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Keye Street #1
The Stranger You Seek
The papers have called me a monster. You’ve either concluded that I am a braggart as well as a sadist or that I have a deep and driving need to be caught and punished.
In the sweltering heat of an Atlanta summer, a killer is pushing the city to its breaking point, preying on the unsuspecting, writing taunting letters to the media, promising more death. Desperate to stop the Wishbone Killer before another victim meets a shattering end, A.P.D. lieutenant Aaron Rauser turns to the one person he knows can penetrate a deranged mind: ex–FBI profiler Keye Street.
And you must certainly be wondering if I am, in fact, the stranger you seek.
Keye was a rising young star at the Bureau until addiction derailed her career and her life. Now sober and fighting to stay so, Keye picks up jobs where she can get them: catching adulterers, serving subpoenas, chasing down bail jumpers, and dodging the occasional bullet. With multiple victims, little to go on, and an entire police force looking for direction, the last thing Keye wants is to be pulled into the firestorm of Atlanta’s worst nightmare.
Shall I convince you?
And then it suddenly becomes clear that the hunter has become the hunted -- and the stranger she seeks is far closer than she ever dared imagine.
An electrifying thriller debut, The Stranger You Seek introduces a brash, flawed, and unforgettable heroine in a complex, twisting novel that takes readers deep into a sultry Southern summer, a city in the grips of chaos, and a harrowing cat-and-mouse game no reader will ever forget.
In the sweltering heat of an Atlanta summer, a killer is pushing the city to its breaking point, preying on the unsuspecting, writing taunting letters to the media, promising more death. Desperate to stop the Wishbone Killer before another victim meets a shattering end, A.P.D. lieutenant Aaron Rauser turns to the one person he knows can penetrate a deranged mind: ex–FBI profiler Keye Street.
And you must certainly be wondering if I am, in fact, the stranger you seek.
Keye was a rising young star at the Bureau until addiction derailed her career and her life. Now sober and fighting to stay so, Keye picks up jobs where she can get them: catching adulterers, serving subpoenas, chasing down bail jumpers, and dodging the occasional bullet. With multiple victims, little to go on, and an entire police force looking for direction, the last thing Keye wants is to be pulled into the firestorm of Atlanta’s worst nightmare.
Shall I convince you?
And then it suddenly becomes clear that the hunter has become the hunted -- and the stranger she seeks is far closer than she ever dared imagine.
An electrifying thriller debut, The Stranger You Seek introduces a brash, flawed, and unforgettable heroine in a complex, twisting novel that takes readers deep into a sultry Southern summer, a city in the grips of chaos, and a harrowing cat-and-mouse game no reader will ever forget.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2011
About the author
Amanda Kyle Williams
10 books362 followersAmanda Kyle Williams was an American crime writer best known for her Keye Street series that are psychologically complex thrillers. In 2013 The Stranger You Seek was shortlisted for the Private Eye Writers of America's Shamus Award. She also wrote the Madison McGuire series.
Williams spent her childhood between Colorado and Georgia. She began her writing career as a freelance writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. When she decided to experiment with writing crime fiction, she studied criminology to establish background knowledge, and worked with a private investigator firm in Atlanta.
Williams was diagnosed with endometrial cancer in February 2014. She died on August 31, 2018, in Decatur, Georgia.
Williams spent her childhood between Colorado and Georgia. She began her writing career as a freelance writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. When she decided to experiment with writing crime fiction, she studied criminology to establish background knowledge, and worked with a private investigator firm in Atlanta.
Williams was diagnosed with endometrial cancer in February 2014. She died on August 31, 2018, in Decatur, Georgia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 627 reviews
January 31, 2015
This book was my favorite female character for the year of 2014. It's on sale on amazon today (1-1-15) for 1.99!
I recently read the third book in this series and I loved it enough that I had to go back and read the others. This book is the first in the Keye Street series and I hope it's going to be a long set of books.
I adore this main character. She is tough without ever coming off as conceited. If nothing else she knows her weaknesses all to well.
And the degrees: criminology from GA Southern, doctoral studies at GA State in developmental psychology. And none of it, even with eight years at the Bureau, would earn me a real position with a law enforcement agency in this country. Not now. Drinking had changed all that. It entered my records as it tore away at my life and discredited me professionally forever. I couldn't even jump on the expert witness gravy train. Expert testimony requires an expert who can't be discredited on the stand. That's so not me. My closet is full of bones.
Keye had been part of the FBI's behavioral analysis before her sins caught up with her. Now she is bounty hunter/private investigator in lovely Atlanta with her cat White Trash.
The cast of characters in these books immediately became some of my favorites. I can't wait to see how these books go. They are thrillers and involve rape and serial killers, but the author mixes in humor when you least expect it.
This girl feed a FBI analyst pot brownies..that's how much awesomeness she is.
I think the only thing that bugged me with this book and it wasn't enough that I didn't love it was the fact that we don't need to know the sexual orientation of everyone in the story.
All in all 4.5 stars for this book. I'm glad I have the next one ready to go.
I recently read the third book in this series and I loved it enough that I had to go back and read the others. This book is the first in the Keye Street series and I hope it's going to be a long set of books.
I adore this main character. She is tough without ever coming off as conceited. If nothing else she knows her weaknesses all to well.
And the degrees: criminology from GA Southern, doctoral studies at GA State in developmental psychology. And none of it, even with eight years at the Bureau, would earn me a real position with a law enforcement agency in this country. Not now. Drinking had changed all that. It entered my records as it tore away at my life and discredited me professionally forever. I couldn't even jump on the expert witness gravy train. Expert testimony requires an expert who can't be discredited on the stand. That's so not me. My closet is full of bones.
Keye had been part of the FBI's behavioral analysis before her sins caught up with her. Now she is bounty hunter/private investigator in lovely Atlanta with her cat White Trash.
The cast of characters in these books immediately became some of my favorites. I can't wait to see how these books go. They are thrillers and involve rape and serial killers, but the author mixes in humor when you least expect it.
This girl feed a FBI analyst pot brownies..that's how much awesomeness she is.
I think the only thing that bugged me with this book and it wasn't enough that I didn't love it was the fact that we don't need to know the sexual orientation of everyone in the story.
All in all 4.5 stars for this book. I'm glad I have the next one ready to go.
July 19, 2012
About 25 pages into this book, I really liked it. The detective, her support network of family, friends and coworkers seemed to have a nice dynamic, the story had a good mix run and gun bounty hunter action and behavioral profiler procedural and a nicely nasty serial killer. It was really promising and I was already writing a 4 star* review in my head where I apologized for saying all the Shamus award nominees always suck.**
By 125 pages in my review of the book had shed a star because nothing was happening. By 200 pages I was planning a 2-star review because the plot twist in the middle was stupid and because I had already, basically, figured out the mystery AND because nothing was still happening.
Then with 50 pages to go, right when the narrative tension should have been at it's highest, when the mystery should have been solved and the the climatic confrontation between killer and detective should be beginning, the detecitve goes off on a subplot to look for a missing cow.
A missing cow.
The entire momentum of the serial killer plot (what little of it there was) is stopped so that the detective can go look for A MISSING COW. At that point I was done with the book, but of course, my policy is to only review books that I've finished. So I slogged through.
And you know what? In the last 30 pages (yes, the missing cow subplot took 20 #@$%ing pages), when the detective FINALLY gets around to solving the mystery that I had figured out in the previous 180 (cowless) pages?...still nothing happens.
The detective dithers about with a downright silly interrogation of the killer, and a whole lot of political nonsense.
The climax between the detective and the killer? About a page long. And that pages doesn't even make much damn sense.
* The book loses a star early for having in its opening pages a shootout that, if it had happened in real life would have had the detectives arm splattered all over the pavement when she stupidly reaches inside a house to unlock a door, knowing full well there's a bail jumper with a shotgun on the other side.
** If Clare DeWitt and the City of the Dead doesn't win the Shamus award for best first PI novel, I am done with PWA forwever.
By 125 pages in my review of the book had shed a star because nothing was happening. By 200 pages I was planning a 2-star review because the plot twist in the middle was stupid and because I had already, basically, figured out the mystery AND because nothing was still happening.
Then with 50 pages to go, right when the narrative tension should have been at it's highest, when the mystery should have been solved and the the climatic confrontation between killer and detective should be beginning, the detecitve goes off on a subplot to look for a missing cow.
A missing cow.
The entire momentum of the serial killer plot (what little of it there was) is stopped so that the detective can go look for A MISSING COW. At that point I was done with the book, but of course, my policy is to only review books that I've finished. So I slogged through.
And you know what? In the last 30 pages (yes, the missing cow subplot took 20 #@$%ing pages), when the detective FINALLY gets around to solving the mystery that I had figured out in the previous 180 (cowless) pages?...still nothing happens.
The detective dithers about with a downright silly interrogation of the killer, and a whole lot of political nonsense.
The climax between the detective and the killer? About a page long. And that pages doesn't even make much damn sense.
* The book loses a star early for having in its opening pages a shootout that, if it had happened in real life would have had the detectives arm splattered all over the pavement when she stupidly reaches inside a house to unlock a door, knowing full well there's a bail jumper with a shotgun on the other side.
** If Clare DeWitt and the City of the Dead doesn't win the Shamus award for best first PI novel, I am done with PWA forwever.
October 1, 2013
I love discovering new authors. It’s like finding a new best friend that you plan to visit with over and over again. The best ones are both invigorating and frustrating, because no matter how hard you try, you just can’t stay away. Amanda Kyle Williams has quite a bit of potential, and I’m rather curious to see how her next novel turns out. As for her debut, THE STRANGER YOU SEEK was a well-written, intriguing, and quick-paced read. The characters had baggage, were tormented, and ended up being rather believable. Keye Street probably has the most demons living inside of her, and she dances perilously close to the edge on multiple occasions. To the author’s credit, her damaged persona made her even more appealing. She was relatable, enjoyable, and downright frustrating at times.
The novel oozes southern charm out of its Atlanta locale, and the reader is taken on a whirlwind ride from the first page to the last. To set the novel anywhere else would have taken away from the overall reading experience with Atlanta’s sprawling metropolis, focused around motorized vehicles, and sweet tea, bless her heart. The pages ripped like whiskey bottles on a shelf being herded toward the masses with dark pages and dark characters lurking around every corner.
The novel was set up well, structured soundly, and paced accurately for maximum pleasure and entertainment despite its shadowy edges. From the first page to the last, the author held nothing back, and the story was better because of it. The story had what might be called a double twist ending, and it went down about as smoothly as a shot of Grey Goose vodka. If you like quick-paced, well-written novels with dark characters, you’d be hard pressed to find a better read. I, for one, will earmark STRANGER IN THE ROOM, the next novel in the Keye Street series, placing it in the must-read category.
I received this book for free at Bouchercon.
Cross-posted at Robert's Reads
The novel oozes southern charm out of its Atlanta locale, and the reader is taken on a whirlwind ride from the first page to the last. To set the novel anywhere else would have taken away from the overall reading experience with Atlanta’s sprawling metropolis, focused around motorized vehicles, and sweet tea, bless her heart. The pages ripped like whiskey bottles on a shelf being herded toward the masses with dark pages and dark characters lurking around every corner.
The novel was set up well, structured soundly, and paced accurately for maximum pleasure and entertainment despite its shadowy edges. From the first page to the last, the author held nothing back, and the story was better because of it. The story had what might be called a double twist ending, and it went down about as smoothly as a shot of Grey Goose vodka. If you like quick-paced, well-written novels with dark characters, you’d be hard pressed to find a better read. I, for one, will earmark STRANGER IN THE ROOM, the next novel in the Keye Street series, placing it in the must-read category.
I received this book for free at Bouchercon.
Cross-posted at Robert's Reads
August 31, 2012
Like a lot of other readers, I love thrillers. Based on all the rave reviews I was hoping for a riveting story. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.
I was bothered with the heroine, Keye Street, a former FBI agent, who was fired because of her alcohol problem, now working on her own as a PI. I found the writing didn't flow smoothly as we’re inundated with trivial information narrated by the heroine. It also felt like the author was trying too hard with various aspects of the story. On one hand the author is trying to create a serious thriller. She’s introduced a killer who, even though vicious and sadistic, isn’t developed well. Yes, there are some gruesome details, but I didn't feel it coming off the pages. (I hope this makes sense.) Then on the other hand she throws in humour with respect to Keye solving her cases; and some sarcastic, funny conversations between Keye and her friends, almost as though trying to create her own "Stephanie Plum" character in Keye. Hired to find a missing cow? Feeding pot brownies to an FBI agent on purpose? If the author is striving for comic relief, it didn't come across that way to me.
I've read enough books, especially thrillers, to recognize that heroes/heroines always have a character flaw or two. However, like another reviewer mentioned, Keye has an abundance of flaws (i.e.: drinking problem; sexual problems; ex-husband; Asian-American adopted by Americans; Asian grandparents killed in front of her; biological parents were drug-addicts.) Talk about a plethora of flaws.
As for the ending, it did have a twist, but I didn't think it was much of one. Again, it's as though the author tried too hard to create a shocking ending. Instead, it wasn't even much of a surprise.
I've read that this is the first Keye Street novel in a three-book series. I personally have no desire to read the next two.
I was bothered with the heroine, Keye Street, a former FBI agent, who was fired because of her alcohol problem, now working on her own as a PI. I found the writing didn't flow smoothly as we’re inundated with trivial information narrated by the heroine. It also felt like the author was trying too hard with various aspects of the story. On one hand the author is trying to create a serious thriller. She’s introduced a killer who, even though vicious and sadistic, isn’t developed well. Yes, there are some gruesome details, but I didn't feel it coming off the pages. (I hope this makes sense.) Then on the other hand she throws in humour with respect to Keye solving her cases; and some sarcastic, funny conversations between Keye and her friends, almost as though trying to create her own "Stephanie Plum" character in Keye. Hired to find a missing cow? Feeding pot brownies to an FBI agent on purpose? If the author is striving for comic relief, it didn't come across that way to me.
I've read enough books, especially thrillers, to recognize that heroes/heroines always have a character flaw or two. However, like another reviewer mentioned, Keye has an abundance of flaws (i.e.: drinking problem; sexual problems; ex-husband; Asian-American adopted by Americans; Asian grandparents killed in front of her; biological parents were drug-addicts.) Talk about a plethora of flaws.
As for the ending, it did have a twist, but I didn't think it was much of one. Again, it's as though the author tried too hard to create a shocking ending. Instead, it wasn't even much of a surprise.
I've read that this is the first Keye Street novel in a three-book series. I personally have no desire to read the next two.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2011
I was sent an ARC of this book by the publisher and I can see why the folks at Random House are so excited about this debut of a new series. Keye Street is engaging, at turns tough and sensitive. The other characters in this book are engaging, the crime scenes are not for the weak but the storyline is fantastic. Twist and turns and I had no clue who the killer was. At times this book was laugh out loud funny, she has such a different and kooky family. All in all I will definitely read the next book in this series.
October 19, 2015
This book started out well had me interested with the storyline but the writer suddenly wrote too much on the main character it got a bit mundane & boring for me a real letdown for me had been wanting to read this Author for a long time thems the breaks i suppose
July 9, 2020
THE DETAILS⇣
⇢ 4½ ✰STARS✰
⤏ KEYE STREET #1
⤏ SERIAL KILLER MYSTERY
⤏ SUSPENSE THRILLER
⤏ GRAPHICALLY DEPICTED SCENES THAT WILL MAKE YOU DO A HARD FLINCH
⤏ A REALLY LIKABLE & RELATABLE PROTAGONIST
⤏ LENGTH OF AUDIO - 14 HOURS
⤏ I LISTENED ON LIBBY THROUGH MY LIBRARY
MY THOUGHTS⇣
This one keeps you guessing throughout the book...and I thoroughly enjoyed this listening experience...but I did have some reservations about the ending. The narration by Ann Marie was really well performed, I just wish it had another narrator for the other POV's.
The Good: 1. The protagonist, Keye Street is a very likable character...she's super funny and really relatable. The supporting characters were also very likable. 2. The Mystery keeps you guessing throughout the book and I didn't see that ending coming at all...more on that below.
The Good and/or the Bad (depending on how you look at it): These weren't a problem for me, but some readers could be... 1. The story doesn't always fixate on the serial killer mystery alone...it also has her everyday type work too. Like chasing down bail-jumpers and serving subpoenas. There is also a lengthy search for a cow. 2. The things this particular serial killer does with their victims is brutal and the author does not shy away from that brutishness...not one bit.
The Bad: 1. There was a weird fixation on sexual preferences...it came up a lot and felt completely awkward. 2. The ending went way out into the left-field and I didn't really buy into it completely...at least parts of it, anyway. Hours later, I actually listened to the ending again because I wasn't sure I was remembering it right.
BREAKDOWN⇣
Narration Rating ⇢ 4¼ STARS
Plot ⇢ 4.5/5
Characters ⇢ 4.5/5
The Feels ⇢ 5/5
Pacing ⇢ 4/5
Addictiveness ⇢ 4.5/5
Theme, Tone or Intensity ⇢ 4.7/5
Originality/Believability ⇢4.5/5
Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening) ⇢ 4/5
Twisty-ness/Mystery ⇢ 4.5/5
Ending ⇢ 3.5/5
Summation ⇢ 4¼ STARS
⇢ 4½ ✰STARS✰
⤏ KEYE STREET #1
⤏ SERIAL KILLER MYSTERY
⤏ SUSPENSE THRILLER
⤏ GRAPHICALLY DEPICTED SCENES THAT WILL MAKE YOU DO A HARD FLINCH
⤏ A REALLY LIKABLE & RELATABLE PROTAGONIST
⤏ LENGTH OF AUDIO - 14 HOURS
⤏ I LISTENED ON LIBBY THROUGH MY LIBRARY
MY THOUGHTS⇣
This one keeps you guessing throughout the book...and I thoroughly enjoyed this listening experience...but I did have some reservations about the ending. The narration by Ann Marie was really well performed, I just wish it had another narrator for the other POV's.
The Good: 1. The protagonist, Keye Street is a very likable character...she's super funny and really relatable. The supporting characters were also very likable. 2. The Mystery keeps you guessing throughout the book and I didn't see that ending coming at all...more on that below.
The Good and/or the Bad (depending on how you look at it): These weren't a problem for me, but some readers could be... 1. The story doesn't always fixate on the serial killer mystery alone...it also has her everyday type work too. Like chasing down bail-jumpers and serving subpoenas. There is also a lengthy search for a cow. 2. The things this particular serial killer does with their victims is brutal and the author does not shy away from that brutishness...not one bit.
The Bad: 1. There was a weird fixation on sexual preferences...it came up a lot and felt completely awkward. 2. The ending went way out into the left-field and I didn't really buy into it completely...at least parts of it, anyway. Hours later, I actually listened to the ending again because I wasn't sure I was remembering it right.
BREAKDOWN⇣
Narration Rating ⇢ 4¼ STARS
Plot ⇢ 4.5/5
Characters ⇢ 4.5/5
The Feels ⇢ 5/5
Pacing ⇢ 4/5
Addictiveness ⇢ 4.5/5
Theme, Tone or Intensity ⇢ 4.7/5
Originality/Believability ⇢4.5/5
Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening) ⇢ 4/5
Twisty-ness/Mystery ⇢ 4.5/5
Ending ⇢ 3.5/5
Summation ⇢ 4¼ STARS
December 19, 2015
At one time, Keye was at the top of her game. FBI profiler with the BAU, but her relationship with alcohol destroyed that. She has since moved back to Atlanta near her family, started her own PI firm, and tried to get her act together.
The characters and story are a unique blend of horrific and quirky. Her family is a blended one. Keye is Asian, her brother is black, adopted into a white southern family that can be warm or run cold on any given day. Her assistant is a pot smoking, slow driving computer hacker. They take on odd jobs to fill in the gaps between investigating or consulting for the Atlanta PD. Process serving, catching bail jumpers or even detection of a purloined cow in the North Georgia Mountains. These excursions add a little levity to the main story line, and added a lot of depth to the characters of Keye and those she works with.
Of course there's a killer, and Keye gets involved with putting a stop to them.
"... preying on the unsuspecting, writing taunting letters to the media, promising more death. ...A.P.D. lieutenant Aaron Rauser turns to the one person he knows can penetrate a deranged mind: ...Keye Street."
The story was solid and suspenseful. The dialogue was witty and colorful. The characters had personality. The setting was descriptive and was a character all it's own. I lived and worked in and around Atlanta for many years, Little Five Points, Buckhead and Decatur, and I could see every building, street and house so vividly!
I've read a few other reviews that complained about the mentioning of various character's sexual orientation, like it was a bit much. But I gotta say, that's a big part of Atlanta's demographic -gay folks. It was also somewhat integral to the story. Not only is Keye's brother gay, but a couple other characters were too, and it added to the "who's who and what's what" of the mystery.
There were a couple of "whoa, I didn't see that coming" twists, especially near the end. I liked that.
I couldn't decide what to read next after I finished this, so I picked up the next in this series, Stranger in the Room, and I'm enjoying it.
Suspenseful, procedural, thrilling, colorful, twisty and filled with southern wit, this is a winner!
The characters and story are a unique blend of horrific and quirky. Her family is a blended one. Keye is Asian, her brother is black, adopted into a white southern family that can be warm or run cold on any given day. Her assistant is a pot smoking, slow driving computer hacker. They take on odd jobs to fill in the gaps between investigating or consulting for the Atlanta PD. Process serving, catching bail jumpers or even detection of a purloined cow in the North Georgia Mountains. These excursions add a little levity to the main story line, and added a lot of depth to the characters of Keye and those she works with.
Of course there's a killer, and Keye gets involved with putting a stop to them.
"... preying on the unsuspecting, writing taunting letters to the media, promising more death. ...A.P.D. lieutenant Aaron Rauser turns to the one person he knows can penetrate a deranged mind: ...Keye Street."
The story was solid and suspenseful. The dialogue was witty and colorful. The characters had personality. The setting was descriptive and was a character all it's own. I lived and worked in and around Atlanta for many years, Little Five Points, Buckhead and Decatur, and I could see every building, street and house so vividly!
I've read a few other reviews that complained about the mentioning of various character's sexual orientation, like it was a bit much. But I gotta say, that's a big part of Atlanta's demographic -gay folks. It was also somewhat integral to the story. Not only is Keye's brother gay, but a couple other characters were too, and it added to the "who's who and what's what" of the mystery.
There were a couple of "whoa, I didn't see that coming" twists, especially near the end. I liked that.
I couldn't decide what to read next after I finished this, so I picked up the next in this series, Stranger in the Room, and I'm enjoying it.
Suspenseful, procedural, thrilling, colorful, twisty and filled with southern wit, this is a winner!
August 23, 2011
This is a creative plot and the author does well at giving only hints at information throughout the novel. This builds the suspense in a methodic way which most readers of this genre will readily appreciate it. While it may not be up to the caliber of most mainstream suspense, it will definetly keep the reader plowing along until the end in hopes of resolution.
I had two big problems with this novel and, unfortunately, they are probably big enough that I won’t read another by this author. The main character was just the most annoying narrator ever. It was as if every problem a person could have was built in by the author. Flawed is one thing but you pretty easily degenerate into Mary Sue-ish and that’s exactly what happened here. Freakish name? Check. Bad family history? Check. Discrimination from childhood? Check. Drugs and/or alcohol abuse? Check. But I’m a survivor and will overcome everything all by my lonesome? Check.
The second is the author’s writing style itself. I read a lot of first novels and most are unpolished – and I adore them that way. I love joining an author as they first get into publishing and see how their writing style progresses with each new work. But this is a stylistic or editing issue (I couldn’t quite decide) that just continued to ramble incessantly and describe pointless things. I’m not sure if this was intentional (if it was I like Keye even less) or if it was merely a “padding” of content. Either way, when I read a suspense/thriller type of novel overly descriptive tends to negate the “edge of your seat” feeling and disengages me from the story which is exactly what happened here.
Again, I liked the creativity of the plot and the supporting characters were well (but not overly) drawn. The setting was well conveyed and there were so unique attributes to the landscape that made the area approachable and more “real” than many authors tend to be able to do. Unfortunately, I think this just needed a bit more tightening of characterization and description to have it be a top read for me.
(ARC Galley Proof)
June 23, 2011
Look out Stephanie Plum and Kay Scarpetta! There's a new sheriff in town! In this new novel, the first in a planned series, author Amanda Kyle Williams debuts one of the best female crime fighters in recent memory. Keye Street is funny, charismatic, and serves as a completely engaging narrator. Down on her luck and running a private investigating business in Atlanta, Georgia, Keye is called in by her friend at the APD to help investigate a series of brutal, sadistic murders. When the killer reaches out to the investigative team, the murders become personal. Williams has managed to provide vivid, detailed descriptions while still maintaining an unputdownable pace. This is a significant addition to detective fiction, that is sure to have readers craving more.
Thanks to the author and publishers for the opportunity to read this as part of the First Reads program.
Thanks to the author and publishers for the opportunity to read this as part of the First Reads program.
October 18, 2011
This book had it all. Murder, suspense, humor and a story that had me turning the pages til the wee hours.
A creative plot that shocked and surprised me with interesting sub-plots thrown in.
My favorite part of this book is the cast of amazing characters. They were original, quirky and, at times. had me laughing out loud especially with some of the one-liners.
This book has to be one of my favorites this year and I look forward to the next book in the "Keye Street" series.
A creative plot that shocked and surprised me with interesting sub-plots thrown in.
My favorite part of this book is the cast of amazing characters. They were original, quirky and, at times. had me laughing out loud especially with some of the one-liners.
This book has to be one of my favorites this year and I look forward to the next book in the "Keye Street" series.
September 10, 2011
This book had all the ingredients to fail, or at most become just another "PI seeks serial killer" thriller. Instead, Amanda Kyle Williams has crafted one of the finest debut detective novels of the year.
The language is as sweet as a Georgia Peach and as dark as the under-belly of a thunderhead. The scenery and the sense of place make you want to add "I declare" to your vocabulary and root for The Braves. The plot is brilliant, twisting, full of red herrings but red herrings that are keepers.
The characters, both main and secondary are so well drawn you'll want to add them to your Christmas card list. The pacing of the story is perfect and though the details are many they never slow the story. Ms.Williams has taken some of the devices that are cliché to the detective genre and made them read like this is the first time they have ever been used. They are fresh, original and the author has claimed them as her own master pieces. Beautiful in conception, execution and craftsmanship. Amanda Kyle Williams has arrived on the scene with all the subtlety of Sherman's ride through Georgia.
Keye Street is an ex-FBI Agent, ex-rising star psychological profiler, ex wife and ex alcoholic.She is also an extraordinary heroine and one of the most welcome detectives to hit crime fiction in a good long while.
Amanda Kyle Williams gives us a strong female lead who is at once familiar yet original. Smart, sassy, sexy, strong yet scarred and vulnerable. There is something of the hard boiled detective in Keye, she has her own sense of right and wrong, i.e. her employee smokes pot all day long, but she ignores it, yet she comes down hard on a wife beater. She's also not afraid of a fight, although she is not a big women and there is nothing of the "Angelina Jollie super hero type" about her. She's apt to get knocked on her butt, as use a judo throw, yet she sticks with it and uses her experience and brains to best bigger bad guys.
Ms. Williams brings Atlanta to life revealing its beauty, its history and even it's dark side and its familiarity with famous real life serial killers. Atlanta is so fleshed out it becomes a secondary character. She also makes what could have been stock characters live and breathe. You come to know Wishbone as an arrogant, taunting, evil intelligent person, but also charming,thoughtful, and even glimpses of what prompts the urge to kill, without really knowing who Wishbone is. Wishbone is a thoroughly modern "bad guy" using a Blog to document dark fantasy's and taunting the police via email and manipulating the media. Wishbone is a serial killer, but totally original and brought to life in a way you don't find often in fiction.
The sub plots and seemingly dead ends are so important to the story and don't come off as devices as they flesh out Keye, and the rest of the story perfectly and the "reveal" will have the reader slapping foreheads as all the clues were there but are such a surprise you'll find yourself rereading parts of the book trying to figure out just why you didn't see it coming. This book should ride the best sellers lists for a good long while and Keye Street may become the most talked about character in fiction.
The language is as sweet as a Georgia Peach and as dark as the under-belly of a thunderhead. The scenery and the sense of place make you want to add "I declare" to your vocabulary and root for The Braves. The plot is brilliant, twisting, full of red herrings but red herrings that are keepers.
The characters, both main and secondary are so well drawn you'll want to add them to your Christmas card list. The pacing of the story is perfect and though the details are many they never slow the story. Ms.Williams has taken some of the devices that are cliché to the detective genre and made them read like this is the first time they have ever been used. They are fresh, original and the author has claimed them as her own master pieces. Beautiful in conception, execution and craftsmanship. Amanda Kyle Williams has arrived on the scene with all the subtlety of Sherman's ride through Georgia.
Keye Street is an ex-FBI Agent, ex-rising star psychological profiler, ex wife and ex alcoholic.She is also an extraordinary heroine and one of the most welcome detectives to hit crime fiction in a good long while.
Amanda Kyle Williams gives us a strong female lead who is at once familiar yet original. Smart, sassy, sexy, strong yet scarred and vulnerable. There is something of the hard boiled detective in Keye, she has her own sense of right and wrong, i.e. her employee smokes pot all day long, but she ignores it, yet she comes down hard on a wife beater. She's also not afraid of a fight, although she is not a big women and there is nothing of the "Angelina Jollie super hero type" about her. She's apt to get knocked on her butt, as use a judo throw, yet she sticks with it and uses her experience and brains to best bigger bad guys.
Ms. Williams brings Atlanta to life revealing its beauty, its history and even it's dark side and its familiarity with famous real life serial killers. Atlanta is so fleshed out it becomes a secondary character. She also makes what could have been stock characters live and breathe. You come to know Wishbone as an arrogant, taunting, evil intelligent person, but also charming,thoughtful, and even glimpses of what prompts the urge to kill, without really knowing who Wishbone is. Wishbone is a thoroughly modern "bad guy" using a Blog to document dark fantasy's and taunting the police via email and manipulating the media. Wishbone is a serial killer, but totally original and brought to life in a way you don't find often in fiction.
The sub plots and seemingly dead ends are so important to the story and don't come off as devices as they flesh out Keye, and the rest of the story perfectly and the "reveal" will have the reader slapping foreheads as all the clues were there but are such a surprise you'll find yourself rereading parts of the book trying to figure out just why you didn't see it coming. This book should ride the best sellers lists for a good long while and Keye Street may become the most talked about character in fiction.
March 28, 2015
The Stranger You Seek is a very eerie, creepy, stalkerish kind of mystery, in which Keye Street gets through so many twists and turns it was impossible to figure out who the killer was.
Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookviews
Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookviews
August 20, 2011
I haven’t read a lot of thrillers lately, and I didn’t realize how much I missed that genre until I started reading this brilliant story by Amanda Kyle Williams.
Keye Street is a former FBI profiler turned PI who battles a past addiction and takes on an assortment of cases, from serving subpoenas to chasing after bail jumpers. When a serial killer haunts the sweltering city of Atlanta, Keye’s best friend/police Lieutenant Aaron Rauser asks for her help in profiling the murderer. She is then drawn into a heart slamming, mind blowing cat-and-mouse game that will keep you on the edge of your seat and staying up late at night to reach the conclusion of this riveting story.
Keye Street is my new favorite crime fighter, protagonist, and all-around female bad ass. I want to be her best friend, and I definitely want to be invited to her family’s house for dinner. It made me long for my mother’s home cooking and all those southern delicacies I grew up with. Seriously, she had me at Moon Pies and RC Cola. Thank goodness for all the grisly murders, or I might have gone off my diet. And believe me, they were gruesome, dark, and terrifying. Williams created a killer to be afraid of and a story that is not for the faint of heart.
The biggest, and most pleasant, surprise was the humor the author injected throughout the story. How can I be scared to death one moment and laughing out loud the next? That is amazing writing talent in my opinion. Being from the south, a lot of what I was reading hit close to home and her take on all things southern was spot on.
I loved the twists and turns the story took - thinking I had it all figured out and then having my theories come crashing down around me. I love an author that can keep me on my toes and Amanda Kyle Williams most definitely did.
Waiting to read more about Keye Street and the other characters Williams created will be torture. I cannot wait for the next installment!
I received a copy of this book for review from Netgalley.
Keye Street is a former FBI profiler turned PI who battles a past addiction and takes on an assortment of cases, from serving subpoenas to chasing after bail jumpers. When a serial killer haunts the sweltering city of Atlanta, Keye’s best friend/police Lieutenant Aaron Rauser asks for her help in profiling the murderer. She is then drawn into a heart slamming, mind blowing cat-and-mouse game that will keep you on the edge of your seat and staying up late at night to reach the conclusion of this riveting story.
Keye Street is my new favorite crime fighter, protagonist, and all-around female bad ass. I want to be her best friend, and I definitely want to be invited to her family’s house for dinner. It made me long for my mother’s home cooking and all those southern delicacies I grew up with. Seriously, she had me at Moon Pies and RC Cola. Thank goodness for all the grisly murders, or I might have gone off my diet. And believe me, they were gruesome, dark, and terrifying. Williams created a killer to be afraid of and a story that is not for the faint of heart.
The biggest, and most pleasant, surprise was the humor the author injected throughout the story. How can I be scared to death one moment and laughing out loud the next? That is amazing writing talent in my opinion. Being from the south, a lot of what I was reading hit close to home and her take on all things southern was spot on.
I loved the twists and turns the story took - thinking I had it all figured out and then having my theories come crashing down around me. I love an author that can keep me on my toes and Amanda Kyle Williams most definitely did.
Waiting to read more about Keye Street and the other characters Williams created will be torture. I cannot wait for the next installment!
I received a copy of this book for review from Netgalley.
July 30, 2017
This book was just okay for me as far as the mystery/crime/suspense genres go. I liked the MC. She seemed personable, but the "everything else" was hard to ignore. I also liked the occasional humor.
The writing was a little too wordy for me. Some of the descriptions were overwritten and contained the details that didn't add much to character development, setting, or plot. There were also some weird, not to mention unnecessary, tangents (the whole hiring a P.I. to find a missing cow was just one of these tangents) that also didn't add to the story line as a whole, but just made it a little too melodramatic. These things are high on my pet peeve list. I wish I had enjoyed this one a little more.
The writing was a little too wordy for me. Some of the descriptions were overwritten and contained the details that didn't add much to character development, setting, or plot. There were also some weird, not to mention unnecessary, tangents (the whole hiring a P.I. to find a missing cow was just one of these tangents) that also didn't add to the story line as a whole, but just made it a little too melodramatic. These things are high on my pet peeve list. I wish I had enjoyed this one a little more.
September 15, 2011
This book devoted too much time analyzing the sexual identity of every character which was not important to the story. There was also way too much description and repetition of the gory details of the crimes. The ending came as a surprise because it was completely nonsensical. This book was a big disappointment after reading all of the positive reviews.
November 13, 2023
4.5 stars
Holy shit. It's rare that I rate a thriller this high but I just LOVE LOVE LOVED it. Everything, from the first-rate crime investigation to the kickass MC to the surprising and creepy villain, was just perfection.
Keye Street may be my favorite investigator of all time. She's a fiesty, adopted Asian-American who runs a private detective agency in Atlanta, Georgia. She was adopted by a Southern couple and studied all her life to be a Profiler in the FBI, a dream which she attained only to lose to her alcoholism. With a handful of years of sobriety under her belt, she investigates in ATL and surrounds herself with her family and a small group of fabulous friends.
The mystery and serial killer were incredibly creepy and shocking. Also, OMG THAT ENDING. I seriously sat there for a bit with my mouth hanging open. I had a few things figured out early on, but I could have never guessed the last part. NEVER. Regardless, there are a ton of thrillers out there with well-written crimes, but the characters completely set this book apart.
Also, YAY for diversity. Keye is Asian-American, her adopted brother is African-American and gay, and there were some bisexual characters as well.
Not to mention that it made me giggle until my sides hurt at times.
Anyone who enjoys a good thriller and excellent characters, GET THIS BOOK. It's like Stephanie Plum, if she got her shit together.
It's a series, so please excuse me while I buy and binge them all.
Holy shit. It's rare that I rate a thriller this high but I just LOVE LOVE LOVED it. Everything, from the first-rate crime investigation to the kickass MC to the surprising and creepy villain, was just perfection.
Keye Street may be my favorite investigator of all time. She's a fiesty, adopted Asian-American who runs a private detective agency in Atlanta, Georgia. She was adopted by a Southern couple and studied all her life to be a Profiler in the FBI, a dream which she attained only to lose to her alcoholism. With a handful of years of sobriety under her belt, she investigates in ATL and surrounds herself with her family and a small group of fabulous friends.
The mystery and serial killer were incredibly creepy and shocking. Also, OMG THAT ENDING. I seriously sat there for a bit with my mouth hanging open. I had a few things figured out early on, but I could have never guessed the last part. NEVER. Regardless, there are a ton of thrillers out there with well-written crimes, but the characters completely set this book apart.
Also, YAY for diversity. Keye is Asian-American, her adopted brother is African-American and gay, and there were some bisexual characters as well.
Not to mention that it made me giggle until my sides hurt at times.
Anyone who enjoys a good thriller and excellent characters, GET THIS BOOK. It's like Stephanie Plum, if she got her shit together.
It's a series, so please excuse me while I buy and binge them all.
January 25, 2012
The Stranger You Seek was a great book, and I can already foresee this becoming one of my favorite series. Keye Street was a great character -flawed, yet strong and likeable. Aaron Rauser was a wonderful counterpart for her - a good friend who trusts Keye's professional insights regardless of her past. This book had a great, suspenseful storyline, a bit of romance, and some delightful humor was added to the mix.
Keye Street is building a successful business as a private investigator after alcoholism derailed her FBI career. Her best friend, Lieuenant Aaron Rauser with the Atlanta PD, calls her in for professional help on a case. Soon dubbed The Wishbone Killer, this murderer soon begins reaching out to Keye to keep her involved with the case. Keye and Aaron must race to uncover the killer as their relationship begins to change and the danger around them increases.
I loved the characters in this book, and was kept guessing until the end of the story. About two-thirds of the way through the book, a light came on in my head and I realized I had been under a major misconception about the murderer. Even so, I was still surprised by the ending. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and am looking forward to the next book in the series. I received this book as an ARC through Netgalley.
Keye Street is building a successful business as a private investigator after alcoholism derailed her FBI career. Her best friend, Lieuenant Aaron Rauser with the Atlanta PD, calls her in for professional help on a case. Soon dubbed The Wishbone Killer, this murderer soon begins reaching out to Keye to keep her involved with the case. Keye and Aaron must race to uncover the killer as their relationship begins to change and the danger around them increases.
I loved the characters in this book, and was kept guessing until the end of the story. About two-thirds of the way through the book, a light came on in my head and I realized I had been under a major misconception about the murderer. Even so, I was still surprised by the ending. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and am looking forward to the next book in the series. I received this book as an ARC through Netgalley.
March 13, 2014
I really enjoyed reading this first book in the Keye Street series.
Keye Street is a private investigator and recovering alcoholic. She is also a former profiler with the BAU and so ends up assisting Atlanta PD's Aaron Rauser as he tries to catch a very grizzly serial killer.
While the subject matter is often grim, what set this book and this PI above many others is the way the author follows the life of a PI, bumps, bruises and all. Keye Street might be helping hunt a killer, but she also has bills to pay. The PI hunts down petty criminals, bail jumpers and even has to locate a family's pet cow at one point, all while playing a major roll in the hunt for a sadistic serial killer.
Williams secondary characters are well written as well. Street's family dynamics remind me of Scottoline's family only not in such a loving way. The scenes with her parents and brother add a bit of levity to the book.
The true identity of the killer was well disguised for a majority of the book but there were tells if the reader was paying attention.
Entertaining read. Looking forward to more Keye Street in the future.
Keye Street is a private investigator and recovering alcoholic. She is also a former profiler with the BAU and so ends up assisting Atlanta PD's Aaron Rauser as he tries to catch a very grizzly serial killer.
While the subject matter is often grim, what set this book and this PI above many others is the way the author follows the life of a PI, bumps, bruises and all. Keye Street might be helping hunt a killer, but she also has bills to pay. The PI hunts down petty criminals, bail jumpers and even has to locate a family's pet cow at one point, all while playing a major roll in the hunt for a sadistic serial killer.
Williams secondary characters are well written as well. Street's family dynamics remind me of Scottoline's family only not in such a loving way. The scenes with her parents and brother add a bit of levity to the book.
The true identity of the killer was well disguised for a majority of the book but there were tells if the reader was paying attention.
Entertaining read. Looking forward to more Keye Street in the future.
April 1, 2014
OMG - for a debut novel, this author has nailed it. I like her style, and love her flawed characters. Keye Street is the main character, an ex-FBI agent, an alcoholic from an adoptive dysfunctional family, has an adopted stray cat called White Trash, was married, isn't now, and has a great friendship with Atlanta Lt. Rauser.
Fired from the FBI due to alcoholism, Keye is running her own PI business - sometimes lucrative, sometimes not, sometimes it's an odd job, sometimes it's not.
A really bad serial killer is on the loose in Atlanta and making it personal with Keye. And boys are there some twists, some shockers, and a couple of wow I didn't see that coming events.
I highly recommend this book (series) to anyone that likes a good mystery, because by golly you are going to be scratching your head on this one.
5 stars and 2 thumbs up
Fired from the FBI due to alcoholism, Keye is running her own PI business - sometimes lucrative, sometimes not, sometimes it's an odd job, sometimes it's not.
A really bad serial killer is on the loose in Atlanta and making it personal with Keye. And boys are there some twists, some shockers, and a couple of wow I didn't see that coming events.
I highly recommend this book (series) to anyone that likes a good mystery, because by golly you are going to be scratching your head on this one.
5 stars and 2 thumbs up
February 26, 2014
This could have been a 4 star read but the mystery completely fell apart. Like nothing lines up. The twists were unnecessary and really did piss me off because they weren't even twists, they were parallels (thinking in weird mathematical terms). If person x was the murderer, what happened to all the other evidence that was mentioned in this book?
Did that all go down the shitter?
The main character also indulged in light slut shamming. It wasn't 'serious' but it did grate on my nerves.
I am still giving this a 3 because in spite of everything, I did enjoy it.
Also, I might not carry on with this series, love triangle. book 3. WHAT?
Claims of love, not being able to live and then a love triangle? how does that work? How does that happen?
I'll shut up before this non-review turns into a rant about why I hate love triangles so much.
Did that all go down the shitter?
The main character also indulged in light slut shamming. It wasn't 'serious' but it did grate on my nerves.
I am still giving this a 3 because in spite of everything, I did enjoy it.
Also, I might not carry on with this series, love triangle. book 3. WHAT?
Claims of love, not being able to live and then a love triangle? how does that work? How does that happen?
I'll shut up before this non-review turns into a rant about why I hate love triangles so much.
October 27, 2015
The papers have called me a monster. You’ve either concluded that I am a braggart as well as a sadist or that I have a deep and driving need to be caught and punished.
I love a good mystery, especially one that I can't figure out and this was it. There were surprises left and right and I appreciate that. Keye was likable as well with her flaws and her love of food. I like that she wasn't the cookie cutter version of a "messed up" character, meaning Amanda Kyle Williams didn't make Keye the typical drunk or the typical beautiful f*ck up.
The killer was completely different too and I couldn't figure out who it was, which made me want to read more. One minute you think you know and then boom, Amanda Kyle Williams bombs your thoughts.
I love a good mystery, especially one that I can't figure out and this was it. There were surprises left and right and I appreciate that. Keye was likable as well with her flaws and her love of food. I like that she wasn't the cookie cutter version of a "messed up" character, meaning Amanda Kyle Williams didn't make Keye the typical drunk or the typical beautiful f*ck up.
The killer was completely different too and I couldn't figure out who it was, which made me want to read more. One minute you think you know and then boom, Amanda Kyle Williams bombs your thoughts.
September 4, 2011
Good debut. I found the plot well drawn, with plenty of twists, but could not buy the ending. I hate when I ca't buy the ending in a mystery. (spoiler) It was too contrived and not convincing. Really? You can know someone & be friends with them since first grade and not know them?!!! I don't think so. William's editor did not do a good job in my opinion. So 3 stars because it kept me reading. Setting and characters well developed for a mystery. Recommended for fans of Patricia Cornwell: graphic violence, sex. Not as laugh out loud funny as Evanovich, but humorous side stories entwined with the main plot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2012
I'm a sucker for a good murder mystery and this was one of the best I've read in a long time. Not only was my first guess at the murderer wrong, but so was my second and third guesses. When I found out the truth, I was completely surprised. I actually started flipping back through the book to look for the tell-tale signs and there they were, scattered throughout the text, pointing me in the right direction, but I was fooled into misinterpreting them just the same as the lead detective. Excellent plot, great style, fantastic humor and a strong ending.
*I won this book in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.*
*I won this book in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.*
January 22, 2013
Liked the main character, Keye Street and her support team. The ending, however, I just could not buy. I love a good twist, and am always on the lookout for the one I didn't see coming. This one I partially saw coming, and the part I didn't see, just did not make sense. I figured out the "killer" mainly because you knew it had to be someone you had met throughout the story, and even if it didn't fit, no matter how ridiculous, that must be the solution. (Occam's razor I believe.) Despite enjoying the characters, and well developed description of the south in general, and ATL in particular, story just dragged in places, and the ending a huge disappointment.
January 8, 2012
This is the first novel that Amanda Kyle Williams has written. I found it fascinating and very suspenseful. This book is not for the faint of heart. There is far more detail about the actual murder scenes than is in most of the books that I read. It was a bit like reading a Criminal Minds episode. It was about profiling, the murder scenes, and also, there were excerpts from the murderer's blog. At first, I was not sure if I could handle the details of the murder's but the story was very compelling and before I knew it, I was absorbed in the book and could not put it down.
September 1, 2015
Excellent!!!
I really enjoyed this book a lot.
Nothing like a good old serial killer story from your state.
I really enjoyed this book a lot.
Nothing like a good old serial killer story from your state.
April 23, 2020
Ontzettend van genoten. Het boek had alles: spanning, plot, leuke karakters, humor
Hele fijne schrijfstijl. Ik heb, ondanks de gruwelijkheden, het hele boek met een glimlach gelezen;
Tot blz. 292 dan. Toen schreeuwde ik hardop: NEEEE!!!!!!!
Het uiteindelijke slot/ontknoping heeft voor de downsizing qua sterren gezorgd. Er zijn dingen niet meer uitgelegd, plots was het opgelost maar er zitten er nog gaten in . Zoals Charlie.... deze verhaallijn stopt ineens. Als dit iets beter was uitgewerkt was het een 5 sterren waardering geworden. Maar nog steeds een ontzettend goed boek.
Ik ben heel benieuwd naar het tweede deel.
Hele fijne schrijfstijl. Ik heb, ondanks de gruwelijkheden, het hele boek met een glimlach gelezen;
Tot blz. 292 dan. Toen schreeuwde ik hardop: NEEEE!!!!!!!
Het uiteindelijke slot/ontknoping heeft voor de downsizing qua sterren gezorgd. Er zijn dingen niet meer uitgelegd, plots was het opgelost maar er zitten er nog gaten in . Zoals Charlie.... deze verhaallijn stopt ineens. Als dit iets beter was uitgewerkt was het een 5 sterren waardering geworden. Maar nog steeds een ontzettend goed boek.
Ik ben heel benieuwd naar het tweede deel.
March 21, 2018
Enjoyed this book but let down by the ending. What happened to Charlie? How did Keye come to the conclusion Margaret was the Wishbone killer and where did Diane fit into all this! Three quarters of the book was great but the ending seemed rushed and unexplained. Will read the second book though because I enjoyed Keye and Aaron.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2019
Sehr gelungenes Buch! Ich werde auf jeden Fall die anderen beiden Teile lesen wollen. Der Plottwist am Ende hat mich sehr überrascht. Sehr spannende Geschichte!
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