"M is for Malice" is a very good modern American mystery story authored by Sue Grafton. The protagonist is Kinsey Millhone a 35 year old female, former police officer, private detective residing in the fictional town of Sante Teresa, California. The stories are a series titled in alphabetical order. Each novel is a standalone story. However there is an ongoing development of characters including the protagonist that makes reading the stories in order additionally entertaining. I have read every story in order Up through "M". This may be my favorite thus far. Some authors mature as they write subsequent novels. Sue Grafton was a mature author when she wrote "A". So the style is largely consistent.
These stories are of medium length. They generally fall into the category of what I think of as light entertainment, and mostly as an easy reading experience. I once heard a gentleman on You Tube call the series literary comfort food. I felt that was an apt description. I do find that Sue Grafton is very descriptive in regard to scenery and very artistic in regard to metaphor. In ordered to get as much as possible out of reading these novels, I often reread sections to capture these details. I have had readers tell me that they are not as enthralled by descriptive description of scenery as I am. This could affect one's own perception of these novels.
In regard to "M", I felt this was a very clever story. I am a retired police detective of violent felonies. Sue Grafton often surprises me with the solution to a mystery. Many authors do. I did happen to guess partially correctly about this story. That may be because I have read all of the prior stories and understand the author somewhat. That has happened to me with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, whose stories I also read in order. However in both cases, that really in no way affects my enjoyment of the stories.
What I really like about these stories is slowly getting to know Kinsey Millhone and her associates. I also really like her depiction of scenery. In a possibly irrelevant sense, what I don't like in general about the character, NOT THE WRITING, is Kinsey Millhone's willingness to tell lies and even break laws herself. As I said that may not matter to a reader. I did not tolerate that as a police officer. But this is fiction and fun...
In summary I really liked this particular novel and Sue Grafton in general. This is a standalone story, but the prior stories do add color and background. I almost always take a break between books by the same author. In a month or two I hope to read "N". Thank You for taking the time to read this review.
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Most Satisfying Mystery
".....Book for book Sue Grafton's Alphabet books may be the MOST SATISFYING MYSTERY series going."--- The Wall Street Journal[from the back cover of the audio cassettes case]
Top reviews from other countries
SUZIEQ
Excellent series of books.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 27, 2020
