"A Killer App" by Linda Lovely: Review/Giveaway

Reviewed by Sharon Marchisello

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase it.

A Killer App, the latest installment in the HOA Mystery series by Linda Lovely, deals with a timely subject: artificial intelligence. The author shows how easily unsuspecting people can be manipulated by deepfakes––videos of others, living or dead, doing or saying things they never did or said. Unfortunately, this is eerily real.

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The protagonist is Kylee Kane, retired from the U.S. Coast Guard, who works as a security consultant for the Welch HOA Management Company owned by her boyfriend, Ted Welch. When she shows up for a meeting at one of the properties, she finds a badly injured elderly resident at the bottom of the staircase. Poking around the scene, Kylee suspects his fall was not an accident. Although the man survives, he has no memory of the incident.

Several days later, another HOA member is attacked—and, this time, killed. Although the attacks seem totally unrelated, Kylee senses a connection.

The story is told from rotating first-person viewpoints: Kylee, Ted’s son Grant, and the antagonist, identified only as “The Chameleon.” About a third of the way through the book, the reader learns ”The Chameleon” is a vindictive homeowner who manipulates other people to commit these crimes, but Kylee is still unaware. The rest of the book plays like an episode of Columbo, where we watch Kylee slowly put the clues together, with some timely, key information from Grant.

I liked Kylee as a heroine. She’s a strong, independent woman, yet she’s loyal and connected to family. In her fifties, she has plenty of life experience, and she unapologetically lets her hair go white. She couldn’t care less about dressing to impress.

As I mentioned, this book is part of a series. Although I enjoyed it as a stand-alone, it might have been easier to keep track of the relationships and the HOA management structure had I read the other novels first. I’m not sure about the other books, but A Killer App is a bit dark for readers looking for a fluffy, punny, cozy mystery. That said, it’s a good read.

To enter to win either an ebook or print copy of A Killer App (winner's choice please state which you prefer), simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "killer app,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen December 22, 2023. US residents only for the print version, but outside US is okay if you want the ebook version) and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors! A new episode goes up next week.

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Sharon Marchisello is the author of two mysteries published by Sunbury Press: Going Home (2014) and Secrets of the Galapagos (2019) as well as a nonfiction book, travel articles, and several short stories. She earned a Masters in Professional Writing from the University of Southern California and is active in Sisters in Crime. She lives in Peachtree City, GA, working on her next novel and doing volunteer work for the Fayette Humane Society and the Fayette County Master Gardeners.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.