T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton*(*possible spoilers)
T is for Trespass is the 20th book in the alphabet series about thirty something private investigator Kinsey Milhone. I am a real fan of Kinsey, tough but caring and fiercely independent and a fan of Sue Grafton who has created one of my favourite characters to read about. T takes up where S is for Silence finished. Kinsey has just split from her most recent boyfriend Cheney Phillips and her work has slowed down to the point she is keeping herself busy serving eviction notices and carrying out basic insurance investigations.
She has some time on her hands and becomes involved when her elderly neighbour Gus Vronsky has a fall and landlord Henry asks her to lend a hand. She tracks down Gus's great niece, who employs Kinsey to check out the carer she is thinking of hiring to look after Gus. It is in such a simple and straightforward way that Kinsey becomes embroiled with Solana Rojas. Kinsey's employment check on Rojas appears simple enough and she checks out, but is she really all that she appears.
Well we know that she isn't as Sue Grafton has given us a real insight into Solana by writing part of the book from her perspective, which is something of a departure for her, as we usually get everything from Kinsey's point of view. We know from the outset that Solana is bad, that she has stolen an identity and that she has plans to use that new identity to commit a crime.
Sue Grafton uses this book to highlight the issue of elderly abuse, as that is what Rojas does, once employed to look after the vulnerable Gus, she sedates him, starves him and over medicates him. She also cuts him off from his neighbours and family. Kinsey begins to smell a rat, but Rojas appears to be one step ahead of her all the time. When Kinsey reports her to the authorities, Rojas turns it round and makes it look like Kinsey is persecuting her. Kinsey is thwarted by Rojas at every turn until Rojas has a restraining order put on Kinsey. Finally Kinsey acts and a bit of luck for Kinsey gives her the chance to finally get to the bottom of Rojas story.
Along the way Kinsey is also investigating a possible insurance fraud and the people involved in that also do not appear to be what they seem. The disabled couple hurt in a car accident, are they are honest as they appear, the good Samaritan who helped out at the accident disappears when Kinsey finds him, is he all he appears. So there is a theme in the book of the disguises that people use in life.
The book is perhaps darker in a way than some of her books and perhaps that is because Kinsey herself is in a bit of a lull. We see a predication of a future to come and a world that will phase Kinsey when as part of her investigations she comes across a computer specialist. Grafton's books are firmly placed in the late 1980's, and computers and mobile phones are only just beginning to appear.
Kinsey, of course, resolves the situation but not without her near death at the hands of Solana mentally disabled but hulk of a son and Henry's near death at the hands of Solana. For me Sue Grafton never fails but to deliver a totally enjoyable and well written story, but with each one, whilst I love the story to bits, I am getting more and more concerned as to what I will do when the series comes to an end. I will feel I have lost a dear friend in Kinsey!
Sue
XX
Reading challenge 3/16 - currently reading Pop Babylon by Imogen Edwards-Jones
Jamie's Reading challenge 1/12 - currently reading Clean Break by Jacqueline Wilson
SLYMI - 1/52
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