V is for Vengeance
It’s been a while since I read a Sue Grafton novel. Part of the charm is that they’re set in Santa Barbara.
Sue Grafton’s V is for Vengeance
She has no cell phone, no Internet, no email and she still manages to solve the crimes, catch the bad guys and make it all happen. I just checked and it was published in 2011, so maybe she wrote them some time ago or at least just put them back in time. I think I saw on a chapter heading somewhere a date of 1998, that would explain it.
A refreshing lack of high-tech, gun-slinging, fast-paced drama.
She eats Egg McMuffins at McDonald’s, drinks bad chardonnay at her local restaurant and puts up with nameless (and sometimes tasteless) Hungarian cooking from the same pub. She certainly has a character and it’s fun to follow along and see how she solves things, thinks about the crimes and the personalities of the other characters in the story.
The story does progress quite interestingly and she does a good job of sewing several stories and people together to the point where they intertwine later on. Kinsey certainly has some guts and isn’t afraid to take on the bad guys–usually without a gun or much other than her wit. I wonder if she’s done with the whole alphabet, I’ll have to check. Wouldn’t mind reading some more. I’ll see if she’s already to Z. Then I wonder what she’ll be up to. (Just checked, she’s up to W.)
On a writing note, it was a great idea to go with the alphabet. She knew what she had to do next, she had a deadline and a goal in sight, but most amazingly, she’s actually done it. Looks like she has a huge following. Good for her. Was a fun read.
I’ve heard that if you have a goal in mind one of the best ways of assuring success is to tell people about it because then you feel more obligated to follow through. Once A is for Alibi was out, she was quite publicly committed to a goal. Very admirable for her. (And it always makes me think of the A to Z Challenge. If she can write 26 books, what excuse do I have for not finishing 26 mere blog posts? None!)
The public challenge is a great one. I really enjoyed the A to Z Challenge last year and guess what … haven’t been writing as consistently since. 🙁
Part of her A to Z is a “gimmick” but I don’t mean that in a bad way. In fact, it’s a good way. ANY way is a good way if it works. Thanks for stopping by, Cindy!