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Cover of U Is for Undertow by Sue GraftonU Is for Undertow
Modern · Fiction, Mystery

U Is for Undertow

by Sue Grafton
2009 · 416 pages · Fiction
65.6Must-Read
Score Modern
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 10 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

In her twenty-first outing, private investigator Kinsey Millhone takes on a twisting, complex, surprise-filled case, as Sue Grafton once again breaks the formulas of the genre.

Why it's worth reading

It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. Sue Grafton's alphabet mysteries are among the most popular in the genre.

You'll love it if you liked

Cover of T Is for Trespass by Sue GraftonT Is for Trespass
T Is for TrespassSue Grafton
Cover of S Is for Silence by Sue GraftonS Is for Silence
S Is for SilenceSue Grafton
Cover of Y Is for Yesterday by Sue GraftonY Is for Yesterday
Y Is for YesterdaySue Grafton

Good to know

Each book stands alone; the series begins with A Is for Alibi.

By the numbers

65.6Must-Read Score
  • Readers44 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller47 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
#1 New York Times bestseller (1 week at #1)

Reads as

Gripping

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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N Is for NooseSue Grafton
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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedModern booksTop 25 · 1,573 rankedBooks of the 2000sTop 25 · 490 rankedFantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 ranked

Quick answers

Is U Is for Undertow worth reading?

Yes. It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It ranks #1,799 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 65.6 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is U Is for Undertow about?

In her twenty-first outing, private investigator Kinsey Millhone takes on a twisting, complex, surprise-filled case, as Sue Grafton once again breaks the formulas of the genre.

How long does it take to read U Is for Undertow?

About 10 hours (416 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after U Is for Undertow?

If you liked it, try T Is for Trespass by Sue Grafton, S Is for Silence by Sue Grafton or Y Is for Yesterday by Sue Grafton.