B is for Burglar: A Kinsey Millhone Mystery

By Sue Grafton

Winner of the first Anthony Award for Best Novel, B is for Burglar is the second in the Kinsey Millhone mystery series by Sue Grafton.

Female, age thirty-two, self-employed and wiser than she used to be. For Kinsey Millhone, private investigator, only one thing stays the same. When a client sits down in the chair across the desk, she never knows what’s going to happen next . . .

There was nothing about Beverly Danziger to cause Kinsey concern. She was looking for her sister. There was a will to be settled. She paid up front. And if it seemed a lot of money for a routine job, Kinsey wasn’t going to argue.

She kicked herself later for the things she didn’t see – Beverly Danziger did not look as if she needed a few thousand dollars and she didn’t seem like someone longing for a family reunion. But just as Kinsey begins to suspect foul play and start asking questions, Beverly Danziger pulls her off the case and fires her . . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Release date: Feb 23, 2011
• ISBN: 9780330524353

Sue Grafton

Sue Grafton was one of the most popular female writers, both in the UK and in the US. Born in Kentucky in 1940, she began her career as a TV scriptwriter before Kinsey Millhone and the 'alphabet' series took off. Two of the novels B is for Burglar and C is for Corpse won the first Anthony Awards for Best Novel. Sue lived and wrote in Montecito, California and Louisville, Kentucky.

Reviews for B is for Burglar

[nx74defiant · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Kinsey Millhone is hired to track down her client's sister. Is her disappearance linked to the burglary next door? Loved the elderly neighbor who helps Kinsey.

[mmignano11 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Grafton hits the target again with this quick read. The plot is rather involved and the characters are complicated and have quirks like the rest of us. Grafton always manages to make her characters realistic, in both dialogue and personality. These books are not for the "cozy" mystery enthusiast though, Grafton knows how to "whack" her victims and the fight at the end of this book is intense, painful and violent. I will read the next book in line, curious now to see how the author develops throughout the writing of each new book.

[sarah_buckley-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I hope that these books get better. I may just have to give up on them. This book wasn't so much bad as it was pointless and boring, at least to me. I didn't care about anyone in this book, at all. No one grabbed my attention, and the mystery was just so-so.

Kinsey (the main character) is really weird to me. I feel like we are supposed to think she is this cool,quirky, bad ass but she comes across to me pretty much the opposite. She is unnecessarily rude to people, she seems weirdly oblivious at times, and she weirdly sexualizes everyone she meets...Well, at least the men. And I mean everyone. Last book it was a bunch of guys including a 12-year-old deaf kid and in this book it includes a 16 (or 17?) year-old punk, and her geriatric landlord. It is just really off-putting. I'll admit this may just be me, but i don't think so.

Also bad, I guessed what was going on pretty early in the book. Now, if the rest of the plot is well written and engaging it doesn't matter, but if it is slow and boring it is like pulling teeth to get through.

I know that these books start out written in the 80s before cell phones and other tech advances, but i don't mind that in the book. It actually makes me smile a bit.

I am going on the the third book in the hopes that as Sue Grafton goes along she gets better. I certainly hope so.

[starknits_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this book, even though I figured it out pretty early on.
Kinsey is trying to come to grips with killing someone, even though it was self defense. Mainly she’s avoiding it. She gets a new case and throws herself into it. I’m not too sure why Jonah was brought into the story

[valerieandbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

***This is a project of e-reading Grafton's series -- I started reading these back in the 1980s and would read each release as they came out over the years. To prevent spoilers, I will not attempt to summarize in detail. ***The motive behind this whodunnit seemed contrived but yet I tore through this one. I forgot how catty (but vivid) Kinsey could be when describing people and their appearances— at least in the earlier books. I'll have to see if she tones down her observations in later books.This series brings me back to a time and place I‘m very familiar with— California in the 1980s (and where I was living when first reading these). A time when DNA analysis didn‘t exist, and serial crimes were rampant. But hey the weather was usually great!

[sdramsey-298717 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

There's nothing like listening to old favourite books when one is sick. :)

[dreaminginfiction · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The mystery in this one was GREAT! Totally took me by surprise....BUT I still didn't like the comments that were made about the same subjects mentioned previously. It just seems so rude and I'm taking more and more offense to it which is why I gave it 3 instead of a 4 that it really deserves.

[knittygritty_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

You will be hooked from the first few pages. Lots of twists & turns. Just when you think that you have it figured out, she takes the story in a different direction.

[thoughtsofjoylibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Kinsey Milhone is a single, 32-year-old private investigator. A woman named Beverly comes into Kinsey's office to hire her to find her widowed sister, Elaine. Once Kinsey gets on Elaine's trail, she discovers much more than just a missing person.With a host of somewhat quirky characters and an interesting missing person's mystery, Grafton made this a very good read. It's been quite some time since I read A is for Alibi, so it was nice being reintroduced to Kinsey. I like her character and will not wait as long to pick up C is for Corpse. (3.75/5)Originally posted on: "Thoughts of Joy..."

[bookconcierge · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Book on CD performed by Mary Peiffer

Book two in the mystery series featuring private investigator Kinsey Millhone of Santa Teresa, California. Beverly Danziger is expensively dressed and much more nervous than she should be considering her problem. She needs to find her sister to get some papers signed. Kinsey figures this will be fairly routine, so she takes the job. But a trip to Boca Raton, Florida only raises more questions about the missing woman, and Mrs Danziger is upset when Kinsey suggests filing an official missing persons report with the police.

I like this series. Kinsey is a smart, resourceful woman who takes her job seriously and doesn’t rely on some strong handsome type to come along and save her. If she gets into a jam, she gets herself out. The action is fast, the characters entertaining and Grafton includes enough twists and red herrings to keep this reader guessing right along with the characters. I figured it out only a couple of pages ahead of Kinsey.

Mary Peiffer does a fine job performing the audio version. She has good pacing and I enjoyed the way she brought the characters to life.

[wishanem · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

After Sue Grafton's recent death I saw a lot of people praising her work. This series, about a private detective based in California, was the main thing she wrote. I don't think this particular entry broke any crazy new ground, but it was an entertaining little mystery with a couple of good twists.

[mawls · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Took me awhile to read because I kept setting it down. A typical mystery story. Good to pass the time or to read in-between other, possibly better, books.

[lamour_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Kinsey is asked to locate Elaine Boldt so she may sign a legal document. Elaine had left for Florida to stay at her condo there but Kinsey soon learns she did not arrive there and there is a very strange woman living in her apartment. Then the case becomes more dangerous as the house of a friend of Elaine's is burned, another apartment burgled, Elaine's fur coat is lost then found plus more strange events including murder. This is another crackling mystery that pushes Kinsey to the edge including her own death.

[scottkalas · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"B" is my third read (I've read "S" and "A") of Sue Grafton's Kinsey Milhone. The plot was OK, though not to hard to connect some of the 'mystery dots' as one reads.

I thought Grafton over does metaphoric descriptions but her style is patterned after Ross McDonald creator of gumshoe PD Lou Archer, but if you like that style you like the alphabet series.

If your a Kinsey Millhone fan "B" won't disappoint

[riverwillow · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Didn't enjoy this as much as the first book, it felt too generic and I realy didn't feel Kinsey developing as a character. But it passed the time.

[darlenesbooknook · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the second book in the Kinsey Millhone, aka Alphabet Mystery, series.Kinsey Millhone, Private Investigator, is hired by a woman to find her sister, who appears to have gone missing, in order to settle a relative’s estate.When I started this book, I forgot it was written back in 1985 when parachute pants and Mohawks were in style and people didn’t email and use the internet or cell phones! How archaic to have to use the typewriter instead of the computer ;) I have forgotten how different everything was back then!Kinsey is a very likeable protagonist: she’s a bit of a loner, quirky, self-reliant, and tough.Grafton’s books are a fast read for me, and I enjoy them.I also like Mary Peiffer's narration of these books. She did the first one as well.MY RATING: 3.5 stars!

[kittysimmons · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'm not reading these in order and have already read almost all of them. Was pleasantly surprised at how good this one is. The plot was very clever and had me guessing and engaged all the way to the end. I enjoy all the descriptive details which fill this series.

[anglophile65 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Don't know why I've been avoiding reading this series for so long, but glad I finally picked one up - excite writing - a bump up from a lot of the cozy mysteries I read. Great, another series to read! Starting with "A"

[emscape · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A very compelling tale of missing persons, burglary, murder and investigation. Grafton's heroine is genuine, flawed, courageous, and relatable. This series is a must-read!

[nakmeister · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Kinsey Millhone returns for her second book and this time she’s been given what she thinks is a relatively simple case. Just find her clients sister so she can sign some legal documents. No problem there, she thinks, but the woman has just disappeared off the face of the earth...I quite like these books. They’re very easy to read, and while for me it isn’t quite a suspenseful page turner, I do want to know what happens, who committed the crime etc. and so I read on. It’s also interesting to see a fairly realistic Private Investigator at work – well it seems realistic enough – in an old fashioned but not too old fashioned way. It’s not Agatha Christie, but it’s not a Crime Squad searching the internet, constantly in touch on mobile phones with loads of wire taps in place sort of book either. I also quite like the first person writing style. Obviously there’s no dramatic irony with this, the reader never gets to know things, other than what they deduce, before the protagonist. Weighs in at a little over 200 pages, but while enjoyable, if it were double the length it might get a little wearing at times.

[bookangel_a · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

An absorbing mystery. Suspenseful. Kept my attention. Not my favorite mystery series. I prefer 'cozy' mysteries so it is a tiny bit gory for my taste, but still very interesting.

[cbloky · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love how Sue gives good descriptions to her characters. Reading the books in order written is also help with the development f getting to know the main people. This book ended with a twisted i had no idea was coming.

[terribooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Kinsey is an interesting young woman...I enjoy her internal conversation and observations about her life. I also enjoyed the mystery, the "whodunit" was a surprise that I didn't really believe, but then again, these aren't very realistic stories are they? Enjoyable, easy to follow, relaxing... good casual reading.

[carl_alves_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I've read another of Sue Grafton's novels, and just like the previous one, this did nothing for me. Between the plot, the characterization, the writing style, there's nothing about it that stands out as being anything above mediocre. In this novel, Kinsey goes looking for an eccentric wealthy woman. This leads her to Florida and a woman posing as the missing woman. The red herrings were weak. The villain was not very believable and the story was a bit dull. This isn't worth the read.Carl Alves - author of Two For Eternity

[jenniferrobb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read this once before, so many years ago that I don't remember the exact date. But it's been a while and I didn't recall all the book details, so when I saw a copy for free in a book exchange location, I decided to read it again, knowing that I'd enjoyed the early Kinsey Millhone books.I did find some typos in this this edition, which surprised me. I don't remember noting those the last time I read the book, though honestly, I found I didn't remember much of the storyline. Kinsey takes on a missing persons case--I did wonder how the estate stuff that brought Beverly to Kinsey would end up being resolved if the person she was looking for turned up dead. That question was never answered, nor do we find out what happened with the Danzigers.

[sumariotter · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I've never read a Sue Grafton mystery because the titles are so silly. But, a friend recommended her so I thought I'd try one. It's a short, fun read. Not very complex in either story or characterization but it was written in the 80's. I'll try a few more...

[jiraiya_5 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The climax was one of a kind here, but I couldn't understand how a seasoned sleuth like the heroine could jeopardize her strategic advantage that ineptly. If someone has read enough Agatha Christie books, he would have solved the murder pronto. Did I? Did I hell! I went in with a too relaxed mind, expecting to be mildly cheered, when in fact, the language took me unawares. Since that moment I read on dutifully, without exercising the god given grey little cells. If you've read The Body In the Library, A Murder Is Announced, or Nemesis, you can piece the puzzle and connect the dots by yourself.

[simplywriting · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Another great Kinsey Milhone adventure!

[mrsbaty · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love Kinsey Milhone and one of the things I love about this book is not only is there a very interesting puzzle to solve, but we get a glimpse of all the details it takes for the detective to solve them. I like seeing the mundane little efforts she makes because so often we're just told answers without knowing how they were obtained. This book is very satisfying. Kinsey takes on a missing persons case which looks pretty straight-forward but of course, nothing is as easy as it seems. Kinsey ends up having to take several trips to Boca Raton, FL where she meets a very interesting old lady who wants to help her with her investigation. Along with the characters she meets in Santa Teresa, Kinsey always has quite a cast of minor characters. Another win for Sue Grafton.

[bardin_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is still the best Kinsey Millhone story, although 'H', 'M', and 'Q' are also quite good. 'B' is for Burglar is a mystery blessed with a terrific plot and excellent major and minor characters. It has received numerous awards, and deservedly so. You don't need to read 'A' is for alibi first, but it helps a bit.