N Is for Noose - Softcover

Grafton, Sue

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0449223612 ISBN 13: 9780449223611

Publisher: Fawcett Books, 1999

Synopsis

Tom Newquist had been a detective in the Nota Lake sheriff's office--a tough, honest cop respected by everyone. When he died suddenly, the townfolk were sad but not surprised. Just shy of sixty-five, Newquist worked too hard, drank too much, and exercised too little.

Newquist's widow, Selma, didn't doubt the coroner's report. But still, she couldn't help wondering what had so bothered Tom in the last six weeks of his life. What was it that had made him prowl restlessly at night and brood constantly? Determined to help Selma find the answer, Kinsey Millhone sets up shop in Nota Lake, where she finds that looking for a needle in a haystack can draw blood--very likely, her own. . . .

About this title

Review:

"Suppose we could peer through a tiny peephole in time and chance upon a flash of what was coming up in the years ahead?" The questioner is Kinsey Millhone, middle-aged, two-time divorcee detective and junk food junkie star of Sue Grafton's popular "alphabet" mysteries; the book is 'N' Is for Noose. If Kinsey had had just a smidgen of foresight, she would never have taken her current case, handed down to her from her on-again, off-again flame and comrade in arms, Robert Dietz. We encounter the two this time out after Deitz's knee surgery, as Kinsey drives his "snazzy little red Porsche" back to Carson City, where she checks out his digs for the first time. To her surprise, he lives in a palatial penthouse, which-- under the unspoken bylaws of investigative etiquette--she qualmlessly snoops through. They sit around for a fortnight playing gin rummy and eating peanut butter and pickle sandwiches together, but perennially single Kinsey grows wary: "It was time to hit the road before our togetherness began to chafe."

She heads off to meet Dietz's former client, Mrs Selma Newquist, a devastated widow whose make-up tips seem to come from Tammy Faye Baker. Her husband Tom Newquist, a detective himself, had been working on a mysterious case when he abruptly died of a heart attack. Selma suspects foul play, but bless her, she isn't the brightest star in the sky and can't figure out what Tom was working on even though he's left behind enough paper to fill a recycling truck. Kinsey digs right in and roams the sleepy, one-horse town of Nota Lake for clues, interviewing a colourful cast of in-laws and locals. Beneath the quaint, quiet, country veneer, she unearths a bubbling hotbed of internal strife and familial double-dealing. Was Tom covering up for his partner? Is Selma protecting someone? Grafton's knack for gritty details and realistic characters, coupled with the fast-paced, believable story line, makes for another delightfully entertaining read. --Rebekah Warren

Review:

"Exceptionally entertaining...an offbeat sense of humor and a feisty sense of justice."

--"San Francisco Chronicle"

"Millhone is an engaging detective-for-hire...P.I. Kinsey Millhone and her creator...are arguably the best of [the] distaff invaders of the hitherto sacrosanct turf of gumshoes."

--"The Buffalo News"

"Once a fan reads one of Grafton's alphabetically titled detective novels, he or she will not rest until all the others are found."--"Los Angeles Herald Examiner"

""

"Millhone is a refreshingly strong and resourceful female private eye."--"Library Journal"

"Tough but compassionate...There is no one better than Kinsey Millhone."--"Best Sellers"

"A woman we feel we know, a tough cookie with a soft center, a gregarious loner."--"Newsweek"

"Lord, how I like this Kinsey Millhone...The best detective fiction I have read in years."--"The New York Times Book Review"

"Smart, tough, and thorough...Kinsey Millhone is a pleasure."--"The Bloomsbury Review"

"Kinsey is one of the most persuasive of the new female operatives...She's refreshingly free of gender cliches. Grafton, who is a very witty writer, has also given her sleuth a nice sense of humor--and a set of Wonder Woman sheets to prove it."--"Boston Herald"

"What grandpa used to call a class act."--Stanley Ellin

"Smart, sexual, likable and a very modern operator."--Dorothy Salisbury Davis

"Kinsey's got brains "and" a sense of humor."--"Kirkus Reviews"

Exceptionally entertaining an offbeat sense of humor and a feisty sense of justice. "San Francisco Chronicle"

Millhone is an engaging detective-for-hire P.I. Kinsey Millhone and her creator are arguably the best of [the] distaff invaders of the hitherto sacrosanct turf of gumshoes. "The Buffalo News"

Once a fan reads one of Grafton's alphabetically titled detective novels, he or she will not rest until all the others are found. "Los Angeles Herald Examiner"

Millhone is a refreshingly strong and resourceful female private eye. "Library Journal"

Tough but compassionate There is no one better than Kinsey Millhone. "Best Sellers"

A woman we feel we know, a tough cookie with a soft center, a gregarious loner. "Newsweek"

Lord, how I like this Kinsey Millhone The best detective fiction I have read in years. "The New York Times Book Review"

Smart, tough, and thorough Kinsey Millhone is a pleasure. "The Bloomsbury Review"

Kinsey is one of the most persuasive of the new female operatives She's refreshingly free of gender cliches. Grafton, who is a very witty writer, has also given her sleuth a nice sense of humor--and a set of Wonder Woman sheets to prove it. "Boston Herald"

What grandpa used to call a class act. "Stanley Ellin"

Smart, sexual, likable and a very modern operator. "Dorothy Salisbury Davis"

Kinsey's got brains "and" a sense of humor. "Kirkus Reviews""

Exceptionally entertaining an offbeat sense of humor and a feisty sense of justice. San Francisco Chronicle

Millhone is an engaging detective-for-hire P.I. Kinsey Millhone and her creator are arguably the best of [the] distaff invaders of the hitherto sacrosanct turf of gumshoes. The Buffalo News

Once a fan reads one of Grafton's alphabetically titled detective novels, he or she will not rest until all the others are found. Los Angeles Herald Examiner

Millhone is a refreshingly strong and resourceful female private eye. Library Journal

Tough but compassionate There is no one better than Kinsey Millhone. Best Sellers

A woman we feel we know, a tough cookie with a soft center, a gregarious loner. Newsweek

Lord, how I like this Kinsey Millhone The best detective fiction I have read in years. The New York Times Book Review

Smart, tough, and thorough Kinsey Millhone is a pleasure. The Bloomsbury Review

Kinsey is one of the most persuasive of the new female operatives She's refreshingly free of gender cliches. Grafton, who is a very witty writer, has also given her sleuth a nice sense of humor--and a set of Wonder Woman sheets to prove it. Boston Herald

What grandpa used to call a class act. Stanley Ellin

Smart, sexual, likable and a very modern operator. Dorothy Salisbury Davis

Kinsey's got brains and a sense of humor. Kirkus Reviews

"

"Exceptionally entertaining...an offbeat sense of humor and a feisty sense of justice." --San Francisco Chronicle

"Millhone is an engaging detective-for-hire...P.I. Kinsey Millhone and her creator...are arguably the best of [the] distaff invaders of the hitherto sacrosanct turf of gumshoes." --The Buffalo News

"Once a fan reads one of Grafton's alphabetically titled detective novels, he or she will not rest until all the others are found." --Los Angeles Herald Examiner

"Millhone is a refreshingly strong and resourceful female private eye." --Library Journal

"Tough but compassionate...There is no one better than Kinsey Millhone." --Best Sellers

"A woman we feel we know, a tough cookie with a soft center, a gregarious loner." --Newsweek

"Lord, how I like this Kinsey Millhone...The best detective fiction I have read in years." --The New York Times Book Review

"Smart, tough, and thorough...Kinsey Millhone is a pleasure." --The Bloomsbury Review

"Kinsey is one of the most persuasive of the new female operatives...She's refreshingly free of gender cliches. Grafton, who is a very witty writer, has also given her sleuth a nice sense of humor--and a set of Wonder Woman sheets to prove it." --Boston Herald

"What grandpa used to call a class act." --Stanley Ellin

"Smart, sexual, likable and a very modern operator." --Dorothy Salisbury Davis

"Kinsey's got brains and a sense of humor." --Kirkus Reviews

About this edition

• Publisher: Fawcett Books
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0449223612
• ISBN 13: 9780449223611
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 322