Killer Triggers

Critics Review

• “A bona fide true-crime star.”

  Vulture

• “Legendary…For twenty years Lt. Joe Kenda served as a detective with the Colorado Springs Police Department. During that time he solved 356 of the 387 murder cases he investigated. This is a staggering accomplishment, one almost unheard of in modern American law enforcement.”

  Salon

• “One of the most successful crime fighters in history…he’s also one of the most quotable tough guys to ever put on a badge.”

  Men's Journal

• “Sitting down to read Joe Kenda’s Killer Triggers is like settling in to listen to a masterful storyteller sharing his own story.”

  J. A. Jance, New York Times bestselling author

• “The book makes you feel like you’re hanging out with a retired detective and he’s recounting his war stories for you…[Kenda] finds a way to make the stories feel real (which they are) and they both fascinate you and bother you in their way that they get under your skin…The book itself is a good read. It reads quickly and gives you just enough to want to keep going. It really draws you into the story…If you are a fan of true crime, this is a definite read for you!”

  FanBolt

• “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)

• “For those viewers who watched the nine seasons of Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda…Now, with the release of Killer Triggers: Murder Comes Down To Sex, Drugs, Or Money, his fans will find that his literary voice is that much more deeply layered and uncensored in a way we never got to experience on his cable series…A gritty and very real look at true homicide investigation without all the glossing over you get from network TV series that do not come close to the real thing…This book was solid reading and unlike any true-crime retelling I have ever read…A very revealing read—who would have thought life in Colorado Springs could be so hazardous!”

  Criminal Element

• “The book feels like what it would be like if Joe Kenda was talking to you about the murders he’s investigated if there wasn’t a camera or network censors…There are also plenty of one-liners and Kenda catchphrases and, at appropriate times, some humor.”

  Colorado Springs (CO) Gazette

• “In this true-crime novel retired Colorado Springs Homicide Detective, Lt. Joe Kenda, recounts some memorable cases…Complete with his witty Kendaisms, and vivid descriptions of police procedures it’s a fantastic read for any true-crime fan…His matter-of-fact style of writing pulls you in immediately…I would highly recommend this book to any true-crime fan and fans of Lt. Joe Kenda.”

  San Francisco Book Review (5 stars)

• “The book offers an insider’s look at criminal cases, from the 911 call to the sentencing of the convicted…Kenda does share some useful perspectives; he discusses a criminally neglectful slumlord, argues for the importance of investigative print journalism, and highlights the role therapy and talking can play in healing those who regularly see the worst of humanity. True-crime stories with all the gory details.”

  Library Journal

• “My wife and I have seen every episode of Homicide Hunter multiple times and I love that while reading this book, you can almost actually hear Joe Kenda narrating it. Having had the privilege of meeting him on more than one occasion I can say without reservation that we are enormous fans of Joe both professionally and personally. Besides being an exceptional detective and one of the greatest and most authentic true-crime storytellers of all time, Joe has tread in the darkest and most horrific regions of humanity and instead of plunging into nihilism, he has managed to emerge with the utmost empathy and compassion for the sanctity of human life.”

  Chris Hardwick