Tuesday, July 22, 2014

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. 

9 comments:

Victoria said...

This sounds like my kind of book! Thanks for the recommendation, Vicki.

Barbara Rogers said...

Your recommendation is enough for me. Thanks.

Janet C said...

She gets better with each book! I pretty much put everything on hold until I finished this one.

Unknown said...

Wow - you really nailed it with this series. A marvelous combination of thriller and mystery. Oh, and some really good characterization :)

Jime said...

I'm gonna get aroundtuit just as soon as I finish the three I picked up from the Friends of the Library down in Encinitas. Whew! this retirement thing is stressful.

katy gilmore said...

This book sounds delicious!Thanks for your always useful recommendations!

jennyfreckles said...

Sounds great. I just love those days when you really mean to get on with something productive and instead get swallowed up in another world. That's just what books should do.

Darla said...

Good review…can I ask though…does she include gore? I mean, I know it's hard to compare since all of our tastes are relative, but … for example, I stopped reading Patricia Cornwell a few books ago (the Kay Scarpetta series) because she overstepped a line I didn't know I had into gruesome. Thanks if you have time to post a follow-up comment on this … :-) If not, I'll just have to decide whether to be daring! LOL

Vicki Lane said...

Darla, I don't think so -- most of the violence is off stage -- leaving your mind to do the work.