Romantic Suspense Archives

Dead Man’s List by Karen Rose [Book Review]

Posted on March 4, 2025February 26, 2025 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Dead Man’s List

Author: Karen Rose

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: March 4, 2025

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Series: Romantic Suspense #31, San Diego Case Files #3

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

On a long-anticipated second date with police psychologist Dr. Sam Reeves—right as things are getting steamy—Kit stumbles across the mutilated body of a local San Diego politician. The man was loved by many of his constituents but is hated and reviled by many more. That the suspect list is long surprises no one, but exactly who ends up on it stuns Kit and her team.

As the SDPD reveal the victim’s sinister dealings, Kit and Sam are forced to navigate the closely guarded world of the city’s richest and most powerful citizens to find answers. But time is rapidly running out, with their sources of information dropping like flies as the killer methodically eliminates loose ends—and anyone else who stands in the way.

MY REVIEW

Kit and Sam are on a date when they stumble across the dead body of a local politician. Kit is a detective and Sam is a police psychologist. This investigation takes them into the world of some of San Diego’s most powerful citizens.

Dead Man’s List is the third book in the San Diego Case Files series, and the thirty-first book in the Romantic Suspense series by Karen Rose. While Dead Man’s List can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading the first two books, Cold Blooded Liar and Cheater, before this one.

Well-developed and interesting characters. Dead Man’s List is a fast-paced and intriguing thriller.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Karen Rose:

Don’t Tell (Chicago #1)
Have You Seen Her?
I’m Watching You (Chicago #2)
Nothing to Fear (Chicago #3)
You Can’t Hide (Chicago #4)
Count to Ten (Chicago #5)
Die for Me (Daniel Vartanian #1)
Scream for Me (Daniel Vartanian #2)
Kill for Me (Daniel Vartanian #3)
I Can See You (Minneapolis #1)
Silent Scream (Minneapolis #2)
You Belong to Me (Baltimore #1)
No One Left to Tell (Baltimore #2)
Did You Miss Me? (Baltimore #3)
Watch Your Back (Baltimore #4)
Closer Than You Think (Cincinnati #1)
Alone in the Dark (Cincinnati #2)
Every Dark Corner (Cincinnati #3)
Monster in the Closet (Baltimore #5)
Edge of Darkness (Cincinnati #4)
Death Is Not Enough (Baltimore #6)
Say You’re Sorry (Sacramento #1)
Into the Dark (Cincinnati #5)
Say No More (Sacramento #2)
Say Goodbye (Sacramento #3)
Quarter to Midnight (New Orleans #1)
Cold Blooded Liar (San Diego #1)
Beneath Dark Waters (New Orleans #2)
Cheater (San Diego #2)
Buried Too Deep (New Orleans #3)
Dead Man’s List (San Diego #3)

Buried Too Deep by Karen Rose [Book Review]

Posted on December 28, 2024February 26, 2025 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Buried Too Deep

Author: Karen Rose

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: August 13, 2024

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Series: Romantic Suspense #30, New Orleans #3

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead.

Employed as the nighttime security guard of Broussard Investigations, Phineas Bishop has been working through overwhelming PTSD episodes from his army service while still utilizing his military skills. But when a violent break-in occurs at the office, the accusatory eyes of the NOPD are on Phin, and he resolves to track down the intruder and clear his name.

Phin’s only lead is Cora Winslow, a spirited librarian who also needs answers. The body of her father, murdered twenty-three years ago, has just been discovered under a recently demolished building. So who has been sending her handwritten letters—written and signed by her father—every year since she was five? Someone wants to keep Cora in the dark. And now, they’re coming for her.

As Cora’s self-appointed bodyguard, Phin is surprised by his growing fondness for the woman and her fierce determination and research prowess. But New Orleans’s Garden District holds secrets as old as the streets themselves. With help from the entire Broussard P.I. team, Phin and Cora enter a labyrinth of fraud and homicide that threatens to bury them all.

MY REVIEW

Phineas is a security guard working when a violent break-in occurs. The police look at Phineas as a suspect. Cora is a witness, and looking for answers of her own. Phineas and Cora are drawn into a world of secrets and homicide.

Buried Too Deep is the thirtieth book in the Romantic Suspense series by Karen Rose. It is the third book in the New Orleans series. I have read the other books in this series, so I was excited to read this latest one.

Well-developed and interesting characters in an intriguing story. Buried Too Deep is a fast-paced and intense thriller.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Karen Rose:

Don’t Tell (Chicago #1)
Have You Seen Her?
I’m Watching You (Chicago #2)
Nothing to Fear (Chicago #3)
You Can’t Hide (Chicago #4)
Count to Ten (Chicago #5)
Die for Me (Daniel Vartanian #1)
Scream for Me (Daniel Vartanian #2)
Kill for Me (Daniel Vartanian #3)
I Can See You (Minneapolis #1)
Silent Scream (Minneapolis #2)
You Belong to Me (Baltimore #1)
No One Left to Tell (Baltimore #2)
Did You Miss Me? (Baltimore #3)
Watch Your Back (Baltimore #4)
Closer Than You Think (Cincinnati #1)
Alone in the Dark (Cincinnati #2)
Every Dark Corner (Cincinnati #3)
Monster in the Closet (Baltimore #5)
Edge of Darkness (Cincinnati #4)
Death Is Not Enough (Baltimore #6)
Say You’re Sorry (Sacramento #1)
Into the Dark (Cincinnati #5)
Say No More (Sacramento #2)
Say Goodbye (Sacramento #3)
Quarter to Midnight (New Orleans #1)
Cold Blooded Liar (San Diego #1)
Beneath Dark Waters (New Orleans #2)
Cheater (San Diego #2)
Buried Too Deep (New Orleans #3)
Dead Man’s List (San Diego #3)

It Had to Be You by Eliza Jane Brazier [Book Review]

Posted on December 28, 2024December 28, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: It Had to Be You

Author: Eliza Jane Brazier

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: July 16, 2024

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

Two contract killers, each with a hit out on the other, must fight their growing attraction as they face off in an epic game of lust and murder across Western Europe.

When Eva and Jonathan hook up on the sleeper train from Florence to Paris, they think they’ll never see each other again. Which is too bad, because neither has ever felt a spark like this for another person. But love isn’t on the agenda in their line of work.

Six months later, they run into each other in the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles. This encounter is not by chance, because Eva has been hired to kill Jonathan. She’s a contract killer, but what she doesn’t know is that he is too.

Their meeting kicks off a high-stakes adventure across Western Europe. There will be tourism. There will be bodies. Eva and Jonathan might even fall for each other.

As the two get closer to completing their assignments, it becomes clear that they are also being hunted—by something even more dangerous than love. . . .

MY REVIEW

Two contract killers, Eva and Jonathan, meet by chance and fall for one another. They soon realize they have been hired to kill one another.

Flawed characters in a quirky story. It Had to Be You is told from the alternating points of view of Eva and Jonathan. They are damaged, but likable characters. The story is fun and the romance is steamy.

It Had to Be You is a fast-paced romantic thriller. Exciting and suspenseful.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Eliza Jane Brazier:

If I Disappear
Good Rich People
Girls and Their Horses
It Had to Be You

Liar’s Point by Laura Griffin [Book Review]

Posted on June 28, 2024June 28, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Liar’s Point

Author: Laura Griffin

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: May 21, 2024

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Series: The Texas Murder Files #5

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

Two homicide detectives must separate the puzzling truth from a growing web of lies while investigating a murder victim’s friends and lovers in Lost Beach, Texas.

Detective Nicole Lawson is fed up with her job and nonexistent love life. Her first date in months gets cut short by an urgent call from the chief of police. A body has been discovered at Lighthouse Point, and the medical examiner finds an array of strange clues. When the death is ruled a homicide, the news quickly reverberates through Nicole’s beachside hometown.

The Lost Beach police department swings into high gear. Leading the investigation is Emmet Davis, a veteran detective who is Nicole’s fiercest rival at work and also the man she has secretly harbored feelings toward for years. With Emmet calling the shots, Nicole sets out to search for leads, starting with the enigmatic yoga instructor who first discovered the body. Nicole is certain the witness knows more than she’s revealing and may even hold the key to unlocking the case.

When another person turns up dead under suspicious circumstances, Nicole sees a bizarre pattern, but no one believes her theory. Under the gun to solve the case, Nicole must put aside her tumultuous feelings and work closely with Emmet to figure out who is targeting her beloved hometown . . . before she becomes a target herself.

MY REVIEW

Nicole is a detective in a small town. While out one night, she is called to a crime scene. When another crime is later committed, Nicole believes everything is connected.

Liar’s Point is the fifth book in The Texas Murder Files series. While this book is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone.

This book is told using multiple points of view. One of the viewpoints is Nicole. She wants more in her love life and work life. She has a competitive relationship with Emmett, another detective. He is another POV, and is working the case with Nicole.

Liar’s Point is a combination of mystery and romance. A fun and entertaining romantic suspense.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in The Texas Murder Files series:

Hidden
Flight
Midnight Dunes
Deep Tide
Liar’s Point

Cheater by Karen Rose [Book Review]

Posted on June 25, 2024February 26, 2025 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Cheater

Author: Karen Rose

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: March 26, 2024

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Series: Romantic Suspense #29, San Diego #2

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

Death is not an unfamiliar visitor to Shady Oaks Retirement Village, which provides San Diego with premier elderly support from independent retiree housing to full-time hospice care. But when a resident’s body is found brutally stabbed and his apartment ransacked, it’s clear there’s someone deadly in their community. Detective Katherine “Kit” McKittrick quickly discovers that Shady Oaks is full of skeleton-riddled closets, and most tenants prefer to keep their doors firmly closed to the SDPD.

A longtime volunteer at the retirement facility, Dr. Sam Reeves honors his late grandfather’s memory by playing the piano for the residents regularly. So it shouldn’t be such a surprise when Kit crosses paths with him during her investigation, after she’d avoided the criminal psychologist—and the emotions he evokes—for the last six months.

Sam’s rapport within the retirement village proves vital to the case, and the pair find themselves working together once again—much to Kit’s dismay. But she is determined to apprehend the shadow of death lurking around Shady Oaks…and equally determined to ignore the feelings she’s developing for a certain psychologist.

MY REVIEW

Murder in a retirement community. Kit and Sam are back, and still need one another to solve a case. Kit is the detective investigating the case. Sam is a volunteer at the retirement community, and a criminal psychologist.

Cheater is the 29th book in the Romantic Suspense series by Karen Rose. It is the second book in the San Diego case files series. Kit and Sam were introduced in the first book, Cold Blooded Liar. While Cheater can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading Cold Blooded Liar first.

Well-developed characters in a fast paced and intriguing story. Cheater is a suspenseful and entertaining thriller.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Karen Rose:

Don’t Tell (Chicago #1)
Have You Seen Her?
I’m Watching You (Chicago #2)
Nothing to Fear (Chicago #3)
You Can’t Hide (Chicago #4)
Count to Ten (Chicago #5)
Die for Me (Daniel Vartanian #1)
Scream for Me (Daniel Vartanian #2)
Kill for Me (Daniel Vartanian #3)
I Can See You (Minneapolis #1)
Silent Scream (Minneapolis #2)
You Belong to Me (Baltimore #1)
No One Left to Tell (Baltimore #2)
Did You Miss Me? (Baltimore #3)
Watch Your Back (Baltimore #4)
Closer Than You Think (Cincinnati #1)
Alone in the Dark (Cincinnati #2)
Every Dark Corner (Cincinnati #3)
Monster in the Closet (Baltimore #5)
Edge of Darkness (Cincinnati #4)
Death Is Not Enough (Baltimore #6)
Say You’re Sorry (Sacramento #1)
Into the Dark (Cincinnati #5)
Say No More (Sacramento #2)
Say Goodbye (Sacramento #3)
Quarter to Midnight (New Orleans #1)
Cold Blooded Liar (San Diego #1)
Beneath Dark Waters (New Orleans #2)
Cheater (San Diego #2)
Buried Too Deep (New Orleans #3)
Dead Man’s List (San Diego #3)

The Last Close Call by Laura Griffin [Book Review]

Posted on December 28, 2023January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: The Last Close Call

Author: Laura Griffin

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: October 24, 2023

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

Forensic genealogist Rowan Healy has made a name for herself by helping investigators trace the family trees of violent criminals who have eluded justice for years. But the pressure of police cases left her burned out, and she’s shifted her focus to helping adoptees find their biological parents.

Austin detective Jack Bruner has spent his career successfully tracking down vicious criminals—with the notable exception of the West Campus Rapist, a meticulous offender in Texas who has never been identified. When the latest two victims come to light, Jack sees his target is escalating his violent behavior—and only with Rowan’s help does he stand a chance of cracking this case.

Moved by Jack’s dedication and the brutal details of the attacks he lays out, Rowan agrees to help. When her ground-breaking DNA research sheds new light on the criminal’s background and helps them zero in on a search radius, Rowan and Jack must race against the clock to find a ruthless killer who’s growing bolder the longer he evades the law.

MY REVIEW

A Texas detective wants to solve a cold case. A genealogist is brought in to help. They work together to locate a ruthless killer.

The Last Close Call is told using the alternating points of view of Rowan and Jack. Rowan prefers to use her genealogist skills to help adoptees find their biological families. She is hesitant to work with the police, but Jack convinces her to help. Jack is haunted by the case of a serial rapist that he believes is back, and now killing his victims.

Likable and interesting characters and an intriguing mystery. Recommended for fans of romantic suspense and dark mysteries.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Laura Griffin:

Far Gone
Last Seen Alone
Vanishing Hour
The Last Close Call

Beneath Dark Waters by Karen Rose [Book Review]

Posted on December 27, 2023February 26, 2025 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Beneath Dark Waters

Author: Karen Rose

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: August 15, 2023

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Series: Romantic Suspense #28, New Orleans #2

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

There’s no safe place for a child to hide when danger comes from every direction.

Public prosecutor J.P. “Kaj” Cardozo has only lived in New Orleans for six months, and he’s already working on a high-profile celebrity sexual assault case that’s made headlines all over the country. But when his son becomes the target of a kidnapping attempt as a threat to Kaj, he is desperate to keep him safe and turns to a private investigative firm famous for their protection services.

A veteran Marine, Val Sorensen is glad to have found a new career with Broussard Investigations. Her latest assignment as the bodyguard to ten-year-old Elijah Cardozo reminds her why—Val is a kick ass guardian with a tender heart. Through her duties, Val grows fond of the boy—and his handsome father.

But when the high-stakes investigation reveals an explosive network of crime through a revived drug gang, lingering deep-seated corruption in the NOPD, and a group of murderers-for-hire targeting Kaj, Elijah, and his star client, they’re all left scrambling for safety…

MY REVIEW

Kaj is a public prosecutor in New Orleans working on a high-profile case. His son was targeted in a kidnapping, so Kaj hires a bodyguard for him. Val is the body guard. As the investigation into the case reveals more crimes, Kaj, his son, and his client become targets.

Beneath Dark Waters is the 28th book in the Romantic Suspense series by Karen Rose. It is the second book in the New Orleans series. I have read the other books in this series, so I was excited to read this latest book.

The characters are well-developed and realistic. The story is fast paced and intriguing. Beneath Dark Waters is an intense and atmospheric novel.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Karen Rose:

Don’t Tell (Chicago #1)
Have You Seen Her?
I’m Watching You (Chicago #2)
Nothing to Fear (Chicago #3)
You Can’t Hide (Chicago #4)
Count to Ten (Chicago #5)
Die for Me (Daniel Vartanian #1)
Scream for Me (Daniel Vartanian #2)
Kill for Me (Daniel Vartanian #3)
I Can See You (Minneapolis #1)
Silent Scream (Minneapolis #2)
You Belong to Me (Baltimore #1)
No One Left to Tell (Baltimore #2)
Did You Miss Me? (Baltimore #3)
Watch Your Back (Baltimore #4)
Closer Than You Think (Cincinnati #1)
Alone in the Dark (Cincinnati #2)
Every Dark Corner (Cincinnati #3)
Monster in the Closet (Baltimore #5)
Edge of Darkness (Cincinnati #4)
Death Is Not Enough (Baltimore #6)
Say You’re Sorry (Sacramento #1)
Into the Dark (Cincinnati #5)
Say No More (Sacramento #2)
Say Goodbye (Sacramento #3)
Quarter to Midnight (New Orleans #1)
Cold Blooded Liar (San Diego #1)
Beneath Dark Waters (New Orleans #2)
Cheater (San Diego #2)
Buried Too Deep (New Orleans #3)
Dead Man’s List (San Diego #3)

Deep Tide by Laura Griffin [Book Review]

Posted on December 27, 2023June 28, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Deep Tide

Author: Laura Griffin

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: April 25, 2023

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Series: The Texas Murder Files #4

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

An undercover FBI agent and a coffee shop owner who values her independence must team up when a local barista is found dead in their coastal Texas town in this new romantic thriller from New York Times bestselling author Laura Griffin.

With two brothers on the police force, Leyla Breda is well aware of the rising crime in her small beach town, but she never expected it to show up on her doorstep. When Leyla finds one of her employees murdered in the alley behind her coffee shop, she’s deeply shaken, and as a new law enforcement officer in town begins to circle her place of business, her instincts only sharpen.

Sean Moran is on an undercover mission: The seaside community of Lost Beach may look like a picturesque postcard, but his team suspects it’s a point of intersection for several crime syndicates that the FBI has been investigating for years. Even so, when the brash and beautiful Leyla Breda starts bossing him around, he’s immediately intrigued. He knows her brothers want him to back off, but every time he sees her, he feels more of a spark.

Leyla’s connections in the local community and Sean’s skills allow them to go deeper into the case together than they would be able to go alone. But when a single crime spirals into something much darker, Sean’s carefully planned mission takes a deadly turn.

MY REVIEW

Leyla finds one of her employees murdered body in the alley behind her coffee shop. Sean is an undercover FBI agent in town on an assignment. Leyla and Sean want to solve these cases, but they are also immediately attracted to one another.

Deep Tide is the fourth book in The Texas Murder Files series. While this book is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone.

There are two investigations happening in Deep Tide. The murder of Leyla’s employee and Sean’s case. Sean quickly believes the cases are related, and starts working with the detective on the murder case. This book is told using three points of view – Leyla, Sean, and Nicole. Nicole is the local detective. The setting is a small beach town in Texas.

A combination of mystery and romance. Deep Tide is a fun and suspenseful addition to this series.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the The Texas Murder Files series:

Hidden
Flight
Midnight Dunes
Deep Tide
Liar’s Point

Vanishing Hour by Laura Griffin [Book Review]

Posted on December 18, 2023January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Vanishing Hour

Author: Laura Griffin

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: October 25, 2022

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

Corporate lawyer Ava Burch has had enough of the big city and the daily grind. She grew up with her father, who raised search-and-rescue dogs, in rural Texas and has moved to the small town of Cuervo to spend time in the dry, rugged wilderness near Big Bend National Park. When she and her dog, Huck, discover an abandoned campsite on a volunteer search-and-rescue mission, she’s perplexed, but she carefully photographs it all the same.

All Grant Wycoff can see when he looks at Ava is a city slicker–with her designer jeans and shiny car–who has no business on a serious team made of seasoned outdoorsmen and retired cops. But when she tells him of her findings on the trail, he sees there’s more to her than meets the eye.

Ava’s discovery reminds Grant of the unsolved case of a young woman who went missing two years ago. As they look into the campsite further, another woman disappears under odd circumstances. With time running out, Ava and Grant must work against the brutal heat from both the Texas sun and their own electric chemistry to solve the case.

MY REVIEW

A corporate attorney, Ava, tired of the city moves to a rural town in Texas. Ava practices law in the small town, and volunteers with her dog doing search-and-rescue. When she discovers an abandoned campsite, she reports it to the authorities. When she and a local detective, Grant, return to the site, they find it gone. Grant suspects the site is connected to a missing person cold case. When another woman goes missing, they work to quickly solve the case.

Vanishing Hour is told through the alternating points of view of Ava and Grant. The characters were realistic and believable. This is a romantic suspense novel, but the mystery is at the forefront.

A fast-paced and enjoyable mystery. Recommended for fans of romantic suspense.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Laura Griffin:

Far Gone
Last Seen Alone
Vanishing Hour
The Last Close Call

Cold Blooded Liar by Karen Rose [Book Review]

Posted on July 8, 2023February 26, 2025 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Cold Blooded Liar

Author: Karen Rose

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: February 28, 2023

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Series: Romantic Suspense #27, San Diego #1

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

Sam Reeves is a kindhearted psychologist who treats court-ordered clients. After one of his patients—a pathological liar—starts revealing plausible new details from a long-unsolved serial murder case, he’s compelled to report anonymously to the SDPD tip line, though his attempts to respect patient confidentiality land him facedown and cuffed by the aggressive (and cute) Detective McKittrick.

San Diego homicide detective Kit McKittrick loves the water. She lives on a boat, and when she’s not solving crimes with the SDPD, she’s assisting her foster sister with her charter fishing business or playing with her poodle. But there’s nothing that intrigues Kit more than a cold case, so when an anonymous caller leads her on the path of a wanted killer, she’s determined to end the decade-long manhunt.

Sam is soon released but goes home with both a newfound distaste for the SDPD and a resolve—not unlike Kit’s—to uncover the truth. Kit and Sam repeatedly butt heads in their separate investigations but are forced to work together to find one of the deadliest serial killers the city has faced in years.

MY REVIEW

Sam is a psychologist whose client knows details about an unsolved murder. Kit is a detective who wants to solve the cold case Sam may have information about. They both want to solve the case, and have to work together to do so.

Cold Blooded Liar is the 27th book in the Romantic Suspense series by Karen Rose. It is the first book in the San Diego series. I have read and enjoyed other books by Rose, so I was excited to read her latest book.

The characters are well-developed and realistic. The story is fast paced and intriguing. Cold Blooded Liar is an intense and thrilling novel.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Karen Rose:

Don’t Tell (Chicago #1)
Have You Seen Her?
I’m Watching You (Chicago #2)
Nothing to Fear (Chicago #3)
You Can’t Hide (Chicago #4)
Count to Ten (Chicago #5)
Die for Me (Daniel Vartanian #1)
Scream for Me (Daniel Vartanian #2)
Kill for Me (Daniel Vartanian #3)
I Can See You (Minneapolis #1)
Silent Scream (Minneapolis #2)
You Belong to Me (Baltimore #1)
No One Left to Tell (Baltimore #2)
Did You Miss Me? (Baltimore #3)
Watch Your Back (Baltimore #4)
Closer Than You Think (Cincinnati #1)
Alone in the Dark (Cincinnati #2)
Every Dark Corner (Cincinnati #3)
Monster in the Closet (Baltimore #5)
Edge of Darkness (Cincinnati #4)
Death Is Not Enough (Baltimore #6)
Say You’re Sorry (Sacramento #1)
Into the Dark (Cincinnati #5)
Say No More (Sacramento #2)
Say Goodbye (Sacramento #3)
Quarter to Midnight (New Orleans #1)
Cold Blooded Liar (San Diego #1)
Beneath Dark Waters (New Orleans #2)
Cheater (San Diego #2)
Buried Too Deep (New Orleans #3)
Dead Man’s List (San Diego #3)

Quarter to Midnight by Karen Rose [Book Review]

Posted on July 7, 2023February 26, 2025 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Quarter to Midnight

Author: Karen Rose

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: August 2, 2022

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Series: Romantic Suspense #26, New Orleans #1

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

Good cops. Bad cops. Only one will win.

After completing her tours with the Marines in Iraq, Molly Sutton knew she could take down any bad guy she met. But when a family tragedy exposes the dark side of her local police, she joined up with her former CO Burke Broussard, who left New Orleans PD to set up a private investigative service for people who couldn’t find justice elsewhere.

Gabe Hebert saw the toll that working for the NOPD took on his dad and decided instead to make a name for himself as one of the best young chefs in the French Quarter. But when his father’s death is ruled a suicide after a deliberately botched investigation by his former captain, Gabe knows his dad stumbled onto a truth that someone wants silenced.

Gabe goes to his father’s best friend, Burke, for help. Burke assigns the toughest member of his team, Molly, to the case. Molly can’t believe she’s being asked to work with the smoking hot chef whose chocolate cake is not the only thing that makes her mouth water. Sparks fly as they follow the leads Gabe’s dad left them, unraveling a web of crimes, corruption, and murder that runs all the way to the top.

MY REVIEW

Molly moves to New Orleans and works as a private investigator. Gabe, a chef, hires her agency to investigate his father’s death.

Quarter to Midnight is the 26th book in the Romantic Suspense series by Karen Rose. It is the first book in the New Orleans series. I have read other books by Rose, and was excited to read a new one set in New Orleans.

The characters are well-developed and realistic. The attraction between Molly and Gabe is strong and happens quickly. The story is fast paced and intriguing. Quarter to Midnight is an atmospheric and intense thriller.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Karen Rose:

Don’t Tell (Chicago #1)
Have You Seen Her?
I’m Watching You (Chicago #2)
Nothing to Fear (Chicago #3)
You Can’t Hide (Chicago #4)
Count to Ten (Chicago #5)
Die for Me (Daniel Vartanian #1)
Scream for Me (Daniel Vartanian #2)
Kill for Me (Daniel Vartanian #3)
I Can See You (Minneapolis #1)
Silent Scream (Minneapolis #2)
You Belong to Me (Baltimore #1)
No One Left to Tell (Baltimore #2)
Did You Miss Me? (Baltimore #3)
Watch Your Back (Baltimore #4)
Closer Than You Think (Cincinnati #1)
Alone in the Dark (Cincinnati #2)
Every Dark Corner (Cincinnati #3)
Monster in the Closet (Baltimore #5)
Edge of Darkness (Cincinnati #4)
Death Is Not Enough (Baltimore #6)
Say You’re Sorry (Sacramento #1)
Into the Dark (Cincinnati #5)
Say No More (Sacramento #2)
Say Goodbye (Sacramento #3)
Quarter to Midnight (New Orleans #1)
Cold Blooded Liar (San Diego #1)
Beneath Dark Waters (New Orleans #2)
Cheater (San Diego #2)
Buried Too Deep (New Orleans #3)
Dead Man’s List (San Diego #3)

Last Seen Alone by Laura Griffin [Book Review]

Posted on December 24, 2021January 16, 2024 by Darinda

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BOOK INFO

Title: Last Seen Alone

Author: Laura Griffinin

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: September 28, 2021

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

Up-and-coming attorney Leigh Larson fights for victims of sexual extortion, harassment, and online abuse. She is not afraid to go after the sleaziest targets to get payback for her clients. Leigh is laser-focused on her career—to the exclusion of everything else—until a seemingly routine case and a determined cop turn her world upside down.

Austin homicide detective Brandon Reynolds is no stranger to midnight callouts. But when he gets summoned to an abandoned car on a desolate road, he quickly realizes he’s dealing with an unusual crime scene. A pool of blood in the nearby woods suggests a brutal homicide. But where is the victim? The vehicle is registered to twenty-six-year-old Vanessa Adams. Searching the car, all Brandon finds is a smear of blood and a business card for Leigh Larson, attorney-at-law.

Vanessa had hired Leigh just before her disappearance, but Leigh has no leads on who could have wanted her dead. Faced with bewildering evidence and shocking twists, Leigh and Brandon must work against the clock to chase down a ruthless criminal who is out for vengeance.

MY REVIEW

Leigh is an attorney focused on her career, which involves fighting for victims of harassment and online abuse. Brandon is a detective looking for a missing woman who’s car was found abandoned with a pool of blood nearby. Leigh and Brandon are thrown together because the missing woman is Leigh’s client.

Leigh and Brandon are likable characters. They are driven in their careers, and both want to get the answers they are looking for. The story is fast-paced and engaging.

Last Seen Alone combines mystery, action, and romance. Recommended for fans of romantic suspense.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Laura Griffin:

Far Gone
Last Seen Alone
Vanishing Hour
The Last Close Call