Kiss Gone Bad [Hardcover]

Jeff Abbott (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 15, 2004

A death rocks the Gulf coast town of Port Leo, Texas. Beach-bum-turned-judge Whit Mosely is summoned to a yacht where the black-sheep son of a senator lies dead. Was it suicide, fuelled by a family tragedy? Or did an obsessed killer use the dead man as a pawn in a twisted game? When Whit defies political pressure and conducts an inquest, he and Detective Claudia Salazar expose a nest of drug lords, con artists, and power-hungry sharks - all out for blood. With their careers - and their lives - at stake, Whit and Claudia must unearth a lethal trail of passion and deceit that lies buried not in the warm sands of Port Leo but in the icy recesses of the human heart...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Tensions rise in Port Leo, Tex., when porn star Pete Hubble, the black sheep son of a senator, returns to uncover the secrets surrounding his brother's long-ago disappearance. Pete brings some heavy baggage with him, the least of which is his producer and girlfriend, Velvet Mojo. When Pete turns up dead, seemingly by his own hand, rookie Judge Whit Mosley and police detective Claudia Salazar open an investigation that may cost him the election and them their lives. Agatha and Macavity award-winner Abbott (Distant Blood) populates his narrative with a number of colorful characters including a pompous southern sheriff, a wrestler turned evangelist, a shadowy psychotic killer named Blade, a corrupt female senator and a delightful sidekick who sticks to his ethics even if they don't always coincide with judicial law. Despite the author's penchant for gauche one-liners ("I been in law enforcement thirty years, partner, and you're wet behind both ears and balls."), he offers fresh, original descriptions and well-written fistfights. This intricately woven, fast-moving mystery will keep readers guessing until the novel's final confrontation.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

'Jeff Abbott brings to vivid life the small shrimping town of Port Leon and has helped people his breakneck story with colourful characters... Highly recommended. IRISH INDEPENDENT 'You won't find a better read for under a tenner this week. Not only do you get a fascinating lead character in the shape of laid-back small town judge Whit Mosley - but also a genuinely gripping thriller.' -- Paul Allen COVENTRY EVENING TELEGRAPH

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Orion Publishing (July 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0752860941
• ISBN-13: 978-0752860947
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #599,796 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jeff Abbott is the international-bestselling, award-winning author of ten mystery and suspense novels. Jeff is a native Texan and graduated from Rice University with a degree in History and English, and worked as a creative director at an advertising agency before writing full-time. He lives in Austin with his wife and two sons. You can visit his website at www.jeffabbott.com and follow him on Twitter @JeffAbbott.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly Enjoyable Series Debut, January 17, 2002

By 

mayfayre "mayfayre" (New Jersey USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: A Kiss Gone Bad (Paperback)

Mr. Abbott gives his hero a nice twist - he's a Texas Justice of the Peace who has no formal training, who got the job through his father's influence, and formerly had a number of unskilled jobs. (My mental image was initially of Jimmy Buffett in judge's robes.) But it turns out that Whit Mosely is an honorable and compassionate man, and may just be the perfect choice for his job.

He's close to the end of a reelection campaign when an old acquaintance, Pete Hubble, is found murdered. Unfortunately, it turns out that Pete is the estranged son of a Senator (who is also up for reelection) and he also just happens to be a well-known porn star (under an assumed name). To complicate matters further, Whit is the lover of Pete's ex-wife, who is in charge of the Senator's election campaign. Unbeknownst to the local law officials, they also have a serial killer in their midst. Also thrown into this mix is Claudia Salazar, a very recently divorced dectective, who is forced to work on a missing persons case with her ex-husband; a runaway barely-legal female who knows more than she's telling; Pete's porn movie producer/lover who's looking for justice; and Whit's own extended family consisting of his five brothers (the notorious Mosley boys), his alcoholic father and the father's fourth wife who is 25 years old and to whom Whit feels a distinct non-filial attraction.

There's a multitude of plot twists and turns, family secrets revealed, betrayals and the like. It was a nice little rollercoaster ride, and I'm looking forward to more books in this series.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AWESOME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!, October 21, 2001

By 

"mountaintops99" (NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Kiss Gone Bad (Paperback)

I could go on for some time about this book,so I will spare you.This is THE BEST book I have read in ages.Abbott has a way with the people he creates,he actually allows integrity to shine through,only the best of writers know how to manage this.He is a master storyteller,and deals with the story in a superb and thrilling manner.I read this book in one day,I had no choice,I could not put it down.YES- IT'S THAT GOOD!!!!!!!!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Close To Home, April 13, 2004

By 

E. Rey "flannelpants" (TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Kiss Gone Bad (Paperback)

I got this book when Jeff Abbott came to Rockport, TX and did a book signing. So, my book is a signed edition. This book takes place in a fictional town between Rockport and Aransas Pass, TX called Port Leo. Living in this area, myself, made the book come to life in way that was beyond other books. Jeff Abbott, who vacationed in this area while growing up knows South Texas and does justice to the region. His ability to spin the tale while providing all the background details just right had me believing that this was all happening right in my town and I was in the middle of it all.

I love whodunit books and this is now one of my favorites.