60. S is for Silence - Sue Grafton

AUDIO Read by Judy Kaye
For: Adults
Book Published: 2006
Audio Published: Dec. 2005, Random House Audio
10 discs
368 pgs.
Rating: 3/5
Finished Dec. 10, 2008

Kinsey Milhone's 19th investigation is written in a bit of a different style than the previous 18. This time, Sue Grafton goes back and forth between Kinsey's point of view in 1987, and the stories, feelings, and the 1953 observations of a number of the pertinent characters and suspects in the disappearance of Violet Sullivan. Daisy Sullivan, a very small child at the time of her mother's disappearance, really wants to know what happened 34 years previously. Because of the way the story's written, we get to see the motivations and attitudes of many characters, which was a great way to develop these characters. However, at the end of the story I felt like there were a lot of loose ends. It was wrapped up quickly, with the murderer coming after Kinsey, and ending without the reader knowing how the intricate murder took place, there was no motive that I could tell, so we don't really know why, and no real closer....very disappointing after staying tuned for ten discs and many weeks of listening. A major letdown, actually.

A quick summary: Violet Sullivan, a "tart", mother of baby Daisy and wife of an angry wife-beater, goes after men and whatever else she may want in a small California town. She feels very sorry for herself, but does nothing constructive to change her situation. She has a mysterious $50,000 (though there's foggy history behind it), a brand new convertible, and then disappears one night on the fourth of July weekend with her annoying little dog. Small town families, small town politics, and an interesting story. However, the ending really botched up a good rating for me.