Kate Myles was a promising Los Angeles police detective, until an accident and opioid addiction blew up her family and destroyed her career. Struggling to rebuild her life, Kate decides to try her hand at private detective work—but she gets much more than she bargained for when she takes on the case of a celebrated painter found dead in a downtown loft.

When Margot Starling’s body was found, the cause of death was assumed to be suicide. Despite her beauty, talent, and fame, she struggled with a host of demons. But as Kate digs deeper, she learns that Margot had a growing list of powerful enemies—among them a shady art dealer who had been selling forged works by Margot. Kate soon uncovers a dirty trail that leads straight into the heart of the city’s deadly underworld.

Margot died for her art—and if Kate doesn’t tread lightly, she could be the next to get brushed out.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Crooked Lane Books, December 2022

• 2023 Shamus Award Finalist: Best First P.I. Novel

• Writer’s Bone Best Books of 2022

“[An] impressive debut . . . Sara Paretsky fans will be pleased.”
—Publishers Weekly

“A righteous, painful debut. More, please.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Vivid portraits . . . and the absorbing mystery that surrounds them, signal a master in the making.”
—Bookpage

“[A]n audacious debut, and . . . a pitch-perfect, blow-by-blow account of someone struggling to rebuild their life.”
—The Thrilling Detective

“What Meets the Eye is one of those books that you reread, and how everything fits together suddenly becomes clear. It’s worth the effort.”
—Kings River Life  

“[A] twisty and absorbing read, complete with a suitably flawed but very likeable lead. Alex Kenna is the real deal, a true talent.”
—Crime Fiction Critic  

“Dragging the world of high art down into the muck of Los Angeles’ criminal underbelly, Alex Kenna has created an engaging mystery buoyed by the heart of its heroine, Kate Myles. Trying to win against stacked decks in her professional and personal lives, Myles’ resilience and hustle makes her an easy hero to stand up and cheer for.”
—James Queally, author of the Russel Avery novels and Los Angeles Times crime reporter

“With the sure hand of an old master, Alex Kenna’s debut blurs the line between catharsis and crime in this gritty and nimble noir mystery. When a routine investigation into the apparent suicide of art superstar Margot Starling becomes anything but, down-on-her-luck PI Kate Myles must square herself up for the fight of her life or lose it all. Entertaining and provocative, What Meets the Eye reminds us that truth often comes with a price tag much higher—and deadlier—than anything Sotheby’s could ever hope to fetch at auction.”
—Katie Lattari, author of Dark Things I Adore

“Kenna gives us the LA crime story we want—a fronded, sun-beaten carousel of depravity and murder, all laced up with tight plotting, sharply hewn characters, and a gripping, original story.”
—Joseph Schneider, author of the Tully Jarsdel Mysteries

“A suspicious death dismissed as suicide leads PI Kate Myles deep into a web of blackmail and deceit, set against an intriguing backdrop of shady dealings in the art world. An all too human character, Kate is determined to piece together the wreckage of her life and career, and salvage her fractured relationship with her daughter. With clever twists & turns, and a host of convincing suspects along the way, the plot delivers a satisfying ending, but leaves us with tantalizing hints of more to come from Kate…”
—Julie Cameron, author of Nameless Acts of Cruelty

SUBSIDIARY RIGHTS

Audio

• Dreamscape

Told in alternating timelines, this gripping mystery about a PI and her quest for answers is full of twists and turns, perfect for fans of Allison Brennan and Gytha Lodge.

Struggling private investigator Kate Myles is shattered to learn her late father isn’t her biological dad. She’s still reeling when she discovers that an unknown distant relative is the prime suspect in a decades-old murder investigation. Trying to convince her to take on the case for free, an old colleague recommends her as an investigator for a recent arson murder in the same small town.

After giving up on a failed acting career, Abby Coburn is starting over as a promising social work student. With her life on the right track, she’s determined to help her brother, Jacob, whose meth addiction triggered a psychotic break and descent into crime. But when Abby dies in a fire that kills two other people and destroys part of the town, the police immediately suspect Jacob. 

As the Coburn family grapples with the tragedy, Kate begins unraveling the cold case but finds herself caught in the middle of an emotional minefield. Pretty soon, she discovers that this town is full of dark secrets, and as she comes closer and closer to figuring out the truth, Kate must solve both murders before she becomes the next victim.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Crooked Lane Books, November 2024

• Best Thriller Books Next Favorite Thriller

“The twists keep coming in this devilish PI mystery….setting two narratives on an unpredictable collision course. Lisa Unger fans will devour this.”
—Publisher’s Weekly

“Solid, heartfelt spadework into an alarming range of graves.”
—Kirkus

“This is a no fluff page turner that will keep you guessing. There is even a little romance, hope and healing that makes this an uplifting mystery that is tied up with a bow and leaves the reader ready for the next Kate Myles adventure.”
—Best Thriller Books

“This is a MUST READ mystery; I promise you, you’ll love this one!”
—Book Review Crew

“A dark, lyrical crime novel, Burn This Night weaves a complex and twisty spell about addiction, family ties, and how sins of the past can’t stay buried. Kate Myles is a great addition to LA’s canon of troubled PIs—real, flawed, smart, and very human—and I can’t wait to see what’s next for her.”
—Halley Sutton, USA Today bestselling author of The Hurricane Blonde

“Burn This Night is a fast-paced thriller that masterfully utilizes alternating perspectives to tell an absorbing, character-driven mystery. This is an electrifying read that had me engaged and on the edge of my seat until the very end!”
—Elle Grawl, Amazon Charts Bestselling Author of One of Those Faces and What Still Burns

“Burn This Night is an utterly-absorbing mystery. Alex Kenna skillfully weaves a tale of two women who both face emotional and physical danger as they fight for truth and family love. Kenna masterfully draws the reader into the dark exploration of the secrets hidden in small towns and the depths some will go to hide the truth. With fiendishly smart dialogue, a captivating setting and a plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat, Burn This Night is absolutely fantastic!”
—Elise Hart Kipness, Amazon bestselling author of Lights Out

“An absorbing read told from multiple layered perspectives, Kenna ranges from finely observed domestic scenes to adept portrayals of grimy addicts living on the ragged edge. Burn This Night is smart and satisfying.”
—Adam Plantinga

SUBSIDIARY RIGHTS

Audio

• Tantor

Foreign

• Greek  (First Serial Booklet Insert): Pedio