A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton

Grafton, Sue. A is for Alibi. Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1982.

In this first Kinsey Millhone mystery, readers are introduced to the quirk- and foible-ridden heroine that has made Grafton a titan in the genre. Millhone, former insurance investigator turned PI, is both protagonist and narrator. This first person style was startling at first, but Grafton carries it off well. The California setting offers a strong ambiance that permeates the story while Millhone is a character with plenty of room for development over the course of twenty-six novels. Grafton left clues throughout the book and then had a nice twist at the end which was not unrealistic and was reasonably satisfying.

A procedural in every sense of the word, A is for Alibi was slower paced than expected. Millhone spends an inordinate amount of time on paperwork, note cards, taking notes, organizing notes, writing notes and going through old files. While this is probably the unglamorous truth of the PI biz, it doesn't make for compelling reading. In addition, the emphasis on the paper and pen makes the novel feel a little dated. That said, A is for Alibi is a completely legitimate and readable mystery. One can see where Grafton intends to take her heroine and character qualities will expand and grow. There is certainly something to be said for witnessing the birth of an icon. The only question left to ask is, "What happens when she gets to 'Z'?"

Recommendations:

Indemnity Only by Sara Paretsky (1st in V.I. Warshawski series)

Readers looking for a long-running series with a slightly harder edge than Grafton and an independent female lead will enjoy the V.I. Warshawski series set in Chicago.

Track of the Cat by Nevada Barr (1st in Anna Pigeon series)

Another strong protagonist is Ranger Anna Pigeon who solves crimes in the National Parks system. Her tough exterior masks an inner vulnerability which makes her a good match to Millhone.

Catch Me if You Can: A California Saga of Murder, Greed & Two Heroic Detectives by Kraig Hanadel

Two hard-working detectives devote three years to following the faintest of leads to prove that playboy Dana Ewell killed his parents and sister. A good read-alike for people who enjoy the southern California setting of Grafton.

Private Investigation 101 by Norma M. Tillman
Want to be a PI like Kinsey? Check out this step-by-step guide to starting a successful investigating business.

Tripwire by Lee Child

Child, Lee. Tripwire. G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1999.

In his Jack Reacher series, Child has created a character who men will admire and women will love. Amoral Reacher, a transient Vietnam vet, finds himself in all sorts of precarious situations that stretch credulity. But Child creates in Reacher a protagonist so silently charming and appealing, readers will willingly suspend their disbelief and go along for the fast-paced ride.

In Tripwire, Reacher is digging pools in Key West -- with a shovel --when a detective comes looking for him. The guy ends up dead and Reacher has the presence of mind to know that something is wrong. The clues lead him to a “kid-sister” figure from his past where he is drawn into discovering the fate of a Vietnam helicopter pilot. In the midst of uncovering the truth about the pilot, Reacher stumbles onto a coverup more than thirty years in the making.

Child's writing style moves along at a fast clip and dialog is often pithy and staccato. There is minimal profanity; sexual encounters are not very detailed, but are present; action-based violence can be gory at times. One strength of this series is that it is not a true series in that each Jack Reacer title is a stand-alone written in no chronological order. A new reader can jump in at any point.

Recommendations:

The Camel Club by David Baldacci (1st in Camel Club series)
Baldacci creates a similar strong rootless protagonist with a shady military history who operates against a government run amok and who is aided by righteous insiders. Like Child, this thriller series is action-packed, but sex and language are kept to an ungraphic minimum.

Transfer of Power by Vince Flynn (1st in Mitch Rapp series)

Mitch Rapp, the CIA's top counterterrorism operative is called upon to settle an insurrection that has taken hostages at the White House and driven the president into hiding in his bunker. Fast pacing, brutal action and light romance round out this political thriller.

My Father The Spy: An Investigative Memoir by John H. Richardson

As his father lies dying, the author decides to investigate his father's government jobs that took them all over the world including Vienna after WWII, Manila and Vietnam at the onset of the conflict. He is stunned to discover that rather than being an attache to the US embassy, his father was one of the founding members of the CIA. This is a fascinating look at modern US history from an insider's perspective, as well as, a bold look at the author's family and their struggles with alcoholism. Riveting.

Warriors: An Infantryman's Memoir of Vietnam by Robert Tonsetic

This a fast-paced, realistic, unsentimental, but not unsympathetic look at a rifle company commander's experiences during the Vietnam War.