I’m part of the book tour for What Meets The Eye by Alex Kenna. Thanks to Partners In Crime Tours for my place on the tour and the gifted copy of the book to take part.
From debut author Alex Kenna comes a pulse-pounding tapestry of secrets, retribution, and greed for fans of Jeffrey Archer.
Kate Myles was a promising Los Angeles police detective, until an accident and opioid addiction blew up her family and destroyed her career. Struggling to rebuild her life, Kate decides to try her hand at private detective work—but she gets much more than she bargained for when she takes on the case of a celebrated painter found dead in a downtown loft.
When Margot Starling’s body was found, the cause of death was assumed to be suicide. Despite her beauty, talent, and fame, she struggled with a host of demons. But as Kate digs deeper, she learns that Margot had a growing list of powerful enemies—among them a shady art dealer who had been selling forged works by Margot. Kate soon uncovers a dirty trail that leads straight into the heart of the city’s deadly underworld.
Margot died for her art—and if Kate doesn’t tread lightly, she could be the next to get brushed out.
Praise for What Meets the Eye:
“[An] impressive debut . . . Sara Paretsky fans will be pleased.”
Publishers Weekly
“Alex Kenna is the real deal, a true talent. Her prose is stunningly eloquent and characterization masterful.”
Crime Fiction Critic
“A righteous, painful debut. More, please.”
Kirkus Reviews
“Dragging the world of high art down into the muck of Los Angeles’ criminal underbelly, Alex Kenna has created an engaging mystery buoyed by the heart of its heroine, Kate Myles. Trying to win against stacked decks in her professional and personal lives, Myles’ resilience and hustle makes her an easy hero to stand up and cheer for.”
James Queally, author of the Russel Avery novels and Los Angeles Times crime reporter
“With the sure hand of an old master, Alex Kenna’s debut blurs the line between catharsis and crime in this gritty and nimble noir mystery. When a routine investigation into the apparent suicide of art superstar Margot Starling becomes anything but, down-on-her-luck PI Kate Myles must square herself up for the fight of her life or lose it all. Entertaining and provocative, What Meets the Eye reminds us that truth often comes with a price tag much higher—and deadlier—than anything Sotheby’s could ever hope to fetch at auction.”
Katie Lattari, author of Dark Things I Adore
“Kenna gives us the LA crime story we want—a fronded, sun-beaten carousel of depravity and murder, all laced up with tight plotting, sharply hewn characters, and a gripping, original story.”
Joseph Schneider, author of the Tully Jarsdel Mysteries
“A suspicious death dismissed as suicide leads PI Kate Myles deep into a web of blackmail and deceit, set against an intriguing backdrop of shady dealings in the art world. An all too human character, Kate is determined to piece together the wreckage of her life and career, and salvage her fractured relationship with her daughter. With clever twists & turns, and a host of convincing suspects along the way, the plot delivers a satisfying ending, but leaves us with tantalizing hints of more to come from Kate…”
Julie Cameron, author of Nameless Acts of Cruelty
Book Details:
Genre: Mystery
Published by: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: December 2022
Number of Pages: 288
ISBN: 9781639101849 (ISBN10: 1639101845)
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Penguin Random House
My Review
I love my hobby! Alex Kenna is a debut author whose book What Meets The Eye had such an intriguing blurb, I just had to read it.
A mystery thriller that is set within the art world of L.A. We meet Kate Myles, a woman who is flawed and knows it. After losing her daughter to her now ex husband due to her opiate addiction, she decides to start afresh as a detective. She is hired to investigate the death of a celebrated painter. As she digs for the truth Kate soon discovers she is deep into something she never expected.
I always find a flawed character so much more interesting than someone who is too perfect. She is all the more human and believable for it. I was right behind her all the way. Alex Kenna’s sense of place is strong. The way she describes every setting brought them to life in my mind.
A fast paced read that was over way too soon for me. I was plunged into Kate’s world and didn’t want to leave, I enjoyed it that much.
Author Bio
Alex Kenna is a lawyer, writer, and amateur painter based in Los Angeles. Before law school, Alex studied painting and art history. She also worked as a freelance culture writer and sold art in a gallery. Originally from Washington DC, Alex lives in Los Angeles with her husband, son, and giant schnauzer, Zelda. When she’s not writing Alex can be found exploring Southern California, toddler-wrangling, and playing string instruments badly.
Website https://bit.ly/3TNZncE
Twitter – @AlexKenna9
Goodreads https://bit.ly/3SGGl6A
sharonbeyondthebooks.uk 
Thanks for the great review! This sounds sooo good! Added it to my wish list!
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