. Now the two men who found the body are nearing the end of their careers in law enforcement--and they want one last shot at the case. Old and ill, they need someone to help with their legwork and they turn to Kinsey Millhone.
Kinsey is intrigued by the cold case and agrees to take the job. But revisiting the past can be a dangerous business, and what begins with the pursuit of Jane Doe's real identity ends in a high-risk hunt for her killer.
She was a "Jane Doe," an unidentified white female whose decomposed body was discovered near a quarry off California's Highway 1. The case fell to the Santa Teresa County Sheriff's Department, but the detectives had little to go on. The woman was young, her hands were bound with a length of wire, there were multiple stab wounds, and her throat had been slashed. After months of investigation, the murder remained unsolved...
That was eighteen years ago. Now the two men who found the body are nearing the end of their careers in law enforcement--and they want one last shot at the case. Old and ill, they need someone to help with their legwork and they turn to Kinsey Millhone.
Kinsey is intrigued by the cold case and agrees to take the job. But revisiting the past can be a dangerous business, and what begins with the pursuit of Jane Doe's real identity ends in a high-risk hunt for her killer.
385 pages, Hardcover
First published October 14, 2002
1859 people are currently reading
8325 people want to read
About the author
Sue Grafton
143 books6,525 followersSue Grafton was a #1 New York Times bestselling author. She is best known for her “alphabet series” 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 1,344 reviews
April 30, 2023
Book Review
4 out of 5 stars to Q is for Quarry, the 17th book in the "Kinsey Millhone" mystery series, written in 2002 by Sue Grafton. An interesting fact about this books: it's based on a real-life case and discovery. A body was discovered on the road side. Police couldn't figure out who the woman was. No leads on the case. It sat dormant for nearly 20 years. Grafton hoped to shed some light on the case, as it happened in the 1960s. (Remember, her books take place in the 1980s). In Q is for Quarry, the cops who worked the case are older and unable to do any legwork, but they want to solve it before they die. They hire Kinsey to do the work. She needs money and it sounds intriguing. So she goes for it. In real-life, Grafton worked with artists on facial re-construction surgery and helped move the case forward. In the book, Kinsey always gets her (wo)man. Another fun ride along a murder case, readers are in for a treat when they see some of the ways Kinsey goes about solving this case, as well as her relationship with the cops. I enjoyed this one and would recommend it to series fans and as a new read for someone interested in this type of mystery.
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 Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, 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. I appreciate it.
4 out of 5 stars to Q is for Quarry, the 17th book in the "Kinsey Millhone" mystery series, written in 2002 by Sue Grafton. An interesting fact about this books: it's based on a real-life case and discovery. A body was discovered on the road side. Police couldn't figure out who the woman was. No leads on the case. It sat dormant for nearly 20 years. Grafton hoped to shed some light on the case, as it happened in the 1960s. (Remember, her books take place in the 1980s). In Q is for Quarry, the cops who worked the case are older and unable to do any legwork, but they want to solve it before they die. They hire Kinsey to do the work. She needs money and it sounds intriguing. So she goes for it. In real-life, Grafton worked with artists on facial re-construction surgery and helped move the case forward. In the book, Kinsey always gets her (wo)man. Another fun ride along a murder case, readers are in for a treat when they see some of the ways Kinsey goes about solving this case, as well as her relationship with the cops. I enjoyed this one and would recommend it to series fans and as a new read for someone interested in this type of mystery.
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 Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, 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. I appreciate it.
April 22, 2019
Someone check if I have a fever. Stat!
Because, my opinion of this book? It wasn't as bad as usual.
What's happening here? Have I finally descended into madness (well, further into madness)?
Have my standards lowered like the horny people at a bar when the bartender yells "last call"?
But, I have a theory as to why this one was better than the rest: it was based a on a real cold case that Sue Grafton was given access to, therefore it was a lot less dependent upon her questionable talent for setting a realistic scene. Her way of setting a scene is listing 25 items that Kinsey sees when she walks into a room. That's called a list, not a description.
Don't get me wrong, I like lists as much as the next person, but I ain't getting paid millions to have mine printed in mass to sell at airports for bored travelers to waste time reading. Although, mine might be more entertaining...
Except my stupid parrot only screams obscenities and refuses to drink anything but wine. Where did he get that from?
This story is about a cold case of a teenage girl who was found dead 18 years prior. We get to go through the police investigation through Kinsey's eyes and re-interview witnesses. It was pretty interesting so I found myself paying attention.
But then Sue Grafton stepped in and fictionalized who the girl was and made everything fit into neat little boxes where any decent cop could have solved it eighteen years ago if this were the case.
But, who needs really police when Kinsey is around? She can annoy the hell out of suspects until the guilty one tries to kill her. That's the secret of her success.
8. Kinsey as a human being.
The other thing that made this book more bearable than the others was that Kinsey was working with two old cops the whole time. They were entertaining enough to make up for her dud personality. One has cancer and is actively giving away everything he owns before even finding out if it's terminal. The other had a recent heart attack and is still chain-smoking and drinking like a fleet of sailors on leave in WW2 - which he was in. I was on the edge of my seat to see who would die first. I was rooting for Kinsey, but I knew it was just a pipe-dream....
On top of that, Kinsey's long-lost family makes more of an appearance, and things are going on with her landlord, Henry, and family as well. So, a lot happened. It wasn't just all page-filling nothingness for a change. I mean, sure, there were tons of endless, monotonous descriptions of everything going on...
but I skimmed those.
And, sure, Kinsey is still an annoying loser that is well on her way to being a crazy bag-lady. (Not even a crazy cat-lady because she doesn't like animals. She's a step down from them on the social hierarchy. I mean, crazy cat-ladies are crazy, but at least something loves them. Kinsey doesn't have that.)
Still, overall this book was a refreshing change from the usual crap-fest that is this series.
Check out this guy's expression. You get the idea that he is talking about his hemorrhoids being slightly better. "Still, very uncomfortable, Karen! I'm not really in a picture-taking mood."
Because, my opinion of this book? It wasn't as bad as usual.
What's happening here? Have I finally descended into madness (well, further into madness)?
Have my standards lowered like the horny people at a bar when the bartender yells "last call"?
But, I have a theory as to why this one was better than the rest: it was based a on a real cold case that Sue Grafton was given access to, therefore it was a lot less dependent upon her questionable talent for setting a realistic scene. Her way of setting a scene is listing 25 items that Kinsey sees when she walks into a room. That's called a list, not a description.
Don't get me wrong, I like lists as much as the next person, but I ain't getting paid millions to have mine printed in mass to sell at airports for bored travelers to waste time reading. Although, mine might be more entertaining...
Except my stupid parrot only screams obscenities and refuses to drink anything but wine. Where did he get that from?
This story is about a cold case of a teenage girl who was found dead 18 years prior. We get to go through the police investigation through Kinsey's eyes and re-interview witnesses. It was pretty interesting so I found myself paying attention.
But then Sue Grafton stepped in and fictionalized who the girl was and made everything fit into neat little boxes where any decent cop could have solved it eighteen years ago if this were the case.
But, who needs really police when Kinsey is around? She can annoy the hell out of suspects until the guilty one tries to kill her. That's the secret of her success.
8. Kinsey as a human being.
The other thing that made this book more bearable than the others was that Kinsey was working with two old cops the whole time. They were entertaining enough to make up for her dud personality. One has cancer and is actively giving away everything he owns before even finding out if it's terminal. The other had a recent heart attack and is still chain-smoking and drinking like a fleet of sailors on leave in WW2 - which he was in. I was on the edge of my seat to see who would die first. I was rooting for Kinsey, but I knew it was just a pipe-dream....
On top of that, Kinsey's long-lost family makes more of an appearance, and things are going on with her landlord, Henry, and family as well. So, a lot happened. It wasn't just all page-filling nothingness for a change. I mean, sure, there were tons of endless, monotonous descriptions of everything going on...
but I skimmed those.
And, sure, Kinsey is still an annoying loser that is well on her way to being a crazy bag-lady. (Not even a crazy cat-lady because she doesn't like animals. She's a step down from them on the social hierarchy. I mean, crazy cat-ladies are crazy, but at least something loves them. Kinsey doesn't have that.)
Still, overall this book was a refreshing change from the usual crap-fest that is this series.
Check out this guy's expression. You get the idea that he is talking about his hemorrhoids being slightly better. "Still, very uncomfortable, Karen! I'm not really in a picture-taking mood."
April 25, 2020
Oops! I seem to have missed out O and P. That was not intentional. I do like to read my series in order although it probably does not matter much here since every book pretty much stands alone.
I thought that Q is for Quarry seemed longer than Grafton's usual books and it was certainly well padded with detailed descriptions of everything which did not move - and things which did move as well actually. Towns, streets, shops, houses, living rooms, people, dogs - everything earned at least a paragraph of detail if not a whole page.
Almost but not quite overcome by the extraneous detail was a good story which was based on some real life events. I enjoyed the two male characters who accompanied Kinsey in solving this particular case and will admit that the eventual murderer was not someone I suspected at all.
Not really one of the best in the series but it was okay. Now I have to jump back in time to O is for Outlaw.
I thought that Q is for Quarry seemed longer than Grafton's usual books and it was certainly well padded with detailed descriptions of everything which did not move - and things which did move as well actually. Towns, streets, shops, houses, living rooms, people, dogs - everything earned at least a paragraph of detail if not a whole page.
Almost but not quite overcome by the extraneous detail was a good story which was based on some real life events. I enjoyed the two male characters who accompanied Kinsey in solving this particular case and will admit that the eventual murderer was not someone I suspected at all.
Not really one of the best in the series but it was okay. Now I have to jump back in time to O is for Outlaw.
November 20, 2018
This is my first Kinsey Millhone book in the alphabet. I choose to start with Q because I'm doing a game and I needed a book to read that started or had the letter Q in the title. Here is it.
I'm not sure this is my genre. I did enjoy the book and I enjoyed reading about Kinsey and getting to know her. I didn't think it was a great book. One issue I took was that Kinsey didn't really solve the mystery so much as stumble upon the person. I guess I like stories where the person figures it out on their own. Obviously, she had an idea. It also ended abruptly, but I guess that's all there was.
It's an 18 year old cold case, that we find out later is based on a real case. It is also set in a small rural town with town gossip and everyone in everyone else's past.
I was entertained and I was drawn to the conclusion. I enjoyed the story, it just didn't knock me down. I'm sure if I read a few more I would get hooked though. I forget the line, but there was a great Kinsey line that made me laugh out loud.
I'm not sure this is my genre. I did enjoy the book and I enjoyed reading about Kinsey and getting to know her. I didn't think it was a great book. One issue I took was that Kinsey didn't really solve the mystery so much as stumble upon the person. I guess I like stories where the person figures it out on their own. Obviously, she had an idea. It also ended abruptly, but I guess that's all there was.
It's an 18 year old cold case, that we find out later is based on a real case. It is also set in a small rural town with town gossip and everyone in everyone else's past.
I was entertained and I was drawn to the conclusion. I enjoyed the story, it just didn't knock me down. I'm sure if I read a few more I would get hooked though. I forget the line, but there was a great Kinsey line that made me laugh out loud.
April 19, 2023
In the 17th book of the Sue Grafton Alphabet series, Q is for Quarry, Kinsey Millhone is enlisted by Lt. Conrad Dolan and Sgt. Stacey Oliphant to help them solve an 18-year cold case. The aging and unwell detectives are approaching their retirement. They would love another crack at finding the murderer of a Jane Doe they were never able to identify. That haunting pathos hangs heavily over this novel like a graveyard pall. The novel is based on a real case with a real-life Jane Doe that intrigued Grafton so much that she invested her own money to attempt to find the Jane Doe of that case, real-life true justice. Clearly, she altered aspects of that case to fictionalize a resolution that evaded the non-fictional, true-crime case, but what is also evident is that the case seriously affected Grafton emotionally, which infuses this novel with that much more realism, and heart-break.
March 29, 2018
I loved this one. I loved the cold case. I loved the interaction between Kinsey, Dolan and Stacey. You really get some insight and can see just how much more comfortable Kinsey is with people older than her versus closer to her own age. The other good thing in this one is how great the older characters are written. They are active, engaged, coherent, ornery and just in general not just cranky old people.
The cold case is especially engaging and I loved it. The story leads Kinsey almost all the way to Arizona and Kinsey really shows us her ability to use multiple avenues of inquiry to try and find and answer. She and Dolan/Oliphant come at this case from many angles trying to get just one sliver of information to bring the cold case to an end.
I really appreciated that Kinsey was working for Lt. Dolan in this one – you could tell he came to her because he truly respects her and knows she is good at her job. Stacey Oliphant is another old geezer that I just fell in love with like Henry. He is so adorable and intelligent – what a great addition to the story.
I loved how at the end of the book the author explains the case that was her inspiration for this one and gives the reader some insight into how her story came together. This was definitely one of my favorites in the series.
The cold case is especially engaging and I loved it. The story leads Kinsey almost all the way to Arizona and Kinsey really shows us her ability to use multiple avenues of inquiry to try and find and answer. She and Dolan/Oliphant come at this case from many angles trying to get just one sliver of information to bring the cold case to an end.
I really appreciated that Kinsey was working for Lt. Dolan in this one – you could tell he came to her because he truly respects her and knows she is good at her job. Stacey Oliphant is another old geezer that I just fell in love with like Henry. He is so adorable and intelligent – what a great addition to the story.
I loved how at the end of the book the author explains the case that was her inspiration for this one and gives the reader some insight into how her story came together. This was definitely one of my favorites in the series.
March 6, 2009
Sue Grafton is the sweetest smartest woman that you'd ever hope to meet. When she comes for book signings she takes time with EVERYONE who wants to have a moment to talk to her. Also, she signs any books that people bring from home..I have seen her sit for over an hour pulling book after book out of a cardboard box that some fan brought. With Q she stepped a little out of her usual format to base this novel on a true story. She also spent her own time and money to help identify a woman whose body was found, badly decomposed. She remains a Jane Doe because nobody has stepped forward to claim her. In this book Sue tell what MIGHT have happened to this woman in hope that it would jog someone's memory. Q, as a novel in a series by a great mystery/suspense write stands out because of the special nature of the story, the factual information put forth, the money and time spent to turn her remains into an actual face and persona. Sue Grafton used her fame, money, and connections, along with her compassion to tell the story in Q, and to bring to light the life and death of a real woman.
February 11, 2021
This really ends up being one of the favorites of Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone or Alphabet mystery series. I think that Grafton hit a real sweet spot not only with Kinsey investigating, but including retired Lieutenant Dolan (familiar to readers) and retired detective Stacey Oliphant. This story was written based upon a real life cold case that occurred in Lompoc. In this edition, Grafton included pictures (artist rendition using clay) of the young girl who I believe is still unidentified as of today and only known as "Jane Doe."
"Q is for Quarry" has Kinsey at a bit of loose ends. She gets a call from Dolan who is now retired from the Santa Teresa police department. He meets with Kinsey to talk her through a cold case that he and a former coworker and friend Stacey Oliphant investigated together 18 years ago. Dolan has personal reasons for wanting Kinsey to help out him and Oliphant (no spoilers). What is funny though is that when Kinsey meets with Oliphant he wants Dolan included for different but also similar theme reasons. The three of them end up making a wonderful little trio together and we get to follow via Kinsey's point of view as they start to track down initial witnesses and piece together the live of their Jane Doe.
I thought Kinsey was great in this one. I actually liked the fact that part of her is feeling a bit stung on the revelation regarding Cheney Phillips. Kinsey and her romances always felt secondary to me in the series. But it was still interesting to read her as being interested in someone. It's been a while.
The interaction between Dolan and Stacey were freaking hilarious. I got nothing else to say but that honestly. The are very much The Odd Couple.
The other characters we know and love (Rosie and Henry of course) and we get some new faces as Kinsey and the boys track down leads.
I thought the writing for this one was very focused. And that Kinsey and the rest of the trio were very good at their jobs. One thing that always surprises me which I wonder if other people realize, is that most murders in the United States go "cold." I read and watch a lot of investigative shows, and honestly if there wasn't a way to test DNA who knows how many other cases would go unsolved. But the police in the United States don't go out and solve crimes as a regular occurrence of their day. This cold case and the real life one that it inspired definitely lets you see how much of police work is honestly just luck and putting things together. And often you don't get that.
The ending was very interesting I thought and I liked the final nail on the whole thing. I used to always wish before she passed away that Grafton had done a novella or something on just Kinsey's cases and you could find out where perpetrators and some of the victim's families were now.
"Q is for Quarry" has Kinsey at a bit of loose ends. She gets a call from Dolan who is now retired from the Santa Teresa police department. He meets with Kinsey to talk her through a cold case that he and a former coworker and friend Stacey Oliphant investigated together 18 years ago. Dolan has personal reasons for wanting Kinsey to help out him and Oliphant (no spoilers). What is funny though is that when Kinsey meets with Oliphant he wants Dolan included for different but also similar theme reasons. The three of them end up making a wonderful little trio together and we get to follow via Kinsey's point of view as they start to track down initial witnesses and piece together the live of their Jane Doe.
I thought Kinsey was great in this one. I actually liked the fact that part of her is feeling a bit stung on the revelation regarding Cheney Phillips. Kinsey and her romances always felt secondary to me in the series. But it was still interesting to read her as being interested in someone. It's been a while.
The interaction between Dolan and Stacey were freaking hilarious. I got nothing else to say but that honestly. The are very much The Odd Couple.
The other characters we know and love (Rosie and Henry of course) and we get some new faces as Kinsey and the boys track down leads.
I thought the writing for this one was very focused. And that Kinsey and the rest of the trio were very good at their jobs. One thing that always surprises me which I wonder if other people realize, is that most murders in the United States go "cold." I read and watch a lot of investigative shows, and honestly if there wasn't a way to test DNA who knows how many other cases would go unsolved. But the police in the United States don't go out and solve crimes as a regular occurrence of their day. This cold case and the real life one that it inspired definitely lets you see how much of police work is honestly just luck and putting things together. And often you don't get that.
The ending was very interesting I thought and I liked the final nail on the whole thing. I used to always wish before she passed away that Grafton had done a novella or something on just Kinsey's cases and you could find out where perpetrators and some of the victim's families were now.
June 10, 2013
I first read this book several years ago and it has stuck in my mind ever since then. I think about it often. I was really happy to read it again when it came up this time in my reread of the series and it still has the same appeal it did the first time. When a book can keep you thinking about it for years, the author is definitely doing something right!
Kinsey is contacted by Con Dolan, a police detective that has come up in many of the previous books, to help him with a cold case. He has a friend, one of his early mentors as a detective, who he believes is dying of cancer and needs an interest to keep him alive. He wants to reopen a Jane Doe murder case that they had first investigated 18 years ago. Kinsey is intrigued and joins the investigation.
I don't want to give spoilers but the investigation trail is fascinating to me. How they pick up clues from 18 year old police reports and follow them to the end is really intriguing! The cast of characters they encounter feel like people you know in your everyday life. The settings in the book like the small town and the abandoned condominium development are can be pictured as clearly as if you'd been there yourself. The murderer is unexpected.
Most of this story happens out of Santa Teresa. I don't find myself missing Henry and Rosie though, because the story is so engrossing.
Two more things add a deeper level to this entry in the series. The first is that Kinsey re-encounters her mother's family in a big way. The murder dump site is actually on her family's property and her mother's sister comes to visit her bringing stories and providing photos. The second is that this mystery is based on a true story that Sue Grafton heard about at a dinner party. The sad end to that is, however, that the Jane Doe she heard about has still never been identified or the murderer brought to justice. This kept running through my mind as I was reading and I'm sure it's why this story is so much more poignant than the other stories in the series. This is definitely the best Kinsey yet.
Kinsey is contacted by Con Dolan, a police detective that has come up in many of the previous books, to help him with a cold case. He has a friend, one of his early mentors as a detective, who he believes is dying of cancer and needs an interest to keep him alive. He wants to reopen a Jane Doe murder case that they had first investigated 18 years ago. Kinsey is intrigued and joins the investigation.
I don't want to give spoilers but the investigation trail is fascinating to me. How they pick up clues from 18 year old police reports and follow them to the end is really intriguing! The cast of characters they encounter feel like people you know in your everyday life. The settings in the book like the small town and the abandoned condominium development are can be pictured as clearly as if you'd been there yourself. The murderer is unexpected.
Most of this story happens out of Santa Teresa. I don't find myself missing Henry and Rosie though, because the story is so engrossing.
Two more things add a deeper level to this entry in the series. The first is that Kinsey re-encounters her mother's family in a big way. The murder dump site is actually on her family's property and her mother's sister comes to visit her bringing stories and providing photos. The second is that this mystery is based on a true story that Sue Grafton heard about at a dinner party. The sad end to that is, however, that the Jane Doe she heard about has still never been identified or the murderer brought to justice. This kept running through my mind as I was reading and I'm sure it's why this story is so much more poignant than the other stories in the series. This is definitely the best Kinsey yet.
February 13, 2020
It's been many years since I last read a Kinsey Millhone. I stopped, as readers of crime series often do, because the plots become formulaic and the last little bit seemed to have been drained out of character development.
I picked up this particular volume for a number of reasons, not least in the hopes that I would feel the same enjoyment from a return to Kinsey as I had when I revisited V.I. Warshawski last year after a long hiatus. No such luck. While Q is for Quarry wasn't a bad read, it felt tired.
Maybe if I'd stuck with the series and read this shortly after finishing the previous volumes I'd have been more interested in Kinsey's family history, but as it was that sideline struck me as arbitrarily tacked on to the main story. And although the book's afterward makes it clear that the premise for the story was based on a a real unsolved murder, Grafton's plotting transformed those circumstances to a classic Kinsey-style story that wasn't difficult to decipher.
I almost feel guilty for not rating this book more highly. After all, crime fiction enthusiasts who today enjoy books with women as the main character certainly owe a deep debt of gratitude t0 Sue Grafton, along with Sara Paretsky, for paving the way. But I guess I'll forgive myself since I've become bored with series with male protagonists, and dropped them, for the same reasons.
I picked up this particular volume for a number of reasons, not least in the hopes that I would feel the same enjoyment from a return to Kinsey as I had when I revisited V.I. Warshawski last year after a long hiatus. No such luck. While Q is for Quarry wasn't a bad read, it felt tired.
Maybe if I'd stuck with the series and read this shortly after finishing the previous volumes I'd have been more interested in Kinsey's family history, but as it was that sideline struck me as arbitrarily tacked on to the main story. And although the book's afterward makes it clear that the premise for the story was based on a a real unsolved murder, Grafton's plotting transformed those circumstances to a classic Kinsey-style story that wasn't difficult to decipher.
I almost feel guilty for not rating this book more highly. After all, crime fiction enthusiasts who today enjoy books with women as the main character certainly owe a deep debt of gratitude t0 Sue Grafton, along with Sara Paretsky, for paving the way. But I guess I'll forgive myself since I've become bored with series with male protagonists, and dropped them, for the same reasons.
June 11, 2023
4 Stars. It's a cold case and it's a great story. Detection at its best. The time of the action is 1987 and the case dates to the late 60s. Two retirement-age police officers are looking back at their careers and wish they could have solved this one. A young woman's body had been found in a quarry in Lompoc, about an hour drive northwest of Santa Teresa. Despite valiant efforts, she could not be identified. The relationship between Kinsey and the two older men is fun to watch as affection develops among them. Quarrels too. Lieutenant Con Dolan has appeared previously in the Alphabet series; he's still in blue but is having heart issues - too many cigarettes and too much fast food! Stacy Oliphant is the other member of the triumvirate. He's a retiree from the Sheriff's Department and has developed serious cancer. For these two, the brain's all there, but the body's got other concerns. Con and Stacey decide to hire Kinsey as their legs and ears. What a chase; it eventually works its way east to Quorum, California near the Arizona border. A red Mustang had been seen, and there they find its remains and meet the current owner, Ruel MacPhee. Only a touch below 5 stars. Enjoy. (March 2021)
July 19, 2020
Private investigator Kinsey Millhone is feeling a bit restless when Lieutenant Conrad Dolan walks into her new office. Eighteen years ago, in 1969, he and his friend, Stacey Oliphant, found the body of a young woman. Both men have pursued the case over their careers with the police, but they haven’t figure out who she was. They want to take one more look at it, and they want to hire Kinsey to help them with the leg work. Will the three of them find any new leads in this cold case?
I’m sure it’s no surprise to say they do indeed begin to make some headway as they go back over the case. I enjoyed being along for the unpredictable ride. I thought I had things figured out a few times before we reached the real climax. The characters are as strong as ever. I loved seeing the growth in Kinsey, especially with a recurring sub-plot popping back up. There are a couple of other fun sub-plots with the regulars. Dolan and Oliphant could be a bit annoying at times, but that never lasted for very long. This book is based on a real-life Jane Doe, and there is information in the back on how Sue Grafton became interested in that case, which is still unsolved best I can tell. It’s always a pleasure to see a long running series that is still this strong and entertaining after so many volumes.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
I’m sure it’s no surprise to say they do indeed begin to make some headway as they go back over the case. I enjoyed being along for the unpredictable ride. I thought I had things figured out a few times before we reached the real climax. The characters are as strong as ever. I loved seeing the growth in Kinsey, especially with a recurring sub-plot popping back up. There are a couple of other fun sub-plots with the regulars. Dolan and Oliphant could be a bit annoying at times, but that never lasted for very long. This book is based on a real-life Jane Doe, and there is information in the back on how Sue Grafton became interested in that case, which is still unsolved best I can tell. It’s always a pleasure to see a long running series that is still this strong and entertaining after so many volumes.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
November 5, 2019
4 Stars
Consistent goodness... does that make sense. We get a nice little break from the mess that is Kinsey's life. No one is trying to murder her...(kinda), in this story. She has had some close calls in the last few books; so I guess the author figured she needed a break.
Kinsey is working a cold case with a former colleague and his partner; of a young girl from 1969. What they get is the small-town mindset of secrets kept and held tightly.
Like I said earlier; consistent story and plot throughout, with a nice culmination of all the facts. I had a good feeling about who the killer was; but nothing confirmed until I was almost done. I liked the pacing of the story and look forward to the letter R.
Consistent goodness... does that make sense. We get a nice little break from the mess that is Kinsey's life. No one is trying to murder her...(kinda), in this story. She has had some close calls in the last few books; so I guess the author figured she needed a break.
Kinsey is working a cold case with a former colleague and his partner; of a young girl from 1969. What they get is the small-town mindset of secrets kept and held tightly.
Like I said earlier; consistent story and plot throughout, with a nice culmination of all the facts. I had a good feeling about who the killer was; but nothing confirmed until I was almost done. I liked the pacing of the story and look forward to the letter R.
July 26, 2023
The most fun book in the series. While the mystery was unremarkably solid, it was the story and characters that bolstered my enjoyment. Kinsey, Dolan, and Oliphant were a great team and the two old cops were a great foil and balance to Kinsey. Hopefully, they will be in the rest of the series.
March 11, 2018
Kinsey works with two older police officers who are winding down their careers. They want to identify the Jane Doe in a cold case from 18 years earlier. The woman was never identified, and her killer was never found.
I enjoyed Kinsey's interactions with the two older police officers. She usually works alone, so it was fun to read about her working with others. While their main goal was to identified the Jane Doe, the case gets more complex, and leads them on a hunt for a killer.
The 17th book in the Kinsey Millhone alphabet series. One of the better books in the series. This novel was based on a true case of a young woman who was found killed and never identified. Sue Grafton used the case as the basis for this novel, and had hopes that the renewed interest in the case would lead to the identification of the woman. So far, that case has never been solved and the woman remains unidentified.
I listened to an audio version of this book.
I enjoyed Kinsey's interactions with the two older police officers. She usually works alone, so it was fun to read about her working with others. While their main goal was to identified the Jane Doe, the case gets more complex, and leads them on a hunt for a killer.
The 17th book in the Kinsey Millhone alphabet series. One of the better books in the series. This novel was based on a true case of a young woman who was found killed and never identified. Sue Grafton used the case as the basis for this novel, and had hopes that the renewed interest in the case would lead to the identification of the woman. So far, that case has never been solved and the woman remains unidentified.
I listened to an audio version of this book.
March 18, 2025
I have been on this series for quite sometime, years actually! And I've been enjoying the company of Kinsey through her adventures, her books are mildly entertaining singularly, but taken as a whole, the series is entirely something else.
Each book adds 6 months or so to Kinsey's age, and we get a little bit of development in her life and the lives of the constant bundle of characters in her life, as side events to a crime adventure...
MiM
Each book adds 6 months or so to Kinsey's age, and we get a little bit of development in her life and the lives of the constant bundle of characters in her life, as side events to a crime adventure...
MiM
March 5, 2013
What a stark contrast 'P' and 'Q' make, having read these back to back. The former is no more than a business-like version of her model, whereas the latter is so much better. Read to the end of 'Q' to find out why, I wouldn't want to spoil it by explaining it here!
February 3, 2016
"Quarry" is loosely based on a 1969 Santa Barbara murder with a victim who remains unidentified to this day. Grafton became interested in this unsolved case and sponsored a forensic sculptor to do a likeness of the victim, which she included at the back of this book in hopes that someone will recognize the picture. This seems to be the year for big time mystery writers to take a hands-on interest in unsolved crimes what with Patricia Cornwell's six million dollar investment in the Jack the Ripper case.
The plot is well constructed, as usual in Grafton's work, with the story's progression revolving around the routine investigations that make up most real detective work. Kinsey seldom gets involved in a shoot-out. And right down to the last few pages, there are still several strong possibilities for the killer, so even if you think you know whodunnit, you won't be sure. Grafton is also very good at delineating the details of character development.
Overall, I would recommend this book as an interesting read. If you can get past the ridiculous amount of junk food the characters consume, which seems beyond extreme, you will find this to be a good read and worth the time invested.
The plot is well constructed, as usual in Grafton's work, with the story's progression revolving around the routine investigations that make up most real detective work. Kinsey seldom gets involved in a shoot-out. And right down to the last few pages, there are still several strong possibilities for the killer, so even if you think you know whodunnit, you won't be sure. Grafton is also very good at delineating the details of character development.
Overall, I would recommend this book as an interesting read. If you can get past the ridiculous amount of junk food the characters consume, which seems beyond extreme, you will find this to be a good read and worth the time invested.
March 10, 2021
Kinsey is at it again, tracking down a 20 year old cold case murder of a Jane Doe. What makes this mystery particularly good are two factors. The first is the note that this story is based on a real Jane Doe victim that Grafton learned about through an acquaintance, and researched all of its details to provide for this novel. The backstory of the victim and the interplay of suspects were all fictional, but other aspects of the actual case were included. At the time the audiobook was produced, the victim had still not been identified, and the case never solved. Somehow knowing a young woman really could suffer such a fate deepens the story, and makes it more human and personal than an imaginary story could.
The second factor was the dynamic between curmudgeonly detectives Dolan and Stacey who work the case with Kinsey. They are both ill and replete with gruff behavior and bad habits. But their brotherly affection for each other bleeds through, and is a pleasant counterbalance to an otherwise depressing and grim story.
The second factor was the dynamic between curmudgeonly detectives Dolan and Stacey who work the case with Kinsey. They are both ill and replete with gruff behavior and bad habits. But their brotherly affection for each other bleeds through, and is a pleasant counterbalance to an otherwise depressing and grim story.
May 2, 2021
Kinsey leaves town to work for two detectives on an old murder case. The characters appear in the first half of the book and the plot thickens in the second, revealing a twisted tale.
On the third re-read of this book, I noticed how Grafton creates likable characters. I also noticed that she has periods of maudlin descriptions.
I don't think I saw bouganvilla in this book.
I cannot believe I read this again (2021). Grafton spends time on suspects then moves on. This story was based on an unsolved murder.
On the third re-read of this book, I noticed how Grafton creates likable characters. I also noticed that she has periods of maudlin descriptions.
I don't think I saw bouganvilla in this book.
I cannot believe I read this again (2021). Grafton spends time on suspects then moves on. This story was based on an unsolved murder.
August 9, 2020
Standard fare from Sue Grafton. Lots of extraneous detail and information that’s easy to skip over without losing track of the storyline. Enjoyable to a degree. I keep reading this series but sometimes I wonder why. They’re generally not particularly clever so it must just be familiarity with Kinsey Millhone who is a likeable enough character. In this book, we learn more about her family background but I couldn’t care less, to be honest.
April 14, 2020
Kinsey Millhone mystery No.17:
A cold case is revived when Kinsey is invited to help by the two, now old, and sickly police that originally found the body, to take one last shot at discovering who the victim was and who murdered her. Digging up the past sees Kinsey and co. find themselves on a hunt for a killer! Potentially a great story, but it was all lost on me. 3 out of 12.
A cold case is revived when Kinsey is invited to help by the two, now old, and sickly police that originally found the body, to take one last shot at discovering who the victim was and who murdered her. Digging up the past sees Kinsey and co. find themselves on a hunt for a killer! Potentially a great story, but it was all lost on me. 3 out of 12.
July 17, 2017
Q is for Quarry is the 17th book in Sue Grafton's excellent Kinsey Millhone (alphabet) series.
One of my favourite in the series so far, made all the more interesting as it is based on a real 1969 Jane Doe Murder that I believe is still unsolved today.
One of my favourite in the series so far, made all the more interesting as it is based on a real 1969 Jane Doe Murder that I believe is still unsolved today.
August 20, 2021
The best in a long series by far.
(I've been reading from the letter 'G,' as these books were left by my late brother-in-law. He didn't have A-F, but I'll find them elsewhere. Anyhow, thanks, Ronnie; we miss you.)
The story: Private investigator Kinsey Millhone - single, tough-minded and independent, twice married and divorced, mid-thirties, southern California native - is asked to help out on a cold case by two older, retired police detectives. Both men have serious health problems, which pop up from time to time, but the case moves on. Interviewing witnesses, checking old records, driving here and there and following up on promising, but fragile leads. The cold case? The death of a young woman in 1969, her body tossed down into a ravine.
This series is mostly set in the 1980's so Kinsey hasn't the luxury of the internet - but she does have her brain, her intuition and a rugged sense of justice. She's of a liberal mind in some contexts; more conservative in others, but she's what keeps me reading these darn books! As she is written, she's probably a lot like the author as far as personality and indefatigable-ness. (If I can make up a word? Hey, I do it all the time!)
She's tenacious in other words, seldom gives up though she's often exhausted, frustrated, exasperated. By people mostly. She hunts down leads in libraries, using old phone directories; she talks to the 'older folks' who know something about the case; and she isn't adverse to just walking into a house and starting a conversation - and she deals with some really shady and dangerous individuals sometimes.
When I was about two-thirds in I started to get a feel for who may have 'dunnit,' but I was wrong. Close, but wrong. I loved it! Nothing like a good crime mystery that can fool me and I've read dozens.
Suffice to say this is one of the best, with multiple twists, turns, slip-ups, people lying, people telling half-truths, and so on. The locale is dry and dusty, mostly near the Arizona border. The people, most of them, are not the most pleasant. Kinsey's interactions with the two detectives is great.
Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Five stars
(I've been reading from the letter 'G,' as these books were left by my late brother-in-law. He didn't have A-F, but I'll find them elsewhere. Anyhow, thanks, Ronnie; we miss you.)
The story: Private investigator Kinsey Millhone - single, tough-minded and independent, twice married and divorced, mid-thirties, southern California native - is asked to help out on a cold case by two older, retired police detectives. Both men have serious health problems, which pop up from time to time, but the case moves on. Interviewing witnesses, checking old records, driving here and there and following up on promising, but fragile leads. The cold case? The death of a young woman in 1969, her body tossed down into a ravine.
This series is mostly set in the 1980's so Kinsey hasn't the luxury of the internet - but she does have her brain, her intuition and a rugged sense of justice. She's of a liberal mind in some contexts; more conservative in others, but she's what keeps me reading these darn books! As she is written, she's probably a lot like the author as far as personality and indefatigable-ness. (If I can make up a word? Hey, I do it all the time!)
She's tenacious in other words, seldom gives up though she's often exhausted, frustrated, exasperated. By people mostly. She hunts down leads in libraries, using old phone directories; she talks to the 'older folks' who know something about the case; and she isn't adverse to just walking into a house and starting a conversation - and she deals with some really shady and dangerous individuals sometimes.
When I was about two-thirds in I started to get a feel for who may have 'dunnit,' but I was wrong. Close, but wrong. I loved it! Nothing like a good crime mystery that can fool me and I've read dozens.
Suffice to say this is one of the best, with multiple twists, turns, slip-ups, people lying, people telling half-truths, and so on. The locale is dry and dusty, mostly near the Arizona border. The people, most of them, are not the most pleasant. Kinsey's interactions with the two detectives is great.
Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Five stars
November 25, 2022
4.5 rounded up
Great characters in the story, even the unlikable ones.
This novel is based on an actual Jane Doe cold case from 1969. While the novel generated renewed interest and Ms. Grafton funded facial recognition, the victim remains unidentified and the case still open.
Great characters in the story, even the unlikable ones.
This novel is based on an actual Jane Doe cold case from 1969. While the novel generated renewed interest and Ms. Grafton funded facial recognition, the victim remains unidentified and the case still open.
March 16, 2016
This was the first book that got me hooked on the alphabet Kinsey Millhone series. Inspired by a still unsolved murder in Santa Barbara County, Sue Grafton weaves a compelling and suspenseful story that is filled with clever twists and turns. The book was awesome and kept me wondering who the murderer would turn out to be right till the end.
March 24, 2017
I had skipped ahead to a couple of less than stellar outings and took a while to come back and fill in the gap. Q is for Quarry is a pretty good one looking at a cold case. Kinsey is still stuck in the 1980s and we see a portrait of derelict America in the California she shows us. Towns are subsiding into rotten boards and sand; shops are closed and gutted, mansions derelict and waiting to be demolished. Prisoners are in and out of jail like a revolving door and old sins linger in small towns. Most of the population we meet are white and medium poor. This can lead to trouble remembering who is which person.
Kinsey is helping a couple of cops / ex cops track down a dead woman's identity and her killer. This gets confused towards the end. I really could not see why ordinary folks, men especially, should tell a PI stranger such personal stuff. And nobody ever looks for a lawyer. My main query is, if the older cop had such a bad back that he was in the emergency room with it, how come he is bouncing around the place a few days later and never refers to the back again? However as an involved cold case story it's interesting and well done.
Kinsey is helping a couple of cops / ex cops track down a dead woman's identity and her killer. This gets confused towards the end. I really could not see why ordinary folks, men especially, should tell a PI stranger such personal stuff. And nobody ever looks for a lawyer. My main query is, if the older cop had such a bad back that he was in the emergency room with it, how come he is bouncing around the place a few days later and never refers to the back again? However as an involved cold case story it's interesting and well done.
March 8, 2017
This was probably the best yet in the series, IMHO. Yes, the interiority & the needless exposition of driving et al continued, but I have become inured to all of it. 1/3 of the books are dedicated to such meandering drivel & so I just gloss over it & move onto the salient, plot-furthering points. It is more fruitful that way. This story read like an episode of the now-defunct TV series, "Cold Case", of which I was a devotee. Ms. Millhone teams with a pair of actual police detectives, as opposed to her wanna-be detective self & by either extension or association, or both, the plot is enhanced exponentially from her well-established meandering. The dialogue was much crisper, the plot moved more quickly & the dénouement was much more feasible. I might actually be able to finish the series without outside provocation.
January 30, 2013
Most enjoyable. I've enjoyed every one of the series to - date. I liked the characters in this one; the two old cops, Dolan and Stacey who involve Kinsey in their cold case. They are like a bickering old married couple. The cold case was interesting; I did think at times that there were great leaps in the solving of the case, but hey, it's a mystery story. Ms. Grafton also makes the peripheral characters interesting. Nobody is totally unlikeable, even the suspects. All in all, another good story from Sue Grafton.
January 15, 2020
I have been reading this series in order over many years. Sue Grafton absolutely never disappointed me; each book has been riveting. This one was no exception. It held my rapt attention throughout. I was heartbroken to hear of her death in December of 2017. It was with a heavy heart that I realized the alphabet ends with “Y”. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
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