S IS FOR SILENCE
by Sue Grafton
G.P. Putnam's Sons
Penguin Group USA
www.penguin.com
Hardback, 374 pages, $26.95
Genre: Mystery

Kinsey Millhone's back for her 19th romp in S is for Silence. Although Kinsey is reluctant to try to find out what happened to Daisy Sullivan's mother, Violet, who disappeared 34 years before, she finally agrees to devote five days to investigate the case. Violet was a young, beautiful woman who liked to drink and get into physical altercations with her husband, Foley. She also had affairs with men and wasn't too discrete about hiding them. On the evening of July 4th, 1953, Violet drove off to meet her husband to watch a fireworks display and was never seen again. Most people in their small town thought her husband, Foley, had finally killed her and disposed of the body. But 34 years later, Violet's daughter Daisy wants an answer so she can get on with her life.

The story is told shifting between Kinsey's first person POV and third person POVs of the characters surrounding Violet at the time of her disappearance. Grafton lets a lot of suspicion hang in the air until the killer is finally revealed. This is a great read, fast-paced, with plenty of characters who have their own personal reasons for wanting Violet out of their lives. Little of Kinsey's personal life is relayed this time out, but it isn't really missed since the story is so interesting.