Customer Reviews

R Is For Ricochet

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This long-running series is somewhat uneven at times. This one is a standout and you don't have to have read previous books to enjoy this one. A great read.

Three very entertaining books that I've read this summer were John Grisham's "Bleachers," Jackson McCrae's "The Bark of the Dogwood," and this book. All were great and while the Grafton is my favorite, I also would recommend the McCrae.

No, I haven't read all of Grafton's books in the alphabet series, though I do think it is an ingenious marketing idea and she carries it off with each new book she comes up with. I've enjoyed immensely "A" is for Alibi, "D" is for Deadbeat, "F" is for Fugitive, and "G" is for Gumshoe. So now I've read "R" is for Ricochet. The surprising thing to me is how well her style, sense of play, plot, and characters hold up (if this book is any indication) after so many. Granted, I've not read every single one, but from what I HAVE experienced, Grafton may not ever run out of steam. Also recommended: BARK OF THE DOGWOOD by McCrae

A is for Alibi ***
B is for Burglar
C is for Corpse
D is for Deadbeat ***
E is for Evidence
F is for Fugitive ***
G is for Gumshoe ***
H is for Homicide
I is for Innocent
J is for Judgment
K is for Killer
L is for Lawless
M is for Malice
N is for Noose
O is for Outlaw
P is for Peril
Q is for Quarry

*** = highly recommended.

The latest in Grafton's alphabet series finds Kinsey along for the ride in "Reba's Revenge". Overall it is an enjoyable continuation of this long-running series. While Reba is getting her revenge against Beck, her former lover and boss, Kinsey deals with new romance in her life and tries to counsel her landlord, Henry, on his love life. She trails along on various illegal escapades with the paroled Reba and doesn't really do much sleuthing. There is nothing new or very exciting, but if you are a fan of the series, you will enjoy spending a few hours catching up with Kinsey.

You have to admire Sue Grafton for keeping the series set in the 80's so that Kinsey doesn't age too much (otherwise Kinsey would be 54 this year!). Grafton keeps fairly true to the time period with Kinsey still not owning or using a computer although business use of computers is part of the story. Kinsey still pigs out on McDonalds, gets by without a cell phone and other gadgets we are so dependent upon today. As much as I'd like to get to the end of the alphabet, I don't want Grafton to rush and finish the series just to appease the readers who want a new book every year. I would prefer she take her time and maintain the quality of the series. I look forward to seeing what happens to Kinsey in "S", no matter how long I have to wait.

Like some others, I'm confused by this change in Kinsey.

In R IS FOR RICOCHET, our normally spunky, independent, careful Kinsey is letting recently-paroled Reba Lafferty call the shots. And, Reba's a flaky a character as I can remember in recent fiction. To have so many talents(she learned computer wizardry in prison, as well as how to cover furniture), she has no common sense at all. Addicted to cigarettes, gambling, a horrible man, and the high she gets from walking on the razor's edge, Reba leads Kinsey on a downward spiral, despite Kinsey's good intentions.

There is a complicated plot about money laundering, the IRS, FBI, DEA and other federal agencies, but the main thing to remember is ". . . hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

I like the new love interest . . . Cheney Phillips. It's going to be interesting to see where this romance leads, but at least Cheney seems to be good for Kinsey.

Also, there's a revelation that caught me completely by surprise. I'll really be embarrassed if it's been in other stories. If it has, I do not remember it. Page 66.

After waiting two years for this book to be published, I really expected more. Kinsey has become a different person from the sharp, independent lady that we have come to know, in her previous outings. This time, she allowed a paroled felon to call all the shots.... usually going against her better judgement. Reba is an out of control birdbrain, but Kinsey never challenges her...she just does whatever Reba decides. I am sure that I will buy the "S" book....I will just not be as impatient, for its release, as I had been for this one.

This is only the second Grafton book I have read. As a public library director I try to read a variety of novels so that I can recommend, honestly, the best authors writing to my patrons. I have to honestly say that I really enjoyed R is for Ricochet.

Kinsey Millhone is hired by Nord Lafferty to baby sit his middle aged daughter, Reba, upon her parole from prison. The assignment seems straightforward enough, but as in most of Grafton's novels, the obvious should never be relied upon too strongly and often what seems to be simple on first blush often turns out to be complicated. It isn't very long before the simple assignment turns difficult especially as some of Reba's old friends begin to make their appearance.

Well written....written with the reader in mind....R is for Ricochet will keep you turning pages. Not Grafton's strongest work (I liked Q is for Quarry better), R is certainly worth the time you'll spend reading it. I wonder what S will be?

What begins as an easy assignment, pick up and babysit a newly paroled embezzler, turns out to be complicated. Kinsey is hired by an ailing octogenarian to pick up his daughter Reba from the correctional facility and babysit her for a few days until she gets settled. From day one Kinsey suspects there is more the Reba than what she is telling. And, it seems Reba, rather than Kinsey is the one calling all the shots.

Meanwhile, Henry and his brothers drive each other crazy, Rosie is bossy as usual and Kinsey has a little romance.

Ms. Grafton does not disappoint with Kinsey's latest adventure. Ricochet is a fast-paced investigation in which she plays the supporting role. As usual the story is well researched and interesting. Kinsey eats QPs and makes friends with Reba - it is nice to see Kinsey have a gal pal.

If you're a longtime Kinsey fan, you'll enjoy her latest exploit among people who are financially and socially above her but who have problems they can't cope with, without her help. Reba Lafferty presents Kinsey with some out-of-the-ordinary challenges, such as spilling the beans about the feds' plan to someone who could do a lot of harm. And, for a change, Kinsey doesn't single-handedly bring the bad guy to justice.
Some parts are a little lengthy, such as when the IRS agent explains to Kinsey exactly how money-laundering works. And some parts are a little hard to buy, such as when Kinsey keeps ineffectively trying to stop Reba from doing something dangerous and stupid and ends up in the mess with her. Common sense would say "Walk away!" But then, if she did, there would go the plot.
We Kinsey fans are also Henry fans, so even if his little subplot doesn't tie in with the main plot, so what? We'd be disappointed not to find out the latest on our favorite tough old bird.
There were a couple of omissions that I appreciated: one was that Kinsey didn't tell us again all about her parents' accident and her problems with her relatives. The other was that although Kinsey was having an affair, she left the details to our imagination.

At one point late in this book, Reba Lafferty tells Kinsey that she didn't think Kinsey could be a very good Private Investigator if she was willing to take such a stupid job of driving her (Reba) home from prison. Oddly enough very early on in the book I remember thinking "Why would Kinsey take this stupid job?" Apparently it's because Sue Grafton is running out of ideas. Kinsey truly is a minor character here (as she herself admits to being). She does very little actual investigating and at times, Reba seems to be the better investigator! Also, the relationship with Cheney never comes across as being anything special here. Let's see, they go to dinner, and then have sex, they talk about Reba, and then have sex, they talk about the Fed's case against Beck, and then have sex. There's not really a whole lot to this relationship otherwise. One thing that truly bothers me is how Kinsey does not seem to have any common sense here. For example, at one point she's thinking about her relationship with Cheney and says how she wishes she had a girlfriend to talk to at that point. So what does she do? Instead of calling Vera, the friend she's had for years, who has also already made an appearance in this book, she calls Reba, the ex-con she's only known for two days. Let's not forget the seemingly endless descriptions and whole chapters that are nothing but filler (case in point, the chapter with Vera.) I really thought H and N were bad and this one ranks right with them.