I won this book through the good reads first reads program.

I hadn't read the previous installment in this series, but I found that this book stood pretty well on it's own. The back story was filled in with bits and pieces. It sounded intriguing enough to make me /want/ to read the first book, and actively ponder whether there would be an overarching plot with that villain. It certainly sounded interesting enough. That said, this book could and did stand in it's own.

While this book suffers from a lot of detective book cliches, it still proved to be a fun read. I found the second mystery (involving the crematory) the must interesting and original and would like to see a bit more of that seething underbelly and less of the more cut and dry typical detective story. The forensic analysis, likewise, was intruding. I do like the effort spent going into why such profiling works -BBC and why it doesn't.

All in all I was trapped between two and three stars. It would be three for second mystery, but two for the stalker and the first bond pickup. Three for the research and good police/forensic information, but two for the confusing appropriation of minority figures for what felt like the sake of it.

Given, my faults with the book aside, I'd still happily read more in the series and probably will actively seek them out. I genuinely liked the book. It's a good summer read. ( )

This is a good (not great) crime novel. Our protag, Keye Street, is very Kinsey Millhouse like but grittier. Keye is an ex-FBI agent turned private detective. Her boyfriend is an Atlanta PD Detective.

This book is the second in a series and it seems that there will be more to come by Williams. I think that they will be a hit for those that like a quick crime drama with some comedy and a strong female lead.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing and Net Galley for this advanced readers copy. ( )

Keye Street has a rather annoying cousin. Don’t we all? Miki Ashton, a Photojournalist, who has a touch of drama queen in her, sees a stalker … in her home. She had her key in the lock to open her door when she saw him through her window. Keye only half believes her until she gets there and verifies for herself that Miki’s home was broken into. Keye used to be a police officer, but due to her alcohol abuse, was let go. Now she’s an Atlanta PI, as well as a few other odd jobs. She takes all the work she can get since she has quite a large mortgage payment to keep up with.

About this same time, APD Lieutenant Aaron Rauser is investigating the death of a thirteen year old boy who’d been strangled. Within a few days, there are a couple of more seemingly unrelated deaths. But one thing Street does well is profile people. It doesn’t take long before it becomes clear to her that the deaths as well as the threat to her cousin are related. Now they know they have a serial killer on their hands.

Keye Street practically pops off the page. This is the second in the Keye Street series, continuing on with Ms. Williams intensely interesting character. With alcoholism in her background, she’s obviously a flawed character, but someone that readers can root for. Just to summarize Keye a bit, she’s Chinese American, orphaned when she was young, and adopted by a very southern Georgia couple. Her adoptive parents also adopted a black male child, so their nuclear family was quite distinctive. She’s been living on her own for quite some time, taking in a little white stray cat she calls White Trash. She and Aaron Rauser are now a couple, having gotten together in the first novel, The Stranger You Seek. There is a side story in this novel which was a fun addition to the story, but it never really connected to the serial killer aspect of the story. The third in the series, Don’t Talk to Strangers, has been out since July 2014. I’m looking forward to reading and reviewing it within the next month. Rating: 4.5 out of 5. ( )

Ok..so I'm caught up with this series. Now what the hell am I going to read? Write fast Amanda Kyle Williams.
Keye Street is probably one of my all time favorite female characters in any book. I frigging want to be her. She is an recovering alcoholic, fired FBI profiler,Krispy Kreme do-nut eating, coffee swilling, "hot mess"...and I love her. She is full of snark and tough as nails. She doesn't of course see it that way.
And well...she drives this.


This book involves her cousin Miki a troubled drama queen who is trying to tell everyone that she is being stalked. At first no one takes her seriously because well...she is a dingbat. I know she is Keye's family but dang I never really liked her. So anyways, she calls Keye to help her out when she comes home and says she sees a man in her house. That's one part of the story.
The second story line going involves Rauser (Keye's boyfriend) tracking down a killer of a young teen-aged boy.
Then you have Keye hunting down what's going on in a northeast GA crematorium. Yes...that part is in GA's unsavory history.

This author blends the story-lines perfectly..she writes about Georgia so well that I fall in love with our state all over again each time I read one of these books.

As to why I gave this book the five star? Mrs. Mary Kate Stargell

Mary Kate gazed at Neil while he shoveled food in a way that made me uncomfortable. I entertained a vivid fantasy of her in a pointy witch's hat, cackling over a steaming pot of children.

I want more of these characters!!!

( )

If you are a fan of woman detective stories, this is one of the best. The main character is Keye Street, an Asian woman who is a recovering alcoholic (isn't this typical of private detectives?) She receives a call from her neurotic cousin who swears she saw someone staring in her window. Of course she takes the cousin in an begins to investigate. Several murders take place causing more distractions when all she wants to do is spend time with her boyfriend. She also goes after a bail jumper in one of the funniest scenes I've read in awhile. I totally enjoyed this book and have recommended it to several people. I would love to read more of these books about Keye Street and her fascinating family. ( )