"In this exceptional memoir, Kenda chronicles the highlights of his twenty-one years as a Colorado Springs, Colo., homicide detective. Kenda investigated or oversaw 387 cases, and here uses them to offer insights into why killers kill...His Colorado cowboy cop humor and compassionate voice help make the dark stories he tells easier to bear. This is must reading for true crime fans." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)
I totally agree with Publisher's Weekly. If you are a true crime fan, and I am, Killer Triggers (2021) by Joe Kenda is not to be missed. But you must read the book in audio because Joe Kenda does the narration and as anyone who watched his hit TV crime series Homocide Hunter will tell you Joe Kenda's dry humor and seen it all before voice is a real plus for this book.
As Joe Kenda sees it murders happen due to the the following triggers: fear, rage, revenge, money, lust, greed and in some cases insanity. And in Killer Triggers each chapter is devoted to a different murder case that Kenda worked on during his career. These are the cases that stood out for him. Kenda tells us about the victim, the crime, how he and his team caught the killer and the trigger that led to the murder.
The book can at times make for grim reading but it's also fascinating because Joe Kenda has a great deal of insight based on his years of experience as a homicide detective. Killer Triggers is also funny. For example a retired K-9 police dog named Henry who escaped from the Kenda home and Kenda's wife Kathy frantically looking for Henry along with a police car that was equally alarmed when they heard the news that a K-9 was loose. These dogs are trained to attack on command and should never be running around the neighborhood. But it ended well. They found Henry in a park surrounded by little kids who were throwing him a ball and jumping on Henry and as Joe Kenda tells us "Henry was loving it".
Homicide Hunter the series ended in 2020. But for fans of the show and for anyone who is curious I recommend Killer Triggers and be sure and get the audio version!
This sounds great! And I love that he narrates the audio version of it himself. Sounds like that's the only way to 'read' this one. :D
ReplyDeleteThe audio version is the way to go. I am sure reading the book in kindle form would have been fine but the audio version adds so much Killer Triggers. He is a legendary detective. His team in Colorado Springs solved 92% of their homicide cases.
ReplyDeleteHe sounds like he has a great track record of solving crimes. Though I've only read one true crime book ... I'll be Gone in the Dark (about the Golden Gate Killer) and that was creepy enough to make me stop the genre. I'm a chicken pure & simple. lol.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy True Crime but the books can be a hit or a miss. I was sure I was going to like Devil In The White City but there was a coldness to the book which creeped me out and made it impossible to finish. Kenda in comparison has compassion for the victims and is determined to catch the killer. As he used to say at the start of every Homicide Hunter episode "If you kill. I will find you".
DeleteI'm kind of on the fence when it comes to True Crime books. I've read a few and liked them but they freak me out a bit so I limit myself a little. I think this one sounds great though.
ReplyDeleteA steady diet of true crime books is not a good idea but there are some really fine ones in the genre and what makes Kenda so good is that he is insightful, has a dry sense of humor and he cares about the victims and is determined to bring them justice
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I don't even know if I have ever read a true crime book. This one isn't for me but I am glad you enjoyed it and especially the audio version. My sister might like it, I will have to ask her if she has tried it.
ReplyDeleteYour sister might like it and if she is a fan of true crime shows she may have watched Homocide Hunter. I wish it was stil on.
DeleteOkay, so I am going to have to read this. I was born and lived in C Springs for 29 years before moving to northern CO. I'm trying to find the audio, but my library doesn't carry it. It's interesting that you say that there is some humor in it--thank goodness because the subject matter is so grim! Thanks for the recommendation :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you like it Jane and I have been to Denver, Colorado but not Colorado Springs. And if you can get a hold of the reruns of Homicide Hunter his cases are all from Colorado Springs and its an addictive series.
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