Sue Grafton

A wealthy socialite hires Kinsey for what appears to be a missing persons case, but leads to an investigation involving murder, robbery, and arson.

"B" is for Burglar

B is for Burglar, from Sue Grafton's #1 New York Times bestselling Kinsey Millhone Alphabet mystery series Although business has been slow lately for P.I. Kinsey Millhone, she's reluctant to take on the case of locating Beverly Danziger's sister Elaine Boldt. It's a small matter that Beverly should be able to handle herself. So why is she enlisting Kinsey's services? Beverly claims she needs Elaine's signature on some documents so that she can collect a small inheritance. But the whole affair doesn't sit well with Kinsey. And if there's something she's learned in her line of work, it's to always follow your instincts... Kinsey's hunch proves true when she begins her inquiries into Elaine's whereabouts and discovers that the attractive widow was last seen in a flashy lynx coat boarding a plane for Boca Raton. But the more Kinsey searches for Elaine the more questions she encounters. Is Elaine's disappearance tied in to the brutal murder several months ago of one of her bridge partners? And what happened to Elaine's Persian cat who seems to have also vanished? Things take a turn for the worse when a stranger vandalizes the home of one of Elaine's neighbors and another neighbor turns up murdered. With her reputation and career on the line, Kinsey risks all to find a missing woman and a killer who's waiting in the shadows to strike again... "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 "R" Is for Ricochet "S" Is for Silence "T" Is for Trespass "U" Is for Undertow "V" Is for Vengeance "W" Is for Wasted "X"

A Kinsey Millhone Mystery

Charlotte Gyselinck

Winner of the first Anthony Award for Best Novel, B is for Burglar is the second in the Kinsey Millhone mystery series by Sue Grafton. Female, age thirty-two, self-employed and wiser than she used to be. For Kinsey Millhone, private investigator, only one thing stays the same. When a client sits down in the chair across the desk, she never knows what’s going to happen next . . . There was nothing about Beverly Danziger to cause Kinsey concern. She was looking for her sister. There was a will to be settled. She paid up front. And if it seemed a lot of money for a routine job, Kinsey wasn’t going to argue. She kicked herself later for the things she didn’t see – Beverly Danziger did not look as if she needed a few thousand dollars and she didn’t seem like someone longing for a family reunion. But just as Kinsey begins to suspect foul play and start asking questions, Beverly Danziger pulls her off the case and fires her . . .

B is for Burglar

Colleen

3.5 Stars
 
I was sad to hear of the passing of Sue Grafton in December. It’s unfortunate that she did not get to complete this series. I don’t mean that in a callus way; it’s just that if I spent over well over three decades working on a series and only had one book left, I’d be one frustrated ghost. But as her family stated, the alphabet will just have to end with Y.
 
I already had started to reread this series but was eager to continue in memoriam. B is for Burglar was definitely better than the first book. The story was overall much smoother than A is for Alibi, and I think Grafton was getting a better idea of her writing style and who Kinsey would be.
 
Like the first book, the story is narrated in first person by the main character. It starts out as if she is writing her report on the case, but most of the book feels like normal first person narration with occasional bits of “I didn’t know it at the time, but…” The case file format combined with the no nonsense gumshoe style means Kinsey’s narration focuses on relaying the facts. The downside to that is it does not leave much room for emotion and character development. Although the main character’s brusque nature is certainly part of the story, the hardboiled mode of storytelling leaves all other characters often reduced to facts and descriptions rather than more complex characters. But at least there were no awkward bedroom scenes in this one.
 
The plot of B is for Burglar is more engaging than the first book although parts of the story felt a little erratic. It was hard to telling if certain things were red herrings or just confusion. But it was still an enjoyable read overall.
 
First published in 1985, the story has unintentionally funny descriptions of the eighties from some cringe-worthy styles to the main character grudgingly giving in and buying an answering machine. (Geez, remember when you needed a separate machine in order to get phone messages? Now I feel old…)
 
Although this is not my favorite mystery series, they are good for quick in-between reads.


RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 4 Stars
Writing Style: 3 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 3 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 4 Stars
Level of Captivation: 4 Stars
Originality: 3 Stars

I loved it even more the second time around. Took me back to simpler times with the amount of detail to everything. It definitely felt like a new experience having forgotten all about it. The mystery is always good but I loved reading about things that no longer exist in today’s world. 

Christa Bell

I didn't figure this one out beforehand and that made it a lot more engaging the whole way through. I still love the writing style and will continue on with C. The only thing that bothered me was that it took a long time for Kinsey to figure anything out at all, so there were very few twists or action.

Second reading, better review.

I really liked this more than I remembered. It's been a few years and I forgot the general plot until things started coming together near the end. Kinsey has a great voice that manages to be relatable and serious where it counts. I love the picture painted of her living in a little rented space with her old landlord who bakes bread and pastries to help pay his bills. It's heartwarming to some degree, which is good because Kinsey faces solving serious crimes.

A must read series, you can start at any letter and be satisfied!

Daryl Houston

These books aren't capital-L Literature, but they're fun enough to read. Grafton makes neat little descriptive observations that jump out at me pleasantly (though they're apparently not memorable, as I can call none to mind). I don't love how she builds the story and builds the story only to give you kind of a little half-ending.

"B" is for Burglar

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