L is for Lawless Spoilers (Pub. 1995)
I really came into this one with high expectations and perhaps that was my mistake because the book couldn't match them. That said Sue Grafton is an author I genuinely love to read so why this one has been a struggle for me.
I think the core problem is that this one has really ramped my anxiety in a way I did not like.
re: L is for Lawless Spoilers (Pub. 1995)
Kinsey's entire character is a woman who doesn't really feel a need to conform to social norms. She is most happy with her internal routine and choosing how to spend her time. She has an apartment she likes, her preferred restaurant when she doesn't want to slap together a sandwich, McDonalds, and doesn't feel a need to spend time making money or accruing creature comforts.
So she doesn't have a lot of money but she is personally sufficient and happy.
Thus an entire book where Kinsey gets economically WRECKED on top of suffering and struggling just isn't enjoyable
re: L is for Lawless Spoilers (Pub. 1995)
On top of That Kinsey is not some brilliant investigator. What makes her a good PI and Detective is that she is determined, comfortable with getting into weird places, and happily keeps weird hours. She is clever and good at putting things together but anyone could do that aspect what makes her effective is pounding the pavement and grit.
And we don't really get to see her succeeding (though she has some clever ploys)
re: L is for Lawless Spoilers (Pub. 1995)
The book's back cover sells it as a mystery without a murder and a treasure hunt without a map. That sounds cool and I love the idea of Kinsey solving a treasure hunt using her talents even if she doesn't keep the money.
Honestly this entire book would have been better as a comedy of errors decreasing the anxiety aspects of trying to get home
Remove the financial strain aspect, have Kinsey interacting with a cadre of ne'er do well dorks and seeing through their lies because she doesn't fall for nonsense because she doesn't fall for sentiment.
There are aspects of that. Her punching a pregnant lady (it was a fake belly hiding $8000 dollars) and the shotgun toting 85 year old.
Still this entire adventure is CLEARLY moving towards Kinsey calling her estranged cousins for financial support/help and that is EXHAUSTING.
There are more interesting ways for Kinsey to reconnect with her relatives then this in my opinion.
re: L is for Lawless Spoilers (Pub. 1995)
TLDR: Book didn't go the way I would have wanted it to so I am whining.