Status
Available
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Bantam (2015), Edition: Reprint, 432 pages
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:�??An explosive read . . . Amanda Kyle Williams sets the classic private eye novel on fire.�?��??#1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child Hailed by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution as �??one of the most addictive new series heroines,�?� Keye Street is the brilliant, brash heart of a sizzling thriller full of fear and temptation, judgments and secrets, infidelity and murder. He likes them smart. In the woods of Whisper, Georgia, two bodies are found: one recently dead, the other decayed from a decade of exposure to the elements. The sheriff is going to need help to track down an experienced predator�??one who abducts girls and holds them for months before ending their lives. Enter ex�??FBI profiler and private investigator Keye Street. He lives for the struggle. After a few weeks, Keye is finally used to sharing her downtown Atlanta loft with her boyfriend, A.P.D. Lieutenant Aaron Rauser. Along with their pets (his dog, her cat) they seem almost like a family. But when Rauser plunks a few ice cubes in a tumbler and pours a whiskey, Keye tenses. Her addiction recovery is tenuous at best. And loves the fear. Though reluctant to head out into the country, Keye agrees to assist Sheriff Ken Meltzer. Once in Whisper, where the locals have no love for outsiders, Keye starts to piece together a psychological profile: The killer is someone who stalks and plans and waits. But why does the sociopath hold the victims for so long, and what horrible things must they endure? When a third girl goes missing, Keye races against time to connect the scant bits of evidence. All the while, she cannot shake the chilling feeling: Something dark and disturbing lives in these woods�??and it is watching her every move. Praise for Amanda Kyle Williams and Don�??t Talk to Strangers �??There�??s a new voice in Atlanta, and her name is Amanda Kyle Williams.�?��??Julia Spencer-Fleming, New York Times bestselling author �??One of the most addictive new series heroines since Stephanie Plum.�?��??The Atlanta Journal-Constitution �??Keye Street is my kind of detective�??complicated, savvy, flawed, and blessed with a sharply observant dark wit.�?��??Joshilyn Jackson, New York Times bestselling author �??Both Williams and Street should be around for the long haul, so discover them now from the start.�?��??Alafair Burke, author of Long Gone �??The exciting thing about Williams�?? writing is how easily she draws the reader into the drama of the story . . . and she adds enough twists and turns to keep the… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member brendajanefrank
Author Amanda Williams uses a mix of chick-lit overtones, the standard female private detective character, and police procedural to create an engaging murder mystery. Detective novel fans will recognize bits of the female private detective formula of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum and Sue
Keye Street, the protagonist and female detective is, as usual, flawed but brilliant. She is a recovering alcoholic, with continuing struggles with her addiction. Keye worked with the FBI as a criminal investigative analyst and profiler. Having been fired for being drunk, she now is a private detective, bail recovery agent and process server with her own business in Atlanta.
Street has a serious relationship with a manly cop but is not immune to temptations presented on the job, like Sheriff Ken Metzler who exudes testosterone and animal magnetism.
Keye is more competent than Stephanie Plum, able to actually retrieve her bond enforcement bail jumpers. Yet, like Stephanie, Keye returns home to her man covered with orange juice and coffee resulting from a process serving mishap.
“Don’t Talk to Strangers” is engaging, entertaining and well written with good plot twists. It’s not goofy and humorous, but an analytical, procedural murder mystery. “Don’t Talk to Strangers” is the third of William’s Keye Street series and the first for me. It works as a stand-alone novel, but inspires me enough to read the others in the series.
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Grafton’s Kinsey Milhorne.Keye Street, the protagonist and female detective is, as usual, flawed but brilliant. She is a recovering alcoholic, with continuing struggles with her addiction. Keye worked with the FBI as a criminal investigative analyst and profiler. Having been fired for being drunk, she now is a private detective, bail recovery agent and process server with her own business in Atlanta.
Street has a serious relationship with a manly cop but is not immune to temptations presented on the job, like Sheriff Ken Metzler who exudes testosterone and animal magnetism.
Keye is more competent than Stephanie Plum, able to actually retrieve her bond enforcement bail jumpers. Yet, like Stephanie, Keye returns home to her man covered with orange juice and coffee resulting from a process serving mishap.
“Don’t Talk to Strangers” is engaging, entertaining and well written with good plot twists. It’s not goofy and humorous, but an analytical, procedural murder mystery. “Don’t Talk to Strangers” is the third of William’s Keye Street series and the first for me. It works as a stand-alone novel, but inspires me enough to read the others in the series.
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LibraryThing member Randall.Hansen
Received this book thanks to LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program and so, so happy. Can't wait to read the other books in the Dr. Keye Street series. This book is a great mystery; Keye is former FBI profiler turned consultant and heads to a small town to help with a serial killer of young girls.
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Some excellent twists in this novel, including the great set-up of a red herring. Very enjoyable read, so much so that I finished it rather quickly. Will be adding this book to our Little Free Library so others can enjoy. Highly recommend; certainly one of the best books I have read this year. Show Less
LibraryThing member BookDivasReads
Don't Talk to Strangers is the third book in the Keye Street series by Amanda Kyle Williams. Keye is a deeply flawed woman. A recovering alcoholic that was fired by the FBI, she now spends her time as private investigator, bond recovery agent, and consultant. Keye is Chinese-American, adopted by a
To say that I enjoy reading the Keye Street series is a major understatement. Every time a new book in the series comes out I take the opportunity to reread the previous books before reading the latest addition. Yes Keye is deeply flawed, but then who isn't? Yes she finds herself in some strange situations, but that's just one of the reasons why I like her so much. Don't Talk to Strangers spotlights Keye's tendencies to sabotage things that are going well in her life, and it was fascinating to read about her attraction to Sheriff Meltzer and her struggle to remain true to Rauser. What was even more fascinating were the glimpses Keye provided into the psyches of pedophiles and killers. I thought that all of the characters in Don't Talk to Strangers were very realistic and it was very easy to dislike the temperamental deputies that felt threatened by Keye, as well as really bad guys - the convicted pedophiles. I found Don't Talk to Strangers to be a fast-paced and gripping read that I finished in one sitting (and yes I stayed up late to finish reading it). The story has just enough twists and turns to keep the reader interested from beginning to end. And the end is completely unexpected (trust me on this one and read it for yourself). If you enjoy great writing, wonderful characters, realistic action, and mystery-suspense-thrillers, then you'll definitely want to add Don't Talk to Strangers to your TBR list.
BTW, If you haven't read the previous books in this series, then you'll want to read them as well: The Stranger You Seek and The Stranger in the Room.
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white Southern family, and has a black, gay adopted brother. (I know, it sounds like the beginnings of a reality television program.) This book begins with Keye dealing with the temporary sharing of her loft with her lover/significant other, Aaron Rauser. She is also dealing with the co-mingling of their pets, her cat and his dog. Her cat, White Trash, is systematically terrorizing Rauser's dog Hank (Keye takes a perverse pleasure in seeing this happen over and over again even though she feels badly for Hank and soothes his ego after the attacks). Keye is also training a new employee at her detective agency – Corporate Intelligence & Investigations. Latisha Eckhart is the daughter of the owner of one of Keye's primary bonding agencies, Tyrone Eckhart of Quikbail. To add to Keye's overall angst, she must also contend with her moody, pot-smoking, computer hacking partner, Neil Donovan. (On second thought reality television couldn't do Keye and her people justice.) Just when Keye feels as if she's in over her head with the training and relationship issues, she receives a call from a small-town sheriff's department asking her to consult on a child abduction/murder case. Of course she says yes and travels to Whisper, Georgia to provide a profile on a killer. Just as Keye is introduced to the sheriff and the dump site of the murdered girls another abduction takes place. Can Keye help to nab a killer before another girl is tortured and killed?To say that I enjoy reading the Keye Street series is a major understatement. Every time a new book in the series comes out I take the opportunity to reread the previous books before reading the latest addition. Yes Keye is deeply flawed, but then who isn't? Yes she finds herself in some strange situations, but that's just one of the reasons why I like her so much. Don't Talk to Strangers spotlights Keye's tendencies to sabotage things that are going well in her life, and it was fascinating to read about her attraction to Sheriff Meltzer and her struggle to remain true to Rauser. What was even more fascinating were the glimpses Keye provided into the psyches of pedophiles and killers. I thought that all of the characters in Don't Talk to Strangers were very realistic and it was very easy to dislike the temperamental deputies that felt threatened by Keye, as well as really bad guys - the convicted pedophiles. I found Don't Talk to Strangers to be a fast-paced and gripping read that I finished in one sitting (and yes I stayed up late to finish reading it). The story has just enough twists and turns to keep the reader interested from beginning to end. And the end is completely unexpected (trust me on this one and read it for yourself). If you enjoy great writing, wonderful characters, realistic action, and mystery-suspense-thrillers, then you'll definitely want to add Don't Talk to Strangers to your TBR list.
BTW, If you haven't read the previous books in this series, then you'll want to read them as well: The Stranger You Seek and The Stranger in the Room.
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LibraryThing member nomadreader
The backstory: I raced through the first two Keye Street mystery novels by Amanda Kyle Williams last fall and loved them both (see my reviews of The Stranger You Seek and Stranger in the Room.) When I visited Atlanta, where the series is set, in February, I treated myself and read the galley on my
The basics: When the Hitichi County sheriff calls Atlanta FBI profiler turned private investigator Keye Street about a possible serial killer, she travels to the lakeside, rural Georgia town to try to solve the murders of two thirteen-year-old girls killed ten years apart and discovered in the same grave in a wooded area.
My thoughts: The further along writers get in series, the harder it can be to keep things fresh. In this third installment of the Keye Street series, the first thirty pages are so are a glimpse into Keye's personal and professional life. The reader is treated to her current living situation, a bond jumping case, and office hijinks. When the action shifts to the mystery whose focus carries this novel, I was hooked. The premise is fascinating: a serial killer targeting thirteen-year-old girls ten years apart. As the details of the case unfold, I marveled at its complexity and the spot-on pacing. Williams strikes the perfect balance between the comforts of the previous books and characters and moving the storylines along in a satisfying way. These murders definitely dominate this novel, but the case is interesting and complicated enough that to have it otherwise would be a disservice. This series continues to fly under the radar, but it's among my favorite contemporary mystery series, and I cannot wait until the fourth one is out.
The verdict: Don't Talk to Strangers is a riveting procedural and a worthy entry in this excellent series. The case is the focus, and its conclusion is satisfying, but the epilogue delivers a jaw-dropping cliffhanger in Keye's personal life that left me cursing the time until the fourth installment.
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trip (y'all know I love to read books in the city in which they're set!)The basics: When the Hitichi County sheriff calls Atlanta FBI profiler turned private investigator Keye Street about a possible serial killer, she travels to the lakeside, rural Georgia town to try to solve the murders of two thirteen-year-old girls killed ten years apart and discovered in the same grave in a wooded area.
My thoughts: The further along writers get in series, the harder it can be to keep things fresh. In this third installment of the Keye Street series, the first thirty pages are so are a glimpse into Keye's personal and professional life. The reader is treated to her current living situation, a bond jumping case, and office hijinks. When the action shifts to the mystery whose focus carries this novel, I was hooked. The premise is fascinating: a serial killer targeting thirteen-year-old girls ten years apart. As the details of the case unfold, I marveled at its complexity and the spot-on pacing. Williams strikes the perfect balance between the comforts of the previous books and characters and moving the storylines along in a satisfying way. These murders definitely dominate this novel, but the case is interesting and complicated enough that to have it otherwise would be a disservice. This series continues to fly under the radar, but it's among my favorite contemporary mystery series, and I cannot wait until the fourth one is out.
The verdict: Don't Talk to Strangers is a riveting procedural and a worthy entry in this excellent series. The case is the focus, and its conclusion is satisfying, but the epilogue delivers a jaw-dropping cliffhanger in Keye's personal life that left me cursing the time until the fourth installment.
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LibraryThing member frogprof
I LOVED this book. Not usually crazy about books set in the summer in the South -- it's where I live, and summer lasts from April until about mid-October here -- but this one blew me away. So much so that I bought the first two in the series this weekend, and am halfway through the first one
Keye Street is a Chinese-American private detective [formerly of the FBI, but booted because of her drinking problem] living in Atlanta who gets asked to consult on what appears to be a serial murder in small-town Georgia. The murders appear to have taken place ten or more years apart but the bodies have just been found. Despite resistance from the local deputies and other residents [and lust for and from the sheriff], Keye manages to solve the crimes after several wrong turns.
The writing kept me enthralled and the plot just zipped along. Really glad to have discovered this new-to-me author!
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already!Keye Street is a Chinese-American private detective [formerly of the FBI, but booted because of her drinking problem] living in Atlanta who gets asked to consult on what appears to be a serial murder in small-town Georgia. The murders appear to have taken place ten or more years apart but the bodies have just been found. Despite resistance from the local deputies and other residents [and lust for and from the sheriff], Keye manages to solve the crimes after several wrong turns.
The writing kept me enthralled and the plot just zipped along. Really glad to have discovered this new-to-me author!
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LibraryThing member Brenda63
Wow! Quite the page turner. I suspected every character in the book except for the real villain. Keye Street is at it again with her brilliant profiling and detective skills. She is called to the sleepy south to help solve the murders of two young girls. The sheriff is the only one who wants her
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input and she puts up with verbal and mental abuse from everyone from the police department to the locals in the diner. This does not slow her down however and the book takes you on a wild ride. Must read. Show Less
LibraryThing member kathyc248
This was the first book I have read in the Keye Street Stranger series but won't be the last. I am always so happy to find a book that I like that has previous ones in the series that I have not read so look on as a future treat. Not having the backstory there are a few spoiler alerts but it
I like the main character who is smart, snarky and flawed and very human. The story holds on and doesn't let go. Wait till you get to then end! But don't cheat.
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doesn't detract at all from Don't Talk to Strangers or even the previous books that I am reading right now.I like the main character who is smart, snarky and flawed and very human. The story holds on and doesn't let go. Wait till you get to then end! But don't cheat.
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LibraryThing member barlow304
I have not read the first two books into Keye Street series by Amanda Kyle Williams, but I'm going to. This third entry in the series is a taut thriller with a mystery at the center. As I think back over reading the book, I realize that Ms. Williams was scrupulously fair with the reader. Once you
The book also works as a thriller, with an against-the-clock plot and a victim in danger. Although I'm not usually a fan of straight thrillers, this book held my interest. In fact, "Don't Talk to Strangers" is a page turner. You will probably do what I did: finish the last third of the novel all in one sitting.
Tense, suspenseful, and well written, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat.
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see the solution, you can see how the clues all lead to the killer, but you can also see how the detective, Keye Street, plausibly took so long to solve the case.The book also works as a thriller, with an against-the-clock plot and a victim in danger. Although I'm not usually a fan of straight thrillers, this book held my interest. In fact, "Don't Talk to Strangers" is a page turner. You will probably do what I did: finish the last third of the novel all in one sitting.
Tense, suspenseful, and well written, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat.
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LibraryThing member owlie13
I have read all three books in the series, and liked them very much. Her description of small town life is as well-written as that of the big city. Good character development as well. I will say I figured out the identity of the killer, but I prefer that to books where the ending comes completely
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out of left field and there is no way even the hero should be able to figure out whodunnit. Highly recommended and I look forward to the next book. Show Less
LibraryThing member NicolefromCarmel
Amanda Kyle William’s latest novel Don’t Talk to Strangers is out of this world. With heart pounding suspense and an ending you won’t see coming, you won’t be able to put this book down.The third installment of William’s series finds private detective Keye Street heading off to Whisper,
I couldn’t stop reading. Every page offered some new morsel that kept me coming back for more. Imperfect characters added a gentle contrast to the harsh story line of missing teenaged girls. Misdirection and intrigue kept the pace fast and the story fresh. Truly entertaining in a creepy way, this is the kind of book that makes you want to hug the ones you love just a little bit longer. I give this book, 5 stars. Suspenseful and captivating, it is sure to be a hit this summer.
ARC was provided by the publisher through NetGalley. Published by Random House Publishing Group – Bantam Dell on July 1, 2014.
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Georgia to help the local sheriff investigate the deaths of two 13 year old girls. When a third girl goes missing it becomes a race against time as Keye must put the clues of these crimes spanning ten years together and find the killer before he kills again.I couldn’t stop reading. Every page offered some new morsel that kept me coming back for more. Imperfect characters added a gentle contrast to the harsh story line of missing teenaged girls. Misdirection and intrigue kept the pace fast and the story fresh. Truly entertaining in a creepy way, this is the kind of book that makes you want to hug the ones you love just a little bit longer. I give this book, 5 stars. Suspenseful and captivating, it is sure to be a hit this summer.
ARC was provided by the publisher through NetGalley. Published by Random House Publishing Group – Bantam Dell on July 1, 2014.
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LibraryThing member KarenHerndon
Early reviewer book- thank you :)
Love all her mysteries. Thy are easy to read, fun, fast and usually keep me guessing who did it.
I love that she has a surprise at the end.
Love all her mysteries. Thy are easy to read, fun, fast and usually keep me guessing who did it.
I love that she has a surprise at the end.
LibraryThing member caitemaire
I love the Keye Street series, have read them all, and this is a worthy addition. I must say, the first book was the best in my opinion, when we first get to know the ex-FBI agent profiler, drunk hanging on by her fingernails to sobriety but still, one all around bad ass.
Yes, I do wish a bit more
But forgive me. I only complain because I am so vested with these people..lol
Good story, great writing, very enjoyable series.
Yes, I do wish a bit more
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of that edge was present in the latest book, but it is still quite good. Maybe not enough of her mom in this one either. I love her whole family dynamic, the Asian American southern Keye, her gay black brother, both adopted by an interesting pair of parents. And please, while I like her boyfriend, thing are getting a little too cozy on the home front for my taste.But forgive me. I only complain because I am so vested with these people..lol
Good story, great writing, very enjoyable series.
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LibraryThing member debralu
Snagged this book from Early Reviewers and thoroughly enjoyed. I did read a previous book by this author as I remember the main character Dr. Keye Street. The ending is both surprising and rather scary. Williams main character is an unlikely Private Detective given her gender and ethnicity, but she
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makes it work and makes her an interesting vulnerable character. Highly recommend! Show Less
LibraryThing member groundedforlife
I really enjoyed this book. This was the first time I had read a book by Amanda Kyle Williams and it won't be the last either. The story itself wasn't anything out of the norm. It's been told many times, serial abductor/killer stalking young girls, former (damaged) FBI agent gets pulled into the
And I have to say that I have never laughed so much from reading a non comical book during a scene involving a puppy and a buttery spread product! Once again the writing style makes that scene.
Part of a series but you don't have to read the first two to enjoy this book. I had no issue being a handle on the characters and most of their back story.
The ending I must say was very well done and I challenge you to try and figure out how it wraps up. Lots of twists and turns and just when you think it's going on one direction it jukes the other way. Well done.
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case. But, it was really the descriptive style of writing that was so enjoyable with this book.And I have to say that I have never laughed so much from reading a non comical book during a scene involving a puppy and a buttery spread product! Once again the writing style makes that scene.
Part of a series but you don't have to read the first two to enjoy this book. I had no issue being a handle on the characters and most of their back story.
The ending I must say was very well done and I challenge you to try and figure out how it wraps up. Lots of twists and turns and just when you think it's going on one direction it jukes the other way. Well done.
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LibraryThing member dynum
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes books in the police/ serial killer genre. I am not sure i think it is great but it is definitely above average.
I have not read the first two books of the series. I really enjoyed this book enough to go back and read the other 2 at some point. One
I have not read the first two books of the series. I really enjoyed this book enough to go back and read the other 2 at some point. One
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thing I don't like in series is if the future books spoil the earlier books. I am guessing that happened in this case a couple of times but I will not know for sure until I read the first 2. Show Less
LibraryThing member etrainer
I tried this book mostly because Williams' detective, Dr. Keye Street, is based in Atlanta, GA; my home town. In the first few pages Williams was already describing action on a street were I spent a lot of time as a child. I was looking forward to present day descriptions of places I knew 50 or 60
Despite that, I did enjoy the book. Street, brought on to the case as a consultant, gets the 'business' from the small town detectives. A little overdone, I think. The local sheriff and Street develop a romantic interest. It goes nowhere and was really unnecessary to the plot. And I was not the least bit interested in romance in my serial killer entertainment! Even with these drawbacks I thought the story was well done. A lot of routine police work, none of which actually led to the solution made it seem believable. Towards the end, I began to have an idea who the killer was - I always go for the character in the background, the one you're not told much about. This time I was right, but not without adiversion just before the real answer was revealed. Certainly above average.
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years ago. But then the action shifted to what I believe to be fictional towns east of Atlanta, and that part of my attraction to the book was lost. Despite that, I did enjoy the book. Street, brought on to the case as a consultant, gets the 'business' from the small town detectives. A little overdone, I think. The local sheriff and Street develop a romantic interest. It goes nowhere and was really unnecessary to the plot. And I was not the least bit interested in romance in my serial killer entertainment! Even with these drawbacks I thought the story was well done. A lot of routine police work, none of which actually led to the solution made it seem believable. Towards the end, I began to have an idea who the killer was - I always go for the character in the background, the one you're not told much about. This time I was right, but not without adiversion just before the real answer was revealed. Certainly above average.
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LibraryThing member Cherylk
I have this author's first book in this series, The Stranger You Seek but I have not read it. Now that I have read this book, the third one in the series, I am going back to read it. I really enjoyed reading this book. Keye is great. She is very intelligent and well spoken. The way she assessed a
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scene or how she pieced together all of the evidence was outstanding. I could not stop being amazed by her. Plus I liked her hard and soft attitude. Since I have not read the other books in this series, I can not compare how Keye's current relationship is to a possible spark with Sheriff Ken in this book. However I am curious to see how it all plays out in the coming books. A quick read with a strong storyline, great characters and a awesome ending. Show Less
LibraryThing member maryintexas39
Another top notch entry in the Keys Street series. They just keep getting be and better. I love that Keys is so human and flawed (like us all). The ending is a shocker right down to the last sentence.
LibraryThing member toades
Never read a novel by Ms. Williams, but I found that I had a hard time putting this book down. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters of Key Street and Sheriff Meltzer. It has definitely all the characteristics of a good serial killer novel and I would recommend it to anyone.
LibraryThing member WKinsey
I have been waiting for "Don't Talk to Strangers" since I closed the cover on "The Stranger in the Room." This book did NOT disappoint;the book continues to develop the string of rich characters of Keye Street and friends.
Neal the partner,stoner and computer hacker extraordinaire. Rauser the strong
Keye Street is called to Whisper to help on a case of missing girls, all smart, pretty,and blond. While working on the case, Keye could find herself in turmoil. Enter the young handsome sheriff Ken Meltzer, who has found chemistry with the smart beautiful ex-FBI profiler Keye Street. The story is filled with some interesting characters who could all be the killer. As you read you think, "Hum. Did he do it?" Then you read some more, meet another savory character and think, "Oh no! It's him.Lots of plot twist and turns you finally meet the killer, but you have to wait until the end for the surprise ending. I have read all three Keye Street thrillers, and I must say the series has developed into one that can sit beside Karin Slaughter,Cathy Reichs and Tess Gerritsen.
I would like to thank Amanda Kyle Williams for the chance of a sneak peek and autographed ARC, in return for my honest review.
If you haven't read Keye Street, you might want to pick up a copy. I must warn you by the time you are finished, you will want to read all three and pick up a dozen of donuts.
Neal the partner,stoner and computer hacker extraordinaire. Rauser the strong
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rock steady cop Keye is now sharing her life with .Latisha, the wise-cracking office manger. Let's not forget Hank and White Trash, who are always good for comic relief.Keye Street is called to Whisper to help on a case of missing girls, all smart, pretty,and blond. While working on the case, Keye could find herself in turmoil. Enter the young handsome sheriff Ken Meltzer, who has found chemistry with the smart beautiful ex-FBI profiler Keye Street. The story is filled with some interesting characters who could all be the killer. As you read you think, "Hum. Did he do it?" Then you read some more, meet another savory character and think, "Oh no! It's him.Lots of plot twist and turns you finally meet the killer, but you have to wait until the end for the surprise ending. I have read all three Keye Street thrillers, and I must say the series has developed into one that can sit beside Karin Slaughter,Cathy Reichs and Tess Gerritsen.
I would like to thank Amanda Kyle Williams for the chance of a sneak peek and autographed ARC, in return for my honest review.
If you haven't read Keye Street, you might want to pick up a copy. I must warn you by the time you are finished, you will want to read all three and pick up a dozen of donuts.
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LibraryThing member lostinalibrary
Dr Keye Street was a rising star in the FBI’s behaviour analysis unit until her drinking put an abrupt end to her career. Now, a few years sober, she is the head of her own private investigation firm. Generally, they do background checks or hunt down bail violators but occasionally they accept a
Don’t Talk to Strangers by author Amanda Kyle Williams is a well-written well-plotted thriller. Williams does a masterful job of offering plenty of suspects, clues, and red herrings to keep the suspense rising and the reader guessing right to the end. Keye is a complex character with enough expertise to make her credible and enough flaws to make her likable and, although other characters are less well-defined, they are still interesting. Overall, a very satisfying read.
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case where Street’s expertise in criminal psychology could be an asset. When Sherriff Meltzer calls to ask for her advice on such a case in Whisper, Georgia, she is more than happy to provide her services. Two teenaged girls were abducted and murdered ten years apart in this small community but everything about the case including the burial site suggests it is the same predator. When another girl is abducted shortly after she arrives, it will take all of Keye’s skills to find the killer. Unfortunately, her investigation is hampered by the lack of cooperation of the other officers who resent her presence and her growing and mutual attraction with the sheriff. Don’t Talk to Strangers by author Amanda Kyle Williams is a well-written well-plotted thriller. Williams does a masterful job of offering plenty of suspects, clues, and red herrings to keep the suspense rising and the reader guessing right to the end. Keye is a complex character with enough expertise to make her credible and enough flaws to make her likable and, although other characters are less well-defined, they are still interesting. Overall, a very satisfying read.
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LibraryThing member Bookmarque
Series authors these days have a bit more leeway with regard to how they put together the stories within the separate books. Williams has decided to compress the timeline regardless of the actual time that passed between books. For example, Keye refers to her crematorium investigation as only
Spoilers!!
With the latest outing, the bad guy wasn’t too hard to spot, but the accomplice and the level of culpability there was. It wasn’t exactly the same evidence chain that Keye used, but I figured Robert Raymond early just because of the way he ran hot and cold through the investigation. On the one hand being a hard-assed stickler about relatively unimportant things, to being a drunken bully without a clue as to how to rein in his emotions. I figured he had an accomplice, too since the crimes were so different and that there was so much time between them. I figured the other guy used a different disposal site most of the time. I even thought that Raymond used his son as a lure, or as a way to make the girls feel more at ease. Peele was such a nasty character that I thought for sure Williams would make him a part of the murders. I was right and I was wrong. The kid was totally off the charts creepy and I’m glad I didn’t have to deal with him long.
Williams blends crime solving with Keye’s personal life and mostly it works, although I think Keye gets a bit too internal monologue-y at times. It’s one of the better ways to info-dump, but that’s still what it is. Keye is flawed, but not morosely so and she is smart and tactical without being a wizard. Hard to pull off.
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having been a few weeks before. Nice. I think it will help her avoid a rapidly aging heroine who still has to act like she’s 35. Not so easy to do when you’re 55. Another thing I like about Williams’ approach is that she knows her readers are fans of the genre and she doesn’t spell out every little detail about forensic or police procedure. She also name drops shows like Castle, either because she’s a fan or knows we probably are. Oh yeah and she makes me laugh; not an easy feat but a welcome one. Alas, she did fall for the thematic titling gag though; Stranger this and Stranger that. Sigh.Spoilers!!
With the latest outing, the bad guy wasn’t too hard to spot, but the accomplice and the level of culpability there was. It wasn’t exactly the same evidence chain that Keye used, but I figured Robert Raymond early just because of the way he ran hot and cold through the investigation. On the one hand being a hard-assed stickler about relatively unimportant things, to being a drunken bully without a clue as to how to rein in his emotions. I figured he had an accomplice, too since the crimes were so different and that there was so much time between them. I figured the other guy used a different disposal site most of the time. I even thought that Raymond used his son as a lure, or as a way to make the girls feel more at ease. Peele was such a nasty character that I thought for sure Williams would make him a part of the murders. I was right and I was wrong. The kid was totally off the charts creepy and I’m glad I didn’t have to deal with him long.
Williams blends crime solving with Keye’s personal life and mostly it works, although I think Keye gets a bit too internal monologue-y at times. It’s one of the better ways to info-dump, but that’s still what it is. Keye is flawed, but not morosely so and she is smart and tactical without being a wizard. Hard to pull off.
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LibraryThing member RowingRabbit
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
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.
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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.
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LibraryThing member joyfiction
Like the first two books in this series I received this book as part of the Early Reviewers program. As before I enjoyed the story and found Keye to be an interesting and unusual choice for a main character- how many Chinese-American, ex-FBI, recovering alcoholic private investigators do you
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honestly see in novels? The story itself was interesting if not a bit dark and creepy. And while the "twist" that comes up towards the end was one I had figured out already (possibly because I have read one too many murder mystery type novels) it didn't ruin it for me and I still thoroughly enjoyed the book. Show Less
LibraryThing member vnesting
When the bodies of two young girls are found in the woods in a semi-rural area of Georgia, the sheriff's department suspects a serial killer. But they are puzzled by the fact that the girls were kidnapped ten years apart and each was held hostage for six months before being killed. Private
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investigator and former FBI profiler Keye Street is called in to assist -- and then a third girl goes missing. In this third book in the series, Keye at her smart, quirky and all-too-human best -- fighting against time to save the next victim. A completely absorbing page-turner. Highly recommended. Show Less
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2014-07
Physical description
432 p.; 4.17 inches
ISBN
055359382X / 9780553593822