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Mystery/Thriller Book ReviewsPage One of FourO is for Outlaw by Sue GraftonHenry Holt, Oct., 1999.Hardcover, 316 pages. ISBN: 0805059555. Ordering information: Amazon.com. | Amazon.co.uk 
Kinsey Millhone has the toughest case of her life
ahead of her: her own past. When a storage space
scavenger calls wanting to know if she'd like
to purchase a box of her personal belongings found
in an abandoned storage space, Kinsey is shocked to
discover that the belongings are really hers -- the remnants
of what she left behind when she left ex-husband Mickey
Magruder, 15 years ago. Kinsey split after Mickey was
accused of murder and he asked her to fake an alibi for him.
The accusation got Mickey thrown off the
force, ruined his marriage, and pretty much destroyed
what was left of his life.
The box contains a real bombshell:
a letter proving that Mickey really did have an alibi for the night
in question. Although Mickey told
Kinsey at the time that he was innocent of the beating of a suspect,
she never quite believed him. Determined to find out the truth
about what happened 15 years ago, Kinsey sets out to solve a
murder case that a lot of people would rather not see reopened.
Although Kinsey Milhone has had an amazing number of adventures, throughout it all, her creator has remained relatively silent on the subject of our favorite p.i.'s past. O is for Outlaw is a fascinating foray into the life of Kinsey Milhone when she was young and impressionable. Grafton outdoes herself with beautiful, clean prose and characters that are so real and finely drawn you feel as if you're in the middle of the action. If you haven't read the fourteen Kinsey Milhone novels which have come before, don't worry. O is for Outlaw is a great jumping off spot into one of the best p.i. series ever written. As for Millhone fans -- it's Nirvana time. Highly Recommended. --Claire E. White Adam and Evil by Gillian RobertsBallantine, July 1999.Hardcover, 248 pages. ISBN: 0345429346. Ordering information: Amazon.com. | Amazon.co.uk 
Philadelphia English teacher and amateur sleuth Amanda
Pepper is worried about one of her students. Adam Evans'
grades are slipping and his personal hygiene is a disgrace.
When a librarian is murdered during a class tour to the library,
Adam disappears and promptly becomes the prime suspect,
mostly due to Amanda's comments about the child's
mental state before the incident. Amanda sets out to find
Adam, and solve the murder.
This is the ninth entry in this series which features Philadelphia prep school teacher Amanda Pepper. Amanda has a sharp tongue, and her one-liners are priceless. Laced with often humorous commentary on everything from modern education to the vicissitudes of modern relationships, the Amanda Pepper novels are always an enjoyable read. In light of the tragedy at Columbine high school and the other reports of teen violence, the story takes on added interest because of the subject matter. An excellent book which should be enjoyed equally by fans of the series and first-time readers. Mystery Reviews Page One | Page Two | Page Three | Page Four Click Here to Return to the Book Reviews Index ** To visit the archives of mystery books reviewed in The IWJ, please click here. |
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