I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Killer Triggers is a non fiction, true story compilation by the amazing retired Police detective Joe Kenda.
This book gives start to finish information told by Joe about some of the murder cases he has had to investigate during his 23 years on the force. These particular murder cases were committed under the influence of sex, money and drugs.
Joe draws you in with his captivating knack of weaving a story together that not only fascinates you but gets under your skin too. I used to love watching Joe's true crime show Homicide Hunter and this book has endeared me even more to this amazing detective.
I love how Joe talks about the effects of his job upon his family relationships and mental health of himself and them too. It makes you realise what sacrifices officers like him have to undertake and the stresses and strains it takes on their lives and family lives too.
This is a fantastic read and I couldn't put it down. If you like reading about true crime, this is a definite read for you!

(Based on ARC). “Once I became the lieutenant in charge of the homicide division, my role was like that of a symphony conductor. I’d walk into the scene of a murder and try to pick up on the melody so that I could orchestrate the investigation.”

Kenda’s opening words describe his style perfectly, from his podcast to his show to his books. Simultaneously lyrical and matter-of-fact, he takes us through some of the crimes he investigated with his signature dry, self-deprecating (and, often, dark) sense of humor, often lacking in the true crime genre (cue the all-too-often dopey humor of podcasts known for murder while drinking various alcoholic beverages; no judgement, just cliche, at this point).

“I am trainable—just ask my wife.”
“I played a very convincing moron.”
“... I wanted the kid to think I was Sherlock Holmesing his ass.”
“They seemed like nice people, so I didn’t shoot them.”
And, of course, you get the classic “Well, well, well” a time or two.

Damn, there’s even a reference to The Fonz, further solidifying a definite 5-star rating.

It’s Kenda. Read the book.

Ah, my favorite retired homicide detective who switched to TV actor and author is back with another book. Yes, Joe Kenda, who has become a social media sensation with memes galore. Your fans on Facebook can’t wait until you are back on the tube again, they are tired of reruns. They will enjoy this book just as much as your first, if not more, I will assure them. It’s full of gritty stories of your nights catching bad guys as you got called out to crime scenes as grisly as ever. Telling your stories in the unique way you have of sharing how they appeared to you, and affected you. Giving your gut felt opinion of the perps and their methods.

You don’t mince words. You tell it like it is, and people love you for it. We dream of an army of RoboKendas out there right now protecting us, 24/7. Keeping the peace and catching the bad guys. But short of that we’ll be happy to watch you in whatever capacity you return in. Thankfully, you are starting soon hosting American Detective. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author Joe Kenda, and the publisher.

Kenda has been a favorite in our house when it comes to true crime stories. His off beat wit and honest telling of the facts keep us coming back. This book stayed true to the man we have grown to love on TV.
I will say that the cases in the book felt familiar and recapped from the show. But Kenda himself said that he had started burning through the number of cases to talk about.
I enjoyed it all the same.

I love true crime in any format. I originally found Joe Kenda through his Homicide Hunter TV show. I would fall asleep to it just about every night that it was on. Then his first book came out and I devoured the audiobook to get more of his voice in my life. I immediately preordered this second book on audio and cannot wait to hear him tell his stories.

Killer Triggers: Murder Comes Down to Sex, Drugs, or Money by Joe Kenda is a brilliant follow up to I Will Find You: Solving Killer Cases from My Life Fighting Crime. The reader follows Kenda through ten cases where the main triggers of the homicide are identified at the beginning of each chapter. Each case is heartbreaking in the senseless nature of death caused by another human being, but they are told in Kenda's no-nonsense, matter-of-fact tone, sprinkled with a little bit of humor.

My favorite line of the book comes in one of the later chapters and I think sums up why I respect Kenda so much: " I always told my guys that we are every victim's last hope. Nobody else can give them justice. I wanted my detectives to stand in the victim's shoes, and if they couldn't do that, I told them to find another division."

I, like so many others I’m sure, always thought I would be a great detective. I read detective novels, watched detective TV shows, I even started my own private investigation agency when I was in Grade Four (and I solved my one and only case, the Case of the Demolished Snow Fort!).

Reading Joe Kenda’s latest, Killer Triggers (Blackstone Publishing, release 2021), I’m not so sure about that now. Being a successful detective, heck, even just a competent one, requires a level of dedication and service of which, I suspect, I may not have been capable when I was younger…and the emotional and mental price paid by those detectives seems pretty high.

But I will always read and listen to their stories, safely removed from the brutality and horror of the actual events.

Which is why I loved this second offering from the retired Lieutenant and star of Discovery’s Homicide Hunter. Reading Kenda is almost like sitting with an old friend by a fire, sipping a scotch, after all the other dinner party guests have left.

Kenda’s style of immediacy and intimacy makes you almost hear his steady, sonorous voice as he walks the reader through several of his 372 homicide investigations (356 of which were solved) as a detective in, then head of, the Colorado Springs Police Department homicide unit.

Kenda outlines in each case what the “trigger” was that led to homicide, and then breaks down the investigation step by step, peppered with his usual Kenda-esque dry, deadpan humour.

Yes, Kenda occasionally strays from his narrative with an aside or distraction, but this only adds to that intimate, personal atmosphere. This is not a cold reporting of the facts; it is a personal conversation between Kenda and you.

A few of the investigations were familiar to me from the TV show, but that didn’t detract from the book in any way. In fact, reading the details made those cases more intriguing and fresh, like I was hearing about them for the first time.

However, Killer Triggers could probably use an introduction. A few simple pages outlining what the basic triggers are, along the lines of Kenda’s 2015 podcast Detective, produced by Discovery to promote the TV series. In those podcast episodes, Kenda expertly explains that nearly every homicide can fall into three motive categories: money, sex or revenge. A brief introduction that just touches on each trigger might have been beneficial before launching into the actual cases discussed in the book.

In many respects, the final section of the book is its strongest, in which Kenda recounts his post-police career and the effect the TV show has had on his life. Years of dealing with human horror and tragedy cost Kenda dearly.

This section was in many ways the most powerful of the stories told throughout Killer Triggers: how a man became wounded in trying to help others, and how he slowly healed those wounds by talking about them.

Well…my, my, my.

Joe Kenda is a retired Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) detective lieutenant, who was involved in 387 homicide cases over a 23-year career (source: Wikipedia). Featured on Investigation Discovery show Homicide Hunter.
Joe Kenda takes the reader through multiple homicides that he worked. The writing is conversational and very “tough-guy”.

**I received an ARC from the publisher on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was a huge fan of Joe Kenda's show Homicide Hunter so of course when I found out he had a book coming out I just had to read it. It's almost like a continuation of the show. He gives us more cases and breaks down the motives behind the killing, how they come up with suspects, interrogation, capturing, etc. Since it's written in Joe Kenda's words, there's plenty of his witty comments and sarcastic remarks. I loved this book! If you're a fan of Joe Kenda this is the right book for you. And if you're a fan of true crime, it's also the right book for you.

Joe Kenda, author of Killer Triggers, former star of TV's Homicide Hunter, and retired detective lieutenant, doesn't pull any punches. Literally.

This book, due to be released in March 2021, is another account of Kenda's crime-fighting career, similar to his 2017 title, I Will Find You. It's gripping and realistic and not for the faint of heart. Lt. Kenda takes readers into blood-spattered rooms in cheap motels, through dark streets frequented by drug dealers, junkies, and drunks, and shows us just how depraved some people can be. Cases are summarized, and Kenda doesn't go into great detail, but they're compelling and I read the book in two sittings.

There are flashes of Kenda's black humor and wit. As he writes about one murder investigation, "(A criminal's) west-side crew was shadier than Sherwood Forest. And here we were with all the hoods and no Robin. Another difference: Most of these merry men took from the poor and kept it."

He also reveals his own deep commitment to seeing justice done. When one detective suggests forgetting about the death of a skid-row alcoholic with mental problems, Kenda quickly tells him he'll have him writing tickets at the airport for the rest of his days if he doesn't get in line and do his job.

Killer Triggers isn't for everyone. There are stories of lacerated livers, victims kicked in the head until they expire, brutal stabbings, and more. But if you are committed to law and order, as Lt. Kenda is, you'll read this and be grateful the police are there to answer when you call.

I love Homicide Hunter and have told all my friends and family that if I ever come up missing that they should all him, because he will find me! This book was so easy to read. I recognized a few of the cases from show episodes, but it was nice to read even more information about the case. I also loved how he described the effects of his job on his mental health and his family. Perfect gift for a true crime junkie and a definite purchase for libraries.

I'll admit, I picked this book up because my mom is a huge Homicide Hunter fan but I was quickly pulled in and ended up reading it almost straight through. Anyone who has ever seen an episode of the show will have no trouble hearing Kenda's voice in their mind as they read. His dry wit helped to offset the tragic circumstances of the cases he shared. What inspired me most was his compassion for every victim and his determination that each deserved justice. But perhaps the most powerful, and relevant, message of the book was about the incredible emotional strain law enforcement officers face with the terrible things they see and hear.

Having watched "Homicide Hunter" for years, some of these cases I am familiar with, but it did not affect my interest in reading this book. I always love reading Joe Kenda's books because it feels like he's having a conversation with you. He goes off on tangents (related to the case on hand), but it feels like he is talking to us, the readers.

The cases he discusses are all awful, as murder is. Some are worse than others. Kenda is not afraid to let his emotions show through, which is needed. A lot of police officers and others in the emergency services and military do not feel comfortable expressing the emotions that come with witnessing what they witness. Having Kenda talk so candidly about the horror he has seen and been affected by is much needed in society.