description A is for Alibi Overview
A Is for Alibi is a 1982 mystery novel by Sue Grafton and the first book in her alphabet series featuring private investigator Kinsey Millhone. In the novel, a woman recently released from prison hires Millhone to investigate the murder of her husband and establish who was actually responsible. Set in fictional Santa Teresa, California, it introduces the independent detective, first-person narration, and investigative style that structure the later books.
insights Ranking position
A is for Alibi ranks #110 of 183 in the Detective Novel ranking, behind G is for Gumshoe, ahead of The Anonymous Venetian.
help A is for Alibi FAQ
Who hires Kinsey Millhone in A Is for Alibi?
Nikki Fife hires Kinsey after serving a prison sentence for murdering her husband, divorce lawyer Laurence Fife. Nikki maintains that she was wrongly convicted and asks Kinsey to identify the real killer.
How is A Is for Alibi connected to Kinsey's past as a police officer?
The investigation introduces Kinsey as a former police officer working independently in fictional Santa Teresa, California. Her sparse apartment, twice-divorced history, and friendship with landlord Henry Pitts establish traits carried through the series.
Is A Is for Alibi the right starting point for Sue Grafton's series?
Yes, it is the first alphabet mystery and the first published Kinsey Millhone novel. It appeared in 1982, before B Is for Burglar continued the sequence.
Is A Is for Alibi a courtroom mystery or a private-investigator story?
It is primarily a private-investigator mystery set after Nikki Fife's trial and imprisonment. Kinsey re-interviews people connected to Laurence Fife and follows evidence involving another suspicious death.
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