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Kinsey Millhone #2
B is for Burglar
B is for Burglar, from Sue Grafton's #1 New York Times bestselling Kinsey Millhone Alphabet mystery series
Beverly Danziger looked like an expensive, carefully wrapped package from a good but conservative shop. Only her compulsive chatter hinted at the nervousness beneath her cool surface. It was a nervousness out of all proportion to the problem she placed before Kinsey Millhone. There was an absent sister. A will to be settled--a matter of only a few thousand dollars. Mrs. Danziger did not look as if she needed a few thousand dollars. And she didn't seem like someone longing for a family reunion.
Still, business was slow, and even a private investigator has bills to pay. Millhone took the job. It looked routine.
Elaine Boldt's wrappings were a good deal flashier than her sister's, but they signaled the same The lady had money. A rich widow in her early forties, she owned a condo in Boca Raton and another in Santa Teresa. According to the manager of the California building, she was last seen draped in her $12,000 lynx coat heading for Boca Raton. According to the manager of the Florida building, she never got there. But someone else had and she was camping out illegally in Mrs. Boldt's apartment. The job was beginning to seem a bit less routine.
It turned tricky when Beverly Danziger ordered Millhone to drop the case and it took on an ominous quality when Aubrey Danziger surfaced, making all kinds of wild accusations about his wife. But it only became sinister when Millhone learned that just days before Elaine Boldt went missing, her next-door neighbor and bridge partner had been murdered and the killer was still at large
.A house destroyed by arson. A brutally murdered a woman. A missing lynx coat. An apartment burgled of valueless papers, another ransacked in a melée of mindless destruction. And more murder. As Millhone digs deeper into the case, she finds herself in a nightmarish hall of mirrors in which reality is distorted by illusion and nothing--except danger--is quite what it seems..
Beverly Danziger looked like an expensive, carefully wrapped package from a good but conservative shop. Only her compulsive chatter hinted at the nervousness beneath her cool surface. It was a nervousness out of all proportion to the problem she placed before Kinsey Millhone. There was an absent sister. A will to be settled--a matter of only a few thousand dollars. Mrs. Danziger did not look as if she needed a few thousand dollars. And she didn't seem like someone longing for a family reunion.
Still, business was slow, and even a private investigator has bills to pay. Millhone took the job. It looked routine.
Elaine Boldt's wrappings were a good deal flashier than her sister's, but they signaled the same The lady had money. A rich widow in her early forties, she owned a condo in Boca Raton and another in Santa Teresa. According to the manager of the California building, she was last seen draped in her $12,000 lynx coat heading for Boca Raton. According to the manager of the Florida building, she never got there. But someone else had and she was camping out illegally in Mrs. Boldt's apartment. The job was beginning to seem a bit less routine.
It turned tricky when Beverly Danziger ordered Millhone to drop the case and it took on an ominous quality when Aubrey Danziger surfaced, making all kinds of wild accusations about his wife. But it only became sinister when Millhone learned that just days before Elaine Boldt went missing, her next-door neighbor and bridge partner had been murdered and the killer was still at large
.A house destroyed by arson. A brutally murdered a woman. A missing lynx coat. An apartment burgled of valueless papers, another ransacked in a melée of mindless destruction. And more murder. As Millhone digs deeper into the case, she finds herself in a nightmarish hall of mirrors in which reality is distorted by illusion and nothing--except danger--is quite what it seems..
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 15, 1985
1812 people are currently reading
9726 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 2,454 reviews
March 2, 2019
Since this book was published a year before this little gem:
Yes. "Accidentally"....
The book is oddly compelling. There is all of this strange stuff that was probably not strange at all during the time it came out. Like Kinsey's obsession with jogging. It seemed like that might have been a thing back then. After all, this was the most popular video tape of the day:
I'm convinced that some of these people are only working out so they can wear those sick threads. I would.
It's not weird that she jogs, it's just weird how much it's featured in the books so far. It's like the author is a trying to advocate for running as a sport. We get pages of Kinsey's jogging paths and routine. It's about as interesting as when my Facebook friends post their workout routes on their pages...
The struggle is real.
Then, after one of her many jogs, Kinsey goes out to eat a burger at a fast food place. And, get this quote:
I wolfed down a cheeseburger, fries, and a Coke for a dollar sixty-nine...
Right? Kitty knows a bargain when she sees it.
Later in the book, as she's doing a stake-out and getting tired of it, she uses the words, "I have to take a leak", and went right back to doing my kitty-face. Wha?? Girls said "take a leak" back then? That's a boy thing! How crude! How crass! We ladies are so much classier these days! We would never talk like men!
Okay, so aside from the strangely-compelling 80's stuff, I enjoyed the mystery. Kinsey is hired to find a missing person and it ends up possibly tying into a burglary/murder that happened months back. The more she digs, the stranger things get and then the person who hired her wants her to back-off the case completely. Luckily, there is an old lady busybody who steps in to keep the case going. Old people - you can count on at least two things from them: they are watching their neighbors, and their house is always too warm.
My grandma used to run the heater in her apartment in PHOENIX, Arizona where you could literally fry an egg on the sidewalk.
The little old lady in this book is kinda cute though. She is very excited to be involved with a mystery.
I'm off to read the next book. I hope she gets a Thighmaster in that one. I really want to read about her using it.
Yes. "Accidentally"....
The book is oddly compelling. There is all of this strange stuff that was probably not strange at all during the time it came out. Like Kinsey's obsession with jogging. It seemed like that might have been a thing back then. After all, this was the most popular video tape of the day:
I'm convinced that some of these people are only working out so they can wear those sick threads. I would.
It's not weird that she jogs, it's just weird how much it's featured in the books so far. It's like the author is a trying to advocate for running as a sport. We get pages of Kinsey's jogging paths and routine. It's about as interesting as when my Facebook friends post their workout routes on their pages...
The struggle is real.
Then, after one of her many jogs, Kinsey goes out to eat a burger at a fast food place. And, get this quote:
I wolfed down a cheeseburger, fries, and a Coke for a dollar sixty-nine...
Right? Kitty knows a bargain when she sees it.
Later in the book, as she's doing a stake-out and getting tired of it, she uses the words, "I have to take a leak", and went right back to doing my kitty-face. Wha?? Girls said "take a leak" back then? That's a boy thing! How crude! How crass! We ladies are so much classier these days! We would never talk like men!
Okay, so aside from the strangely-compelling 80's stuff, I enjoyed the mystery. Kinsey is hired to find a missing person and it ends up possibly tying into a burglary/murder that happened months back. The more she digs, the stranger things get and then the person who hired her wants her to back-off the case completely. Luckily, there is an old lady busybody who steps in to keep the case going. Old people - you can count on at least two things from them: they are watching their neighbors, and their house is always too warm.
My grandma used to run the heater in her apartment in PHOENIX, Arizona where you could literally fry an egg on the sidewalk.
The little old lady in this book is kinda cute though. She is very excited to be involved with a mystery.
I'm off to read the next book. I hope she gets a Thighmaster in that one. I really want to read about her using it.
April 17, 2020
EXCERPT: 'What can I help you with?'
'I hope you can locate my sister for me,' she said.
She was searching through her handbag again. She took out her address book, a rosewood pen and pencil set, and a long white envelope, which she placed on the edge of my desk. I'd never seen anyone so self-absorbed, but it wasn't unattractive stuff. She gave me a quick smile then, as though she knew that. She opened the address book and turned it so that it faced me, pointing to one of the entries with a rosy fingertip.
'You'll want to make a note of the address and telephone number,' she said. 'Her name is Elaine Boldt. She has a condo on Via Madrina, and that second one is her address in Florida. She spends several months a year down in Boca.'
'How long has she been missing?' I asked.
Beverley Danziger gave me an uncomfortable look. 'Well, I don't know that she is 'missing' exactly. I just don't know where she is...'
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Book 2 in the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet series from the New York Times bestselling author, Sue Grafton.
"Female, age thirty-two, self-employed and wiser than she used to be. For Kinsey Millhone, private investigator, only one thing stays the same. When a client sits down in the chair across the desk, she never knows what's going to happen next..."
There was nothing about Beverly Danziger to cause Kinsey concern. She was looking for her sister. There was a will to be settled. She paid up front. And if it seemed a lot of money for a routine job, Kinsey wasn't going to argue. She kicked herself later for the things she didn't see - Beverly Danziger did not look as if she needed a few thousand dollars and she didn't seem like someone longing for a family reunion.
But just as Kinsey begins to suspect foul play and start asking questions, Beverly Danziger pulls her off the case and fires her...
MY THOUGHTS: Book 2 in my stroll down memory lane with Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone. It is so long since I originally read this book that I remembered none of the plot.
This was a little more involved than many of the plots in this series, but it's still an easy read. There are many interesting side stories that enhance the main mystery including drug dealing, insurance fraud, and identity theft. I did find the choice of murder weapon a little unusual and slightly puzzling.
This is set in the 1980s, before the advent of personal computers and mobile phones. There is no security in the airports, and record keeping is entirely manual.
The narrator left a lot to be desired - very brusque.
This was a satisfying read deserving of 📺📷📼🔍
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.
DISCLOSURE: I listened to the audiobook of B is for Burglar written by Sue Grafton, narrated by Mary Peiffer and published by Books on Tape, via Overdrive. All opinions expressed are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
'I hope you can locate my sister for me,' she said.
She was searching through her handbag again. She took out her address book, a rosewood pen and pencil set, and a long white envelope, which she placed on the edge of my desk. I'd never seen anyone so self-absorbed, but it wasn't unattractive stuff. She gave me a quick smile then, as though she knew that. She opened the address book and turned it so that it faced me, pointing to one of the entries with a rosy fingertip.
'You'll want to make a note of the address and telephone number,' she said. 'Her name is Elaine Boldt. She has a condo on Via Madrina, and that second one is her address in Florida. She spends several months a year down in Boca.'
'How long has she been missing?' I asked.
Beverley Danziger gave me an uncomfortable look. 'Well, I don't know that she is 'missing' exactly. I just don't know where she is...'
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Book 2 in the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet series from the New York Times bestselling author, Sue Grafton.
"Female, age thirty-two, self-employed and wiser than she used to be. For Kinsey Millhone, private investigator, only one thing stays the same. When a client sits down in the chair across the desk, she never knows what's going to happen next..."
There was nothing about Beverly Danziger to cause Kinsey concern. She was looking for her sister. There was a will to be settled. She paid up front. And if it seemed a lot of money for a routine job, Kinsey wasn't going to argue. She kicked herself later for the things she didn't see - Beverly Danziger did not look as if she needed a few thousand dollars and she didn't seem like someone longing for a family reunion.
But just as Kinsey begins to suspect foul play and start asking questions, Beverly Danziger pulls her off the case and fires her...
MY THOUGHTS: Book 2 in my stroll down memory lane with Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone. It is so long since I originally read this book that I remembered none of the plot.
This was a little more involved than many of the plots in this series, but it's still an easy read. There are many interesting side stories that enhance the main mystery including drug dealing, insurance fraud, and identity theft. I did find the choice of murder weapon a little unusual and slightly puzzling.
This is set in the 1980s, before the advent of personal computers and mobile phones. There is no security in the airports, and record keeping is entirely manual.
The narrator left a lot to be desired - very brusque.
This was a satisfying read deserving of 📺📷📼🔍
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.
DISCLOSURE: I listened to the audiobook of B is for Burglar written by Sue Grafton, narrated by Mary Peiffer and published by Books on Tape, via Overdrive. All opinions expressed are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
March 13, 2021
This is a mystery, and this is the 2nd book in the Kinsey Millhone series, and I really think this book is a lot better then the book 1 in the series. If a family member did not tell me to keep reading the series I mostly likely would have stopped at the first book. The main character in this book is Kinsey, and she is a PI. It is about PI and what current case she is on. This one she looking for a woman that went missing. I have reviews for several of the books in this series so far. (*)
October 25, 2016
I listened to this one on Audio and am not sure whether that affected how much I enjoyed the book. The narrator chose to read Kinsey as a very brisk, managing type of person and I felt she did not really do her justice.
Nevertheless I enjoyed the story with its twists and turns and surprises. The ending was neat and not idealistic - like real life! I would have liked to give this three and a half stars and will certainly be carrying on with the series.
Nevertheless I enjoyed the story with its twists and turns and surprises. The ending was neat and not idealistic - like real life! I would have liked to give this three and a half stars and will certainly be carrying on with the series.
December 5, 2019
"After it's over, of course, you want to kick yourself for all the things you didn't see at the
time. The Had-I-But-Known school of private investigation perhaps.... I'm wiser now than
I used to be and I'm more experienced, but the fact remains that when a client sits down in
the chair across the desk from me, I never know what's going to happen next."
-Kinsey Millhone- 'B is for Burglar'
This second installment in Sue Grafton's 'Kinsey Millhone' series takes place a few weeks after her case 'A is for Alibi' wrapped up. This case, 'B is for Burglar' opens with Kinsey Millhone in her office, a space at the California Fidelity Insurance office, where she exchanges occasional claims investigations for an office she can call her own. Across the desk from Kinsey is her latest potential client... a woman named Beverly Danziger who is described as being in her late 30s, petite and well-coiffed.... or as Kinsey says.... "She projected self-confidence and a certain careless attention to style, conservatively packaged like the complimentary gift wrap in a classy department store." Beverly Danziger wanted to hire Kinsey to find her sister Elaine Boldt. According to Beverly, she had been attempting to contact Elaine in order to obtain her signature on some legal documents so that a small family inheritance could be disbursed. Elaine Boldt, who split her time between living in a condo in Santa Teresa, California and in an apartment in Boca Raton, Florida, was assumed to be in Florida because she had been last seen climbing into a taxi which had been called to take her to the airport. But Beverly had not been able to reach her sister by telephone. Although Kinsey was puzzled as to why Beverly Danziger needed her help with a matter that seemed so simple to resolve, she had no other cases requiring her attention and well.. a girl's gotta eat, right? She accepted the case with the thought in mind that she could probably locate the elusive Elaine Boldt with just a few phone calls. But as Kinsey soon discovers.... she was SO wrong.
The first thing Kinsey did was call the building manager at Elaine Boldt's condo in Santa Teresa... a woman named Tillie Ahlberg, who confirmed that Elaine Boldt did indeed spend winter months in her place in Florida. Tillie volunteered that she had the responsibility of collecting Elaine's mail and forwarding it to her and in return, Elaine sent her post cards from time-to-time letting her know how things were going in Florida.... that is, until this year. Kinsey's suspicions began to rise at Tillie's description of Elaine's departure from her usual routine; but it was what Tillie told her next that made her realize that discovering what had happened to Elaine was going to be much more complicated than she originally thought.
Realizing that she needed to re-think her approach to the case, Kinsey decided to make a trip to Boca Raton.Upon arriving at Elaine Boldt's apartment building, Kinsey was informed by the building's manager that Elaine had never arrived; and interestingly, there was a woman named Pat Usher who claimed she had sublet the apartment and had been staying there. Attempting to confirm this story, Kinsey questioned Pat Usher but instead of cooperating, she became belligerent and hostile. The only information Kinsey could glean was that Elaine was supposedly visiting a friend in Sarasota, Florida. After enlisting the help of one of Elaine's neighbors, Mrs. Achsner (who was thrilled at the opportunity to do a bit of spying)to keep an eye on the apartment and in particular on the comings and goings of Pat Usher, Kinsey returned to Santa Teresa with a heavy heart and feeling confused. She was convinced that whatever had happened to Elaine Boldt couldn't be good.
'B is for Burglar' is a mystery novel filled with twists and turns and many trips down blind alleys. Kinsey Millhone finds herself in a maze and to make her way out, she is confronted with an array of obstacles.... burglaries (even her OWN office was broken into), identity theft , an adulterous affair, the reluctant cooperation from a local drug dealer and a tangled web of relationships and misdirection from all of the major players in the case. No one was who they seemed to be and sorting it all out ends up putting Kinsey in a whole lot of danger.
I enjoyed listening to this audiobook which was performed by Mary Peiffer. Although the novel was written and takes place in the 1980s, I didn't really find the story dated.... although I WAS struck several times by the thought that int would have been a great advantage to Kinsey to have had the use of a cell phone. Needing to find a public pay phone is not an advantage when you need to call the police. Of course, on the flip side, I marveled at the reminder of how easy it used to be to just show up at the airport and board a plane..
time. The Had-I-But-Known school of private investigation perhaps.... I'm wiser now than
I used to be and I'm more experienced, but the fact remains that when a client sits down in
the chair across the desk from me, I never know what's going to happen next."
-Kinsey Millhone- 'B is for Burglar'
This second installment in Sue Grafton's 'Kinsey Millhone' series takes place a few weeks after her case 'A is for Alibi' wrapped up. This case, 'B is for Burglar' opens with Kinsey Millhone in her office, a space at the California Fidelity Insurance office, where she exchanges occasional claims investigations for an office she can call her own. Across the desk from Kinsey is her latest potential client... a woman named Beverly Danziger who is described as being in her late 30s, petite and well-coiffed.... or as Kinsey says.... "She projected self-confidence and a certain careless attention to style, conservatively packaged like the complimentary gift wrap in a classy department store." Beverly Danziger wanted to hire Kinsey to find her sister Elaine Boldt. According to Beverly, she had been attempting to contact Elaine in order to obtain her signature on some legal documents so that a small family inheritance could be disbursed. Elaine Boldt, who split her time between living in a condo in Santa Teresa, California and in an apartment in Boca Raton, Florida, was assumed to be in Florida because she had been last seen climbing into a taxi which had been called to take her to the airport. But Beverly had not been able to reach her sister by telephone. Although Kinsey was puzzled as to why Beverly Danziger needed her help with a matter that seemed so simple to resolve, she had no other cases requiring her attention and well.. a girl's gotta eat, right? She accepted the case with the thought in mind that she could probably locate the elusive Elaine Boldt with just a few phone calls. But as Kinsey soon discovers.... she was SO wrong.
The first thing Kinsey did was call the building manager at Elaine Boldt's condo in Santa Teresa... a woman named Tillie Ahlberg, who confirmed that Elaine Boldt did indeed spend winter months in her place in Florida. Tillie volunteered that she had the responsibility of collecting Elaine's mail and forwarding it to her and in return, Elaine sent her post cards from time-to-time letting her know how things were going in Florida.... that is, until this year. Kinsey's suspicions began to rise at Tillie's description of Elaine's departure from her usual routine; but it was what Tillie told her next that made her realize that discovering what had happened to Elaine was going to be much more complicated than she originally thought.
Realizing that she needed to re-think her approach to the case, Kinsey decided to make a trip to Boca Raton.Upon arriving at Elaine Boldt's apartment building, Kinsey was informed by the building's manager that Elaine had never arrived; and interestingly, there was a woman named Pat Usher who claimed she had sublet the apartment and had been staying there. Attempting to confirm this story, Kinsey questioned Pat Usher but instead of cooperating, she became belligerent and hostile. The only information Kinsey could glean was that Elaine was supposedly visiting a friend in Sarasota, Florida. After enlisting the help of one of Elaine's neighbors, Mrs. Achsner (who was thrilled at the opportunity to do a bit of spying)to keep an eye on the apartment and in particular on the comings and goings of Pat Usher, Kinsey returned to Santa Teresa with a heavy heart and feeling confused. She was convinced that whatever had happened to Elaine Boldt couldn't be good.
'B is for Burglar' is a mystery novel filled with twists and turns and many trips down blind alleys. Kinsey Millhone finds herself in a maze and to make her way out, she is confronted with an array of obstacles.... burglaries (even her OWN office was broken into), identity theft , an adulterous affair, the reluctant cooperation from a local drug dealer and a tangled web of relationships and misdirection from all of the major players in the case. No one was who they seemed to be and sorting it all out ends up putting Kinsey in a whole lot of danger.
I enjoyed listening to this audiobook which was performed by Mary Peiffer. Although the novel was written and takes place in the 1980s, I didn't really find the story dated.... although I WAS struck several times by the thought that int would have been a great advantage to Kinsey to have had the use of a cell phone. Needing to find a public pay phone is not an advantage when you need to call the police. Of course, on the flip side, I marveled at the reminder of how easy it used to be to just show up at the airport and board a plane..
August 25, 2022
Since I now have all 25 books (sadly Grafton passed before #26), and have read them all out of order, I decided that this would be the year to reread them all in order as a way to satisfy my obsessive-compulsive tendencies. The novel, B is for Burglar by Sue Grafton is a murder mystery, part of the Grafton alphabet series that features her intrepid private investigator Kinsey Millhone. Beverly Danziger is a wealthy socialite that needs to find her sister. She hires Kinsey to find her. When Kinsey, sensing foul play as a reason for the disappearance, recommends that Danziger involve the police, Danziger tells Kinsey to stop investigating. Instead of ceasing further action, it causes Kinsey to pursue the mystery further, which places her right in the crosshairs of a burglar, who might just be an assassin, as well. Engrossingly fun as most of these early novels are, I understand that as a character she can get a bit whiny, but I believe that to be part of her charm. She is an imperfect character that behaves like an actual person. I much prefer her than to someone like Sam Spade with questionable morality. (You might have asked for two cents, but I like to give more like a dime. I'm generous that way. LOL.)
August 2, 2023
Algures em 2021, quando não andava com muita vontade de ler, peguei no livro C de Cadáver e fiquei interessada na história e na leitura e bastante agradada com a protagonista. Pensei que era o único livro da série editado por cá e achei que era uma pena, pois uma jovem mulher detetive não se vê todos os dias. Por isso, quando bati com os olhinhos neste livro, ao preço da chuva, na feira do livro aqui da cidade, foi óbvio que tinha de o trazer comigo. Não é espetacular, mas não me desiludiu e manteve-me entretida e interessada na investigação de menina Kinsey.
September 14, 2019
Review
3.5 stars but I'm going to round down (since I sometimes round up for this author, and I suppose this makes it balance out a bit!) for the second book in the "Kinsey Millhone" [cozy] mystery series by Sue Grafton. In B is for Burglar, we get to know Kinsey more, figuring out what she likes and doesn't like. And apparently she is a bit picky when it comes to client. First, she doesn't want to take the case as it is too simple and sounds like a waste of her time. But when she digs a bit deeper, something strange is going on with a missing woman. Nothing adds up.
It' s a good mystery in your head, and I think it might be better than the first book in some ways... but not enough to rate it higher. I liked the investigate and research style in this one. It's a missing person's case, so you really know as little as she does. You feel like you're playing along more on this one. But at the same time, I didn't have a strong connection until the middle of the book with the "victim."
I found myself getting a little caught up in it being 1982 in the books, but it was published several years later, and I was reading it in 2000. I kept forgetting the time period, which is important in cases like these, given the available tools.
If you're going to read the whole series take the time in these first few books to really synchronize with the time period, so you are not out of your element.
But Kinsey is a great main character. She's got flaws. She's got spirit. You root for her, get annoyed with her. All signs of good character development. But after 26... it might get a bit old!
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. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
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3.5 stars but I'm going to round down (since I sometimes round up for this author, and I suppose this makes it balance out a bit!) for the second book in the "Kinsey Millhone" [cozy] mystery series by Sue Grafton. In B is for Burglar, we get to know Kinsey more, figuring out what she likes and doesn't like. And apparently she is a bit picky when it comes to client. First, she doesn't want to take the case as it is too simple and sounds like a waste of her time. But when she digs a bit deeper, something strange is going on with a missing woman. Nothing adds up.
It' s a good mystery in your head, and I think it might be better than the first book in some ways... but not enough to rate it higher. I liked the investigate and research style in this one. It's a missing person's case, so you really know as little as she does. You feel like you're playing along more on this one. But at the same time, I didn't have a strong connection until the middle of the book with the "victim."
I found myself getting a little caught up in it being 1982 in the books, but it was published several years later, and I was reading it in 2000. I kept forgetting the time period, which is important in cases like these, given the available tools.
If you're going to read the whole series take the time in these first few books to really synchronize with the time period, so you are not out of your element.
But Kinsey is a great main character. She's got flaws. She's got spirit. You root for her, get annoyed with her. All signs of good character development. But after 26... it might get a bit old!
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. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
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November 21, 2019
The second installment in this series, B is for Burgler by Sue Grafton is a straight up mystery , who done it and why novel. Really good one. Kinsey hasn't dealt with the fall out from what happened in the first book, and she doesn't get a chance to while working this case. We visit a few old friends from the first novel and make a few new ones. This case starts off as a missing persons case that Kinsey hopes to wrap up in a few days. She realizes that something more is going on and it is somehow connected to the murder of the missing woman's neighbor. The ending is super tense. These books are short, but packed with sharp dialogue, wit and in this book some hardcore suspense.
January 11, 2025
Beverly Danziger came to Kinsey Millhone's office to hire her to look for her sister, Elaine Boldt. It was only a small matter; a signature needed for a death claim, but once Kinsey had her teeth in the search for Elaine, she was hooked. As she moved back and forth between Elaine's second residence in Florida, and the California home, Kinsey knew something was "off" with the case. Even after Beverly told Kinsey to stop investigating, she kept at it. With a house fire and a body in the mix, Kinsey searched every record she could find. She would get the answers, but would it put her in danger as well?
B is for Burglar is the 2nd in the Kinsey Millhone series by Sue Grafton and I quite enjoyed it. Kinsey is a determined private investigator, an ex-police officer, and although she occasionally wanders to the wrong side of the law, she hides it well. I'm looking forward to my next journey into Kinsey's life. Recommended.
B is for Burglar is the 2nd in the Kinsey Millhone series by Sue Grafton and I quite enjoyed it. Kinsey is a determined private investigator, an ex-police officer, and although she occasionally wanders to the wrong side of the law, she hides it well. I'm looking forward to my next journey into Kinsey's life. Recommended.
December 27, 2009
I'd wanted to read A, Ms. Grafton's debut title in the series, but only B was on the library shelf. But then B shows Kinsey in her full profile and element. She cuts her own hair. She uses the washer for her hamper. She jogs. She eats junk food. In short, a very likeable PI protagonist. I've also liked her wry wit a few books ago. Sue Grafton's PI is my comfort read. She's always been reliable for delivering a sturdy tale which is just the something I often crave. I'll go on devouring the alphabet now up to U, I believe.
December 21, 2020
Kinsey Millhone Case No. 2: Kinsey is searching for a missing rich woman (at the behest of her sister) who's neighbour was killed by a burglar.. and just like that, this series is already boring the pants off of me... 24 books to go? 3 out of 12.
October 22, 2014
Another interesting mystery solved by Kinsey. It's a shame she's turned into such a damn fool by Grafton at the end. Just like the first one, I really liked everything up until she winds up confronting the bad guy. Then Grafton feeds her an idiot pill & ties one hand behind her back just to make sure there is a big suspenseful ending. Is this a trademark of the series? With only 2 books listened to, it seems unfair to pass judgement yet, but a third might just finish me.
I like Kinsey & the other female characters she meets. The men aren't quite as well done, but they're passable. The actual mystery was quite well done, except for There was no value in having them except to get Kinsey & the murderer into the house together for the blow out.
To top it off, Kinsey goes into the house The whole ending sucked & lost the book a star, probably should have been 2.
Judy Kaye did a good job of reading this. I like her voice.
I like Kinsey & the other female characters she meets. The men aren't quite as well done, but they're passable. The actual mystery was quite well done, except for There was no value in having them except to get Kinsey & the murderer into the house together for the blow out.
To top it off, Kinsey goes into the house The whole ending sucked & lost the book a star, probably should have been 2.
Judy Kaye did a good job of reading this. I like her voice.
April 21, 2018
I’m really enjoying this series! Kinsey Milhone is a great character, independent and clever. I like the way she thinks and analyses the world. I like the fact it’s set in the 80s, a decade I remember well- how mobiles and PCs were in the future, the groundwork for private investiigators having to be done the hard way, unable to text or phone for help in tight spots, hand written index cards to keep your notes on...and I like the fact I really didn’t guess what was going on until it was spelled out for me! Recommended.
March 25, 2014
Kinsey Millhone might have her iconic status entrenched about as well as Sue Grafton has hers, and the series has kept me just interested enough to continue through to O, but I’ll need to take periodic breaths in between, or I might find myself gasping for air as the clock strikes E. Who knows? I might make it all the way to G before I pass out, but there’s the distinct possibility I’ll turn blue sooner rather than later.
Like a female version of James Bond, she has her good points, and she has her bad ones, but she goes down easier in small doses. Sugar helps, and divorces might too, of which she’s had a few, even if she’s only in her mid-thirties, and her smile might be an easier pill to swallow, if the mystery didn’t feel as though it was a bit forced.
Her male counterparts may lack in development, and end up a bit too lean on their stocky frames with hard noses and hard attitudes, and a lack of conviction, and possibly convention as well. A personality injection might even the score, even if they could probably use a little more. The mystery felt undernourished, and could probably have used a bit more flourish. Or maybe panache might have made my smiles a bit cleaner, even if the prose was already leaner…than many tales with a PI at the center of attention, even as she strives for the hard-boiled convention.
Even the women proved of a crazy sort, with eccentric personalities that they should probably abort. It was slow, and it was fast, and often somewhere in between, but I never felt fully engaged in the scene. I might have laughed, but I certainly didn’t cry, as I watched some poor motherfucker die. And when it was all said and done, I needed a pause before I attacked the next one.
Cross-posted at Robert's Reads
Like a female version of James Bond, she has her good points, and she has her bad ones, but she goes down easier in small doses. Sugar helps, and divorces might too, of which she’s had a few, even if she’s only in her mid-thirties, and her smile might be an easier pill to swallow, if the mystery didn’t feel as though it was a bit forced.
Her male counterparts may lack in development, and end up a bit too lean on their stocky frames with hard noses and hard attitudes, and a lack of conviction, and possibly convention as well. A personality injection might even the score, even if they could probably use a little more. The mystery felt undernourished, and could probably have used a bit more flourish. Or maybe panache might have made my smiles a bit cleaner, even if the prose was already leaner…than many tales with a PI at the center of attention, even as she strives for the hard-boiled convention.
Even the women proved of a crazy sort, with eccentric personalities that they should probably abort. It was slow, and it was fast, and often somewhere in between, but I never felt fully engaged in the scene. I might have laughed, but I certainly didn’t cry, as I watched some poor motherfucker die. And when it was all said and done, I needed a pause before I attacked the next one.
Cross-posted at Robert's Reads
April 27, 2023
4.35 stars ... FUN! 😁🕵️♀️😏
January 17, 2018
Reread in honor of Sue Grafton's passing, may she R.I.P. The mystery at the heart of B is for Burglar kept me guessing right up until when Kinsey figures it out. I was as entertained by the world of 1985 as much as I was by the story. Things like when on a stakeout, Kinsey wonders who she might call if things get out of control, but then decides that it doesn't matter because "the nearest pay phone is several miles away". Or how she knows answering machines are irritating, but also knows that her clients can leave a more detailed message than they would tell a person at her recently cancelled answering service.
I read the first few books of this series along with my Mom as they came out, starting in 1984, and we loved discussing them. That they featured a female P.I. was novel at that time and we loved the books, eagerly anticipating each installment. But, I didn't keep up with the "alphabet series" over the years. I plan to attempt them all - in audio. Mary Pfeiffer really captures the no-nonsense, unsentimental Milhone.
I read the first few books of this series along with my Mom as they came out, starting in 1984, and we loved discussing them. That they featured a female P.I. was novel at that time and we loved the books, eagerly anticipating each installment. But, I didn't keep up with the "alphabet series" over the years. I plan to attempt them all - in audio. Mary Pfeiffer really captures the no-nonsense, unsentimental Milhone.
September 28, 2019
I am glad I finally got around to reading this series. I am enjoying it. It is good old school mystery crime fiction that reminds the reader of books written by Mickey Spillane, Dashiell Hammet and Raymond Chandler. SG wraps everything up in the end. I will definitely continue this series. Recommended!
September 15, 2017
So I'm a little late to this party. The series is almost? finished and I've just read my first. Really enjoyed it and I can understand why the series has been such a success. Great characters, solid plot with twists, red herrings, and surprises.
March 8, 2016
The climax was one of a kind here, but I couldn't understand how a seasoned sleuth like the heroine could jeopardize her strategic advantage that ineptly. If someone has read enough Agatha Christie books, he would have solved the murder pronto. Did I? Did I hell! I went in with a too relaxed mind, expecting to be mildly cheered, when in fact, the language took me unawares. Since that moment I read on dutifully, without exercising the god given grey little cells. If you've read The Body In the Library, A Murder Is Announced, or Nemesis, you can piece the puzzle and connect the dots by yourself.
July 28, 2020
I just love this series, particularly the early ones which are lighter and less dark than the later ones. Kinsey is a great character. She's a little bit of badass mixed with a strong, independent, smart woman. The audiobooks are terrific, particularly the early ones read by Mary Pfeiffer. They're easily found on overdrive which works great during covid 19 days and I smile quite a lot while listening. Moving right on to the third book. 😀
October 15, 2019
B is also for brilliant, bodacious and brave. Revisiting this series on audio gives me a new appreciation for the creativity of Sue Grafton. The second installment was, in my opinion, even better than the first one. The narrator is not top notch, but I still love having Kinsey telling me her story. So glad there are many letters left to explore with one of my favorite private investigators.
December 29, 2020
4 Stars. Just two weeks after "A is for Alibi" concluded with a full bore ending, Beverly Danziger waltzed into Kinsey Millhone's office with a story about needing to find her sister to sign a document concerning an inheritance from a cousin in Ohio. Kinsey points out that any reasonable work by a PI would eat into the small inheritance. But things are a little tight for Kinsey, not unusual, so finding Elaine Boldt might tide her over. The Alphabet Series usually gets off the mark quickly, no different here. Kinsey soon realizes this will be difficult. Grafton portrays well the confusion in our detective's mind as Elaine turns out to be illusive. Kinsey meets Tillie Ahlberg, Elaine's friend and her condo building manager in Santa Teresa and is told she has gone to her Boca Raton, Florida condo. She takes the red-eye and finds Pat Usher subletting Elaine's place. Rude and brash. Kinsey is sure she's hiding something - but no Elaine. Back home in California, she begins to investigate a tragic house fire at Martha and Leonard Grice's home next to Elaine's. Are these matters connected? There's murder and deception in your future if you venture into "B." (August 2020)
June 25, 2025
To są tak proste i lekkie historie, że same się czytają. Żadnych alpejskich kombinacji.
March 2, 2016
I hope that these books get better. I may just have to give up on them. This book wasn't so much bad as it was pointless and boring, at least to me. I didn't care about anyone in this book, at all. No one grabbed my attention, and the mystery was just so-so.
Kinsey (the main character) is really weird to me. I feel like we are supposed to think she is this cool,quirky, bad ass but she comes across to me pretty much the opposite. She is unnecessarily rude to people, she seems weirdly oblivious at times, and she weirdly sexualizes everyone she meets...Well, at least the men. And I mean everyone. Last book it was a bunch of guys including a 12-year-old deaf kid and in this book it includes a 16 (or 17?) year-old punk, and her geriatric landlord. It is just really off-putting. I'll admit this may just be me, but i don't think so.
Also bad, I guessed what was going on pretty early in the book. Now, if the rest of the plot is well written and engaging it doesn't matter, but if it is slow and boring it is like pulling teeth to get through.
I know that these books start out written in the 80s before cell phones and other tech advances, but i don't mind that in the book. It actually makes me smile a bit.
I am going on the the third book in the hopes that as Sue Grafton goes along she gets better. I certainly hope so.
Kinsey (the main character) is really weird to me. I feel like we are supposed to think she is this cool,quirky, bad ass but she comes across to me pretty much the opposite. She is unnecessarily rude to people, she seems weirdly oblivious at times, and she weirdly sexualizes everyone she meets...Well, at least the men. And I mean everyone. Last book it was a bunch of guys including a 12-year-old deaf kid and in this book it includes a 16 (or 17?) year-old punk, and her geriatric landlord. It is just really off-putting. I'll admit this may just be me, but i don't think so.
Also bad, I guessed what was going on pretty early in the book. Now, if the rest of the plot is well written and engaging it doesn't matter, but if it is slow and boring it is like pulling teeth to get through.
I know that these books start out written in the 80s before cell phones and other tech advances, but i don't mind that in the book. It actually makes me smile a bit.
I am going on the the third book in the hopes that as Sue Grafton goes along she gets better. I certainly hope so.
May 13, 2023
The second novel from the Alphabet series, which was received far better than the first one. The 1986 Anthony Award and Shamus Award are living proofs for this achievment, the first edition was sold-out in less than a week, not to mention the huge number of editions, at least 130.
Speaking about the book, Kinsey has to discover what happened to a missing lady named Elaine Boldt, so she's on her way to Florida. Things are not what they look to be, nothing is in her favour and yet she escapes to (don't) die another day...
Speaking about the book, Kinsey has to discover what happened to a missing lady named Elaine Boldt, so she's on her way to Florida. Things are not what they look to be, nothing is in her favour and yet she escapes to (don't) die another day...
November 24, 2017
After surviving almost being murdered in the first book, Kinsey is still dealing with having to take a life. When she gets another case looking into a missing woman, Kinsey hopes that keeps the ghosts that haunt her at bay. We get more insight into Kinsey, more development for characters like Henry and Lieutenant Dolan. And we get our first glimpse at Jonah Robb and his never ending messy marriage to Camilla.
I really loved B is for Burglar. The reveal was really cool and once again Kinsey comes close to death. Though we know there's a whole alphabet to get through, you can guess she survives.
The writing and flow was top notch. I felt off balanced reading this (in a good way). I was wondering where Grafton was going to take things next the first time I read this. My re-read was great, cause Grafton sets things up nicely.
The setting of this one is Santa Teresa, but Kinsey also goes back and forth to Florida. I still wonder how in the world air travel used to be so cheap.
The ending leaves Kinsey slightly worse for wear, but alive and kicking.
I really loved B is for Burglar. The reveal was really cool and once again Kinsey comes close to death. Though we know there's a whole alphabet to get through, you can guess she survives.
The writing and flow was top notch. I felt off balanced reading this (in a good way). I was wondering where Grafton was going to take things next the first time I read this. My re-read was great, cause Grafton sets things up nicely.
The setting of this one is Santa Teresa, but Kinsey also goes back and forth to Florida. I still wonder how in the world air travel used to be so cheap.
The ending leaves Kinsey slightly worse for wear, but alive and kicking.
May 7, 2018
Audiobook
After the author's death was announced I thought I'd work through her series of books. I'm stopping at "B". The story was predictable. The protagonist was unlikable and had too many TSTL (too stupid to live) moments. Why yell after you're attacked? You should have been yelling the whole time you're running for your life. Why wouldn't you look at the credit card bill when it's handed to you? Every normal person who is looking for a missing person would open it to see where the missing person had been, but no you wait until the author gives the villain a chance to steal the mail many days later. And the villain not only pooping in the pool but all over the apartment because she was told to get the towels off the balcony? That was too extreme by 1000. Where did the author come up with that?
I've read reviews where they state the series became worse toward the middle and finally got as good as the beginning stories toward the end. If this is good, how much worse could it get? So, done with the series.
After the author's death was announced I thought I'd work through her series of books. I'm stopping at "B". The story was predictable. The protagonist was unlikable and had too many TSTL (too stupid to live) moments. Why yell after you're attacked? You should have been yelling the whole time you're running for your life. Why wouldn't you look at the credit card bill when it's handed to you? Every normal person who is looking for a missing person would open it to see where the missing person had been, but no you wait until the author gives the villain a chance to steal the mail many days later. And the villain not only pooping in the pool but all over the apartment because she was told to get the towels off the balcony? That was too extreme by 1000. Where did the author come up with that?
I've read reviews where they state the series became worse toward the middle and finally got as good as the beginning stories toward the end. If this is good, how much worse could it get? So, done with the series.
January 19, 2018
Kinsey Millhone takes a case to find a missing woman. On first glance, it appears to be an easy case and Kinsey needs the money, so she takes the job. Needless to say, it's a tougher case than it first appeared to be.
The second book in the Kinsey Millhone series. Kinsey is still a smart and spunky PI who likes to work alone. This book was first published in the early 1980s, so it was fun to take a trip back to the eighties and read a nice, solid mystery.
I listened to an audio version of this book.
The second book in the Kinsey Millhone series. Kinsey is still a smart and spunky PI who likes to work alone. This book was first published in the early 1980s, so it was fun to take a trip back to the eighties and read a nice, solid mystery.
I listened to an audio version of this book.
June 8, 2018
B done! I knew Pat was weird...
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