1. I is for Innocent, Sue Grafton, 1993, 286 lk

When Morley Shine, a fellow PI, dies from a heart attack, Kinsey Millhone takes over the seemingly simple task of gathering evidence for Lonnie Kingman, a local attorney immersed in a civil suit.

Stakes are high. David Birney, acquitted of his wealthy wife's murder five years ago, got his hands on her fortune. Now Kingman wants to divest Birney of the money in favor of the wife's child by an earlier marriage. But the statute of limitations has about run out, and there is little progress.

Kinsey's easy investigation turns into a nightmare. Shine's files are in disarray and the key informant lacks credibility. And she senses danger...a killer waiting to see what Kinsey uncovers. Somebody got away with murder once...will it be Kinsey's turn this time?

2. D is for Deadbeat, Sue Grafton, 1990, 280 lk

Following the successes of her previous "Alphabet" mysteries, Grafton puts Kinsey Millhone back on the case. This time, the feisty female P.I. gets pulled into a former client's suspicious life--and death--and soon discovers an impressive list of potential murderers among the mourners.

He calls himself Alvin Limardo, and the job he has for Kinsey is cut-and-dried: locate a kid who's done him a favor and pass on a check for $25,000. Stiffed for the retainer, Kinsey finds out Limardo's real name is John Daggett... ex-con, ex-liar-, ex-alchy, currently dead.

The cops call it an accident but Kinsey differs. Look at his life! A lot of people hated him, from much-abused wives, to drug dealers out big money, to the families of five people he killed driving drunk. In short, Daggett wasn't popular.