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Detectives Kenda & Wilson #1
All Is Not Forgiven
When murder is your business, solving the case is personal …
The Homicide Hunter’s riveting debut novel proves that fiction really can be stranger than truth …
All Is Not Forgiven is the debut crime novel by television star Joe Kenda, a former homicide detective, whose hit series Homicide Hunter and Homicide Hunter: American Detective air on Investigation Discovery, the #1 true crime channel available in more than 80 million homes.
In this first novel, the rookie Det. Kenda investigates a 1975 case that begins with the murder of a beloved Colorado philanthropist and society figure whose husband, a gambler and womanizer, appears to have an air-tight alibi.
Mentored by his veteran partner Det. Lee Wilson, a former Nashville singer turned skilled investigator, Kenda’s case quickly attracts attention from the FBI, CIA, and Interpol, for its similarity to a string of killings involving wealthy married women. All the murders appear to have been committed by a hired professional whose trademark is the use of an unusual form of lethal ammunition that leaves no trace.
Detectives Kenda and Wilson travel across the country, following leads to Las Vegas and a mob “made man” pit boss who moonlights as a matchmaker for hit men. In this first extraordinary case, the detectives join a full law-enforcement blitz to track down a twisted killer who has made murder his business.
The Homicide Hunter’s riveting debut novel proves that fiction really can be stranger than truth …
All Is Not Forgiven is the debut crime novel by television star Joe Kenda, a former homicide detective, whose hit series Homicide Hunter and Homicide Hunter: American Detective air on Investigation Discovery, the #1 true crime channel available in more than 80 million homes.
In this first novel, the rookie Det. Kenda investigates a 1975 case that begins with the murder of a beloved Colorado philanthropist and society figure whose husband, a gambler and womanizer, appears to have an air-tight alibi.
Mentored by his veteran partner Det. Lee Wilson, a former Nashville singer turned skilled investigator, Kenda’s case quickly attracts attention from the FBI, CIA, and Interpol, for its similarity to a string of killings involving wealthy married women. All the murders appear to have been committed by a hired professional whose trademark is the use of an unusual form of lethal ammunition that leaves no trace.
Detectives Kenda and Wilson travel across the country, following leads to Las Vegas and a mob “made man” pit boss who moonlights as a matchmaker for hit men. In this first extraordinary case, the detectives join a full law-enforcement blitz to track down a twisted killer who has made murder his business.
236 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 25, 2023
265 people are currently reading
4673 people want to read
About the author
Joe Kenda
12 books414 followersJoe Kenda is a retired Colorado Springs Police Department detective lieutenant who was involved in 387 homicide cases over a 23-year career, with a closure rate of 92%. He is featured on the Investigation Discovery television show Homicide Hunter, where he recounts stories of cases he solved. The show began in 2011 and lasted nine seasons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 222 reviews
January 31, 2024
Liked it but didn't love it.
A thriller written by a former homicide detective sounds promising! I was looking forward to this novel even though I never watched Joe Kenda's show Homicide Hunter on the ID channel before. I like the police procedural side and the crime was detailed and disturbing but the characters were flat for me.
A thriller written by a former homicide detective sounds promising! I was looking forward to this novel even though I never watched Joe Kenda's show Homicide Hunter on the ID channel before. I like the police procedural side and the crime was detailed and disturbing but the characters were flat for me.
February 1, 2024
I finished this one last night. This was a BOTM for a reading group I’m in and also a buddy read with a GR friend.
It was a fast read written by a retired Detective who worked in the Colorado Springs area from 1973-1996 this work of fiction. Kenda does mention in the prologue that this story and its characters are “mostly” made up but he does say that it is loosely based on a case he worked on as a rookie detective.
The killer for hire in this story is brutal and has zero feelings of remorse about his horrific acts. Kenda will give you some of this killer’s back story too that help explain his character (this back story is also horrific)
The end was kind of cool although the reader can see it coming - I don’t think it was supposed to be a big twist so that was ok with me.
The writer does go on some rambling tangents explaining some of the characters that I felt more like skimming through. He also repeated some info which was kind of annoying to me as I wanted the story to move along rather than read what I already knew.
A good story but not a 5 star for me.
Thank you to my library for letting me read this one on Libby
It was a fast read written by a retired Detective who worked in the Colorado Springs area from 1973-1996 this work of fiction. Kenda does mention in the prologue that this story and its characters are “mostly” made up but he does say that it is loosely based on a case he worked on as a rookie detective.
The killer for hire in this story is brutal and has zero feelings of remorse about his horrific acts. Kenda will give you some of this killer’s back story too that help explain his character (this back story is also horrific)
The end was kind of cool although the reader can see it coming - I don’t think it was supposed to be a big twist so that was ok with me.
The writer does go on some rambling tangents explaining some of the characters that I felt more like skimming through. He also repeated some info which was kind of annoying to me as I wanted the story to move along rather than read what I already knew.
A good story but not a 5 star for me.
Thank you to my library for letting me read this one on Libby
April 15, 2023
If you are a Joe Kenda lover, then you'll enjoy this book. This is Kenda's first fiction book which stems from a case that's haunted him from when he was a homicide detective. If you're not a Kenda fan yet, then this book is still for you. Sprinkled throughout the book is Kenda's witty and dry but hilarious sense of humor.
All is not Forgotten is a fast paced book from the first page filmed with twists and turns. What sets this apart from many other thrillers is that you could actually see this happening in real life. Often I'd forget that this wasn't a real Kenda story but I'm sure that's because this book's plot stemmed from an actual case.
I'd like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for the the ARC.
All is not Forgotten is a fast paced book from the first page filmed with twists and turns. What sets this apart from many other thrillers is that you could actually see this happening in real life. Often I'd forget that this wasn't a real Kenda story but I'm sure that's because this book's plot stemmed from an actual case.
I'd like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for the the ARC.
January 18, 2024
I love Joe Kenda and have enjoyed watching him for years on the ID channel. This is his first fiction book and he uses himself as one of the main characters, a new detective working with an older, experienced detective in Colorado Springs, CO. I liked his imagination on the crimes in this book and it was a great ending. I hope he continues this and makes it a series.
January 1, 2024
Debut crime thriller for Joe Kenda. Kind of disappointing. Way too much background information given, but doesn’t add much to the plot.
Takes place mostly in Colorado Springs, CO, but certainly not limited there.
Really quick read/audiobook. Audiobook was pretty boring, hard to stay awake.
Takes place mostly in Colorado Springs, CO, but certainly not limited there.
Really quick read/audiobook. Audiobook was pretty boring, hard to stay awake.
October 12, 2023
I was hooked from the start listening to All is Not Forgiven! It’s real-life Detective Joe Kenda’s first fictional crime novel and I think he’s off to a promising start.
Rookie Detective Joe Kenda and his partner Detective Lee Wilson are called on to investigate the murder of a Colorado socialite, seemingly loved by everyone. No robbery or assault other than the six gunshot wounds, this murder appears personal, but the only one with a clear motive is the husband who has an airtight alibi.
In their hunt for the truth, strange connections appear in similar killings.
All is Not Forgiven was an interesting case set in the 1970s when the real-life detective started his own career and is based in part on a real murder mystery.
I listened to the audio version and breezed right through in one day! Listening to the story at 1.5x normal speed the audio was only 4 hours 15 min. I enjoyed Bradford Hastings playing Kenda’s role. He has a nice masculine voice, easy going and good with ironic humor. Tim Cambell was great as the villain, performing his haughty attitude well. I look forward to whatever Joe Kenda comes up with next!
A copy was kindly provided by Blackstone Audio via Libro.fm in exchange for an honest review.
Rookie Detective Joe Kenda and his partner Detective Lee Wilson are called on to investigate the murder of a Colorado socialite, seemingly loved by everyone. No robbery or assault other than the six gunshot wounds, this murder appears personal, but the only one with a clear motive is the husband who has an airtight alibi.
In their hunt for the truth, strange connections appear in similar killings.
All is Not Forgiven was an interesting case set in the 1970s when the real-life detective started his own career and is based in part on a real murder mystery.
I listened to the audio version and breezed right through in one day! Listening to the story at 1.5x normal speed the audio was only 4 hours 15 min. I enjoyed Bradford Hastings playing Kenda’s role. He has a nice masculine voice, easy going and good with ironic humor. Tim Cambell was great as the villain, performing his haughty attitude well. I look forward to whatever Joe Kenda comes up with next!
A copy was kindly provided by Blackstone Audio via Libro.fm in exchange for an honest review.
Want to read
March 31, 2024no, yall no. JOE KENDA WROTE A BOOK? 3 BOOKS ACTUALLY.
yes yes yes yes yes
I must read this rn. I literally love this man so much. I will be narrating this book with his voice in my head. Lt. Kenda, if you are reading this I love you 🥹
@JUDE, I KNOW YOURE EXCITED FOR THIS ONE!!
ahem, sorry, got a little excited there. Let me finish off with Kenda's most famous line:
"If you kill, I will find you" 🫡
yes yes yes yes yes
I must read this rn. I literally love this man so much. I will be narrating this book with his voice in my head. Lt. Kenda, if you are reading this I love you 🥹
@JUDE, I KNOW YOURE EXCITED FOR THIS ONE!!
ahem, sorry, got a little excited there. Let me finish off with Kenda's most famous line:
"If you kill, I will find you" 🫡
April 15, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
I've read Joe Kenda's nonfiction books so I knew this novel would be great. I really like his sense of humor. There was plenty of action to keep me wanting to read more. I hope he continues to write books and I'll always look forward to reading them.
I've read Joe Kenda's nonfiction books so I knew this novel would be great. I really like his sense of humor. There was plenty of action to keep me wanting to read more. I hope he continues to write books and I'll always look forward to reading them.
November 11, 2023
Started out great
But it quickly became convoluted and strayed off track several times. I love the Kenda! Totally and there is no way I would not like his book. There was a depraved serial killer, cheating husbands, Las Vegas, the mob and contract killing. Talk about a criminal lallapalooza. This one hit a trifecta. It was a good read and I could hear Kenda's voice in my head. His unique sense of humor resonated throughout the novel. Colorful characters and lots of stories. Maybe a little too many. But I still liked it and I hope he writes more!
But it quickly became convoluted and strayed off track several times. I love the Kenda! Totally and there is no way I would not like his book. There was a depraved serial killer, cheating husbands, Las Vegas, the mob and contract killing. Talk about a criminal lallapalooza. This one hit a trifecta. It was a good read and I could hear Kenda's voice in my head. His unique sense of humor resonated throughout the novel. Colorful characters and lots of stories. Maybe a little too many. But I still liked it and I hope he writes more!
December 28, 2024
4.5 ⭐️ the narration of this is probably why I rated it so high.
August 31, 2023
This is a 2.5 rounded down. It’s exactly what it appears to be a “fiction” book written by someone who has historically wrote nonfiction crime/worked in real life crime situations. It’s dry, and while occasionally interesting the thrill/mystery of the narrative (could we really call it that 👀) is missing entirely. Interesting premise and story but wrong execution and authoring.
February 1, 2024
I loved the beginning of the book and the end. The middle had some parts that dragged on. It ended in a way I knew it would but I was still fully invested in the crime. Overall a good book and I would like to read Kenda's non-fiction books to see the difference. Not the best book I have ever read but also not the worst. I really did like the main characters. I also am glad the crime itself was not real (although that it was based on a mix of real ones is a lot to take in). It has very detailed parts of the crimes.
September 11, 2024
A decent police procedural book with an interesting mystery. I really enjoy Joe Kenda and his show but the book was a bit forgettable.
August 3, 2023
4.75 stars!
This was such a in depth, realistic and complicated case, I had to remind myself through the entire book that it wasn’t an actual real case.
As an avid true crime fan and enjoyer of Joe Kenda’s shows and previous two nonfiction books, I was pleasantly surprised to see he had a new book coming out. I was even more surprised to see it was his debut into fiction!
I really enjoyed this as the case was interesting and complex. You could really tell it was written by a detective the way the case was so in depth and every little thread seemed to connect—I think that’s what made it seem so authentic, like a real life case. I also enjoyed the fact he included himself a character—at least the rookie detective version of him from 1975 in this book. He definitely added his own sense of humor and wit into the writing with his own character and just his style in this book and it made me love it even more.
The story is told in a unique way that’s hard to describe unless you’ve read it. For example, the story starts out in the point of view of the killer, which is something I love so that was a nice surprise. After that, it often switches between the point of view of the newly detective, Kenda, the killer and a few other characters, even if for a page or so. It can be kind of confusing at first, but it really is worth it to the story, in my opinion.
There were also back stories and pieces of information included in a lot of places of the story in relation to different side characters. While that could be off putting or even take some out of the story, I didn’t mind it. It was something I wasn’t used to and it can be hard to follow at first, but definitely stick with it. I feel like that way of telling the story was definitely worth it as it truly made everything come together in the end just perfectly so.
Joe Kenda truly has his own unique way of writing and telling a story and I really enjoyed the journey of this book. I really hope he will venture into fiction again in the future with more books because I will most definitely pick them up.
This was such a in depth, realistic and complicated case, I had to remind myself through the entire book that it wasn’t an actual real case.
As an avid true crime fan and enjoyer of Joe Kenda’s shows and previous two nonfiction books, I was pleasantly surprised to see he had a new book coming out. I was even more surprised to see it was his debut into fiction!
I really enjoyed this as the case was interesting and complex. You could really tell it was written by a detective the way the case was so in depth and every little thread seemed to connect—I think that’s what made it seem so authentic, like a real life case. I also enjoyed the fact he included himself a character—at least the rookie detective version of him from 1975 in this book. He definitely added his own sense of humor and wit into the writing with his own character and just his style in this book and it made me love it even more.
The story is told in a unique way that’s hard to describe unless you’ve read it. For example, the story starts out in the point of view of the killer, which is something I love so that was a nice surprise. After that, it often switches between the point of view of the newly detective, Kenda, the killer and a few other characters, even if for a page or so. It can be kind of confusing at first, but it really is worth it to the story, in my opinion.
There were also back stories and pieces of information included in a lot of places of the story in relation to different side characters. While that could be off putting or even take some out of the story, I didn’t mind it. It was something I wasn’t used to and it can be hard to follow at first, but definitely stick with it. I feel like that way of telling the story was definitely worth it as it truly made everything come together in the end just perfectly so.
Joe Kenda truly has his own unique way of writing and telling a story and I really enjoyed the journey of this book. I really hope he will venture into fiction again in the future with more books because I will most definitely pick them up.
June 23, 2023
I’ve seen a few of Mr. Kenda’s TV shows but haven’t read any of his books. This is a hard boiled crime story and as such contains vividly described scenarios. It’s a fictionalized account of a highly trained sniper turned hitman. Much of it is set in beautiful Colorado with some Vegas connections. The initial case is the murder of a very prominent wealthy wife and mother during the 70’s. It soon becomes apparent there are lots of lowlife husbands who want their rich wives knocked off. It developed into a larger operation involving not just the local detectives but the FBI, CIA, US Marshals, Interpol, MI6, etc. The characters in the case ranged from the socially elite to psychopathic killers and mobsters. They were well described and realistic.
Young rookie Detective Kenda recounts his early days of learning, training and being hazed by seasoned partner, Wilson. I found the primary murder investigation quite gripping, the contract killer organization intriguing. It was peppered with many, many little digressions, nuggets of previous cases, experiences, anecdotes and recollections. These were also interesting, sometimes even humorous. However, it sometimes interrupted the flow of the main case for me. It was a little distracting and not always relevant. I read the text version so, perhaps the audiobook would be more seamless. I’m excited to see what he has in store next.
Thanks to NetGalley, Joe Kenda and to Blackstone Publishing for the digital advance reader copy of “All is Not Forgiven”. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without any compensation.
Young rookie Detective Kenda recounts his early days of learning, training and being hazed by seasoned partner, Wilson. I found the primary murder investigation quite gripping, the contract killer organization intriguing. It was peppered with many, many little digressions, nuggets of previous cases, experiences, anecdotes and recollections. These were also interesting, sometimes even humorous. However, it sometimes interrupted the flow of the main case for me. It was a little distracting and not always relevant. I read the text version so, perhaps the audiobook would be more seamless. I’m excited to see what he has in store next.
Thanks to NetGalley, Joe Kenda and to Blackstone Publishing for the digital advance reader copy of “All is Not Forgiven”. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without any compensation.
September 22, 2025
My husband and I watch a lot of crime TV shows including Joe Kenda: Homicide Detective. We always admire the wisdom and anecdotes given by Kenda himself during the shows, thus prompting us to listen to his audiobook. We found this story absolutely riveting, however, it is NOT for the faint of heart. There are a lot of nasty players involved in the crimes described in detail. We both have a background in law enforcement, so we find the quips between agents familiar and humorous. Overall it really held our attention and boggled our minds contrasting how crime is handled on the local, state and federal levels. Even back in the 1970s the underworld was alive and kicking... And always seemingly better equipped and usually one step ahead of the good guys. That is... if you can figure out the good guys from the bad.
August 19, 2023
Bravo Joe Kenda on your first (and hopefully not last) novel. Joe gives us great insight into everyday police work as well as how things shake out when teaming up with feds is required. International intrigue, the mafiosa, a network of mercenaries and you have one tense, gruesome story! Whether or not you are already a fan of Joe's from his television series or not, I think you will enjoy this.
January 23, 2024
ITS KENDA AND EVEN IN FICTION HE'S ON HIS GAME. ;D
April 3, 2024
2* - It was okay.
I’m a big fan of Lt. Joe Kenda and love Homicide Hunters and American Detective. You would think that someone with as much experience would knock this out of the park. A fictional story loosely based on a real case he worked as a rookie? What could go wrong?
The character development. That’s where it went wrong. There’s so many characters and no one seems fleshed out.
Shockingly, I was bored. It was a big effort to finish.
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I’m a big fan of Lt. Joe Kenda and love Homicide Hunters and American Detective. You would think that someone with as much experience would knock this out of the park. A fictional story loosely based on a real case he worked as a rookie? What could go wrong?
The character development. That’s where it went wrong. There’s so many characters and no one seems fleshed out.
Shockingly, I was bored. It was a big effort to finish.
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 4, 2023
Alright, I have to say that Detective Wilson has a terrible sense of dry humor. How Kenda put with him during his early years of training we will never know. I must spill the beans that I am a big fan of Detective Lieutenant Joe Kenda. I have watched his crime show for a few years now. I’m sad to see that he’s retired and I’m happy that he’s retired so that he can enjoy his life.
With that said, I thought this book was good. Please come after me Detectives for this, but Captain is my favorite character. He always seems to stay ahead of the game even though he’s hundreds of miles away. The story moves at an alright pace, but I would have like to read more intense scenes, such as the police force cracking down on the culprits. Perhaps some face to face meetings of interrogations.
Possibly more action scenes as the good guys go on the hunt for the bad guys. The stories narrative was filled with information or the bio of the characters. I appreciate that the writers provided a lot of information on the gun artillery as well as the military special detail. This helped with giving the reasons to why the main characters do what they do. The story is a page turner and entertaining moments.
I received a copy of this book for a voluntary honest review
With that said, I thought this book was good. Please come after me Detectives for this, but Captain is my favorite character. He always seems to stay ahead of the game even though he’s hundreds of miles away. The story moves at an alright pace, but I would have like to read more intense scenes, such as the police force cracking down on the culprits. Perhaps some face to face meetings of interrogations.
Possibly more action scenes as the good guys go on the hunt for the bad guys. The stories narrative was filled with information or the bio of the characters. I appreciate that the writers provided a lot of information on the gun artillery as well as the military special detail. This helped with giving the reasons to why the main characters do what they do. The story is a page turner and entertaining moments.
I received a copy of this book for a voluntary honest review
April 28, 2025
This is my first novel from Detective Joe Kenda. I am a fan of his storytelling style from the Homicide Hunter TV series so I had to see how well his storytelling chops are in a full length novel. He delivered just as I expected. It was a fast read and had the right elements of intrigue, suspense and mystery that I came to expect from Detective Kenda.
The setting takes place in his early years as a detective and though the case is a work of fiction, it felt like an actual real life case that could've easily been from Homicide Hunter. Working with limited resources and technology of the day, this case is an example of how to collaborate with other agencies and break a case with good old fashioned police work.
With the amount of vast police knowledge Kenda has, I am sure he has enough to write a large volume of novels based on his past cases. I look forward to the next book. Highly recommended.
The setting takes place in his early years as a detective and though the case is a work of fiction, it felt like an actual real life case that could've easily been from Homicide Hunter. Working with limited resources and technology of the day, this case is an example of how to collaborate with other agencies and break a case with good old fashioned police work.
With the amount of vast police knowledge Kenda has, I am sure he has enough to write a large volume of novels based on his past cases. I look forward to the next book. Highly recommended.
February 13, 2025
Excellent audiobook for a roadtrip! I've seen just about every episode of Kenda's true crime series and had to keep reminding myself that this is fiction-ish. Huge twist, solid pace, and a chasm of gray space to make you question your own motivations.
February 15, 2025
The third book by Kenda but the first fiction. Pretty gory for my tastes but I do enjoy recognizing his voice as an author. I received his latest book as a Christmas present so I will continue reading what he writes.
March 5, 2025
Detectives are tracking a serial killer who ends up being a murderer for hire. This book gave the right amount of background and interest for a criminal mastermind novel. Usually there’s an unnecessary sub-story that drowns out the police scene. This was a really easy read.
July 11, 2023
Hi. I’m Brenda and I’m addicted to true crime. When I saw Joe Kenda, the HOMICIDE HUNTER, had written a fiction novel, well, let’s just say I fan-girled a bit.
It’s 1975 and rookie Detective Kenda, along with his veteran partner, are called to investigate the murder of a wealthy socialite. Her husband is immediately considered a suspect, of course, even though he has a seemingly air tight alibi. Their case attracts the attention of the FBI, CIA, and even Interpol though when similar murders occur across the country.
Delving into the worlds of mob bosses, retired military, and assassins, it was extremely interesting! Normally that’d be a bit over the top for me, but it feels like a more realistic view as opposed to an exaggerated one.
While it’s a work of fiction, it is loosely based on a real case that has haunted Kenda. As such, it reads very much like a true crime book. I could almost hear him narrating in my head. Overall, a great fiction debut!
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for my ARC!
#AllIsNotForgiven #NetGalley
It’s 1975 and rookie Detective Kenda, along with his veteran partner, are called to investigate the murder of a wealthy socialite. Her husband is immediately considered a suspect, of course, even though he has a seemingly air tight alibi. Their case attracts the attention of the FBI, CIA, and even Interpol though when similar murders occur across the country.
Delving into the worlds of mob bosses, retired military, and assassins, it was extremely interesting! Normally that’d be a bit over the top for me, but it feels like a more realistic view as opposed to an exaggerated one.
While it’s a work of fiction, it is loosely based on a real case that has haunted Kenda. As such, it reads very much like a true crime book. I could almost hear him narrating in my head. Overall, a great fiction debut!
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for my ARC!
#AllIsNotForgiven #NetGalley
September 4, 2023
This book felt like I was watching a detective TV show or movie. I think Kenda made the transition to fiction from writing non fiction quite well. It felt like a cohesive story and didn't use too much of the dry fact you would find in non fiction.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
dnf
January 6, 2024WAY too gruesome for me
May 14, 2024
{audiobook} 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars bc I love Joe Kenda whenever I’ve watched him on the ID channel. This seemed a little beginner-ish which makes sense as it’s his first novel. But I did like the details but the story was a little flat for me but I hope he writes more & now I must go watch some Homicide Hunter 💀
June 8, 2024
Listened to the audio version. I liked the book
August 30, 2024
Not bad. Preferred the show Homicide Hunter. Still love Joe Kenda. Will plan on listening to his other books on audiobook as well.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 222 reviews