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Kinsey and Me: Stories
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Kinsey and Me: Stories
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Kinsey and Me: Stories
Audiobook7 hours

Kinsey and Me: Stories

Written by Sue Grafton

Narrated by Judy Kaye

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

()

Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

In 1982, Sue Grafton introduced us to Kinsey Millhone. Thirty years later, Kinsey is an established international icon and Sue, a number-one bestselling author. To mark this anniversary year, Sue has given us stories that reveal Kinsey's origins and Sue's past.

"I've come to believe that Grafton is not only the most talented woman writing crime fiction today but also that, regardless of gender, her Millhone books are among the five or six best series any American has ever written."—Patrick Anderson, The Washington Post

Kinsey and Me has two parts: The nine Kinsey stories (1986-93), each a gem of detection; and the And Me stories, written in the decade after Grafton's mother died. Together, they show just how much of Kinsey is a distillation of her creator's past even as they reveal a child who, free of parental interventions, read everything and roamed everywhere. But the dark side of such freedom was that very parental distance.

The same feisty voice and witty apercus readers fell in love with in A Is for Alibi permeate the Kinsey stories. Those in the And Me section trace a remarkable voyage, from anger to understanding, from pain to forgiveness. They take us into a troubled family, dysfunctional as most families are, each in their own way, but Grafton's telling is sensitive, delicate, and ultimately, loving. Enriching the way we see Kinsey and know Sue, these stories are deeply affecting.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJan 8, 2013
ISBN9781101616734
Unavailable
Kinsey and Me: Stories
Author

Sue Grafton

#1 New York Times bestselling author Sue Grafton (1940-2017) entered the mystery field in 1982 with the publication of 'A' Is for Alibi, which introduced female hard-boiled private investigator, Kinsey Millhone, operating out of the fictional town of Santa Teresa, (aka Santa Barbara) California, and launched the bestselling Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries. In addition to her books, she published several Kinsey Millhone short stories, and with her husband, Steven Humphrey, wrote numerous movies for television, including “A Killer in the Family” (starring Robert Mitchum), “Love on the Run” (starring Alec Baldwin and Stephanie Zimbalist) and two Agatha Christie adaptations, “Sparkling Cyanide” and “Caribbean Mystery,” which starred Helen Hayes. Grafton is published in 28 countries and in 26 languages.

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Reviews for Kinsey and Me

Rating: 3.6656977116279066 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

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  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    BOTTOM-LINE:Kinsey is okay, Kit works well as a collection..PLOT OR PREMISE:The book is a collection of two sets of stories -- the first set are Kinsey Millhone series set throughout the Alphabet series in time; the second set are about Kit Blue..WHAT I LIKED:"The first part, with Kinsey Millhone, includes an introduction about how she created Kinsey (4/5), nine shortstories, and a conclusion about the history of the genre of the hard-boiled PI (3/5). The shortstories are fun to read, but there isn't much ""Kinsey"" in them. Too little time to dwell, mostly focused on ""wham bam, here's a clue, here's a solution"". One I rate at 4/5, five more at 3/5, and another three that aren't very good at all. - Between the Sheets -- great opening where woman shows up to confess to murder she hasn't reported yet, and when she goes back, the body is gone (3/5);- Long Gone -- missing wife, lots of kids, clues are pretty obvious (3/5);- The Parker Shotgun -- cool premise, quick solution, fair with the clues (4/5);- Non Sung Smoke -- Find a one-night stand, have him get killed, throw in some drugs (3/5);- Full Circle -- Cute ending to a simple case of who killed a young woman in a horrific car accident that Kinsey witnessed (3/5); and,- A Little Missionary Work -- Two celebrities ask for Kinsey's help with a fake kidnapping, but Kinsey reverses the con in the end (3/5)..The second part includes an introduction about Grafton's not-so-idyllic early life, and how ""Kit Blue"" is a younger version of herself (3/5). The remaining thirteen stories work quite well as a collection of slices of Kit's life, although individually I rate one as 5/5, five as 4/5, and three as 3/5, with another four below the line:- That's Not An Easy Way To Go -- Kit realizing she's become the mother to her alcoholic mother (4/5); - Lost People -- Kit reflecting on her alcoholic parents, displaced from their own lives (3/5);- Clue -- Slice of life with mother visiting and Kit's relief when she leaves (3/5);- Night Visit, Corridor A -- Kit visiting mother in hospital (4/5);- April 24, 1960 -- Kit dealing with news of her mother's death on Kit's birthday, and being irritated by her husband trying to comfort her (4/5);- The Closet -- Kit cleaning out her mother's closet after she's gone and trying to figure out what it represents, if anything (4/5);- Maple Hill -- Kit walking through an empty house saying goodbye to all of it (5/5);- Jessie -- a housewoman talking about Kit's mother (4/5); and,- A Letter From My Father -- Kit reading a letter and sharing her own views of their life together (3/5).".WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:"Three of the Kinsey stories aren't great:- Falling Off The Roof -- A mystery book club with murder on its mind (1/5);- A Poison That Leaves No Trace -- Quick case of a dead sister looking to know if her niece killed her mother (2/5); and,- The Lying Game -- old trope about a liar and a truthteller, you can only ask one question (1/5)..Four of the Kit Blue slices don't stand alone very well:- A Woman Capable of Anything -- Kit Blue watching a sleeping alcoholic mother (1/5);- A Portable Life -- Kit coming to terms with the past being destroyed (1/5);- The Quarrel -- Kit listening to her father explain his new wife's behaviour (2/5); and,- Death Review -- Kit's working in a hospital as a medical secretary, spotting glimpses of her mom in the other patients (2/5).".DISCLOSURE:I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow her on social media.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book is half short stories starring Kinsey Millhone and half autobiographical stories starring Kit Blue. Though most of the Millhone stories have been previously published, I had never read any, and really enjoyed seeing the private eye in such concise adventures, especially as I feel that Grafton's last few books have been much longer than they need to be. The Kit Blue stories didn't win me over as easily. The first few sounded awkward and forced, which isn't a surprise since Grafton wrote the deeply personal stories soon after her mother died. The last few stories of the book, however, were wonderfully written and really tugged at the heartstrings.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I enjoyed these short stories and interview with Ms. Grafton.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is a collection containing short fiction featuring Kinsey Millhone; an essay Grafton wrote titled "An Eye for an I: Justice, Morality and the Nature of the Hard-boiled Private Investigator, and All That Existential Stuff"; and a section of very dark and painful short stories written by Grafton following her mother's death. The Millhone stories are just plain fun---pure detection with very little embellishment. Pretty easy to figure out, if you just focus on what the author isn't focusing on. The essay alone would be worth the price of the book (had I purchased it, which I didn't). The final selections are brilliantly written, somewhat repetitive as to subject matter (a mother's alcoholic life and dreadful death), courageously autobiographical, and I hope redemptive for the author. I admire what she did, and forced myself to read to the end, for there is a glimmer of light there, but I really could have done without that part. It did, however, make me believe that Sue Grafton made peace with her mother's ghost and the utter dysfunction of her early family life, and I'm glad of it.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I was so sad to hear that Sue Grafton had passed away. While I haven't read all of her alphabet series featuring Kinsey Milhone, I did make it through to S. I will finish the series but in the meantime, I wanted to read this book after reading about it on Karenmarie's thread. The first part of the book are short stories about Kinsey which were excellent. The second part of the book is about "Kit Blue", a younger version of the author also in short story form. This part is heartbreaking. Sue Grafton was raised by alcoholic parents which meant that she and her sister had very little parental involvement while growing up. It was hard reading this part of the book without tearing up. This is definitely a book that I will want to re-read and keep permanently in my library.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The short stories were uneven -- most were good, a few were memorable. I considered not reading the autobiographical portion after reading some negative reviews here, but decided to give it a shot. Glad I did. It's inspiring to see someone who has overcome such difficulties in her early years. It could have made her bitter, but instead she seems to have learned what lessons she could and moved on. Just the way Kinsey probably would.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Enjoyed the Kinsey Milhone short stories (although not as much as the books) but didn't care for the second section of stories.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Kinsey and Me is a short story collection. The first half contains Kinsey Millhone short stories, while the second half features autobiographical works featuring a younger Sue Grafton named Kit. The entirety of the collection is rated 3 stars. Section ratings and individual story ratings are below.The Kinsey Millhone stories were pretty average. They all or very nearly all wrapped everything up neatly, following the crime from beginning to end and with all the pieces in place. That said, they just didn't have the same feel as the longer books in the series and as such, they fell kind of flat. Kinsey is more suited to picking away at a crime, chipping and chipping until it all falls apart - that's where she really shines. But the length of a short story doesn't allow her strengths to really be showcased and as such, these short stories are rather bland.My favourite story was "a little missionary work", my least favourite "the lying game". The average rating for the Kinsey stories, comes in at 3 stars, but individual ratings are below. The second half, the autobiographical stories are well written but depressing as fk. They weren't mysteries and while I do read other genres, contemporary/drama reads are not my first pick. Frankly or my second, my third or fourth. So I was probably never going to like them that much. My favourite story was the introduction to them, which I felt gave an interesting insight into Sue Grafton's life. My least favourite was "april 24, 1960" which details the death of her mother. The average rating for those stories was 2 stars. Individual story ratings below. preface **** musings about the short story and detective fictionpart one: kinsey... ***1.1: introduction **** how kinsey came to be1.2: between the sheets *** a wife finds her lover in her child's bed. 1.3: long gone *** a husband hires Kinsey to look for his wife. 1.4: the parker shotgun *** kinsey investigates a drug dealer's death. 1.5: non sung smoke *** a young woman asks Kinsey to track down her one night stand.1.6: falling off the roof ** a man thinks his brother was killed by his wife for the insurance money. this started out okay and then just got weird. the ending was just odd.1.7: a poison that leaves no trace *** an aunt thinks her niece murdered her sister for the insurance1.8: full circle **** a young woman is killed in a car accident. i liked the ironic ending to this one, but it bothers me i don't specifically know why the crime happened.1.9: a little missionary work ***** a celebrity is kidnapped and has to raise a ransom. this one was hilarious. I loved Kinsey's devious mind.1.10: the lying game ** two brothers murder their parents. i hate that stupid riddle.1.11: entr'acte: An Eye for an I: Justice, Morality, the Nature of the Hard-Boiled Private Investigator and All That *** an essay on the context of the hard boiled detective genre and how it's evolved todaypart two: and me... overall rating **2.1: introduction *** interesting insight into sue grafton's life.2.2: a woman capable of anything ** kit reminiscing on her mother's moods.2.3: that's not an easy way to go ** contemplation of the role of a mother.2.4: lost people ** musings about her father and mother and their reasons for drinking.2.5: clue ** her mother comes to visit but it's a relief to see her leave.2.6: night visit, corridor a ** a visit to her mother after surgery to remove cancer.2.7: april 24, 1960 * the death of her mother and the feelings that come with that loss.2.8: the closet ** thoughts while cleaning out her mother's closet.2.9: maple hill ** walking through the house after it's sold to be turned into units.2.10: a portable life ** contemplating the house being torn down and being unable to return to the past.2.11: the quarrel ** fighting with her new stepmother leads to placation by her father.2.12: jessie ** talks with the maid about her mother and the last time jessie saw her alive.2.13: death review ** working in a hospital and thinking about her mother's death.2.14: a letter from my father ** thinking about a letter her father writes summing up her character
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I've read all of Sue Grafton's mysteries and think I could have been Kinsey in a former life. Visiting with Kinsey in these short stories was fun because of this. However, they felt like story ideas that had not made the cut to turn into a novel, so they were often abrupt and less detailed than we're used to.
    The "Me" stories I had a hard time with. They were autobiographical, but fictional (?), and seemed to be life excerpts rather than stories. Read them, but never quite attached.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5

    I think Sue Grafton was an amazing woman. It was really great to hear how Kinsey developed, especially in regards to Ms Grafton’s own life. In a way, it’s almost fitting that the series has to end on the “Y” since it took Kinsey so long to age. I appreciate and respect her desire to not want anyone to finish the series without her.
    I enjoyed the Kinsey short stories that I had not heard before and I will definitely miss hearing what happens with the rest of Kinsey‘s story. But I think I know her well enough to make my own ending for her, as I hope many others will do also.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I have been a fan of private investigator, Kinsey Millhone since the first introduction by Sue Grafton. Now to read "Kinsey and Me: Stories" takes my respect for the author to an even higher level. I was worried in the beginning of what became known as the "Alphabet Series" if Sue Grafton would disappoint me as the series progressed. But with each novel, there has been a progression that has engrossed me and made me appreciative of this author's writing. And now toward the end of the series, there is a pause and release of "Kinsey and Me: Stories" - an absolutely poignant presentation and sharing unlike any other I have ever read. Kudos to Sue Grafton! I cannot imagine sharing such a personal focus on my own development and evolution into the person I have become. What an incredible woman!! As one of her readers / one of her fans, I'm am blessed by the soul searching insights of life she has shared with her own personal style and in her own personal way. I wish I could say 'thank you' in person.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I enjoyed the ten short stories. The thirteen autobiographical stories were sad and depressing, although they do explain the author's outlook.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    How did I "meet" Kinsey Millhone? From a short story published in Redbook magazine (of which I was a subscriber back in the 1980s). I was still in college then. I still remember to this day some points from that story -- how the missing character Lucy, a mother of three, "appeared beleaguered even then" in a photo of her with the two oldest before the third came along. I also remember a certain item of Lucy's that Kinsey discovers which helps Kinsey solve the case. That short story intrigued me enough to start reading Sue Grafton's alphabet mysteries (of which "W is for Wasted" is the most recent). Even after I lost interest in reading mysteries in general, I still read Grafton's.So, it was with surprise that I came across "Kinsey and Me" -- somehow I had not realized that a short story collection by Grafton had been published (last year, in 2013).Yes, the Redbook short story is in here -- as it turns out, it was from 1986. It was nice to revisit that one. There's several other previously-published Kinsey short stories that were new to me. There's one that was written especially for the Lands End catalog that has Kinsey wearing their famous Squall parka -- I smiled at that because my family has gone through several of those parkas over the years. And, boy, the conclusion of that one had me re-reading several times trying to figure it out. All of the Kinsey short stories here were published in the 1980s and 1990s, except for the Lands End one which appeared in 2001. I wonder if Grafton has more recent Kinsey short stories out there.There's also a couple (also previously published) that are not really short stories but thoughtful ruminations on the art and craft of mysteries and the writing of them.Finally, the last part of this collection (not previously published, apparently) are short stories based on a character called Kit Blue. They are not mysteries, but deep and sad stories of Kit Blue's alcoholic parents and how their two daughters dealt with it. Sue Grafton states that her parents were alcoholics, and these stories were all written after her mother's death. Knowing this, it is easy to assume that the Kit Blue stories draw heavily from Grafton's own experiences. Grafton states "If Kinsey Millhone is my alter ego, Kit Blue is simply a younger version of me" (p. 209). These stories are deeply affecting without being overly maudlin or preachy. I honestly think that high schoolers and young people could benefit from reading them, hopefully before getting too much into drinking and the like. Alcoholicism (and other substance addictions)can so deeply affect children and loved ones. That is not to say we should be a nation of teetotalers (I certainly am not one) but to understand how our own actions can affect others.A very good read.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I've read all of Sue Grafton's mysteries and think I could have been Kinsey in a former life. Visiting with Kinsey in these short stories was fun because of this. However, they felt like story ideas that had not made the cut to turn into a novel, so they were often abrupt and less detailed than we're used to.
    The "Me" stories I had a hard time with. They were autobiographical, but fictional (?), and seemed to be life excerpts rather than stories. Read them, but never quite attached.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I have been a fan of private investigator, Kinsey Millhone since the first introduction by Sue Grafton. Now to read "Kinsey and Me: Stories" takes my respect for the author to an even higher level. I was worried in the beginning of what became known as the "Alphabet Series" if Sue Grafton would disappoint me as the series progressed. But with each novel, there has been a progression that has engrossed me and made me appreciative of this author's writing. And now toward the end of the series, there is a pause and release of "Kinsey and Me: Stories" - an absolutely poignant presentation and sharing unlike any other I have ever read. Kudos to Sue Grafton! I cannot imagine sharing such a personal focus on my own development and evolution into the person I have become. What an incredible woman!! As one of her readers / one of her fans, I'm am blessed by the soul searching insights of life she has shared with her own personal style and in her own personal way. I wish I could say 'thank you' in person.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The "Me" section of this book was by far the better part. Sadly, the Kinsey stories were pretty lackluster. Or maybe, they just paled by comparison to the more nuanced Kinsey we have all come to know and love in the novels.

    In the very personal "Me" stories, Grafton deftly draws us into a world of sadness, pain and regret but doesn't abandon us, or her characters there. As these linked remembrances come to an end, she allows Kit, the protagonist in all these stories (and a stand-in for the author), to experience the redeeming graces of growth, self-knowledge and love.

    Grafton's ability to capture the essence of a moment through her description of time and place is at it's most refined here. It was a pleasure to watch her turn her skill as a writer loose in a different format.

    One question I had was whether these stories would be able to stand on their own if published separately. In this volume they procede more or less sequentially, and feel almost like a novella. Not that it matters, but I did find myself wondering how I would have reacted if I had only been give one of them at random to read. I suspect that a reader would not appreciate these stories nearly as much if they were presented as stand-alone entities.

    I gave the book three stars only because I felt the first part was so weak. Had it all been of the same quality as the second part, my rating would have been higher.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Some good short stories as well as insights into Grafton's early life, career and writing.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    "Kinsey and Me" is a collection of short stories. The first part of the book is made up of stories starring Kinsey Millhone, and they're pretty much what you'd expect from Sue Grafton--solid, hard-boiled murder mysteries. The second part of the book (after a short non-fiction interlude--an essay on hard-boiled detective fiction that would be at home in an issue of The Strand or Ellery Queen) is the real surprise. It's composed of very literary autobiographical stories of Grafton's family--subtle and deeply affecting. More what you'd expect from Jane Smiley. A really good book on the whole, especially if you're a Grafton fan.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is an unusual book. The first half consists of short stories featuring Grafton's most enduring character, Kinsey Millhone, star of the Alphabet Mystery series. The stories are snappy and well-plotted and lack nothing in the way of Grafton's breezy first-person narration in the voice of Kinsey. My only regret is that due to their brevity there is no room for my favorite Grafton supporting character, the handsome octogenarian Henry Pitts.The second half is a series of short stories/essays/vignettes featuring a character named Kit Blue, who Grafton describes in the introduction as her younger self. The pieces explore the sense of devastation and loss that Grafton/Blue felt after the death of her alcoholic mother and her father's subsequent remarriage, even as her own marriages fall apart. They are interesting psychological studies but don't really feature much in the way of plot or storyline. Still, Grafton eloquently captures her own pain and confusion growing up with two alcoholic parents whom she loved very much even as they failed to do much if any parenting.

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    really enjoy her style of expression.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I have been a fan of Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone almost as long as I’ve been a fan of Sara Paretsky’s VI Warshawski. I think Paretsky is the better writer, and Warshawski the better character, but Grafton’s Millhone still has her appeal. I especially like that Grafton decided Millhone would age one year for every two-and-a-half books, so her alphabet series – it’s up to X at the moment – is now historical fiction, given that it takes place in the late 1980s. Along the way, Grafton has banged out the odd short story, mostly for anthologies of female crime writers, and Kinsey and Me collects those, plus a series of stories about Kit Blue which appear to have been written as some sort of therapy on the death of Grafton’s alcoholic mother. The Millhone stories are entertaining but lightweight – although the constant need for Millhone to introduce herself gets a bit wearying over nine short stories. The plots pretty much follow the same formula: someone asks Millhone to investigate something, she does so, spots a single clue which reveals all is not as it seems, there’s a final showdown, and she reveals the clue and how it led her to figure out what really happened. The Kit Blue stories are uncomfortable reading because they’re plainly autobiographical, but it’s also hard to understand why Grafton made them public. Kinsey and Me adds nothing to the alphabet series, and even for fans it’s of only peripheral interest.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I’m not usually a fan of short stories, but enjoyed the Kinsey Millhone mystery short stories in this volume. I found the Kit Blue short stories in Part 2 much less enjoyable. In fact, I didn’t read beyond the first one. I’m certain writing the Kit Blue stories was cathartic for the author, but I found the one I read completely un-entertaining – dark and brooding doesn’t make it for me. It’s possible fans of more literary fare will enjoy them, although I doubt that. Mystery readers, I believe, will find them boring and not worth their time.I didn’t pay full price for this bargain book, so I don’t mind so much leaving half of it unread.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Ordinarily I don't care for short stories but I've been a fan of Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone since A is for Alias so there was no way I would miss this book. Then I discovered that it is so much more than a collection of stories; it includes a lot of information about Grafton's life that she never talks about and some stories about a character named Kit Blue. Blue's stories are from the decade after Grafton's mother died. They deal with the alcoholism of both of her parents in real life as well as her mother's death. It's an emotional journey of self discovery.The Kinsey stories are short versions of her books written for various publications. There is even one written for Land's End which features one of their parkas. I got a big kick out of these little gems, some with surprising twists at the end and all excellent examples of how to write a short story. Her quick portraits of characters are spot-on and most of the tales are very funny. I just began to write about some examples but realized they were spoilers so I can't very well tell you much because I'll drift into spoiler land. Well trust me, you'll love them.The Kit Blue stories are heart-wrenching. They showed me the depth of emotion Grafton feels but also a different side to her writing skills. I never cry when reading a book but I came pretty close in this section. Kit and her older sister became the parents because of their parents' alcoholism, and they had to learn responsibility for others and how to take care of a home and family way too early. Then when their father remarried, learning to deal with a difficult stepmother was another challenge. It told me much about Grafton and the origin of her series characters.I had gone to the library to get another book but just had to grab this one from the display in the fiction department. So glad I did. Kinsey and Me was a fast read but one that greatly affected me.Highly recommendedSource: library
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Sue Grafton is justifiably famous for her long-running Kinsey Millhone series, a series that is rapidly approaching a major milestone as it approaches the end of the run for the alphabetically christened novels. Because “V” Is for Vengeance was published way back in 2011, fans of the series are certain to be pleased with the release of Kinsey and Me, a collection of nine (1986-1993) Kinsey Millhone short stories and a bonus section: the “and Me” portion of the book encompasses another bunch of very personal short stories closely based on the author’s own childhood and dysfunctional family.Along the way, Grafton also explains the mystery/crime genres and discusses why she enjoys working within the limitations of the short story format. Unfortunately, the Kinsey Millhone stories, precisely because Grafton fails to overcome those limitations, are not nearly as effective or impressive as the Millhone novels. The nine short stories are cleverly enough plotted, but only one or two of the cases require Kinsey Millhone to break much of a sweat. It is just all too easy for her.Some of the stories, though, are fun. “Falling Off the Roof” has a nice anti-Stepford-wife twist to it that had me chuckling, and “Full Circle” builds the tension nicely considering the number of pages the author allots to it. Others, particularly “The Lying Game,” are just too clever for their own good, when read in a story collection. They would probably be more effective when read as single stories in a magazine or in a collection encompassing several authors.I admire Grafton’s courage in publishing the “and Me” stories. What these stories reveal about Grafton’s background and childhood is sad, but they explain the origin of the author’s fascination with the mystery genre and her general love of books and reading. She is to be applauded for sharing the stories, but be warned: they are rather depressing and are not at all like anything from her that fans have read before. Grafton’s personal story is worthy of a full-fledged memoir, something her fans would, I think, appreciate. Let’s hope something like this is in Grafton’s future writing plans.Rated at: 3.0
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I truly was not going to blog about Kinsey and Me Stories, figuring that the stories in the book were typical Sue Grafton/Kinsey Millhone stories. And for the first two thirds of the book this is true. In Part 1: Kinsey, in true Grafton/Millhone style, Ms. Grafton has crafted interesting, fun short stories featuring Kinsey. In an introduction to this section, she talks about how difficult short stories are to write and I whole-heartedly agree. If this was all the book was, I would have put a brief note in Librarything and moved on.However....that is not the sum total of this book. The stories in Part 2:...And Me were written in the 10 years following Grafton's mother's death and these are riveting, revealing, honest, emotional and unlike anything Grafton that I've read. The stories talk about feelings of a young daughter towards her alcoholic parents, the emotional toll when a mother is stricken with esophogial cancer and what it's like when the child becomes a parent to a parent. I only reluctantly put these stories down and went back to work.As you know, I've been reading a lot of pulp fiction mystery stories from the 1920s through the 1950s. These stories are typically gritty and descriptive, with the occasional comic story thrown in. However, that's not the Kinsey Millhone style. The Millhone stories here are short extensions of the detective series books, so they are easy going, enjoyable and comfortable.So, if you're not a mystery fan, skip Part 1 (that would be silly) and go directly to Part 2. In it are life lessons about understanding and appreciating later in life those things we don't quite grasp or appreciate in our youth. In the final story is a letter from a father to a daughter in which he reminisces about her as a girl and the daughter's reaction to these events thirty years later. In it, she said "You want to tell him you treasure all the relics of the past. You know now that you are a living museum, full of rooms and crooked corridors that repeat themselves at every turn." And so we are a sum of the events of the past and for many of us, it takes us a long time to appreciate that past, as well as the present.Get to know a deeper Sue Granfton by reading Kinsey and Me Stories.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    KINSEY AND ME is a three-in-one. The main part of the book, Kinsey, presents nine short stories featuring Kinsey Millhone, a thirty something Private Investigator. Each of these stories is well-crafted and presents a full, satisfying condensed version of the popular Kinsey Millhone alphabet novels.The last part, and me, is autobiographical and tells about her relationships with her parents, primarily her mother. Both of her parents were alcoholics and that had a tremendous influence on her growing up years and first, early marriage.The beginning discuss her writing: e.g., How Kinsey was created. She tells us that Kinsey ages one year for every two and a half books. She also explains the difference between crime, mystery, and detective books. Crime novels focus on the elements of the crime. The reader watches all of it. There is no mystery. The mystery presents the story and makes the reader figure out the solution based on the clues. The detective story has the reader follow what the detective learns. It is not always logical but there won’t be a last minute surprise culprit.The middle (entr’acte) explains the development of the detective story from the “hard-boiled private eyes” of the thirties to his personality after World War II to it’s present form. The PI is no longer a tough white man. They are a diverse group including many races, genders, and sexual orientations. She mentions the way homicide has infected all of America. “While the cunning of fictional homicide continues to fascinate, its real-life counterpart has been reduced to senseless butchery. Murder is the beast howling in the basement, rustling unleashed in the faraway reaches of our souls.” The genre is still popular because it offers order and hope and shows how one person can make a difference.Reading KINSEY AND ME was a treat.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I am usually not the biggest fan of short stories, but I decided to read this book because I am a lover of Kinsey Millhone and her creator Sue Grafton. And I am glad that I took the time. This book is divided into two parts. The first part has nine Kinsey Millhone short stories. The stories are surprisingly well-written and Ms. Grafton has managed to write in a very unique way. As we read these nine stories I think I started to fully realize where Kinsey came from. Ms. Grafton admits that Kinsey is her alter-ego and she states that she thinks that she herself would have been like Kinsey if she hadn't had children young and married twice. As it is Kinsey is a wonderful creation, and alter ego or not, she almost seems like a real person to me. I have been reading this series since it first began so Kinsey has become a part of my life. Where this book enters into the realm of greatness is in the second part. The second part of the book has thirteen stories written in the ten years following the death of Ms. Grafton's mother. These stories feature "Kit Blue" who we see as a young Sue Grafton. Sue was the child of two alcoholic parents and these stories depict her early life while she tried to care for her mother as she slipped into deep alcoholism. The stories are so sad and so emotional. There is a world of hurt in these stories, but there is also hope, determination and hard-earned wisdom. The stories are stark without being maudlin. They are full of the pain of a young adolescent girl who tries to make sense of her life. They are full of Sue and the germ of Kinsey Millhone too. Tremendously moving!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I read my first Sue Grafton book over twenty years ago. We had just moved to a small town and of course one of the first places I visited was the local library. It was housed on the main floor of an old house on Main Street at that time. The collection was small, but the enthusiasm of the librarian evident. I asked her if she could suggest a good read, nothing too heavy as I had a newborn and long reading periods were non-existent and oh, I did like mysteries.....Well, you guessed it - she put A is for Alibi (originally published in 1982) in my hand - and a fan was born. I've read every one since and am looking forward to W is for ?, due out later this year.This 'alphabet' series features private eye Kinsey Millhone who lives and works in Santa Teresa, California. The books are set in the 1980's, so our sleuth uses 'old fashioned' methods to solve her cases. I can open the latest book and feel like I'm catching up with a familiar friend. Kinsey is wry and witty. She's a darn good sleuth and a really nice person. Grafton always comes up with a plausible plot that keeps me interested from first page to last.Kinsey and Me was originally released in 1992 with a limited run of 326 copies. This newest version is just released.The book is divided into two parts - the first half is a collection of Kinsey stories and the smaller second half is a set of stories featuring Kit Blue. What made reading these special was the foreword where Grafton explains writer's craft - specifically that of a detective short story. It was really interesting to see the method behind the result."For me, the mystery short story is appealing for two reasons. One, I can utilize ideas that are clever, but too quirky or slight to support the extended trajectory of the novel. And two, I complete a manuscript in two weeks as opposed to the longer gestation and delivery time required of a novel. The short story allows me to shift gears. Like an invitation to go outside and play, the shorter form offers a refreshing change of pace."Some of the Kinsey stories I had come across before in various anthologies. But I enjoyed each one thoroughly. They were like a little Kinsey microcosm, offering the reader a glance and a taste of this iconic character.But, it was the introductions that really made this book personal. Grafton offers up Kinsey as her alter ego - "The person I might have been had I not married young and had children." We become privy to the similarities between the fictional Kinsey's life and Sue Grafton's.The Kit Blue stories were new to me and I think they affected me the most. "If Kinsey Millhone is my alter ego, Kit Blue is simply a younger version of me." Sue Grafton's parents were both alcoholics. The Kit stories were written ten years after the death of Grafton's mother. "...my way of coming to terms with my grief for her." They are raw, powerful and real, filled with overwhelming emotion and honesty. These are the stories that stayed with the longest.I really enjoyed Kinsey and Me - an opportunity to visit with a familiar character, but also a chance to learn more about a favourite author. "It amuses me that I invented someone who has gone on to support me. It amuses her, I'm sure, that she will live in the world long after I am gone. I trust that you will enjoy her companionship as I have." Indeed we do, Sue, indeed we do.