Rating: 
Summary: The Kinsey Report
Review: I recently started a mystery discussion group in the library where I work. I was a little apprehensive because I'm not a huge mystery buff myself AND because I had some fears that such light reading wouldn't generate that much discussion. Well, I have been proven wrong on the latter point--people do like to talk (and talk) about their favorite sleuths--and I was perhaps wrong to largely ignore mysteries throughout my adult life."'A" Is for 'Alibi,'" the first installment of Sue Grafton's "alphabet series" is a very enjoyable read. The mystery itself is not obvious (although you'll likely make some intelligent guesses regarding the "perp"). Perhaps more important is the likeability of and the interest generated by the lead character. I've always assumed that half of what made up a good mystery was a compelling sleuth--and that seems to be bourne out by recent reading. Kinsey Millhone is a quirky enough character. I'm too much of a neophyte to say for sure that she is unique among contemporary detectives, but she is a woman of her times--sassy, independent and, yes, a little vulnerable too. We've come a long way from the Sam Spade era, where a private eye was always a particularly hardboiled white male. Nowadays your detective hero(ine) could pretty much anybody with good analytical skills and a semi-hardboiled exterior. It seems to have opened up the genre and gotten it away from the formulae that dominated mysteries through much of the 20th century. Sue Grafton's contribution to the genre is worth checking out. Her plotting, in this book, is imaginative, her descriptive abilities are solid, and her heroine is a mensch. Well worth a few evenings of your time. (I'm dying to see what she does for "x").
Rating:
Summary: A is for Alibi
Review: I knew of Sue Grafton and have seen her books around, but never had the desire to read them. Well I picked up the book for cheap and decided to read it. WOW! I can not believe that I have been passing these up. The Kinsey Millhone series are fabulous. I am now on C is for Corpse. This is the third in the series and I only picked up the first one about a week ago. I can not get enough of Kinsey.
Rating:
Summary: Let me sum it up in ABC order
Review: So, far I've read to G and I'll say this:
A is Average
B is Better
C is Compelling
D is Delightful
E is Enjoyable
F is Failing (YOU can safely skip this one)
G is Good Enough
Rating: 
Summary: the first story of "A" is for alibi -now your hooked.
Review: Yes, it is true if you want to read a book about a female, that is her own person, (without being a bra burning pycho) this is the set of books for you to read. I very much liked seeing a strong female role model for young girls today. the book is well written as is the entire rest of the set. Sue G. has a unique way of describing every thing. who needs a movie - just read and use your own mind.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining but a bit overrated
Review: Let me start off by saying that I gave this book 4 stars only because the plot is very well constructed and skillfully written. Several interesting twists and turns will keep you guessing until the very end. There is absolutely no doubt that Sue Grafton is a talented author.
But what's the deal with the heroine in this story? Kinsey Millhone has absolutely no personality whatsoever. She doesn't like men (which is not to say that she doesn't enjoy sex), she doesn't like dogs, she doesn't have close friends, she eats only because she has to, she doesn't have a sense of humor and she doesn't even seem to like her job. The only hobby (if you can call it that) she has is running. But she doesn't do it because she enjoys it, she does it because she likes to torture herself.
Wrapped up in one sentence, Kinsey Millhone is about as spunky as Dana Scully from the X-Files.
Don't get me wrong, I'm planning on reading more of Sue Grafton's mysteries simply because I'm curious as to how Kinsey's character develops, if at all.
Bottom line: if you like your private investigators humorless and hard-boiled, this one is for you. But if you're a fan of Janet Evanovich, Diane Mott Davidson, Katy Munger or other, similar creators of lovable sleuths, you can skip it without missing anything.
Rating: 
Summary: Strong Start floats off into la la land
Review: The book began as a realistic murder investigation as told in the first person by the no-nononsense PI heroine. It followed the beloved format of murder-mysteries of the past 100 years or so of having the investigator spend the entire book interviewing one suspect/witness after another. This was well done. The author has a sharp eye for character and setting detail and it an easy and light read. However, somewhere about 3/4 of the way into the book, the PI starts to spin one murder theory scenerio after another, none of which rang true. As this happens her actions become totally unrealistic as she chooses not to let the police know what is going on even as it becomes clear that her silence is costing lives. There is never any reason given for this other then she must be too big of a hotshot to get help. She even tampers with a murder scene for no particuliar reason other then to keep clues to herself. By the end of the story the theories are coming faster and faster and finely it ends so abruptly that I kept thinking I was missing pages. The actions of the murderer are so far out by the end, that this book heads straight of into fantasy land. There were many little loose ends that are never explained and I felt cheated. It was exciting while I was reading it, but I recieved no satifaction at the end. I doubt I will ever pick up another of her books. I am at a total loss as to why she is so highly praised. By the way some will be offended at the authors mean spirited fat jokes aimed at the manager of the hotel she seems to visit often.
Rating: 
Summary: Breezy read
Review: Sue Grafton has crafted an enjoyable story about a murder case resurrected 8 years after the convicted, but innocent killer is released from prison. The novel's lead, Kinsey Millhone (PI), finds herself struggling to put the pieces of the crime together that left a divorce lawyer and up and coming accounting star dead. What's worse is that Kinsey's leads keep turning up dead. You'll have to read through the twists and turns to find out how the investigation ends, but 'A' is for Alibi is an easy and entertaining read for those who like a good mystery.
Rating:
Summary: The first female private eye?
Review: Was this the first female private eye? Of course we'd had Miss Marples and Nancy Drew, but they were part-timers. I think PD James's "An Unsuitable Job for a Woman" was earlier and Paretsky's "Indemnity Only" came later. This was published in 1982. I just went back to it after "P is for Peril" and the writing is undated (I noticed the exact same simile about the sea looking like a ribbon stiched to the sky, the penchant for describing every building in detail, and the lack of detail about guns). In fact I think all the novels take place within the same five year time frame. They were putting accounts onto computers but still used typewriters. These days she'd have carried a cell phone instead of a "small automatic" which would have spoiled the final climactic suspense action scene.
Rating:
Summary: Great Start to the Series
Review: A is for Alibi is the first book in the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet mystery series. Kinsey is a 32 rear-old PI, twice divorced with no kids. She lives in a garage/apartment and drives an old battered VW beetle. At the beginning of the book, Kinsey is hired by Nikkie Fife, who had spent 8 years in prison for murdering her husband and is now out on Parole. Nikkie wants to know who really did it. In the course of her investigation, Kinsey uncovers more murders, and seems to be always just one step behind the true killer. I like Sue Grafton's style of writing. Throughout the majority of the book, both the reader and Kinsey are pretty much in the dark about the true identity of the killer. Along with our protagonist we race down every little chamber of our minds trying to determine the course of events and 'Who did it'. It is only until the very end until Grafton sheds light on this for us. And what an ending it is! If you like mysteries, pick this one up. You won't regret it.
Rating:
Summary: nice page-turner
Review: I never thought that I would be a Sue Grafton fan, but after the release of 'P' is for Peril I got curious and decided to give the series a chance. I'm glad I did, because Alibi was a thoroughly enjoying read. Kinsey Millhone is an intriguing character; even though you never really get to know much about her you find yourself caring about her and what happens. The book also has a nice, quick pace to it (I loved how it got right to the point) without being too difficult to follow. I'm definitely going to continue working my way through the series - they should all be great if this one is any indication.
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