Book Review--"U is for Undertow," a Kinsey Millhone Novel by Sue Grafton

The "current" date for the protagonist, private investigator Kinsey, is 1988.

Kinsey is hired by a young man, who remembers he may have seen a body being buried back in 1967. It may have been the body of a 4 year old girl, who has long been missing after being kidnapped. First, there was a demand for $15,000, which was paid with marked money. Then, the demand was for $25,000. This too was dropped off, but was never picked up. The girl was never returned or found.

Kinsey investigates and, from her client's remembered locations, gets the cops to dig up a site. They find it was just a dog.

The developing plot and characters shift back and forth between 1963, 1967, and the 1988 present. In 1967, two other young men are part of the plot. The first, Jason, hates his stepmother. When his father and the woman are gone on vacation, he finds his father's gun. The second, Jason's friend, has a motorcycle and deals dope to fellow high school students and visiting hippies.

There is back and forth, between these and other characters in 1963 and 1967. In 1967, a mother is visited by her now-hippie son and his even worse hippie girlfriend. The latter fancies herself as a free spirit. She has a 10 year old (or younger) son, father unknown. They ask for money from the trust set up for the mother’s son, but are refused. Then, furious, they go away on their bus.

Kinsey, as always, is persistent and observant. Eventually, she finds the now-grown son of the hippie girl. Another complication arises when the young man who initially was her client is shot to death. But all these events, when pieced together, play a key role in her unraveling the case.

Several unexpected twists make the latest entry in the Kinsey Millhone series well worth reading.

Norman E. Hill, FSA, MAAA, Member AICPA, ASCPA
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