"W" is for Wasted by Sue Grafton, Narrated by Judy Kaye

"W" is For WastedA Kinsey Millhone Mystery
Sue Grafton
Narrator: Judy KayePublisher: Books on Tape

17 hours 13 minutes





Narrator Review of Judy Kaye

Narrator, Judy Kaye 

As a narrator Judy Kaye reads very well, giving a great deal of emotion and expression to the content and the individual personalities of the characters. As I said in my "V" is For Vengeance review,  Judy Kaye although an excellent narrator has to manly a voice that isn't suited to the personality or age of thirty nine year old Kinsey Millhone.

There are parts where Kinsey is spoken in a more feminine and softer way, but for the most part Kaye's reading gives Kinsey a hard edge and often a rather apathetic tone. Often it was difficult to discern which male character was speaking because although Kaye may start with a somewhat distinct voice, midway she drifts back into her own voice or perhaps it is the voice of Kinsey.

Even the refined and genteel Henry Pitts, sounds rough and tumble, completely lacking his courtly nature. As I said. Kaye's narrating skills are admirable and praiseworthy but not for the Alphabet series.

Audiobook Review: "W" is for Wasted by Sue Grafton

The Alphabet Series

Author, Sue Grafton

Kinsey receives a call from the coroner asking if she'd come to the morgue and identify a body, Kinsey is baffled and has no idea who the man is or why the only thing they found on him is her name and phone number.

Business is slow for Kinsey so she tells the coroner she will poke around and see if she can discover who he is. All they know about him is, he's a homeless man, and his personal effects are the clothes he's wearing and the sleeping bag he was found in.

Little does she realize this pursuit will lead her to discover more than she could ever imagine. Even being confronted in the most unexpected way with the Millhone's, her father's side of the family of whom she knows little or nothing about. Nice, they are not, and they are as poor as the Kinsey's are rich. In "W" Kinsey is taken on dangerous adventures with the Millhone's and is involved in the lives of the homeless and their lifestyle.

In the prologue, we hear about the shooting of Pete Wolinsky a detective from Kinsey's past that she never cared much for and neither did very many other people, but later he plays an important role in the story. Even bringing Deitz, back into Kinsey's life for a short time.

It could appear like two separate books but soon it all ties together. Revealing that the murders of R.T. Dace and Pete Wolinsky are related. Kinsey is drawn into a convoluted string of events that are fast paced and exciting. She still makes some poor decisions but finally showed some sense a few times, to my relief.

Of all the Alphabet series I liked this one the best. Even though it's partly from Kinsey's perspective and then later it's from Wolinsky's perspective, it still jelled into an excellent book. A little editing would have improved the story as there was an excessive amount of unnecessary medical information, and the eulogy at the end was way too long. It seemed too flowery considering how long it took Kinsey to put the memorial together.

I often have wished that Grafton had started the series with Henry being fifteen or twenty years younger. Starting him at eighty one makes him eighty nine in "W" is for Wasted. Kinsey started as thirty two which means she is now thirty nine. Maybe Grafton forgot over the many passing years that Kinsey at thirty nine is not likely to need help getting up from sitting on the ground. There were some other instances that made Kinsey sound double her age. Strange considering Kinsey still runs every morning and is in excellent health and condition.

I hope Grafton has a new series in the works as "W" is nearing the end of the series. I look forward to it moving into 1990 when Kinsey can make good use of the internet and computers. Even a continuation of the series with a new title could work well bringing Kinsey eventually into the twenty first century. Sadly Henry will have to die because of his advanced age. That will be sad and he will be missed but it does bring opportunities to bring new characters into Kinsey's life that will fill the same paternal role as Henry.

"W" is for Wasted