A Is for Alibi

A Is for Alibi is the first novel in Sue Grafton's alphabetically titled series featuring private detective Kinsey Millhone. Published in 1982, the novel introduces Millhone as a resilient and independent investigator operating in the fictional California city of Santa Teresa.1

The term "alibi" originates from the Latin word for "elsewhere". In a legal context, it refers to the plea or proof that a defendant was in another place when a crime was committed. The novel uses this concept as its central theme, with Millhone investigating a murder where the suspect claims to have an alibi. Grafton's work, alongside that of Sara Paretsky, is noted for challenging the traditional, often chauvinistic, portrayal of women in hard-boiled detective fiction, presenting Millhone as a capable and self-reliant protagonist.213