| Plot Summary of A is for Alibi |
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"This is the first in a series of books by Sue Grafton. The book is an easy read, and sucks you right in from the get go. I couldn't wait to get to the end to see "who done it!" "
Darcey, Resident Scholar
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"Sue Grafton's alter ego, Kinsey Millhone is such a likeable character. I could identify with her throughout the entire book. She's the type of gal I could have a few beers with and exchange stories. Her intuition and street smarts make her an excellent and believeable PI character. In the pursuit of justice, she is hired to investigate a crime for which her client was imprisoned, but claims she is innocent. As she digs deeper, Kinsey opens a can of worms sufficient to strangle & confuse even the keenest of mystery lovers - you'll get hooked on Grafton and want to read her entire alphabet series."
Donna Maroz, Resident Scholar
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"Kinsey Millhone, a PI, is hired by Nikki Fife to dig up an eight year old murder case which Nikki has just been in prison for for eight years. "
Xan Kwan Ti, Resident Scholar
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"Laurence Fife was a slick divorce lawyer and a slippery ladies man until someone killed him. The jury believed that it was his pretty young wife, Nikki, so they sent her to prison for eight years. Now Mikki's out on parole and Kinsey Millhone'a in for trouble. Nikki hires Kinsey to discover who really killed her husband. But the trail is eight years cold, and at the end is a chilling twist even Kinsey doesn't suspect-a second eight year old murder and a brand new corpse."
Boppy, Resident Scholar
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"Nikki Fife had plenty of reasons to poison her philandering husband, Laurence. But after serving eight years in prison for murder, she insists she is innocent and hires Kinsey Millhone, a private eye, to find the real killer. During her investigation, Kinsey finds no shortage of colleagues and former lovers who might have wished ill on Laurence, a ruthless divorce attorney. But what about Libby Glass, a young accountant for Laurence's firm, poisoned just four days after Laurence died? Laurence's elusive former secretary may have some answers, but when she is shot just before Kinsey's meeting with her, the private eye begins to put the pieces together. The question is: Can she make all the pieces fit before she becomes the killer's next target?"
Felicia Jordan, Resident Scholar
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""A is for Alibi" covers the investigation by Kinsey Millhone into the death of Laurence Fife. She starts looking into the murder of Laurence Fife by an unlikely person, the murderer. His wife Nikki Fife was charged and convicted of murdering her husband, after being released eight years later she gives Kinsey the task of finding the real killer.
Kinsey finds out about a second death, of Libby Glass, by the same means just several days after the death of Laurence Fife. Because of the similarities it was believed that Nikki had killed her as well, since the young accountant was rumored to be having an affair with Laurence. Nikki Fife, however, was never prosecuted for the second death.
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Amy Honan, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of A is for Alibi |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 55%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 18.3%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 16.7%
Tone of story
- Dry-cynical
How difficult to spot villain?
- Moderately Challenging
Time/era of story:
- 1980's-1999
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 90%
Special suspect?
- lover
Murder of certain profession?
- lawyer creatures
Misc. Murder Plotlets
- solving long-past murder
Kind of investigator
- hard boiled/private eye
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- feelings towards lover
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- private investigator
Age:
- 20's-30's
How much violence does he/she use?
- just the right amount
Ethnicity/Race
- White/American
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- a lawyer creature
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- money/treasure
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- California
Style
Part of a series?
Yes
Person
- mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 3-4
Sex
Yes
What kind of sex:
- vague references
Unusual forms of death
- poisoning
Unusual form of death?
Yes
Amount of dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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