First Chance

“An absolute winner! It’s rare that a thriller offers up a tale with such a page-turning, edge-of-the-seat plot that also grips your heart so tightly, but First Chance does just that, and then some! There’re thrills, laughs, and even a few tears. (And who doesn’t just love a German shepherd named Sissy?) Bravo!”

“First Chance is a remarkable slice of Texas noir. As comfortable as your favorite pair of jeans, as quirky as a box of spiders, and as deadly as a shotgun filled with nails. Kasey Lansdale clearly loves her characters. I enjoyed the hell out of it.”

“Vibrant, full-of-life characters and a mystery full of dark surprises kept me invested until the very end. I want more! Kasey Lansdale has my attention.”

“Much will be made in the coming months and years of Kasey Lansdale’s ability to channel the voice of her father, Champion Mojo Storyteller Joe R. Lansdale. What’s much more important is all the ways that Kasey is her own writer, and that her creation, Chance Kirby, is her own woman. Chance delivers mojo without the macho. Her compassion and vulnerability keep the reader hooked as the twisty plot unfolds. A full cast of eccentrics makes Hopeful, Texas, a destination I can’t wait to get back to.”

“The hardscrabble world the author creates is well worth visiting and revisiting. At a certain point, the investigator confesses, ‘I really just wanted it to all be over.’ But readers won’t.”

“Lansdale writes with an evocative sense of place and admirably nuanced view of justice.”

“A refreshingly realistic procedural…Lansdale tips her hat to classic detective fiction, pours herself a tall glass of sweet tea, and dry rubs every chapter with a criminally unique flavor…Lansdale lets her own voice swagger onto every page…If Chance Kirby’s first investigation is this entertaining, imagine what she’ll be like after a few more miles on those dusty Texas roads. I’d happily ride shotgun for Case No. 2.”

“A gripping, emotionally charged thriller that seamlessly blends Southern noir, coming-of-age fiction, and gritty crime drama…Lansdale captures the grit, tension, and grim humor of small-town life through atmospheric prose and sharply drawn characters. Shifting loyalties and escalating threats keep the pacing brisk and suspenseful…A fast-paced, gritty, and heartfelt thriller that offers the perfect mix of high-stakes suspense and genuine emotional resonance. It is a good addition to the contemporary Southern crime genre.”

“A satisfying boil of rich ingredients—from noir to humor—with a smart, character-driven storyline full of snappy dialogue, all of it mixed with wit and sharp human insight. Loved it.”