The Alphabet Series: A Is For Awesome
The Alphabet Series: The Beginning
The thing about a book series is that you get a chance to get comfortable with a character, to the point that they end up feeling like an old friend. I don’t know about you, but I love that. Sure, I love to read just about any book, but I don’t get as excited about any old book as I do about one that’s part of favorite series.
There are only a handful of series that I will actively seek out, and The Alphabet Series by Sue Grafton is one of them. It’s a great detective series for people who may not actually like detective series.
Four Reasons Why I Love The Alphabet Series
1. There are plenty of books. She’s not quite through all 26 letters yet, but her latest offering is V Is For Vengeance. That’s plenty of books to enjoy until the next new one comes out.
2. They are set in the 1980s. I am a child of the 80s, so I love the nostalgia. It’s worth noting that Grafton starting writing these in 1982, which is where the series starts. I think the latest is set in 1987. Anyway, I love reading about a time before computers and cell phones. It’s low-tech, but somehow it never feels dated to me.
3. They have a strong heroine. Probably one of my favorite things about this series is Kinsey Millhone, a 30-something PI that lives alone and likes it that way. She has a few flings along the way, but she doesn’t need a man to be complete. She’s can take care of herself, she knows how to pick a lock and love McDonald’s Quarter Pounders With Cheese. She’s a former cop who also knows how to bend the law when it suits her purposes. I love her and totally identify with her.
The Latest Kinsey Millhone Caper
4. They have just the right amount of twists and turns. They’re easy to follow, but not necessarily predictable. They focus on the lives of ordinary people, cases that a typical PI may actually come across in the course of a career. But they are not boring. There’s always plenty of action and danger to keep you interested and turning the pages.
5. They are set in Northern California. This beautiful area is the backdrop for most of the stories. While I’ve never been there, I feel as if I have. The area is almost another character; you get to know it over time.
This wildly popular series has been featured and mentioned in TV series and movies for years. There’s a reason for that: The books are good. I’ve read most of them several times and they never get old.
If you’re looking for a good, solid read, grab A Is For Alibi and see what you think. I’m willing to bet that before long your reader will look like alphabet soup.
About The Author: Megan is a professional writer, amateur photographer and an accomplished beauty product crash test dummy. She'll try anything once, especially if it's a free sample. She's still trying to figure out what she wants to be when she grows up, but it will probably involve travel and Colin Farrell. And maybe some writing and photography. You can visit her at onethousandwordsormore.com or follow her on Twitter: msmegan.
I started reading theses in the early 90′s when I was in high school. My mom and I would share the books. Its a great series, and to this day, my mom and I still share the books each time a new one comes out. I am sad though that Sue Grafton is getting to the end of the alphabet. After all these books, Kinsey feels like an old friend that I hate to see leave.
I got hooked on them in the mid-nineties, I think. I remember reading them when I quit smoking. I would suck on Jolly Rancher Fire candy and go on adventures with Kinsey.