What Meets the Eye

(Kate Myles, #1)

by

Alex Kenna

Absorbing mystery featuring a female PI who was a successful LAPD detective before being sidelined by a car accident.

What Meets the Eye is the first entry in the Kate Myles private detective series and the debut novel for author Alex Kenna. When a well-known painter is found dead in a downtown loft apartment, it appears to be suicide and with her history, it’s plausible. But as PI Kate Myles digs deeper, she uncovers secrets that hint Margot Starling’s death might just be a case of murder. With an engaging and sympathetic main character and a stellar plot, the book grabbed me from the start, and I didn’t want to put it down! 

Kate Myles, the detective on the case, has a heck of a tragic backstory. Injured in an on-duty accident, she’s still not fully healed physically. Kate is still mentally working through what happened to her and coming to terms with her new future, unable to continue to work for the LAPD. She became addicted to the pain meds she was prescribed during her recovery, and her attorney husband used this during their divorce to win custody of their small daughter. 

John was not the supportive spouse he could have been during her struggle with pain and later addiction; he was already involved with a colleague at work. He’s also a controlling and petty sort who manipulates Kate by withholding or curtailing her weekends with their daughter. But I liked how Kate had dug herself out of her addiction, had gotten her PI license, and was trying to rebuild her life. Kate is strong-willed, determined, and doesn’t give up. Her investigation is top drawer, and I liked how she is able to reach out to former LAPD colleagues for assistance and reciprocate when she can. She has a good, solid reputation she can still trade on. 

The case is an intriguing one and has some unique aspects to it. The art world setting was exotic and fresh, with many big personalities involved. I liked how the author brought in several points of view in addition to Kate, and I enjoyed how the backstories were presented in flashback vignettes. The writing style was easy to read, and the story just flowed. I was swept up in Kate’s investigation and only looked up after I’d read more than half the book. 

I recommend WHAT MEETS THE EYE to mystery readers who enjoy detective fiction with a strong female protagonist or an art world setting. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.