Three Complete Novels: J is for Judgment / K is for Killer / L is for Lawless

Kinsey Millhone #10-12

by Sue Grafton

From this amazing writer comes the fourth omnibus volume of her New York Times bestsellers, including J is for Judgement, K is for Killer, and L is for Lawless. Featuring former cop turned private investigator Kinsey Millhone—one of the most popular sleuths in modern fiction—these three compelling titles deal with false suicide, an unsolved case of murder, and a true test of Kinsey's skills, making each mystery one of Grafton's best.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Detective, Mystery Thriller

896 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Sue 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.

Reviews

[Meri-Lyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad I decided to reread this series. It's so well done I'm enjoying it even more the second time around.

[Crystal Toller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a three novel book in the Kinsey Milhone series. In J is for Judgement, Kinsey is hired by her old employer California Fidelity to find Wendell Jaffee who is supposedly alive when he was just pronounced dead and the widow has finally come into his insurance money. Kinsey travels to Mexico and finds Jaffee and when she returns to California she cannot locate him. She pursues it trying to find him and finally tracks him down at his son's house. Before she can let her employer know he is alive and well and in California, he disappears again. How things resolve make for a good story. In K is for Killer, Lorna Kepler's mother Janice hires Kinsey to find out who killed her daughter since the police have no leads. Kinsey pursues it doggedly, even traveling to San Franciso to talk with the producer and other actors in the porno film Lorna did. How Kinsey figures out the killer makes for a great story. In L is for Lawless, Kinsey agrees to help a neighbor find out why when they applied for funeral benefits for their father/grandfather the military says they have no records of him. Kinsey ends up traveling all across the country and the ending is really amazing. Another great three novels by this author. Enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend these books and the series.

[Sara Tuschen · Rating 3 out of 5]

L is my favorite of the three.

[Jaynie · Rating 2 out of 5]

My least favorite. Really.

[Lynda Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Kinsey Millhone tale. She's still stuck in the 90's, bless her, with no internet or mobile phone. I can't wait to hear of her getting these new-fangled things in her life and how it alters what she does instead of relying on pay-phones and her old Corona typewriter !!
This is the first in an omnibus of J, K and L I bought.
This story was about a guy who was a fraudster and may or may not have killed himself 5 years previously. Somebody has reported a sighting so it's up to Kinsey to follow up on it. It was a very good read and really held my interest for sure.

Just read the second part-the K story and that was very good too and showed a softer and more caring side of Kinsey as well. Again I enjoyed it. This one featured a girl who had been murdered at home and her mother wanted Kinsey to investigate as the police had pretty much given up. The dead daughter had been involved in being a hooker and had a bit of a shady past to put it mildly........
The ending wasn't what I expected either.


L is for Lawless-Another winner of a tale for me. It's another one from the 90's and I was still chuckling to myself at poor Kinsey nd her woeful lack of modern technology. Like she couldn't get any cash on a Sunday and then at one point couldn't access any cos' she was in a different state !!
This book had the theme of a wedding between 2 pensioners running through it-nothing to do with the story itself-and right at the end at the wedding the groom said to the bride as he held her face in his hands-"Oh my love. I've been waiting all my life for you".....then the line-'There wasn't a dry eye in the house. Including mine'.......and I had a little sniff here too, I must say-I thought that was lovely.
The story itself was about the mystery of an old World War 2 veteran who'd died but when the relatives wanted to afford him the courtesy of a veteran's funeral they find he's unlisted everywhere with military records. So Kinsey gets to investigating........

[Suzanne Macartney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm enjoying the series. There is something to be said for straight-up mystery and character development. "Lawless" is not the best of the pack but the others are worthwhile and each comes in handy travel size.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really hate that Ray never gave Kinsey any money in the end.... that sorta pisses me off.

[Brenda Hancock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here we go again--there's what--26 letters in the alphabet & I've gotten through T