An enjoyable literary thriller that explores the dynamics of a mother and her adopted son as they fight for the truth after a shocking death devastates their community, Not the Killing Kind balances the complexities of a conspiracy thriller with the heartfelt warmth between our lead heroine and her prickly, loveable son. For the most part it carries itself on its propulsive energy - barring some sag in the middle - but the plotting is sharp and Kelson's cast of characters are a joy to read, even when you're cursing them out.

This book felt a little choppy to me. There was a definite lack of flow, and I did not really connect with any of the characters. A lot of the choices that the characters were making also did not make sense even in a fiction setting.

I couldn’t put it down and loved every second of it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.