The Books of August

 

 

Y is for Yesterday by Sue Grafton

This is the twenty fifth novel in a mystery series by Sue Grafton. The first book in the series is “A is for Alibi,” and Grafton had planned to write twenty six books in the series, but she died before she could write the final book. The series is set in the 1980s, and features private investigator Kinsey Milhone.

In this book, Kinsey is approached by a wealthy couple whose son Fritz has just been released from prison. He had been a student at a posh private school, and a group of students there had filmed a group of boys sexually assaulting a 14 year old girl. Another girl, who knew about the film, was killed, and that’s what put Fritz in prison. Now the parents have received a blackmail demand--$25,000 or the film will go to the police, who until now haven’t seen the film.

The story alternates between the events of 1979 (the rape and murder) and 1989, when Kinsey is investigating the blackmail attempt. There is also an attempt on Kinsey’s life by a man who has previously tried to kill her. I liked this series—Kinsey was one of the first female private investigators in fiction. The one thing I didn’t like about this book was the rape scene—while not overly graphic, there were details I really didn’t want to read. But the author does a good job with characters, especially her secondary characters—in this one there are a couple of homeless people camping in her backyard, and a cat named Ed and a dog named Killer take part in the action.

 

Decoupage Can Be Deadly by Lois Winston

A Stitch to Die for by Lois Winston

Miss Kopp's Midnight Confessions by Amy Stewart

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

The Camel's Neighbor by Andrew Moscrop

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

The Melody Lingers On by Mary Higgins Clark 

Miss Felicity Beadle's The World of Poo by Terry Pratchett

Y is for Yesterday by Sue Grafton

A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler

The Resurrection Man by Charlotte Macleod

Haunted by James Patterson