V is for Vengence by Sue Grafton

Reading Sue Grafton’s latest Kinsey Millhone mystery, V is for Vengeance, is sort of like slipping into an old pair of sweats – comfortable but not terribly exciting. The story is set in motion when California P.I. Kinsey visits a Nordstrom’s lingerie sale and spots a woman shoplifting. Kinsey alerts the store’s security, the women is caught, and later apparently commits suicide by jumping off a bridge. Or does she? And what about the woman she was “shopping” with who almost runs Kinsey down in the parking garage? Kinsey dons her faithful little black dress to attend the viewing (and hopefully spot the shoplifter’s accomplice) and soon becomes entangles in yet another mystery. This book differs from Grafton’s earlier works by shifting between three points of view -- Kinsey, the mobster Dante, and rich housewife Nora. While Grafton manages to bring these three characters stories together in the end, she takes her time getting there. As usual she goes into way too much detail about Kinsey’s daily routines. Series readers will enjoy the appearances of well-loved characters (even Rosie) but can’t help wishing Kinsey could have found happier way to spend her 38th birthday.