July 8, 2017

“I” Is For Innocent by Sue Grafton

Synopsis:
When David Barney was acquitted in the shooting death of his wife, Isabelle, a good many thought that justice had not been served - including Kenneth Voight, Isabelle's former husband. Now, five years later, Voight is the plaintiff in a civil suit in which Barney stands accused of Isabelle's wrongful death. The stakes are high - Isabelle's estate is worth millions - but time is running short: the statue of limitations will cut Voight off in only a matter of weeks. Enter sexy, savvy ex-cop turned P.I. Kinsey Millhone, brought in by Voight to gather the necessary damning evidence. It doesn't take long, however, for Kinsey to find that while a lot of people hate David Barney, a lot more hated Isabelle. Suddenly a simple civil case becomes a deadly hunt for someone who once got away with murder . . . and may again . . .
Why do I read crime novels? Why do I read the Kinsey Millhone series? The answer to both of those questions is – I read them for books like this. I love any book that keeps me guessing until the final page. I love thinking I have the answer and then changing my mind every few chapters.

“I” Is For Innocent had so many twists and turns, it is incredible that the book didn’t fall right out of my hands.

The one downside I found with it is that there were so many different characters involved that I found myself getting confused at times and not remembering who was who.

Other than that, it was everything you look for in a crime thriller.

Kinsey was her typical badass self. Despite her doubts because of softening up after getting fired, she is still a badass – increasingly more so as the novel progressed. Her sense of humor is one of biggest things that got me hooked to this series. I find myself chuckling out loud often while reading these books and it adds to the joy of the experience.

Henry and William added even more comedic relief to the book. We all know and love Henry as Kinsey’s landlord and friend. When his brother comes to visit, things go to hell for him pretty quick and I found myself laughing a lot at them too.

For the actual crime solving, the case went from trying to put away the “known killer” to Kinsey trying to piece together a seemingly botched investigation by the previous PI (RIP). With so many people tangled in this messy web and so many loose ends to tie up, it seemed like it would never be solved. Of course, Kinsey comes through once again, and while it may not have ended as everyone would have hoped, it ended with the right person paying for their actions.

At different parts of the novel, it seemed like everyone involved was guilty. That is what kept me guessing, and I honestly couldn’t figure it out until it was revealed. The only thing I wish from the conclusion is that we would have gotten some answers, but sometimes you just have to be left guessing. The final scene had my heart racing.

For being the 9th book in the series, it is one of the best. I really enjoyed the ride it took me on.

5/5 Stars

Memorable Quotes:

“Let’s face it, life is trivial, and my guess is that dying imparts very little wisdom on those in process.”

“It’s hard to have faith in your fellow man when you’re forced to look at some of his handiwork.”

“Unplug yourself often and you risk losing touch with your feelings altogether.”

“The dead are mute, but the living still have voice with which to protest their innocence. Often their objections are noisy and pious, impossible to refute since the person who could condemn them has been silenced forever.”

“There’s no point to anything if you get right down to it. We could all blow out brains out, but we don’t.”

“Growing up had made her crabby, which happens to the best of us.”

“I’m not cute at all. I’m a very cranky person.”

“What I wanted was to bang by forehead against the steering wheel till it bled. Maybe the self-inflicted pain would help me clear my thought process.”


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