Review: The Stranger You Seek by Amanda Kyle Williams

Goodreads Summary

The papers have called me a monster. You’ve either concluded that I am a braggart as well as a sadist or that I have a deep and driving need to be caught and punished.  

In the sweltering heat of an Atlanta summer, a killer is pushing the city to its breaking point, preying on the unsuspecting, writing taunting letters to the media, promising more death. Desperate to stop the Wishbone Killer before another victim meets a shattering end, A.P.D. lieutenant Aaron Rauser turns to the one person he knows can penetrate a deranged mind: ex–FBI profiler Keye Street.

And you must certainly be wondering if I am, in fact, the stranger you seek.

Keye was a rising young star at the Bureau until addiction derailed her career and her life. Now sober and fighting to stay so, Keye picks up jobs where she can get them: catching adulterers, serving subpoenas, chasing down bailjumpers, and dodging the occasional bullet. With multiple victims, little to go on, and an entire police force looking for direction, the last thing Keye wants is to be pulled into the firestorm of Atlanta’s worst nightmare.

Shall I convince you?

And then it suddenly becomes clear that the hunter has become the hunted—and the stranger she seeks is far closer than she ever dared imagine.An electrifying thriller debut, The Stranger You Seek introduces a brash, flawed, and unforgettable heroine in a complex, twisting novel that takes readers deep into a sultry Southern summer, a city in the grips of chaos, and a harrowing cat-and-mouse game no reader will ever forget.

My Thoughts 


As someone who never really thought they were into thriller type novels, I found I've been reading and enjoying quite a few lately. The Stranger You Seek is is no exception. With the debut of a new detective series, Amanda Kyle Williams brings us the delightfully flawed but lovable Keye Street. 

Keye is a recovering alcoholic whose been fired from the FBI and now makes her living nabbing bail jumpers and serving court documents to difficult people. I thought she was fabulous from the start. She's tiny but tough and mouthy. I totally wanted to just hang out with her. 

When Keye's best friend Rauser calls her in to help him and the Atlanta PD track down a new serial killer, the actions ramps up. I had a hard time putting the book down at night when I needed to sleep because something new would come up and of course, I had to see how it played out. Williams is good at diverting your attention and making you believe you know who the killer is, then just as you begin to doubt it she slams you with a total curveball. I never saw the true identity of the killer coming. It was a total surprise. 


There was one small part near involving the resolution and revelation of the killer's identity that I didn't feel was explained enough and left me a little confused. It wasn't enough to detract from my overall enjoyment of the book. It could possibly be that I simply misread something or accidentally skimmed an important paragraph in my hurry to read on and ensure that Keye was ok. 

Over all, I thought it was a fun and exciting ride. I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys a good thriller, even if you don't think you do.