Book ~ "E is for Evidence" (1988) Sue Grafton

From Goodreads ~ Being a twice-divorced, happily independent loner has worked like a charm for P.I. Kinsey Millhone - until holiday weekends like this one roll around. What she needs is a little diversion to ward off the blues. She gets her much-needed distraction with a case that places her career on the line. And if that isn't enough to keep her busy, her ex-husband, who walked out on her eight years ago, pops back on the radar.

It all begins with a $5,000 deposit made into Kinsey's bank account. Problem is she's not the one who deposited the money. But when she's accused of being on the take in an industrial arson case, Kinsey realizes someone is framing her.

Now Kinsey's working for herself. But with new evidence - and corpses - surfacing around her, she's going to have to act quickly to clear her name before she loses her career, her reputation - and quite possibly her life.

Kinsey Millhone is 32-years-old and a private detective in Santa Teresa, CA.  It's Christmas and New Years.  Her friend and landlord, Henry, has gone out of town to visit family and Rosie has shut down her tavern for the holidays.

Kinsey investigates a fire claim at a factory for the insurance company she has an arrangement with.  The factory is owned and operated by the Wood family and Kinsey had gone to school with the owners.  She determines the fire as an industrial accident but when she submits her report to her boss, she finds that some of the paperwork has disappeared and others have been substituted, making it look like Kinsey has been bribed not to label the fire as arson ... that explains the mysterious $5,000 that had been recently been deposited into her bank account.  When she gets temporarily suspended from the insurance company, Kinsey starts digging to prove her innocence.

In the meantime, Daniel, Kinsey's second ex-husband, arrives in town wanting to reconnect.  He had left her eight years ago, leaving town without a word.

I thought this book was okay and I liked the writing style.  It is written in first person perspective in Kinsey's voice.  The ending wraps up quickly and the "whodunnit" and why comes out of the blue.  As a head's up, there is swearing.

This is the fifth in the "alphabet series" featuring Kinsey Millhone.  I discovered this series in the mid-1990s and have been a fan since and have read them all.  Since the series will soon come to an end, I am starting at the beginning and rereading them.  They are all set in the 1980s before everyone had a computer, cell phone, people still smoke in public places, etc.

Book ~ "Crimson Joy" (1988) Robert B. Parker

From Goodreads ~ A serial killer is on the loose in Beantown and the cops can't catch him. But when the killer leaves his red rose calling card for Spenser's own Susan Silverman, he gets all the attention that Spenser and Hawk can give. 

Spenser plays against time while he tracks the Red Rose killer from Boston's Combat Zone to the suburbs. His trap is both daring and brave and gives the story a satisfying climax.

Spenser is a private detective in Boston.  Two of his cop friends come to him for help find a serial killer who is targeting black women and leaving a red rose, hence the nickname the "Red Rose Killer".  Spenser can do things that the cops can't.  Plus one of the cop friends received a letter from the killer claiming to be a cop so none can be trusted right now.  When the killer leaves a rose for Susan, Spenser's long time love interest, it gets personal and Spenser assumes the killer is one of Susan's clients (too much of a coincidence for me).

We find out who the serial killer is about three-quarters of the way in and the remainder of the book is Spenser trying to trap him without getting Susan killed in the process.

This is the fifteenth in the Spenser series (there are currently 46, with the last six written by Ace Atkins after Parker's death in 2010).  I've read many over the years (and have liked the series) and have started reading them from the beginning of the series.  Though it is part of a series, for the most part it works as a stand alone.

I liked the writing style ... I found it humorous at times.  Spenser is a tough guy with a wisecracking sense of humour.  For the most part, it's written in first person perspective in Spenser's voice, which has been the norm for all the Spenser stories.  In this one, it's also in first person perspective in the killer's voice.  As a head's up, there is swearing.

I haven't been a fan of Susan since Valediction and Catskill Eagle (the eleventh and twelfth in the series).  That's when I started disliking her and finding her annoying ... she has become picky and princessy.  Though Spenser and Susan have been together for about 15 years, in this book they talked like teenagers about their relationship, which I don't find realistic given their age and how long they've been together ... "I love you."  "I love you."  "I love you more."  "No, I love you more."  "I can't imagine my life without you."  "I can't imagine MY life without YOU."