Kincaid: Part One

by B.W. Lacey

451 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication October 18, 2026

About the author

B.W. Lacey writes dark romance and psychological thrillers that blur the line between love and obsession. Her stories are cinematic, brutal, and unapologetically raw where love bleeds, burns and sometimes kills.

A lifelong storyteller and teacher, Lacey brings emotional realism to her characters, weaving love, trauma, and violence into hauntingly intimate narratives. Her debut novel, All the Ways I’d Kill for You, introduced readers to Brooke and Seth, two lovers bound by darkness, and became a viral favorite among dark romance fans.

Outside of writing, Lacey fuels her creativity through travel, conventions, and horror marathons. Whether she’s exploring eerie new places or watching her favorite slashers, she’s always collecting inspiration for the next nightmare. Somewhere between plotting murder scenes and motherhood, she makes it all work.

Reviews

[Niki Ricci]

Kincaid Part One by B.W. Lacey was MESSED UP—and I mean that as a compliment.

There is no happy ending. No fairytale. And honestly? There’s no romance here either.

Richard Kincaid is cruel, ruthless, controlling, and a killer. He doesn’t care what anyone wants because, in his mind, the people in his life belong to him. His wife. His mistress. Even his sons. He manipulates everyone around him and will stop at absolutely nothing to get exactly what he wants.

If you’re looking for romance—even dark romance—this probably isn’t the book for you.

But if you want a book that leaves you sitting there thinking, “What the hell did I just read…and WHY DON’T I HAVE PART TWO YET?!” then you found it.

B.W. Lacey did it again. This was dark, twisted, uncomfortable, and completely messed up, and somehow I still need to know what happens next.

Part Two cannot come fast enough.

[Kat Jones]

Arc Read Review:

This is not a Romantic book this has some very difficult scenes readers please be advised and read the trigger warnings. (Also read the trilogy before reading this book to avoid spoilers in series)

Richard Kincaid is not a nice guy. He isn’t even a dark romance guy girls want yet I didn’t want to put the book down. He is controlling, depraved, mean but also good at hiding his true self to fool Samantha.

He manipulates everyone around him (including his wife , his mistress and his sons) and he will stop at absolutely nothing to get exactly what he wants when he wants it.

B.W. Lacey did it again. This was definitely a dark , twisted and unsettling story yet somehow I still need/want to know what happens next. Impatiently waiting for the next installment.

[Andrea M]

** ARC READER REVIEW **
- No Spoilers

I was lucky enough to receive a BETA/ARC copy of this book.


This book jumps right in to darkness and is a completely different read then I anticipated it to be (not in a bad way - if your in to that type of thing ;) )

Richard is completely diabolical in every sense and BW Lacey did a fantastic job of writing this villain.

Being a huge fan of the Psychotic Devotion Trilogy You really get a great backstory & a greater understanding of how Seth ended up the way he did in that series.

I am very excited to receive the final copy of this book and even more excited for the continuation of the trilogy.

🖤🖤🖤

[ladylj_bookgirl]

Richard Kincaid is an awful man. Kincaid is not a dark romance story. I knew that going into this book but man did BW Lacey deliver.

Richard manipulates people and that crossed the pages because there were times when he was with Samantha that I forgot what I knew and saw why she fell for him.

The rage I feel over the characters of this story, their actions and what they make you feel….

This is dark, bloody and while people fall in love (oh Maggie…) there is no romance in it. It’s a psychological thriller and it maintains that. I cried. I yelled. I wanted to throw the kindle.

Read the Psychotic Devotion Trilogy first, it’s a must. But seeing this story after reading that was incredible.

[Teressa Oliverio]

BW Lacey has done it AGAIN 😭🖤

I was SO happy to be back in this universe and getting a whole new piece of this dark and absolutely devastating story.

And holy shit 😳 watching Samantha realize the man she thought was perfect was actually a complete monster had me STRESSED. The obsession, manipulation, lies, and violence just kept pulling me deeper and deeper into this nightmare.

I already knew where this story was heading and somehow that made it hurt even MORE.

BW Lacey really said let me emotionally destroy you all over again and I was READY. 🖤

[Lost In Iliad]

Before anything else: reading the Psychotic Devotion series before Kincaid is an absolute requirement. Not a suggestion. Not an optional reading order.

So much of what makes Kincaid exceptional is discovering the origins of seemingly benign details buried in Seth’s childhood memories, flashbacks, and even the things that surfaced when he was hallucinating and off his medication. Things I noticed before but couldn’t fully understand suddenly clicked into place.

I already knew Seth was capable of horrific violence. Kincaid didn’t change that. What it changed was my understanding of his internal operating system. There is a purpose and a structure behind the way Seth uses violence, and now I understand where pieces of that came from.

And there’s something incredibly complicated about realizing that lessons intended to shape him into one thing, combined with what he later learned in the Army, ultimately gave him skills he could use for an entirely different purpose. By the end of his journey, those skills helped him save Brooke.

That doesn’t sanitize Seth, excuse him, or turn him into something he isn’t. It simply makes him make so much more sense.

Kincaid gave context to things I didn’t even realize were waiting for context.

Additional Summary: This book offers an absolutely horrifying glimpse into the mind of Seth’s father. B. W.’s ability to craft such a complex yet eerily familiar tale is remarkable, especially as the connections to the Psychotic Devotion series begin revealing themselves.

Humanity is seemingly nonexistent for some, while ownership, control, and power are all that truly matter. Richard Kincaid could be a case study in the characteristics of a psychopath.

The stunning architecture of this book cannot be overstated. It is so intricately woven that even seemingly insignificant details carry weight, sometimes long after you first encounter them.

Step into a world that is breathtakingly horrific.

[Mimi | M.K. Meadows Author]

Where do I start…?

I received this ARC of “Kincaid” by B.W. Lacey, and I’ll be starting at the wall for the time being.
Richard Kincaid is psychotic, manipulative, ruthless and at times I wanted to scream and crashout while I was ARC reading. I read the Psychotic Devotion trilogy before I ARC read “Kincaid”, and it was starting to make more sense to me about the kind of man Richard Kincaid was and who he was known for, and why people feared him and what he did.

B.W. Lacey loves to make us crashout and leave us shook in the head and making us question what we just read.
If you were expecting this book to have a happily ever after, this book is not for you. This book is dark and twisted and please make sure to READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS & read the Psychotic Devotion trilogy before reading “Kincaid: Part One”. I’m patiently waiting for part two and for the time being I’ll be starting at the wall.

[Misty Vaughn]

B.W. Has again exceeded my expectations with Kincaid. I fell in love with her writing style and characters in the Psychotic Devotions Trilogy and knew that this book would be amazing but I am speechless.

I knew going into this book what Richard Kincaid was like. A terrible, dark, brutal, abusive man. And I still found myself liking his character. I mean how? Thats how good B.W. is!

This is definitely not a live story. This is dark, ugly and may cause me to need therapy. But wow!

Seeing how Sam and Richard started helps you understand how Seth and Luke turned out. And as much as I despised Maggie, it explains a lot about Luke!

I cannot express enough how much I was disturbed by this book. But I also couldn’t put it down.

If you like dark, twisted books you definitely need to read this but I would suggest you read the Psychotic Devotions Trilogy first!

Great job B.W. ! Can’t wait for part 2!!!!!!

[Alana]

I received an advanced copy of this book from the author.
My mind is still in a tailspin after finishing this absolutely dark and twisted tale. Was there spice? Of course, this was dark and brutal spice because this isn't a dark romance. This is an unhinged thriller. Were there triggers? A TON, please check your triggers if that is something that you need, because there were a LOT.

With all of that being said. If you have read the Psychotic Devotion Trilogy, you ABSOLUTELY need to read this origin story. If you have NOT read that trilogy, you will NEED to before you read this, as there are spoilers within Richard and Samantha's tale. The deep dark atrocious psyche that represents the man that is Richard Kincaid is not one to take lightly. HOWEVER, if you are brave enough, I would DEFINITELY recommend.

[Nicole Keller]

Well well well... Welcome to the world of Richard kincad..... This story is amazing..before you read this I Must tell y'all you need to read the trilogy first .... All the ways id....

Bw lacey has done it again with the 4th book here and she made it a dark twisted desire.....awaiting part 2...

Anywho.. this story is the tale of Richard kincad and Sam.. it's is a prequel and the story here is amazing... All the dark twisty turns.. I don't want to give any information away cause for those who know they know and we were waiting to hear this story...after reading the trilogy and then this story I see where a lot of the dark came from... It's a page turner for sure... And there tons of triggers... But hey I live for them!!!
I definitely recommend this book .. and I will be getting it as a book trophy to go with my other by her!!

[Cindy Penner]

Kincaid: Part 1, the prequel to the Psychotic Devotion trilogy, was definitely a dark read—and I absolutely loved it!

This book begins to uncover the childhood and upbringing of Seth and Luke Kincaid, giving us a deeper look into the experiences that shaped them into the men they become. It adds so much context to their characters and makes their stories even more intriguing.

I would definitely recommend reading the Psychotic Devotion trilogy before starting this book and the one that follows, as there are quite a few spoilers that could take away from the experience if you read the prequels first.

If you love dark romance with a good dose of horror, I have no doubt you’ll eat this series right up!

[Jamie Smith]

** BETA READER **

It took me awhile to get in to this book. Richard is evil, Samantha is naive. This book definitely helped clear some things from the trilogy for me. Maggie… holy crap was she wild to put it mildly, lol.

I thought this was a great book to keep the story from the trilogy going. Learning about Seth & Luke & how they were growing up was great. Getting the inside scoop on how messed up Richard is was awesome!!

I will always recommend this story to anyone that will listen to me. And I will always read anything written by B.W. Lacey 🖤

[Brianne Hersey]

As a beta reader I was having a hard time getting into this book. It wasn't pulling me and it felt like there was a lot of "extra" that wasn't needed.

As an arc reader after adjustments were made and everything was finalized, reading went much smoother.

B.W. Lacey did an amazing job with this prequel of Richard Kincaid and setting up the timeline of the Psychotic Devotion trilogy. I absolutely cannot wait for part 2 of Kincaid!

[Amy Reulet]

B.W. Lacey writing is perfection in the dark thriller romance genre.
This is the prequel to All the ways I'd kill for you.
Richard is a narcissistic controlling assho*e. But now we know the back story. It was fast paced and thrilling. This is not a HEA. But you will be hooked! Can't wait for book 2!

[Krista Horvath]

Kincaid helps us gain a deeper understanding of Seth and his origins. It’s an exceptionally chaotic and unsettling addition to the genre of books in the psychotic devotion world. I’ve never experienced the simultaneous feelings of pity and hatred towards a character before, but Maggie has managed to evoke both emotions in me at every turn. Richard is a formidable character, so I’m both apprehensive and excited to see what unfolds in the sequel. 🖤👻

[Jaimie M]

I received this as a beta read from the author and I'm leaving this review voluntarily. This book, I'm not sure how to describe what this book did to me while reading it and after. Absolutely 5+ star read. 4 chili peppers on the spice. *Disclaimer this will be a long review because there is so much to express about this story and these characters.*

This is the prequel to the Psychotic Devotion Trilogy (Seth and Brooke's story). You 100% need to read those books first before picking up this book. This is the story of Richard Kincaid and how he meets Samantha (Seth's mom) and Maggie (Luke's mom). I was in a constant battle with my mind and my heart reading this book. Richard is gorgeous, charming, loving, rich, devoted, AND... a serial killer. The Brentwood Butcher to be exact.

B.W. Lacey does such a good job bringing him to life. And it's very easy to fall head over heels for him even knowing about his dark side and the way this story eventually ends. But don't be fooled this is no love story. This is about watching the destruction a narcissist, psychopathic, and self-absorbed person can do to those around them. Samantha falls for his charm, his personality he plays for her. He sees her as a possession and his to mold and control in his everyday life. The perfect wife and mother.
On the other side of him is Maggie, a stripper and coke addict that he keeps hidden away from the rest of his world. She is also a possession for his enjoyment and pleasure. She knows the dark and dangerous side of him. Has even helped him clean up and hide his secrets. While she thinks he loves her, he sees her as nothing more than the mistress he goes to for things Sam can't give him.

When both women become pregnant with his sons, his worlds collide and his secrets start to slowly come to the surface. And in the aftermath Sam is left with nothing. Her entire world destroyed by the man she gave everything to.

Now I will tell you that this book made me ugly girl cry, it made me rage at times for the injustice of Sam's pain and suffering. It made me feel love toward Richard at the same time as hating him. It was just a total rollercoaster. One that I would ride again and again lol. These characters through out all 4 books have a hold on me that won't let go. Richard, Seth, Sam, Maggie, Luke, Brooke, Travis, Elise, Ryan and even Beau will live rent free in my head forever! And I'm not even mad about it lol!

Part one available now for preorder on Kindle. Goes live on Oct 18, 2026
Part two comes out Nov 22, 2026 and I can't wait to dive back in and finish Richard's story.

[_Alexis.Reeds_]

Kincaid — B.W. Lacey
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

I received an early copy of Kincaid as a beta reader from the author, and I’m leaving this review voluntarily because at this point, B.W. Lacey’s work is always a masterpiece to me. 🖤

Kincaid is the prequel to the Psychotic Devotion trilogy, and I cannot stress this enough: READ THE TRILOGY FIRST. This story will hit completely differently once you already know Seth and Brooke’s story and understand the people and history surrounding them.

This is Richard Kincaid’s story—how he meets Samantha, Seth’s mom, and Maggie, Luke’s mom—and reading it had me in a constant battle between my heart and my mind.🥺

Because Richard Kincaid is gorgeous. Charming. Loving. Wealthy. Devoted.

And he’s also a serial killer.🫣

The Brentwood Butcher, to be exact.

From the very first chapter, this book sucks you in. The way Richard can be so cruel and dangerous while remaining completely calm, is absolutely mind-blowing. There were moments where I hated him, moments where I somehow felt for him, and moments where I had to remind myself exactly who this man was. 😭😭😭

My heart absolutely broke for Samantha. I felt so much anger over everything she endured and the unfairness of it all. And somehow, B.W. Lacey still had me battling with my feelings for Richard—one minute I was furious with him, and the next I found myself understanding or even caring for him. 😭The emotional whiplash was INSANE.

It was emotional, dark, heartbreaking, infuriating, and completely addictive—a total rollercoaster that I would willingly ride again. 😂🖤🙂‍↕️👏

5 stars. 4 peppers. And a massive recommendation—but ONLY after you’ve read the Psychotic Devotion trilogy first.

[Natalie Harp]

It is weird to say I was blessed with being a beta reader for this book, but I that's what I am going with.
Where to begin, well begin with The All the ways trilogy first. Reading this is like diving headfirst into the shallow end of a blood filled pool. You know what to expect but you really don't understand what you're about to read.

The entire time I was internally screaming "RUN SAM!!" but knowing if there was never a Richard and Sam there would be no Seth.
From the first chapter it sucks you in, how he can be so cruel and dangerous and yet calm, cool and collected is just mind blowing.
I HIGHLY recommend this book BUT ONLY after you have read the trilogy!!

[Mariel]

Arc reader and advanced copy of Kincaid review

I loved Kincaid. I can’t wait for part 2. B.W. Lacey is an amazing writer. As usual the prologue was right out of a psycho thriller trailer. Kincaid wasn’t just about violence and mouth dropping scenes but it was a love story twisted in manipulation, lust and trauma. This gives us readers a deeper insight into how Seth and Luke came to be and dare I Brooke as well. If you loved the Psychotic devotion trilogy and want to know how the Kincaid boys became the monster they are you first need to read about the original Monster we know as Richard Kincaid. Definitely a must read.

[Nessie]

Holy crap this is the prequel that we all needed to know and wanted and that makes our brains go absolutely insane. From start to finish I was in love with Richard and Samantha’s relationship, figuring out how those two connected to make Seth and Luke was absolutely amazing. Their story is hot and spicy and filled with so much emotion whether it be real or fake is up to the character. I cannot wait for part two you guys will be obsessed with this book.

I was lucky to be a Beta reader for this book. This is my honest opinion!

[Niki Sprenkle]

I swear everything B.W Lacey writes is pure gold. Kincaid isn’t a love story. It’s not a romance. It’s the beginning of a horror story. And perhaps I’m toxic, but I can’t wait to read it again, along with part 2

[Amanda Lopez]

I had the absolute pleasure of Beta Reading this book and let me tell you. I was not prepared for the heartache I went through. If you've already read The Psychotic Devotion Trilogy this is an absolute MUST. Get ready, this is not a dark romance. Grab all the tissues!!!

[Lori Butler]

An amazing backstory to the psychotic devotion trilogy. I loved it!