W is for Wasted

Book Description Of the #1 New York Times bestselling Kinsey Millhone series, NPR said, "Makes me wish there were more than 26 letters."

W is for...wanderer...worthless...wronged...W is for Wasted.

Two dead men changed the course of my life that fall. One of them I knew and the other I'd never laid eyes on until I saw him in the morgue.

The first was a local PI of suspect reputation. He'd been gunned down near the beach at Santa Teresa. It looked like a robbery gone bad. The other was on the beach six weeks later. He'd been sleeping rough. Probably homeless. No identification. A slip of paper with Millhone's name and number was in his pants pocket. The coroner asked her to come to the morgue to see if she could ID him.

Two seemingly unrelated deaths, one a murder, the other apparently of natural causes.

But as Kinsey digs deeper into the mystery of the John Doe, some very strange linkages begin to emerge. Not just between the two victims, but also to Kinsey's past. And before long Kinsey, through no fault of her own, is thoroughly compromised...

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist Wasted lives, wasted time, and wasted opportunities are at the heart of this twenty-third entry in the long-running Kinsey Millhone series, which reveals how the deaths of two very different men impact Kinsey's life. The first man, Pete Wolinsky, found murdered in a local park, is a shady PI for whom Kinsey has little respect; the second, R. T. Dace, is an alcoholic vagrant who not only turns out to be Kinsey's relative but also leaves her a half-million bucks. Armed with news of R. T.'s death, Kinsey sets out to learn more about him and why he disinherited his immediate family. The clever twists of V Is for Vengeance are mostly absent here, and readers will need to wade through a lot of story before Wolinsky's connection to Dace comes clear. But Grafton hasn't lost her touch for characterization. Nobody in the cast is a stereotype, and it's the clash of personalities and interpersonal dynamics that provide the appeal here. Nearing the conclusion of this celebrated series, Grafton continues to shape Millhone's character, toughened by circumstance but still both understanding and forgiving. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: As the end of the alphabet draws closer, expect a revival of interest in a series that has helped define the role of the female sleuth in mystery fiction. --Stephanie Zvirin --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Review Praise for W is for Wasted

"Grafton is a writer of many strengths--crisp characterizations, deft plotting, and eloquent dialogue among them--and she has kept her long-running alphabet mystery series fresh and each new release more welcome than the last. Her greatest skill may be the way she melds disparate, unwieldy, often difficult subjects into a cohesive whole that satisfies as both entertainment and art. It's one thing to write a bestseller (or 23), but quite another to do so while addressing larger societal ills. Achieve both, and you reach the pinnacle of the profession--as Grafton has. Her work is layered, textural, sensate--ingenious and satisfying in any genre...Lesser authors churn books out; Grafton continues to knock them out of the park."--Louisville Courier-Journal

"Further proof--as if it were needed--of Grafton's immense talent. And her ability to give equal weight to the story of the detective and the detective story sets her apart in the world of crime fiction."--Richmond Times-Dispatch

"Kinsey Millhone, the well-nigh immortal sleuth in this enduring series, still has time to play her rebel role simply by living a spartan existence in a world of greedy narcissists...How sweet it is to see the California private eye back in her garage apartment...It's also fun to watch her at work, taking notes on index cards, typing reports on a Smith-Corona and here's what really matters--communicating with people face-to-face."--New York Times Book Review

"Involving, amusing and fast-paced."--The Wall Street Journal

"Nearing the conclusion of this celebrated series, Grafton continues to shape Millhone's character, toughened by circumstance but still both understanding and forgiving."--Booklist

"Grafton has lost none of her ability to bring her character vividly to life: Kinsey is as witty and engaging as ever."--Library Journal (starred review)