We All Wish: The Original Kennedy-Meyer Crime Drama

By Vincent J. Gardner

One of the only gritty-cozy, hardboiled, enemies-to-lovers, noir rom-coms ever written. Or, as one reviewer put it: 'Spenser and Susan, but without the over-arching smarm.'

In the best noir tradition, Louisa Meyer just buried wealthy husband number five, and the police have decided she's a person of interest. Detective Alexander Kennedy is definitely interested, just not very professionally.

Alex has a checkered past. Fifteen years ago, an Internet sex bust went haywire and he was charged with entrapment, racketeering and gross indecency. Dumped from the force. Spent a year in the can. From there, life spiralled downward with frightening speed, but he's worked hard to claw his way back to semi-respectability.

Now he's working multiple investigations, one of which leads to Louisa's gleaming waterfront tower and her treasure trove of secrets. So now Alex has to choose: Love or duty? Compassion or law? Investigate Louisa or date her? He can do both for a while, but not forever. Does she represent the crime of the century or the romantic opportunity of a lifetime?

At the heart of every serious crime lies a secret. Alex has been there himself. And with Louisa, the secrets stretch back forty years, becoming heavier with each passing day. To Alex's surprise, she's ready to reveal all, but he's not sure he's ready to listen. One thing's certain, however: he doesn't want to end up as the final line in her diary of misdeeds.

Yes to the em dash, no to AI
Like many of his literary heroes (John Irving, Tana French, Martin Cruz Smith), Vincent Gardner employs the em dash. It helps give his writing an inviting, conversational tone. These days, some readers see the em dash as an AI 'tell'. But not in Gardner's case. He refuses to use AI for any part of the writing adventure, not for ideas, themes, plot lines, writing, editing, revision or cover creation. His work is entirely his own, em dashes and all. Happy reading

More from Vincent Gardner
In short stories and novels, Vincent Gardner explores the humor and absurdity of our human frailty. With an appraiser's eye for detail he picks out the astonishing in the mundane and explores the fine line between togetherness and otherness. His works include:

Kennedy-Meyer crime series:
We All Wish (the original hard-boiled, Kennedy-Meyer enemies-to-lovers crime drama)
Flip (Kennedy-Meyer 2, wherein basements are found to contain riddles, mysteries and danger)

Short stories and novels:
You Say You Want a Revolution (a cunning cat plots the overthrow of humankind)
What Are You Reading, Marilyn Hamel? (short stories of humorous urban angst)
What Happened When I Became Invisible (psychological fiction)
Clearly Now (post-apocalyptic novella)

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1069141216
• ISBN13: 9781069141217
• Release Date: September 2025
• Publisher: Vdq Books
• Length: 174 Pages
• Weight: 0.41 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.3" x 8.0"