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Owen McKenna #4
Tahoe Killshot
When Tahoe Detective Owen McKenna gets a call from a terrified young woman who says she knows something about a murder, he gets pulled into a case involving a twisted psychopath who appears to be engaged in thrill killings, but may in fact be covering up a giant money-making scam. McKenna needs his Great Dane Spot and professional search-and-rescue dog Natasha to literally sniff out the killer. The bodies are piling up fast, and McKenna and Spot are at the top of the killer's list...
273 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2004
153 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
About the author
Todd Borg
29 books145 followersTodd Borg and his wife moved from Minnesota to Lake Tahoe in 1990. After his fourth Tahoe novel, he sold his business to write full time.
In addition to winning the Ben Franklin Award for Best Mystery of the Year, Todd Borg's Owen McKenna mysteries have been chosen for Top 5 Mystery lists by the prestigious Library Journal, and by Mystery News Reviewer G. Wedgwood. He's won Best Mystery and Best Thriller honors from the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association and received Best New Fiction accolades from libraries. His novels have also received starred reviews and raves in major trade journals and newspapers across the country.
Todd Borg and his wife live on Lake Tahoe's South Shore.
Series:
* Owen McKenna Mystery
In addition to winning the Ben Franklin Award for Best Mystery of the Year, Todd Borg's Owen McKenna mysteries have been chosen for Top 5 Mystery lists by the prestigious Library Journal, and by Mystery News Reviewer G. Wedgwood. He's won Best Mystery and Best Thriller honors from the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association and received Best New Fiction accolades from libraries. His novels have also received starred reviews and raves in major trade journals and newspapers across the country.
Todd Borg and his wife live on Lake Tahoe's South Shore.
Series:
* Owen McKenna Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
December 22, 2019
Love the fast pace of his books......this one did not disappoint. I really like how each in the series always brings something of the past books into the current one, and have really gotten to know the main characters well, feel like I would know them if I passed them on the street, that’s how realistic Borg writes. McKenna & Spot get injured quite seriously in this novel, hope they don’t get beat up too much more in future novels , as I fear for their health, lol......
September 29, 2014
Tahoe Killshot, the fourth book on the Owen McKenna Mystery Thrillers covers how Owen McKenna gets a phone call a day after the famous superstar Glory died in what seemed to be an accident. The caller says her name is Faith Runyon and explained she has revealing information on Glory, while meeting in the lake the boat Faith was in exploded and the force caused McKenna and his dog Spot to nearly drown. After that, McKenna looks for leads that eventually dry up.
The book really brought up mystery, suspense, thriller, and action as the main themes which is perfectly good for the story. When McKenna ran out of leads or when you think to yourself, "How'd the killer manage to do those murders.", you realize that those are the themes of the book which is incorporated nicely to the plot. I saw the author's writing style being very similar to Sonia Sanchez's. He would explain vital details through dialogue and he also explained time leaps through the settings. He keeps the show don't tell at a minimum but they're very noticeable in action sequences. This book would very well correlate with The 39 Clues series by various authors or The Analyst by John Katzenbach mostly because they both have their own scenes of action and have mystery and suspense. I could relate this book to some world problems. In the story the killer made the murders look like accidents or untraceable and it's possible something like that correlates to real life making it harder for detectives or investigators to solve the murder. All in all it was a great book. I loved how in the beginning you start off with the killers perspective. A little warning, it also features a little bit of politics, around the politics part I started to get a little lost
The book really brought up mystery, suspense, thriller, and action as the main themes which is perfectly good for the story. When McKenna ran out of leads or when you think to yourself, "How'd the killer manage to do those murders.", you realize that those are the themes of the book which is incorporated nicely to the plot. I saw the author's writing style being very similar to Sonia Sanchez's. He would explain vital details through dialogue and he also explained time leaps through the settings. He keeps the show don't tell at a minimum but they're very noticeable in action sequences. This book would very well correlate with The 39 Clues series by various authors or The Analyst by John Katzenbach mostly because they both have their own scenes of action and have mystery and suspense. I could relate this book to some world problems. In the story the killer made the murders look like accidents or untraceable and it's possible something like that correlates to real life making it harder for detectives or investigators to solve the murder. All in all it was a great book. I loved how in the beginning you start off with the killers perspective. A little warning, it also features a little bit of politics, around the politics part I started to get a little lost
August 13, 2017
A pop diva dies in a bizarre accident, and Tahoe Pi Owen McKenna gets hired to poke around.
Poke around he does, and finds a conspiracy and an adrenaline junkie hitman. Not bad, with some good Tahoe type settings, but nothing else really stands out.
Poke around he does, and finds a conspiracy and an adrenaline junkie hitman. Not bad, with some good Tahoe type settings, but nothing else really stands out.
March 21, 2025
The wonderful thing about an Owen McKenna book is I can spend 98% of it shaking my head and saying “wow… Todd borg should really not be trying to parse the nuances of sex work right now!” And yet when the Scooby-Doo-ass reveal happens… I find myself completely satisfied with the hours I spent in the delusional, beer-soaked haze that is Tahoe Killshot <3
March 30, 2020
3.75 stars
Rounded up to 4 stars. What I like about this series is the location, Spot, and the recurring secondary characters. I have read 5 so far in the series and this was not one of my favorites. It was slow for me at times in the middle which would seem to be impossible with all the action going on. A hit man makes many attempts to kill Owen McKenna with unusual tactics. Owen must be a super man as he always comes out alive but does get injured pretty badly. The hit man appears to be after any one that Owen knows or talks to ,even the star of the book Spot, his Great Dane. The book did stretch one's imagination. I did not have the bad persons figured out and there were plenty of red herrings and suspects.
Rounded up to 4 stars. What I like about this series is the location, Spot, and the recurring secondary characters. I have read 5 so far in the series and this was not one of my favorites. It was slow for me at times in the middle which would seem to be impossible with all the action going on. A hit man makes many attempts to kill Owen McKenna with unusual tactics. Owen must be a super man as he always comes out alive but does get injured pretty badly. The hit man appears to be after any one that Owen knows or talks to ,even the star of the book Spot, his Great Dane. The book did stretch one's imagination. I did not have the bad persons figured out and there were plenty of red herrings and suspects.
August 5, 2018
Incredible
I keep thinking I will get bored since I am reading these books without reading anything else. I am far from bored. The books get better and I am more in love with Spot. The characters are great and get deeper with every book. But...what was the gift KD brought to the birthday party? Hmmm
I keep thinking I will get bored since I am reading these books without reading anything else. I am far from bored. The books get better and I am more in love with Spot. The characters are great and get deeper with every book. But...what was the gift KD brought to the birthday party? Hmmm
August 31, 2022
Todd Borg delivers again with Tahoe Killshot. Our favorite characters are back: Street, Diamond, Glennie, Natasha, Lake Tahoe… Spot and the intrepid Owen McKenna. I enjoy the Tahoe local sites, scenery, and locations. McKenna’s deductive abilities, his friends, and his companion Spot work together to solve these murders in a delightful narrative filled with action, humor and a real sense of danger for our heroes. The new characters in this story are fleshed out well and the book (as are all the others in the series) serves the current story while helping to build more backstory for our main characters. A fun, wild read – perfect for summertime relaxation. Thank you, Todd, for another McKenna mystery!
August 16, 2024
Very fun read. Likable characters and always fun to read about a familiar setting. 😊
August 5, 2013
Giving this 4 stars just because the setting of the Lake Tahoe region is so familiar and Spot, a harlequin Great Dane, is a great character. The mystery in this installment was a little weak and convoluted but it was the perfect read while on vacation in South Lake Tahoe. I will definitely continue with the series.
December 29, 2012
I loved the local places that were the settings of scenes in this book. I could visualize each. The writing itself was fine...if it weren't for that backyard feel of this story, I'd have rated it a 3.
September 9, 2021
This is my favorite so far in the series. The novel begins with what appears to be a biking accident but turns out to be murder. One murder follows another until Owen becomes the prime target. The attacks on his life get so numerous that he must send Street to hide in a hotel while he and Spot begin camping in the woods. Everywhere he goes, his assailant finds him. It's only by accident that he avoids being killed and in one of the attacks Spot is injured. Through his investigation Owen discovers other deaths that appear to be accidents but were really murders, but finding their commonalities is his primary task. Throughout the novel, almost everyone could be the suspect which makes the book compelling.
October 13, 2018
Recently bought this book when I purchased Tahoe Skydrop, the newest book in this series, because I haven’t read some of the earlier books. The characters are what keep me coming back. Really enjoy Owen, Street, Diamond, Glennie, Ellie Ibsen, and of course Spot and Blondie. In the process of investigating two murders, Owen finds out about some earlier crimes that are linked. Lots of plot twists. Of course, I knew Owen would be OK in the end, but the story is still very suspenseful. The Lake Tahoe setting definitely adds a different dimension to all of the Owen McKenna books, and I recommend them to anyone who likes this type of fiction.
February 13, 2021
Tahoe Detective Owen McKenna gets a call from a terrified young woman who says she knows something about a murder. He's pulled into a case involving a twisted psychopath who appears to be engaged in thrill killings. McKenna needs his Great Dane Spot and professional search-and-rescue dog Natasha to literally sniff out the killer. The bodies are piling up fast, and McKenna and Spot are at the top of the killer's list.
Continuous action made this an exciting read. A mysterious psyco on a killing spree. Who is it? Bullets fly. Six foot six, McKenna and his dogs make a good team. The reader sees through the eyes of a real-time investigation. Clues sprinkled throughout the story. Great read.
Continuous action made this an exciting read. A mysterious psyco on a killing spree. Who is it? Bullets fly. Six foot six, McKenna and his dogs make a good team. The reader sees through the eyes of a real-time investigation. Clues sprinkled throughout the story. Great read.
March 17, 2025
Started this book on the way home on a five hour plane ride. Got half way through and really did not want to stop to catch the next flight. I really like how there is continuity between his books so you get to know the characters well. The ending caught me by surprise as I was really clueless, but the twists and turns kept my interest throughout. On to the next in the series, hopefully before another trip.
August 26, 2017
Really good series of books. Great characters wither they are human, animal, or Tahoe its self. Great to read if your familiar with the Lake Tahoe area because it helps to really get into the book. I feel like I'm there in Tahoe even when I'm not. Great job Todd Borg and can't wait to read the rest of the series and any other books you write.
May 11, 2018
Killshot is my least favorite of the series so far because the plot requires the reader to believe that even though the main character and his dog sustain life threatening injuries (the plural is important here) they still manage to pick themselves up and soldier on. It is impossible to use the willing suspension of disbelief to such an extent.
September 18, 2018
Borg is an excellent writer. Character development is excellent. He keeps you on edge as McKenna gets smacked around and barely survives with his life in each situation of solving a crime. And you have to love SPOT big doofy Dane!
May 9, 2020
Why isn’t this a movie mini series?
I’m obsessed with these books! Every one so far has had me on the edge of my seat and unable to put the book down. In my head I’ve been thinking of which actors I imagine would play the best characters in a mini series. Oh... And I love Spot!
I’m obsessed with these books! Every one so far has had me on the edge of my seat and unable to put the book down. In my head I’ve been thinking of which actors I imagine would play the best characters in a mini series. Oh... And I love Spot!
May 14, 2021
Todd Borg continues to write fun and twisting novels with our favorite characters. I found this one to be a bit more challenging as to "whodunnit" which I enjoyed. Although the books are "light reading"....I always get swept up in the story and can't wait to read the next chapter each day.
November 9, 2024
Like riding rollercoaster!
These books just get better and better. There is so much action, intrigue, and interesting geography. I hike this area weekly and find different places to go, just reading Todd's stories. I am totally hooked on this series.
These books just get better and better. There is so much action, intrigue, and interesting geography. I hike this area weekly and find different places to go, just reading Todd's stories. I am totally hooked on this series.
August 11, 2017
This is a fast paced mystery thriller, with lots of unpleasant homicides--though now that is what I expect from a Todd Borg novel. The Tahoe environment doesn't hurt either!
October 11, 2018
good thriller
May 6, 2019
I live in the Nevada area where these novels take place and it is interesting to read about Owen McKenna and his adventures in solving crimes.
October 1, 2019
Amazing
This one kept me on the edge poor spot
Can’t wait to read the next
Never a let down I feel like I can go to Tahoe and meet the people in the book
This one kept me on the edge poor spot
Can’t wait to read the next
Never a let down I feel like I can go to Tahoe and meet the people in the book
January 2, 2021
Love that Spot!
I somehow missed reading this book. I’ve read all the rest and am never disappointed. Spot is always of great importance in all his books. Great writer.
I somehow missed reading this book. I’ve read all the rest and am never disappointed. Spot is always of great importance in all his books. Great writer.
March 16, 2021
Good mystery held my interest till the end.
October 29, 2021
Another entertaining complex mystery!
Can't get enough of theses great detective thrillers. I live vicariously through Todd due to my many years living there.
Can't get enough of theses great detective thrillers. I live vicariously through Todd due to my many years living there.
July 5, 2022
Another great mystery novel by Todd Borg. Since I am a former resident of Tahoe I can place myself everywhere around the lake, or even down the mountain. They are such fast paced stories!
July 13, 2022
Another action-packed adventure by Todd Borg with Owen, Street and the big Dane Spot! These books are such fun to read.
August 17, 2022
Haven't read a book in this series for a while and I really enjoyed it. I always like the characters in these books, they're fast-paced and make for a quick read. I rate this one 5 stars.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews