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Louis Kincaid #12
The Damage Done
NEW from New York Times bestselling author PJ Parrish.
Louis Kincaid is wearing a badge again — as part of an elite homicide squad. But the return to his Michigan home comes at the bidding of a man who once vowed to destroy him. When the cold case deaths of two little boys collides with the white-hot murder of a mega-church minister, Louis finds himself fighting to unearth the secret past of his police captain — and the demons of his own childhood.
Louis Kincaid is wearing a badge again — as part of an elite homicide squad. But the return to his Michigan home comes at the bidding of a man who once vowed to destroy him. When the cold case deaths of two little boys collides with the white-hot murder of a mega-church minister, Louis finds himself fighting to unearth the secret past of his police captain — and the demons of his own childhood.
- GenresMystery
326 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 8, 2018
83 people are currently reading
138 people want to read
About the author
P.J. Parrish
26 books270 followersP.J. Parrish is the New York Times bestselling author of ten Louis Kincaid and Joe Frye thrillers. The author is actually two sisters, Kristy Montee and Kelly Nichols. Their books have appeared on both the New York Times and USA Today best seller lists. The series has garnered 11 major crime-fiction awards, and an Edgar® nomination. Parrish has won two Shamus awards, one Anthony and one International Thriller competition. Her books have been published throughout Europe and Asia.
Parrish's short stories have also appeared in many anthologies, including two published by Mystery Writers of America, edited by Harlan Coben and the late Stuart Kaminsky. Their stories have also appeared in Akashic Books acclaimed Detroit Noir, and in Ellery Queen Magazine. Most recently, they contributed an essay to a special edition of Edgar Allan Poe's works edited by Michael Connelly.
P.J. Parrish as children
Before turning to writing full time, Kristy Montee was a newspaper editor and dance critic for the Sun-Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale. Nichols previously was a blackjack dealer and then a human resources specialist in the casino industry. Kris in Tallahassee FL and Traverse City MI and Kelly resides in Traverse City as well.
The sisters were writers as kids, albeit with different styles: Kelly's first attempt at fiction at age 11 was titled The Kill. Kristy's at 13 was The Cat Who Understood. Not much has changed: Kelly now tends to handle the gory stuff and Kristy the character development. But the collaboration is a smooth one, thanks to lots of ego suppression, good wine, and marathon phone calls via Skype.
The first eleven books in the series, in order, are: Dark of the Moon, Dead of Winter, Paint it Black, Thicker than Water, Island of Bones, A Killing Rain, An Unquiet Grave, A Thousand Bones, South of Hell, The Little Death and Heart of Ice. They also wrote three stand-alone thrillers: A Thousand Bones, The Killing Song and She's Not There.
Parrish's short stories have also appeared in many anthologies, including two published by Mystery Writers of America, edited by Harlan Coben and the late Stuart Kaminsky. Their stories have also appeared in Akashic Books acclaimed Detroit Noir, and in Ellery Queen Magazine. Most recently, they contributed an essay to a special edition of Edgar Allan Poe's works edited by Michael Connelly.
P.J. Parrish as children
Before turning to writing full time, Kristy Montee was a newspaper editor and dance critic for the Sun-Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale. Nichols previously was a blackjack dealer and then a human resources specialist in the casino industry. Kris in Tallahassee FL and Traverse City MI and Kelly resides in Traverse City as well.
The sisters were writers as kids, albeit with different styles: Kelly's first attempt at fiction at age 11 was titled The Kill. Kristy's at 13 was The Cat Who Understood. Not much has changed: Kelly now tends to handle the gory stuff and Kristy the character development. But the collaboration is a smooth one, thanks to lots of ego suppression, good wine, and marathon phone calls via Skype.
The first eleven books in the series, in order, are: Dark of the Moon, Dead of Winter, Paint it Black, Thicker than Water, Island of Bones, A Killing Rain, An Unquiet Grave, A Thousand Bones, South of Hell, The Little Death and Heart of Ice. They also wrote three stand-alone thrillers: A Thousand Bones, The Killing Song and She's Not There.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
September 27, 2018
This novel was so good that I didn't want it to end.
I was engrossed from the very first page.
I've now read all twelve books in the Louis Kincaid series.
I hope this fascinating crime fiction series continues.
I was engrossed from the very first page.
I've now read all twelve books in the Louis Kincaid series.
I hope this fascinating crime fiction series continues.
October 7, 2018
How much do I love Louis Kincaid??? This book was excellent.
I don't normally attach myself to a character, in fact, there are only 4 characters that I adore - James Patterson's Alex Cross, William Tapply's Brady Coyne, Faye Kellerman's Peter Decker and P.J. Parrish's Louis Kincaid. As with Patterson, Kellerman and Tapply, I hate reading any book that is out of the series and P.J. Parrish had been focusing on doing exactly this for the last while, much to my chagrin and dismay.
Having said that, I was absolutely thrilled when I accidentally found The Damage Done. In fact, between Parrish writing out of series books and apparently not writing all that much anymore, I had almost given up on the Kincaid character!
The main storyline crosses an open murder case with an old cold case. As always, the Parish sisters have a masterful way of building the thrill. Louis is not the "get in a car chase to get my man" type of detective, but rather, he puts the pieces together then relies on his gut. The way the authors build the clues one on top of the other, sprinkling them here and there is wonderful. You get to put the pieces together as a reader and follow along as Louis slowly unwinds the winding road.
In this book, Louis is actually back as a police officer, which is a nice touch. He once again meetsup with Steele, his nemesis and now they have to work together.
What works best in this novel is the clever flashbacks that Louis has about his own childhood. Some memories forgotten come back and the reader gets to discover a lot more about Louis and why he is the way he is.
Thankfully Jo only has a very brief appearance in this one. The only book I did not like in the Kincaid series was the one where Jo is featured prominently. I hate when authors do this. I want to read about Kincaid, not about his lover.
I am so sorry this book is finished. I hope we don't have to wait another 5? 7? years for the Parrish sisters to give us another Louis Kincaid.
I don't normally attach myself to a character, in fact, there are only 4 characters that I adore - James Patterson's Alex Cross, William Tapply's Brady Coyne, Faye Kellerman's Peter Decker and P.J. Parrish's Louis Kincaid. As with Patterson, Kellerman and Tapply, I hate reading any book that is out of the series and P.J. Parrish had been focusing on doing exactly this for the last while, much to my chagrin and dismay.
Having said that, I was absolutely thrilled when I accidentally found The Damage Done. In fact, between Parrish writing out of series books and apparently not writing all that much anymore, I had almost given up on the Kincaid character!
The main storyline crosses an open murder case with an old cold case. As always, the Parish sisters have a masterful way of building the thrill. Louis is not the "get in a car chase to get my man" type of detective, but rather, he puts the pieces together then relies on his gut. The way the authors build the clues one on top of the other, sprinkling them here and there is wonderful. You get to put the pieces together as a reader and follow along as Louis slowly unwinds the winding road.
In this book, Louis is actually back as a police officer, which is a nice touch. He once again meetsup with Steele, his nemesis and now they have to work together.
What works best in this novel is the clever flashbacks that Louis has about his own childhood. Some memories forgotten come back and the reader gets to discover a lot more about Louis and why he is the way he is.
Thankfully Jo only has a very brief appearance in this one. The only book I did not like in the Kincaid series was the one where Jo is featured prominently. I hate when authors do this. I want to read about Kincaid, not about his lover.
I am so sorry this book is finished. I hope we don't have to wait another 5? 7? years for the Parrish sisters to give us another Louis Kincaid.
Want to read
October 9, 2018The authors were at the library tonight! Excited to read this and their other books! They signed this copy for me tonight! :)
January 23, 2020
What a thrill! It has been ages since I started reading a novel and got so excited I couldn’t stop reading. Yes, I did let a day pass between each fifty page reading session, but I eagerly awaited the chance to get back to the book. P J Parrish, one of my favorite authors, with this latest addition to their Louis Kincaid series, The Damage Done, is magnificent. I have long reveled in Parrish’s writing, plotting, and characters. The Damage Done does not disappoint in any category. The book is rich with new characters and features, besides Kinkaid, one of the cherished characters from the other books. The plot twists and turns and leads the reader on a wild ride. And the writing is fresh, inventive, and full of 1990s references, enough to make us thoroughly convinced that we are in another era. And I was impressed by tiny references to plot points and characters from other books in the series, flawlessly worked into the new plot. Parrish has done a great job! I had lost track of Parrish until I recently found two newer books, which I quickly snatched up. The Damage Done seems to be published by a small, regional, independent publisher. I applaud this publisher for picking up the series. Sadly, though, the proof-reading could have been better. I have no idea how formatting a book is done (although my own publisher puts me through a series of editors and proofers to produce flawless books,) but this novel is frequently missing tiny words, i.e. “the,” “to,” and the like. Why would this be the case? It’s not a major problem, but all too often I found my reading stopped by having to re-read and insert a missing word. That shouldn’t happen. Especially to a seasoned, wonderful author like P J Parrish.
December 14, 2019
Louis Kincaid is back and better than ever. He becomes part of an elite squad tackling cold cases back in Michigan. Old and new start to intersect leading Louis down to a point of no return. I really hope this series continues on now that he has left the PI life behind and is working with a team making the possibilities of solving old cases just endless.
October 8, 2018
The last book in the Louis Kincaid series, Heart of Ice, was released in 2013, so it is a wonderful treat to now see the release of this latest addition to the series, The Damage Done. Louis Kincaid is a biracial cop turned private detective and now in this latest book has turned back to being a cop. One of the things that I really liked about the series is the development of the character Louis Kincaid. A complicated character, Kincaid has grappled throughout the series with his racial identity of being half white and half black but physically appearing to be black. His father left his mother when he was very young and his mother took to drugs and alcohol which eventually led to Kincaid being placed into foster care. It is his history in foster care that is brought to light in this latest addition to the series, as two cases that he is investigating, forces him to look at an event in his past that is buried deep in his psyche. It is this event that would eventually mold him into the man that he now has become.
The Damage Done is a combination of being a mystery, suspense, and thriller. Though it could be read as a standalone there are references to at least two previous books in the series, Dead of Winter, and Paint It Black. Dead of Winter especially details the reason to why Kincaid had turned from cop to private detective and moved from Michigan to Florida for which much of the series took place and has significant relevance in this latest novel.
The Damage Done is a must read for the Louis Kincaid fan and a delightful read for any mystery lover. I really look forward to the next in the series and hope to not have to wait as long until the next one.
If you are interested in learning more about the Louis Kincaid Series check it out on my blog A-Thrill-A-Week
The Damage Done is a combination of being a mystery, suspense, and thriller. Though it could be read as a standalone there are references to at least two previous books in the series, Dead of Winter, and Paint It Black. Dead of Winter especially details the reason to why Kincaid had turned from cop to private detective and moved from Michigan to Florida for which much of the series took place and has significant relevance in this latest novel.
The Damage Done is a must read for the Louis Kincaid fan and a delightful read for any mystery lover. I really look forward to the next in the series and hope to not have to wait as long until the next one.
If you are interested in learning more about the Louis Kincaid Series check it out on my blog A-Thrill-A-Week
October 21, 2018
He's back!
I am delighted to say that this was a great book! I am so happy to have one of my favorite characters back in print. The Louis Kincaid series is filled with excitement, intrigue and real, relatable characters. PJ Parrish has done it again. I truly hope they continue with this storyline and that they come out with a new book sooner rather than later. Highly recommend!
I am delighted to say that this was a great book! I am so happy to have one of my favorite characters back in print. The Louis Kincaid series is filled with excitement, intrigue and real, relatable characters. PJ Parrish has done it again. I truly hope they continue with this storyline and that they come out with a new book sooner rather than later. Highly recommend!
October 22, 2018
WOW! What an AWESOME story! A very hard book to put down because I had to see what would happen next.
This book is filled with twists and turns and a few surprises too.
I love reading a story that takes place in Michigan. It gives the story more meaning when you know the places they are talking about.
I loved every minute of this book. I so hated it to end.
This book is filled with twists and turns and a few surprises too.
I love reading a story that takes place in Michigan. It gives the story more meaning when you know the places they are talking about.
I loved every minute of this book. I so hated it to end.
February 7, 2021
I found this series years ago and read them all up to The Little Death. I decided to re-read the series and was happy to find that the authors had written 2 more books. I immediately ordered the last 2. I have to say I was disappointed with the last 2 books. My main issue is with character development and missing information. In the last few books, Louis made a big deal about being there for a child he saved - Ben Outlaw. He gave up a job opportunity as a cop in Miami to be there for Ben. In those 2 books, poor Ben is not even mentioned. Did he die? I do love that he found Lily, but when is he and her mom going to have that talk they keep mentioning. I really need him to finally give her that apology. And then with this new job in The Damage Done, he is about an hour from his daughter, but does not try to go see her, but sends her these postcards. And when he does get some time off, he doesn’t try to spend time with her but opts to spend the whole 4 days visiting Joe who is about 4 hours away. I really don’t understand the relationship with Joe. He says over and over that he has told her he loves her, but you never hear her say she loves him. From the writing he always calls her and she rarely answers because she is busy doing Sheriff stuff. They basically don’t see each other for months at a time and when they get together all they do is have sex and she follows him around while he solves crimes or if he is in Echo Bay, she does Sheriff stuff and I guess he just hangs around her cabin. This relationship adds nothing to the story and appears to just be page filler. The writers need to add more substance to this relationship or let them both move on. I do like that they delved more into his previous life because it gave more insight into why he is the way he is and I now understand why he decided to forgo being a lawyer to become a cop. I do hope there are additional books because I would love to see him connect with his childhood friend, his dad and his brother and sister.
May 13, 2019
Outstanding police procedural featuring cold case squad
In 1991, a Michigan state police captain handpicks five detectives for an elite cold case squad. The five are specialists in 1)forensics/CSI; 2) narcotics/prostitution; 3) psychology/profiling, 4) computer technology, and 5) serial murder-solving expertise of Detective Louis Kincaid, plus his “exceptional instincts and a special feel for unsolved cases.” In other words, he has a touch of paranormal. Each detective hides a dark secret in his/her background, and no one (captain included) has any living relatives. Even as each chooses a cold case, no one knows that their captain has a hidden agenda. Then a well-known minister of a mega-church is murdered, and inexplicably, the cold case squad is called.
This well-written (and edited) book has a complex storyline and several subplots. The story focuses on the minister murder and Kincaid’s 1979 “The Boys in the Box” cold case. The atmosphere is brooding, and the settings in the mitten of Michigan loom large in the storyline. There is a lot about religion and the Bible, but an atheist and his beliefs provide some balance. The characters are well-developed, although somewhat cliched à la Criminal Minds. I enjoyed following Kincaid and the other detectives as they investigated.
I recommend this book to police procedural fans.
In 1991, a Michigan state police captain handpicks five detectives for an elite cold case squad. The five are specialists in 1)forensics/CSI; 2) narcotics/prostitution; 3) psychology/profiling, 4) computer technology, and 5) serial murder-solving expertise of Detective Louis Kincaid, plus his “exceptional instincts and a special feel for unsolved cases.” In other words, he has a touch of paranormal. Each detective hides a dark secret in his/her background, and no one (captain included) has any living relatives. Even as each chooses a cold case, no one knows that their captain has a hidden agenda. Then a well-known minister of a mega-church is murdered, and inexplicably, the cold case squad is called.
This well-written (and edited) book has a complex storyline and several subplots. The story focuses on the minister murder and Kincaid’s 1979 “The Boys in the Box” cold case. The atmosphere is brooding, and the settings in the mitten of Michigan loom large in the storyline. There is a lot about religion and the Bible, but an atheist and his beliefs provide some balance. The characters are well-developed, although somewhat cliched à la Criminal Minds. I enjoyed following Kincaid and the other detectives as they investigated.
I recommend this book to police procedural fans.
November 18, 2020
Good story line that kept my attention all the way to the end. Interestingly, the start of the book I thought was more riveting than the end. It was good to learn some answers to his history. It also seems as if he might be moving away from his relationship with Jo and it might be time to find a new companion.
Summary: Kincaid is offered a position with an elite team. The team starts with the cold case but gets drawn into a current case. Are there overlapping story lines? You will have to read the book to find out. The locations of Kincaid's travels take him to several familiar sites in Michigan. If you enjoy the local scenery or hey I've been there, you will for sure enjoy the book and story. Recommended Read
Summary: Kincaid is offered a position with an elite team. The team starts with the cold case but gets drawn into a current case. Are there overlapping story lines? You will have to read the book to find out. The locations of Kincaid's travels take him to several familiar sites in Michigan. If you enjoy the local scenery or hey I've been there, you will for sure enjoy the book and story. Recommended Read
October 28, 2022
Terrific series
The Louis Kincaid series is extremely well written. It is obvious the authors have done lots of plotting and research into settings. I didn’t find one grammatical error in the entire series.
This book is about Louis’s return to police work, this time in a special unit of the Michigan State Police. The story takes him all over the state in his Mustang, from Detroit, Lansing and Grand Rapids, all the way up to the Keweenaw Peninsula.
The story is complete in this cover, I am left hoping there is another book!! I don’t want it to end, since it is that good!
The Louis Kincaid series is extremely well written. It is obvious the authors have done lots of plotting and research into settings. I didn’t find one grammatical error in the entire series.
This book is about Louis’s return to police work, this time in a special unit of the Michigan State Police. The story takes him all over the state in his Mustang, from Detroit, Lansing and Grand Rapids, all the way up to the Keweenaw Peninsula.
The story is complete in this cover, I am left hoping there is another book!! I don’t want it to end, since it is that good!
October 7, 2025
I read this book entirely on accident - having no idea that it was the 12th book in a series - intending on another of the same name that was recommended to me.
Pretty quickly it became evident this wasn't the right book, but I was genuinely pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it even without any of the existing character backstories.
I have some questions about plot points that got left unfinished (The reader never really is given a motivation for Anthony to eventually snap, there's never a solid answer given to what conversation Buddy had with Jonas or Anthony about the Boys when he went down to visit them, etc.
That said, I'm was very impressed on how they created such a character worthy of disgust in Anthony
Pretty quickly it became evident this wasn't the right book, but I was genuinely pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it even without any of the existing character backstories.
I have some questions about plot points that got left unfinished (The reader never really is given a motivation for Anthony to eventually snap, there's never a solid answer given to what conversation Buddy had with Jonas or Anthony about the Boys when he went down to visit them, etc.
That said, I'm was very impressed on how they created such a character worthy of disgust in Anthony
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2021
I'm a fan of Louis Kincaid, but this has to be one of my favorites. Louis grows and changes in this book. He confronts his demons and comes to terms with them. And he's joined a new investigative team with a new boss--a man who ruined his career when he was starting out. I was invested in each character, and I'm hoping that in future books, each member on the team finds inner peace. I accidentally skipped the book before this one, so I need to go back and read that before I move on. But the truth is, these books are all so good, I'm just glad I have another one to enjoy.
September 17, 2019
Louis Kincaid books are a thrill ride. I am so lucky to read about the streets and restaurants I know the roads he travels in Michigan, being a lifetime Michigander! The story is so steeped in emiotinals . For many of the characters, and learning more about Louis's history was sadness and heartbreak. I'm a bit behind in the series so I am backtracking a bit. I know I won't be disappointed with a book in this series.
August 20, 2021
Some long-standing insights into the back story of Louis Kincaid make this one a bit more special. I love the feeling that he's getting his sh*t together. The mystery and story itself are interesting and as with other books in the series, the geography and locale play an important role in the action. What will the sisters P.J. come up with to wrap this series up? Where will they go after this?
Overall, Very worthwhile.
Overall, Very worthwhile.
February 26, 2019
Readers will love this latest Louis Kincaid thriller. Book 12 in the Louis Kincaid series is another heart-pounding, suspenseful thriller with the unforgettable Louis Kincaid and secondary characters. It’s on the edge of your seat read and you will feel the raw emotions as Kincaid finds the answers for the victims and for his past.
May 28, 2019
I've read quite a few books by Michigan authors or set in northern Michigan. Two of my favorite authors have been Steve Hamilton and Joseph Heywood. But I have to say this was one of the more thoughtful novels I've read in the mystery genre. There was an over-riding psychological component that enhanced the book dramatically.
July 12, 2019
There has to be more, please
This is the latest book in the Louis Kincaid series and I truly hope it’s not going to be the last. I’m hooked. After reading one of this series, I had to start right at the first book and read them all. Great series.
This is the latest book in the Louis Kincaid series and I truly hope it’s not going to be the last. I’m hooked. After reading one of this series, I had to start right at the first book and read them all. Great series.
October 19, 2019
Outstanding!!!
This may have been the best book of the storied Louis Kinkaid mystery series. Good story, coupled with great characters, make this a book well worth your time.
Buy it, read it and enjoy!!👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥
This may have been the best book of the storied Louis Kinkaid mystery series. Good story, coupled with great characters, make this a book well worth your time.
Buy it, read it and enjoy!!👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥
January 13, 2021
I have to admit that I have only read the books in this series that take place in Michigan. Having grown up in Mid-Michigan, gone to college at Michigan Tech, and living in West Michigan this book is hitting on all cylinders for me.
January 24, 2021
Another thrilling murder mystery by PJ Parrish. Louis Kincaid returns to Michigan to serve on a special Cold Case team and solves the cold case as well as a case of murder that occurs within days of his arrival. There are twists and turns as Kincaid moves closer to the truth. I highly recommend.
June 7, 2021
This was written a few years ago and I would have hoped for another by now. Louis gets taken in a new direction and I like the new team with all of their baggage and the mystery behind their captain.
September 22, 2018
9/22/18 Full review tk
October 29, 2018
Happy to see Louis Kincaid back! P.J. Parrish comes through with an intriguing page-turner. I couldn't put it down. Welcome back Louis!
December 9, 2018
So glad these ladies wrote another Kincaid novel after 5 years. I hope it won't be as long before the next one.
April 18, 2019
Good read
First one by this author that I have read. Will not be the last. Louis returns to MI., to be on a cold case squad . He, and the other members, solve various cold crimes.
First one by this author that I have read. Will not be the last. Louis returns to MI., to be on a cold case squad . He, and the other members, solve various cold crimes.
July 28, 2019
PJP has outdone herself with this one. I could not put this down and, like another reviewer said, I did not want this to end. Lots of places to go in Louis’ life in the future from here.
August 16, 2020
It was good, a little predictable but I enjoyed it.
February 6, 2021
I stayed up half the night finishing this. I couldn't put it down. It is disturbing, though.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews