U Is for Undertow

A Kinsey Millhone Novel

By: Sue Grafton

Narrated by: Judy Kaye

Length: 14 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

Calling T is for Trespass "taut, terrifying, transfixing and terrific", USA Today went on to ask, "What does it take to write 20 novels about the same character and manage to create a fresh, genre-bending novel every time?"

It's a question worth pondering. Through 20 excursions into the dark side of the human soul, Sue Grafton has never written the same book twice. And so it is with this, her 21st. Once again, she breaks genre formulas, giving us a twisting, complex, surprise-filled, and totally satisfying thriller.

It's April 1988, a month before Kinsey Millhone's 38th birthday, and she's alone in her office doing paperwork when a young man arrives unannounced. He has a preppy air about him and looks as if he'd be carded if he tried to buy booze, but Michael Sutton is 27, an unemployed college dropout. Twenty-one years earlier, a four-year-old girl disappeared. A recent reference to her kidnapping has triggered a flood of memories. Sutton now believes he stumbled on her lonely burial when he was six years old. He wants Kinsey's help in locating the child's remains and finding the men who killed her. It's a long shot, but he's willing to pay cash up front, and Kinsey agrees to give him one day.

As her investigation unfolds, she discovers Michael Sutton has an uneasy relationship with the truth. In essence, he's the boy who cried wolf. Is his current story true, or simply one more in a long line of fabrications?

Grafton moves the narrative between the 80s and the 60s, changing points of view, building multiple subplots, and creating memorable characters. Gradually, we see how they all connect. But at the beating center of the novel is Kinsey Millhone, sharp-tongued, observant, a loner - "a heroine", said The New York Times Book Review, "with foibles you can laugh at and faults you can forgive."

Don't miss the other titles in the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mystery Series.

©2009 Sue Grafton (P)2009 Random House

Critic reviews

"As this master of suspense continues to demonstrate in superb mystery after mystery, there are more ugly twists in the human heart than there are letters in the alphabet." ( Entertainment Weekly)
"It's as if Grafton purposely begins with a standard situation-and then gleefully sets about breaking every cardinal rule of the mystery novel." ( Los Angeles Times Book Review)

Excellent Story Telling

I love each and everyone of the alphabet murders. it's such a shame Audible have so few of the set. Judy is a fantastic narrator for Kinsey. Lovely!

L is for listener

I enjoyed this book very much, well written and well narrated!! I have read four of Sue Grafton's books and look forward to listening to many more.

good, but dragged

I enjoyed the mystery, but it dragged on a bit too much for me at times.

I've missed Kinsey Milhone!

I have to admit, I got a little tired of the series and stopped listening. This was a great book and made me realize how much I missed Kinsey! As a Santa Barbara (Theresa) native, now living in New Orleans, it is great to go back to my home town, even with the names changed. I spent a lot of time in Hope Ranch (Horton Revene). Great memories. Thanks.

Very good

Worth the listen. The story was good, interesting & well written. The narrator was excellent in the role.

Maybe her best!

I've read the whole series, and loved the heart in this one, and the point of view of the villains. Gave it four stars bc I could've done without the seamy sex scene, and now I can't pass it along to my kids..

Fabulous and couldn't put down

One of the best books I've ever read. Didn't want it to end.

In some ways a departure, but in top form

Grafton tries some different things here. There are multiple characters and different time periods. So there is less "mystery" here for the reader, who sometimes knows things Kinsey does not. Nevertheless, I found the different story lines interesting and was just as interested in how things would turn out as I usually am in "who dunnit." There are also some very interesting developments in the story of Kinsey's past and her relationship with her family. I could have lived without some of the sex scenes, which are more detailed than necessary, but there is not alot of that so it is not a serious problem.

Finally, a word about the narrator. Judy Kaye is absolutely outstanding. She is pitch perfect with the tone and does a beautiful job handling conversations with different characters so you can tell who is talking without her concocting lots of different voices. I have become more and more of a fan of hers as I have listened to several of the alphabet series.

Kinsey is mellowing!

Loved this edition to the saga. It was especially fun to see the changes in Kinsey's attitude toward family and history as it has evolved over the "years." As before, I finished envying people who haven't read the whole series because they have so much to look forward to.

Good but different

I liked the book but it feels like Ms Grafton is working on life after the "alphabet" books. Kinsey has a relatively minor part in this book. There is great character development but I missed Kinsey's involvement.

Still it was a good read.