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A Killing Game (Curtis Westcott Crime Thrillers Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Jeff Buick (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 792 ratings
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WINNER of the International Thriller Writers 2021 Best Original Ebook Award, A Killing Game by Jeff Buick is a fast-paced thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat right to the last page.

Born into a wealthy and powerful Boston family, Renee Charlebois has it all. Except for one small detail – she’s been abducted without a trace. Who took her, and why, is a mystery.

The case gets dropped on Curtis Westcott’s desk, but Boston’s Chief of Homicide has little to work with. No clues, no body, no motive. Renee had no enemies, no financial skeletons in the closet, and no bitter ex- boyfriends. Curtis and Aislinn Byrne, his go-to detective on tough cases, work the file hard but come up empty. Then Westcott attends a party and overhears a story that catches his attention – he and Aislinn have their first break.

They dig in and unravel a complex series of crimes tied to Renee’s disappearance. As they peel back the layers they are convinced Renee is still alive, but that her abductor is on a precise schedule and has every intention of killing her. It’s a bizarre and twisted game, and time is quickly running out.

A Killing Game is Book One in the Curtis Westcott series, set in Boston.
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  1. Book 1 of 3
    Curtis Westcott Crime Thrillers
  2. Print length
    386 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    January 31, 2020
  6. File size
    4315 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B082P4RL1D
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Novel Words Inc. (January 31, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 31, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4315 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 386 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 792 ratings

About the author

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Jeff Buick

Jeff Buick

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Want some authentic crime fiction novels – look no further.

Award-winning author Jeff Buick writes fast paced fiction filled with twists you won’t see coming. Lethal people (the bad guys of course) lurk in Jeff’s Boston crime series, but Curtis Westcott and his team of detectives are ready for any murder mystery that comes at them.

The Westcott series is action packed suspense, perfect for readers who love Michael Connelly books, especially the Bosch series. 'A Killing Game', the first in the series, won the 2021 International Thriller Writers “Best original ebook”, and is a “can’t put it down” suspense thriller. And new for 2024, 'The Vulture Fund', the 3rd in the series is a finalist for the 2024 ITW award.

Then there’s the Bobby Greco series, where a disgraced Orlando Homicide cop tackles a very twisted bad guy in the series opener, 'One is Evil'.

Jeff’s latest standalone novel, 'The Krubera Conspiracy', rifles along at a face pace and is a globe-trotting mix of thriller and suspense.

Coming soon - 'The Reluctant Truth' - a multigenerational drama that in 2024 pits two men in a battle for something their ancestors fought over in the final days of World War II.

Jeff is a Canadian author who loves to read and is always searching for a remarkable new novel, especially book club novels. He devours Tana French books, along with new offerings from Louise Penny and Mary Stone.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
792 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

L. Hampton
5.0 out of 5 stars The best book I've read in a while
Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2022
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I loved this book! I loved it all - the storyline, characters, pace, background and buildup to the conclusion of the story. This book is very well written and there wasn't much that I disliked about it. I don't believe that I have read other books by this author but I plan to now.
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer Maureen M
5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2023
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Author is organized and intelligent. This book is fast paced and full of meat. Loved discovering the clues nd finally figuring them out. Great suspenseful but rewarding ending.
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Bichon Mom
4.0 out of 5 stars Expectations were set too high
Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2021
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The fact that this book won the International Thriller Writers Best Original Ebook Award this year as well as seeing almost all five star reviews set my expectations high. Unfortunately, those expectations were too high.

This is a good police procedural but not one that is so outstanding that I will remember it for very long or go out of my way to recommend it to others. It has a well used plot of a serial killer taunting police who are rushing against the clock to catch him and save the latest victim.

Some of the clues are clever but it is also frustrating to see that Curtis Westcott and the other detectives are able to decipher the more obscure clues while the most obvious takes half the book for them to recognize. Perhaps the author thought it might make the reader feel superior at quickly recognizing anagrams but when they are so obvious, it just doesn’t seem plausible that not one detective would notice.

This is a stand alone book. It is a well written police procedural. There is more action than character development and nothing objectionable that I noticed that would offend sensitive readers.
9 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great police thriller
Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2023
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This story kept you on your toes until the end. Lots of drama and suspense. Loved the main character Curtis and his ability to decipher clues. This was a great read!
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RB
5.0 out of 5 stars Wrong letters but right word
Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2021
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Remember how to spell this author's name, because this Book one will keep you searching for the right clue. I was caught up in the emotion of the need to solve the crime, while looking at each clue like a cross-word puzzle. Would it be enough to catch the killer or to little to late to put it all together. Racing against the clock you find yourself reading faster to help solve the puzzle. We written and no fluff or unnecessary verbiage! Worth your time to read! Can you spell "Good Book", read it for the right clues!
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars A Killing Game -
Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2023
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This was a great book. After the first few pages there was never a dull moment. The author did an excellent job of telling a really good story. Well done.
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Gustav
5.0 out of 5 stars First Rate
Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2023
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Excellent story, great writing. Recommend you read this if you like police procedural. I'm supposed to use 20 words. Hah,
One person found this helpful
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D. Zendel
4.0 out of 5 stars Engaging read
Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2023
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Curtis Westcott, Boston’s Chief of Homicide, is used to dealing with murders after the fact, not before. This time, he gets an opportunity to stop a murder before it happens when he catches the case of Renee Charlebois, a 30-something woman who is abducted without a trace. He’s kind of annoyed his superiors have directed him to focus on her case, but she’s connected and her wealthy father can get the governor on the phone in the time it takes to hit send. Curtis and his go-to detectives learn the killer is on a precise schedule and Renee’s time is running out.

This reminded me of the British police procedurals I like so much, except it’s set in Boston. It’s dark and graphic, but still has moments of lightness and hope. I found the concept of stopping a murder before it happens intriguing. I imagine that’s a real sentiment for law enforcement officers. Watching Westcott and his crew figure out the clues kept me entertained while on the elliptical and made the time fly by. Plus, there were enough twists and turns to get my heart rate up even more.

I like Westcott. He’s not the kind of guy to go off half-cocked. “His subconscious stored data and let it sit dormant until some trigger brought it to light. His mind worked that way, piecing together disjointed bits of information and unraveling them like a rebus.” He’s not loud or flashy; he’s just dedicated to the job, and recognizes the importance of stray bits of data that others might disregard. He treats his team well, and the other officers he comes in contact with, but he’s also not afraid to kick ass and take names when necessary. And he has a good grasp of the politics of the job. He’s someone I’d go for a burger with. I will read more in this series.
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Top reviews from other countries

robin
5.0 out of 5 stars Westcott is Jeff's best character to date!
Reviewed in Canada on August 2, 2021
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I've been reading Buicks books since 2004. This is his work at it's best. Westcott is a homicide detective that's brilliant and likable. "A Killing Game" is a delightful read that had me reading voraciously-. The print edition is a likeable format with font and page display. I liked the fingerprints separating sections of the novel. Can hardly wait for "The Wrong Side of Murder" to arrive. Thrilled to embark on this new series.
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Pat Price
5.0 out of 5 stars Super thriller
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 10, 2021
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This is one of the best books I've ever read, and I read a lot of them. It keeps you guessing the answers of the clues and I can't wait to get the next book from this Author.
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Lesley
5.0 out of 5 stars A KILLING GAME
Reviewed in Australia on May 17, 2023
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My gosh couldn’t put it down what a rush fantastic read hopefully there’s more to come recommend to everyone to read
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow. What a book!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 10, 2021
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Could not put this down. From page one it had me hooked. Gripping, very clever and kept us unsure of the outcome until the last page.
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Joe Laratta
5.0 out of 5 stars A thriller from start to finish!
Reviewed in Canada on March 22, 2020
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I thoroughly enjoyed A Killing Game, definitely one of Jeff Buick's best novels. I tried (unsuccessfully) to try to stay ahead of Curtis Westcott and his team as they tried to solve the crime with the clues left behind by the killer, Liem Khilt. But it was fun trying to guess what was going to happen next, while Jeff Buick kept throwing out clever twists and turns. This is a great read, very fast paced and intriguingly plotted. Jeff Buick's narrative is so descriptive that it was easy to picture the settings and characters, and I couldn't help but think this would make a great movie.
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