Books › I is for Innocent (Kinsey Millhone, #9)
I is for Innocent (Kinsey Millhone, #9)
First published 1993 · 468 pages
A sun-drenched, shoe-leather mystery that balances wry humor with the methodical, dangerous work of digging up other people's deadly secrets.
What it feels like
Reading this feels like riding shotgun with your smartest, most pragmatic friend as she methodically untangles a deadly knot of lies. The pacing is wonderfully steady, grounded in the satisfying, index-card-shuffling reality of old-school private investigation before cell phones and the internet made things too easy. The atmosphere is distinctly Californian—sun-drenched streets hiding deep domestic rot—filtered through a narrative voice that is wry, observant, and fiercely independent. It is a mystery that delights in the mundane details of a stakeout just as much as the adrenaline spike of a sudden threat. Perfect for readers who crave a grounded, character-driven procedural where the sleuth relies on sharp instincts, relentless door-knocking, and a healthy dose of cynicism to survive.
- Mood
- sun-drenched
- grounded
- suspenseful
- nostalgic
- Tone
- wry
- pragmatic
- observant
- conversational
- no-nonsense
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- the daily grind of justice · hidden domestic rot · fierce independence · uncovering buried secrets
- The writing
- Crisp, unpretentious, and sharply observant, driven by a distinctively dry, first-person narrative voice.
- The arc
- Moves from the mundane satisfaction of a new paycheck into a tightening web of paranoia and high-stakes survival.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love methodical, character-driven mysteries anchored by a fiercely independent, unapologetically pragmatic female sleuth.
Content notes
- murder
- gun violence
- domestic abuse
About the book
"I feel compelled to report that at the moment of death, my entire life did not pass before my eyes in a flash... What I experienced was a little voice piping up in an outraged tone: 'Oh come on. You're not serious. This is really it?'"
It was a Monday early in December when Kinsey Millhone first got involved in the Isabelle Barney murder case.
She was out of work. Attorney Lonnie Klingman's usual private investigator had just dropped dead of a heart attack. Kinsey was more than happy to oblige.
The trouble started on the very first day of the investigation. Either Kinsey's predecessor was incompetent - or someone had been getting away with murder. And next time it might turn out to be hers...
Description from Open Library.
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