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S is for Silence (Kinsey Millhone, #19)
S is for Silence (Kinsey Millhone, #19)
Sue Grafton | 2006 | Mystery
8
8.0 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Kinsey Tries to Solve a Very Cold Case
On July 4, 1953, Victoria Sullivan vanished without a trace and was never heard from again. Her abusive husband lived under the shadow of suspicion, and her then seven-year-old daughter, Daisy, has lived with the questions about what happened to her mother and why. And so, thirty-four years later, she hires PI Kinsey Millhone to try to finally solve this mystery. Kinsey is reluctant to take on the case. After all this time, what can she find? Yet, as she begins to poke around, she suspects that the people she is talking to know more than they’ve ever told the police or are telling her. Can she figure out what happened?

Cold cases can make excellent novels, and this is a perfect example. It is obvious early on that Kinsey is gaining new information, but how that is going to play out keeps us guessing until the end. I was certain I knew who it was, but I was wrong. Still, the ending did make sense to me. The characters are strong as always. Kinsey spends much of the book out of town, so we don’t see much of the regulars, which was disappointing, but a minor issue. While all the “modern” 1987 scenes are narrated from Kinsey’s first-person point of view, there are sections from other character’s point of view back in 1953. As good as some of those scenes are, sadly, there are some very graphic scenes in them. We could have easily done without them and it wouldn’t have impacted the story at all. I’m taking a star off for that. If you are a fan, be prepared to skim those scenes and you’ll still enjoy the book overall.
  
The Kitchen (2019)
The Kitchen (2019)
2019 | Action, Crime, Drama
Hell's Kitchen 1977... the Irish mob takes care of the neighborhood, but times are tough these days. The economy created a new term: stagflation where prices rise, unemployment increases, and the economic growth slows. The supply of gas was cut off. There was a serial killer on the loose. The Irish mob had just experience a change in leadership that changed the dynamic of the neighborhood. The old leader was arrested doing a job as well as his associates. The mob could not afford to take care of the "widows." Using the education of one, the street sense of another, and the killer instinct of the third, they begin to operate their own gang in the neighborhood. A gang that will actually protect the neighborhood from street thugs. But going against the Irish mob is never a good idea no matter how weak they are, so a couple of pacts are sealed and Fate is tempted.

"The Kitchen" is based on a graphic novel series. Multiple story threads and divergent schemes are explored. The whole thing is much better suited for a miniseries or limited series than a feature film. Nowadays there is a cinematic quality to certain shows on pay channels so it wouldn't even lose the visual quality Andrea Berloff wants. This is the only problem with the film. The acting is top-notch, especially character actor Bill Camp. The writing is good. The story just needed a lot more space to grow. Ruby is an extremely complex character that would have benefited from character development inherent in a long-form series. A girl from Harlem who had the softness beaten out of her who has a long game which could have been explored in more depth especially considering the co-conspirators she acquires.
  
Deeper
Deeper
6
6.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I think this is the first life-guard story I've ever read. It was an insightful look into training and procedures they have to go through when rescuing people as well as covering some more serious issues such as accidents, whirl-pooling and other things you don't always realise happen at water parks.

I have to say I loved how they went mini-golfing. First time I've read that in a book (I think, anyway). The extra game Knight added into it made it more fun, though it didn't last too long...

Both characters, Rain and Knight, have both lost people they cared about in the past and are wary of new relationships but they find themselves unable to stay away from each other. We see flashbacks of both their previous relationships and how they both ended terribly sadly and how badly it affected them; Rain saying she will never love again and wanting to protective everyone, whether that puts her own life in danger or not, and Knight being extremely over-protective of her.

I cant entirely blame Knight though because Rain seems to get herself into really stupid situations all the time and he always come to her rescue. Like a real life Knight in shining armour :P

Another scene I liked was the kissing under water. It sounds very romantic and I like the graphic used in another review of the book on GoodReads.

Knight was cool, though his over-protectiveness was a little annoying in places, though totally warranted. Rain on the other hand, to me, came across as being a pain in the butt, always pulling the plug on their fledgling relationship.

Overall it was an okay read. Short but sweet dark, because something bad was always happening to someone or other.
  
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