Great story - lots of suspense - made my drives something to look forward to

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	• S Is for Silence Sue Grafton G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2005 average customer review:based on 226 reviews view larger image
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G is for Good

While I would not put Sue Grafton in the top tier of mystery writers - a level I reserve for folks like James Lee Burke, Michael Connelly and Raymond Chandler - she is a consistently good writer. Her "Alphabet" series of novels featuring Kinsey Millhone have reached volume nineteen with S is for Silence, and once again Grafton has treated her readers to a clever novel.

The silence in the title refers to that of Violet Sullivan who disappeared on the Fourth of July back in 1953. With an abusive husband and a not-so-secret stash of money, it is assumed by many that she ran away, while others assume the husband killed her. Thirty-four years later, her daughter Daisy retains Kinsey to try to track her mother down. Daisy has been tormented through the decades by the fact that her mother abandoned her. Kinsey is reluctant to take the case, figuring Daisy is merely wasting her money, but eventually she is persuaded to take the case.

Violet was a beautiful woman and had more than her share of lovers in her small town of Serena Station; many are still around, and Kinsey's investigation opens up a lot of old wounds. Slowly, she pieces together the facts behind that Independence Day disappearance, but the key question - if Daisy was killed (and if so, by who) or left voluntarily (and if so, where) - is much more elusive to determine.

One of the things I enjoy the most about the Millhone books is that they seem much more in the classic style of private eye fiction that I especially associate with Chandler and Ross MacDonald. In these books, the private eye is almost a non-character who is thrust into the lives of strangers, but essentially emerges untouched by the case. Millhone has a bit more of a life than Philip Marlowe or Lew Archer, but she is essentially an outsider in the stories. Contrast that with more modern mysteries where the heroes are more intimately involved in their cases. I'm not saying that one way is better than other (it all depends on the execution), but the detached detective seems rarer today than it once was.

The only real problem with this series is that the stories (while enjoyable) are kind of forgettable after a while, and even when I remember them, I find it hard to link it with a particular title. Yes, H is for Homicide, but since almost every novel involves a killing, it's hard to recall what the story was about. That should not deter anyone from reading these books, but don't expect for it to have any deep impact in your life; it is a "beach read": fun and fast. S is for Silence fits right in with A through R and will entertain mystery fans.

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S is for Silence

As usual Sue Grafton has written an easy, fun novel to read with enough suspense to keep you interested.

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Kinsey still rules...

Ever since *A is for Alibi*, I've been hooked to the Kinsey Millhone series. Therefore, Sue Grafton became one of my favorite authors. Throughout the series, some were great and some were not so great. Nonetheless, I was extremely excited to get the paperback edition of *S is for Silence*. I read this book every opportunity I could take advantage of.

It's 1987. Kinsey has been hired by Daisy Sullivan to find out whatever happened to her mother, Violet, who disappeared on 4th of July 1953.

4th of July 1953, Violet is getting herself ready for the festive night. In walks Liza Mellincamp, who has been hired to babysit Violet's 7 year old daughter, Daisy. Liza is in awe of Violet. Violet is ready and takes off with her new Pomeranian puppy, Baby, in her brand-new Bel Aire. She was never seen after this day.

34 years later, Daisy wants closure. She wants to know why if her mother left on her own volition. Kinsey returns to the little town where Violet lived before she disappeared. Just about 90% of the people who were there in '53 are still living there. Piece of cake, eh? Not quite so. However, Kinsey has been able to piece together the last days of Violet before she disappeared.

It was no secret that Violet was a flirt. Married men didn't stop her. It was also not a secret that she won a $50,000 lawsuit settlement. She wasn't afraid to brag about it.

The question is did she disappear on her own or was she killed? If she took off on her own, why? Was there a serious lover? If she was murdered, there are no shortage of suspects. Was it her abusive, now recovering alcoholic, husband? Was it the young salesman who sold her that car and was later fired? Was it one of the married men that she had an affair with and abruptly stopped the liasion? Was it one of the women, disgusted by Violet's absence of moral standards?

The book "toggles" between Kinsey's present time (1987), in one chapter, and the characters in 1953. *S* was an interesting change of routine. In the other series, she usually includes Henry, her landlord, Rosie, owner of a restaurant, and some lover. In *S*, they're barely mentioned. So, it was nice to see Kinsey interact more with her client and the people she interviewed.

Overall, a good book that I couldn't put down. Now, I'm just sad because I gotta wait forever before T comes out. Sue, hurry!

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B+ for S is for Silence

Ok, I have read them all. They really are engaging. This novel focuses more on the story than on Kinsey Millhone. The mystery had me thinking ahead, which I usually don't do with the Kinsey novels. Really different, but quite good. I had no difficulty with the flashbacks to '53, but I did have trouble staying on top of who was who. I needed to go back and read who was who's father or child. Enjoyable read for me, and soon for my Mom, who is beginning with "A".

Great story - lots of suspense - made my drives something to look forward to

Fun book - great to listen to - I looked forward to getting into my car just to hear the next chapter. (Yes, that was me sitting in the parking lot - not able to turn the book off)

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reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, page 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18

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