"Y" Is for Yesterday
"Y" Is for Yesterday is the twenty-fifth and final novel in the "Alphabet" series of mystery novels by Sue Grafton. Grafton initially wanted to write a Z novel, but she died before she was able to do so. It features Kinsey Millhone, a private detective based in the fictional city of Santa Teresa, California.[1]
 First edition cover | |
| Author | Sue Grafton |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Alphabet Mysteries |
| Genre | Mystery fiction |
| Publisher | G. P. Putnam's Sons |
Publication date | August 22, 2017 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 496 first edition |
| ISBN | 978-0-399-16385-2 |
| Preceded by | "X" |
The novel, set in 1989, finds Kinsey getting pulled into a decade-old case involving a sexual assault at an elite private school. The novel, published by G. P. Putnam's Sons, was released in the United States on August 22, 2017.[2]
Plot summary
Characters
- Kinsey Millhone: Private investigator who is called in to investigate an old case of sexual assault at a private school.
Reviews
Best-seller lists
On August 30, 2017, "Y" Is for Yesterday topped USA Today's best-seller list.[3] On September 1, 2017, it topped The New York Times Best Seller list and was later placed on its Fiction Best Sellers of 2017 list.[4]
Development of the novel
In an interview with NPR on August 20, 2017, Grafton stated the basis of the book was an amalgamation of two actual events: "The origin was a case that happened in Santa Barbara, where a kid was picked up because his brother owed $1,500 to a drug dealer. And eventually, he was shot and killed up in the mountains. Second part of the plot was from a case down in Orange County, where some kids –always kids– assaulted a girl and filmed it and then circulated this bunch of photographs, which she knew nothing about until somebody told her. So they ended up going to court. So I juxtaposed the two."[5]
References
- "Biography: Sue Grafton". Penguin Random House. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- McClurg, Jocelyn (May 4, 2017). "Read an excerpt from Sue Grafton's new 'Y Is for Yesterday'". USA Today. Gannett. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- McClurg, Jocelyn (August 30, 2017). "Sue Grafton, down to 'Y,' lands at No. 1 on USA Today's books list". USA Today. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- Christensen, Lauren (September 1, 2017). "A Decades-old Detective Series Is Still on Top". The New York Times. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
- Brown, Dwane (August 20, 2017). "'Y Is For Yesterday': Sue Grafton's Penultimate Mystery Series Novel". NPR. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
External links
- Sue Grafton Alphabet Series official site