Kinsey and Me · Stories

In 1982, Sue Grafton introduced us to Kinsey Millhone. Thirty years later, Kinsey is an established international icon and Sue, a number-one bestselling author. To mark this anniversary year, Sue has given us stories that reveal Kinsey’s origins and Sue’s past.

“I've come to believe that Grafton is not only the most talented woman writing crime fiction today but also that, regardless of gender, her Millhone books are among the five or six best series any American has ever written.”—Patrick Anderson, The Washington Post

Kinsey and Me has two parts: The nine Kinsey stories (1986-93), each a gem of detection; and the And Me stories, written in the decade after Grafton's mother died. Together, they show just how much of Kinsey is a distillation of her creator’s past even as they reveal a child who, free of parental interventions, read everything and roamed everywhere. But the dark side of such freedom was that very parental distance.

The same unique voice and witty insights readers fell in love with in A Is for Alibi permeate the Kinsey stories. Those in the And Me section trace a remarkable voyage, from anger to understanding, from pain to forgiveness. They take us into a troubled family, dysfunctional as most families are, each in their own way, but Grafton’s telling is sensitive, delicate, and ultimately, loving. Enriching the way we see Kinsey and know Sue, these stories are deeply affecting.

ReviewPraise for KINSEY AND ME"Terrific . . . The Kinsey stories and the Kit stories together open a window into Grafton's soul."—USA Today“[An] alternately hilarious and pitch-dark new collection . . . The Millhone pieces are sparkling little gems in which the more leisurely pace of the novels is compressed into a mere 20 pages or so; that Kinsey manages to introduce herself, establish the mystery and then solve it, credibly, in such a small span of time and space is nothing short of miraculous. The odd thing is that we don't feel slighted by the relative brevity of plot or even characterization; Grafton is a master of the quick, economical bit of detail, the phrase that tells (or, better, implies) everything. . . The Kit Blue stories are the book's dark heart, its bitter aftertaste, and may come as a grim surprise to many of the author's fans, whose impression of her is of a cheerful, indomitable woman more like the wisecracking Kinsey than the haunted Kit. Of course she is both, and she shares them with us here, bravely, in equal measure. Lucky us.”—Chicago Tribune“Brutally honest, emotionally powerful, ‘Kinsey and Me’ is a revelatory triumph, a dance often macabre, but also a dance of celebration choreographed by a writer whose contemplations on justice never fail to offer rich rewards for legions of readers.”—Richmond Times-Dispatch

“What could be better, while waiting for the twenty-third mystery in Grafton’s alphabet series, than this revelatory collection of stories featuring both Grafton’s alter ego, PI Kinsey Millhone, and the author herself? . . . Kinsey fanatics, sensing the coming end of the landmark series, will be thrilled to read this nonalphabetic extra.”—Booklist (starred review)

"Piercingly sensitive."—Kirkus

"Provides moving and surprising insights into the woman behind the bestsellers . . . fans will admire Grafton's impressive output and feisty fictional detective all the more knowing the challenging beginnings from which both grew."—Publishers Weekly

"It's a pleasure just to be in Kinsey's company as she refreshes the formula conventions with her snappy wit and candid opinions."—Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book ReviewPraise for Sue Grafton

“After three decades Grafton’s iconic detective remains a quirky delight. With the help of McDonald’s pit stops and her single no-wrinkle black dress, Kinsey is sure to keep up the good fight through W, X, Y and Z—taking punches for the little guys and keeping the bad ones at bay.”—People

“As Grafton nears the end of this series (only four more to go, and yes, we’re counting), she seems to be making it harder for Kinsey to hold on to her values and maintain her independence. We’re still in the 1980s here (Kinsey turns 38 on May 5, 1988, and receives two black eyes and a broken nose for a present), which means society is becoming increasingly cutthroat. But for now, it’s still possible for a resourceful woman to use her righteous anger on behalf of people who can’t fight for themselves.”—The New York Times Book Review

"Mesmerizing . . . U is for Undertow makes me wish there were more than 26 letters at her disposal…. In U is for Undertow, Grafton not only once again flaunts her mystery-writing chops but also proves herself to be a discerning social chronicler of the turbulent decade that ushered gal gumshoes like Millhone into the forefront of American detective fiction.”—NPR's Fresh Air

"Just beneath the extroverted mask she presents at bookstore appearances is the deeply contemplative writer still determined to stretch her chops and chart territory that removes any semblance of a comfort zone. Rather than rest on her laurels, Grafton does the exact opposite.”—Los Angeles Times

"Milhone's complexity is mirrored by the novels that document her cases: books that nestle comfortably within the mystery genre even as they prod and push its contours."—The Wall Street Journal

About the AuthorSue Grafton, with four more letters of the alphabet to come, is deep into W is for . . . She lives in Montecito and Louisville.