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rowingrabbit's review
4.0
Book #3 in this series picks up where the last one left off. Our two main characters, ex-FBI profiler/PI Dr. Keye Street & Atlanta PD Lt. Aaron Rauser are now sharing Keye's condo. It's early in their relationship but after Rauser's house was flattened in a tornado, it seemed the logical thing to do while he waits out the rebuilding process.
However, it's been an adjustment for both of them. Keye has come a long way. After being sacked by the bureau, she started her own agency with partner Neil, a cyber/tech guru. He hasn't always used his computer superpowers for good but his skills combined with her brain are a potent combination & business is booming. They've also altered some personal habits. Keye hasn't had a drink in 4 years & Neil now goes outside to smoke a joint.
Out of the blue, Keye gets a call from Sheriff Ken Meltzer of Whisper, a small town in southern Georgia. The body of a young girl has been found...next to a second one. Both were 13 when they disappeared but one has been missing for 6 months, the other for more than 10 years. Would she consider coming down & having a look?
Keye feels the old rush. This is what she did at the bureau & she was one of the best at crawling into the recesses of a serial killer's mind before her drinking made her crash & burn out. And maybe a few days out of town will give her & Rauser some much needed personal space. So she packs up & hits the road, leaving Rauser to babysit White Trash, her cat who takes machiavellian delight in scaring the crap out of Hank, his poodle.
Meltzer, younger & more attractive than she expected, is happy to have her in Whisper but it soon becomes clear he's in the minority. Detectives Tina Brolin & Robert Raymond can hardly walk upright due to the size of the chips on their shoulders & make it clear she's not wanted. They take her arrival as an insult & proof Meltzer doesn't think they can get the job done. For Keye, it's more of the same old same old. She grew up in the south as the adopted Asian daughter of white parents with a gay, black brother so she's kind of heard it all.
And so her investigation begins. It will take all of her skill as she deals with flawed police work, professional jealousy, small town prejudice, attraction to Meltzer & a twisted killer.
After studying all the reports, Keye knows the horrors this psycho is capable of inflicting & when a a third girl goes missing, all of them hear the clock ticking as they race to bring one home alive.
This is a taut, well plotted thriller that keeps you guessing right up to the last few pages. Ms. Williams is skilled in the art of misdirection & there are several credible candidates as you try to identify the bad guy. It's told in first person so we are privy to Keye's thoughts & deductive process as she struggles with the case, a growing attraction to Meltzer & what that says about her relationship with Rauser. We also enter the chilling mind of the killer in several passages as he zeroes in on Keye & tracks her progress.
The author does a great job of portraying small town life. Everyone knows everyone's business or at least, they think they do. Most cling to the theory of "stranger danger", unwilling to believe someone in their midst could be the monster. Yes, they're friendly but Keye is an outsider in more ways than one & they tend to close ranks around their neighbours.
The characters are fully drawn & feel like real people. Dialogue is tight & pacing well executed to keep you turning the pages as secrets & lies are slowly exposed. You can feel the mounting tension after the third abduction forces locals to regard their peers with suspicion & entertain the possibility their little slice of America is not the safe haven they've always believed.
But the heart of this scary story is Keye. She's a smart, complex character who excels at her job while fighting personal demons one day at a time. It's such a pleasure to follow a protagonist who's not a caricature. So many fictional females in this role are portrayed in one of two ways: tougher than nails with major attitude, or impulsive & emotional, prone to making stupid decisions & requiring frequent rescue. Keye, like most of us, is a combination of both.
The author provides enough of her history so this can be read as a stand alone but I'd recommend reading them in order. Each is a satisfying mystery/thriller with smaller side stories that carry over. You also get the full story on how she & Rauser met & the evolution of their relationship. He's a great character in his own right & plays a larger role in the first two. These are two people that relate to each other in a way that feels authentic & believable & you can't help but root for them.
All in all, a very satisfying read that gives you interesting characters, a creepy bad guy & well plotted story lines complete with a couple of twists that make your jaw drop.
I demolished the first two books in record time so thanks to Netgalley for providing the ARC of this one. It did not disappoint. My only complaint is that the phone call Keye receives on the last page now has me waiting impatiently for book #4.
However, it's been an adjustment for both of them. Keye has come a long way. After being sacked by the bureau, she started her own agency with partner Neil, a cyber/tech guru. He hasn't always used his computer superpowers for good but his skills combined with her brain are a potent combination & business is booming. They've also altered some personal habits. Keye hasn't had a drink in 4 years & Neil now goes outside to smoke a joint.
Out of the blue, Keye gets a call from Sheriff Ken Meltzer of Whisper, a small town in southern Georgia. The body of a young girl has been found...next to a second one. Both were 13 when they disappeared but one has been missing for 6 months, the other for more than 10 years. Would she consider coming down & having a look?
Keye feels the old rush. This is what she did at the bureau & she was one of the best at crawling into the recesses of a serial killer's mind before her drinking made her crash & burn out. And maybe a few days out of town will give her & Rauser some much needed personal space. So she packs up & hits the road, leaving Rauser to babysit White Trash, her cat who takes machiavellian delight in scaring the crap out of Hank, his poodle.
Meltzer, younger & more attractive than she expected, is happy to have her in Whisper but it soon becomes clear he's in the minority. Detectives Tina Brolin & Robert Raymond can hardly walk upright due to the size of the chips on their shoulders & make it clear she's not wanted. They take her arrival as an insult & proof Meltzer doesn't think they can get the job done. For Keye, it's more of the same old same old. She grew up in the south as the adopted Asian daughter of white parents with a gay, black brother so she's kind of heard it all.
And so her investigation begins. It will take all of her skill as she deals with flawed police work, professional jealousy, small town prejudice, attraction to Meltzer & a twisted killer.
After studying all the reports, Keye knows the horrors this psycho is capable of inflicting & when a a third girl goes missing, all of them hear the clock ticking as they race to bring one home alive.
This is a taut, well plotted thriller that keeps you guessing right up to the last few pages. Ms. Williams is skilled in the art of misdirection & there are several credible candidates as you try to identify the bad guy. It's told in first person so we are privy to Keye's thoughts & deductive process as she struggles with the case, a growing attraction to Meltzer & what that says about her relationship with Rauser. We also enter the chilling mind of the killer in several passages as he zeroes in on Keye & tracks her progress.
The author does a great job of portraying small town life. Everyone knows everyone's business or at least, they think they do. Most cling to the theory of "stranger danger", unwilling to believe someone in their midst could be the monster. Yes, they're friendly but Keye is an outsider in more ways than one & they tend to close ranks around their neighbours.
The characters are fully drawn & feel like real people. Dialogue is tight & pacing well executed to keep you turning the pages as secrets & lies are slowly exposed. You can feel the mounting tension after the third abduction forces locals to regard their peers with suspicion & entertain the possibility their little slice of America is not the safe haven they've always believed.
But the heart of this scary story is Keye. She's a smart, complex character who excels at her job while fighting personal demons one day at a time. It's such a pleasure to follow a protagonist who's not a caricature. So many fictional females in this role are portrayed in one of two ways: tougher than nails with major attitude, or impulsive & emotional, prone to making stupid decisions & requiring frequent rescue. Keye, like most of us, is a combination of both.
The author provides enough of her history so this can be read as a stand alone but I'd recommend reading them in order. Each is a satisfying mystery/thriller with smaller side stories that carry over. You also get the full story on how she & Rauser met & the evolution of their relationship. He's a great character in his own right & plays a larger role in the first two. These are two people that relate to each other in a way that feels authentic & believable & you can't help but root for them.
All in all, a very satisfying read that gives you interesting characters, a creepy bad guy & well plotted story lines complete with a couple of twists that make your jaw drop.
I demolished the first two books in record time so thanks to Netgalley for providing the ARC of this one. It did not disappoint. My only complaint is that the phone call Keye receives on the last page now has me waiting impatiently for book #4.
holmstead's review
3.0
Overall a 3.5:
This narration was very decent. I enjoyed this audiobook, despite its delicate nature and premise. I have read Williams’ books before, and she is a good writer. The narrator, Ann Marie Lee, did a great job at portraying the different characters. I felt a connection to Keye Street for she was depicted as a real, flawed person. She is smart, compassionate, and cares about her victims. I wouldn’t mind reading/listening to more stories about Miss Kick-Ass Street.
Listening to this, as I reside in Georgia, made the scenes, environment, and climate become even more present. Williams writes her characters and locations accurately and effectively. Give this girl a try when you’re ready to invite some awesome girl power into your day.
This narration was very decent. I enjoyed this audiobook, despite its delicate nature and premise. I have read Williams’ books before, and she is a good writer. The narrator, Ann Marie Lee, did a great job at portraying the different characters. I felt a connection to Keye Street for she was depicted as a real, flawed person. She is smart, compassionate, and cares about her victims. I wouldn’t mind reading/listening to more stories about Miss Kick-Ass Street.
Listening to this, as I reside in Georgia, made the scenes, environment, and climate become even more present. Williams writes her characters and locations accurately and effectively. Give this girl a try when you’re ready to invite some awesome girl power into your day.
lindaunconventionalbookworms's review
5.0
*I received a free ARC of Don't Talk to Strangers from Edelweiss in exchange of an honest review*
Fantastic, clever and devious suspense novel!
This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews
Fantastic, clever and devious suspense novel!
This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews