X (by Sue Grafton)
Almost to the end of the Kinsey Millhone series! X is the 24th installment of the Alphabet Series by Sue Grafton. When a glamorous redhead hires Kinsey to locate the son she put up for adoption thirty-two years ago, it seems like an easy job. But when a cop informs Kinsey she was paid with marked bills and her client has vanished, it becomes clear this mystery woman has something to hide. Woven through that storyline is a much darker thread: a remorseless serial killer who leaves no trace of his crimes. Grafton wastes little time identifying this deadly sociopath — the real question is whether Kinsey can prove her case against him before she becomes his next victim.
I feel a bit torn about this one. I loved many of the familiar elements I’ve come to cherish in the series. Kinsey’s spunky personality still shines (she and I see eye to eye on so many things), and I adore Henry’s continued presence. This time, he’s deeply focused on water conservation, and the new neighbors add fresh drama to his household.
The book opens with the adoption investigation, then cleverly carries over threads from the previous novel, W is for Wasted. I initially thought that was a nice touch, as it hadn’t happened much (if at all) in earlier books. Unfortunately, the dual storylines became confusing for me. Listening to the audiobook made it easier to lose track of which mystery Kinsey was pursuing at any given moment. There were also quite a few characters to keep straight, and Kinsey seemed to insert herself into situations largely out of sheer curiosity. For much of the book, she didn’t appear to have an active client—something that has happened in other entries but felt more pronounced here.
Still, it’s a solid story overall, and I enjoyed it despite occasionally feeling lost. Judy Kaye’s narration of the audiobook is excellent, as always—I’ve really come to appreciate how she brings Kinsey’s wild tales to life.
I’m curious (and a little sad) to see how the series concludes, knowing Sue Grafton passed away before finishing the alphabet. I already have Y is for Yesterday lined up in my reading rotation and look forward to it.
You’re welcome to read my other reviews for books by Sue Grafton, which are linked below. Also linked is the author event she participated with John Grisham.
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