Status
Available
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
G.P. Putnam's Sons (2016), 576 pages
Description
" Of the #1 New York Times-bestselling Kinsey Millhone series, NPR said, "Makes me wish there were more than 26 letters." 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"-- "A novel in Sue Grafton's bestselling alphabet series featuring Kinsey Milhone" /… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member reading_fox
Much 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
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.
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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.
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LibraryThing member mfdavis
Excellent, as usual. I will be sorry when she finishes the alphabet -- what to read next?!
LibraryThing member AmberEgan
Sue Grafton explores the plight of the homeless as she is pulled into an unusual case. The only difficulty I had was when she used today's choice term "African-American" rather than the term Black American that was actually in use during the 1980's were the story is place. Some other modern day
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terms and references slipped in here and there. Kinsey remains steadfast in her character as does her landlord. Show Less
LibraryThing member beckyhaase
W IS FOR WASTED by Sue Grafton
Grafton has written another winner. The characters are real. The conversation is logical. The view expressed of the homeless is very interesting. The mystery is quirky enough to keep you reading. The “new” family members for Kinsey are always a revelation. Not
Grafton has written another winner. The characters are real. The conversation is logical. The view expressed of the homeless is very interesting. The mystery is quirky enough to keep you reading. The “new” family members for Kinsey are always a revelation. Not
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quite sure how this fits with the previous books, but I am happy for Kinsey’s new found wealth. All in all, a good read from a favorite author. Show Less
LibraryThing member Betty.Ann.Beam
This 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
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surprises. Show Less
LibraryThing member lkernagh
Another solid installment in the Kinsey Millhone series. I really enjoy the stories where we get to see parts of Kinsey’s past, where unknown family members come to light. What makes these stories such a treat to read (for me) is the detailed 1980’s California setting and Kinsey’s personal
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code of ethics, which leads Kinsey to involve herself in cases that other PI’s would probably turn a blind eye to. This story has a sadder atmosphere to it as the issues on tap in this installment are the plight of the homeless, the challenges (and perils) of navigating tricky family relationships and the ethics when running a human drug development clinical trial. Grafton continues to provide her signature escalation to a suspenseful (and for me, unpredictable) plot climax, while pulling two seemingly divergent storylines together into a cohesive unit. Yes, I was a little saddened that Kinsey’s love life continues to be on the skids but it was still great to see her three exes all back in this story, along with her wonderful landlord Henry Pitt and his hypochondriac brother William. Show Less
LibraryThing member allenkl
Superbly written! The intricately crafted, interwoven plot requires thoughtful, intelligent reading. The best of the series.
LibraryThing member Judiex
Very few writers have been able to successfully write as many mysteries as Sue Grafton has done in her alphabet series. Too often they get complacent and the later stories become cookie cutter publications. In her latest, W IS FOR WASTED, she again offers a fresh, well-written story.
Private
Eventually, the death of both men reveal a common thread that actually lead to their deaths.
Grafton’s descriptions create a very visual picture of what is going on, though in one case I think she went a bit too far. Describing the hotel conference room was fine. We didn’t have to know what kind of food or writing materials were not on the empty tables.
In the book, there are references to previous stories and some characters are reintroduced.
One comment I found thought provoking was, “The meaning of life (assuming there is one) is the glue we use to join events, trying to fill the cracks in hopes the whole of it will make sense,”
I was surprised to find two storyline errors: On one page Kinsey thinks, “It was 11:45 and I was starving. I hadn’t bothered to eat anything before I left the hotel. I’d been more interested in getting the journey under way than in feeding my face.” On the next page she thinks, “Since I’d eaten breakfast a scant three hours before....” In another location she tells a character “...I would have told you not to come because you can’t afford it.” But she had told her that previously.
And she doesn’t say how Ed got out of the house.
W IS FOR WASTED offers as original, well-told story. I finished it at 3:30 AM. Sue Graton proves a mystery doesn’t need car wrecks, steamy sex scenes, detailed descriptions of murder victims, or excessive, extreme profanity in order to be a best selling book (which I am certain this will be).
There are only three letters left in the alphabet. I wonder if she will move on to double letters or numbers as the series continues.
Private
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Investigator Kinsey Millhone was affected by the deaths of two men. One was Pete Wolinsky, an unethical PI, who was apparently shot in a hold-up. The second was an unidentified man found whose body was found in a sleeping bag on the beach. In his pocket was a piece of paper with Kinsey’s name. Kinsey, however, had never seen him before and even after he was identified by some homeless people who knew him as one of their own had no idea who he was or why he had her name. His death was to affect her life in more ways than she could ever have imagined.Eventually, the death of both men reveal a common thread that actually lead to their deaths.
Grafton’s descriptions create a very visual picture of what is going on, though in one case I think she went a bit too far. Describing the hotel conference room was fine. We didn’t have to know what kind of food or writing materials were not on the empty tables.
In the book, there are references to previous stories and some characters are reintroduced.
One comment I found thought provoking was, “The meaning of life (assuming there is one) is the glue we use to join events, trying to fill the cracks in hopes the whole of it will make sense,”
I was surprised to find two storyline errors: On one page Kinsey thinks, “It was 11:45 and I was starving. I hadn’t bothered to eat anything before I left the hotel. I’d been more interested in getting the journey under way than in feeding my face.” On the next page she thinks, “Since I’d eaten breakfast a scant three hours before....” In another location she tells a character “...I would have told you not to come because you can’t afford it.” But she had told her that previously.
And she doesn’t say how Ed got out of the house.
W IS FOR WASTED offers as original, well-told story. I finished it at 3:30 AM. Sue Graton proves a mystery doesn’t need car wrecks, steamy sex scenes, detailed descriptions of murder victims, or excessive, extreme profanity in order to be a best selling book (which I am certain this will be).
There are only three letters left in the alphabet. I wonder if she will move on to double letters or numbers as the series continues.
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LibraryThing member chasidar
I always look forward to the release of Sue Grafton's next book in the alphabet series, but W definitely was for wasted, waste of time.
The story was so convoluted and hard to follow, and uninteresting as well. Unlikeable characters and cameos by Kinsey's former flames did nothing to help the
Hope that X is better!
The story was so convoluted and hard to follow, and uninteresting as well. Unlikeable characters and cameos by Kinsey's former flames did nothing to help the
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story.Hope that X is better!
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LibraryThing member shelleyraec
I think it was in the early 1990′s that I first discovered Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone series, and I immediately raced through the alphabet then waited impatiently each year for the next installment. W is for Wasted is the 23rd novel and Grafton has confirmed there are just three to
Despite my longstanding love of the series, I have to admit I was a little disappointed with W is for Wasted. Though Kinsey is still a character I both like and admire, though she has mellowed considerably over the years, the plot was fairly lacklustre and the book length (704 pages) extravagant.
When a homeless man is found dead on the beach, PI Kinsey Millhone can’t explain why the stranger has her name and phone number in his pocket but Kinsey’s curiosity, fueled by a lull in work, finds her out on the streets to try and find out more about the unidentified ‘John Doe’ and what he may have wanted with her. She is stunned when she learns that the dead man, Randy Terrence Dace, was actually related to her and he has left Kinsey half a million dollars. As Kinsey digs deeper into the tragic history of Dace, she uncovers a surprising connection between the man and the murder of a colleague, Pete Wolinsky six months prior.
There are dual narratives in W is For Wasted. Kinsey’s familiar first person and a third person perspective that tracks Pete Wolinsky in the lead up to his death. The issue for me here was that essentially we are ahead of Kinsey in terms of the main arc, thanks to Wolinksy’s narrative, and always waiting for her to catch up. The links between the two cases are quickly obvious and to me it felt it all dragged on too long. With few surprises and very little action, there is no real urgency about the investigation until the last few pages.
It is family that challenges Kinsey the most in W is for Wasted, in naming her the executor and main beneficiary of his will, Dace forces her to confront her ‘orphaned’ status, and her avoidance of family relationships. Dace’s disinherited adult children are unimpressed with Kinsey’s claim of kinship, and while Kinsey has no desire to ‘play happy families’ she is surprised to find herself ruminating on what it would have been like to have had family, aside from her aunt, growing up.
Familiar cast members make an appearance, Henry is readying his garden for winter, William is moaning as usual, this time about his sciatica, and Kinsey’s on again, off again lover, Robert Dietz, makes a brief appearance as does former partners Cheney Phillips and Jonah Robb. For readers familiar with the series, these constants, and reminders, are a joy.
My familiarity with this series means comparisons between the books are inevitable and though I don’t think this is Grafton’s strongest installment, W for Wasted is still a good read for fans. With Kinsey’s story nearly over, I wouldn’t want to miss anything anyway.
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go.Despite my longstanding love of the series, I have to admit I was a little disappointed with W is for Wasted. Though Kinsey is still a character I both like and admire, though she has mellowed considerably over the years, the plot was fairly lacklustre and the book length (704 pages) extravagant.
When a homeless man is found dead on the beach, PI Kinsey Millhone can’t explain why the stranger has her name and phone number in his pocket but Kinsey’s curiosity, fueled by a lull in work, finds her out on the streets to try and find out more about the unidentified ‘John Doe’ and what he may have wanted with her. She is stunned when she learns that the dead man, Randy Terrence Dace, was actually related to her and he has left Kinsey half a million dollars. As Kinsey digs deeper into the tragic history of Dace, she uncovers a surprising connection between the man and the murder of a colleague, Pete Wolinsky six months prior.
There are dual narratives in W is For Wasted. Kinsey’s familiar first person and a third person perspective that tracks Pete Wolinsky in the lead up to his death. The issue for me here was that essentially we are ahead of Kinsey in terms of the main arc, thanks to Wolinksy’s narrative, and always waiting for her to catch up. The links between the two cases are quickly obvious and to me it felt it all dragged on too long. With few surprises and very little action, there is no real urgency about the investigation until the last few pages.
It is family that challenges Kinsey the most in W is for Wasted, in naming her the executor and main beneficiary of his will, Dace forces her to confront her ‘orphaned’ status, and her avoidance of family relationships. Dace’s disinherited adult children are unimpressed with Kinsey’s claim of kinship, and while Kinsey has no desire to ‘play happy families’ she is surprised to find herself ruminating on what it would have been like to have had family, aside from her aunt, growing up.
Familiar cast members make an appearance, Henry is readying his garden for winter, William is moaning as usual, this time about his sciatica, and Kinsey’s on again, off again lover, Robert Dietz, makes a brief appearance as does former partners Cheney Phillips and Jonah Robb. For readers familiar with the series, these constants, and reminders, are a joy.
My familiarity with this series means comparisons between the books are inevitable and though I don’t think this is Grafton’s strongest installment, W for Wasted is still a good read for fans. With Kinsey’s story nearly over, I wouldn’t want to miss anything anyway.
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LibraryThing member dihiba
Grafton does not disappoint - her books get better and better although I would say "V" was a cut above "W". Enjoyed this one a lot, and am usually impressed that Grafton writes the way Kinsey would have done in the 80's - but she falls down here with some current expressions ("Lawyer up", "How cool
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is that?") that just weren't around in the 80's. And having had babies in the 80's I know the infant garment was not called a "onesie" back then - nor were brides wearing strapless wedding gowns (remember the 80's fashions? poofy and froufrou!). I find these things grating - they are so easily avoided and kind of spoil the point of setting the stories in the past. A minor complaint, though, my first time reading a Kinsey book as soon as it came out! Looking forward to X. Show Less
LibraryThing member she_climber
I love this series and it's like a favorite holiday whenever the next installment in the series comes out. The building excitement. The hesitation to devour it too quickly and attempts to savor it. And finally, succumbing to all it has to offer because you can't control yourself. And this book was
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no different. I have "read" everyone of this series on audio and Judy Kaye is the voice of Kinsey Millhone for me, and I wouldn't have it any other way. This story starts with two completely different storylines with seemingly no connection between what's going on with Kinsey and her old "friend" Pete. Little by little you begin see small points of intersection until you just want to scream at Kinsey, "Can't you see!?!?!" as she stumbles around. Grafton doesn't hold back any details of the crime from the reader, the suspense is all in trying to get Kinsey up to speed. And she does it well. I can't wait for my next Kinsey Millhone holiday. Show Less
LibraryThing member Lisa2013
Recommended for: every reader who’s read A through V, and hurry up because these books are improving!
It was so wonderful to be in Kinsey’s company once again, and Henry’s, the only landlord I’ve ever loved, let alone liked. Henry is one of my very favorite people/characters.
My only 2
William is a hoot; I love him. Best of all, there is a new character in this book: a wonderful cat.
This book has, for me, the perfect balance of Kinsey alone vs. Kinsey with family ties, such as they are. I love the atypical mystery. There are just a few scary parts. Most of the story was a comfort read for me, as I reveled in the familiar and likeable (for whatever reasons) characters.
These alphabet series books have become nearly ideal comfort reads for me. I hope I’m around to read X, Y, and Z. (Hurry up, Sue!!!) I feel relieved knowing that Henry, and I assume Kinsey, will survive throughout.
Overall, Sue Grafton’s books keep improving. This book is one of my very favorites, maybe even my favorite of the bunch.
I know the times are back in the late 80s, and in a somewhat different type of place from what I’m used to, but I do remember to back then too, and the summary of and philosophizing about the homeless situation didn’t work for me, not enough for me to bring my rating to 4 stars though.
I borrowed my copy from the library. Virtually all libraries, at least in the U.S., are likely to have it. If you want to buy it, I heartily recommend independent bookstores. At Sue Grafton’s website, it lists her signing events, and the sites range from independent bookstores to libraries to book fairs, and yes some major chains and big box stores also. I’ve heard her speak (I forget what book she was promoting at the time) but I’ve never gotten a book signed by her. (I do own several of the alphabet series books, some in hardcover, some in paperback.) I’d love signed copies! Otherwise, I’m happy and grateful to be reading copies borrowed from the library.
It was so wonderful to be in Kinsey’s company once again, and Henry’s, the only landlord I’ve ever loved, let alone liked. Henry is one of my very favorite people/characters.
My only 2
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quibbles with this book, it’s that I’d have wanted even more of Henry than was provided and the author’s reflections on homelessness, particularly in the last few pages, when she writes a bit of here own philosophy, I think, and I believe misses the mark.William is a hoot; I love him. Best of all, there is a new character in this book: a wonderful cat.
This book has, for me, the perfect balance of Kinsey alone vs. Kinsey with family ties, such as they are. I love the atypical mystery. There are just a few scary parts. Most of the story was a comfort read for me, as I reveled in the familiar and likeable (for whatever reasons) characters.
These alphabet series books have become nearly ideal comfort reads for me. I hope I’m around to read X, Y, and Z. (Hurry up, Sue!!!) I feel relieved knowing that Henry, and I assume Kinsey, will survive throughout.
Overall, Sue Grafton’s books keep improving. This book is one of my very favorites, maybe even my favorite of the bunch.
I know the times are back in the late 80s, and in a somewhat different type of place from what I’m used to, but I do remember to back then too, and the summary of and philosophizing about the homeless situation didn’t work for me, not enough for me to bring my rating to 4 stars though.
I borrowed my copy from the library. Virtually all libraries, at least in the U.S., are likely to have it. If you want to buy it, I heartily recommend independent bookstores. At Sue Grafton’s website, it lists her signing events, and the sites range from independent bookstores to libraries to book fairs, and yes some major chains and big box stores also. I’ve heard her speak (I forget what book she was promoting at the time) but I’ve never gotten a book signed by her. (I do own several of the alphabet series books, some in hardcover, some in paperback.) I’d love signed copies! Otherwise, I’m happy and grateful to be reading copies borrowed from the library.
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LibraryThing member Kathy89
Kinsey's called to the morgue to identify a man who she doesn't know but has her name and business address in his pocket. Turns out he was on his way to see her and was a distant cousin who had rewritten his will leaving 600,000 million dollars to her much to the dismay of his disinherited
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children. Kinsey starts digging into his past to discover why he did this and learns more about her family's past, his life, his children and his friends. Show Less
LibraryThing member mikedraper
The story takes us back to 1988 when Kinsey Millhone was age 38.
It is interesting to look back on a popular character and learn some of the things that make her what she is.
This story is of two cases Kinsey is investigating.
In one case, a homeless man is found with Kinsey's name and phone number.
The other case involves a crocked PI who tried to blackmail a research scientist. The PI was found shot to death.
I enjoyed the story and learning about some of the homeless people and how they came to their plight. I also found it interesting to read about the medical experiments the researcher was doing and how he tried to hide his failed experiments.
It is interesting to look back on a popular character and learn some of the things that make her what she is.
This story is of two cases Kinsey is investigating.
In one case, a homeless man is found with Kinsey's name and phone number.
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She investigates and learns that the man was a former convict whose conviction was overturned when the guilty man admitted he acted alone. The man also turns out to be a distant cousin of Kinsey's. She is asked to be the administrator of his estate.The other case involves a crocked PI who tried to blackmail a research scientist. The PI was found shot to death.
I enjoyed the story and learning about some of the homeless people and how they came to their plight. I also found it interesting to read about the medical experiments the researcher was doing and how he tried to hide his failed experiments.
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LibraryThing member clsnyder
Really hideously bad. Tin ear for dialog, ridiculous plot, piles of superfluous uninteresting details, topped by final fight scene where main character plans to sacrifice herself for a stray cat (seriously).
LibraryThing member Romonko
After 22 books in this wonderful series, Ms. Grafton might be forgiven if her heroine and her storylines got a teeny bit stale. But that hasn't happened yet, and I don't expect it ever will with this series. This book is quite a bit different than the normal Kinsey fare because for a good part of
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the book Kinsey didn't realize she even had a case. But as things played out after she received a very startling piece of news, she began to realize that there was more to the whole thing than she realized. We are also treated to a really up close and personal look at the lives of the homeless in this book. The book is set in 1988, and Kinsey is taking a little break from her PI business. Being Kinsey, that doesn't mean a holiday somewhere sunny, but it means a chance for her to do her own thing and follow her own agenda. Then something wierd happens when she's asked to idenify a man who was found dead in his sleeping bag in his usual living space by the beach and under the stars. She's sure she's never seen him before, but why does he have her name and phone number in his pocket? She has to find out who this homeless man was. On the way she meets some truly delightful friends of the dead man who are also street people. The book is quirky and fun just like Kinsey herself. I am a true fan and I always can't wait for the next additon to this alphabet mystery series. What gives me pause is that we are now on W and that leaves only three more letters in the alphabet. Maybe Ms. Grafton can start on the Greek alphabet after this because I sure don't want to put away Kinsey Millhone. Show Less
LibraryThing member DrApple
AA nice addition to the alphabet series.
LibraryThing member zoomball
Listened to the audio. At times I felt that the level of detail of routine activity would drive me nuts (couldn't skim with audio). And the amount of history up front (to make this book stand alone?) was tiresome. But I kept with it. I'm pretty good with puzzles, but I really didn't see how all the
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pieces of the story would eventually meld. Good story, Show Less
LibraryThing member EdGoldberg
I can't believe I forgot to post this two months ago. Forgetful me. W is for Wasted by Sue Grafton is the latest in her alphabet mystery series. As always, it's an enjoyable read. She mixes two disparate deaths into one cohesive story, adding additional members to her family tree as well.
The first
The second body is that of a homeless man, found on the beach, who happened to have Kinsey Millhone's name and phone number on a piece of paper in his pocket. The only problem is: she's never met the man. Of course, Kinsey can't pass up a mystery and tries to track down the man's name and history.
Along the way, Kinsey befriends several homeless people, finds new relatives, works with several old flames. Of the 'regulars', her landlord and friend, Henry, is there. William is there briefly and Rosie just barely. Of the three, I always liked Henry the best and if I make it to my nineties, I want Henry to be my role model. (I especially like the fact that he bakes...and I really want his cinnamon bun recipe.) Yikes! I almost forgot to mention the introduction of a major new character: a cat named Ed. Having recently been the recipient of my own feline, named Mama Boots, the fact that Henry has a cat thrust on him by William is something I can relate to...although I volunteered to take Mama, who is now sitting on the club chair keeping me company while I'm on the couch.
That's all I'm going to say about the plot. I will say this about the writing, though. I found W is for Wasted a little more 'literary', a little more descriptive than I remember previous books to be. That's a good thing, in my mind anyway. I like her descriptions of people, places and things.
So, W is for Wasted will meet and exceed all your expectations. If you want a real treat, however, I've written about Grafton's book Kinsey and Me: Stories. While it does have some Kinsey Millhone short stories, by far the best part of the book is Part 2 where Grafton talks about her life.
The first
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body to appear was that of Pete Wolinsky, a fellow private eye, not known for a stellar reputation. He was gunned down near the parking lot of the Santa Teresa Bird Refuge.The second body is that of a homeless man, found on the beach, who happened to have Kinsey Millhone's name and phone number on a piece of paper in his pocket. The only problem is: she's never met the man. Of course, Kinsey can't pass up a mystery and tries to track down the man's name and history.
Along the way, Kinsey befriends several homeless people, finds new relatives, works with several old flames. Of the 'regulars', her landlord and friend, Henry, is there. William is there briefly and Rosie just barely. Of the three, I always liked Henry the best and if I make it to my nineties, I want Henry to be my role model. (I especially like the fact that he bakes...and I really want his cinnamon bun recipe.) Yikes! I almost forgot to mention the introduction of a major new character: a cat named Ed. Having recently been the recipient of my own feline, named Mama Boots, the fact that Henry has a cat thrust on him by William is something I can relate to...although I volunteered to take Mama, who is now sitting on the club chair keeping me company while I'm on the couch.
That's all I'm going to say about the plot. I will say this about the writing, though. I found W is for Wasted a little more 'literary', a little more descriptive than I remember previous books to be. That's a good thing, in my mind anyway. I like her descriptions of people, places and things.
So, W is for Wasted will meet and exceed all your expectations. If you want a real treat, however, I've written about Grafton's book Kinsey and Me: Stories. While it does have some Kinsey Millhone short stories, by far the best part of the book is Part 2 where Grafton talks about her life.
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LibraryThing member phoenixcomet
Decent 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
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her a little more than half a million dollars. Show Less
LibraryThing member Nodosaurus
A 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
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.
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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.
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LibraryThing member pammykn
AUTHOR: GRAFTON, Sue
TITLE: W is for Wasted
Date Read: 01/20/14
RATING: 5/A
GENRE/PUB DATE/PUBLISHER/# OF PGS: Crime Fiction/2013/Putnam/484 pgs
SERIES/STAND ALONE: #23
TIME/PLACE: 1980's/California
CHARACTERS: 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.
TITLE: W is for Wasted
Date Read: 01/20/14
RATING: 5/A
GENRE/PUB DATE/PUBLISHER/# OF PGS: Crime Fiction/2013/Putnam/484 pgs
SERIES/STAND ALONE: #23
TIME/PLACE: 1980's/California
CHARACTERS: Kinsey Millhone/PI
FIRST LINES: Two dead men changed the course of my life that fall.
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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.
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LibraryThing member ValerieAndBooks
I'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
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!
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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!
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LibraryThing member bsquaredinoz
Series heroine Kinsey Millhone, who has only aged about 6 years to my 30 since we first met in the mid 1980′s, is contacted by her local Coroner’s Office because they have the unidentified body of a homeless man who was carrying her name and phone number in his pocket. Might she be able to
If a suspenseful and/or poignant story of academic greed and wasted lives ever existed in Grafton’s mind it is lost within the nearly 500 pages of minutiae the finished publication became. The story here is unnecessarily complicated with insignificant details and there seems to be a larger than normal amount of the usual filler (fast food meals being described in more detail than anyone could possibly be happy with, detailed depictions of driving routes taken and so on). There’s also just a lot of unnecessary blather. For example at one point Kinsey’s car gets a flat tyre which results in a long interaction with two dull but helpful tourists she meets at (yet another) fast food restaurant and is ultimately proven to be due to mildly malicious intent. But this incident adds nothing to the story or any character’s development and the whole episode is just…a waste of time. It is not an isolated incident.
I waded through W IS FOR WASTED with the kind of dogged determination Kinsey herself might use when cleaning her tiny apartment or finishing some other dull but worthy task and only because I am heavily invested in seeing this particular series through to the bitter end. If you are not similarly cursed by having your entire adult reading life coincide with the publication of these novels I wouldn’t recommend this one. If you are a series stalwart I presume nothing I say will stop you from reading this instalment, but don’t say you weren’t warned.
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identify him? She cannot but, due to a lack of clients in her private detective business at the time, decides to investigate a little. Which leads to getting to know some homeless people, eventually identifying the body, making a connection to the death of a local private investigator a few months earlier and meeting some more of her extended family.If a suspenseful and/or poignant story of academic greed and wasted lives ever existed in Grafton’s mind it is lost within the nearly 500 pages of minutiae the finished publication became. The story here is unnecessarily complicated with insignificant details and there seems to be a larger than normal amount of the usual filler (fast food meals being described in more detail than anyone could possibly be happy with, detailed depictions of driving routes taken and so on). There’s also just a lot of unnecessary blather. For example at one point Kinsey’s car gets a flat tyre which results in a long interaction with two dull but helpful tourists she meets at (yet another) fast food restaurant and is ultimately proven to be due to mildly malicious intent. But this incident adds nothing to the story or any character’s development and the whole episode is just…a waste of time. It is not an isolated incident.
I waded through W IS FOR WASTED with the kind of dogged determination Kinsey herself might use when cleaning her tiny apartment or finishing some other dull but worthy task and only because I am heavily invested in seeing this particular series through to the bitter end. If you are not similarly cursed by having your entire adult reading life coincide with the publication of these novels I wouldn’t recommend this one. If you are a series stalwart I presume nothing I say will stop you from reading this instalment, but don’t say you weren’t warned.
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Awards
Lefty Award (Nominee — 2014)
Shamus Award (Shortlist — 2014)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2013-09-10
Physical description
576 p.; 4.31 inches
ISBN
9780399575242