In her nationally-bestselling novels, Kiki Swinson ignites an unforgettable portrait of Dirty South scheming, greed, desire--and brutal dead ends. Now the stakes have never been more lethal as a compromised female firefighter starts burning down her all-too-corrupt past . . . Kill your secrets . . . Volunteer Virginia Beach firefighter Alayna Curry used to pride herself on saving lives. But now, determined to conceal her part in an arson-for-insurance scam gone bad, she's using her skills to have the scheme's leader, Tim—her ex-lover—shot dead, claiming it was a robbery. She's carefully set him up to be the ultimate fall guy. And she's ruthlessly aiming to silence more witnesses—which will also get her beloved brother Alonzo out of prison . . . Conceal your lies . . . . . . Until Alayna has to desperately defend herself against Tim's vengeful wife and his other grieving side piece's very public accusations, all while fighting to stay steps ahead of the fellow firefighters she betrayed—and the husband she's long past fallen out of love with . . . Watch your back . . . With a determined FBI agent and the police pulling apart her story—and her lies—bit by bit, Alayna recklessly plays her most dangerous trump card to free Alonzo and clear her name for good. But will one body too many be the catalyst that finally blows her chances of escape, and survival, to pieces?
Kiki Swinson Book order
Kiki Swinson discovered her flair for writing after completing her first novel while serving a five-year sentence in federal prison. Upon her release, she went on to self-publish her debut novel. Her passion for writing did not stop there, as she feverishly penned a second novel, which was subsequently published. Following the success of that work, Swinson wrote sequels and further novels, establishing a significant literary presence.






- 2024
- 2023
National bestselling author Kiki Swinson's novels set it off with killer plot twists, merciless characters—and an unsparing portrayal of Southern struggling, lying, betraying . . . and dying. Now everything is on the line as a female firefighter desperate for money gets caught up in a man-made disaster . . . Set your schemes . . . A volunteer Virginia Beach firefighter, Alayna Curry faces death every day—and is proud to carry on her retired father's legacy. But with cash always tight and her long-time boyfriend Levi pressuring her to give up what she loves to make more money, she knows she needs more cash flow to stay afloat. . . Set your traps . . . All Alayna has to do is keep quiet about a scheme to burn down buildings for insurance-hungry “clients.” And for a while she’s on fire from the rush, making insane cash—and finding new passion in all the wrong places. But when the money suddenly stops rolling in—and one “client” after another pushes back against the deal—Alayna and the rest of the crew stop watching out for each other and start fighting for their lives . . . Set your life on fire . . . Now with the cops turning up the heat and every firefighter for themselves, Alayna must walk an impossible line to get out from under. But between betrayal, secrets, and broken duty, will what loyalty she has left be the one thing that burns her life to the ground for good?
- 2022
Playing Their Games
- 256 pages
- 9 hours of reading
While interning at one of Manhattan's most prestigious law firms run by brilliant twin brothers who are also her parents' friends, Yoshi Lomax discovers a secret society fueled by limitless desires and, armed with secrets too deadly to keep, must leverage her skills and unpredictable maneuvers to take them down
- 2021
In this, page-turning prequel to the Playing Dirty and Notorious duology, national bestselling author Kiki Swinson never lets up with her high-octane depictions of striving and scheming in the Dirty South, taking readers on a wild ride to the early days of Yoshi Lomax, when she was an ambitious law student making her way in the privileged circles of academia. The perfect storm . . . Young, irreverent, and reckless, Yoshi is struggling to make good at her prestigious college and keep her demanding mother off her back, while living the good life with her peers. But between the overwhelming workload and hostile professors, she’s on the verge of flunking out. Yet that’s the least of her troubles when her roommate, Gia, winds up in a coma, and Yoshi finds her diary—and a library’s worth of shocking, extremely valuable secrets . . . The perfect edge . . . For the school’s elite-of-the-elite students, their perfect transcripts, priceless connections, and endless entitlements are fueled by an all-consuming round of drug deals, sex, trading favors—and killer leverage. And in spite of her idealistic friend’s warnings, Yoshi is convinced she can handle it all . . . The perfect trap . . . Until Yoshi discovers that every little lie, dirty secret, and easy betrayal is hiding a secret even she isn’t willing to keep. Now with everything she cares about on the line, she must make a wrenching choice that could cost her more than her life . . .
- 2021
National bestselling author Kiki Swinson amps up the action and suspense with unpredictable characters, breakneck twists, and a gut-punch portrait of Southern surviving--and dying. Now the odds are straight-up killer when a private eye gets in way over her head... Too much to prove... A former journalist with a knack for unraveling dirty secrets, Khloé Mercer figures if she's going to risk her life, she might as well make big money as a private investigator. But this reckless newbie needs a major case to make her name--and really show she can handle Norfolk, Virginia's toughest streets... Too much to hide... When a narcotics detective's widow needs someone to investigate her disgraced husband's so-called suicide, Khloé jumps at the lucrative fee--and the clues that the Norfolk Police Department is rotten from top to bottom. And with formidable backup from her ex-felon uncle, she turns the city upside-down to uncover the truth... Too late to run... But Khloé's cage-rattling tactics and high-wire strategies threaten both the cops and the city's brutal underworld alike. Now, with her life in the crosshairs and no one she can trust, she'll find that building a reputation comes with a price she may not survive to pay...
- 2020
Kiki Swinson's novels crackle with breakneck triple-twists and no-limits characters. Now she shatters all expectations, as a young woman serving time must survive a prisoner-abuse conspiracy... Trust no one Misty Heiress killed her abusive boyfriend in self-defense. But in jail, violent female gangs paid off by her enemies keep her fearing for her life--and land her in the hospital. From there, a medical testing facility is her one dubious hope for some kind of safety. Watch your back But from the moment she hits the yard, she and other prisoners are victimized by illegal medical experiments. Injected with lethal diseases and made a test subject for experimental vaccines, she's clinging to determination by the slimmest thread--until she forms an alliance with a Corrections Officer. Survive the night Now she's got unexpected help--and thanks to the Corrections Officer, a risky plan to escape. But her only way out means racking up bodies. And as lethal obstacles pile ever higher, she soon may not have any future to save.
- 2020
The Deadline
- 240 pages
- 9 hours of reading
National bestselling author Kiki Swinson always ups the ante with shocking twists, relentless characters, and a hard-edged portrait of Southern living—and dying. Now all bets are off as a newbie journalist desperate for the spotlight plunges into a killer story... Anything for the fame As an off-air TV news journalist, Khloé Mercer covers the tough Norfolk, Virginia, neighborhood she grew up in. But between a hostile boss and stiff competition, she has to break a major exclusive to save her job—and lock down the coveted anchor desk slot she feels she deserves... Anything for the lies When a murder takes place on her home turf, Khloé has easy access to the dirty truth behind it. But she’ll have to decide whether to exploit every angle and leverage any favor to make her career explode big-time—or keep quiet and keep herself, and her family, safe. Until the choice is out of her hands... Anything to stay alive Once the ruthless power brokers behind the hit put Khloé in their sights, they start brutally cleaning up loose ends. Now with an inescapable target on her back and odds racking up against her, she’ll find nowhere is safe, and ambition may be her most dangerous enemy...
- 2019
Schemes
- 352 pages
- 13 hours of reading
DEVIL IN SHEEP’S CLOTHINGKIKI SWINSONKarlie Houston hasn't seen a raise in forever, but the payday loan office she manages is raking in the cash. So why not get what she's rightfully owed by masterminding a heist? Once her lover Sidney's boys hit all the company's locations at one time, there's a fortune to split. But suddenly bodies start dropping—and Karlie better devise the perfect plan to survive… TWISTED DECEPTIONSAUNDRA Raised by a ruthless mother, Yazz Armstrong lives by “scheme or die.” So she's cool with helping her man, Kevon, take control of head dealer Caesar’s territory. And when the fallout racks up unexpected casualties, Yazz finds Caesar's bed a refuge—and his empire hers to help rule. Too bad someone with an even more lethal agenda won't stop ’til Yazz and her dreams crash and burn for good… “Kiki captures the heat of the streets.”—Wahida Clark “Saundra offers insight into the ruthless drug game but also offers hope and redemption. Fans of Sistah Souljah’s groundbreaking The Coldest Winter Ever will immediately note similarities to that powerful novel in Saundra’s writing.”—Library Journal on Her Sweetest Revenge
- 2019
The Safe House
- 256 pages
- 9 hours of reading
Packed with “high suspense” and “memorable choices and consequences” ( Booklist ) Kiki Swinson’s novels sizzle with brutally unpredictable characters, breakneck plotting—and a uniquely gritty portrait of Southern life. Now she breaks all the rules as a young woman with two targets on her back tries to keep those she loves—and herself—alive . . . Run for coverIt was supposed to be easy money. A few exchanges for cash, one big payoff, and then life would be better than ever with bills all paid and money in her pocket. But the plan fell apart and now she’s made an enemy. He’s a drug cartel leader out to destroy any competition—and get payback by any means necessary . . . Play for timeUnder federal protection, she’s only steps ahead as the cartel leader starts killing off her family and friends. When he kidnaps a relative and demands her in exchange, she and a desperate DEA agent work a bold switch to nail him. But the fallout is disastrous—and deadly . . . Do anything to surviveNow the local police are closing in on her as the prime suspect in her abusive boyfriend’s disappearance. She’s got no choice but to ditch the feds and take down her merciless pursuer on her own. But with no options, no help, and the clock running down, this not-so-innocent victim’s only shot may be the one risk that takes her out for good . . .
- 2019
"At first, Misty Heiress just wants to help. With her cousin Jillian in constant pain, and the doctor refusing to prescribe, Misty steals opioids from the Virginia Beach pharmacy where she works. But when Jillian starts reselling them to local dealers and gets big money, Misty grabs an unbelievable opportunity to get out of debt--and fulfill all of her and Jillian's dreams... Misty soon realizes that her boss, Sanjay, has the same idea, ordering more drugs than patients need and always being out of stock. And when the new pharmacy owner takes an interest in Misty, she knows that time is running out for her and Jillian to make their plans work... But then the Feds come calling...and Sanjay's mafia partners want to increase orders...and Jillian's bringing in partners to rob the pharmacy. It's all too much for Misty. It's only a matter of time before everyone's plans to make money will have them all paying the ultimate price..."--Provided by publisher