R Is for Ricochet was published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons in 2004. Nord Lafferty hires Kinsey to keep his daughter Reba — just released from prison after an embezzlement conviction — on the straight and narrow. Reba is charming, funny, and apparently reformed. She is also a gambling addict, a pathological liar, and still in love with the man whose money she laundered. Kinsey’s attempts to help Reba are systematically undermined by Reba’s compulsions and manipulations.
The novel examines the limits of empathy: Kinsey likes Reba, understands her, and cannot save her. The con-artist dynamic — Reba manipulating everyone around her while appearing vulnerable — gives the book a different texture from the usual whodunit structure.
Reba Lafferty
Reba is one of Grafton’s most memorable characters — charismatic enough to make the reader root for her even while recognising that she is lying. Her gambling addiction and her inability to resist the thrill of illegality are rendered with the unsentimental accuracy of someone who has researched compulsive behaviour thoroughly.
Collecting R Is for Ricochet
First edition (G. P. Putnam’s Sons, New York, 2004): Boards with dust jacket.
Approximate market values:
- Fine in dust jacket: $15–$30
- Signed first edition: $30–$80
Projected values (2026–2036): Modest appreciation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a departure from the usual formula? Yes — it is more character study than mystery, with Reba’s self-destruction driving the plot rather than a conventional murder investigation.