Plot or Premise

A dying father hires Kinsey to look into a 17-year-old murder case when his fugitive son is arrested after being on the lam since the original case.

What I Liked

The story is far from linear, and Kinsey has to do her normal knocking and stumbling around to find the answer in a small town world. She is also staying at a motel that a bunch of the characters live in, so it has a bit of a cozy feel at times.

What I Didn’t Like

There’s a strange sub-story that crops up twice, refuted at the end, and left unanswered as to the original lies. Equally, there are a few too many nutjobs running around, as well as just too many people in general.

The Bottom Line

There are a few plot elements running loose.

Plot or Premise

Kinsey is hired to deliver a cashier’s cheque to a 15-year-old, but the client stiffs her on the fee so she hunts for him before delivering it.

What I Liked

There isn’t a lot of mystery early on, just a few simple unanswered questions until a body drops. Now suddenly there’s a murder to solve. The initial premise of the lying client sounded a bit familiar to one of her other novels, but not quite the same, which was good. And while Jonah features in the story, the rest of the ancillary characters are non-existent, leaving the story to run along at a decent pace.

What I Didn’t Like

I never really felt much sympathy or empathy for the murder victim, so it’s hard to get too excited about the case. Overall, most of the characters and the outcomes are all negative, so the whole storyline is rather a downer.

The Bottom Line

An okay but very depressing case.

Plot or Premise

Nikki Fife served 8 years for a murder she claims she didn’t commit. Now she wants Kinsey to clear her name.

What I Liked

The character of Kinsey Millhone, and her introduction on page 1 (“My name is Kinsey Millhone”) is the same general format that appears in all the books. Just the facts. But she talks about having killed someone and that it weighs on her mind. Cue the flashback. And the book has all the classic elements that show up in almost all the books…her apartment near Henry, Rosie’s, multiple cases at once, index cards to keep track of details, Deitz, Dolan, etc. This is a classic whodunnit with lots of twists and turns and misinformation from suspects, sometimes intentional, sometimes not.

What I Didn’t Like

There is a bit too much relationship-angst in this outing, albeit briefly.

The Bottom Line

Like meeting an old friend.