Kinsey Millhone, having made it most of the way through the alphabet, is now called on for what seems like an easy one for "R": babysit a spoiled rich girl/ex-con to make sure she doesn't violate her parole. Unsurprisingly, it gets complicated quickly.
Critic Reviews
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Favorable
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Houston Chronicle Amy Rabinovitz
Grafton, as always, is entertaining and highly readable, and it's fun to see Milhone in the role of straight-man... Has the fearless detective changed her ways? As it turns out, change comes slowly, and thank heavens. Grafton has already signed on for S, T and U. [1 Aug. 2004, p. 21]
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Favorable
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Kirkus Reviews
Kinsey's frantic attempts to keep her balance on the tightrope between a pair of lovers scheming against each other, and her own latest stab at romance, will have fans purring contentedly.
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Favorable
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Library Journal Wilda Williams
Grafton's series remains fresh and exciting, with complex plots and well-developed characters. Kudos to Grafton for maintaining her high standards. [15 July 2004, p. 63]
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Favorable
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Los Angeles Times Dick Lochte
A straightforward, shock-free crime novel, in which the detective is oddly passive and nearly all of the villainy occurs off the page, may seem anathema to the mystery lover. But Grafton, ever the professional yarn-spinner, and a playful one at that, turns it into a refreshingly unique and satisfying entertainment. [11 July 2004, R5]
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Favorable
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The New York Times Book Review Marilyn Stasio
Without oversimplifying the complex (and yes, mysterious) process of any author's craft, I'd like to say Grafton is one of the most confident writers in the field. She knows her strengths, doesn't agonize over her weaknesses and pays no mind to whatever demons might be urging her to move outside her comfort zone.
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Favorable
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USA Today Carol Memmott
R ricochets back to the classic, fast-paced, frenetic adventures of the feisty investigator who has made the fictional California town of Santa Teresa famous.
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Favorable
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Wall Street Journal Tom Nolan
The wild-card element in "R" is how its events unfold without much help from Millhone, who is forced to admit: "Occasionally I'm simply a minor character in someone else's play." In this case, it gives her an interesting angle on an engaging tale -- a sort of ricochet, as it were.
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Mixed
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Publishers Weekly
Bestseller Grafton offers more of the same-old same-old in her less-than-inspired 18th Kinsey Millhone novel.
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Mixed
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Entertainment Weekly Mark Harris
"Ricochet" is so laid-back that, at its climactic moment, Kinsey takes a nap. Let's hope that S stands for Surprise; she could use one.
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Mixed
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Sydney Morning Herald Ian Hicks
The style of the telling is very much that of its place. The prose is laid-back, sometimes to the point of somnolence, but it's dead easy to put it down and pick it up hours, even days, later without missing a beat.
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Unfavorable
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Washington Post Maureen Corrigan
R Is for Ricochet has its moments: There's an amusing shopping sequence where Reba teaches Kinsey how to buy flattering clothes (at last!) and a tense chase scene in a cooped-up office building. The plot, however, lacks the invention and zest of some of its predecessors. Oh well, on to S.
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