FINAL DECREE
BY KAY FINCH
TRADE PAPERBACK, $14.95, ISBN: 1-929976-20-8
Investigator Corie
McKenna's latest assignment is routine divorce case surveillance until she witnesses the
murder of her client's wife. Fighting to prove the obnoxious client isn't behind the
killing, Corie follows a trail from a seedy Houston warehouse district to the medical center and on to Whispers, a men's
club, where she makes a disturbing personal discovery. Final Decree is a
story of greed and deception, and as Corie uncovers unsettling
truths one hits too close to home - a revelation that may well cost Corie
her life.
Visit Kay at her website at www.kay-finch.com
REVIEWS
Review
by Laurel Johnson
If this first novel is any indication, Kay
Finch will soon be a familiar name to mystery fans everywhere. Plot
development is first rate, her characters lively and believable. Adding
distinctive flavor to this delightful mix is a little taste of Texas.
Private Investigator Corie McKenna is
a thirty-something widow living and working in Houston. Since her husband's
death in an explosion two years before, much of her energy is focused on
avoiding men sent her way by a matchmaking mother. Her position as
investigator for attorney Wade Alexander is simple and straightforward. She
gets the goods on two-timing spouses, tracks down deadbeat dads, then goes
home at the end of her day to a dog and an empty house. When Dr. Edward
Kemp retains Alexander's firm to handle his divorce, Corie's investigative
involvement is reluctant at best. Kemp is arrogant, foul tempered, and a
pain in Corie's kiester from the start. Alexander assures Corie that Dr.
Kemp is a good man who deserves custody of his young son, but her sympathies
are with his beautiful young wife, Suzanna.
Corie tails Suzanna Kemp on her late night
sortie to a warehouse in a rundown area of Houston. She's still questioning
the purpose of that visit when Suzanna is gunned down from the shadows in
her own driveway. All clues point to the unpleasant Dr. Kemp at first.
Corie's dislike of the man, however, does not cloud her judgement or
investigative focus. As she systematically follows minute clues from the
warehouse to a strip club to Mexico, a troubling light dawns: Suzanna
Kemp's murder is only the latest in a series that may be related to her
husband's death.
Kay Finch's writing style is crisp and
exhilarating. She pulled me into this story fast and kept me there through
every twist and turn of plot. Corie McKenna is a gutsy character, a strong
willed woman with charming foibles and vulnerabilities that add to her
persona. A second in this series of Corie McKenna mysteries is coming soon,
and I can't wait to read it.
From Myshelf.com
Final Decree
By Kay Finch
Corie McKenna, a Houston PI
whose hobby is writing lyrics for country music, is hired by attorney Wade Alexander to
assume surveillance on Suzanne, the wife of Edward Kemp, a prominent orthopedic surgeon.
Kemp has been served divorce papers by Suzanne, and wants to fight to gain custody of
their son. He is suspicious of her nocturnal absences from their home.
On her first night
surveillance of Suzanne, Corie witnesses Suzanne being gunned down in her own driveway,
but is unable to see the assailant. Kemp is the logical suspect, but he has an alibi.
Corie must find the truth and prove his innocence. Her investigations lead her to an
exclusive men's club and startling revelations.
This is a well-plotted
mystery with characters true to life. Corie's final adjustment to the death of her husband
and her resolution to get on with her life is treated with understanding.
Corie is an intriguing and
stimulating character. We hope we'll be reading more of her adventures in the future.
MURDER
AND MAYHEM BOOK CLUB
Title: Final
Decree
From handling pushy clients
to handling her socialite mother, Corie McKenna's life is a juggling act that could never
be described as dull. In solo practice as a private investigator Corie spends her days
assisting her best friend, attorney Wade Alexander, leaving the nights to pen lyrics to
country music songs and to wonder how just did she arrive at this lonely point in her
life.
Dr Kemp is the client the
district attorney has set his sights for - the doctor's young and beautiful wife Suzanne
has been murdered, and Corie was there to witness the killing. But, who was the killer?
Unfortunately for his case
and for his attorney Wade, Dr Kemp is not the most likeable of people and Corie personally
wouldn't particularly care about the outcome of this one. But having been hired initially
to follow Suzanne Kemp on suspicion of an illicit affair, Corie now needs to find out who
killed her to clear Dr Kemp's name.
The trail leads Corie to
only more questions - why was Suzanne Kemp visiting a warehouse on the seedier side of
town on the night of her death, and how did she manage to keep her colorful past a secret
from her husband? How did Corie's late husband fit into all of this? From clubs to car
chases, Corie pulls together all her resources to get her through a case which is crossing
the line from business into private.
This is the first in a new
series by Texan author Kay Finch who has spent her working life in the legal field and has
many tales to tell. In Corie McKenna she has created a very human and likeable character
who would easily pull the reader into the next novel to catch up on her life (the key to
any successful series!). A pacey and enjoyable read that has been rewarded with winning
the Southwest Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America Novel.
http://www.murderandmayhembookclub.com/finalde.html
SCRIBESWORLD
REVIEWS
5 Stars *****
Final Decree begins with our main character, private investigator Corinne McKenna,
accepting a case from her good friend and divorce attorney Wade Alexander. As Corie is
getting introduced to her new client, we already can't wait for this P.I. to begin her
work. As it turns out, she doesn't have to wait long, as Corie's client Dr. Edward Kemp's
wife, or soon to be ex-wife is gunned down in front of her, while she is staking out his
wife. Now the story get interesting, and it seems Corie has a past that keeps jumpin into
her future and into this case. The ending is shocking and perhaps a fitting one to what we
hope is another Corinne McKenna case to be told.
Ms. Finch is a great storyteller. We couldn't put this book down, and loved how our main
character wrote country love songs in her spare time. The characters were so real and
likeable, that you were routing for them all, and felt like you knew them well. We loved
how every chapter started with a verse of a song, which made sense with the chapter. This
author brought through Corie's past into her future without getting into too much detail
and just enough to make sense. We read that there is a Corinne McKenna's
series and we hope to read every one. Well done!
Reviewed by Vicki Ashti www.scribesworld.com/reviews
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