Customer Reviews

P is for Peril

5 star:		(54)
4 star:		(56)
3 star:		(77)
2 star:		(47)
1 star:		(35)

 

 

I am an avid Kinsey Millhone fan, and was anxious to get my hands on this lastest installment to the series. However, I found this one very disappointing. The plot was an overly used one with characters that weren't developed or explained thoroughly enough. Throughout the book, I kept waiting to find out why things that had been emphasized were key to the story, but it just never happened.

I thought the subplot with the two brothers had much more potential. Developing that storyline would have been far more interesting.

The old Kinsey just didn't quite come through here. She didn't have that edge that makes her so interesting. I've always enjoyed the way she thinks and operates. This seemed to be just a shadow of her former self.

I was willing to forgive all of this just because I do adore the series, but I was left cold with the ending. Grafton has always been a master at pulling it together in a way that even if she hadn't thoroughly spelled out the way things were, there wasn't any confusion as to what happened. That was not the case here. I read the last 25 pages twice to see if I missed something, but I have more questions than is comfortable for a mystery novel. There was just too much left unsaid and unexplained which I found extremely frustrating.

By far, my least favorite.

I've read every one of Sue Grafton's alphabet series. P is for Peril is up to her standards in every way but one - the ending. Each book in the series ends with an epilogue that wraps up the loose ends - each book but this one. When I finished, I looked for the epilogue to clarify the central question: Who did it and why? I then re-read parts of the story looking for additional clues. The problem is, I can come up with a number of different answers to the central question. Did Ms. Grafton want to keep us guessing? Am I missing something? What's up?

While Sue Grafton's writing style sparkles, as usual, with wit and vivid description, I couldn't help but think that the author should have kept on writing until she actually finished the book. The book contains a plot and a major subplot, and neither one is brought to a satisfactory resolution. Questions remain unanswered, loose ends are not entirely tied up. In fact it occured to me, some time after I read the final page, that heroine Kinsey Millhone had not actually told us the identity of the killer or the motive! Perhaps Grafton is being avant-garde; like many of her other fans, though, I would have appreciated a closing note "Respectfully submitted."

If P is for Peril, it is also for pair - a pair of wives (current and past), a brotherly duo, several pairs of friends, a pair of daughters, a pair of policemen, a pair of business partners, and a pair of plots (as well as a pair of Saucony trainers). The eternally 30ish Kinsey zips along in her VW in a rainy and cold California November, searching for a missing husband as well as a new office space. While attempting to untangle a myriad of complications, Kinsey finds herself personally indulging in peril. Grafton's writing had me smiling once again - I just ADORE Kinsey and her smart mouth and some of her more anti-social ways. And I covet that tidy apartment, her neighbor Henry and the black dress - but I might skip dinner at Rosie's. Grafton delivers a wonderful flash-back Kinsey tale, a convoluted crime, numerous surprisingly despicable characters, and a taste of California that isn't all sunshine and surf. Set in the 80s, this latest story also illustrates just how much computers and cell phones have changed our lives.

I have read all of Sue Grafton's Kinsey Milhone books and, in spite of what I am about to say in this review, I will continue to read them through to 'Z' if they go that far (I just will not be buying hardbacks for the foreseeable future). Generally, I have enjoyed Grafton's writing style; her places, scenes and people are so alive, most especially Kinsey who is so well drawn that I find my self thinking of her as real.

So it was with great anticipation that on June 4 of last year - on my way to the airport and vacation - I was at the bookstore when it opened for business. I was lucky enough to get a signed copy, my first Grafton hardback. The read I had so looked forward to while sitting on the beach was a huge disappointment.

This book is a dud. It lacks memorable plot, interesting people, or character development; it is poorly written and boring. I barely got through it and kept putting it aside for other reading matter.

Peril has two main stories, one with many branches, one more straightforward. The latter is more typical of Grafton/Milhone and is the more interesting but plays a much smaller part. The main plot is filled with serendipity, red herrings, and dead ends. Neither were as good as plots from past works such as Lawless and Killer.

I do not actually read Grafton's books for the plots: I enjoy them as I go along, I expect them to be interesting enough to maintain my curiosity, and five minutes later I have forgotten them. I read mostly for character development, for snappy dialog, for Kinsey's observations on life and everything else. I re-read them periodically just for the enjoyment of experiencing Kinsey's wit and snappy comebacks. I agree with a previous reviewer who stated that Peril is two rewrites and an edit short of being ready for publication. Where was the editor on this book?

The plots, such as they are, are worsened by the amount of filler in this book. It is just not like the Kinsey I know to spend so much time thinking about furnishings and what people are wearing. I lost count, too, of how many times Kinsey took off her slicker, hung her slicker on a peg, put her umbrella in a corner, put her slicker on, etc., etc. Trips in an out of Horton Ravine - countless numbers of them - are described over and over. All of the people in the book are outstandingly forgettable. Grafton's books always have filler - and it is usually some of the most interesting stuff. Not in Peril. Mostly I miss the humor.

The filler was made even more annoying by the writing. A good deal of the sentence structure in Peril just does not seem like Grafton, being simplistic, rhythmic, and irritating, lacking her usual wit, sarcasm, and pithy views presented through Kinsey.

There is a new Kinsey in Peril - whether purposefully or not only time will tell. The new Kinsey is wishy-washy and wimpy. The old Kinsey is adventurous, takes risks, and is generally unafraid. She often puts herself unnecessarily in danger, not calling for help, setting out in the middle of the night to track someone down, going alone when she could ask for help. She is a loner and, as Henry has noted, she usually "acts first, thinks later."

Kinsey takes the case in Peril against her own better judgement. She is manipulated into danger by others that she would normally be suspicious of on first meeting. She does ask for help but not in the way you might expect. For example, when Henry finds an ad for a new office and advises Kinsey to check it out, the dialog goes like this: Henry - "it won't hurt to call." Kinsey - "you really think so?" Henry - "Of course." Kinsey - What if it's rented?." For crying out loud; the Kinsey I know would not say these things. She might pooh pooh the idea, or just go do it, but she wold not normally ask twice for reassurance; she never asks for reassurance, she rushes headlong into action.

Kinsey is a character not yet fully explored, I feel, and Peril does not move the exploration forward one bit. Something needs to happen to snap her out of her comfort zone. As in real life, she sometimes surprises, sometimes disappoints. Outlaw seemed to open the door to some personal growth and Peril slammed it shut again, along with the other "doors" of Dietz and what is left of her family. After 19 years and 15 books, she is still telling the same old story. I still love her because she reminds me of me.

Peril gives me the feeling that Grafton has run out of ideas for the series and that she is unwilling to introduce changes in Kinsey that might liven it. There have been signs of staleness in past books, notably Malice. I had high hopes after Outlaw, one of the best in the series. In that book, Kinsey was forced to confront some mistakes in her past and she makes reparations for them. It was a hopeful sign that has apparently been dropped.

Change is needed, though, to keep this series interesting and fresh. It must be very difficult to write a continuing series, especially one in which the author has decided to keep the characters in an older time period. The author is trapped, Kinsey is trapped.

The other day I heard a former Vietnam POW say "Few people are called on to use what they really have." We do not know what Kinsey really has, nor Sue Grafton. Peril is a great disappointment and I have high hopes that 'Q' will shake things up. I have a secret hope that Grafton is up to something with Peril, leading us into to it, that Kinsey really is in peril and will work her way out of it.

I am embarrassed to say, " 'P' is for Peril" is the first of the alphabet series I have read by Ms. Grafton. I enjoyed it so much, the day after I finished reading it, I went right out and picked up a copy of "K" is for Killer; and I must say, I enjoyed it equally as well. I hope that by early spring, I know as much about the Kinsey Millhone investigations as Sue Grafton.
Ms. Grafton has successfully blended all the ingredients together for a first rate novel. The story is fast paced and has a suspenseful plot. Ms. Grafton's character development is outstanding too. Kinsey Millhone does not do triple reverse sommersaults and karate six men twice her size to death. She does not work for free and she is not anal retentive about stretching the truth when it suits her purpose. She is a quick wit and a skilled investigator; an extremely believable character.
I'm not an easy sell either. I'm a retired lieutenant with the Chicago Police Department. I spent ten of those years in homicide, ten more in narcotics. I know what rings true in police investigations and I know what Private Investigators can and cannot do. Consequently, I was unable to watch "Columbo" and a host of other like shows; nor can I read novels that stink to the high heavens. Ms. Grafton's books are a breath of fresh air and a great find for me.

I really usually enjoy Grafton's book. This one left me flummoxed! Grafton is definitely one of our better writers of the female detective genre in the U.S. I prefer her books to some others I could name, mainly because she is an intelligent writer. However, like many of these 'series' that get started with the best of intentions, this particular one is losing steam...I commisserate with Grafton's probable frustration at having cornered herself into writing a series of mysteries from A to Z. It must be difficult to come up with original ideas after a period of time.

However, that really did not seem to be the problem here. The book was slow in starting, but then seemed to be chugging along just fine. I kept looking at the remaining pages left for me to read as they got smaller and smaller with no obvious 'end' in sight. So when Grafton literally ended with a phone call, and no real obvious conclusion (no one was arrested, no one confronted except the wrong person, etc.)...well, I went backwards through several pages and chapters to see if I had missed something. I know I read fast especially when it comes to books I pick up for pure enjoyment, but I didn't think I read it that fast! Not only was the main crime not solved to my satisfaction, but the side story dealing with Kinsey's involvement with a couple of sleazy brothers was never solved either.

This is not to discourage anyone from reading Grafton's books...she is, as I have said, an intelligent author, and she doesn't dummy down her books for her audience (which makes me cringe). But this time, she lost me at the very end...I know it wasn't just me, because some of the other reviewers said the same thing.

Karen Sadler

** Contains spoilers **
Like many other reviewers, I see a number of faults in the book. There are a number of unexplained actions and unresolved plot threads. The person who kills Purcell has probably the least reason of any character to do so. The motivations and actions of Paulie and Leila are unexplained. Did Leila take Purcell's money? If so, what happened to it? Why would Richard's killer throw down his gun, leaving witness Kinsey to report him?
Why would the police not conduct the same easy-and-obvious search at Purcell's wife's home, as they did at his ex-wife's home? Is the reader expected to believe that a passing and casual lesbian relationship would provide motivation to kill your sugar daddy husband? Would Kinsey really take as indisputable truth the speculative newspaper innuendo about the brothers' past? (Surely she knows that what's reported in the papers and what really happened are often quite different.)

Finally, why would Kinsey, having found proof of who committed the murder, walk up to the murderer's home and ask to use the phone to call the cops? There were no other phones in town?

There are a few other bloopers too: an insurance company which lost a suit compelling it to pay a death policy could not file another suit to relitigate the same issues; nor would it be proper to ask the applicant's marital status on a commercial lease application in California.

Further, of the five Spanish words Grafton uses in the book, she manages to get them ALL wrong. The road called "Via Bueno" would be "Via Buena" (no 'í' on street signs), and would mean "Good Road" instead of "Road Good" as Grafton writes. Kinsey reports "I took Spanish in adult education, but I've forgotten everything except 'ola' [hola] and 'buenos dios.'" The phrase is "buenos días," not "buenos dios." Grafton's trying to write the common phrase meaning "good morning," but the phrase she comes out with means something like "good god." Sheesh.

Grafton has not taken a plunge as deep as Tom Clancy has with his most recent book. However, sloppy proofreading and poor fact-checking, along with illogical plot development well below her usual standards, suggest that Grafton is intentionally producing a poor product. This is not "requiring readers to use their imaginations"; it is assuming that readers will accept any type of unfinished ramblings as a book worth reading.

Until i read the reviews on amazon.com, i thought i had purchased a defective book, i even went as far as returning to the book store that i purchased it from to look through all the other "P" is for Perils to see if pages were missing!!!!! i am a huge sue grafton and kinsey milhone fan, but i was major dissapointed in this book. i brought this book on vacation with me because i wanted a "light" and enjoyable read, and i got it until the ending. Sue, you have let me down (too bad you can't refund me my money!!!).

I have read all of Sue Grafton's alphabet series and loved all of them. They are quick reads, each giving me a better sense of who Kinsey is and I love the way all mysteries are solved by the end of the book. This one falls short of my expectation for wrapping up the mystery into a nice neat package at the end. I felt like I was missing a chapter...

All in all, the book was good. The main plot is about Kinsey trying to determine what happened to a doctor who has been missing for nine weeks. She discovers the doctor has quite a few dilemmas in his life - one ex-wife who seems to have never gotten over him, new wife and child who require a lot of his time, a sticky situation at the hospital he manages and friends who make better enemies. In addition, Kinsey is loosing her office space and needs to find another office. She happens upon a great little office, perfect locations, completely remodeled, and reasonably priced - almost too good to be true. Well, it is! This scenario provides the back drop for another plot - two brothers from Texas who are accused of murdering their parents. Grafton does a good job of weaving the two plots effortlessly through the book. I felt like the second plot (with the two brothers) was presented and closed out better than the main plot.

I always look forward to another Kinsey Millhone saga - this one was worth the wait and I highly recommend it to other fans. My only hope is that Sue Grafton goes back to neatly tying up her mysteries (with the trademark Kinsey 'final report').