E is for Exciting!
The late Montecito resident Sue Grafton is the author of the alphabet mystery series.
NEWS-PRESS FILE
At top, the Santa Barbara County Courthouse will be among the stops on "A Day with Kinsey" trolley tour sponsored by Friends of the Santa Barbara Public Library. Above, Kinsey Millhone spent much of her time solving mysteries at the "Santa Teresa" Police Department.
NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTOS
Fans of the late mystery writer Sue Grafton will be delighted to hear that Friends of the Santa Barbara Public Library are bringing back a guided trolley tour identifying locations in Santa Barbara that investigator Kinsey Millhone describes in her adventures living and working in “Santa Teresa.”
“A Day with Kinsey,” which includes a talk, trolley tour, trivia and treats, will be from 1 to 5 p.m. June 30. Tickets are $100, and the event is a fundraiser for the Friends of the Library. The library plays a major role in Montecito resident Ms. Grafton’s alphabet mystery novels.
“Among the stops will be the County Courthouse, where Kinsey did a lot of her research in the Hall of Records; the Police Department on East Figueroa Street; (and the) Granada Building, where a dramatic scene takes place in her novel ‘D is for Deadbeat,’ ” said Irene Macias, who wrote the script for the original tour in 2004 and has updated it for the new tour, which begins with a discussion in the Faulkner Gallery in the Central Library, 40 E. Anapamu St.
“Two of Sue’s good friends, Susan Miles Gulbransen and Fred Klein, will reminisce about their longtime friendship with her. Fred, who is the former vice president of Bantam Books, and I ran the original tour, which quickly sold out,” said Ms. Macias, former library executive director who is now retired.
Other stops on the tour will include Kinsey’s two offices, one on State Street and the other on East Carrillo Street, which is named Parrillo Street in her books.
“Sue kept the same names for State Street and Highway 101 but renamed other locations. Santa Barbara is Santa Teresa, the Granada Building is the Granger Building, Hope Ranch is Horton Ravine and Montecito is Montebello,” said Ms. Macias, a member of the Friends of the Santa Barbara Public Library.
After the two-hour trolley tour and taking part in a trivia quiz, participants will return to the library for a reception that includes cheese plates, sandwiches, desserts, wine and other beverages.
“The food will include some of Kinsey’s favorites,” said Ms. Macias. “There will be prizes for winners of the quizzes, and everyone will receive a souvenir bag.
“Those who take the tour will relive some of their favorite scenes and revel in the opportunity to once again appreciate Kinsey’s musings on life and to see Santa Barbara through Kinsey’s eyes,” she added.
IF YOU GO
“A Day with Kinsey,” from 1 to 5 p.m. June 30, will begin in the Faulkner Gallery at the Central Library, 40 E. Anapamu St. Tickets are $100. To reserve seats, visitwww.friends-sblibrary.org or send a check to Friends of the Santa Barbara Public Library, P.O. Box 1019, Santa Barbara, CA 93102.
