J is for Judgment by Sue Grafton

 I saw this paperback in the Switchpoint Thrift Store for 50 cents, so I thought I'd take a trip down memory lane and revisit this most engaging series that I read years ago. It was long enough ago that this was like reading a completely new book! The only vaguely familiar part was when Kinsey discovers she has living relatives and her cousins contact her. Her reaction is so strong and so antithetical to what I think I would have done, that it stuck in my memory.

This is a good yarn, and not as graphically violent as some of Grafton's later mysteries in the series. This one deals with the disappearance of a father who developed a ponzi scheme and took the money and ran. Kinsey tracks him down in Mexico, and in the course of the story, connects with his family. It's engaging and not too hard to follow the clues along the way. There isn't a lot of Henry or her home life in this one, nor is there any romance. Still, it's an enjoyable, at times funny and at times tragic story. I really enjoyed Kinsey's analysis of Wendell and whether or not he had any redeeming qualities. The description of his sons, particularly the violent criminal one, was also fascinating. 

Now I wonder...should I start all over again with A??? These sure are fun. And I'm tempted!