REVIEW: "M IS FOR MALICE" by SUE GRAFTON
The plot turns in Sue Grafton's "M" are many and complex. She delivers another satisfying and well-crafted story, this time exploring family dynamics and sibling jealousies.
Kinsey Millhone is hired by her attorney cousin on behalf of the Malek family, to locate Guy, the missing son of the wealthy patriarch of the Malek family, who has just passed away. The elder Malek's other three sons are furious that their troublemaker brother, who has been gone for 18 years, should receive any of their father's estate, but they are willing to have Kinsey try to find him. She finds him living in poverty in Central California in a small town, where he has lived since the day he disappeared 18 years ago, working as caretaker for the Jubilee Evangelical Church.
Though Kinsey warns Guy to stay away from his brothers for his own safety, because of his religious assurances, he believes that it will be a good thing to meet with them and show them how much he has changed. He travels to his father's house to visit with his brothers. Through the rest of the story, the devious brothers make his life miserable. Kinsey's fondness for Guy makes her feel responsible for what happens to him. Meanwhile, her former lover Dietz keeps showing up at her apartment as he wanders in and out of town, which throws her off guard until she comes to terms with their complicated relationship. I really enjoyed reading this multi-layered suspense story, with its clear depictions of the Santa Theresa community, and the unchecked treachery in the Malek household. … Pam Wilder…