In this #1 New York Times bestseller in Sue Grafton's Alphabet
series, private investigator Kinsey Millhone has her hands full when a
job that should be easy money takes a turn for the worse.
Reba Lafferty was a daughter of privilege, the only child of an adoring
father. Nord Lafferty was already in his fifties when Reba was born, and
he could deny her nothing. Over the years, he quietly settled her many
scrapes with the law, but wasn't there for her when she was convicted of
embezzlement and sent to the California Institution for Women. Now, at
thirty-two, she's about to be paroled, having served twenty-two months
of a four-year sentence. Her father wants to be sure Reba stays
straight, stays home and away from the drugs, the booze, and the
gamblers...
It seems a straightforward assignment for Kinsey: babysit Reba until she
settles in, make sure she follows all the niceties of her parole. Maybe
a week's work. Nothing untoward--the woman seems remorseful and
friendly. And the money is good.
But life is never that simple, and Reba is out of prison less than
twenty-four hours when one of her old crowd comes circling round...