T is for Trespass [Mass Market Paperback]

Sue Grafton plays a P.I. in all of her books and she is amazing. I don't know what I did before she came along. I have read so many different detective stories that it is hard to count them all but this lady has it all tied up in a nice neat package. She really knows how to spin a tale that will have you quaking in you shoes. She is one of the Best. Hurray for Sue G.

First Sentence: She had a real name, of course--the one she'd been given at birth and had used for much of her life--but now she had a new name.

When Kinsey's elderly neighbor, Gus, takes a fall and breaks his collarbone, Kinsey locates and summons his daughter from the East Coast. Too busy to stay and take care of her father, she hires a woman named Solana Rojas and has Kinsey do a cursory background check. This is a case of what Kinsey did not find; Solana is not who she says.

I hadn't read Grafton in awhile, and now I remember why. Set in the 1980s, in Kinsey's life we are only about 5 years ahead of the first book. However, in those 5 years, Kinsey really has not changed. It's not that just that her habits have not changed--she still quarter-cuts her sandwiches, loves McDonalds Quarter-Pounders with cheese, and small places; okay, she has a new car--but she hasn't grown emotionally.

I do love her sense of humor and her loyalty to her friends. Grafton, in general, has created a wonderful set of characters, both the traditional supporting characters and the new ones. The villain of the piece is wonderfully scary and diabolical.

I found the plot interesting and very much conducive to a one-sitting read. I actually liked that Kinsey was working more than one case, as it seemed more realistic, but there were times where she seemed a bit slow on the uptake.

The biggest problem I had with the book is Grafton's writing style. There were multiple, massive portents that then diminished the element of suspense, in many cases, the coincidences so numerous and large you could drive a truck through them. A couple of times, I found myself saying "Oh, please!".

The book wasn't awful; I did read it in one sitting. I shall read the next Grafton, but only because I already own it. Any more after that are doubtful.

T is for Trespass (PI, Kinsey Milhone, So. Cal, Cont (1980s) - Ok
Grafton, Sue - 20th in series
Putnam Adult, 2007, US Hardcover - ISBN: 9780399154485

As with pedophiles, fraudsters lull victims with a false sense of security. They groom their victims, slowly taking more and more liberties. Often, grateful seniors offer gifts in return for paid services. This is a huge mistake and changes the boundaries between service provider and care recipient.

This novel is a 'must read' for seniors and caregivers.
I found it both drew me into the text as a mystery, and repelled me as the character took advantage of frail and aging seniors.

As with pedophiles, fraudsters lull victims with a false sense of security. They groom their prey, slowly taking more and more liberties. Often, grateful seniors offer gifts in return for paid services. This is a huge mistake and changes the boundaries between service provider and care recipient.

If you know a frail senior who lives alone, ensure that s/he is provided for!