Abandoned by Booklikes

This was such a good Kinsey Millhone mystery. I loved that I did not see the ending coming until Kinsey finally grasped what really went on. There were so many players in this one that I was wondering who was the murderer. I also liked we get to see Kinsey contemplating a new romantic interest who was not all that he seemed. 

"P is for Peril" has Kinsey employed by an ex-wife of a missing man (Dr. Dowan Purcell). His ex-wife Fiona believes his current wife, Crystal had something to do with things. Crystal has a somewhat shady past as an ex-dancer/stripper but now is a devoted mother to their son. When Kinsey starts investigating she soon realizes that Dr. Purcell had a lot of reasons to want to disappear. With him dealing with his ex-wife and their family, his current's wife's family, and some issues at his job, Purcell could be long gone. Kinsey being Kinsey though quickly starts to realize something is amiss. Along with that, Kinsey comes across to two brothers with her becoming a possible interest to one, Tommy Hevener. 

Kinsey was a little bit off for me in this book, in a good way. She starts to question herself once she starts to realize she is getting so many things wrong along the way with Dr. Purcell's case. She also wonders about getting romantically involved with Tommy. That one was a bit murkier, but Kinsey appears to like it when someone pushes back on her and her attitude. I thought it was interesting to have her involved with someone that wasn't her constantly missing ex or whatever he is, Robert Dietz.

I think it was a nice showcase to show that Kinsey's work at times is mostly lucky guesses. She gets shown as being arrogant and naive at times in this book which we know the fictional Kinsey would hate. 

This one ends a bit differently than other Millhone books though. Usually Grafton ends with an epilogue that ties up the case. However, I liked how she ended this one with you realizing what would come next, without you having it spelled out for you.