Thank you to Blackstone Publications, NetGalley, and definitely Joe Kenda for the chance to review his first fiction book All Is Not Forgiven. I have been a fan of Joe Kenda for years and have great respect for the work he has done in his law enforcement career. This book takes place in the early seventies when he was just a new detective and as he pointed out while a little is true most is fictional. I’m quite pleased with how the book flows—from the first murder to the final take down of the serial killer it is a wonderful book. I’m hoping to see more books by Joe Kenda on the horizon. Thanks for the exciting book.

Drawing on his first case, Lt. Joe Kenda crafts a novel that will keep you enthralled from the first page.

When a wealthy socialite is murdered, there are similarities to several other cases around the country. As the team tries to figure out who might have wanted this beloved woman dead. Her husband appears to have an air-tight alibi, but as the detectives begin chipping away, they learn there is more to this relationship than first thought.

Absolutely LOVED this book! I could not put it down! I grabbed an audible copy so that I could swap between listening and reading, and both were equally fabulous!

Highly recommend this book to any true crime fans out there!

When I was offered the opportunity to read this book, I was so excited. I have watched Joe Kenda’s show; American Detective for a long time. Now he has written a fiction book? Yes, please. All the elements of a good mystery were in this book. There was procedural noted within the book and they were done with a great respect for the victims. I liked the storytelling because it was like watching his cases on the television. There was an excellent twist that was definitely not predictable. I hope Joe Kenda will write more books like this one. It was really good.

I'd been excited for this one for quite some time and I'm thankful for the opportunity to have read it prior to pub day! Which speaking of, HAPPY PUB DAY!

For true crime junkies this book will scratch every itch imaginable. Joe kenda never misses the mark with anything he touches. This is his first work of fiction based on a case that has haunted him since the 70s! If you are a fan of Homicide Hunter then you will enjoy this book!

A credible semi-fictional novel by Kenda who is far better known for his true stories about criminal cases he has handled. This story, too, began with a Kenda case, but not one solved by him and represents a fictional accounting tied to the barest outlines of the problematic case that remains one that eluded solution. It is a tad overblown with mercenaries as serial killers both for hire and for fun. The victims were, for the most part, wealthy wives who chose not to share with husbands who lusted for the contents of their pockets. It does make one ponder the hidden bowels of evil predators.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I have loved both of Joe Kenda’s nonfiction books about his career as a homicide detective, so when I heard he had a novel coming out, I knew I had to pick it up. I’m glad I did, because I had a lot of fun reading this. This was a very entertaining read, with lots of action going on. I enjoyed how we got Detective Kenda’s perspective, as well as that of the killer. The case they were investigating was very interesting, and it kept me engaged in the book. I hope Joe Kenda writes more books like this, because I would love to read another.

I tried several times to read this story. In the end I gave up. It can't seem to decide what genre it is. The author as a fictional character in a fiction take on his own real cold case was so convoluted it just doesn't work. It had a lot of promise. The execution just doesn't work.

All Is Not Forgiven by Joe Kenda (7/25/23) Review Published 7/20/23 4 Stars
Published by Blackstone Publishing

This is Joe Kenda's first fiction book and it reads just like a true crime novel. I thought it was amazing! The fictional story come from a real case that Kenda worked on during his 23 years as a Colorado Homicide Detective. This particular case had haunted him so he used it brilliantly to write this fiction book. Majority of the story takes place in Colorado, with some Las Vegas ties.

All Is Not Forgiven is a fast paced book from the first page, filled with twists and turns. What sets this apart from many other thrillers is that you could actually see this happening in real life.

Following a brutal murder of a prominent wealthy woman and Mother in a posh part of his jurisdiction, Kenda and crew find themselves in the world of mob contracts and murder-for-hires. With a murderer that makes one's skin crawl on the loose. This book is not a so much of who is the murderer, but a will they ever catch them? The reader knows more than police do, leaving one wondering will they catch them, and how many more will die before they do. Every chapter contained the storytelling style any fan of Joe Kenda will be familiar with, as well as his wit and deprecating humor.

Thanks to NetGalley, Joe Kenda and to Blackstone Publishing for the digital advance reader copy of “All is Not Forgiven”.

With his usual droll sense of humour and straightforward approach to this case Joe Kenda’s book was and enjoyable read for me. I thought the title of the book was also pitch perfect.

I first became familiar with Joe Kenda, a former homicide detective, during the first season of the podcast Detective in 2015. I really enjoyed hearing from him about his cases. And when he wrote nonfiction about his cases I also was here to listen to that as well.

This newest book by Kenda is fiction based on a case early in his career. The detective in the case is young Joe Kenda but he lets us know the rest of the people and details are fiction.

Unfortunately this one didn’t work for me and I decided to DNF at 10%. The writing style isn’t working for me and even worse with the audiobook narration - especially the way female voices are portrayed. Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley and Libro.fm for the advance ebook and audiobook to review.

All Is Not Forgiven
By Joe Kenda
Pub Date- July 25, 2023
Blackstone
Thanks to the author, publisher and Net Galley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Kenda is a retired Colorado Springs Police Detective who was involved in 387 homicide cases over a 23 year career , with a closure rate of 92%.
This is a fast paced book I am sure you will enjoy. He is witty and has a dry but hilarious sense of humor. This plot stemmed from an actual case that haunted him as a detective,
I highly recommend this book and author,

Hi. I’m Brenda and I’m addicted to true crime. When I saw Joe Kenda, the HOMICIDE HUNTER, had written a fiction novel, well, let’s just say I fan-girled a bit.

It’s 1975 and rookie Detective Kenda, along with his veteran partner, are called to investigate the murder of a wealthy socialite. Her husband is immediately considered a suspect, of course, even though he has a seemingly air tight alibi. Their case attracts the attention of the FBI, CIA, and even Interpol though when similar murders occur across the country.

Delving into the worlds of mob bosses, retired military, and assassins, it was extremely interesting! Normally that’d be a bit over the top for me, but it feels like a more realistic view as opposed to an exaggerated one.

While it’s a work of fiction, it is loosely based on a real case that has haunted Kenda. As such, it reads very much like a true crime book. I could almost hear him narrating in my head. Overall, a great fiction debut!

Book : All Is Not Forgiven
Author : Joe Kenda
Pub Date: 25 Jul 2023

Thank you NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing & the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Do you enjoy:
- Joe Kenda
- Police Procedurals
- True Crime

Then you will absolutely love this book.

First off, I am a huge Joe Kenda follower and have kept up with all his cases he’s talked about/mentioned etc. Secondly I’m married to law enforcement and a detective so I love all things criminal and police procedural. I was very pleased to have the chance to read his fiction book which read like a nonfiction but obviously written fiction ‘of course’.

I dove in and went for quite the adventure. The story follows a rookie detective back in 75’ investigating a murder of a wife and mother who was very wealthy and placing connections to that case along with others that have occurred.

I loved how the author paid mind and inserted all those details and bits of information which helped you understand more of what was going on. I felt like I was trailing right along with the narrator and the way the book was written you didn’t just get to see the storyline from their point of view but also those others within the book.

This book is a top on my list for 2023 and will love recommending it to all my friends!!!

Did someone say Joe Kenda, THE Homicide Hunter, wrote a crime fiction book?!?! Yes, please! I don't even have to read the premise. I'm ALL IN. This book did not disappoint.
It reads like a non-fiction true crime/memoir. The rookie detective's name is even Joe Kenda. But Kenda assures us in the author's note at the beginning that although this is loosely based on actual crimes, all other characters and situations are fictional (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). The detectives' voices are so strong and authentic (can't imagine why) and I felt at times that I was sitting beside Kenda and listening to his stories. He weaves several cases throughout the main one as flashbacks and brief examples, showing us once again how similar crimes and criminals and motives can be. The main crime in this book was intriguing and involved hired hit men, the FBI, elaborate cons, and, of course, murder - uxorcide.
If I'm reading this as an actual fiction book - there are some hiccups since Kenda is first time fiction writer and is used to telling his stories as memoir. The dialogue is a bit stilted, especially as he's trying to recreate 1970s slang and young female voices. There was also a very straight forward way about his few descriptions - like he's a copy assessing a scene instead of a writer describing one.
Since I know (retired) Lt. Kenda's back story, I was absolutely able to read this in his voice and more like a non-fiction, true crime story. That made it absolutely enjoyable. The cool part was we get the first person narrator of Kenda, the character, but we also get a glimpse into the mind and actions of the killer - something we often miss in detective memiors.
Overall, I really, really enjoyed this book. Fans of Joe Kenda or police procedurals or true crime detective memoirs will absolutely love this book. I read it in one sitting - staying up way past my bedtime to finish it in just a few hours.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the author, and the publishers for providing this ARC copy to read and review. All the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading the book.

I’ve seen a few of Mr. Kenda’s TV shows but haven’t read any of his books. This is a hard boiled crime story and as such contains vividly described scenarios. It’s a fictionalized account of a highly trained sniper turned hitman. Much of it is set in beautiful Colorado with some Vegas connections. The initial case is the murder of a very prominent wealthy wife and mother during the 70’s. It soon becomes apparent there are lots of lowlife husbands who want their rich wives knocked off. It developed into a larger operation involving not just the local detectives but the FBI, CIA, US Marshals, Interpol, MI6, etc. The characters in the case ranged from the socially elite to psychopathic killers and mobsters. They were well described and realistic.
Young rookie Detective Kenda recounts his early days of learning, training and being hazed by seasoned partner, Wilson. I found the primary murder investigation quite gripping, the contract killer organization intriguing. It was peppered with many, many little digressions, nuggets of previous cases, experiences, anecdotes and recollections. These were also interesting, sometimes even humorous. However, it sometimes interrupted the flow of the main case for me. It was a little distracting and not always relevant. I read the text version so, perhaps the audiobook would be more seamless. I’m excited to see what he has in store next.
Thanks to NetGalley, Joe Kenda and to Blackstone Publishing for the digital advance reader copy of “All is Not Forgiven”. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without any compensation.

I received this e-arc for an honest review in exchange. Thank you Joe Kenda and Blackstone Publishing.

This is fiction inspired by a real case Joe was on as a rookie detective which mostly remains a mystery. This novel however imagines it was solved. A woman is murdered in her home and her husband, with an airtight alibi, is suspected of hiring a hit man. But how to prove this?

I love Joe Kenda so I'm sorry to say this was underwhelming. Today's Joe Kenda is the narrator and rookie Joe is the character. This works fine and isn't confusing but the book reads like non-fiction and I kept wondering which bits were actually true taking me out of the story. An epilogue should have been included with this information. Also, subheadings are placed through the chapter like reading newspapers or textbooks. This is annoying and again makes the book feel like non-fiction. I liked the narrative voice as it felt just like watching one of Kenda's shows and the plot as a whole was interesting but not exciting.

You might not recognize Joe Kenda’s name. All Is Not Forgiven is his debut novel. But, many of you might recognize his voice if you heard it. Kenda was a homicide detective in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the show “Homicide Hunter” was based on his cases. He’s also the host of the Discovery+ show “American Detective”. Now, his first police procedural, All is Not Forgiven, features rookie detective Joe Kenda. It’s inspired by a case Kenda worked on as a rookie detective.

Kenda narrates his part in the book, and a killer looks back at his career. On July 6, 1975, Kenda is just starting in the Homicide Division of the Colorado Springs Police Dept., working with a veteran partner and mentor, Detective Lee Wilson. Kenda is sent into the Rocky Mountain foothills to pick up a severed hand. That hand is connected to the most complex and far-reaching case of his career.

A week later, Kathryn Montgomery, the one with money in her marriage, is killed with six kill shots. It definitely appears to be the work of a hired assassin. Kathryn’s husband, Fred, has an alibi. He was at a conference in Las Vegas at the time of his wife’s death.

Kenda’s debut is filled with violent men, and, one in particular, enjoys violence against women. There are a number of retired military who turn to black-ops work and become assassins. And, Kenda does wrap up the case. There is a satisfying solution.

However, All Is Not Forgiven is violent, graphic at times, and there’s lots of background information on Kenda himself. There were too many details about too many cases, and it didn’t always seem as if the author could keep his storylines straight. Who is the target audience for the book? Although it may be a police procedural, I have the feeling Kenda’s book is aimed at the audience who already appreciates him from his television appearances. There’s nothing wrong with that. I just don’t think this novel is actually aimed at fans of police procedural

I have received Kindle version of this ARC in exchange for an honest review. First, I wanted to mention that I love Lt. Kenda and all of the TV shows. I also enjoyed his previous non-fiction books. This book started as a fantastic detective novel from a POV of the perp and another POV of the detective. Unfortunately, about half way into the book, I got little lost. There were so many side stories to follow that felt little distracting from the main story. Still a great fiction debut; 3.5 stars!

All is Not Forgiven is crime fiction that reads like true crime. Which makes complete sense when realizing this is the first fiction book from Joe Kenda, retired detective and both television crime personality and non-fiction author telling stories about his time in the police force. In this first novel, the reader may often have to remind oneself that the story is fiction, because Kenda puts himself and his career on the page. Following a nasty murder of a wealthy white woman in the the ritzy part of his jurisdiction, Kenda and crew find themselves in the world of murder-for-hire, mob ties, multi-jurisdictional issues, and a murderer that makes one's skin crawl. This book is not a "whodunnit" but a "will-they-solve-it" style book, where the reader knows more than police, leaving one wondering who will win the cat-and-mouse game and how many more will die. Every chapter contained the storytelling style any fan of Joe Kenda will be familiar with, as well as his wit and deprecating humor.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my eARC.