Don't Talk to Strangers

Keye Street got fired as a FBI profiler. She has set up shop in Midtown Atlanta as a private investigator. Her staff includes a stoner/hacker, a smart mouth 19 year old black diva and herself. She gets a call from a small town sheriff wanting her to consult on two recent 13 year old girls that have been murdered and dumped in his town. Keye has some problems in her life in that she seems to be able to derail herself every-time she is doing well in life. It's hard for her to stay on the straight and narrow. I love her for that. It doesn't come off whiny at all. We just see that everyone has their demons.<br><br>Keye Street wins the award for my female character in a book in a long time. She is awesomeness herself. A Chinese/American heroine!! whoohoo. and she is some major bad-ass. She has a cat named White Trash for gawds sake. <br><br>There are triggers in this book if you have trouble with that kind of thing. It does feature child abduction, rape and murder. This author handles the investigation of said crimes with some of the best writing I think I have ever read in a crime drama. <br><br>The book moves fast and I couldn't put it down. Much to the husband's dismay when I tried to cook dinner while reading my kindle. Hey, back off me!<br>The author definitely knows Georgia. I would have given the book five stars except for one thing about it that did bug me. Most of the Georgians she portrays are kinda idiots. There are about 5 or 6 people in this state that have some sense! Thank you very much.<br><br>I didn't read the first two books in this series and had no problem at all figuring out the story. Now I can't wait to pick them up and spend more time with these characters. Write fast Ms. Willams!<br><br>ETA: I forgot something I wanted to add. You have to read this book to see why but it has a scene with a boner and a miniature poodle that can not be missed!<br><a href="http://imgur.com/pXGXkge" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1408228887ra/10827045.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a><br><br><i>I did receive an ARC copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.</i><br><br>

Fantastic fiction! I loved this book! Amanda Kyle Williams has written an engaging, thrilling crime novel with so much going for it. What a fantastic read this was!<br /><br /><b>What's the book about?:</b><br /><br /><i><b>He likes them smart.</b><br /> <br />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.<br /> <br /><b>He lives for the struggle.</b><br /> <br />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.<br /> <br /><b>And loves the fear.</b><br /> <br />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.</i><br /><br /><b>My Review:</b><br /><br />What a character! Keye Street, ex-FBI Profiler, woman of many talents! I really loved her in this book, she's got so much going for her, talented, smart, fearless yet sensitive and emotional too. I liked her character from the first introduction. <br /><br />Street gets a call from the Sheriff of a small town called Whisper in Georgia, USA. They have uncovered a body of a young girl and now think they may have a serial offender on their hands. They don't want the fuss and attention of the FBI so they call on Keye Street to bring her profiling skills to the team. She faces small town mentality and opposition, a lot of it connected to the fact she is a woman and not only that, she is an Asian woman. She doesn't care. She's awesome. <br /><br />The book has a great plot, it's all go for the hunt for the killer and even though the book covers a lot of ground with hunting for the killer, methods used, police procedures there is not a minute of it being too much, or over done, you just keep flowing with the words, wanting to see what's next. <br /><br /><b>Street is turning over every rock and stone in this small town when a third girl is abducted and she knows that she does not have a lot of time before he kills again. She lives for her work. Everybody is a suspect, nobody is ruled out. She NEEDS to get inside the head of this killer.</b> <br /><br />My <b>ONLY</b> criticism with this great book is that I wanted more written from the killers perspective, we have a few brief chapters where we get inside the killer's head but for me I wanted a bit more of that. However, it did not deter me from giving this five stars and loving the entire read. <br /><br />All the characters in this book are really well done, some of the despot characters that are met in this book made my skin crawl. The author does a good job at creating atmosphere and tension for the reader. There will be characters through this whole book that will have you thinking "is it you?" until you realise that you have now considered just about everyone. Still it's not clear.<br /><br /><b>With a town on edge and avenues of investigation ending at frustrating dead ends it's tense and thrilling towards the end of the book. Just as I sat back and said "I knew it!" and felt like a self-satisfied armchair FBI Profiler the book flipped and twisted and left me gaping at the words. OK book, you win, I did not see that bit coming.</b> <br /><br />We have insight into Street's relationship with her boyfriend back home Rauser and the chance to view the dance of working relationship with the "hot" Sheriff of Whisper, Georgia. Just enough personal stuff to be interesting without detracting from the fact the book is a crime novel. No sickening romance scenes here thank goodness.<br /><br />An easy five star read for me. Loved it, finished it in hours and ready for the next installment. Bring it on Keye Street!<br /><br /><i>I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

I wish to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Bantam Dell for the ARC ebook to review. I really enjoyed reading this fast-paced suspense thriller. This is the this third book in the Keye Street series, but the first book I have read by this author. I had no trouble following the story. <br /><br />Keye Street, divorced and a private detective, a bail recovery agent and former criminal investigative analyst for the FBI, a Profiler, operates her own detective agency out of Atlanta. Her business partner, Neil Donovan is the computer hacker and computer whiz, who looks after all the gismos for the company. Her firm deals with investigations as well as tracking down bail jumpers and serving subpoenas. <br /><br />Sheriff Ken Meltzer, from the Hitchiti County, contacted Keye after being referred to her based on her expertise as a Profiler in violent crimes with the FBI and with the APD. Now, she's asked to consult on a possible serial murder case in the small town of Whisper, Georgia. The body of a 13-year-old girl has been found deep in the woods in a National Park -- right next to another body of a girl approximately the same age who had been reported missing 11 years previously. There was no obvious connection between the victims. But were these murders related-the work of the same killer? Then when they finally seem to be closing in, another young female victim is abducted. Can they find this sadistic psychopath before she too is murdered? <br /><br />Nonstop action with a very believable female protagonist. Evidence is revealed through the evidence collection process and the chain-of -command, on a need-to-know basis. It is impossible to put this book down until the identity of the Serial Killer has been revealed!<br /><br />The Killer is becoming more Violent-more Sadistic- a Psychopath!<br /><br />I look forward to the next installment in this series! Don't miss out on this sizzling thriller.<br /><br />

Don't Talk to Strangers by Amanda Kyle Williams is a 2014 Bantam Publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.<br /><br />If you like a good thriller, or police procedural, or just a good old whodunit, or a gritty crime story, this is book is not to be missed. Keye Street is a character that defies the traditional detective stereotype and gives us a human being with frailties, complications and too many internal battles to name. When she loses her job for being an alcoholic, she cleans up her life, has a relationship and works as a consultant on the side while running a private detective and bail recovery agency. <br /><br />“ I watched him get in his car. As soon as the the engine started. I hightailed it through the yard and up the sidewalk to mine, a dingy Plymouth Neon with a dent in the hood.- you don't want to spy on a guy who restores vehicles for a living in something flashy. So, my white on white 1969 Impala convertible was at home in the parking garage. Missing me, I thought warmly. I'd had it since high school. And my mother says I can't commit.”<br /><br /> When she gets a call from the sheriff of a small town in Georgia called Whisper, appropriately enough, she begins the hunt for a sadistic sexual predator who has killed to two young thirteen year old girls. Immediately we are swept into the sultry backwoods of Georgia where ten years ago a girl went missing and the case went cold. Now another girl as gone missing, only this time they not only find her body but the body of the other missing girl not too far apart in a little known backwoods area mainly used for hunting and fishing. <br /><br />Upon arrival in Whisper, Keye who is of Chinese descent, is beset by suspicions and outright rudeness by the the Sheriff's staff and the residents of the small town. But, the sheriff has no such feelings about Keye. In fact he seems to really like her a lot. Keye is confused about her reaction to the man. After all she is in a committed relationship and with her past issues the last thing she needs is more upheaval.<br /><br />“ We walked for a couple of minutes. I could hear the rustle of this uniform, his breathing, feel his hips lightly bump into me as we walked. And I felt all those dueling emotions, too-- exhaustion, excitement at new evidence, sadness at what the evidence meant, guilt at my attraction to a small town sheriff, and astonishment that the physical pull of his body so close to mine was enough to stir me even in the middle of an investigation. Nothing an addict's brain enjoys more that a little inner chaos. It's like jet fuel. Those pathways had been carved out years ago, and they opened up wide for just about any emotional roller coaster ride I wanted to take. But what rose to the top was sorrow. I felt sick over Skylar, worried, bombarded with images of other victims, dozens of other children in dozens of other cases. I didn't even know this child and I couldn't bear to think about her suffering. Life isn't always kind to the most fragile among us. It's the hardest injustice to contemplate.”<br /><br />Why, Why, Why are there not more novels like this one in the mystery/ thriller genre today? This was one of the best I have come across in a good long while. Keye is so different, so profound, and so human, someone who can admit to having problems but works so hard to stay on the right path. Her tenacious handling of this super emotional story was superb. Her mind wandered at times, but she always shifted her focus back to where it belonged-- finding a missing girl who was being tortured and held captive and try to stop her from becoming the third victim. Tense, terrifying, a parent's worse nightmare, secrets, cover ups, creepy pedophiles, and incredible plot twist had me riveted . Do not read this one late at night, all alone in the house. It is really creepy, and a word of warning- there are graphic depictions that some readers might find disturbing. This is a gritty story dealing with sexual predators, so you get the idea. I'm not sure where Keye will go from here. She has diagnosed herself, admitting what is really going on in her personal relationships, but what will she do about it? I think she will have a lot to think about but it is also made clear she is about to have a family situation come up which will certainly prove interesting. I can not wait for the next book in this series. Note that while this is a series, this book can be read as a stand alone. 5 stars!!

This was one of the best mysteries I've read in a long time. I could not put this book down. I was introduced to this author through my Mystery book club and enjoyed my first read by her also. Since then this author has passed and so sorry about this. I would say she is very similar to Karin Slaughter in that she writes about Georgia which I love. This story was an excellent mystery and I thought I had figured out the "who done it" and I partly did, but of course, there was a twist at the end that I did not see coming. very good for story. I definitely recommend the books by this author if you enjoy mysteries.

One of my favourite genres that I like to read , though of course I am fussy when it comes to this particular genre is Crime and Mystery. They have to be fast-paced, not go on and on and on about the small details like forensic stuff - for example I can't read Karin Slaughter or Kathy Reichs for that reason. If you are a fan though of Lisa Gardner's books and Tess Gerritsen's then you will love Amanda Kyle Williams's series. When I saw that she had a new one coming soon, I knew I had to read it as I had loved the previous books in the series. Don't talk to Strangers takes Keye Street out of her comfort zone and into a small-town community which A) doesn't appreciate outsiders and B) lean towards the racism side as Keye is Chinese-American. Somebody is killing thirteen year old girls and a new body has been located - they think that they might have a serial killer on hand as this case's MO is similar to a body of a girl found who went missing ten-eleven years ago - 20 miles from the town Whisper. Keye is working hard to try and come up with something new, but it's no help when the sherrif's department are stone-walling her. What will happen though , when another girl goes missing who fits the criminal's MO ? Can Keye help the Sheriff capture the animal before this one's time is up ? What will happen when it turns out to be somebody the whole town trusted ? <br />Find out in "Don't Talk to Strangers" by Amanda Kyle Williams. Another riveting mystery and crime thriller.

3-1/2 stars.<br /><br />It had been quite a while since I had visited Keye Street's world, but I have to say even with the amount of time passed, I felt like I was revisiting an old friend. Keye is a great character with a complicated story who sometimes adds to her own chaos by her decisions. <br /><br />I was a bit disappointed in this book, only because it takes place outside of her normal stomping grounds and, thus, there is a lack of interaction and appearance by her co-workers and her significant other, Rauser. Their absence made this book a little less enjoyable for me.<br /><br />The crime/mystery in this book is definitely one that keeps you turning the pages and keeps you guessing. <br /><br />If you haven't read this series, do yourself a favor and pick up the first book.

his was the first book I read by Amanda K Williams, I have not read the two previous Keye Street Books, but I didn't feel like I’m missing some or got confused. It reads great as a stand alone.<br />If you have issues with child abduction, rape and murder I advise to be cautious with this book. It has all those things in it.<br /><br />You can find my full review here:<br /><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="http://myreads.booklikes.com/post/904663/don-t-talk-to-strangers-keye-street-3-amanda-kyle-williams">http://myreads.booklikes.com/post/904...</a><br />

Book #3 in this series picks up where the last one left off. Our two main characters, ex-FBI profiler/PI Dr. Keye Street &amp; Atlanta PD Lt. Aaron Rauser are now sharing Keye's condo. It's early in their relationship but after Rauser's house was flattened in a tornado, it seemed the logical thing to do while he waits out the rebuilding process.<br />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 &amp; business is booming. They've also altered some personal habits. Keye hasn't had a drink in 4 years &amp; Neil now goes outside to smoke a joint.<br />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 &amp; having a look? <br />Keye feels the old rush. This is what she did at the bureau &amp; she was one of the best at crawling into the recesses of a serial killer's mind before her drinking made her crash &amp; burn out. And maybe a few days out of town will give her &amp; Rauser some much needed personal space. So she packs up &amp; hits the road, leaving Rauser to babysit White Trash, her cat who takes machiavellian delight in scaring the crap out of Hank, his poodle.<br />Meltzer, younger &amp; 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 &amp; Robert Raymond can hardly walk upright due to the size of the chips on their shoulders &amp; make it clear she's not wanted. They take her arrival as an insult &amp; 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.<br />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 &amp; a twisted killer.<br />After studying all the reports, Keye knows the horrors this psycho is capable of inflicting &amp; when a a third girl goes missing, all of them hear the clock ticking as they race to bring one home alive.<br />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 &amp; 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 &amp; deductive process as she struggles with the case, a growing attraction to Meltzer &amp; 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 &amp; tracks her progress.<br />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 &amp; they tend to close ranks around their neighbours.<br />The characters are fully drawn &amp; feel like real people. Dialogue is tight &amp; pacing well executed to keep you turning the pages as secrets &amp; lies are slowly exposed. You can feel the mounting tension after the third abduction forces locals to regard their peers with suspicion &amp; entertain the possibility their little slice of America is not the safe haven they've always believed.<br />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 &amp; emotional, prone to making stupid decisions &amp; requiring frequent rescue. Keye, like most of us, is a combination of both.<br />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 &amp; Rauser met &amp; the evolution of their relationship. He's a great character in his own right &amp; plays a larger role in the first two. These are two people that relate to each other in a way that feels authentic &amp; believable &amp; you can't help but root for them. <br />All in all, a very satisfying read that gives you interesting characters, a creepy bad guy &amp; well plotted story lines complete with a couple of twists that make your jaw drop.<br />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.

Keye Street is a terrific character, one who appears to have grown in confidence and stature and in her third outing here we are introduced to a driven protagonist who is away from home, out of her comfort zone and fighting against a town who definitely don’t want her medalling in their business. <br /><br />From the moment she arrives in small town Whisper it’s clear she is on her own, apart from an ally in Sheriff Ken Meltzer, a suave and handsome man, and the two set out to investigate the death of two teenage girls and the disappearance of a third. There’s an immediate attraction between the two and along with a fair dose of guilty flirting, Keye has to fight the urge to give in to temptation given her relationship with Atlanta PD’s Aaron Rauser back home. <br /><br />From the outset the regular characteristics of a Keye Street novel are clear for all to see and read, the subtle humour, addiction, an intelligent narrative and last but not least – the Krispy Kremes. The novel wouldn’t be complete without those giant glazed balls of fun Street hankers for, a substitute for her alcohol addiction, and in reality an example of one addiction replacing the other. I experienced my first Krispy Kreme just before Christmas and all I can say is I know where Keye is coming from!<br /><br />As I’ve already mentioned above the narrative is intelligent, strong and well-crafted allowing the story to move along at a rapid pace. For me it never falters and the combination of a good plot helps the book reach the heights it deserves. Nothing is ever straightforward in crime novels and Don’t Talk to Strangers is no exception. Slowly but surely the author introduces sub plots and suspects and you never quite know who’s guilty or innocent and the book will definitely keep you guessing right up to the very end.<br /><br />As the investigation gains momentum, with a little coercion from Keye, the town gives up her secrets, one by one, and with each revelation we are treated to another possible outcome. The pace towards the back end of the story is relentless and everything comes to head with a fitting finale.<br /><br />Another strength of Amanda’s writing is her explanation as to why the culprit is finally caught. It’s the small things that matter and the attention to detail in all her books is outstanding.<br /><br />I thoroughly enjoyed Don’t Talk to Strangers, arguably the strongest book of the three, I could see a certain maturity to the writing and delivery, there’s no flannel, and it works incredibly well. The book, although the third in a series, can be read on its own but you will lose a great backstory so I’d advise beginning with book number one. Highly recommended, my favourite book of the series, this is one not to be missed in 2014. There’s only one thing missing, a Krispy kreme. <br />