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P Is For Peril
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P Is For Peril
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P Is For Peril
Audiobook (abridged)5 hours

P Is For Peril

Written by Sue Grafton

Narrated by Judy Kaye

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

Dr. Dowan Purcell had been missing for nine weeks when Kinsey got a call asking her to take on the case. A specialist in geriatric medicine, Purcell was a prominent member of the Santa Theresa medical community, and the police had done a thorough job. Purcell had no known enemies and seemed content with his life. At the time of his disappearance, he was running a nursing care facility where both the staff and the patients loved him. He adored his second wife, Crystal, and doted on their two-year-old son.

It wasn't Crystal who called Kinsey. It was Purcell's ex-wife, Fiona. Everything about their meeting made Kinsey uneasy. Fiona's manner was high-handed and her expectations unrealistic. Kinsey's instincts told her to refuse the job, yet she ended up saying, "I'll do what I can, but I make no promises."

It was a decision she'd live to regret.

Pursuing the mysterious disappearance of Purcell, Kinsey crashes into a wall of speculation. It seems everyone has a theory. The cops think he went on a bender and is too ashamed to come home. Fiona is sure he ran off to get away from Crystal, and Crystal is just as sure he's dead. The staff at the nursing home is convinced he' s been kidnapped, and one of his daughters, having consulted a psychic, is certain that he's trapped in a dark place, though she doesn't know where. Kinsey is awash in explanations and sorely lacking in facts. Then pure chance leads her in another direction, and she soon finds herself in a dangerous shadow land, where duplicity and double-dealing are the reality and, with the truth glinting elusively out of reach, she must stake her life on a thin thread of intuition.

P Is for Peril: Kinsey Millhone's latest venture into the darker side of the human soul.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJun 5, 2001
ISBN9780739300589
Unavailable
P Is For Peril
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 P Is For Peril

Rating: 3.5982285814814814 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

621 ratings30 reviews

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  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    BOTTOM-LINE:Decent mystery, too much other noise..PLOT OR PREMISE:Kinsey is hired for a missing persons case, a retired family doctor, running a nursing home..WHAT I LIKED:The mystery opens with a nice quirk -- it's the ex-wife who hires Kinsey, not the current wife. Like all Kinsey's cases, it gets complicated really fast -- cheating wives, messy divorced families, a search for new office space, Medicare fraud, kids who murdered their parents, etc..WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:The sub-story about kids murdering their parents and the convenience of some evidence that comes to her from Henry by coincidence really detracts from the story..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 was good. It seemed much lighter after having listened to M, N and O which were especially dark stories in my opinion. I’m realizing more and more as I go through the stories that very rarely are any of the characters likable except for those in Kinsey’s immediate circle. What made this one a little different was the side story of Kinsey needing new office space and her involvement with the Heavener brothers. With the main mystery being fairly straight forward, this side story provided the intensity and suspense Kinsey’s main case was lacking. Kinsey also shows her inability to let something go until she gets to the truth and I loved seeing her doggedness really shine in this one. Whether she was tracking down missing money, a possible illicit affair or fraud, she didn’t give up until she got a satisfactorily answer for herself. Judy Kaye continues to be epitome of a great narrator. I look forward to reading Q.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    This is the first novel I've read by Sue Grafton, and it'll likely be the last.

    Kinsey Millhone is supposedly a “rebel,” a solo private investigator, but this is the most boring rebel I've ever seen. Her dialogue is what you'd expect from a timid bookworm, not a tough, independent woman. The choices she makes throughout the story also baffled. For example, when she finds out the “truth” about the brothers, instead of running the other way as fast as she can, she worries about her rent deposit. And I say “truth,” because the truth Kinsey is fed turns out to be partially untrue, but she believes it hook, line, and sinker without verifying anything – you know, without acting like a private investigator.

    Some of the characters are decent, but a large portion of their dialogue, like Kinsey's, is stilted. Dialogue is supposed to be the thing that draws the reader's attention, but here the descriptions of the ocean, roads, yards, and homes were actually more interesting.

    The plot itself had potential, but Grafton seemed intent on bogging it down. While she strove for such a page count is beyond me. You could easily slice 200 pages from this novel and have a lean, understandable mystery without sacrificing subplots or character development.

    And that ending...let's talk about the ending.

    This is the worst ending to a novel I've ever read. Nothing is wrapped up, which is essential to a PI/mystery novel. I actually wondered if I had a defective copy, and kept flipping around seeing if I missed something. But now that I read other reviews on Amazon, I realize I didn't miss anything, though Grafton certainly did.

    Seriously, I don't know how an editor let this slip through. I guess Grafton is so big she can do what she wants, but I hope the reader response to this novel teaches her something.

    It sounds like this is an "off" novel for Grafton, but I don't know if I want to attempt another based on this one experience.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A popular doctor disappears and the police cannot find him. His ex-wife hires Kinsey to find him even though he left her to marry a beautiful younger woman. Soon Kinsey suspects the doctor was either skimming Medicare and Medicaid through the retirement home he administered or he had found out someone else was doing it and was ready to go to the police. She wondered if he had been murdered to prevent his going to the authorities.Meanwhile Kinsey is looking for a new office and signs a lease with two brothers for a new location. The one brother is attracted to her as she is to him but then things go sideways when she is warned the brothers may have killed their parents for their money.This plot is complicated and is special because Kinsey's personal trouble with the brothers becomes a dangerous issue for her. Even her landlord Henry becomes involved in this story both aiding her in tricking the brothers into a trap plus rescuing her from one of the brothers with his baseball bat.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Liked it but not the strongest entry in the series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    P is for Peril by Sue Grafton; (3 1/2*) One of Grafton's alphabet Private Detective series, this is a good little mystery to just relax with. Not a cozy but a comfy, easy read.An ex-wife of a doctor hires our PI to find her missing ex. He has disappeared a couple of times previously and some think this may be a repeat performance of those days. But the ex-wife is suspicious and thinks that there might be something more sinister in place. The suspects and motives are many. The book is well written and interesting. I will likely return to the beginning of this series and pick it up at [A is for Alibi]. Looks like a nice series to read throughout the winter.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I have enjoyed all the Grafton alphabet novels I have read. I didn't start at the beginning of the alphabet, but Grafton gives a clear picture of Kinsey and her life. Look forward to reading more letters..
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Most of the books in the alphabet series are just pretty good for me. I don’t know what’s different with the letter P, but I loved it. In this one, there are multiple plots and a lot of characters. One major piece of the job Kinsey is hired, is solved, but it brings up more questions. Kinsey rents new office space and that brings about a whole slew of other problems and shady characters. There’s even a little drama with Henry, her landlord. The ending was wrapped up a bit differently too.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I found this series the year that D came out and I have eagerly awaited each new addition. I'm never disappointed and wasn't this time either. Kinsey is hired to find the ex-husband of her client. He's been missing and find him involves a wide variety of interesting characters. Now I have to wait a year and a half for Q. Sigh.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I keep thinking I've read everything in this series and then finding another one I'd missed. I'm always happy to spend time with Kinsey!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Kinsey is once again on a missing persons case. A well-respected doctor is missing and his ex-wife wants him found. Odd that it's his ex-wife and not his current wife but of course, that is just the beginning of the oddities in the case. As Kinsey begins to pursue the case, she learns that the doctor is being investigated for Medicare fraud at the nursing home he was running. She also learns that his current wife has a daughter from a previous relationship who devotes her time to finding ways to run away. The mystery takes twists and turns involving ownership of the nursing home and the current wife's ex-husband. The answer to the mystery was surprising and I like that.The part of the story that was much more interesting to me, though, was Kinsey's own personal problem that develops over the course of the book. In pursuit of new office space, she meets two brothers who own what seems to be the perfect space for her. She is immediately attracted to one of the brothers and he reciprocates. She soon finds out that this relationship will be far more complicated than she could have imagined. This entry into the series is satisfying and entertaining, one of my favorites.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is another installment in the Kinsey Millhone series. The storyline was well thought out and the two main mysteries criss-crossed each other without getting in the way of each other. Sue Grafton did an excellent job with adding surprise elements at the end to keep you interested. The main mystery's solution was never solved in writing. You are given the opportunity to infer what happened. The teacher in me kinda liked that.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I definitely wasn't expecting the Talbot reveal which was rather interesting.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Kinsey is hired to find Dr. Dowan Purcell, a nursing home administrator and doctor. From his crazy ex-wife to his straight from the strip club new one, the suspicions pile up. At the same time, Kinsey tries to lease an office in a new building and gets to know the shady brothers that will be her new landlords. For the first time I've started to notice some modern-day things creeping into the books. Even though they're technically still set in the 80s, (this one is set in 1986), there are a couple things that are reminiscent of modern day. At one point she refers to an organic carrot, at another point she talks about an office going paperless and everything being operated on computers. I could be wrong but I feel like it was too early in the timeline for offices to really be going paperless in the 80s.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Meh. Vague plot, modest stakes, MC doesn't stand out as extraordinary. My first Grafton novel, so I may have missed something by jumping in near the end of the series, but I struggled to get through the middle third of the book. Ending was abrupt, left some unanswered questions.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I found this to be one of the better books in the Kinsey Millhone series. This time, Kinsey finds herself involved with two separate cases (one not exactly by her choice), which gives a good sub-plot and adds a nice bit of suspense to the story. I like how Grafton comes up with plausible mysteries, continues to bring back supporting characters like Kinsey’s landlord, Henry and maintains the detailed 1986 setting. Always fun to travel back in time, as it were! I was a bit surprised when Grafton deviated from her usual “the last chapter” and explanatory epilogue wrap-up. Instead, she leaves the reader with an implied ending which I thought worked rather well.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The best of the best. Author Sue Grafton never lets us down as she travels through the alphabet with her look into the darker side of the human soul. I recommend every book written in this alphabet series and looking forward to the the next one. Grafton doesn't let a reader down as she takes us to the last page of her novels. Anticipation is always at the forefront of my impatience for her next book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I've made a sort of hobby out of reading lousy mysteries that I can get for a few pennies at a local booksale. I get into the habit as I read them of writing a review of the book in my head - "Oh, that character's not convincing at all", or "The language is a bit stilted here", or "Why exactly are they discussing the clown paintings of John Wayne Gacy again?"I mention this because after reading those, It becomes kind of a relief to pick up a Grafton. The alphabet series is as gimmicky as any, but the fact is, there isn't any stilted language, unconvincing characters, or discussions of serial killer art in the books. You read them, get lost in the story, and enjoy yourself for a few hours. The fact that she's managed to punch twenty or so of these books out with no real loss in quality is remarkable. The prose isn't deathless, by any means; the books aren't ever going to win a Pulitzer. They're just good, solid, quality escapist detective fiction, and that is no bad thing.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Another good one from Sue Grafton. You may notice that I rate 'good' those that keep me guessing! This one was so 'wet' I ending up dreaming about unrelenting rain.Interestingly, many reviewers felt there was no true ending. I suppose because she ended before the cops came and read anyone their Miranda rights. It is true it is not the neatest package...there were several side plots going on simultaneously....but I found the ending, with its "unexplained" motive clear as could be. To say more would be a spoiler.This one featured her landlord, Henry, and past cop-'friend' Jonah, but none of her other particular friends. I must say she also seemed to wear fewer turtlenecks, took fewer showers, and exercised poor tooth hygiene....
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A doctor disappears - ex-wife and wife suspected
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Have read series A to F some years ago when I borrowed them from the library. Excellent short stories. Hope to acquire the entire series and read them again.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I love Sue Graphton's book, but I swear this one was missing the last two chapters. I looked for years to see a reprint with the whole thing, but it never came. My theory still holds, however, because none of her books end the way this one did.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Not the best book by Ms. Grafton. Its as if the ending is missing. It does get into some of the interesting small mob type crime that can go on when dealing with the government, in this case Medicare and Medicaid, and with the usual twists and turns of Kinsey's cases. In this case though, there is no definitive whodunnit. The reader seems to be left to pick thier own person.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Kinsey Millhone, private eye, investigates a missing man at the bequest of the ex-wife. Lots of possible suspects. And, the ending is left hanging. Can't tell who did it. In fact the ending is not a typical ending for Grafton at all, there's no wrap-up note by Kinsey explaining her findings. I actually thought pages/ chapter was missing, until I read others reviews with the same concern. Grafton does throw in another subplot, I guess to make the story longer? This one is frustrating and not Grafton's best.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Don't do this to yourself. If you are reading this series, just skip this book. I've read the entire series up to Q so far and they have been good, despite the authors overzealous and unnecessary description on anything and everything. Sue Grafton has some great characters that you come to love and twisting story plots to go with it. And to top every book off she has a letter from Kinsey to the reader, detailing the specifics of who-done-it and what happened to them. This book is longer than the others and it just seems like she got tired of writing and said "Eh. They can figure it out for themselves." I swore to myself that I must have had a bad copy of the book. I scoured the bookstores in hopes of finding this missing ending and letter from Kinsey. All to no avail. There is no ending to this book. One could probably narrow it down to 2 people that killed the poor guy, but that just doesn't seem good enough for me. Skip this book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    P is for Peril is the 16th book in the Kinsey Millhone series. Kinsey is a private investigator who has a tendency to get herself into trouble, either though trying to do the right thing or just letting her curiosity get the better of her. This story is no different. This one was a quick read and I would say an average story as far as the series goes. This is one that had 2 separate cases going at the same time. One a missing Doctor who's Ex-wife hires Kinsey to find him and I won't spoil the other one. However she is thinking about finding an new office because Lonnie (her current landlord) is moving to a new building shortly and this does cause a few problems she doesn't want.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I love reading Sue Grafton books. Her descriptions are so dense I can always SMELL the fog and eucalyptus along the sandy shore. Her characters are quirky, but always consistent. I knew I had read this book before when I started it. But once I started it, I knew I was going to finish it before I put it down again. I was hooked by the first paragraph.This time Kinsey is looking for a missing doctor, the head of a nursing facility who is being investigated for Medicare fraud. There are so many people who could have killed him; his ex-wife, his silent thieving partners or various fired employees. It could have been suicide. The mystery is solved -- completely and succinctly -- on the last page. Meanwhile Kinsey is the focus of a sociopath who killed his parents. This third of the book is a bit weak. The danger is resolved suddenly and not very convincingly. Anyone else in her situation would not have survived. But all in all, comparing this to all the other books I have read lately, it is the only one that I know I could read again with real enjoyment.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Missing person. Not her best work, obviously contrived plots and less believable characters. Kinsey is hired to find the missing doctor by his ex-wife. It appears the doctor was involved in medical fraud. Is is suicide or murder. Who cares? none of the characters convince that well, the motives are poor, and the story tangled, but not resolved.Random Subplot: Kinsey is kicked suddenly out of her office and tries to rent from two crooks. What is this storyline doing in this book? It is long, contrived and adds nothing.Bonus Second random subplot: Rosie's sister's records, at least this almost fits in to the mainstoryline.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The ending stinks!! It left too much undone. Even reading it thru the second time knowing the ending it still didn't make sense! Maybe Sue got tired of it and didn't see fit to end it?
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I HATED the ending -- I actually thought there were surely pages MISSING at the end!