Rating: 
Summary: a so-so start to a great series
Review: I have come to really enjoy Sue Grafton's alphabet mysteries, but I am glad the first one came to me as part of a 3-novel omnibus edition, because they clearly improve from A to C. What is really engaging in the series is the character of Kinsey Milhone, private eye, who is the heroine. She is a down-to-earth, slightly jaded female who has her quirks, habits and a reasonably tough time surviving her dayjob. In the first book her character is still evolving, and we have to give Sue Grafton credit for getting a really strong start on that. Similar to Kay Scarpetta, Patricia Cornwell's great suspense heroine, Kinsey's persona is crafted in a subtle and realistic fashion that makes the reader relate to her quickly. The plot of this first mystery is solid, but not brilliant and any habitual suspense ready will get a grip on who the bad guy may be before it is all over. So don't expect any fireworks in that direction. But the book still leaves the reader mostly satisfied and craving to hear more about Kinsey. I like to think of her as a female, modern day Philip Marlow because in more than one way her slightly rough and introverted personality seem to borrow from the great Hammet character.
Rating:
Summary: Attractive heroine, but a little disappointing story
Review: First of all, I'd better tell I like Kinsey Millhone. She is so tough and honest with her instinct and intuition. Unlike the other heroines which has magnificent titles and elegant life style, she struggles to survive everyday. But talking on the plot, it's not so attractive and exciting as much as Kinsey. The plot seems to be heard before and there are some moments for me to feel like putting aside. But, It's the first book and case for Kinsey. So I defer more criticism on this series, because she might show more in the late volumes..
Rating:
Summary: Gotta start somewhere...
Review: I am a fan of this series, but I have to admit that its first installment was a bit weak. Had I read this one before the series had built up some momentum, I probably wouldn't have bothered to move on to B is for Burglar. Many of the plot points had a contrived feel to them, and Kinsey often acted out of character. I think those moments were also the result of attempts at plot manipulation that just didn't work out too well. The thing is, though, that the series as a whole is quite good, and it's just a shame that its beginning is less than spectacular. That's why I always recommend that new Grafton readers start off with G is for Gumshoe and then go back to the start of the series once they know what treats they are in for later.
Rating: 
Summary: What type of beast doesn't like dogs?!!!
Review: The idea of using the alphabet was brilliant. It makes it easy for readers to figure out which book is the first in the series. I did not like this book and will not be reading any of the other books in this series. Perhaps later works are better . . .. However, I am one reader who will not find out. I did not like the character Kinsey Millhone. She was too impersonal--flat. Her likes and dislikes were mentioned, but there was nothing of an emotional or personal history mapped out for this character. For all of her coolness and total lack of humanity, she becomes embroiled in an unlikely and unwise affair. And what type of beast doesn't like dogs?!!! The plot, though plausible, was too easy to unravel. The ending was much too pat and lacked a proper summary.
Rating: 
Summary: great book
Review: Although this is one of the most recent Sue Graphton books i have read(well.....listened to), it is up to her usual high standard of writing.The book is the first of the great series of A-Z mystery novels.read it.
Rating:
Summary: Amateurish Attempt
Review: Having heard a lot of buzz about this Sue Grafton series, I was expecting a lot more than I got with this first installment. The characters were two-dimensional, the plot simplistic, and the resolution had a "Matlock" feel to it: getting a murderer to admit their guilt simply by accusing them of the crime. Having said that, I did find portions of the book to be suspenseful. Unfortunately, as others have noted here, not enough of the book had that feel and there was far too much descriptive narration. Her description of a meal, for example, seemed to go on for pages when, in fact, it was only a couple of sentences. And maybe because I'm a guy, I didn't "get" her explosive outbursts over seemingly minor matters. It seemed contrived, much like other parts of the book. Rather than having her deductive reasoning abilities unveiled for us, there were too many "sudden realizations." The book, on a whole, was entertaining. It certainly was not the best I've read and far from the worst. But the story seemed amateurish and not worthy of the hype that surrounds the series. I may give "B" a try to see if her writing improves.
Rating: 
Summary: disappointing
Review: I was very disappointed with this book. Way too much profanity!!
Rating: 
Summary: Good fun!
Review: I discovered Sue Grafton's "alphabet" mysteries at the local library's books-on-tape section. I did manage to get this one first (though B through H seem to be missing, so I've listened to several others in a more haphazard order). A comment about the audio cassette version for those who might want to try it. I'm assuming that this is the same unabridged version I read with Mary Peiffer doing the reading. I just love her. To me, several Grafton books later, she's the voice of Kinsey Milhone (especially since the stories are told first-person by Kinsey herself). Her tongue-in-cheek delivery is just perfect for the tone of the books. As to this book in particular, it was a great introduction to the series. All Sue Grafton books, this one included, are light reading, but highly original and entertaining. In this one, we get to meet Kinsey Millhone and her octogenarian landlord Henry Pitts. There are enough twists to delight mystery lovers, and Kinsey is brought to life as a seemingly real person, with attitude, wit, off-beat charm, and flaws. It's hard to imagine anyone disliking this book (or any others in this series), in much the same way that it's hard to imagine anyone disliking a puppy.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Wonderful!
Review: I found this book to be absolutely wonderful. The author gives the reader a feel for being there. The Private Investigator, Kinsey Millhone, starts off introducing herself to the reader. She gives great descriptions of the town and any area that she goes into. I was easily able to visualize every scene as I read this book. Any mystery buff should love this book!
Rating:
Summary: Decent Mystery...
Review: Kinsey Millhone, a private investigator, lives in Southern California in a town called Saint Teresa (obvious a renamed version of Santa Barbara). Kinsey is hired out by the 2nd wife of a wealthy lawyer to find out who murdered her husband. The twist is that the 2nd wife has already served her prison sentence for his murder and the trail has been cold for over 7 years. Kinsey travels around Southern California interviewing everyone that was connected to the murder. She interviews the lawyer's family, his mistresses, his secretaries. While on the trail, it is obvious the real murderer still wants the secret kept, as one of her witnesses is mysteriously murdered. Also, on an attempt to find evidence, she finds that it has been recently tampered with. This novel is a definite page-turner. My main gripe is that there were too many characters in the book. I know that Grafton wanted to make the mystery as complicated as possible (just about everyone had a potential motive), but it made it difficult to keep track of them. I found the love affair between Kinsey and the dead lawyer's partner a little shallow. While the mystery worked, I didn't feel like the reader was given too much of an opportunity to solve it with Kinsey - it just sort of unfolded. The ending, while tense, seemed a little bit of a let down... I didn't feel justice was served. I might be tempted to read other books in the series, as the writing was solid and the story was interesting.
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