Y is for Yesterday by Sue Grafton

I have been a big fan of the Kinsey Millhone series since A is for Alibi came out in the 80s. So I was very excited to see that there was finally a new book coming out. Alas, Y is for Yesterday was not my favorite book in this series. I usually fly through these novels but this one took forever to read mostly because it seemed to be so repetitive. A tape of a drunken bunch of students raping a 14-year-old girl at a party keeps appearing and disappearing, threatening the futures of those involved if it gets in the hands of the authorities. Shortly after the tape was made, another girl who was at the same party was murdered. While a little grim, it's not a bad basis for a story. The problem is that we keep revisiting the murder and the rape from various perspectives. Over and over and over.

The other main plot line involves a serial killer who has Kinsey in his sights. Now Kinsey seems like an intelligent woman. So why is she not carrying her gun at all times when she knows this guy is trying to kill her? Of course, she is unarmed when she finally comes face to face with him. It made no sense.

If there is indeed a Z book in the future, I hope it has a more optimistic ending.