I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. A good mystery/thriller novel. Recommend

In his debut novel Thomas Kies introduces readers to crime reporter Geneva Chase:

Geneva Chase is a veteran crime reporter who knows how to find answers, cultivate sources while trying to hide her alcoholism so she is not forced to leave another job. Chase catches a break when she lands a homicide of 6 in a wealthy neighbourhood. The headline is eventually picked up by major news outlets and Chase knows this is her time. Chase want to know everything about these rich and entitled citizens. But the more she digs, the further she puts herself in danger and her inability to get sober threatens to undo everything she has worked so hard for.

This is one of my favourite reads this past year. I really enjoyed the plot and characters that Keis created for this book. This book is very much a character driver more than plot but Keis is able to keep you engaged in the story. He achieves this by having Chase, an investigative reporter, investigate more than one crime. I mean there is the main event with the murder of 6 people, but as Chase is not a police officers so she doesn’t have access to all the crime scene information, she has to use different forms of digging in order to get information. I appreacite Chase's ability to think outside of the box to get the information that she needs, as well as cultivating sources.
Well to say that the main character has flaws is an understatement, as Chase is an alcoholic, hides the fact that she is one, lies about always needing a drink and for the most part she does not apologize about this side of her. She is fine, even happy to see the world through shades of vodka. Maybe disaster may be a better description of her.

I like flawed characters, they seem more like real people than the perfect ones that some authors write. I like Chase’s tenacity in her life and work and you can tell that she has heart as well. I will questions some of her decisions she makes especially with Kevin, the love interest in this book, but I’m sure people would do the exact same thing that Chase and Kevin do in those circumstances. Chase may be flawed but aren’t we all. And as this is very much a character driven book, I appreciate the complexity of Chase’s character and though she is flawed you cannot help but like her.

I will say I was able to figure out the main Murder, but this did not take away from my overall enjoyment of the book as I liked following Chase around while she investigated this and did reports on her other stories.

I look forward to reading another book in this series to see where Kies takes his characters and to see what case catches Chase's eye next.

Enjoy!!!

Random Road - A Geneva Chase Crime Reporter Mystery - by Thomas Kies is an engaging, well written debut. I can’t wait to read the next few books in this series as I understand there are already a few out. #NetGalley

Geneva "Genie" Chase is walking a fine line between alcoholism and keeping her job at her hometown newspaper, the Sheffield Post. When six nude bodies are found hacked to pieces in a mansion near Long Island Sound, Genie's headline story is picked up by the major papers. But this step towards redemption may become undone as Genie deals with her affair with married lawyer Frank and her inability to stay sober. On the plus side, Genie has reunited in a romantic way with her high school classmate Kevin Bell. But Kevin is dealing with his own demons as a widower and losing his own battle with the bottle.

With the help of her deputy police friend Mike, Genie's investigation on the massacre and other crime stories leads her into the world of swingers as well as a front-row seat to catch the Home Alone Gang who is responsible for a series of lucrative break-ins.

This was a strong debut with a flawed female protagonist who is determined to snoop around to get her story at almost any cost.

I received a digital ARC with Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press/SOURCEBOOKS with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

It was a OK thriller for me.

At first we have a lot of things going on, with a fast and engaging speed but then it became more "soft", and i really dont empahtize with the charathers.

Besides that, the book is well witten, with good descriptions.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC.

So this is a 50/50 read for me. I felt as if the beginning showed a lot of promise, but it slowly fell apart. I really think it’s because I was expecting more sci-fi elements and this story is more literary fiction. It’s also important to note that this novel gets dark so you might want to know that going in. It’s 3 stars from me.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

RANDOM ROAD is what's known as a "twisty" thriller, but it's an example of why some discerning readers of thrillers see "twisty" as less a feature than a bug. The twists feel templated into a rigidly designed plot and less an organic outgrowth of character. Most of the characters, too, will stretch out some readers' suspensions of disbelief beyond the breaking point. That list begins with Geneva Chase, ambitious reporter and alcoholic who is all morals and no ethics, and is so unrealistic that un 2021 she not only never has to file a story to the web or update her news organization's social media, but also has zero competition of a colorfully gruesome multiple-murder story. She's supposed to be a heroine in the "plays by her own rules" vein, but mostly I found her sad and sick, and ultimately a hyper-sexualized creation of the male gaze, and as such I staggered through to the ridiculous reveal of the killers — and the ridiculous confession and chase that followed — out of no more than a sense of duty to provide a fair review of the entire novel.

RANDOM ROAD is written with skill and verve, but it's strictly popcorn fare, heavy on the butter and salt and cheese flavoring, best consumed when your brain is too tired or relaxed to process the cheesy, buttery, salty implausibility of its characters and incidents.

Once a successful journalist writing for a big newspaper, Genie has been on a downward spiral for years due to her alcoholism and is now just barely holding on to a job at her hometown rag. Her life is just one giant screw-up. She’s having an affair with a married man and due to a mishap while intoxicated (she punched a police officer), she has to attend AA meetings although she’s still drinking. While at an AA meeting, she runs into Kevin, her best friend from high school who is also attending. Their reunion quickly develops into a romance. But, despite all the drinking and new love, her job still matters even though not a lot happens of interest until a gruesome murder takes place and not only is she the first reporter on the scene but the police officer in charge has a crush on her.

Ok, I am somewhat conflicted about Random Road by Thomas Keis.

What I didn’t like -

The murder itself gets little space in the book and after getting short shrift throughout, the solution to the murder stretched my willing suspension of disbelief way past what it could handle

But most of all, and admittedly, judging from other reviews I’ve read, I’m in the minority here, I really didn’t like Genie and all the references to her drinking and her love life

What I liked -

The book is well-written and some of the best parts of the book were her journalistic assignments that had nothing to do with the murders but added dimension to the story and reminded the reader that Genie was a journalist with more than one story to cover.

And, despite not liking Genie, I thought it was a fairly good portrayal of a high-functioning alcoholic eg the destructive behaviour, manipulative treatment of others, selfishness, refusal to admit her problem.

So, overall, for me, it was an ok read but I would have preferred more mystery and journalism and less drinking and romance but leave it to readers to decide for themselves.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

RANDOM ROAD introduces Geneva Chase, a crime reporter, in this debut novel. Geneva has issues. She's made some really bad choices along the way, and she's battling alcoholism. She's got one chance left .... working at her hometown newspaper. But even so, the paper's future is unsteady.

Surprisingly, she lands the story of a lifetime. Six nude bodies have been found in a mansion on the coast of Long Island Sound. They have all been hacked to pieces.

Geneva still hasn't learned to control her impulses. She's having an affair with a married man ..and she continues to drink. She's about to lose it all just about the time her investigation starts to make inroads into the motive for these murders.

But there's someone out there harboring secrets and they want Geneva to go away .. maybe permanently.

This is a well-written debut novel filled with suspense and mystery from the get-go. There are several suspects to watch .. they all seem to have secrets they don't want to share. Geneva is a great character, although her constant drinking was a little tedious. This is the first of a series ... and good news! Books 2, 3 and 4 are available now. With the author's long career in working for newspapers and magazines, I expected a certain amount of credibility. i was not disappointed.

Many thanks to the author / Poisoned Pen Press / Netgalley for the digital copy of this hard-boiled mystery. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

An exceptionally written narrative that easily draws the reader’s interest. What promises to be a fast paced crime thriller centered around an off-beat crime reporter incidentally turns into a fantastic character portrayal with a bit of crime thrown in. Thomas Kleis has created a flawed, unreliable main character that struggles with sobriety and bad decisions. Readers inadvertently find themselves deeply engaged and rooting for a better tomorrow. Loved it.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC of #RandomRoad which was read and review voluntarily.

Thank you NetGalley and Poison Pen Press for the ARC of this true page turner of a debut thriller. Veteran reporter Geneva "Genie" Chase is at a crossroads in her life. She's at the end of the line with her career, thanks to her alcohol problem, as well as failing several marriages. However, things turn on a dime for Genie when she gets an exclusive on a series of murders in a small upscale town, as well as running into her childhood best friend who is now single and available. Can Genie find the right path for herself at last? Terrific new series, looking forward to the next one.

That book was both disgusting and downright disturbing.
It went on like this:
The murder was explained in the beginning, you expect some follow up especially that the lead character is a journalist, except you don't get that, what you get is the everyday life of the journalist and what's her favorite drink, she is literally always with a drink, and then she fells in love so suddenly with a childhood friend, and things starts to go on messy sequence in which the author gives you information, but he doesn't tell you how to connect the puzzle.
And don't get me started on the language and the mentioning of what some of the adults in the book were doing, for me, it was really disgusting.
*I received an ARC of this book via netgalley in exchange of an honest review*

I’m so glad to hear we will be seeing this character again. She is so strongly drawn and her personality colours every page of what is also a great story. The strength here is in characterisation and the capacity to describe people and relationships in such a way as to make them real to the reader. A very engaging, well written book with an absolutely ripper of a protagonist.

Geneva (Genie) Chase a news reporter for a local paper is waiting outside a Long Island mansion looking for a news story she heard on the police radio about several bodies being discovered at this address. Genie is the only reporter to show up so far so she wants to have the lead scoop on this tragedy. She learns six nude unidentified bodies have been found mangled and mutilated with no suspects at the moment. Genie knows a story like this could uplift her career again if she would just get a handle on her drinking since she has been fired from every newspaper she has worked for because of her excessive drinking over the years and this was the only paper left that gave her another chance and she is still skating on thin ice with them as well. Genie's personal life is also a mess, she was arrested for public drunkenness and must stop drinking for six months and attend AA along with a fine but Genie continues to drink in private not accepting the fact that she truly is an alcoholic who needs help but Genie enjoys her personal poisons and feels alcohol helps her think more clearly when she is feeling that warm buzz. Nothing could have prepared her for the twisted roads that these murders would take her on and that alcohol may not be the only evil that could end her life.

This book was quite a pleasant surprise for me. I wasn't prepared to enjoy it so much and I just fell in love with the storytelling. Wow, this man Kevin Kies can write! I was captivated by all the characters and their roles within the story. Genie was such a complex character and so likeable even though she continuously made poor decisions in her personal life and has a trail of broken relationships behind her. She drinks to feel better which of course she feels worse when her high wears off but she is a really good person who hides inside those bottles of poison. This story had a little bit of everything, horrific murders, adultery, revenge, money, politics, romance and of course alcoholism. I laughed and I cried and had moments of holding my breath and then saying "Oh No"! This author's writing was so good that I could really feel what Genie was experiencing and that is a rare thing for me. I can't wait to read more books by this author and am very glad he is writing a series revolving around Genie Chase.

I want to thank the publisher " Poisoned Pen Press" and Netgalley for granting my wish request and any thoughts and opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a fantastic story with stellar writing and have given a rating of 4 1/2 Captivating 🌟🌟🌟🌟✴ Stars!!

So great I can't wait to read the next one in the series! This shocked me because I immediately started thinking I wouldn't like. I have no patience for alcoholic characters (The Girl on the Train had me so annoyed through the whole thing I can't believe I finished it.) But from the get-go Genie is drinking so many times throughout the day I lose count, failing miserably at AA, sleeping with a married man, and about to lose her job as a journalist at her hometown paper - the only paper that would still take her after too many drunken disasters. So what happens next - she runs into her best friend, Kevin, from high school, in an AA meeting, of course! He too has been unsuccessful in his attempts to stop drinking and now that he and Genie has reconnected and formed a romantic relationship the party never stops.

But something happened. The story got more and more interesting and I focused on the grizzly murder of 3 couples found in pieces and how Genie seemed to always be a little ahead of the police chief (I really like the relationship between the two - so different than the animosity we've come to expect between police and journalists.) Until the end when she confronts the killers in a scene that will have you at the edge of your seat.

I really enjoyed this book despite how unlikeable Genie was in the beginning. In the end, I was actually in love with her. At the end of the book there was a sneak peek at the next in the series and I never read those, but this time I did and I'm am excited about the direction this series goes. Now to get my hands on Darkness Lane!

I would like to thank #Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a copy of #RandomRoad in exchange for an honest review.

3+ Well-Written but Light on the Crime Stars ⭐️

Geneva “Genie” Chase, a crime reporter, is an appealing heroine and it is easy to see how Random Road could become Book 1 of a successful series. The blurb says the book is about the investigation of a string of serial murders. And it is, somewhat, but really more than that, this is a character study of Genie. She is witty, tough-talking, a recovering alcoholic, involved in a romance, and then also investigating and writing about the serial killer.

I liked reading about Genie, as Kies is a great writer with obvious affection for his well-drawn protagonist. But I was disappointed in the sense that this is really only partially a crime story and more of a dramatic/romantic character study. When more focus is finally placed on the crime at the end, I liked it more (and it has a great ending!).

Fans of strong female protagonists and well-written dramas will like this. It just wasn’t the hard boiled crime novel all the way through that I was expecting.

3+ stars as a “not for me, but maybe for you” read by a talented writer.

Thanks to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen, and the author for the ARC.

This is the first book in a mystery series that has been republished. Geneva Chase is a reporter for the local newspaper. She is an active alcoholic and her job is in jeopardy. She is having an affair with a married man and the wife has found out. Things aren’t going great for her but then she gets the scoop on a story where six people have been viciously murdered in a mansion on Long Island Sound. Using her contacts with the police, she investigates and discovers a sex club in town where partner swapping is common place and the six people who were murdered were members of the club. In between writing stories and investigating the murders, she runs into an old high school friend, who unfortunately is also an active alcoholic and they start dating (and drinking).

My thoughts: On the whole, Geneva is a likeable character. She is compassionate, a hard worker, bright, and kind but she exhibits all the traits of an alcoholic – denial of the problem, finding excuses to drink, making excuses for other alcoholics, making bad decisions, etc. and that part of the character greatly irritated me. She also didn’t have any empathy for the wife of the man she was having an affair with. When she was discovered with this woman’s husband, the wife physically attacked her and Geneva did not for one second give any thought to the fact that she was the person in the wrong and not the wife. Once she dumps the married man and hooks up with her old high school friend, they both hit the bottle pretty hard and you could see that it was not going to end well for either of them.

Overall, I enjoyed the mystery and the newspaper job angle. Two further books have been published in this series (Darkness Lane and Graveyard Bay) and I’m hoping that her time in the office is fleshed out more in those. I was happy with the ending of Random Road as it appears that Geneva is attempting to get her act together and I have put Darkness Lane on hold at my local library with my fingers crossed that we see an improved, healthier Geneva.

Trigger warnings for alcoholism, infidelity

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Noir for the modern day, Random Road is an impressive debut that offers a mystery that will keep readers guessing until the final pages.

It all starts with Geneva Chase – reporter, alcoholic, and the kind of dame who solves her own mysteries, thank you very much. But she’s more than just Sam Spade in an evening gown; Thomas Kies has written a complex and interesting heroine in Geneva Chase, one who’s allowed to be tough and feminine simultaneously; one who is smart, emotional, and passionate. She has flaws – though the multiple marriages really weren’t her fault, she’s right – and they shape her without defining her.

That’s not to say there are no rough edges, but this is a debut and there are allowances that can be made. Especially near to the start, there’s a tendency towards overexplaining; the love storyline, too, could have used a little more time to develop. But they’re issues that are common in new authors, and it’s the kind of thing that’s both easy to forgive, and quickly resolved as their confidence grows.

So, on to the good stuff, and there’s plenty of it. This was, very quickly, an incredibly absorbing book. Thomas Kies writes good mystery, great and complex characters, and isn’t afraid to offer commentary that places the story firmly in the modern day. Set on the coast of Connecticut, in the kind of small town where old money buys large houses and a certain amount of silence, there’s plenty of material for him to work with! Secret clubs and gated peninsulas surround the central mystery in an atmosphere of secrecy that challenges even Geneva’s investigative powers; and as the stakes rose, it was clear just how impressive those powers could be.

It was the peripheral story that made the biggest impression on me, though, as Genie navigated her way through personal and working relationships that built a cast of characters more than capable of providing the kind of foundation a solid series really needs. With another book already in the works, this reader will happily follow to see what happens next.

Geneva Chase’s life is chaotic at best. She’s a bright, semi successful journalist. Shes been married three times and is having an affair with a married man. She also has an alcohol dependence that threatens to dictate her every waking hour and she’s been demoted to working for her local paper, far removed from the bright city lights and city crime beat.



When she lands the story of six dead white rich folk, hacked to pieces by person or person/s unknown, she thinks she might be able to turn everything around. The story is her ticket out of Sheffield and back to the big time.



In the midst of the crime chaos Geneva reconnects with Kevin Bell, a childhood friend she hasn’t seen for twenty years.



I love Geneva as an anti-hero. She’s oh so flawed, struggles with her grip on reality, tries hard most of the time to function and ‘keep on walking’ but sometimes she just can’t pull it off. I couldn’t live with her but as a character she’s great. The plot includes some diverse stories Geneva is following, that give colour and variation to the book.



And yes.. there is a scene on the deck of a house that is (for a mystery, police-y type book) such an emotive scene! It was totally unexpected and sucker punched me right in the heart.



Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an electronic copy of this book.

This started off strong but then slowly burnt out. I did not enjoy the fact that the main focus was on the detective and her life, and not on the murders she was investigating.