Review: Kill Game (Seven of Spades, #1) by Cordelia Kingsbridge

Homicide detective Levi Abrams is barely holding his life together. He’s reeling from the fallout of a fatal shooting, and his relationship with his boyfriend is crumbling. The last thing he’s prepared for is a serial killer stalking the streets of Las Vegas. Or how he keeps getting thrown into the path of annoyingly charming bounty hunter Dominic Russo.

Dominic likes his life free of complications. That means no tangling with cops—especially prickly, uptight detectives. But when he stumbles across one of the Seven of Spades’s horrifying crime scenes, he can’t let go, despite Levi’s warnings to stay away.

The Seven of Spades is ruthless and always two moves ahead. Worst of all, they’ve taken a dangerously personal interest in Levi and Dominic. Forced to trust each other, the two men race to discover the killer’s identity, revealing hidden truths along the way and sparking a bond neither man expected. But that may not be enough to protect them.

This killer likes to play games, and the deck is not stacked in Levi and Dominic’s favor.

For the first time in a long looooooonnnnnnnnngggggggg time I REALLY don't want to talk about a book. What I want to do is squirrel it in my secret lair where I can pet it and murmur sweet nothings to it, and by "sweet nothings", I mean "MINE, MY PRESHHHHHIOUS!!" Not unlike a certain CGI character we all know and are creeped out by. But. I'm guessing CK and Riptide would frown upon that sort of behavior, so here's me bucking up like a trooper.

We all have authors that just do it for us and CK is such an author for me. There's something about the way she constructs a story with effortless characterizations, authentic and relatable interpersonal dynamics, complex and imperfect characters and attention to the details that make a character whole that resonates. Lest I forget, the sex. CK's penchant for hot AF size difference makes my brain fritz out every time! In this case it's Dominic who's "built like a truck" with a

that turns Levi into a screaming, pleading, incoherent, banged out bottom. Gawd, I love it when they're loud! The legit kind that's ermagherd something amazeballs is happening in my body right now but I can't form a sentence so I'll just bleat and wail as opposed to fake porn star I'm thinking about what I'm going to binge watch on Netflix when I get home and mailing in the moaning and the OHHH YEAAAAAAS to make it sound good until this joker finishes so I can cash out kind of loud. BIG DIFF, y'know? I can always count on CK for that genuine spike in my blood pressure.

Dominic is straight gold. A bounty hunter/bartender and gentle giant who's very cognizant of his size and how intimidating it can be for others. Any dude that loves his dog as much as he does is good people in my book. How much he cares about others permeates his entire being, something that's clear from the first time we meet him trying to bring in a bail jumper. And just like that I was smitten.

Levi is a homicide detective and high strung. He's reserved, deliberate and incredibly intelligent. I feel like he's probably one of those people that is so sensitive that's he's had to build a wall to protect himself from being hurt repeatedly which makes him appear aloof when really he's not. Neither are perfect but they very well could be perfect for each other.

What is crystal clear is how well they compliment each other, something that really shines as the case evolves. There are some quiet moments between them that made my heart swell. They're both exceedingly observant which I think bodes well for their future coupletry, but this relationship is still in its infancy. Levi is coming off a break-up with a long-term boyfriend that I'm glad wasn't glossed over and will surely factor in at some point. For now they are taking it slow, building trust rather than jumping into something because they have oodles of sexual chemistry.

The thriller plotline is well balanced with the character/relationship development. Both MCs and the secondary characters feel real to me already. But I'm greedy to know more, to know everything. That being said, this may very well be the best thriller I've read in 2017. It consumed me. Even now, days later, I'm still thinking about it. I have a running list of things I know, things that could be true and things I've discarded. One thing niggles but I can't bring myself to drop my rating because of it.

The end is to be continued... which I was expecting, because five book series. This is a long game that's sure to have twists, turns and surprises aplenty. *bounces* I cannot wait!

Recommend to no one because it's MINE! mystery/thriller, romantic suspense and CK fans.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley.