Not the Killing Kind

by Maria Kelson

This gripping, high stakes debut thriller about the lengths mothers will go to protect their children is perfect for fans of Wanda M. Morris and Jess Lourey. Boots Marez is a Latina single mother raising a headstrong and sly 18-year-old boy she adopted six years ago. She also runs a school that helps the undocumented people in her politically divided town in Northern California. When her son Jaral is jailed for the murder of one of her former students, her world is turned upside down. Struggling to protect her son, Boots has to spotlight a community used to living in the shadows, putting her hard work over the years in doubt. Meanwhile, a vicious parents’ board wants to trash her ideals and oust her from the school she helped build. As she faces increasing danger to clear her son’s name, she must decide how far she is willing to go to bring her son home. But nothing is as it seems–Jaral has been keeping secrets from her after all. And as she puts the missing pieces together, she will discover a deeper and darker web of lies that has been hiding in plain sight.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Contemporary, Thriller Suspense

288 pages, Hardcover

Published September 10, 2024

Reviews

[Stacey (Bookalorian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the Killing Kind by Maria Kelson

Just a mother trying to prove her sons innocence in the face of mounting evidence. What she finds is more than she ever thought possible.

I felt this one was trying too hard to tick all the political boxes. Adopts a child of another race, teaches undocumented people. It felt like it was laying it on super thick. There was a lot of unbelievable stuff going on in the book but I actually didn’t mind it and if you can set that part of it aside, there is a lot of really good action in this book.

Boots (yep that’s her name) went toe to toe with the POPO to prove that her son didn’t commit the crimes they are laying at his feet. It doesn’t look good but she cracks the case against all the odds. I actually enjoyed it but I am a sucker for really crazy books like this.

The ending was really solid, I felt the pace was good and the book set a tone and never waived.

4 stars - I will follow this series.

[Teresa Brock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not The Killing Kind
Maria Kelson
Pub Day 9/10/24
Crooked Lane Books

As a mother, there are no limits as to how far I will go to protect my child. Boots Marez has no limits when it comes to loving and believing in her adoptive son, Jarel.

Jarel seems to be doing teenage things - boy things- about to graduate high school things - so his odd behavior doesn’t really red flag anything. Until she gets a message and finds a young man dead and her son missing who ends up being arrested for his murder.

There are so many moving pieces to this puzzle. Varying levels of education, socio economic statuses, religious beliefs, and ethnicities - all come into play as the pages turn. The area where Boots and Jarel live is very diverse and all of these diversities should and need to be respected. No one understands this as much as Boots does. And no one is invested in this case more than she is.

If you are willing to put yourself in a zone where you are not welcome, to go unarmed into a firefight, steal vehicles and throw yourself from a plane to save your son and get to the bottom of a messed up situation- this is a must read for you.

[Bri]

This book felt a little choppy to me. There was a definite lack of flow, and I did not really connect with any of the characters. A lot of the choices that the characters were making also did not make sense even in a fiction setting.

[Kurryreads (Kerry) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Crooked Lane Books for an early copy of this book.

I loved the pacing, action, and diversity in this book. There was a big aspect to this book that I’m just not a fan of in books. I could see this being a good movie!

Thoughts: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTNwLqkt5/

[Yosefa Raz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the main characters, Boots Marez and her adopted son Jaral, and I wish there were five more books in the series so I could see how they learn together to be mother and son. So much interesting and layered backstory is happening here, and none of it is predictable! The mystery itself gets more and more intense and kept me glued to my kindle screen. Also the descriptions of Humboldt county were weird and beautiful, leaving little mini-mystery-haikus in the language itself.

[Kaylee Bond · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not like this.

[Abby Albright · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. Felt bored pretty frequently and didn’t feel super invested in Jaral’s freedom. Pacing a little odd and wasn’t always sure where it was going. All the reveals came at once at the end, which made it feel very sudden and out of nowhere.

[Ashley Lee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolutely not.

[Emily Burgess · Rating 3 out of 5]

The particularly strong ending of this novel almost pushed my review to four stars, but alas. It feels necessary to say that I found the resolution astounding, and makes the work worth reading.

Reading this was a practice in suspending judgment— I was often just shocked by how selfish Boots was (i.e. her response to witnessing an ICE raid was "I wanted to keep this new source of information from getting rounded up and carted off before I could talk to him" rather than genuinely caring for his safety)—as I feel that if my hypothetical son was wrongfully accused of murder I too would have a one track mind. Maybe.

I thought that, while often rather scattered, the descriptions and imagery in the novel were quite beautiful. They expertly waffled between providing vivid detail but not too much that the reader becomes disengaged.

Also thought Boots's internal monologue kinda tried too hard to be relatable.

[Ashley Robertson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a fan.
As another review said, it's very choppy. It lacks flow and it's difficult to connect with the main characters. I didn't look to see if it was YA before I dove in but it definitely reads like it is and that's ultimately why I have it one more star than it deserved.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

FS: "Blood floated on top of the carpet as though hesitant to soak in, sorry for the mess. No war zone here."

LS: "We spun and danced over the tile waves, up the stairs out to street level, into an evening rich with the promise of rain."

Location: California

Chapters: 50

Library/Hardback

[Karen Mazzaferri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boots Marez is a single mom to an adopted young man, Jaral. She also runs a school specifically designed to help immigrant children and adults navigate their new home, but also provide the needed education to citizenship. Her son, now 18 and ready to graduate, finds himself in a very difficult situation, ultimately charged with the heinous murder of one of his friends. How far will a mother go to find the truth and prove his innocence.
I read this fairly quickly. It’s an easy read full of twists and turns that keep you guessing to the very end. Although some situations are not believable, it was still an enjoyable read. Will justice be served. You will just have to read to find out

[Monica UpstateBookB*tch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok ok… so Not the Killing Kind was like… totally not my kind of story.

First off, can we talk about the main character’s name?? Boots?? Like, excuse me, you work at this super fancy school, and that’s what you go by?? Major unprofessional vibes, girl. Idk why but it just got on my nerves.

The narration was actually pretty good, and you could tell different characters apart from each other by the narrator using different voices….. but honestly, the story itself was way too far-fetched for me. I mean, i know it’s fiction but come on.
I had no clue who the killer was (which, yay, I guess?) but the whole reveal felt so thrown together. It was giving me last-minute project panic. I just couldn’t get into it and found myself so not excited to keep listening. Three stars, but mostly for the narration.

[Jayna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope. This one was not for me. I did finish it only because I wanted to know who the murderer was- whether it was actually Jaral or someone else. I guess it gets some credit, as I was never sure who the killer was. though the killer wasn't really introduced until like 2/3 in, so there was no way to know.

So why didn't I like it? 0% of this book is even remotely believable. Like, it is fiction, I know, but it is so ridiculous, it belongs in a subgenre. Tall tales or something, lol.

Also, the names. Who goes by Boots professionally? And Jaral called her Moms. With an s. It grated on me.

Cynthia Farrell narrates the audiobook. Her narration was fine.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Sheila Barton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would first of all like to thank Net Galley for an ARC of this title.

I never really related to any of the characters in the book and the story was missing something, but I just can’t put my finger on it. I was bored from the very first chapter and did not finish it.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely took the, what we do for our kids, mentality to the extreme. I know books don't need to always be realistic, but this was so far out there for what Boots could really do. People were so cliche throughout. Fine story, just not particularly likeable.

[Cassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclosure: received an audiobook arc of this title from netgalley

"Not the Killing Kind" is the type of book that I find most difficult to review. These types have a solid point or basis, but something in the execution trips me up. This leaves me with an average , not bad I'd like to note, reading experience. It is worth readers time and interest, it just doesn't remarkably stand out.

Let me start with the positive. It is clear that Kelson has a love of nature and environment. The descriptions of forest, of ocean, and even the urban spaces have beautiful but practical outlines drawn. Our lead character isn't one I necessarily connected with but she is one who truly stands on her own in her life. She knows herself. That's refreshing. I also found her relationship with her son to be a little different than most depictions. While his actions, the inattentiveness, brevity, and quiet nature, might be common in the typical stoic rebellious teenager there is a clear love and appreciation under the personal frustrations. This is reinforced when we eventually find out the causes of his secrecy. I adored their banter and the musical connection they had together.

I was skeptical of some of the social-political issues throughout a lot of the book, not because they aren't valid problems in our world, but that they felt rehashed. However, it is more of a connection than the heart of the true twists. I will also praise it for recognizing the relevance of bilingual and adult education. And, without spoilers, I had a sigh of relief when it comes to a road not taken when so often of connections of the type are brought into the picture do.

The problems start to pop up for me in the execution of these ideas. Small catches and flaws. The chain of events didn't so much unravel in the way of a true stand out mystery-thriller in that you see them slowly come undone. Most loose ends are tied, but in a very monologue style laying at the reader's feet. There was one connection that I couldn't believe Wanda was missing. The author states of Wanda's own rough past, but the element of the anger and trauma she carries doesn't feel like as much of an under current. There's the start of an underlying thread of Wanda's work place that feels less like a pivotal point and more of an excuse to let the lead feel she can do certain things in a 'nothing to lose' feel. There is also a level of recklessness that seems beyond the small slip ups that are usually made by mystery protagonists to keep the quest rolling.

There were also two points that made me flat out pause. The first is completely fickle to get hung up on and shouldn't be seen as a negative but it stuck out. Going by the age Wanda adopted her son, that would place her around 39. I'm not too far off from that age myself. so it was a touch baffling to me when an administrator of a private school where it's made a point that lgbtq issues have been contested by some parents and so would probably educate themselves a little on the matter, wouldn't know what the term 'pansexual' was when a character drops it into conversation. The more aggressive small hangup was a very complex medical procedure being performed with no experience seemingly pretty perfectly given the resources and circumstances. Yes, one had a record of emergency assistance, but I don't recall it being medical. and the other would be familiar with first aide and CPR from their job, but as someone who's had that type of training three times I certainly could not remember it as accurately as its laid out even when I wasn't under immense pressure.

All in all this book honestly does have some big, important, ideas. It has some really complex layering that I truly appreciate. As a debut, I believe a lot of the messiness in pacing and structure really just has to be attributed to that it's a first full marathon run. However it is enough for me to certainly be curious to see what the author's second installment and what she's learned from this admirable adventure leads her to.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take a literary thriller writer, like Tana French or Kate Atkinson, and place them in Northern California to write a thriller about a desperate single mother trying to solve a murder before law enforcement can pin it on her adopted Latino son, and you get Maria Kelson's stunning debut thriller NOT THE KILLING KIND. Kelson's prose are a wonder. I found myself rapidly turning the pages to find out--along with protagonist Boots Marez--who was responsible for the horrific killing of a teen, whose parents are undocumented Latinos. (Besides being a mother, Marez heads a school for immigrant families whom she fights hard for.) Yet while racing through the pages, I also paused to marvel at Kelson's beautiful and fresh prose. Each character leaps from the pages through Kelson's ability to capture realistic dialogue and show personality through brief but telling details. She also beautifully describes Northern California's redwood forest and Pacific Coast, which serve as stunning, moody backdrops to her gritty story. You'll find yourself rooting for Boots, who has a heart of gold but puts herself in heart-poundingly dangerous situations as she uncovers dark secrets. If you love well-written thrillers that satisfy on every level, from the writing to the story to the landscape to the diverse cast of characters, get your copy now of NOT THE KILLING KIND. You will be so glad you did.

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

****Mild Spoilers ahead****

This was such an interesting book. I got the sense the author wanted more than anything to impress upon the reader: Never underestimate what a mother will do for their child.

The Audiobook was really well performed with easy to distinguish voices for the numerous characters.

The story featured two mothers but lost me with the figurative one (the government protecting its citizens). What started as an intriguing (albeit frustrating) story of a teen acting out and establishing independence, quickly became a 'who dunnit' with the 'big bad' ending up being a governmental plot (legit or otherwise) that felt wildly out of place.

The fact that the whole story took place in about a week is nuts considering the choices made by the main and supplemental mothers. The main character even says something to the effect of "I remember when I was worried about clerical work / my inbox just a few days ago'.

It was exciting to see a normal person's life upended in such a short time and while they didn't turn into a super soldier or 'save the world', there were a few moments where the plot armor was on a bit too thick. And the 'getting really angry' to overpower an assailant with significantly more training in combat really took me out of the tension in the scene.

Overall, this was fun and had enough momentum to keep from getting too stuck in the near exponential ramping of conflict.

[Kylie H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really packs a punch and you must be in the right frame of mind to read it. 'Boots' Marez runs a school geared at educating immigrant children and their parents. She is also the single mother of 18 year old Jaral, whom she adopted when he was twelve. Boots discovers that her son who is so close to graduating high school has been skipping classes and shop lifting. She is furious feeling betrayed by a boy she thought she could trust. This however, proves to be the tip of an iceberg and Boots is launched into a wild and violent chase that takes everything she has.
The story touches on so many contemporary and uncomfortable topics. There are references to illegal immigration, people trafficking, slavery, abuse, exploitation, racism, sexual preference, rape and I could list so many other issues. This story rips the bandage of some very ugly wounds but for wounds to heal then need to be exposed.
As a debut novel this books is quite amazing, if you choose to pick it up, clear your calendar as you will not want to put it down again.
Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.

[Traveljunkie331 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was one crazy ride that dives into family dynamics, secrets and some pretty high-stake situation. It talks about what a mother would do to protect her kid no matter the cost.

The story follows Boots, a single Latina mom with a lot going on. She’s raising her adopted son, Jaral, who's 18 and about to graduate high school. She also runs a school that helps undocumented people. Then one day Jaral gets arrested for the murder of one of Boots’ former students and her whole world starts to unravel.

Boots starts digging around and tries to figure out what really happened and, in the process, she uncovers some secrets. Suddenly, it’s not just about proving her son’s innocence but also about keeping the school she’s worked so hard to build intact. Politics is a big factor in her neighborhood and the parents’ board has other plans for the school’s future and want Boots out of the way.
As she works through all the messy pieces, she realizes that Jaral’s been hiding things from her and these things complicate the situation even more. It’s a quick and fast paced read full of intense moment and emotions and a crazy twist at the end that I didn’t see coming.

[Sharon M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the debut thriller by Maria Kelson. All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 4 stars!

Boots is a Latina single mom to 18-year-old Jaral, whom she adopted 6 years ago. She runs a school that helps undocumented people in her politically divided town in Northern California. Boots’ world is turned upside down when Jaral is arrested for the murder of one of her former students. Plus, the school board is trying to get rid of her for some of her unpopular actions. Just how far will Boots go to protect her child?

This was a good thriller that will make you think about very relevant topics. But at the heart of it, it’s about what one mother will do for her child. Even when that child has been keeping secrets. Boots puts herself in very dangerous positions to save Jaral and others. Full of action, some of it over the top, but intriguing. The audiobook narration was wonderful!

[lori pennington · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Boots Marez is a Latina single mom raising her adopted son, Jarel, who is jailed for the murder of one of her former students. Boots runs a charter school that helps undocumented workers.

Cynthia Farrell narrates this story and while I did enjoy her characterization of Boots, her voice for Jaral was really off IMO. I kept imagining a surfer dude or Shaggy for the son and that really took away from the story for me.

The narration issue and the slow pacing of this story did not hold my attention. I found the story and characters a bit flat and clunky. I found myself continuously checking the time while listening to this one which is never a good sign. Unfortunately, just an okay read.

[Jeni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the Killing Kind takes us on a wild ride, following a mother who will do anything to prove the innocence of her child when he is arrested for the murder of a childhood friend. I read this as an audiobook and think the narrator did an excellent job. The narrative sucks you in and this is a quickly consumable book. It was definitely a book where you have to suspend some disbelief - things come together just a bit too easily and though there was some twists and turns, you are consistently left with the feeling that our main character, Boots, will end up making it through. However, I am one of those people that likes an easily consumable book that needs you to suspend disbelief every once in a while! Books should be an escape for us and this one definitely fit the bill, sucking you into Boots' world.

[Ariana K · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is one of the worst books I’ve read. Mostly, because the characters were not likable, provoking any kind of empathy, and in general just has no depth. They make mistakes for the sake of mistakes and the author barely gave them a half attempt of an explanation why.

Also, the mother was more concern about hiding her son from the police than from finding out the truth. Right off the bat I wasn’t empathizing with her, but I was wishing she got arrested too for lying left and right.

Not an enjoyable read. I also tried the audiobook version, the narrator was also not a good fit for the genre. The narrator makes this book more sleepy than it should be.i had to put it on 1.5x speed. I think they might have gotten a romance novel narrator to narrate a mystery with is… a choice?

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A son is arrested for murder and a mother goes all out to prove his innocence. It was the "all out" that was a bit too much for me. How, in this day and age, was a woman given the information and access to drive to a school field trip to talk to a minor student? And that is just one of the solidly impossible things that Boots does during the course of the book. I liked the premise and I liked the overall plot, it was just the details that were a bit too far fetched for me to really get into and love this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.

[Claudete Takahashi · Rating 4 out of 5]

What should a mother do when her son is accused of murdering a friend and the Police seems to be targeting only him as responsible for the killing? Boots will see her life turn upside down regarding work, friendships, her role as a mother and how she enacted it, the realization that her son has a life that she knows nothing about it. She'll go through hell and back to uncover the truth and put the culprits behind bars depicting a ring of slavery, prejudice, abuse and death. Not the Killing Kind has a well developed plot, is full of action and mystery, and turns out to be extremely engaging and entertaining.
I thank the author, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

[Theresa Petty · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️
Not The Killing Kind has everything you might look for in a mystery/thriller. I listened to it in one day really, which speaks to its pace. It never really lags or slows down. It did lose me in some places, however.
I really enjoyed the set up and beginning, but felt like the ending really lost steam to me. I hate it when your ending for the book is better then the actual one. I just felt like this could have gone so many ways, and it went in a strange direction instead of somewhere cool. I still really enjoyed the journey.
I found it a bit political, which is always a little annoying. I feel like the real world is political enough.
All in all I would recommend this to some for sure.
Thank you netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the AAC.

[Scott Schubert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC of "Not the Killing Type" by Maria Kelson, courtesy of NetGalley and Dreamscape Media. The novel explores the intense vigilance of a mother whose son is accused of murder. It weaves through various story arcs, focusing on persistence and grit as she strives to protect her loved one, despite uncertainties about his innocence.

I appreciated the multicultural perspectives presented in the story, which added depth and relevance, and found that the narrative moved at a brisk pace. I would recommend this book as it offers a compelling look at familial loyalty and justice. However, I felt it lacked a certain element that would elevate it from good to exceptional.

[Lynn G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

It might seem like a big leap from writing poetry (the author is a published poet, as Maria Melendez) to writing a thriller, but Maria Kelson has made the jump with style. Her deft hand with language is apparent, but the plotting was just as good.

The protagonist, Boots Marez, was so believable that I think I have some additional gray hairs now, worrying about what she was going to do next. No spoilers, but this woman is one determined "Moms" and woe to everyone, friend and foe, who gets in her way. Definitely recommend.