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R is for Ricochet by Sue Grafton
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R is for Ricochet

Best Seller
R is for Ricochet by Sue Grafton
Paperback $22.00
Jul 05, 2011 | ISBN 9780425241219

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    Jul 05, 2011 | ISBN 9780425241219

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  • $9.99

    Mar 01, 2016 | ISBN 9780399575198

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  • Mar 29, 2005 | ISBN 9781101147030

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  • Jul 13, 2004 | ISBN 9780739304242

    699 Minutes

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  • Jul 13, 2004 | ISBN 9780739304235

    351 Minutes

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Praise

Praise for R is for Ricochet

“A tale of love gone right and wrong and every which way in between. R is for Ricochet will have fans purring contentedly.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Grafton, as usual, creates believable and enduring characters and a strong sense of place in her town of Santa Teresa circa 1987.”—Publishers Weekly

“Refreshingly unique and satisfying entertainment…The prose is smooth and seemingly effortless, with descriptions crisp and concise.”—Los Angeles Times

More Praise for Sue Grafton and the Alphabet Series

“I’m going to miss Kinsey Millhone. Ever since the first of Sue Grafton’s Alphabet mysteries, A Is For Alibi, came out in 1982, Kinsey has been a good friend and the very model of an independent woman, a gutsy Californian P.I. rocking a traditional man’s job…it’s Kinsey herself who keeps this series so warm and welcoming. She’s smart, she’s resourceful, and she’s tough enough to be sensitive on the right occasions.”—New York Times Book Review

“The consistent quality and skillful innovations in this alphabet series justify all the praise these books have received over the past 35 years.”—Wall Street Journal

“A superb storyteller.”—Publishers Weekly

“Grafton’s endless resourcefulness in varying her pitches in this landmark series, graced by her trademark self-deprecating humor, is one of the seven wonders of the genre.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Grafton is a writer of many strengths—crisp characterizations, deft plotting, and eloquent dialogue among them—and she has kept her long-running alphabet mystery series fresh and each new release more welcome than the last.”—Louisville Courier-Journal

“[Grafton’s] ability to give equal weight to the story of the detective and the detective story sets her apart in the world of crime fiction.”—Richmond Times-Dispatch

Author Q&A

An Interview with Sue Grafton

Internationally acclaimed suspense author Sue Grafton is right on target with the powerful 18th volume in her bestselling Alphabet Mystery series featuring private eye Kinsley Millhone. InR Is for Ricochet, Kinsey is hired to help a young parolee make the tough transition back into the “real world.” But riding herd on willful, rebellious Reba Lafferty proves to be a tougher job than anyone anticipated. Reba hasn’t outgrown her taste for living life on the edge, and she’s got a positive talent for taking other people along with her…including Kinsey. Sue Grafton spins a complex web of crime and passion in this tale of love, money laundering, and revenge. Here’s what Grafton had to say when Ransom Notes asked her to talk about what she writes, and why…and how her most famous creation, Kinsey Millhone, fits into the big picture.

Sue Grafton: To me, mysteries are appealing because they have a strong story line — beginning, middle, and end — a hero, a villain, and (with luck) a satisfying resolution. Mysteries are designed to be read in one or two sittings, which is a blessing for busy people who don’t have much time to themselves. My best moments with writing are those when I’m totally immersed in the scene in front of me. Most of writing is in the preparation; research, plotting, character development, and the outlining of sequences. I find the writing itself comes more quickly when I’ve done my homework in advance. Most of the cases I write about are fiction. In the real world, murder seldom makes sense, and the motives for such crimes are absurd, given all the pain and suffering involved. In a mystery novel, the killer generally has a strong reason for what s/he does. There’s stealth and ingenuity, both of which Kinsey Millhone employs in her search for the truth.

Ransom Notes: : In Q Is for Quarry, the publisher included a forensically reconstructed portrait of the real murder victim that story was based on, in the hope that the victim might finally be identified. Has there been any progress on that real-life investigation?

SG: The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department has had close to 150 calls about the Jane Doe I wrote about in Q. So far, none have panned out, but we’re all still optimistic that one of these days someone will step forward with Jane Doe’s real name.

RN: What you do think exploring romantic/personal story lines, as you do in R Is for Ricochet, adds to the mix in a mystery?

SG: In this day and age, the mystery novel doesn’t have to be as plot-driven as it used to be. I think of Kinsey Millhone as literally a “private eye”…someone who observes and comments on society at large. Most of what she does is related to crime and criminals, but certainly her personal life and her personal development work hand-in-hand with her professional life. In many ways, R is about romance, which seems like the perfect counterpoint to murder and death.

RN: Do you plan to continue to write about Kinsey after you finish the Alphabet series, or in books outside of that sequence?

SG: I did a great deal of writing before I launched myself into the current Alphabet series. I wrote and published two mainstream novels, plus articles and short stories. I also worked in Hollywood for 15 years before Ms. Millhone came along. These days, I write one book at a time with no clear sense of where I’m heading. I discover as I go, which is anxiety-producing but keeps me on my toes. Certainly, I intend to go all the way to Z…at which point I may retire!

RN: Do you like readers to contact you?

SG: I’m always interested in hearing from my readers…unless they write to insult or berate me. I can be reached through my publisher, or through P.O. Box 41447, Santa Barbara, CA 93140.

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