Family Lies

San Diego #4

by Karen Rose

As an infant, Kit McKittrick’s foster sister Akiko was abandoned at a firehouse. Now 32, Akiko has received an unsettling phone call from a woman who says that she knew her birth mother but refuses to divulge any details except in person. Akiko is nervous but also thrilled at the prospect of finally learning about her blood relations.

Kit has a bad feeling about this and insists on accompanying Akiko to meet the woman. Sure enough, as they stand on Mary Sherman’s doorstep, shots are fired and Kit is hit...and inside the house is a corpse: Mary Sherman herself.

Although she’s on medical leave and forbidden to work the case, Kit cannot rest. With police psychologist Sam Reeves, she undertakes a covert investigation into the mysterious Mary Sherman. Was she Akiko’s birth mother? Why did she reach out after all these years? And who had a motive to kill her?

As more bodies pile up, Kit starts to put together the pieces of the frightening puzzle that is Akiko’s birth family, and she’ll come to wonder whether some secrets should stay buried after all.

Genres: Mystery, Romantic Suspense, Romance, Suspense, Thriller, Crime, Contemporary

528 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 31, 2026

About the author

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
www.karenrosebooks.com

Internationally bestselling, RITA-award winning, author Karen Rose was born and raised in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC. She met her husband, Martin, on a blind date when they were seventeen and after they both graduated from the University of Maryland, (Karen with a degree in Chemical Engineering) they moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. Karen worked as an engineer for a large consumer goods company, earning two patents, but as Karen says, “scenes were roiling in my head and I couldn't concentrate on my job so I started writing them down. I started out writing for fun, and soon found I was hooked.”

Her debut suspense novel, DON'T TELL, was released in July, 2003. Since then, she has published fifteen more novels and two novellas. Her seventeenth novel, ALONE IN THE DARK, will be released in 2016.

Karen's books have appeared on the bestseller lists of the New York Times, USA Today, London's Sunday Times, and Germany's der Spiegel (#1), and the Irish Times, as well as lists in South Africa (#1) and Australia!

Her novels, I'M WATCHING YOU and SILENT SCREAM, received the Romance Writers of America's RITA award for Best Romantic Suspense for 2005 and 2011. Five of her other books have been RITA finalists. To date, her books have been translated into twenty-four languages.

A former high school teacher of chemistry and physics, Karen lives in Florida with her husband of more than twenty years, her two daughters, two dogs, and a cat.

Reviews

[Sandra Hoover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Family Lies by Author Karen Rose is the fourth book in the San Diego Case Files series and number 33 in the Romance Suspense series overall. Each book in the series is complex and intense with a tautly woven plot line and ongoing character development. As always, readers are hooked from the beginning by an intriguing prologue and held captive until the final big reveal.

Family Lies features San Diego Homicide Detective Kit McKittrick and Police Psychologist Sam Reeves along with other series' regulars. After spending time in the foster system, Kit is finally learning to trust - both her devoted adoptive parents, the McKittrick's, and her love interest, Sam, whose patience with her is beginning to pay off. Kit is fiercely independent, loyal, and driven and extremely protective of her adoptive siblings. When Akiko, an adoptive sister, receives a call from someone claiming to have knowledge of her birth mother, Kit and Sam are by her side. When they arrive at the woman's house, shots are fired hitting Kit, and they find the woman they hoped to talk to dead inside her home. What have they walked into? How does it pertain to Akiko? As they begin investigating, the plot thickens, getting more convoluted as bodies begin to pile up. Kit won't stop until she uncovers the truth, and Sam won't leave her side.

Author Karen Rose never fails to deliver an action packed, complex story with multiple threads that eventually intertwine in an explosive climax. The romance between Kit and Sam is a slow developing one with Sam easing Kit into it in hopes of a permanent relationship. Sam is aware of Kit's trust issues stemming from her past but continues to demonstrate his willingness to wait for her. Rose flawlessly weaves the past and present together as family secrets and lies surface with deadly consequences. While this book can easily be read as a standalone, the overall story arc continues to develop with characters introduced in previous books. For this reason, I recommend readers enjoy the first three books in this series prior to reading Family Lies. Highly recommended to fans of police procedurals and romance suspense.
Special thanks to Berkly Publishing for a complimentary arc of this title for review and for the blog tour invitation. Opinions expressed are my own.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Karen Rose and have read all her books and loved all of them, even with the high page and body counts. The plot for this one centers around Akiko, Kit's adoptive sister, and danger due to the secrets of who she really is, which none of them had any clue about. As Kit and Sam get closer to each other, this case brings out all of Sam's protective instincts and Kit likes that and she doesn't like that. Kit is a complicated character that Sam is slowly unraveling, and I mean sloooowly. Karen Rose can write some hot, steamy sex scenes, she wrote the best one I ever read, but the ones in the San Diego Series are strictly G rated.

Lots of characters in this one which made me very grateful for my Kindle so I could see who they were without too much brain fritz. In addition to multiple characters with multiple names, you get an involved, convoluted plot and a plot spiller who wraps most of it up in one or two convenient interviews. This one wasn't a favorite, not at all the taunt, edge of your set thriller, but it was still a good mystery.

Akiko McKittridge, SDPD Detective Kit McKittridge's adoptive sister, receives a call from a woman claiming to have information about Akiko's birth mother. As Akiko, Kit and Sam Reeves, Police Psychologist and Kit's boyfriend, approach the home of Mary Sherman, shots are fired and Kit is wounded. Inside the house, they find Mary dead.

With Kit on medical leave and Akiko in possible danger Kit is warned off any investigation in this case. Like that is going to happen. The case leads Kit, Sam and Baz, Kit's former partner, on a trail that leads to lots of secrets and few answers. But one thing is for sure: a murderer is one step ahead of them.

My thanks to the Publisher, and Author, for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

[Marta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Happy Publication Day!! 🥳

6/10: 3⭐️’s

Kit’s adopted sister, Akiko, receives a phone call from a woman who claims to have information about her biological mother. When the woman doesn’t show at the arranged meeting time, Sam, Kit, and Akiko go to the woman’s house. Shots are fired at them and in hopes of escaping the shots, they go inside the unlocked house. There, they find the woman they were supposed to meet dead. What follows, holy fields of jumping frogs (no idea where that came from, I don’t think fields or frogs were mentioned in the book) is a bit of a confusing tangle of lots of stuff that I won’t even try to explain. I don’t think I know how to explain that. It had more going on than a soap opera. Goodness me.

I mostly liked this book? Yes, that is a question, not a statement! I mostly followed along, much to my surprise. There was SO much. Almost too much. There was also so much recapping of events that it often pulled me out of the story just as I would start to get back into it. There was way too much of Kit and Sam’s internal and external thoughts of needing each other; of being there for each other, of thanking each other for needing the other or being there for the other. It was honestly annoying and was a huge part of why I was pulled out of the story.

I did not read book 3 of this series, I realized. I really liked book 1. Wasn’t a huge fan of book 2 because it was too slow paced for me, if I am remembering correctly, and this one is on the lower end of the 3⭐️ rating for me.

Based on the ending, I am guessing there will be a book 5.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of this book and for having the read aloud option for when my eyes needed a break. All thoughts are my own.

Rating and review posted: 3/10/26
Expected publishing date: 3/31/26
Reposted for publication day: 3/31/26….hope people enjoy!!

[Samantha Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book.

Another perfect installment in this series, for sure. Akiko’s story is full of surprises, though not all of them pleasant. Due to this, McKittrick and company rally around her during all the discoveries that are sure to keep you glued to the pages. And that reveal at the end?! Wow. Cannot wait until the next one is out and this one has not even been released yet.

[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kit McKittrick’s adopted sister, Akiko, is contacted by a woman claiming to know the truth about her birth mother. Thirty two years ago, Akiko was left as an infant at a firehouse and bounced through foster homes before finding stability with the McKittricks. Akiko is eager to learn what this woman has to say, but Kit, as a homicide detective feels they should be cautious, so she and Sam accompany Akiko to the meeting place. When the woman, Mary Sherman, fails to show, they head to her home only to find her dead and come under fire themselves. Kit is injured and placed on leave, but there’s no chance she’s stepping away from the case. And of course, Sam, the department psychologist, is right there with her.

The slow burn romance between Sam and Kit has been simmering since book one, and things are finally getting serious. I enjoy their bond more as a deep partnership than a sweeping romance, their internal reflections about how grateful they are for each other started to feel repetitive, and I didn’t feel a ton of romantic chemistry. Their closeness works; the constant emotional commentary less so.

Family Lies was a fitting name for this mystery because Kit, Sam and Akiko discover layer upon layer of deceit in her past. The bodies and suspects pile up, and no one wants to talk. There’s danger around every corner and no one is safe!

This is book four in a series, and while this is a standalone mystery I think it’s best read in order because of the ongoing mystery arc that hasn’t been solved, the developing relationships and character growth. I look forward to the next book since there seems to be a lead in the ongoing mystery!

I voluntarily read a copy courtesy of the publisher. These are my thoughts and opinions.

[Deborah (debbishdotcom) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Family Lies by Karen Rose is apparently the 33rd romantic suspense novel written by the American author and fourth in her San Diego series. I was an avid reader of Rose back in the early 2000s when I visited my local library twice weekly. Coincidentally the last book I've read of hers, Cheater , was part of this series, though I'd not remembered any of the characters or backstory. I very much liked [both] though and am now keen to read books one and three. For those who aren't aware Rose writes loosely linked books, often featuring different lead characters with others on the periphery. Here cop Kit McKittrick's sister Akiko is the focus, though everything unfolds from Kit's point of view as well as Sam's, her newish love interest.

The action pretty much starts at the outset of this book with Kit being shot and wounded in what she assumed to be an innocuous visit to Mary Sherman’s house after the recently-dead Mary contacted Akiko claiming to have information about her birth mother. Kit, Sam and fellow police officers look into Mary’s recent movements and discover she’d been meeting with a private detective and has links to Akiko’s sensei and mentor. Discovering the truth becomes increasingly murky when that mentor is badly beaten and a friend and colleague of Akiko is murdered.
Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...

[Anne - Books of My Heart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
 

Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

4.5 hearts

I love the Romantic Suspense series. I've read them all. I started the series with the first Cincinnati book, with Faith and Deacon.  It was actually #16 overall. Then I went back and read the previous 15 books. I would not jump into this in the middle of a series. One could start at the beginning of a city since those stories connect well, and they seem to be labelled on Goodreads.

The San Diego series continues with Family LIes.  This city series is different because rather than one couple / romance per book, this romance is very slow burn taking 4 books so far.  The main characters are Kit McKittrick, a homicide detective and Sam Reeves, a therapist.   Sam does some work with profiling for the department, as well as a lot of volunteer work.

Kit grew  up in the foster system until as a teenager she came to the McKittricks and was adopted.  Her impetus to become a police officer started when her sister Wren was murdered.   Her background makes her a bit prickly to trust anyone but Sam is willing to wait for her.   After 4 books, they are more comfortable together.

With the McKittricks fostering so many children and their strange, unknown or complex backgrounds it is the perfect backdrop for family secrets and intrigue.  Akiko has a very complex history which she knows nothing about until now.  Then the people who have protected her for years start dying.

Kit isn't allowed to investigate as she is too close to the case.  But she still stands by Akiko to protect her.  Kit and most of the other police working the case end up shot.  The people who know anything aren't forthcoming or disappear.  The action is fast paced. It is a race to interview witnesses before they die.

The McKittricks are a special family and have many meals they share with family and friends. Sam's family comes to visit and meets Kit for the first time.  They like her and her family. I would love another book in the series, both to continue the relationship development and because there is a new lead on Wren's cold case.

[Darcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh boy...this one got messy so quickly and is aptly titled. I felt for Akiko and all that she learned, but loved that she had her family, the McKittrick's right there by her side through it all. Kit was especially there to help Akiko with what she learned and then took the lead as what they learned ended up being right in Kit's wheelhouse for her job. You would think having a cop in the family would have helped and it did, but Kit ran into issues with her job, but did what she needed to anyway to help keep Akiko safe. It was crazy towards the end, both with the action and when they all laid out what they knew, with certain people hiding things away. So many secrets and lies, but at least Akiko has her family to lean on for support.

[Dayle (the literary llama) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Despite my star rating, I do think this is an excellent addition to the series and provides so much lead character growth and satisfaction. There is a great beginning and set up with bursts of adrenaline here and there to really drive the reader into the thick of it. And like most Karen Rose books, it's a lengthy and wordy journey, that's not a surprise... but I will admit that it drags just a little bit more than usual.

Still, I was entertained and invested in Kit and Sam (and the mutltitude of recurring faces and loved ones, plus a new friend or two). I needed to figure out what was happening and why! The problem came in all the reveals toward the end. It was confusing AF. I could not keep straight who everyone was, is, related to who and how. Grandfather, father, son, mother, aunt, daughter, friend, married to who?! It felt like a mess. I also couldn't keep straight how old any of the people were, especially in relation to our main characters, which might have helped me along. Basically, I stopped trying and just let it play out and by the end I think I figured out the most important connections, but unless I create a visual chart, I'll remain a little lost.

That aside though, the time we get to spend with the characters we have come to love is so worth it. I loved all the interactions and am constantly entertained and charmed by the family and Kit's co-workers. Of course there is crime and murder and clues and suspects too, but this one was very character driven overall. To explain would be all spoilers. Let's just say it was a good read.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great story by Karen Rose. However from about Chapter 20, I struggled to keep track of all of the different characters & how they were related - I really needed a family tree visual to make sense of it all!

[Dede · Rating 5 out of 5]

I throughly enjoyed this book. I loved the storyline and the characters. I thought it was well written as always from this author. It was fun to see her try and find her birth mother, but had some suspenseful scenes while she was looking. I would definitely recommend this book.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Karen Rose for the ARC of this!

4 stars for me!

I've read so many of Rose's books, there's so many on my bookshelf, and one of my favourite things about her books is that even if you "enter" into a series a few books in, the books can and do hold up as standalone books as well as a series.
The same goes for Family Lies, as I know this is a few books into the San Diego Case Files series. I love how Rose always loops you into previous books with a sprinkle of information, not enough to give spoilers, just enough so that you understand why things are happening in this story.

This was a whirlwind! I loved the relationship between Kit and Akiko, proving that love and family is more than blood.
This story takes you on a winding path of found family, birth families, struggling identity and so much more. The depth in all of the characters is amazing. You can feel the love, emotion and drive pouring out of every page. How Rose can write such captivating characters and stories is amazing.

I found this a very enjoyable read, and only marked it as 4 stars because I found at the end there was a lot of side characters (No spoilers!) and I was struggling to keep up with who was associated with who and what was going on at times. However this was a book I was excited to pick up each day, I needed to know what was happening and I felt the ending was very satisfying.

Although I do need to read the rest of the series now, I need to know if Kit ever uncovers and solves her big life mystery! Is there going to be a 3 man team with Kit and her partners? So exciting.

Loved this, and if you're a crime, mystery, and fiction lover, you will too. Not once have I ever regretted reading a Karen Rose book!

[Brooke | bookswithbabs · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars

Thank you Berkley Books for the advanced reading copy & PRH Audio for the listening copy!

This was another great installment in the San Diego series! I have loved these characters and getting to know them over the last four books, and it's really fun to see this character development on a large scale. I went back and read my reviews from the first few books, and so much of what I loved about books 1-3 (Cold Blooded Liar, Cheater, Dead Man's List) were present here, too. Kit and Sam have made great strides in their relationship, while keeping their great foundation in play. Sam's patience with Kit is admirable and sweet to read, especially as things develop between them.

As always, the mystery of this one was fascinating, and following along the police procedural was really fun in this one. I loved the tie-in to Akiko's birth family in this story. It made things even more high-stakes. We added a ton of new characters to this book, and that could be confusing at times (especially on Akiko's birth family's side). I look forward to more Detective Lenox and the SDPD crew in future books, as well.

Like with the others in this series, these books are just loooong. However, as I'm growing more connected to these characters, I'm minding that less and less. There were a few chapters in the middle that dragged and felt convoluted, but you just have to roll with this, and I'm glad I did. This book was a great police procedural with aspects of romance, action and lots of found family!

[Rolé - Hooked By That Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kit and Sam follow the bits of evidence down a dangerous rabbit hole in this thrilling tale of family and murder.

Keeping track of Akiko's intricate familial connections was challenging, that's for sure. In this case, it was a good thing that Kit eschewed following the rules to help her sister. Otherwise, we wouldn't have known what was happening and we wouldn't have seen Kit in action (LOL). All jokes aside, Kit's devotion to her sister was admirable and gave her the determination and focus she needed.

Sam was right there by her side all the way with his quiet presence and insightful questions. Kit opened her heart to him incrementally, and their budding romance was somehow strong and fragile at the same time. Harlan and the rest of the family continued to be Kit's rock-solid foundation and source of support.

Clearly, there were plenty of interesting twists as Kit ventured further into the tangle of Akiko's family tree. The plot flowed fairly fast and the constant tension had me at the edge of my seat. I can highly recommend this entire series if you like police investigations and suspense with a very slow burn romance. It is better to read the books in order to follow the development of Kit and Sam's relationship.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This review is also on Hooked By That Book.

[Lainy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Time taken to read - in and out as able over 5 days

Pages - 513

Publisher -

Source - ARC

Blurb from Goodreads

The fourth nerve-shattering installment of the San Diego Case Files from New York Times bestselling author Karen Rose sees Kit McKittrick’s sister caught in a maelstrom of deadly family secrets.

As an infant, Kit McKittrick’s foster sister Akiko was abandoned at a firehouse. Now 32, Akiko has received an unsettling phone call from a woman who says that she knew her birth mother but refuses to divulge any details except in person. Akiko is nervous but also thrilled at the prospect of finally learning about her blood relations.

Kit has a bad feeling about this and insists on accompanying Akiko to meet the woman. Sure enough, as they stand on Mary Sherman’s doorstep, shots are fired and Kit is hit...and inside the house is a corpse: Mary Sherman herself.

Although she’s on medical leave and forbidden to work the case, Kit cannot rest. With police psychologist Sam Reeves, she undertakes a covert investigation into the mysterious Mary Sherman. Was she Akiko’s birth mother? Why did she reach out after all these years? And who had a motive to kill her?

As more bodies pile up, Kit starts to put together the pieces of the frightening puzzle that is Akiko’s birth family, and she’ll come to wonder whether some secrets should stay buried after all.


My Review

This is book four in the San Diego case files, I haven't read the previous three but that doesn't ever stop me. The books are great you can pick them up and read as standalones, this one features Akiko - she has always wanted to know more about her bio family. She has Kit, her foster sister who was also taken in by the same loving family and has her own issues. She is a cop so when Akiko gets a call from someone who says they knew her bio mum Akiko needs to go. Kim insists on going too along with her boyfriend (police psychologist), when they arrive at the callers house they are shot at and it all kicks off from there.

Kim is hurt in the shooting so on medical leave and when more danger arrives Kit is furious when the cop assigned to the case is one who is not just lazy but has a grudge against Kit. Despite threats to her safety and threats from work about consequences if she doesn't let the police do their job Kit won't leave her sister nor stop digging to see who wants her hurt.

The book has loads of threads, characters and secrets which we LOVE, we know Akiko is in the dark, imagine this has been a theme through the previous books. We also learn about how the girls came to meet and be fostered with the family so it is fine we haven't read the previous three. There is danger on every corner, no one seems to be safe and we have no idea where the thread is coming from or why which hooks you and keeps you turning the pages. 4/5 for me this time and I have went back and bought book one of the series and will catch up on those I missed.

[Mags · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karen Rose takes readers back to her San Diego series with a compelling and intense story. Detective Kit McKittrick and her adopted sister, Akiko, along with Kit's partner, Dr Sam Reeve, set out to visit a woman who claims to have information about Akiko and how she was left at a fire station as a baby.

When the woman doesn't turn up for the meeting, the trio go to her house and unexpectedly discovers a crime scene. This leads to Kit being shot and raises many questions for all of them.

But despite being told she can't investigate, Kit is determined to uncover the truth—she has already lost one sister and won't lose another. She and Sam risk everything to find out who killed Mary Sherman and what she wanted to tell Akiko.

However, what Kit, Sam, and their family uncover is more shocking and far-reaching than they could have ever imagined.

And the killing is only the beginning.

And with twists, suspenseful moments, and plenty of family drama, Family Lies is a captivating story I couldn't put down, and I eagerly await what these characters will do next.

My thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy of Family Lies. All thoughts expressed are my own. 😊

[Danielle Bush · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karen Rose is one of my favorite authors! Her books are broken up into different series but have interconnected people and relationships. In the San Deogo series we follow Detective Kit Mckettrick and psychologist Dr Sam Reeves as they solve murders and grow closer as they do. This series and all Karen Roses books are full of emotion, action, and suspenseful moments that keep you on the edge of your seat. Especially with the San Diego series in particular I would start with the first book Cold Blooded Liar as all the books follow the same couple and it shows how they first met ( kit thought sam was maybe a killer) and how far they've come.
.
I can't wait for the next book and the conclusion to San Diego series when I think we'll figure out what happened to Kits sister Wren.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Kit’s sister is given a clue to her biological family neither Kit or Akiko are ready for the secrets and lies! With Sam by her side, Kit enters a world of gangs, gun running, murder, treachery and kidnapping whilst trying to protect her family and herself as she lets down her internal walls and builds her relationship with Sam, friends and family!
Another roller coaster of emotions where the body count rises, hospital beds fill up and we try to unravel all the family lies!

[Randa Burky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate to receive this as an ARC. I’ll read anything Karen Rose writes—and for good reason. She has a remarkable ability to fully immerse readers, weaving intricate details into storylines that keep you completely captivated from beginning to end.

What sets her San Diego series apart is its continuity: it’s the only setting where she maintains a consistent core cast while introducing a new central focus in each installment. Rose skillfully balances fresh lead characters with an evolving ensemble, allowing relationships and story arcs to deepen organically across books.

Each novel builds seamlessly on the last, creating a layered, interconnected narrative that feels both expansive and cohesive. With the way the tension and character development have been unfolding, it feels like everything is building toward one final, unforgettable conclusion to the series—and I, for one, can’t wait to see how it all comes together.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was by far my favorite book in the series to date. Kit has been a hard protagonist to get to know, and in this novel she not only opens up about her family and her relationship to Akiko, but she also opens up to Sam, the man she’s in love with and just started to date seriously. Kit has come a long way from the isolated, cold woman in book one. I love Kit 2.0, she is easy to like and relatable!

The mystery of Akiko’s parentage was a fascinating read. You always hear stories about adoption and the wondering of who a real parent might be, in this case Akiko would’ve been much better off never learning anything about her family. The tale is tragic, sad, and kind of scary. Beyond that, I’ll not reveal any of her secrets, you’ll have to read it yourself! Needless to say, I enjoyed this novel a lot and am giving Karen Rose her first five star rating from me. This tale was entertaining, emotional, action-packed, and absolutely gripping! You all will enjoy this one!

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Deanna Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Karen Rose, Berkeley Publishing Group, and Netgalley for the ARC. My review is voluntary, and any opinions are my own.

Wow, what a roller-coaster ride! This book had so many twists, turns, highs, and lows. I could not stop reading. I have added Karen Rose to my favorite authors list as I want to read more from her.

[Klare · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read to achieve the ATY Challenge task 50. A book with a bird on its cover

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Wow. This book is absolutely superb. The plot line is so intricate I don't know how the author kept everything straight in her head worked everything out! But she totally did. I was totally hooked from the first to the very last page.

I am really enjoying getting to know these characters and I can't wait to read the next book in this fabulous series.

[PamG · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an emotional and intense romantic suspense novel! Family Lies by Karen Rose is the fourth book in the San Diego Case Files series. The author knows how to hook readers with a prologue and keep them engaged throughout a novel. Featuring San Diego homicide detective Kit McKittrick and police psychologist Sam Reeves, the story is a great crime and romantic thriller that keeps readers on an emotional rollercoaster.

This story is focused around Kit’s adopted sister, Akiko who was abandoned at a firehouse as a baby. Akiko is now 32 and has received a phone call from a woman who says she knew Akiko’s birth mother, but will only divulge information in person. Nervous, she asks Kit and Sam to go with her. On the steps of Mary Sherman’s house, shots are fired and Kit is hit. Inside is a corpse. Kit and Sam investigate even though she is on medical leave. More bodies are found as they work to solve them and the truth around Akiko’s birth family.

Kit loves her family fiercely, but isn’t overly demonstrative. She’s independent, driven, protective, and rarely asks for help. She can be sarcastic, doesn’t tolerate laziness or ineptitude, and she tends to listen to her gut. She’s a rising star in the homicide department with her high closure rate. Sam has his own practice in addition to being a police psychologist. He’s loyal, kind, thorough and empathetic. He also keeps his promises, loves Kit, and is good at reading people and getting past their defenses. Akiko runs a charter fishing boat business. She’s confident, capable, independent, organized, and competent.

Once again, the author pulled me into the novel with an intriguing prologue that grabbed my interest and built on the story from there. The dynamic plot is exciting and intense as well as being multi-layered. The author did a great job in bringing together the past and present within the story. The romance is a slow-burn romance so don’t expect a lot of progress in any one book. There’s plenty of action throughout the novel. However, there were a few spots that the pacing slowed a bit too much. Themes include secrets, lies, family, found family, friendship, trust, murder, assault, and much more. I do have a couple of quibbles thought. The story was a little repetitive in places and there are a lot of characters, sometimes with multiple names. For this latter situation, it helps to have read the previous books so you are familiar with the repetitive characters.

Overall, this was intriguing and suspenseful with plenty of action-packed and compelling characters that kept me turning the pages. With exciting scenes and a fascinating story line, this fantastic thriller kept me fully engaged. It also pulls on the heartstrings and on the reader’s emotions. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Those who enjoy crime thrillers, police procedurals, mysteries, and romantic thrillers will likely enjoy this series.

Berkley Publishing Group – Berkley and Karen Rose provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for March 31, 2026.
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My 4.23 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.

[Elizabeth H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

“O what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.” – Sir Walter Scott

Family Lies is an explosive mystery that’ll keep you up bleary eyed into the wee morning hours until your curiosity is fully satisfied.

The story begins with a bang and quickly entangles readers in a dangerous web of lies, intrigue, and betrayal!

There are so many mysteries! Each question answered raises even more questions.

We learn so much more about Kit’s adoptive sister Akiko, where she came from and how she ended up with the McKittricks. The McKittricks are a husband and wife who have a large home and even larger hearts and have been fostering, loving, and adopting kids for decades.

The fabric of the story is enriched by the complexities of the characters and the relationship dynamics each character has with the others. A beautifully broken melting pot of humanity.

I absolutely love the found family aspect of the storyline, not just within the McKittrick household but also at Kit’s job. Despite Kit’s stoic, prickly and standoffish persona, her fellow detectives and CO have claimed her as well.

But even though I absolutely love this book, my love for this series wasn’t always so apparent. I admit I was frustrated with the author because the first book didn’t end in an HEA, nor did the second or third books. Where is my HEA?!!?!?!?!?

I am finally understanding and enjoying this large story arc format centered around a detective as she protects people daily, helps support her adoptive parents and their foster kids while trying to discover who murdered her sister and left her in a dumpster 17 years ago.

And then here comes this do-gooder police psychologist with a heart of gold and the patience of a saint who sees to the heart of Kit, who’s claimed her quietly and who believes it’s an honor to hold the trust of the surly and guarded detective.

Throughout the series as Kit and her department protect and serve, each book has Kit coming closer to finding her sister’s murderer, and opening her heart to Sam.

I really like this format because the romance is not instalove and theirs is a slow courtship where trust can be earned, appreciated, and given space for love to blossom.

Family Lies is a gripping read! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and I couldn’t read this book fast enough! I devoured the pages and had to restrain myself from skipping ahead! I could not put this book down. And definitely do not sleep on the epilogue!

I highly recommend the entire series!

**NetGalley generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

[Carole Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

These family secrets should have stayed buried

Kit McKittrick survived an horrific early childhood to become a fiercely committed homicide detective for the San Diego PD. The abuse she suffered as well as the murder of her sister Wren have left their marks on her; she doesn't trust easily and has difficulty in forming lasting bonds. She was lucky enough to find a supportive adoptive family in the McKittricks and through them now has a family of whom she is extremely protective, including her foster sister Akiko. When Akiko is contacted by a woman who says that she knows the identity of Akiko's birth mother and wants Akiko to meet with her to discuss it, Kit is immediately suspicious. She insists on accompanying Akiko to meet this Mary Sherman, and brings police psychologist Sam (who has become her boyfriend, much to her surprise) along as well to observe. Mary doesn't show up at the appointed meeting place, so they go to her home only to find her dead body on the floor. and a shooter nearby who wounds Kit, barely missing a kill shot. Kit is placed on medical leave and forbidden by her supervisor to be involved in the investigation, but this is not a situation from which Kit can walk away. More people are shot, Kit is on the brink of losing her job over her refusal to keep away from the case, and the more that is discovered about Akiko's birth family the stranger and more dangerous things become for all concerned. Why is the truth coming out now, and who is willing to kill in order to keep it a secret?
Family Lies is the fourth in the The San Diego Case Files series by author Karen Rose, and like the preceding three titles it is a novel of romantic suspense with elements of law enforcement, family drama and a flawed protagonist. The underlying mystery spools out tightly, with frequent twists and turns as it explores the desire within Akiko to know her true origins. Readers of the series will be pleased to find many characters from previous installments present, from the extended McKittrick clan to Kit's various co-workers. It can be easily read as a standalone, although that reader won't have as much backstory on the characters to understand the depth of their connections. I found it an enjoyable read, not necessarily groundbreaking within the genre but a solid mystery featuring an interesting and well fleshed out group of characters. Fans of Linda Howard, Kendra Elliot and Allison Brennan would also find this of appeal. My thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for allowing me access to the novel in exchange for my honest review.

[C.R. Comacchio · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for an ARC of this novel.

Karen Rose is a prolific writer, with no less than 75 books to her name. This latest is the fourth in her San Francisco Case Files series, featuring homicide detective Kit McKittridge. Although there is now an impressive number of women police investigators in the mystery-thriller genre, Kit is unique. She is, to begin with, neurodivergent, a characteristic that at times enhances her investigative skills, at times impedes them, largely because of her inability to trust in her own instincts. She was also abandoned as a child, along with her twin sister Wren, and taken into the inadequate foster care system. Except that Kit, unlike so many kids in the system, was raised and eventually adopted by a couple of experienced foster parents, Harlan and Betsy McKittrick, who put much effort into filling her needs. I haven’t read the earlier books, but it’s clear by the author’s careful description that her boyfriend, police psychiatrist Sam Reeves, is very much the man that she needs both in life and work. The loving protection he provides is so tender it’s sometimes tear-provoking.

It’s not always easy to stay on top of the ‘before’ details. I grasped enough to get a sense of what growing up with the … meant for Kit and her foster siblings, especially Akiko, who is at the centre of the case Kit is working on. A long-lost relative, Mary Sherman, has been trying to get in touch with Akiko, ostensibly to give her something from her mother. Akiko is eager to make this connection. But on the very day that Sam and Kit accompany Akiko to Mary’s home, they come under fire by a shooter on reaching the front door. Mary is found shot to death in the house. Kit is injured and removed from the case. But even the threat of disciplinary action won’t deter Kate from pursuing the truth for her sister’s sake. It’s a resounding jump into the heart of the story, as Sam and Kit take on the task of finding out who Mary was, and of course who killed her and why. And then, as they untangle an increasingly tangled web—a bit too convoluted to keep straight, for me—it becomes clear that Akiko’s very identity as a Japanese American, and consequently her family’s identity, are placing her in a dangerous place.

I can understand why Karen Rose is so popular. There are genuinely suspenseful moments before the story’s resolution, and the main characters (of a great many) are carefully drawn. It’s interesting to have a ‘different’ main female lead, and to get a glimpse into the American foster care system and its dysfunctions.

[Robin Loves Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kit McKittrick, a homicide detective, has dedicated her life to justice after her adopted sister’s murder. Despite her career’s occasional deviations, she’s built a stellar record. Now, she’s faced another crisis when one of her adopted sisters, Akiko, is in danger. Akiko, like many foster children, is eager to meet her birth mother.

Kit’s protective instincts kick in when Akiko decides to meet her mother. However, things take a turn for the worse when they arrive at the house. Shots ring out, and Kit is shot. The woman, Mary Sherman, is found dead. Kit feels that the sudden contact between Akiko and Mary Sherman, coupled with Mary’s murder, is not a coincidence.

Kit’s injury leads to her being placed on medical leave and is also forbidden from any involvement in the case. But Kit’s determination knows no bounds. She risks her career by delving deeper into the investigation, uncovering shocking revelations about Akiko’s natural family. Kit’s quest for answers is not in vain; she has the support of police psychologist Sam Reeves, who helps her navigate the complexities of the case. Together, they hope to find the truth and bring Akiko the closure she deserves. All the while, their relationship deepens during this intense time Kit, Akiko and their family is experiencing.

Tragically, the murder of Mary Sherman marks the beginning of a series of unsettling events. Other murders follow, and somehow, they all converge on Akiko’s birth family. Family Lies is an utterly captivating read that delves into both emotional and hard-hitting themes. Kit’s unwavering love and determination for Akiko are palpable, and their bond is as strong as any sisterly relationship. When Akiko finds herself entangled in danger while exploring her roots, Kit’s love and resolve shine through.

This fourth book in the San Diego series is just as intense and emotionally compelling as its predecessors, with the tension never wavering. Readers are left eagerly anticipating the next installment in this gripping series.

Many thanks to Berkley Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

[Jo Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

FAMILY LIES by KAREN ROSE ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Family Lies is the fourth (#4) book in the SAN DIEGO CASE FILES series.

Arriving at the home of a woman who says she has information about her sister, Akiko’s birth mother, things don’t go smoothly for Kit McKittrick and her psychologist boyfriend Sam Reeves.

Coming under unexpected gunfire Kit is injured, and when they enter the house looking for cover they discover a dead body.

As Kit and Sam investigate the body count starts to rise, and someone appears to be out for Kit’s badge. When she’s suspended and pulled off the case she vows to continue looking for the answers that Akiko deserves….

————————-

This, the fourth book in Karen Rose’s San Diego Case Files series continues in the same pulse pounding, action packed, manner of the previous books in the series. It is addictive reading!

Kit and Sam’s relationship continues to grow at a slow but steady pace with Kit opening her heart a little more. Sam is as always his perfect, patient self, and I think he may very well be my favourite character in this series. Intelligent, insightful, protective, supportive, Sam has all the perfect attributes. Kit is determined, strong, caring - all hiding her vulnerable and insecure side. She is extremely protective towards those she cares about and will do anything and would give her all for them.

Family Lies has an extremely complex yet fluid plot and it is compelling, drawing your attention and keeping you hooked from the very first page to the last.

I have followed Karen from her very first book and I have yet to be disappointed. She has an uncanny ability to dive deep into her characters motivations and the plots inevitably come to a satisfactory conclusion with no threads left hanging.

Unlike her earlier work, this series doesn’t have any open door spicy scenes and it’s all the more enjoyable because of it. Kit and Sam’s gentle, soft, emotional relationship is growing at the perfect pace, a pace that shows their deep respect and love for each other.

I read a hardback copy of this book, with around 500 pages, an interesting scenic cover and super editing.