Killing Kin [Mass Market Paperback]

Chassie West (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 28, 2004

Though she's out in disability with a bum knee, Washington, D.C. cop Leigh Ann Warren has plenty of detective work to keep her busy.Her partner and former fiance, Dillon Upshur Kennedy, lovingly known as Duck, has gone missing, and everyone from shady criminals to fellow officers are on the streets looking for him.

Armed with a few seemingly unrelated clues, including a mysterious piggy bank and a dead body in her own apartment, the tenacious Liegh Ann sets off on an investigation that turns ever more dangerous the futher she probes. Following a deadly trail that leads her deep into the woods of western Maryland and into a killer's lair, Leigh Ann suddenly discovers it's Duck's career and life on the line, but hers too.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

No-nonsense Washington, D.C., cop Leigh Ann Warren, out on disability because of an injured knee, returns home to find a dead body in her apartment. Clues link the corpse to Leigh's ex-fianc?, Det. Dillon Upshur Kennedy, affectionately called Duck. His partner, Eddie Grimes, informs Leigh that Duck (who has turned in his badge and disappeared) swiped some drugs and a mysterious piggy bank, found when a notorious drug dealer was killed in a car accident, and that she has four days before he's reported to Internal Affairs. Leigh's search leads her to Sanctuary, a tiny artists' community in western Maryland, where she finds that the locals are less than anxious to answer her questions. West (Sunrise) has a knack for creating colorful yet realistic characters and witty dialogue. This pulsing mystery will keep readers guessing to the endAwhich, albeit a bit fuzzy, will leave them wanting more of smart, gutsy Leigh Warren. (July)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

An intriguing puzzler full of twists and turns. -- --Romantic Times

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: HarperTorch (September 28, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061043893
• ISBN-13: 978-0061043895
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,169,599 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Write faster, Ms. West!, October 25, 2000

By 

Avid Mystery Reader (Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Killing Kin (Mass Market Paperback)

What a wonderful book this was. I first read Sunrise and knew that I found a new author and character I would like a lot. Until I read Killing Kin, I had no idea just how much I would respect them as well. Leigh Ann Warren is true to herself, and has a level of self-respect (without bitterness!) that I don't usually see in today's mystery characters. What a strong woman she is, and how nice it is to read a mystery from the viewpoint of a woman who's lived life, not been damaged by it. I will definitely be looking for any and all Leigh Ann Warren books to come along. With this book, Chassie West now tops my "buy hardback, on release day" list!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Continuous suspense, July 6, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Killing Kin (Mass Market Paperback)

Returning home from a family reunion, ex-cop Leigh Ann Warren finds a dead body in her kitchen with all signs of guilt pointing towards her ex-partner and lover, Duck. Leigh Ann has to put aside her doubts to investigate Duck's background while saddled with an unwanted bodyguard and questions from the police.

Leigh Ann Warren is an admirable and likeable character who relentlessly looks for the answers she is afraid to find.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hide and seek, January 23, 2005

By 

The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Killing Kin (Mass Market Paperback)

It's been a rough few months for Leigh Ann Warren. First the love of her life, her fiancé, gave her an ultimatum that resulted in their separation; then the other love of her life, her job as a police officer, is taken from her when she is injured and put on disability leave. Just when it seems things couldn't get worse, her former fiancé Dillon Upshur, a.k.a. Duck, is missing. Not only is he missing, but there are rumors circulating around the police force that he stole evidence (drugs) and that he is using. And let's not forget about the dead body found locked in her apartment.

Leigh knows Duck. He was an honorable cop and wanted nothing to do with drugs. How his disappearance and the dead body are tied together, she doesn't know, but intends to find out. After initial digging, she discovers that his past isn't all he'd told her it was. Her belief is shaken, yet she sets out to find the whole truth.

Chassie West has written a fantastic mystery filled with twists and turns without becoming convoluted. Even though I generally knew what the ending would be, it was fun watching how she'd get there. And the characterization... She included a large cast of characters who worked well together. Each had his/her own voice, humor and style. I missed this series when it was originally released in 2000. Boy am I glad I didn't miss it this go around. I look forward to reading further adventures of Leigh Ann Warren. (RAW Rating: 4.5)

Reviewed by Deatri King-Bey
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers