The second book featuring PI Kate Myles doesn't require that you have read the previous book, and there is a lot of interesting things going on in this one, with timely issues like the use of genetic genealogy in investigations and addiction issues at the heart of it. Solid.

4.5⭐

This is my first introduction to author Alex Kenna and what a great introduction it is. As Burn This Night is a riveting story. Told in alternating time lines. That captures your attention. As PI Kate Myles learns that her beloved dad, the man she idolised isn't her biological father and her mum seems apathetic when Kate learns the truth.

Then Kate, who has been researching her ancestry learns her biological father. Whoever he is, is related to a killer and therefore so is she, and now an old colleague needs her help to find them. So they reach out in the hope Kate will take on the case for free.

However, Kate cannot afford to work for free, especially as she needs to escape her mother and regain custody of her daughter. So her old colleague recommends her for a job in the same small-town investigating a recent arson attack in which Abby Coburn and her neighbour died. And where Abby's brother Jacob has been charged with the crime.

Now it's up to Kate to find the killer and prove whether Jacob is innocent. But that is easier said than done in a town full of suspects and dark secrets.

And with plenty of twists and turns. This is a story that takes you in multiple directions and keeps you guessing and I really loved how the two different plotlines came together and I'd definitely read more from this author and series in the future.

I would thoroughly recommend to all.

An intriguing mystery about a PI and her quest for answers is full of twists and turns.
This was an engaging story filled with interesting characters.
A gripping mystery with complex characters and a richly detailed setting.
I was on the edge of my sit while reading this most of the time. The author's writing is accessible and fast-paced.
My second book by Kenna did not disappoint!

Thank You NetGalley and Publisher for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

3.5 stars for me. I really got sidetracked on the whole “my dad is not my dad” and Kate’s attempt to determine a relationship to what was a sperm donor. While I understand the confusion finding something like that out, especially as an adult, parts of it just made no common sense. Otherwise, I did enjoy the mysteries and how Kate had to keep bouncing back and forth as she investigated them. I look forward to another book from this author as I think the parts I didn’t like in this book won’t be recurring.

Everyone-everyone-seems to agree that Abby's brother Jacob killed her but Kate, a PI, isn't so sure. She's in town to help work the cold case of a teen killed 20 years ago by a man who has a genetic connection to her, a connection which opens up a can of worms in her own history. Know that while this is the second in a series, will be just as good as a standalone because Kenna gives good background on Kate. This moves between time periods and POVs, including both Abby and Jacob and while this can sometimes be confusing it's not here (even given that Kenna is juggling multiple threads in the plot). This is topical-the scourge of illegal narcotics and the challenge of mental health-and it's got great characters. Who can Kate trust? No spoilers from me. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. It's a page turner that I enjoyed. Now I'm hoping for a third.

Burn This Night is a suspenseful mystery that pulls readers into a town full of secrets, told through alternating timelines that build the tension and intrigue. Private investigator Kate Myles is already reeling from the recent discovery that her late father isn’t her biological dad when she’s asked to investigate a decades-old murder, with a distant relative as the prime suspect. She’s soon pulled into another case—a recent arson-related murder in the same town. Meanwhile, Abby Coburn, a former actress turned social work student, is determined to help her troubled brother, Jacob, as he battles addiction. But when Abby dies in a fire that also claims two others and devastates the town, Jacob becomes the main suspect. As Kate works to untangle both cases, she must confront dark secrets, race against time, and ultimately, survive the truth herself. With twists and turns that fans of Allison Brennan and Gytha Lodge will appreciate, this book kept me hooked.

Going into this one blind, I was pleasantly surprised by how much it drew me in. The characters were impressively layered, especially Kate, Abby, and Jacob. Their flaws made them incredibly relatable, and I found myself really hoping Jacob would be innocent, constantly speculating on alternative suspects. The plot is engaging, though it veers a little over-the-top at times. Some elements, like Kate’s backstory with her biological father, felt a bit forced—her reaction seemed a little exaggerated, especially the notion that interests like music could be genetic. As someone with a personal connection to adoption, this part didn’t feel entirely believable.

The book’s dual timelines add suspense, though the “then” timeline occasionally jumps around, which made it a bit confusing in places. I didn’t realize until after reading that this is actually a sequel—it works seamlessly as a standalone, which I appreciated. This was my first book by Alex Kenna, and I loved her writing style. I’ll definitely be reading more from her in the future.

The ending is a bit over-the-top, so you have to suspend disbelief a bit for everything to come together, but it’s undeniably entertaining. Burn This Night is a gripping four-star mystery, full of character depth and satisfying twists.

Thank you to Alex Kenna, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.

Kate does not have a lot going the right way in her life. A short time ago Abby was trying to keep her brothers life on track. Abby is killed and her brother is prime suspect and in many way he is logical choice. Kate is brought in by Abby’s family because they believe their brother is innocent. Kate digs into the families past while trying to sort out her own issues. The story is told in multiple POV and different timelines with Abby in the past and Kate in the present. The characters are great and the story flows very well. A solid read I read in one sitting because I didn’t want to put it down.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Ex-cop turned PI, Kate Myles, is struggling in life right now. She lost her cop job due to a horrific wreck that also got her addicted to opiods. She is divorced due to that addiction which also cost her custody of her daughter. Now, while visiting her mom, she finds out she was an in vitro baby by sperm donor. But a woman has to work and an old colleague has recommended her to work an arson murder case. Along the way, she picks up a cold case as well that falls into her lap when she tests her DNA on a gene site. As Kate investigates, more and more secrets start coming to light.

WOW! Why have I not heard of this author before this give-away? This is such a well written, suspenseful mystery that I could not put down! I loved the characters and their relationships. They are not only likable but very flawed. The pacing is fast and the scenery in the mountain camp area was very idyllic. Alex Kenna is now on my radar! Excited to see what's next for this budding young author!!

Highly recommend.

It was a good mystery story, but didn't fit my own tastes particularly well.

(I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: November 12, 2024
After an injury left Kate Myles with back pain and an opioid addiction, she left the LAPD. Now, as a recovering addict, she works as a private investigator while she shares custody of her young daughter with her ex-husband. After the death of her beloved father, Kate discovers that the man she called “Dad” all her life is not actually her biological father. So, when she is given a case that has ties to the same city where her biological father may live, she jumps at it, hoping to kill two birds with one stone. But the case is not all that it seems and Kate is soon uncovering answers that people are willing to kill to keep quiet.
Alex Kenna’s sophomore novel, “Burn This Night”, is a twisty, turning, suspenseful thrill ride from beginning to end. The novel is narrated by both Kate and Abby (the subject of Kate’s private investigation case), so that both women’s stories are revealed slowly, building tension as the plot develops. Kate is a recovered addict, trying to get her life together and Abby is the sister of an addict, who is doing everything she can to keep her brother safe and alive. Although both women are very different on paper, it is this connection that bonds them and keeps Kate interested in finding out the truth.
Kenna introduces many shady characters in the novel, leaving readers guessing from the first page what exactly happened to Abby. Alongside Kate’s investigation is her personal search for her biological father, which is just as emotional as Abby’s case. “Night” has constant drama and intrigue, and the plot is captivating right through to the final pages.
Alex Kenna is a new author to me and, to be honest, it was the cover of this novel that captured my attention. That being said, I am so glad that I was able to read, “Burn This Night”, as it has served to add yet another author to my ever-growing list of ones-to-watch.

A murder in a small town, and the brother is the prime suspect. The investigator is reeling from recent tragedies of her own. She has to put aside her troubles to figure out who really started the fire, before she becomes the next victim. It was ok. There was just too much going on in this one.

In the second Kate Miles mystery, Kate is hit with a bombshell. She learns that the man she believed was her father was not her biological father. She loved and wanted to be like her dad, but this news explains a lot of things. She has never looked like the rest of the family. She has ADHD. She isn't the athlete her father was. Her mother is stonewalling her leaving her floundering for answers.

While she's still reeling, she gets a call from some retired cops who are now investigating cold cases for the county. She learns that she is a distant cousin of the prime suspect in an old murder case. They want her to investigate for free but have arranged to have her hired to work with an attorney to investigate a much more recent crime. A meth-addicted man is accused of setting a fire that killed his sister and two other people.

Kate travels to the small town with the intent of trying to find her biological father and maybe solving the old murder while doing her current investigations. The cases soon become intertwined as Kate tries to track down the killer in the old murder and finds connections - and distant relatives - with roles in the current investigation.

This was an engaging story filled with interesting characters. I liked Kate who is struggling to rebuild her life and make a life for herself and her daughter.

Burn This Night was a fast-pace thriller that kept me on my toes. Alex Kenna knit the plot aspects of cold case and current case together in a seemless way that kept me from getting confused. I found our flawed main character interesting and I was rooting for her. I read a lot of detective/PI stories where the female main character still makes foolish mistakes someone in the profession would not, so it was a relief that this novel did not fall into that trap. I did feel like sometimes the characters were jumping to conclusions very quickly (and were correct) and things were working out too perfectly. Additionally, this was very predictable but it was still a good read. I would rate it a 3.5, rounding to a 4 star review. Definitely interested in reading more from Alex Kenna now!

A solid small-town thriller that, despite some middle-act slog, has a great heroine and a solid, satisfying finale, making this a mystery well worth investigating.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

In “Burn This Night,” Alex Kenna crafts a gripping mystery that intertwines the lives of two women, each grappling with their own demons and secrets. The novel’s protagonist, Kate Myles, is a struggling private investigator whose world is turned upside down when she discovers that her late father isn’t her biological dad. This revelation sets her on a path to uncovering a decades-old murder mystery, while simultaneously being drawn into a recent arson case in a small town.

Kenna’s storytelling shines through her use of alternating timelines, which adds depth and complexity to the narrative. The transitions between past and present are seamless, keeping readers engaged and eager to piece together the puzzle alongside Kate. The character of Kate Myles is particularly compelling; her determination to seek the truth, despite her personal turmoil, makes her a relatable and admirable heroine.

The secondary storyline follows Abby Coburn, a social work student trying to help her brother Jacob, whose meth addiction has led him down a dark path. Abby’s tragic death in a fire, which also claims the lives of two others, becomes the catalyst for Kate’s investigation. The small-town setting is rich with secrets, and Kenna masterfully unravels these layers, revealing the dark underbelly of seemingly idyllic surroundings.

Kenna’s background as a prosecutor adds authenticity to the procedural aspects of the investigation, while her skill as a storyteller ensures that the plot is full of unexpected twists and turns. The emotional depth of the characters, particularly Kate and Abby, is a standout feature, making the reader invested in their journeys.

“Burn This Night” is a must-read for fans of mysteries and thrillers. It’s a story about family, identity, and the lengths one will go to uncover the truth. Kenna’s ability to blend suspense with emotional resonance makes this novel a standout in the genre. Whether you’re a seasoned mystery reader or new to the genre, “Burn This Night” promises to keep you on the edge of your seat.

This has everything you look for in a mystery novel. It had suspense, twists, was heart felt and you were drawn in by her characters.

A mystery written by a former detective - this story was written form her personal experience becoming addicted to painkillers after injury. It speaks to pain, loss and the human mind.

Sometimes this book feels like two-in-one with the way it blends together different elements. I had no idea which direction this would take despite my best guesses. I enjoyed the ending thoroughly and enjoyed seeing the two plot lines come together.

Thank you Netgalley for the copy of this book in advance and allowing me to read it and give my thoughts!

This is the first book that I have read by this author, and I really enjoyed it. It kept my attention throughout the whole book and had just the right amount of twists and turns.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes thrillers/mysteries

Alex Kenna’s Kate Myles is the most compelling, vividly imagined P.I. hero since Charles Willeford’s Hoke Moseley. A self-described “pathologically messy ex-cop-turned-private-eye with flaming ADHD,” Kate is also a recovering drug addict, and a single-mom desperately trying to regain custody of her young daughter. Temporarily house-less and living with her mom, Kate is unhappy and adrift. So, when a diabolically complex murder case comes her way (actually, a double-murder-mystery case), with the chance to escape L.A. for the idyllic setting of a California mountain town, she jumps at it. She soon finds herself caught up in a web of deceit and violence going back decades, as well as meeting a kind, unassuming local man to whom she is powerfully attracted.

Like Kenna’s first novel, Burn this Night works on many levels. It’s got mystery, romance, suspense, and some moving, realistically messy family drama. It’s also funny as hell.

I really enjoyed how fast paced this book was! So many twists and turns, I felt like I was a private investigator myself reading this. Also, the story really comes together at the end, so just be patient while reading!