Public Enemy #1

National bestselling author Kiki Swinson amps up the action and suspense with unpredictable characters, breakneck twists, and a gut-punch portrait of Southern surviving--and dying. Now the odds are straight-up killer when a private eye gets in way over her head...

Too much to prove...
A former journalist with a knack for unraveling dirty secrets, Khloé Mercer figures if she's going to risk her life, she might as well make big money as a private investigator. But this reckless newbie needs a major case to make her name--and really show she can handle Norfolk, Virginia's toughest streets...

Too much to hide...
When a narcotics detective's widow needs someone to investigate her disgraced husband's so-called suicide, Khloé jumps at the lucrative fee--and the clues that the Norfolk Police Department is rotten from top to bottom. And with formidable backup from her ex-felon uncle, she turns the city upside-down to uncover the truth...

Too late to run...
But Khloé's cage-rattling tactics and high-wire strategies threaten both the cops and the city's brutal underworld alike. Now, with her life in the crosshairs and no one she can trust, she'll find that building a reputation comes with a price she may not survive to pay...
Praise for KiKi Swinson
 
“Pitch-perfect dialogue, juicy sexual trysts, cold-blooded betrayal, and ruthless violence mark this suspenseful fast-moving tale that is topped off by a shocking epilogue.”
—Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW on The Score
 
“Swinson delivers another strong, fully dimensional lead character in Misty, who begins as an ordinary career woman and ends up in even deeper trouble with each wrong choice.”
—Booklist on The Black Market
 
“National bestselling author Swinson is back, with a new novel packed with suspense, intrigue, and brutally memorable characters, all portrayed through the lens of gritty Southern life. You’ll keep flipping pages to see how the story’s heroine faces a succession of harrowing adventures as she fights desperately to keep herself, and those she loves, alive.”
—The Grio on The Safe House
 
“Edgy street fiction with an extra dose of suspense…For MadameNoire loyalists with an addiction to street stories, Kiki Swinson’s latest book is a strong follow-up to her much talked about novel, The Score. Kiki Swinson has raised the bar with The Mark, not only because of the cat and mouse theme that sits between the pages but also because of the ocean-deep suspense that runs all through it.”
—MadameNoire
 
“From one of the most prolific and respected voices in urban fiction…You’ll tear through this vivid and pulse-pounding journey of a young woman on the run, who will do whatever she can to save her life—and protect those she loves.”
—CrimeReads on The Safe House
 
“Breathless suspense explodes on practically every page, highlighted by scenes of violence and merciless, execution-style murders. Lauren comes off as something of Superwoman who performs feats of strength two days after giving birth, but that just adds to the page-turning appeal. Swinson’s name will generate strong interest.”
—Library Journal on The Mark
Kiki Swinson is the national bestselling author of over 30 novels and short stories. A star of the street lit genre—crime novels in an urban setting—Swinson’s works feature resilient women making tough, and sometimes not quite legal, decisions to survive. Her novels, inspired by her experiences and a five-year stint in federal prison, have sold over 1 million copies. She completed her first novel while incarcerated and her second novel, Wifey, became the first book in one of today's best-selling street lit series. A native of Portsmouth, Virginia, and a former hustler's wife, Swinson resides in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Visit her online at KikiSwinson.net. View titles by Kiki Swinson

About

National bestselling author Kiki Swinson amps up the action and suspense with unpredictable characters, breakneck twists, and a gut-punch portrait of Southern surviving--and dying. Now the odds are straight-up killer when a private eye gets in way over her head...

Too much to prove...
A former journalist with a knack for unraveling dirty secrets, Khloé Mercer figures if she's going to risk her life, she might as well make big money as a private investigator. But this reckless newbie needs a major case to make her name--and really show she can handle Norfolk, Virginia's toughest streets...

Too much to hide...
When a narcotics detective's widow needs someone to investigate her disgraced husband's so-called suicide, Khloé jumps at the lucrative fee--and the clues that the Norfolk Police Department is rotten from top to bottom. And with formidable backup from her ex-felon uncle, she turns the city upside-down to uncover the truth...

Too late to run...
But Khloé's cage-rattling tactics and high-wire strategies threaten both the cops and the city's brutal underworld alike. Now, with her life in the crosshairs and no one she can trust, she'll find that building a reputation comes with a price she may not survive to pay...

Reviews

Praise for KiKi Swinson
 
“Pitch-perfect dialogue, juicy sexual trysts, cold-blooded betrayal, and ruthless violence mark this suspenseful fast-moving tale that is topped off by a shocking epilogue.”
—Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW on The Score
 
“Swinson delivers another strong, fully dimensional lead character in Misty, who begins as an ordinary career woman and ends up in even deeper trouble with each wrong choice.”
—Booklist on The Black Market
 
“National bestselling author Swinson is back, with a new novel packed with suspense, intrigue, and brutally memorable characters, all portrayed through the lens of gritty Southern life. You’ll keep flipping pages to see how the story’s heroine faces a succession of harrowing adventures as she fights desperately to keep herself, and those she loves, alive.”
—The Grio on The Safe House
 
“Edgy street fiction with an extra dose of suspense…For MadameNoire loyalists with an addiction to street stories, Kiki Swinson’s latest book is a strong follow-up to her much talked about novel, The Score. Kiki Swinson has raised the bar with The Mark, not only because of the cat and mouse theme that sits between the pages but also because of the ocean-deep suspense that runs all through it.”
—MadameNoire
 
“From one of the most prolific and respected voices in urban fiction…You’ll tear through this vivid and pulse-pounding journey of a young woman on the run, who will do whatever she can to save her life—and protect those she loves.”
—CrimeReads on The Safe House
 
“Breathless suspense explodes on practically every page, highlighted by scenes of violence and merciless, execution-style murders. Lauren comes off as something of Superwoman who performs feats of strength two days after giving birth, but that just adds to the page-turning appeal. Swinson’s name will generate strong interest.”
—Library Journal on The Mark

Author

Kiki Swinson is the national bestselling author of over 30 novels and short stories. A star of the street lit genre—crime novels in an urban setting—Swinson’s works feature resilient women making tough, and sometimes not quite legal, decisions to survive. Her novels, inspired by her experiences and a five-year stint in federal prison, have sold over 1 million copies. She completed her first novel while incarcerated and her second novel, Wifey, became the first book in one of today's best-selling street lit series. A native of Portsmouth, Virginia, and a former hustler's wife, Swinson resides in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Visit her online at KikiSwinson.net. View titles by Kiki Swinson