What do you think?
Rate this book
Detective Inspector Declan Walsh #16
Kissing a Killer
Lipstick on your collar... Murder on your mind... following the bombshell ending of Kill Your Darlings, Declan Walsh has a new job, a new office and a new remit - but when a City of London art gallery discovers the star of their latest exhibition dead, with only a signed, painted "kiss" on his neck to go on, Declan and his team must investigate a murder that involves brutal vengeance, a family linked to a painting stolen by the Nazis in WW2, and a long-forgotten promise.
But, as the bodycount rises and the motive changes, Declan starts to wonder if the clues are leading towards the killer - or away, while Alex Monroe finds himself the target of a gangland hitman, desperate to stop him testifying at an upcoming trial...
But, as the bodycount rises and the motive changes, Declan starts to wonder if the clues are leading towards the killer - or away, while Alex Monroe finds himself the target of a gangland hitman, desperate to stop him testifying at an upcoming trial...
346 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 24, 2023
1003 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
About the author
Jack Gatland
59 books240 followersJack Gatland is the pen name of #1 New York Times Bestselling Writer Tony Lee, who has been writing in all medias for over thirty years including comics, graphic novels, middle grade books, audio drama, TV and film for DC, Marvel, BBC, ITV, Random House, Penguin USA, Hachette and a ton of other publishers and broadcasters on licenses such as Doctor Who, Spider Man, X-Men, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Doctors, Wallace and Gromit and Shrek. As Tony, he’s toured the country talking to reluctant readers with his ‘Change The Channel’ school tours.
He’s currently a member of the Writer’s Guild of Great Britain, the Society of Authors, The Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers and the Crime Writer’s Association.
As Jack, he’s writing a new series of Crime Thrillers starring Detective Inspector Declan Walsh, recently seconded to the City of London Police department known as the Last Chance Saloon.
The first twelve of these, LETTER FROM THE DEAD, MURDER OF ANGELS, HUNTER HUNTED, WHISPER FOR THE REAPER, TO HUNT A MAGPIE, A RITUAL FOR THE DYING, KILLING THE MUSIC, A DINNER TO DIE FOR, BEHIND THE WIRE, HEAVY IS THE CROWN, STALKING THE RIPPER and A QUIVER OF SORROWS are available now, with book thirteen, MURDER BY MISTLETOE released in December 2022 – with further adventures continuing throughout 2023.
In addition to that, the first book in a new series of Adventure Mysteries starring Robin-Hood style con-man forger-turned treasure hunter Damian Lucas, THE LIONHEART CURSE was released in January 2022, and he has both a new series of crime procedurals, spinning out of the DI Walsh series and featuring ‘Cop for Criminals’ Ellie Reckless including PAINT THE DEAD and STEAL THE GOLD, and a new spy series, spinning out of the DI Walsh series and featuring burned MI5 agent Tom Marlowe including SLEEPING SOLDIERS and TARGET LOCKED.
He can be found at www.tonylee.co.uk and www.jackgatland.com.
He’s currently a member of the Writer’s Guild of Great Britain, the Society of Authors, The Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers and the Crime Writer’s Association.
As Jack, he’s writing a new series of Crime Thrillers starring Detective Inspector Declan Walsh, recently seconded to the City of London Police department known as the Last Chance Saloon.
The first twelve of these, LETTER FROM THE DEAD, MURDER OF ANGELS, HUNTER HUNTED, WHISPER FOR THE REAPER, TO HUNT A MAGPIE, A RITUAL FOR THE DYING, KILLING THE MUSIC, A DINNER TO DIE FOR, BEHIND THE WIRE, HEAVY IS THE CROWN, STALKING THE RIPPER and A QUIVER OF SORROWS are available now, with book thirteen, MURDER BY MISTLETOE released in December 2022 – with further adventures continuing throughout 2023.
In addition to that, the first book in a new series of Adventure Mysteries starring Robin-Hood style con-man forger-turned treasure hunter Damian Lucas, THE LIONHEART CURSE was released in January 2022, and he has both a new series of crime procedurals, spinning out of the DI Walsh series and featuring ‘Cop for Criminals’ Ellie Reckless including PAINT THE DEAD and STEAL THE GOLD, and a new spy series, spinning out of the DI Walsh series and featuring burned MI5 agent Tom Marlowe including SLEEPING SOLDIERS and TARGET LOCKED.
He can be found at www.tonylee.co.uk and www.jackgatland.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 23, 2024
Declan and Team are on the hunt for missing WW II Paintings
Paintings that were all stolen at the end of the War. Linked to families of the thieves, and a painter that has a nice stash of paintings of his own and of others. Set to be sold at an art gallery, with a big payday on the horizon, the artist ends up dead, paintings missing and those that were bid on, gone along with the money...
Monroe is set to testify against a known gangster, so of course, gangsters don't like witnesses, so there is a hit placed on Monroe.
Now, the Last Chance saloon must catch a killer, art thieves and track down a hitman.
Kissing A Killer is another great installment in the Declan Walsh series!
Paintings that were all stolen at the end of the War. Linked to families of the thieves, and a painter that has a nice stash of paintings of his own and of others. Set to be sold at an art gallery, with a big payday on the horizon, the artist ends up dead, paintings missing and those that were bid on, gone along with the money...
Monroe is set to testify against a known gangster, so of course, gangsters don't like witnesses, so there is a hit placed on Monroe.
Now, the Last Chance saloon must catch a killer, art thieves and track down a hitman.
Kissing A Killer is another great installment in the Declan Walsh series!
September 17, 2023
Kissing a Killer by Jack Gatland is book 16 in the DI Declan Walsh series. There is an art auction in the Benson’s gallery to launch an artist, when a body is found in one of the back rooms. There are so many suspects, I couldn’t decide who the murderer was. While all this is going on it turns out that there is a contract out on one of the members of the Last Chance Saloon. I really like Morten De’Geer and Billy Fitzwarren, who are part of the team. There is humour but also plenty of action. I have read this series from the beginning and really look forward to each new book.
August 14, 2024
Another Great Story
Another great story by Jack Garland in the detective inspector Declan Walsh series. Lots of the usual characters and a good storyline.Looking forward to reading more.
Another great story by Jack Garland in the detective inspector Declan Walsh series. Lots of the usual characters and a good storyline.Looking forward to reading more.
January 6, 2024
Jack Gatland has The Last Chance Saloon back in action in an environment of recently promoted coppers. The former Detective Inspector (DI) Declan Walsh is now Detective CHIEF Inspector (DCI), and everybody else above and below him in the pecking order has been upgraded accordingly. Along with their newest murder mystery, everybody is trying on their new titles while trying to hold on the their old jobs.
That's when an Austrian artist is found dead in the gallery back room during a new show of his work. Bummer. First things first for Walsh & Co. is how was it done, why was it done, and of course by whom was it done. None of it is very obvious, and as they unravel details it gets more complicated.
People connected with the crime and the gallery turn out to be not quite what they seem. Witnesses may not be telling our coppers the truth. There may be links to other murders in Germany and France with a long-ago connection to the recently deceased Austrian painter. A visiting Argentine art collector has his own connection to the victims and witnesses.
While all of this is happening, the former DCI Alex Monroe, now Detective Superintendent (DS) Monroe, is the target of murder. It seems that Monroe is slated to be a primary prosecution witness about an old acquaintance of his from his misspent youth in Scotland.
Solving the murders on the Continent, in their own back yard, and the murder attempts on their boss is keeping the members of The Last Chance Saloon quite busy. Finding the truth among all the lies is an integral part of the process. but saving DS Monroe is center stage.
Gatland is an excellent craftsman and teller of tall tales, and I mean that as a sincere compliment. Kissing a Killer is a great story, well told. Gatland's characters are well crafted and fun. He keeps the action moving, interspersing descriptions with effective dialog that helps define the characters.
To learn who killed whom, and why, you'll need to read Kissing a Killer. I won't tell you the solution, but I will tell you that you'll enjoy it.
That's when an Austrian artist is found dead in the gallery back room during a new show of his work. Bummer. First things first for Walsh & Co. is how was it done, why was it done, and of course by whom was it done. None of it is very obvious, and as they unravel details it gets more complicated.
People connected with the crime and the gallery turn out to be not quite what they seem. Witnesses may not be telling our coppers the truth. There may be links to other murders in Germany and France with a long-ago connection to the recently deceased Austrian painter. A visiting Argentine art collector has his own connection to the victims and witnesses.
While all of this is happening, the former DCI Alex Monroe, now Detective Superintendent (DS) Monroe, is the target of murder. It seems that Monroe is slated to be a primary prosecution witness about an old acquaintance of his from his misspent youth in Scotland.
Solving the murders on the Continent, in their own back yard, and the murder attempts on their boss is keeping the members of The Last Chance Saloon quite busy. Finding the truth among all the lies is an integral part of the process. but saving DS Monroe is center stage.
Gatland is an excellent craftsman and teller of tall tales, and I mean that as a sincere compliment. Kissing a Killer is a great story, well told. Gatland's characters are well crafted and fun. He keeps the action moving, interspersing descriptions with effective dialog that helps define the characters.
To learn who killed whom, and why, you'll need to read Kissing a Killer. I won't tell you the solution, but I will tell you that you'll enjoy it.
September 27, 2023
Love this series!
Jack Gatland’s DI Walsh, and all the members, of the Last Chance Saloon, are worth the read. Well written, fast paced, and packed with excitement! Always ready for the next book.
Jack Gatland’s DI Walsh, and all the members, of the Last Chance Saloon, are worth the read. Well written, fast paced, and packed with excitement! Always ready for the next book.
October 4, 2023
Kissing a Killer
OMG these books keep getting better and better. Total edge of your seat reading. So excited for the next in the series to see whats happening to Declan Walsh and the last chance saloon. Will the Red Reaper make an apperance. I will just have to wait and see.
OMG these books keep getting better and better. Total edge of your seat reading. So excited for the next in the series to see whats happening to Declan Walsh and the last chance saloon. Will the Red Reaper make an apperance. I will just have to wait and see.
October 14, 2023
Another excellent detective tale, lots going on too
Declan and his team..looking into art theft, mystery fraud, history travel and murder.. ..oh and a contract out on Alex Monroe, Nice reference to Ellie Reckless 's team also
Declan and his team..looking into art theft, mystery fraud, history travel and murder.. ..oh and a contract out on Alex Monroe, Nice reference to Ellie Reckless 's team also
October 17, 2023
Exciting
The last chance saloon has had a shuffle. All cards are in the same order, but with higher values. An artist is murdered whist a cunning plan goes wrong. Walsh and the team put all the pieces together and Munroe gets even more dirt on an old foe.
The last chance saloon has had a shuffle. All cards are in the same order, but with higher values. An artist is murdered whist a cunning plan goes wrong. Walsh and the team put all the pieces together and Munroe gets even more dirt on an old foe.
February 28, 2025
Complex craziness!
As always, I loved this book! I kept thinking I was ahead of the game. I wasn’t! This series has taken over my life and I don’t want it to end. Thank you Mr Gatland/Lee ❤️
As always, I loved this book! I kept thinking I was ahead of the game. I wasn’t! This series has taken over my life and I don’t want it to end. Thank you Mr Gatland/Lee ❤️
April 16, 2025
Last Chance Saloon gang are solving a mysterious death of an artist at a gallery exhibition who has ties to art stolen by Nazis during WWII. With a little help from Sutton from Scotland and from their gangster friend Lucas the team will be busy sorting out all the lies.
June 1, 2025
The murder of an artist leads to an international search for more than suspects. The Last Chance detectives are once again threatened by outside forces and working their way through a convoluted mystery. Good book.
October 1, 2023
I love the Last Chance Saloon
They're all really good stories. My one wish is that Anjli is killed off. It would make a great story and remove the dead wood from the books.
They're all really good stories. My one wish is that Anjli is killed off. It would make a great story and remove the dead wood from the books.
October 2, 2023
Read several of Jack Gatlands Books and find them easy to follow and an easy read goood twists in the book where suspects lie and like this genre
November 2, 2023
Dnf to similar to other books
April 22, 2024
Dear me.
I generally like Declan and co but this effort was beyond tedious it just seems to go on and on. Never mind I'll try the next one see how that goes, cheers.
I generally like Declan and co but this effort was beyond tedious it just seems to go on and on. Never mind I'll try the next one see how that goes, cheers.
October 26, 2024
I was planning to give this audiobook (published by WF Howes and Clipper Audiobooks) three stars, until the last part of the story. What a great twist!
January 1, 2025
3.25 stars??
March 31, 2025
Too many, too much
Alas,too many characters crowding the last 20% of the story ending up and similar to a Rossini opera finale - sadly, without the music.
Alas,too many characters crowding the last 20% of the story ending up and similar to a Rossini opera finale - sadly, without the music.
September 12, 2025
Very interesting storyline. Enjoyed the way it unraveled.
August 13, 2025
I reread this one after realizing I had missed #15 and read Kill Your Darlings. Maybe because I've read quite a few not-so-good books lately, the second read was a pleasure, and I raised the rating.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews