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Romantic Suspense #4.5
Wreed weerzien
Wreed weerzien is een thriller over wat er kan gebeuren als je elkaar na jaren weer opzoekt en er een groot geheim boven water komt...
Tijdens hun studententijd was er een hevige liefde. Nu, jaren later zijn ze elkaar uit het oog verloren, maar door een briefje in een jaarboek komt er een reünie tot stand. De liefde bloeit weer op. Maar ze worden in de gaten gehouden door iemand die nog iets van hen weet...
Tijdens hun studententijd was er een hevige liefde. Nu, jaren later zijn ze elkaar uit het oog verloren, maar door een briefje in een jaarboek komt er een reünie tot stand. De liefde bloeit weer op. Maar ze worden in de gaten gehouden door iemand die nog iets van hen weet...
175 pages, Paperback
First published January 2, 2014
235 people are currently reading
2044 people want to read
About the author
Karen Rose
61 books5,451 followersOFFICIAL 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
August 25, 2022
Dirty Secrets by Karen Rose
Romantic suspense book 4.5. Can be read as a stand-alone.
A Graduate student is killed in what appears to be an accident. It’s not. His professor, Christopher ends up in the middle of an investigation trying to put together the pieces of why at the same time he reconnects with a high school flame.
Explosive, and gripping. This is a novella length story for the author at 150 pages but it still has multiple storylines that are complex enough to intrigue and captivate. Fair warning, this author is known for body count stacking up.
Romantic suspense book 4.5. Can be read as a stand-alone.
A Graduate student is killed in what appears to be an accident. It’s not. His professor, Christopher ends up in the middle of an investigation trying to put together the pieces of why at the same time he reconnects with a high school flame.
Explosive, and gripping. This is a novella length story for the author at 150 pages but it still has multiple storylines that are complex enough to intrigue and captivate. Fair warning, this author is known for body count stacking up.
May 3, 2016
Professor Christopher Walker is in the middle of dealing with what first looks like the accidental death of one of the grad students in his lab when someone from his past reaches out to him. His high school unrequited love, Emma Townsend, wants to see him. She's a psychologist, best selling author and traveling lecturer who just discovered the letter he gave her 17 years ago. Unfortunately, she's now drawn into the danger and mystery surrounding him and his lab.
For a novella, this story read like a full length book with time to develop the characters, establish a very believable romance and create an interesting whodunit with exciting mystery and suspense. I loved Christopher and Emma, their relationship and romance. While I nailed the villain early, I had a harder time figuring out the motive.
I love this series, my favorite in the genre, and was leery about having a short story in the mix. I should have just trusted Rose who is a master. This was really good.
For a novella, this story read like a full length book with time to develop the characters, establish a very believable romance and create an interesting whodunit with exciting mystery and suspense. I loved Christopher and Emma, their relationship and romance. While I nailed the villain early, I had a harder time figuring out the motive.
I love this series, my favorite in the genre, and was leery about having a short story in the mix. I should have just trusted Rose who is a master. This was really good.
July 31, 2025
A short novella from Karen Rose.. it’s a book to fill in the gaps between her other novels.
About the lives of a professor and the new woman in his life.
People are killed.
There’s also passion between the professor and the love of his life who he loved in high school.
Fate has brought them together, killers must be caught before there lives together can start.
Karen rose books are great, I’d advise anyone to read her books.,
Remember her stories are normally in a series like “the Baltimore series” etc so look out for that when being bought.
Enjoy, my thoughts
About the lives of a professor and the new woman in his life.
People are killed.
There’s also passion between the professor and the love of his life who he loved in high school.
Fate has brought them together, killers must be caught before there lives together can start.
Karen rose books are great, I’d advise anyone to read her books.,
Remember her stories are normally in a series like “the Baltimore series” etc so look out for that when being bought.
Enjoy, my thoughts
November 9, 2019
Number 4.5 in KR's romantic suspense series, Dirty Secrets is a short novella featuring all the usual elements we find in her novels.
Emma Townsend is a published grief counseller, with a new book. Christopher Walker is a college chemistry professor with an old crush. When the two cross paths again after 17 years it is coincidental that a murder has just taken place at Christopher's college. With everyone in danger, the two must find out how the college's work on soil samples has ended up angering someone to the point of fatal attack.
This was a good story, glad it was a novella though, as it didn't quite have enough for a full novel. Tbe relationship between Emma and Chris developed very quickly, even for a KR book! It was still a fast paced and enjoyable read. One I've read a couple of times.
Definitely recommended to KR fans and to anyone wanting a short thriller to fill in some time.
www.thebeautifulbookbreak.com
Emma Townsend is a published grief counseller, with a new book. Christopher Walker is a college chemistry professor with an old crush. When the two cross paths again after 17 years it is coincidental that a murder has just taken place at Christopher's college. With everyone in danger, the two must find out how the college's work on soil samples has ended up angering someone to the point of fatal attack.
This was a good story, glad it was a novella though, as it didn't quite have enough for a full novel. Tbe relationship between Emma and Chris developed very quickly, even for a KR book! It was still a fast paced and enjoyable read. One I've read a couple of times.
Definitely recommended to KR fans and to anyone wanting a short thriller to fill in some time.
www.thebeautifulbookbreak.com
May 5, 2016
Wonderful novella with fully developed characters, a suspense that is riveting and a romance that is sweet and sexy. Great read.
Emma is a famous author of a book on how to deal with grief. Which is strange because she can't seem to deal with her own grief over the murder of her husband over a year ago. When her assistant forces her to face her home after a year, they find a letter which was tucked in her yearbook from a boy in her class declaring his love. Emma never saw the letter and is devastated that Christopher would have thought she didn't care, when she really did.
Emma wants to tell Christopher that she did care and didn't just ignore him. She hires a PI to see if Christopher is married and then makes contact when she finds out he isn't. Unfortunately, this is a really bad time in his life, a student has just been murdered. Fortunately, he has always carried Emma in his heart and wants nothing more than to have her in his life too.
Emma is a famous author of a book on how to deal with grief. Which is strange because she can't seem to deal with her own grief over the murder of her husband over a year ago. When her assistant forces her to face her home after a year, they find a letter which was tucked in her yearbook from a boy in her class declaring his love. Emma never saw the letter and is devastated that Christopher would have thought she didn't care, when she really did.
Emma wants to tell Christopher that she did care and didn't just ignore him. She hires a PI to see if Christopher is married and then makes contact when she finds out he isn't. Unfortunately, this is a really bad time in his life, a student has just been murdered. Fortunately, he has always carried Emma in his heart and wants nothing more than to have her in his life too.
August 31, 2023
Emma neemt na een rouwperiode stilaan het heft weer in eigen handen en treft een briefje aan in één van haar jaarboeken. Het is afkomstig van haar vroegere vriend Chris die via het briefje zijn liefde kenbaar maakt voor haar. Alleen heeft ze dat briefje nooit gezien en bloedde de vriendschap dood. Jaren later dus belt Emma aan en laait de liefde weer stilaan op. Alleen is er iemand die andere bedoeling heeft en het op hen gemunt heeft. Daarnaast is er nog de dochter van Chris, die Emma’s komst met argusogen aanziet en waarbij het niet meteen botert tussen de 2 dames. Wreed weerzien is een dun boekje dat een mooi tussendoortje was, maar waar ik toch wat moeite had, merkte ik, met het liefdesverhaal van Emma en Chris en het spannende gedeelte. Die mix tussen roman en thriller is toch minder mijn ding heb ik gemerkt. Daarom geef ik wreed weerzien 3.5 sterren.
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2023...
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2023...
May 14, 2019
The story of Emma and Christopher, two people who get a second chance at love.
Emma and Christopher were best friends in high school, but grew apart and moved away and lost touch with each other. Years later, they are both dealing with a trauma of their own, when life brings them back in each other's lives.
Emma lost her husband more than a year ago, but despite being an expert in grief counselling, hasn't dealt with his loss yet. Christopher is stunned when one of his grad students is found murdered in their lab, and he's trying to process what happened, while supporting the rest of his students.
Emma, who is pushed to finally deal with her late husbands things, finds a love letter Christopher had written while they were still in high school that she never saw, she is determined to reach out to him and explain, hating to think she hurt him without even knowing it. The two meet and the chemistry between them is even more intense than it was when they were teenagers, and Christopher is not about to allow her to slip out of his fingers a second time.
Unfortunately, the person who killed Christopher's student is still around and suspects that the couple knows more than they do, putting them both in danger. I figured out pretty soon that the killer was .
Enjoyable story with an interesting plot and complicated characters. The series continues with You Can't Hide.
Previous book reviews:
✦ Nothing To Fear (Romantic Suspense, #4; Chicago, #3)
✦ I'm Watching You (Romantic Suspense, #3; Chicago, #2)
✦ Have You Seen Her? (Romantic Suspense, #2)
✦ Don't Tell (Romantic Suspense, #1; Chicago, #1)
Emma and Christopher were best friends in high school, but grew apart and moved away and lost touch with each other. Years later, they are both dealing with a trauma of their own, when life brings them back in each other's lives.
Emma lost her husband more than a year ago, but despite being an expert in grief counselling, hasn't dealt with his loss yet. Christopher is stunned when one of his grad students is found murdered in their lab, and he's trying to process what happened, while supporting the rest of his students.
Emma, who is pushed to finally deal with her late husbands things, finds a love letter Christopher had written while they were still in high school that she never saw, she is determined to reach out to him and explain, hating to think she hurt him without even knowing it. The two meet and the chemistry between them is even more intense than it was when they were teenagers, and Christopher is not about to allow her to slip out of his fingers a second time.
Unfortunately, the person who killed Christopher's student is still around and suspects that the couple knows more than they do, putting them both in danger. I figured out pretty soon that the killer was .
Enjoyable story with an interesting plot and complicated characters. The series continues with You Can't Hide.
Previous book reviews:
✦ Nothing To Fear (Romantic Suspense, #4; Chicago, #3)
✦ I'm Watching You (Romantic Suspense, #3; Chicago, #2)
✦ Have You Seen Her? (Romantic Suspense, #2)
✦ Don't Tell (Romantic Suspense, #1; Chicago, #1)
January 17, 2019
In St Petersburg, Florida, a grad student is found dead in the lab and appears to be a suicide at first. Professor Chris Walker isn't convinced but cannot figure out who could have done such a thing. Meanwhile, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Emma Townsend is finally getting around to go through her deceased husband's things and finds her old high school year book. Inside is a letter she never saw, written by Chris Walker. She feels a need to contact him to let him know. But her journey to see Chris puts her in danger.
This is a novella but reads more like a full-length book. Well, maybe not one of Karen Rose's full-length books since she can write some pretty long and engrossing books. I didn't feel like I was missing anything that a longer book would have. Sure there could have been more about their pasts but I was satisfied with what I got.
This is a novella but reads more like a full-length book. Well, maybe not one of Karen Rose's full-length books since she can write some pretty long and engrossing books. I didn't feel like I was missing anything that a longer book would have. Sure there could have been more about their pasts but I was satisfied with what I got.
January 14, 2015
Ó, mamám, hogy mit összedrukkoltam, hogy ne X. legyen a gyilkos! Igaz, hogy eredetileg Y-ra tippeltem, de úgy véltem, az kizárt, szóval izgulhattam tovább X-ért. Micsoda megkönnyebbülés volt, amikor kiderült, hogy mégis Y a hunyó. Karen Rose szeretlek! :D
January 13, 2020
Reviewed for THC Reviews
Dirty Secrets is the shortest story I’ve read by Karen Rose, who usually tends to write pretty chunky romantic suspense books. Since she’s only authored a couple of novellas (although this one is on the longer end of the novella word count), I was wondering how she would handle this shorter format, and as it turns out, the answer to that is extremely well, equally as well as she writes her longer books. This one doesn’t have any real ties to the novels that precede it, but according to the author’s note at the end of the book, the characters in it will appear in later books. It’s the story of two people who were very good friends in high school, but who drifted apart and lost touch over the years. Then while the heroine is cleaning out her dead husband’s belongings, she runs across an old high school yearbook in which she finds a love letter written to her by her friend. She’d never read it before and feels badly for leaving him hanging all these years, so she looks him up. They reconnect and fall in love while evading a killer who is murdering his graduate students.
Emma is a psychologist specializing in grief counseling who wrote a best-selling self-help book that propelled her into celebrity status. A year ago, she lost her husband to a senseless act of violence and has been struggling ever since to put his memory to rest. She has mostly stayed on the road, traveling to promote her book, and has been avoiding going home until her best friend forces the issue. Cleaning out her husband’s things, she finally begins to find peace. Then she discovers a love letter stuck between the pages of an old yearbook written to her by one of her best friends in high school. Emma had felt a spark pass between them when they’d danced together back then, but when Christopher later became distant, she’d always wondered why. Now reading the note for the first time, she realizes it was probably because she’d never acknowledged his declaration of love. Feeling badly about it, she hires a private investigator to find him to apologize, and when she sees him again, she finds that spark is still there. But someone is killing off his grad students, and Christopher and those he loves could be next. Emma was a great heroine who was very relatable in her grief. Even though it’s something she specializes in, it’s been hard for her to process. However, when love finds her again, she’s willing to open her heart to new possibilities. She’s also very accepting of Christoper’s daughter, Megan, when the girl is being difficult about Emma and Christoper's burgeoning relationship. Not to mention, she’s very strong in dealing with a crisis and with keeping Megan safe when the killer comes calling.
Christopher is a chemistry professor who’s working on an innovative new technology for testing soil samples. He’s divorced, his wife having left him and their young daughter three years ago to pursue a career out of the country, so he’s been a single father ever since. When he receives a call from the private investigator, he wonders what Emma might want after all these years. She comes to St. Petersburg to visit him and they share a lovely date. Seeing her again makes him realize he’s never quite gotten over her even after all these years, and he’s thrilled to discover that she feels something for him, too. But only a few days before Emma showed up, Christopher had found one of his grad students dead in the lab of an apparent accidental poisoning. However, the young man’s death is starting to look more and more like murder, and Christoper can’t quite figure out why someone would kill over a bunch of dirt samples. I adored Christopher as the hero. He fearlessly jumps in with both feet when he reconnects with Emma. He’s a man who knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to go after it, while also respecting Emma’s boundaries and giving her time to catch up emotionally. He’s also an incredible father to Megan, always there for her as a hands-on dad even while working a demanding job at the university.
Dirty Secrets was an excellent read that I thoroughly enjoyed. The mystery/suspense portion was well-done. There weren’t as many red herrings this time, probably due to the shorter nature of the story, which made it a little easier to figure out the mystery as I went along, but that didn’t diminish my enjoyment of it. If anything, I thought it was a bit more romantic than some of Karen Rose’s longer books. I felt a palpable emotional connection between Christopher and Emma from the moment they see each other again, and the way they came back together after so many years apart was sweet. I also liked that they were clearly relationship people, both having been celibate for an extended period of time since losing their spouses. It made all their kisses and the one love scene very passionate. There wasn’t anything at all that I disliked about this novella. It was a perfect read for me with everything I look for in a romance. Dirty Secrets was originally published in the anthology, Hot Pursuit, and was later reprinted as a stand-alone ebook.
Dirty Secrets is the shortest story I’ve read by Karen Rose, who usually tends to write pretty chunky romantic suspense books. Since she’s only authored a couple of novellas (although this one is on the longer end of the novella word count), I was wondering how she would handle this shorter format, and as it turns out, the answer to that is extremely well, equally as well as she writes her longer books. This one doesn’t have any real ties to the novels that precede it, but according to the author’s note at the end of the book, the characters in it will appear in later books. It’s the story of two people who were very good friends in high school, but who drifted apart and lost touch over the years. Then while the heroine is cleaning out her dead husband’s belongings, she runs across an old high school yearbook in which she finds a love letter written to her by her friend. She’d never read it before and feels badly for leaving him hanging all these years, so she looks him up. They reconnect and fall in love while evading a killer who is murdering his graduate students.
Emma is a psychologist specializing in grief counseling who wrote a best-selling self-help book that propelled her into celebrity status. A year ago, she lost her husband to a senseless act of violence and has been struggling ever since to put his memory to rest. She has mostly stayed on the road, traveling to promote her book, and has been avoiding going home until her best friend forces the issue. Cleaning out her husband’s things, she finally begins to find peace. Then she discovers a love letter stuck between the pages of an old yearbook written to her by one of her best friends in high school. Emma had felt a spark pass between them when they’d danced together back then, but when Christopher later became distant, she’d always wondered why. Now reading the note for the first time, she realizes it was probably because she’d never acknowledged his declaration of love. Feeling badly about it, she hires a private investigator to find him to apologize, and when she sees him again, she finds that spark is still there. But someone is killing off his grad students, and Christopher and those he loves could be next. Emma was a great heroine who was very relatable in her grief. Even though it’s something she specializes in, it’s been hard for her to process. However, when love finds her again, she’s willing to open her heart to new possibilities. She’s also very accepting of Christoper’s daughter, Megan, when the girl is being difficult about Emma and Christoper's burgeoning relationship. Not to mention, she’s very strong in dealing with a crisis and with keeping Megan safe when the killer comes calling.
Christopher is a chemistry professor who’s working on an innovative new technology for testing soil samples. He’s divorced, his wife having left him and their young daughter three years ago to pursue a career out of the country, so he’s been a single father ever since. When he receives a call from the private investigator, he wonders what Emma might want after all these years. She comes to St. Petersburg to visit him and they share a lovely date. Seeing her again makes him realize he’s never quite gotten over her even after all these years, and he’s thrilled to discover that she feels something for him, too. But only a few days before Emma showed up, Christopher had found one of his grad students dead in the lab of an apparent accidental poisoning. However, the young man’s death is starting to look more and more like murder, and Christoper can’t quite figure out why someone would kill over a bunch of dirt samples. I adored Christopher as the hero. He fearlessly jumps in with both feet when he reconnects with Emma. He’s a man who knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to go after it, while also respecting Emma’s boundaries and giving her time to catch up emotionally. He’s also an incredible father to Megan, always there for her as a hands-on dad even while working a demanding job at the university.
Dirty Secrets was an excellent read that I thoroughly enjoyed. The mystery/suspense portion was well-done. There weren’t as many red herrings this time, probably due to the shorter nature of the story, which made it a little easier to figure out the mystery as I went along, but that didn’t diminish my enjoyment of it. If anything, I thought it was a bit more romantic than some of Karen Rose’s longer books. I felt a palpable emotional connection between Christopher and Emma from the moment they see each other again, and the way they came back together after so many years apart was sweet. I also liked that they were clearly relationship people, both having been celibate for an extended period of time since losing their spouses. It made all their kisses and the one love scene very passionate. There wasn’t anything at all that I disliked about this novella. It was a perfect read for me with everything I look for in a romance. Dirty Secrets was originally published in the anthology, Hot Pursuit, and was later reprinted as a stand-alone ebook.
August 22, 2021
Een dun boekje zijn we van deze schrijfster niet gewoon, maar net als haar iets lijvigere boeken leest het als een sneltrein. Een vlot geschreven verhaal dus met aangename personages die onmiddellijk aanspreken. Leuk!
June 15, 2022
4,5 sterren - Nederlandse paperback
Karen Rose is auteur in het genre romantische thriller. In 2003 verscheen haar debuut en sindsdien heeft ze al vele titels op haar bibliografie kunnen bijschrijven. Dit was een dunnetjes, maar ondanks dat, toch heerlijk hoor.
Emma Townsend, auteur, wordt door haar beste vriendin en assistente terug naar die plek geleid die ze al bijna een jaar mijdt. Na het overlijden van haar man heeft Emma zich er nog niet toe kunnen zetten om thuis op te ruimen. Als ze in een jaarboek onverwacht een liefdesbrief van haar voormalig beste vriend vind, kan ze niet anders dan contact met hem opnemen. Hun weerzien is kort maar hevig maar blijft niet ongezien. Een weerzien dat wrede gevolgen heeft.
Emma is psychologe, gespecialiseerd op het gebied van rouwverwerking, en geeft lezingen over het hele land. Haar eigen rouwproces aangaan is iets wat ze lange tijd heeft uitgesteld.
Chris Walker, alleenstaande vader van Megan en professor in de natuurkunde, was vroeger de beste vriend van Emma. Eén van zijn studenten is zojuist overleden en Chris en zijn andere promovendi zijn verdacht.
In slechts 200 pagina’s ontvouwd zich een spannend verhaal. Een, voor haar doen, kort verhaal over Emma Townsend die in "Over de schreef" ook op toneel verschijnt.
Zoals in al haar boeken weet ze de romantiek en spanning te combineren op een manier die je aan de pagina’s gekluisterd houd. Geplakt zo gezegd. Onder de parasol aan het zwembad. Niet veel ingeweest trouwens!
Karen Rose is auteur in het genre romantische thriller. In 2003 verscheen haar debuut en sindsdien heeft ze al vele titels op haar bibliografie kunnen bijschrijven. Dit was een dunnetjes, maar ondanks dat, toch heerlijk hoor.
Emma Townsend, auteur, wordt door haar beste vriendin en assistente terug naar die plek geleid die ze al bijna een jaar mijdt. Na het overlijden van haar man heeft Emma zich er nog niet toe kunnen zetten om thuis op te ruimen. Als ze in een jaarboek onverwacht een liefdesbrief van haar voormalig beste vriend vind, kan ze niet anders dan contact met hem opnemen. Hun weerzien is kort maar hevig maar blijft niet ongezien. Een weerzien dat wrede gevolgen heeft.
Emma is psychologe, gespecialiseerd op het gebied van rouwverwerking, en geeft lezingen over het hele land. Haar eigen rouwproces aangaan is iets wat ze lange tijd heeft uitgesteld.
Chris Walker, alleenstaande vader van Megan en professor in de natuurkunde, was vroeger de beste vriend van Emma. Eén van zijn studenten is zojuist overleden en Chris en zijn andere promovendi zijn verdacht.
In slechts 200 pagina’s ontvouwd zich een spannend verhaal. Een, voor haar doen, kort verhaal over Emma Townsend die in "Over de schreef" ook op toneel verschijnt.
Zoals in al haar boeken weet ze de romantiek en spanning te combineren op een manier die je aan de pagina’s gekluisterd houd. Geplakt zo gezegd. Onder de parasol aan het zwembad. Niet veel ingeweest trouwens!
November 8, 2015
3.5 STARS
"Secrets
For months Emma Townsend has avoided her old house, haunted by its memories of her dead husband. Finding the courage to sort through their possessions, she's astonished to find an old love letter from friend Chris Walker, and determines to make amends for the past.
That we all must
Chris, now a college professor, is trying to deal with the tragic death of a graduate student. Seeing Emma again brings back a flood of memories, re-kindling a long-lost passion. But with police investigating the student's death, Chris cannot act on his desires.
Fear
But is it too late? Because now someone's watching Emma and Chris. Someone who's nursing revenge. And they are about to be plunged into a nightmare where no one can be trusted and every dirty little secret is sealed with a kiss." (From Amazon)
Dirty Secrets previously appeared in the anthology Hot Pursuit.
I enjoyed this novella more than I thought I would. The characters and story was great but I wish it was a bit longer to build more suspense.
"Secrets
For months Emma Townsend has avoided her old house, haunted by its memories of her dead husband. Finding the courage to sort through their possessions, she's astonished to find an old love letter from friend Chris Walker, and determines to make amends for the past.
That we all must
Chris, now a college professor, is trying to deal with the tragic death of a graduate student. Seeing Emma again brings back a flood of memories, re-kindling a long-lost passion. But with police investigating the student's death, Chris cannot act on his desires.
Fear
But is it too late? Because now someone's watching Emma and Chris. Someone who's nursing revenge. And they are about to be plunged into a nightmare where no one can be trusted and every dirty little secret is sealed with a kiss." (From Amazon)
Dirty Secrets previously appeared in the anthology Hot Pursuit.
I enjoyed this novella more than I thought I would. The characters and story was great but I wish it was a bit longer to build more suspense.
November 18, 2024
Dirty Secrets was a quick read with a great romantic suspense plot.
When Emma Townsend finds a love letter tucked in an old high school year book, she decides to track down her old friend to see if those feelings could be rekindled. Chris Walker is in the midst of dealing with the death of one of his students when Emma arrives like a breath of fresh air. As Chris and Emma begin to reconnect, someone is watching them from the shadows waiting for the right moment to strike.
Second chance romances are some of my favorites so I was excited that Dirty Secrets had elements of that with Chris being in love with Emma back in high school. I enjoyed watching the two reconnect and get to know one another in present day. As this is a novella, their romance does move quickly but I had no issues with that due to their history. The two did have some personal issues they had to work through, Emma lost her husband a year ago and Chris is raising his daughter alone after divorce, but I liked how they handled those issues. The suspense plot was interesting with a lot of twists and I thought the author did a great job keeping you guessing on what would happen next. I didn't expect the reason behind what was going on and was surprised by the direction the plot went. The ending was well done with Emma being a complete badass and saving herself and Megan.
Overall Dirty Secrets had a solid story and I would definitely recommend it if you're looking for a quick suspense read.
When Emma Townsend finds a love letter tucked in an old high school year book, she decides to track down her old friend to see if those feelings could be rekindled. Chris Walker is in the midst of dealing with the death of one of his students when Emma arrives like a breath of fresh air. As Chris and Emma begin to reconnect, someone is watching them from the shadows waiting for the right moment to strike.
Second chance romances are some of my favorites so I was excited that Dirty Secrets had elements of that with Chris being in love with Emma back in high school. I enjoyed watching the two reconnect and get to know one another in present day. As this is a novella, their romance does move quickly but I had no issues with that due to their history. The two did have some personal issues they had to work through, Emma lost her husband a year ago and Chris is raising his daughter alone after divorce, but I liked how they handled those issues. The suspense plot was interesting with a lot of twists and I thought the author did a great job keeping you guessing on what would happen next. I didn't expect the reason behind what was going on and was surprised by the direction the plot went. The ending was well done with Emma being a complete badass and saving herself and Megan.
Overall Dirty Secrets had a solid story and I would definitely recommend it if you're looking for a quick suspense read.
December 28, 2014
Emma Townsend is stunned to read a love letter from an old friend when it falls out of her old high school yearbook. She never knew her best guy-friend, Christopher, had feelings for her. Emma decides to find Chris and apologize for not acknowledging the letter seventeen years ago. Professor Christopher Walker is shocked when a private investigator contacts him on behalf of Emma. His life has changed so much since high school, but he never forgot his feelings for Emma. They meet for dinner and immediately rekindle their friendship. But someone is watching their every move...someone who has their own evil agenda.
I feel that most novellas are too short to give me a good story, but this one worked for me. It opens with the murder of a grad student working under Professor Walker. Chris and his students have been working on a government project checking soil samples at various government sites. Why was the grad student killed? Does it have something to do with the project? I had a hard time putting this one down. The romance is hot and the mystery is interesting, even though the villain was easy to pick out. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
I feel that most novellas are too short to give me a good story, but this one worked for me. It opens with the murder of a grad student working under Professor Walker. Chris and his students have been working on a government project checking soil samples at various government sites. Why was the grad student killed? Does it have something to do with the project? I had a hard time putting this one down. The romance is hot and the mystery is interesting, even though the villain was easy to pick out. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
June 19, 2017
I had to keep checking to make sure that Karen Rose actually wrote this book. The plot was contrived, the scenes predictable and the sentence structure was enough to make an English teacher get out her red pen. I also had no idea why this book is in the middle of the Chicago series. I'll be glad to get back to the regularly scheduled book.
January 22, 2015
This novella contain all the elements of a great story.....murder, suspense, a healthy dose of romance and a little drama. I loved Chris and Emma but Megan, not so much.
It really worked for me and left me wishing it was a bit longer.
It really worked for me and left me wishing it was a bit longer.
June 6, 2019
Thrilling! Great book.
December 5, 2018
“Wreed weerzien” - Karen Rose (deel 4,5 Romantic Suspense)
Een dun boekje dat fijn leest, met een speciaal verhaal!
4️⃣⭐️
Een dun boekje dat fijn leest, met een speciaal verhaal!
4️⃣⭐️
June 13, 2023
Dirty Secrets is book 4.5 is the Romantic Suspense series by Karen Rose. Emma Townsend finally decided to clean up the home she shared with her dead husband. During the cleaning process, she found a letter from a childhood friend Chris Walker, and she needs to make amends. However, for Chris, seeing Emma bought back memories, which due to police investigation, was unable to act on his desires for Emma. The readers will continue to follow Emma Townsend and Chris Walker to discover what happens.
Dirty Secret is a lovely novella and fantastic addition to this excellent series by Karen Rose. Dirty Secret is an enjoyable book, and I engaged with the story and the characters from the first page. I love Karen Rose's portrayal of the characters and their interaction with each other. Dirty Secret is well-written and researched by Karen Rose. I like Karen Rose's description of the settings of Dirty Secret, which allowed me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
The readers of Dirty Secret will learn about corruption in the building industry and how it affects everyone involved. The readers of Dirty Secret will learn about grief and how it can affect people.
I recommend this book.
Dirty Secret is a lovely novella and fantastic addition to this excellent series by Karen Rose. Dirty Secret is an enjoyable book, and I engaged with the story and the characters from the first page. I love Karen Rose's portrayal of the characters and their interaction with each other. Dirty Secret is well-written and researched by Karen Rose. I like Karen Rose's description of the settings of Dirty Secret, which allowed me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
The readers of Dirty Secret will learn about corruption in the building industry and how it affects everyone involved. The readers of Dirty Secret will learn about grief and how it can affect people.
I recommend this book.
May 9, 2019
This was either a short novel or a long novella, but it still was a quick read. The mystery was okay, but I had it figured out fairly early on. The romance was better for me, since in this case the instant attraction was better explained as a high school romance that was picked up later due to a quirky set of circumstances. At the end the author also mentions that the characters will be appearing in some upcoming novels - so we will wait to read more further in the series.
Quote to remember:
Sometimes knowing how long the road is makes it harder to take the first step.
Quote to remember:
Sometimes knowing how long the road is makes it harder to take the first step.
August 29, 2021
I'm a huge Karen Rose fan but I felt a little disappointed by this one. Not that it wasn't good, because it was. However due to it being a novella it was incredibly short and because of that, the story felt rushed. I really hope we get to see these characters later on in the series as I felt we didn't see enough of them.
March 8, 2025
Another great read from Karen Rose. Liked the characters and writing style.
October 12, 2022
This was a great story of reconnection between high school friends with a mystery thrown in. Christopher is not a college professor and Emma is a writer/psychologist. Emma lost her husband over a year ago and when she is cleaning out the house a letter Christopher wrote to her is found – she then sets out to find him and explain that she never saw the letter until recently. She walks into his life in the middle of murder mystery. There are twists and turns and a lovely ending.
June 14, 2024
Vermakelijk boekje. Irritant dat de samenvatting op de achterkant fout is. Iemand uit hun gezamenlijk verleden die wraak wil nemen? Niets over gelezen.
March 24, 2015
Read this over the weekend--Fast paced thriller. As I've said before, Karen Rose grabs me from the first sentence. Her characters are so alive, and the suspense is hold your breath scary.
September 3, 2025
Intriging!
A compelling story that will keep you turning the pages from beginning to end. Engaging characters, both good and bad.
I love this series.
A compelling story that will keep you turning the pages from beginning to end. Engaging characters, both good and bad.
I love this series.
December 17, 2025
4 Stars
Dirty Secrets is Book #4.5 in The Romantic Suspense Universe by Karen Rose. This series includes the Chicago, Philadelphia/Atlanta, Minneapolis, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Sacramento, New Orleans, and San Diego series books.
It is an intricately woven collection of interconnected thrillers that blend high-stakes crime investigations with emotion, and slow-burn romance. This shared ‘universe’ approach – where each book focuses on a different couple – (yet) has characters, cities, and cases which overlap, creating a rich tapestry of relationships and storylines that reward long-time readers, as well as those looking for worthy binge reading fodder. It’s best read in the publication order for maximum impact, but each book can be read as a standalone without feeling like you are missing anything or getting ‘lost’.
Ms. Rose’s writing is immersive, and she excels at balancing pulse-pounding danger with tender, human moments, making you care as much about the characters’ emotional healing as you do about catching the villain. Her antagonists are chillingly believable, and the investigative details feel authentic without bogging down the pace.
If you enjoy crime thrillers with a strong emotional core, the Romantic Suspense Universe is sure to please. But, be warned, expect late nights, racing hearts, and characters you’ll think about long after the last page.
Happy Reading…
Dirty Secrets is Book #4.5 in The Romantic Suspense Universe by Karen Rose. This series includes the Chicago, Philadelphia/Atlanta, Minneapolis, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Sacramento, New Orleans, and San Diego series books.
It is an intricately woven collection of interconnected thrillers that blend high-stakes crime investigations with emotion, and slow-burn romance. This shared ‘universe’ approach – where each book focuses on a different couple – (yet) has characters, cities, and cases which overlap, creating a rich tapestry of relationships and storylines that reward long-time readers, as well as those looking for worthy binge reading fodder. It’s best read in the publication order for maximum impact, but each book can be read as a standalone without feeling like you are missing anything or getting ‘lost’.
Ms. Rose’s writing is immersive, and she excels at balancing pulse-pounding danger with tender, human moments, making you care as much about the characters’ emotional healing as you do about catching the villain. Her antagonists are chillingly believable, and the investigative details feel authentic without bogging down the pace.
If you enjoy crime thrillers with a strong emotional core, the Romantic Suspense Universe is sure to please. But, be warned, expect late nights, racing hearts, and characters you’ll think about long after the last page.
Happy Reading…
August 20, 2025
I’m only giving this 3 stars, because giving it 2 felt too harsh…
I might be in the minority, but I really didn’t like Chris - especially after he tried to baby trap Emma and didn’t admit that to her or apologise. I disliked him from that point on.
I also found the reasoning for the murders to be quite boring and cartoon villain-y? Which is very unlike a Karen Rose book, which I usually LOVE. This is the first one I’ve actively found a chore to read, just because I didn’t think it realistic that the owner of a construction company would get a gambling addict to murder people, then just-so-happen to have contacts that would want to buy a 13 year old girl? It did feel very exaggerated, which is fine because it’s fictional - but it feels very out of place when put beside the rest of her work.
It’s a shame, because I really liked Emma as a character and it’s a shame we didn’t get a full novel of her character exploring her grief and building a relationship with Megan - a lot of important things like that were glossed over, which I missed! It’s the little things like that I would have really appreciated, since as we saw how much Megan loathed her for 90% of the book, but not one single section of Megan and Emma having a nice interaction, at the very least.
I know for a fact I’ll end up rereading Karen’s work in the future, but I think I’ll be skipping this one…
I might be in the minority, but I really didn’t like Chris - especially after he tried to baby trap Emma and didn’t admit that to her or apologise. I disliked him from that point on.
I also found the reasoning for the murders to be quite boring and cartoon villain-y? Which is very unlike a Karen Rose book, which I usually LOVE. This is the first one I’ve actively found a chore to read, just because I didn’t think it realistic that the owner of a construction company would get a gambling addict to murder people, then just-so-happen to have contacts that would want to buy a 13 year old girl? It did feel very exaggerated, which is fine because it’s fictional - but it feels very out of place when put beside the rest of her work.
It’s a shame, because I really liked Emma as a character and it’s a shame we didn’t get a full novel of her character exploring her grief and building a relationship with Megan - a lot of important things like that were glossed over, which I missed! It’s the little things like that I would have really appreciated, since as we saw how much Megan loathed her for 90% of the book, but not one single section of Megan and Emma having a nice interaction, at the very least.
I know for a fact I’ll end up rereading Karen’s work in the future, but I think I’ll be skipping this one…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2018
Short novella with all new characters and a St. Petersburg location. Our heroine Emma Townsend is a best selling author of self help books. She lost her husband to violent crime and can't face going to the home they shared together. When being forced by her assistant Kate to face the music and start packing away her husband Will's things, they stumble upon a love letter written 17 years ago by her best friend. Our hero is that best friend, Christopher Walker. Chris is now a college professor and a single father of 13 year old Megan. Meanwhile, Chris is working on a project for the USDA regarding soil samples and someone is killing off the professor's students who are participating in the testing. Good short story but our main characters don't seem part of this romantic suspense series so my guess is the detective working to solve this case, "Harris" will show up in the next series of stories taking place in Minneapolis. Not sure though because I have read some of this series out-of-order. I recommend this installment only to the individuals who are reading the series and maybe for a short beach read.
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