The series begins with ""A" Is for Alibi", published and set in 1982. ""B" Is for Burglar", followed, then ""C" Is for Corpse", each novel's title combining a letter with a word, except "X". After the publication of ""G" Is for Gumshoe", Grafton was able to quit her screenwriting job and focus on her writing. Since the publication of ""A" is for Alibi", a new episode was released each year or so. The name of each book was a source of speculation. In May 2009, Grafton told Media Bistro that she was "just trying to figure out how to get from ""U" is for Undertow" to ""Z" Is for Zero"" and that "just because she knows the endgame title for Z [...] doesn't mean she knows what V, W, X, and Y will be". Grafton said that the series would end with ""Z" Is for Zero", but she died before she could begin writing it. Her daughter said Grafton would never allow a ghostwriter to write in her name and "as far as we in the family are concerned, the alphabet now ends at Y."