V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton

V is for Vengeance is the 22nd book featuring Kinsey Millhone, 38 year-old, twice-divorced, childless and yes female, Santa Teresa Private Investigator. I made the mistake of thinking Kinsey was male in A is for Alibi. I didn't realise that Kinsey was female for more than half of the book as I misread the word bachelorette in the first page as bachelor. In this book Kinsey introducing herself promptly points out that she is female in case you didn't know.

Kinsey goes for lingerie shopping in this installment and finds a respectable looking woman shoplifting. Not one to turn a blind eye and one who has a strong opinion on the evils of shoplifting on economy, Kinsey reports the woman to store security, setting into motion a chain of actions. The woman, Audrey Vance is found dead. Did she commit suicide or was she killed? Audrey's fiancé asks Kinsey to investigate. Isn't fortunate that Kinsey gets to investigate this case and gets paid too?

Sue Grafton takes us into the world of organized retail theft. Like in U is for Undertow, Grafton uses the usual Kinsey first person narrative and the new third person narrative giving glimpses into other key players namely Dante, gangster(?) and Nora in the story.

Kinsey describes herself in all her books, but how do others look at Kinsey. We get Dante's perspective of Kinsey. Like a girl. That is a new one.

There are her usual characters Henry Pitts, Rosie, William Pitts but they make a brief show. Though this is the 22nd book, you can read it as a standalone like all the books in the alphabet series. I haven't read the books in order. Just picked books that were available in the library or bookshop. I think I have read all, but I may have missed one. I enjoyed everyone of them except A is for Alibi. Now I know what Grand Theft is. So when is 'W is for' coming out? Make it faster Ms.Grafton. I am dying to read it.
I borrowed this book from my local library.

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