W is For Wasted: Kinsey Millhone Mystery
Written by Sue Grafton
Narrated by Judy Kaye
4/5
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Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this audiobook
Two dead bodies changed the course of my life that fall. One of them I knew and the other I'd never laid eyes on until I saw him in the morgue.
The first was a local PI of suspect reputation. He'd been gunned down near the beach at Santa Teresa. It looked like a robbery gone bad. The other was on the beach six weeks later. He'd been sleeping rough. Probably homeless. No identification. A slip of paper with Millhone's name and number was in his pants pocket. The coroner asked her to come to the morgue to see if she could ID him.
Two seemingly unrelated deaths, one a murder, the other apparently of natural causes.
But as Kinsey digs deeper into the mystery of the John Doe, some very strange linkages begin to emerge. And before long at least one aspect is solved as Kinsey literally finds the key to his identity. "And just like that," she says, "the lid to Pandora's box flew open. It would take me another day before I understood how many imps had been freed, but for the moment, I was inordinately pleased with myself."
In this multilayered tale, the surfaces seem clear, but the underpinnings are full of betrayals, misunderstandings, and outright murderous fraud. And Kinsey, through no fault of her own, is thoroughly compromised.
W is for . . . wanderer . . . worthless . . . wronged . . .
W is for wasted.
Sue Grafton
Sue Grafton was one of the most popular female writers, both in the UK and in the US. Born in Kentucky in 1940, she began her career as a TV scriptwriter before Kinsey Millhone and the 'alphabet' series took off. Two of the novels B is for Burglar and C is for Corpse won the first Anthony Awards for Best Novel. Sue lived and wrote in Montecito, California and Louisville, Kentucky.
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Reviews for W is For Wasted
486 ratings54 reviews
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Good, but certainly not the best in the series. I felt it started out strong, then got boring in the middle, then became more interesting in the end.
I did not like when she switched to Pete's point of view. And I did not like the skipping back and forth between present and past. It seemed a little preachy about homeless people too. Kinsey meets some distant relatives, and they are not likable at all, and don't add anything to the story. An old love interest comes back, and then promptly leaves. What was the point of that?
I like the parts with Henry and William. The cat was cute too. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Classic Kinsey Millhone. I was glad to see her landlord is still a part of the series.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The local coroner calls Kinsey and asks her if she knows a Terrance Dace because his body is in the morgue and her name and address are in his pocket. The name means nothing but she goes and has a look and does not recognize him. Soon though she realizes he is a distant cousin through her father and when they open his safety deposit box in the bank it is discovered that has left her all his money and made her his executor. He has also exclude his three children from the will.Meanwhile a PI by the name of Pete Wolinsky who Kinsey had work with a few times, is found murdered in a park. Eventually Kinsey discovers that her cousin Terrance was taking part in a drug research project being run by a doctor who had a some connection to Pete. Kinsy's life becomes very complicated with trying to learn whether Terrance's death was caused by the drug being tested while also researching why Terrance;s children were angry with him.Kinsey's on again/off again lover, Dietz shows up because he is slightly involved in Wolinsky's activities. Again he leaves her unhappy.This is another cracker story which I am tempted to say is her best but I definitely feel one her of best. Great complicated plot which is also full of interesting characters. The novel makes one think about homelessness as some of the most interesting characters are homeless. As well she raises the question of drug research and the pressure brought on by drug companies to show success.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5BOTTOM-LINE:Great plot twist, too long a story for what's there..PLOT OR PREMISE:Two deaths get Kinsey off and running - the apparent mugging death of a low-rent private investigator known for cutting corners and a John Doe homeless guy who died with Kinsey's business address in his pocket..WHAT I LIKED:Kinsey gets involved with the homeless friends of the dead guy, and Felix, Pearl and Dandy are great to read about. She finds out who he was, locates some personal effects, a safety deposit box and a will…and the will has a plot twist the size of Everest. It is flat-out AWESOME. And Kinsey picks up some cousins..WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:The mystery takes a long time to get to the end, when the cause is obvious pretty fast..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 stars4/5Always love Sue Grafton and Kinsey Millhone... perhaps me in another life? I think I could be a misfit PI who manages to get into just enough trouble without getting killed. I love the continuation of relationships across the books and look forward to seeing if the "new found dysfunctional family" shows up in future ones! And then there's Dietz...
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Kinsey follows the murder of a homeless man. Solid plot, with interesting side issues that come together at the end. Good read.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The narrative style of this series has changed. I used to love the fiercely independent Kinsey Millhone--in this book she seems more depressed than independent.
The storyline is solid though I didn't like that Grafton resorted to flashbacks of Wolinsky to tell his story. - Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I remember my delight in finding the Alphabet Series by Sue Grafton. As I finished the first few titles, I also remember wondering if the series would still be as wonderful by the time the 26 titles were completed. In completing each novel along the way, it didn't seem possible that the next title could be any better. But it definitely was always better and always amazing! That is, until now. It was still Kinsey Millhone with all of her favorite sidekicks but for the first time ever it seemed to take longer than usual to "want" to finish the novel. I'm staying hopeful for X, Y, and Z. After all, 1 out of 26 moving toward the disappointment end of the scale can't change the hours of reading pleasure of the 1st 22.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sue Grafton continues to give us new and different cases for private investigator Kinsey Milhone. Fans of the series (and I'm one) don't mind waiting awhile between books because we know we're not going to get cookie cutter mysteries. This one is elegant. There's a murder, there are missing persons, there's even some genealogy involving Kinsey's past. Another great addition to a long running series worth reading again from the beginning.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Very slow moving, found it hard to get through as not as good as expected from this author in my opinion
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/52 seemingly unrelated cases become entangled in this outing for Kinsey Millhone. Easy reading but could do with a bit more grit.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5It took me a while to get into it - a little too much of the 'oh, this again' feeling, but it passed. We learn more about Kinsey's family, this time on her father's side, and that lends some interest to an otherwise pretty predictable set of interacting occurrences. I think this one is a little light on other characters' backgrounds, but still enjoyable.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I so admire Sue Grafton and her ability to continue to write excellent installments in this long running series. Always a great, turn paging read, and I'm always left wanting more!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5After more than 20 books, you know what you’re getting with a Kinsey novel. This one was actually one of my favorites. It starts with two dead bodies, a homeless man and a shady PI. Then it ties it all together with a devious doctor. We also learn a bit more about Kinsey’s father’s history and get some good interaction with her fantastic elderly neighbor Henry. Her old flame Deitz is back for a bit too. Lots of trademark Kinsey snark and a satisfying conclusion.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5What can I say? I've loved the Kinsey Milhone books ever since A is for Alibi. I don't think I've missed a single one, and I still enjoy them from beginning to end. This was the audiobook, and well-narrated in a voice that I could buy into for the character. Looking forward to a few more yet!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Another great Kinsey Millhone story. Kinsey finds more family and of course they bring more complications and even danger.
I've enjoyed seeing Kinsey develop over the years and this books adds another block to her character.
As I read the book I could feel a dread growing in me, thinking "No, no, you really don't want to do that!" The last chapter brings all of the threads together, and the only discontent is that there isn't anymore story to read! - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Always love Sue Grafton and Kinsey Millhone... perhaps me in another life? I think I could be a misfit PI who manages to get into just enough trouble without getting killed. I love the continuation of relationships across the books and look forward to seeing if the "new found dysfunctional family" shows up in future ones! And then there's Dietz...
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Love the way Kinsey is, what she does. Perfect.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Much the same as all the others - the time lag discontinuity is really starting to tell now. Fortunately Grafton adds a few gratuitous reminders so that we remember it's set in '88 rather than the present day. the anachronisms of hunting for change to use a payphone kiosk must strike younger readers as particularly absurd.For one reason and another I've not been keeping up with this series recently and it appears I missed the last volume altogether. However that doesn't seem to make any difference in Kinsey's ongoing soap opera lifestyle. The same blokes appear, and her elderly neighbor hasn't yet changed in 23 books (and however many years it's supposed to have been). The random side-plots relate to Kinsey;s family on her father's side (conveniently forgotten about until now) and a kitten.The rest of the quest is somewhat contrived but not totally horrendously so. Kinsey's great uncle is a homeless person in ST, whom she doesn't know. When he dies (and is robbed) his sole possession is her name and number, accounts from his local down and out friends indicate he's been undecided about contacting her for some time. It takes Kinsey a while to realise who this person is, but as he had her number she feels somewhat obliged to do some minimal research - discovering some more extended family in the process. The other death that happens about this time is that of a local low-life PI, whom Kinsey had little time for, and it's only when Kinsey realises the same name crops up in both investigations does she start to wonder if they may be connected. Because Grafton's randomly inserted a couple of chapters out of time sequence from this PI's POV, do we as readers realise what's going on. It's far from my favorite writing technique and completely unnecessary, taking out any sense of mystery or suspense.As I said, much the same as the others, if you've enjoyed them this one won't disappoint, but they are thoroughly lightweight reading.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5OK, not great. No real mystery here, and Grafton continues to pad her books with inconsequential tidbits like what Kinsey eats for breakfast and when she goes to the bathroom. Now there's even a cat. Yawn.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A very satisfying read. Spending time with Kinsey Millhone is always a delight!
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5There was a distinct, "Kinsey Millhone, this is your life," cast to this book. There was so much crammed into it and whenever emotional/relationship-type things come into heavy play with Grafton's Alphabet series, I tend to feel the mystery/suspense part suffers a glossing over that's pretty unsatisfying. There was a bit of that in W but it wasn't as bad as in previous books. I wouldn't say this is one of the best books in the series but there were some shining moments that I enjoyed.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The author is very vociferous. I felt as though she created lists to fill word count.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Excellent, as usual. I will be sorry when she finishes the alphabet -- what to read next?!
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5This was my introduction to Sue Grafton. She is apparently very prolific. I read who- dun -its in between other genres because they are usually entertaining and don't require a lot of deep intellectual scrutiny. I found this to be well written with good character development, a good plot and many surprises.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I can understand other readers' disappointment with this installment of Grafton's series, but what can I say: I was just happy to spend some time with Kinsey again. She is truly one of my favorite literary characters--I love her mouth, her prickly attitude, her underlying heart of gold, and most of all her fabulous little apartment, which I want to live in. And I'm always amazed at how much detail Grafton is able to pack into her novels; since _A is for Alibi_ I've been especially interested in the ways she focuses on what and how people work and eat and talk. She uses those things so well that they remind us how much we can learn about people by observing them closely, as Kinsey does. And no one writes better dialogue.So, are there some aspects of the characterization that don't work as well here as in other books in the series? I suppose. Maybe. But Grafton is a master of the genre--even with some slips, her books are still far better written than pretty much any other mass-market detective novel out there.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I've been a Kinsey Millhone fan since 1987 (that's when I purchased "A" is for Alibi. I used to write date of purchases within books back in the day, but no longer). I was a teen and young adult during the 1980s, so I remember that era well and therefore I can't help but catch little details that were missed in editing, such as a character wearing long baggy basketball shorts. I'm pretty sure that if anyone wore basketball shorts in public back in 1988 (when W is for Wasted takes place), they would have been the short butt-hugging kind. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, though, as this book was a page-turner for me, as is the usual for Grafton's work. A lot of amazing coincidences that tie everything together, although they all gradually lead up to the conclusion.Now that there are three letters (and books) left in the alphabet, I am thinking of re-reading all of Grafton's works over the next few years. That'd be a good pastime over the next couple summers!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5AUTHOR: GRAFTON, SueTITLE: W is for Wasted Date Read: 01/20/14RATING: 5/AGENRE/PUB DATE/PUBLISHER/# OF PGS: Crime Fiction/2013/Putnam/484 pgsSERIES/STAND ALONE: #23TIME/PLACE: 1980's/CaliforniaCHARACTERS: Kinsey Millhone/PI FIRST LINES: Two dead men changed the course of my life that fall. COMMENTS: Sue Grafton is still a great read for me. Despite it taking me a while to finish -- I think my not feeling well was more at fault than the book content -- I really enjoyed this 23rd entry in the Alphabet series. As mentioned in the 1st line -- 2 men of seeming little importance to Kinsey really changed her perspective. R.T. Dace is a homeless man found dead by the beach -- she is contacted since her name & # is listed as his next of kin contact. She finds out even tho' he has 3 adult children, they are estranged & she is a distant relative. She is related to him on her father's side -- she knows little of this part of her family background. Pete Wolinsky, another local PI is murdered late that summer -- someone Kinsey worked w/ briefly when she started out. He was not a man of integrity when it came to business & someone Kinsey really had little contact w/ but his death is somehow related to R.T. Dace and she gets another view of him through his widow.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A homeless man died on the beach. Nothing that would interest Kinsey, except that he had her phone number in his pocket, a man she'd never met. With business being slow, and being the curious person she is, the had to find out who he was. But, as with many mysteries, little is as it seems. This story takes some odd and unexpected turns as Kinsey investigates. In this book, Kinsey confronts past associates as unrelated stories begin to interlock. Kinsey gets to know some homeless people, Sue Grafton give them full and interesting characters that feel real. Another portion of the book involves Kinsey's relatives. She encounters relatives on her father's side and starts to address he thoughts about family and her independence again. The book moves well and has interesting characters and plot lines. It is a must for anyone reading the series, and would make a good stand-alone mystery.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Decent Kinsey Millhone novel, but not outstanding. Steady, consistent read. Kinsey is dragged into searching for information about the death of Terence Randall, a vagabond and drunk, especially after she discovers that he is related to her deceased father's side of the family and that he has left her a little more than half a million dollars.