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B is for Burglar
(Kinsey Millhone #2)
by
Although business has been slow lately for P.I. Kinsey Millhone, she's reluctant to take on the case of locating Beverly Danziger's sister Elaine Boldt. It's a small matter that Beverly should be able to handle herself. So why is she enlisting Kinsey's services? Beverly claims she needs Elaine's signature on some documents so that she can collect a small inheritance. But t
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Paperback, 310 pages
Published
November 29th 2005
by St. Martin's Paperbacks
(first published May 15th 1985)
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Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Since this book was published a year before this little gem:
Yes. "Accidentally"....
The book is oddly compelling. There is all of this strange stuff that was probably not strange at all during the time it came out. Like Kinsey's obsession with jogging. It seemed like that might have been a thing back then. After all, this was the most popular video tape of the day:
I'm convinced that some of these people are only working out so they can wear those sick threads. I would.
It's not weird that she jogs ...more
Yes. "Accidentally"....
The book is oddly compelling. There is all of this strange stuff that was probably not strange at all during the time it came out. Like Kinsey's obsession with jogging. It seemed like that might have been a thing back then. After all, this was the most popular video tape of the day:
I'm convinced that some of these people are only working out so they can wear those sick threads. I would.
It's not weird that she jogs ...more
I listened to this one on Audio and am not sure whether that affected how much I enjoyed the book. The narrator chose to read Kinsey as a very brisk, managing type of person and I felt she did not really do her justice.
Nevertheless I enjoyed the story with its twists and turns and surprises. The ending was neat and not idealistic - like real life! I would have liked to give this three and a half stars and will certainly be carrying on with the series.
Nevertheless I enjoyed the story with its twists and turns and surprises. The ending was neat and not idealistic - like real life! I would have liked to give this three and a half stars and will certainly be carrying on with the series.
I'd wanted to read A, Ms. Grafton's debut title in the series, but only B was on the library shelf. But then B shows Kinsey in her full profile and element. She cuts her own hair. She uses the washer for her hamper. She jogs. She eats junk food. In short, a very likeable PI protagonist. I've also liked her wry wit a few books ago. Sue Grafton's PI is my comfort read. She's always been reliable for delivering a sturdy tale which is just the something I often crave. I'll go on devouring the alphab
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I’m really enjoying this series! Kinsey Milhone is a great character, independent and clever. I like the way she thinks and analyses the world. I like the fact it’s set in the 80s, a decade I remember well- how mobiles and PCs were in the future, the groundwork for private investiigators having to be done the hard way, unable to text or phone for help in tight spots, hand written index cards to keep your notes on...and I like the fact I really didn’t guess what was going on until it was spelled
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Another interesting mystery solved by Kinsey. It's a shame she's turned into such a damn fool by Grafton at the end. Just like the first one, I really liked everything up until she winds up confronting the bad guy. Then Grafton feeds her an idiot pill & ties one hand behind her back just to make sure there is a big suspenseful ending. Is this a trademark of the series? With only 2 books listened to, it seems unfair to pass judgement yet, but a third might just finish me.
I like Kinsey & t ...more
I like Kinsey & t ...more
Feb 10, 2012
Robert
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
kindle-deals,
robert-s-reads
Kinsey Millhone might have her iconic status entrenched about as well as Sue Grafton has hers, and the series has kept me just interested enough to continue through to O, but I’ll need to take periodic breaths in between, or I might find myself gasping for air as the clock strikes E. Who knows? I might make it all the way to G before I pass out, but there’s the distinct possibility I’ll turn blue sooner rather than later.
Like a female version of James Bond, she has her good points, and she has h ...more
Like a female version of James Bond, she has her good points, and she has h ...more
Review
3.5 stars but I'm going to round down (since I sometimes round up for this author, and I suppose this makes it balance out a bit!) for the second book in the "Kinsey Millhone" [cozy] mystery series by Sue Grafton. In B is for Burglar, we get to know Kinsey more, figuring out what she likes and doesn't like. And apparently she is a bit picky when it comes to client. First, she doesn't want to take the case as it is too simple and sounds like a waste of her time. But when she digs a bit ...more
3.5 stars but I'm going to round down (since I sometimes round up for this author, and I suppose this makes it balance out a bit!) for the second book in the "Kinsey Millhone" [cozy] mystery series by Sue Grafton. In B is for Burglar, we get to know Kinsey more, figuring out what she likes and doesn't like. And apparently she is a bit picky when it comes to client. First, she doesn't want to take the case as it is too simple and sounds like a waste of her time. But when she digs a bit ...more
Reread in honor of Sue Grafton's passing, may she R.I.P. The mystery at the heart of B is for Burglar kept me guessing right up until when Kinsey figures it out. I was as entertained by the world of 1985 as much as I was by the story. Things like when on a stakeout, Kinsey wonders who she might call if things get out of control, but then decides that it doesn't matter because "the nearest pay phone is several miles away". Or how she knows answering machines are irritating, but also knows that he
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After surviving almost being murdered in the first book, Kinsey is still dealing with having to take a life. When she gets another case looking into a missing woman, Kinsey hopes that keeps the ghosts that haunt her at bay. We get more insight into Kinsey, more development for characters like Henry and Lieutenant Dolan. And we get our first glimpse at Jonah Robb and his never ending messy marriage to Camilla.
I really loved B is for Burglar. The reveal was really cool and once again Kinsey comes ...more
I really loved B is for Burglar. The reveal was really cool and once again Kinsey comes ...more
Good entry in our intrepid private eye, with Kinsey looking for a client's missing sister.
I'm not entirely comfortable with the Goodreads star system. All through school I was judged on a 10 points scale, and a 6 was a very low grade, just a step above the barely passed examination (5). On that scale Sue Grafton is a comfortable 8 - intelligent, intriguing, elegant. But I have read better mysteries and I suspect in a year or two I will scratch my head and wonder what was this book about?
The one thing that will remain for sure is the main character - Kinsey Millhone - private investig ...more
The one thing that will remain for sure is the main character - Kinsey Millhone - private investig ...more
I figured out what was going very early on so no mystery there but it was an entertaining listen nonetheless.
B is for Burglar
I've had this series of books on my book shelf for years now and I really don't know what took me so long to start reading them. To be honest I'm lucky in a way because I now have a whole lot of books to read. What a great start to this series, I love Kinsey and I can't wait to see what other cases she has to get in to.
I've had this series of books on my book shelf for years now and I really don't know what took me so long to start reading them. To be honest I'm lucky in a way because I now have a whole lot of books to read. What a great start to this series, I love Kinsey and I can't wait to see what other cases she has to get in to.
Jan 05, 2019
Linda
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
permanant-collection
Another good book. It’s fun going back and rereading these. I had forgotten a lot about this one and caught on just before Kinsey. Good writing and a good plot that moved along at a good pace.
This book is due back at the library and I'm cranky because of all the construction noise right outside my window. It started really early, and they're hammering with what sounds like Mjolnir. Also trimming trees with chainsaws. And there are trucks. Lots and lots of trucks.
So anyway. I like the Kinsey Millhone mysteries because they're a brain-break from my usual heavy-duty research mode of living.
This may sound like faint praise indeed, but I think what I like most about them is that the stor ...more
So anyway. I like the Kinsey Millhone mysteries because they're a brain-break from my usual heavy-duty research mode of living.
This may sound like faint praise indeed, but I think what I like most about them is that the stor ...more
Nov 19, 2011
Sarah
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Sue Grafton fans
I hope that these books get better. I may just have to give up on them. This book wasn't so much bad as it was pointless and boring, at least to me. I didn't care about anyone in this book, at all. No one grabbed my attention, and the mystery was just so-so.
Kinsey (the main character) is really weird to me. I feel like we are supposed to think she is this cool,quirky, bad ass but she comes across to me pretty much the opposite. She is unnecessarily rude to people, she seems weirdly oblivious at ...more
Kinsey (the main character) is really weird to me. I feel like we are supposed to think she is this cool,quirky, bad ass but she comes across to me pretty much the opposite. She is unnecessarily rude to people, she seems weirdly oblivious at ...more
Book on CD performed by Mary Peiffer
Book two in the mystery series featuring private investigator Kinsey Millhone of Santa Teresa, California. Beverly Danziger is expensively dressed and much more nervous than she should be considering her problem. She needs to find her sister to get some papers signed. Kinsey figures this will be fairly routine, so she takes the job. But a trip to Boca Raton, Florida only raises more questions about the missing woman, and Mrs Danziger is upset when Kinsey sugge ...more
Book two in the mystery series featuring private investigator Kinsey Millhone of Santa Teresa, California. Beverly Danziger is expensively dressed and much more nervous than she should be considering her problem. She needs to find her sister to get some papers signed. Kinsey figures this will be fairly routine, so she takes the job. But a trip to Boca Raton, Florida only raises more questions about the missing woman, and Mrs Danziger is upset when Kinsey sugge ...more
Audiobook
After the author's death was announced I thought I'd work through her series of books. I'm stopping at "B". The story was predictable. The protagonist was unlikable and had too many TSTL (too stupid to live) moments. Why yell after you're attacked? You should have been yelling the whole time you're running for your life. Why wouldn't you look at the credit card bill when it's handed to you? Every normal person who is looking for a missing person would open it to see where the missing pe ...more
After the author's death was announced I thought I'd work through her series of books. I'm stopping at "B". The story was predictable. The protagonist was unlikable and had too many TSTL (too stupid to live) moments. Why yell after you're attacked? You should have been yelling the whole time you're running for your life. Why wouldn't you look at the credit card bill when it's handed to you? Every normal person who is looking for a missing person would open it to see where the missing pe ...more
The formula has been set, Kinsey will continue solving cases, sticking her nose in where it doesn't belong and mulling things out in her head along the way. She's got quite a dry sense of humor and is a bit brave too. With this one I couldn't quite work out the mystery myself but let's face it, I'm not alone in saying that I would never have guessed the murder weapon!!
Kinsey Millhone takes a case to find a missing woman. On first glance, it appears to be an easy case and Kinsey needs the money, so she takes the job. Needless to say, it's a tougher case than it first appeared to be.
The second book in the Kinsey Millhone series. Kinsey is still a smart and spunky PI who likes to work alone. This book was first published in the early 1980s, so it was fun to take a trip back to the eighties and read a nice, solid mystery.
I listened to an audio version of this bo ...more
The second book in the Kinsey Millhone series. Kinsey is still a smart and spunky PI who likes to work alone. This book was first published in the early 1980s, so it was fun to take a trip back to the eighties and read a nice, solid mystery.
I listened to an audio version of this bo ...more
Its a quick, easy read. Junk-food-for-the-brain. I like Kinsey Millhone. I wish that we had a sidekick or two. Hopefully that is coming in future volumes.
B done! I knew Pat was weird...
Here we go again! In the second book of the Kinsey Millhone alphabet mysteries, Kinsey is once again on the move. This time she is flying back between Florida and California to search for a woman by the name of Elaine Boldt. Her sister is looking for her to sign some papers that require immediate attention. However, Kinsey discovers that there might be some other events that may be connected to Elaine’s disappearances as well.
As you can guess by the title, the book does involve some burglaries ...more
So I'm a little late to this party. The series is almost? finished and I've just read my first. Really enjoyed it and I can understand why the series has been such a success. Great characters, solid plot with twists, red herrings, and surprises.
Another pacey whodunit from Sue Grafton. This time Kinsey is on the trail of a missing woman with lots of twists and turns and false leads along the way. It was written in 1985 and it reminded me how much easier communication is now than it was then. No looking around for phone books, change for the phone, a phone booth. Portable communication whenever we need it, as long as there's a signal. I've just started but I know I'm going to enjoy this series.
PS In the list of acknowledgements is a won ...more
PS In the list of acknowledgements is a won ...more
I finished the second book in this series this week, but, my surge protector fried. I prefer typing reviews on a computer compared to the teeny keypad on my phone. Am back in business again.
I enjoyed this second mystery, but not quite as much as the first. I lost steam in the middle. I still found it entertaining and did not guess who had committed the murder. I'm enjoying "getting to know" Kinsey Millhone and keep thinking of my mother-in-law each time I read one of these.
This mystery begins ...more
I enjoyed this second mystery, but not quite as much as the first. I lost steam in the middle. I still found it entertaining and did not guess who had committed the murder. I'm enjoying "getting to know" Kinsey Millhone and keep thinking of my mother-in-law each time I read one of these.
This mystery begins ...more
B is for Burglar is very easy to figure out but the ride is still enjoyable as watch Kinsey solve the case. I don’t feel like the author hid anything from the readers and that we had just as much information as Kinsey. I don’t like books where I feel the main character has more information than the reader. I like it when the reader has just as good of a chance to crack the case as the detective does. B is Burglar is that book and you can really see the wheels in Kinsey’s mind turn.
I liked this ...more
I liked this ...more
I hate to say it, I'm eating my words from my first review. Kinsey is not so relatable. She is not just a loner, but a judgmental, self-contradictory, depth-lacking character. She takes a negative tone to everyone she meets and calls them fat, old, too beautiful, anal or there is something wrong with everyone she meets, it's a skewed way to view life. She is terrified for getting in trouble with CFI, yet she was celebrating over that fact that she almost took a life. She has no depth because her
...more
(Some spoilers) 2.5⭐'S.
Read the series this year as part of book club challenge. Was not too enthusiastic about the first book, 'A', as the writing and story/plot development was amateurish. The writing seems to be getting better however, someone really should tell Ms. Grafton her "nonessential filler' does not an interesting book make. I feel setting description is essential to a story line; there are clues that could attribute to the entire story. However, is it really necessary to add descri ...more
Read the series this year as part of book club challenge. Was not too enthusiastic about the first book, 'A', as the writing and story/plot development was amateurish. The writing seems to be getting better however, someone really should tell Ms. Grafton her "nonessential filler' does not an interesting book make. I feel setting description is essential to a story line; there are clues that could attribute to the entire story. However, is it really necessary to add descri ...more
The climax was one of a kind here, but I couldn't understand how a seasoned sleuth like the heroine could jeopardize her strategic advantage that ineptly. If someone has read enough Agatha Christie books, he would have solved the murder pronto. Did I? Did I hell! I went in with a too relaxed mind, expecting to be mildly cheered, when in fact, the language took me unawares. Since that moment I read on dutifully, without exercising the god given grey little cells. If you've read The Body In the L
...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hiding part of a review for spoilers? | 21 | 452 | May 21, 2019 04:16PM | |
| Alphabet Murders: B | 1 | 2 | May 07, 2017 09:27AM | |
| The Women's Myste...: B is for Burglar | 6 | 35 | Nov 26, 2012 02:12AM |
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Sue Grafton was a #1 New York Times bestselling author. She is best known for her “alphabet series” featuring private investigator Kinsey Millhone in the fictional city of Santa Teresa, California. Prior to success with this series, she wrote screenplays for television movies. Her earlier novels include Keziah Dane (1967) and The Lolly-Madonna War (1969), both out of print. In the book Kinsey and
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Other books in the series
Kinsey Millhone
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“Personally, I'd rather grow old alone than in the company of anyone I've met so far. I don't experience myself as lonely, incomplete, or unfulfilled, but I don't talk about that much. It seems to piss people off--especially men. (Kinsey Millhone)”
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“Insecure people have a special sensitivity for anything that finally confirms their own low opinion of themselves.”
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