Dangerous Play

by Elise Hart Kipness

Overview

From the author of Lights Out comes sports reporter Kate Green’s next harrowing story, where a famous former teammate is found murdered, and the only way to close the case is to open up old wounds.

After a tumultuous murder case that almost cost more than her job, sports reporter Kate Green is back on assignment covering women’s Olympic soccer. Between her experience with athletic stardom and days playing with Savannah Baker, head coach of the USA team, Kate is sure to get the story that will reestablish her career.

She just didn’t expect that story to involve murder.

When famous jewelry designer Alexa Kane is found dead in the locker room, Kate’s promising future screeches to a halt as her past resurfaces. Alexa played with Kate and Savannah on the U.S. Youth National Team, but there was no reason for her to be at the stadium now.

Kate’s investigation puts her in close contact with her estranged father, an NYPD detective who has his own past to answer for. As their secrets collide, Kate will have to decide which ones to keep—and which ones to reveal to stop the killer.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781662512681
Publisher:	Amazon Publishing
Publication date:	09/17/2024
Series:	Kate Green , #2
Pages:	286
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Elise Hart Kipness is a television sports reporter turned crime fiction writer. Dangerous Play is based on Elise’s experience in the high-pressure, adrenaline-pumping world of live TV. Like her protagonist, Elise chased marquee athletes through the tunnels of Madison Square Garden and stood before glaring lights reporting to national audiences.

In addition to reporting for Fox Sports Network, Elise was a reporter at New York’s WNBC-TV, News 12 Long Island, and the Associated Press. She is currently copresident of Sisters in Crime Connecticut. When not writing, Elise loves reading and binge-watching thrillers, and she will fight you for the last scoop of coffee ice cream.

A graduate of Brown University, Elise has two college-age sons. Elise, her husband, and their three labradoodles split time between Key West, Florida, and Stamford, Connecticut.

Editorial Reviews

Hart Kipness knows her territory the way Messi knows the pitch. Dangerous Play is a surefire winner.” —Reed Farrel Coleman, New York Times bestselling author of Blind to Midnight

“Crime comes to the Olympics in the captivating new Kate Green thriller. With a flair for conveying the complexity of friendships, and a meticulous eye for anything sports, Elise Hart Kipness delivers another big win.” —Tessa Wegert, author of Devils at the Door

“Hart Kipness writes with impressive authority and specificity about the worlds of sports and sports reporting, and her skillful treatment of the human relationships at the heart of the mystery makes this a must-read thriller!” —Sarah Stewart Taylor, author of the Maggie D’arcy series

From the Publisher

2024-08-03
A sports reporter’s links to a high-profile murder compel her to investigate.

Kate Green, a former Olympic gold medalist in soccer, is covering a high-stakes match the U.S. Women’s National Team is playing at Yankee Stadium. Reconnecting with old colleagues brings up some unsettling memories, and several controversies surround the current roster, including threats they’ve allegedly made against a competing team. The U.S. team’s celebration after their victory is short-circuited when Kate’s former teammate Alexa Kane, now a celebrity jewelry designer, is found dead in an ice bath in the training room. The death, which is clearly murder, triggers intermittent flashbacks for Kate about her complicated relationship with Alexa, which ended after a hazing incident 30 years ago. Kipness adds suspense by doling out the details of the hazing gradually through the rest of the story. When she’s questioned by aggressive special agent Mae Flynn, Kate fails to mention that she and Alexa have a history. Could her failure to disclose it jeopardize her journalistic career? She decides to probe the mystery on her own, motivated by a combination of guilt, curiosity, and an unexpected email that she had received from Alexa shortly before her death but that Kate didn’t discover till later, after she returned home. The plot in Kate’s second case is a bit unwieldy, featuring an overabundance of suspects past and present, each with an attendant backstory. But Kipness’ depiction of the world of women’s sports, featuring crisp character portraits, is both relevant and well executed.

A brisk whodunit set in the world of women’s soccer that arrives at an appropriate moment.

Kirkus Reviews