Don't Talk to Strangers

This book grabbed me and wouldn't let go. Sure, it was a rainy day but I had plans to do some writing of my own. I'd started reading it late one night -- because I always read before going to sleep -- and I didn't want to stop. Finally my eyes were telling me they needed rest  so I reluctantly set the book aside.

The next morning, I told myself, 'just one chapter. ' And managed to get my morning chores done before falling back into the world of wise-cracking, flawed, gutsy Keye Street -- former FBI profiler, current private eye. 

This is the third in a series by Amanda Kyle Williams but it absolutely works as a standalone.  Keye is called to help a small town sheriff's office in the search for the abductor and murderer of two girls -- the sheriff is almost too nice and too good-looking to be true but others in his office resent Keye's 'intrusion' to their territory and are not so welcoming.

It's a thriller and a classic who-done-it -- I was reading carefully, looking for clues -- is this a red herring? why did that guy do that? oh, this must be the one!  -- and ultimately I was fooled.  Fooled good. But it felt fair -- the clues had been there all along. . . 

Amanda is one of Kate Miciak's authors and I wrote about her first book HERE when Kate sent me a copy to blurb. But I bought this book on my own because I wanted to see what Keye was up to. Wow and double wow! 

I highly recommend this book --  lots of small town ambiance (but it's NOT a cozy,) fascinating fully drawn characters,  really wonderful sly humor, and a twisty plot that will keep you guessing . . . and reading on and on, if you're anything like me.

Check out Amanda's web site HERE for more about Don't Talk to Strangers. 

The Stranger You Seek

Amanda Kyle Williams is living the dream. After several novels published with a small press, her mainstream thriller The Stranger You Seek, caught the attention of the folks at Random House. And caught it in a big way --  what they call a Major Deal. Amanda scored a three-book, seven figure contract for her Keye Street series.

I didn't know all of this when my editor (Herself) sent me an Advance Reading Copy of TSYS back in January.  Herself asked if I'd read it and, if I liked it, provide a blurb -- one of those enthusiastic recommendations that appears somewhere on or in the book.

I'm always wary about providing blurbs -- some books just aren't my cup of tea. But I pretty much trust that if it's one Herself is editing, it will be good.

And it is!

Keye Street is a terrific protagonist -- a Chinese-American, adopted by white southern parents as a child, a  former FBI profiler whose career was cut short by alcoholism (she's a Diet Pepsi drinker now) -- Keye's a salty, funny, risk-taker whose work as a private investigator chasing bail jumpers and serving processes, puts her in touch with some of Georgia's less savory individuals. 

But the serious trouble comes when Keye is unofficially hired by an Atlanta police lieutenant, her best friend and secret crush,  to find a particularly awful serial killer who is leaving a bloody trail through Atlanta.  Things get personal when the killer begins sending notes to Keye.

There's lots of wonderful description of summer in Atlanta; there are some terrific, funny scenes with Keye and her family; and there's a plot that will truly keep you guessing. I really enjoyed getting to know Keye Street and will be looking for the next in this series.

You can read a really interesting article about Amanda HERE.   It sounds as if this success couldn't have happened to a nicer person.

The Stranger You Seek hits the shelves tomorrow, August 30.  If you like fast compulsive reading and a gutsy, semi-flawed protagonist, along with a Southern noir atmosphere, you need to meet Keye Street.