I don't know this for sure, but I have a hunch that Sue Grafton is getting tired of this series. I know that I'm struggling to finish it. I really don't like the movement from first person POV to third person POV. That detracts from the main character in my opinion. And the end of a lot of these recent novels is so telegraphed that by the time I get there I'm thinking, 'Ho, hum.' Only four more to go. This one was a little better than some of her recent novels, but still it was only three stars.