"H" Is for Homicide
Cover of the book "H" Is for Homicide by Sue Grafton.
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| Author | Sue Grafton |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Alphabet Mysteries |
| Genre | Mystery |
| Published | 1991 (Henry Holt and Company) |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 256 ppfirst edition |
| ISBN | |
| OCLC | 22812747 |
| 813/.54 20 | |
| LC Class | PS3557.R13 H17 1991 |
| Preceded by | "G" Is for Gumshoe |
| Followed by | "I" Is for Innocent |
"H" Is for Homicide is the eighth novel in Sue Grafton's "Alphabet" series of mystery novels and features Kinsey Millhone, a private eye based in Santa Teresa, California.
In "H" Is for Homicide, Kinsey Millhone goes under cover to help break up an insurance fraud ring in Los Angeles led by Raymond Maldonado. She infiltrates the ring by befriending Maldonado's former girlfriend Bibianna Diaz. In the process she meets up with a former school mate and ex cop, Jimmy Tate.
With a first printing of 170,000 copies, this book earned a place on the New York Times hard-cover best-seller list just two weeks after initial publication.
The eighth novel in the Kinsey Millhone series opens in the midst of troubling times for California Fidelity, the insurance company Kinsey does occasional freelance work for in return for office space. First, a recent employee and friend of Kinsey's, Parnell Perkins, is shot and killed - and the police investigation seems curiously lacking in results. Second, in the wake of poor profit figures, company troubleshooter Gordon Titus (or 'tight-ass' as he is immediately nicknamed) arrives to shake things up. The informal arrangement with Kinsey seems high on his list of targets.
In the new mood of nervous efficiency prevalent at CFI pending Titus's arrival, Kinsey is passed the claim file of Bibianna Diaz to investigate for possible fraud. Kinsey assumes a false identity as Hannah Moore in an attempt to befriend Bibianna, who by co-incidence is in a relationship with a former schoolmate and associate from police academy days of Kinsey's, Jimmy Tate, recently relieved of police duties on the grounds of corruption. Bibianna has problems too, it seems: her former boyfriend Raymond Montanaldo, of whom she is - rightly as it turns out - terrified, is the jealous type, and is hunting her down. Kinsey realises that a CFI colleague has inadvertently given away information on Bibianna to Raymond's gang, and things come to a head while she is out drinking with Bibianna and Tate. Raymond's brother Chago and his girlfriend Dawna accost Bibianna, and in the fracas which ensues Tate shoots and kills Chago. Bibianna is taken into custody with Kinsey deliberately sticking to her in order to cement their relationship.
Kinsey's enforced overnight stay in the police 'tank' is interrupted by Lieutenant Dolan, who has a job offer for her: Raymond is the head of a huge insurance fraud gang and the police want Kinsey to use her new position as Bibianna's confidante to get the evidence they need; there seems to be a leak somewhere in the police department and they need someone unconnected they can trust to bring Raymond to justice. Kinsey withdraws her initial gut refusal when Dolan tells her Raymond killed Parnell, but they have been stalling the murder investigation in order not to jeopardize the longstanding fraud case. Kinsey agrees to help out of a sense of duty to Parnell, but the police plan to have Kinsey wired for her own protection goes awry and she is left to fend for herself.
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