Emma Bowles, wife of successful businessman Martin Bowles, discovers that her life is in danger. To ease her mind, Martin hires Denker, an out-of-town bodyguard, to protect her from harm. Which is good--except she suffers two near-fatal accidents on Denker's watch. Unsure of anything anymore, she does the only sensible thing a damsel in distress can do: she calls on the detectives of the 87th Precinct.

Detectives Steve Carella and Meyer Meyer are quickly suspicious of the entire setup--and of Denker in particular. Meanwhile the dramatic events surrounding the murder of Carella's father are finally revealed...Torn between personal tragedy and the day-to-day of his job, Carella struggles to find an attempted murderer while he desperately searches for the solace he needs to carry on.

A fascinating performance from crime fiction icon Ed McBain, Kiss takes the gritty glare of his famed 87th Precinct and focuses intensely on personal struggles as well as the nature of justice.