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Romantic Suspense #27
Cold Blooded Liar
Sam Reeves is a kindhearted psychologist who treats court-ordered clients. After one of his patients--a pathological liar--starts revealing plausible new details from a long-unsolved serial murder case, he's compelled to report anonymously to the SDPD tip line, though his attempts to respect patient confidentiality land him facedown and cuffed by the aggressive (and cute) Detective McKittrick.
San Diego homicide detective Kit McKittrick loves the water. She lives on a boat, and when she's not solving crimes with the SDPD, she's assisting her foster sister with her charter fishing business, scuba diving, or playing with her poodle. But there's nothing that intrigues Kit more than a cold case, so when an anonymous caller leads her on the path of a wanted killer, she's determined to end the decade-long manhunt.
Sam is soon released but goes home with both a newfound distaste for the SDPD and a resolve—not unlike Kit's—to uncover the truth. Kit and Sam repeatedly butt heads in their separate investigations but are forced to work together to find one of the deadliest serial killers the city has faced in a decade.
San Diego homicide detective Kit McKittrick loves the water. She lives on a boat, and when she's not solving crimes with the SDPD, she's assisting her foster sister with her charter fishing business, scuba diving, or playing with her poodle. But there's nothing that intrigues Kit more than a cold case, so when an anonymous caller leads her on the path of a wanted killer, she's determined to end the decade-long manhunt.
Sam is soon released but goes home with both a newfound distaste for the SDPD and a resolve—not unlike Kit's—to uncover the truth. Kit and Sam repeatedly butt heads in their separate investigations but are forced to work together to find one of the deadliest serial killers the city has faced in a decade.
453 pages, Hardcover
First published February 28, 2023
744 people are currently reading
9059 people want to read
About the author
Karen Rose
61 books5,444 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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February 27, 2023
Karen Rose knows how to hook readers with a prologue and keep them engaged throughout a novel.
Cold-Blooded Liar
, the first book in her San Diego Case Files series, is no different. It combines a police procedural with some amateur sleuth and a hint of romantic suspense. Featuring homicide detective Kit McKittrick and psychologist Sam Reeves, the story is a great thriller that keeps readers on an emotional rollercoaster.
Kit loves the water and lives on a boat she’s renting from an older brother along with her poodle, Snickerdoodle. She occasionally helps one of her foster sisters with her charter fishing business on weekends, but mainly she’s solving crimes with the San Diego Police Department along with her partner Baz Constantine. What intrigues her the most are cold cases involving teens. When an anonymous caller gives her a tip related to a killer that’s been sought for years, Kit and Baz take the case.
Sam treats court-order clients. After one of his patients divulges details about a serial murder case and the potential for more, Sam works to respect client confidentiality and prevent a potential murder without losing his license. This leads to Kit and Sam repeatedly being at odds as both conduct their separate investigations.
Kit and Sam are both likeable and relatable characters. Kit is focused, dedicated, hardworking, and is a rising star in the homicide department with her high closure rate. Sam is a caring person who volunteers for local charities. He has to balance his professional and personal ethics. He’s also nice, smart, and good at getting people to talk. While both go through transformations during the story, there’s still room for these dynamic characters to continue to grow in future books. The supporting characters have varying depths, but provide support or conflict to enrich the reading experience.
The writing is fluid and descriptive which helps readers envision the scenes without disrupting or slowing the flow. The author did a great job in bringing together the past and present within the story. The dynamic plot is exciting and intense. Add to that plenty of conflict and a strong but vulnerable protagonist who has a keen sense of justice, and readers will be on the edge of their seats. The ending brings several surprises. Themes include violence against children, murder, deception, assault, and much more.
Overall, this was intriguing, entertaining, suspenseful, and had an action packed ending with compelling characters that kept me turning the pages. With exciting scenes and a fascinating story line, this fantastic thriller kept me fully engaged. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Berkley Publishing Group 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 February 28, 2023. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
----------------------------------------
My 4.61 rounded to 5 stars review is coming soon.
Kit loves the water and lives on a boat she’s renting from an older brother along with her poodle, Snickerdoodle. She occasionally helps one of her foster sisters with her charter fishing business on weekends, but mainly she’s solving crimes with the San Diego Police Department along with her partner Baz Constantine. What intrigues her the most are cold cases involving teens. When an anonymous caller gives her a tip related to a killer that’s been sought for years, Kit and Baz take the case.
Sam treats court-order clients. After one of his patients divulges details about a serial murder case and the potential for more, Sam works to respect client confidentiality and prevent a potential murder without losing his license. This leads to Kit and Sam repeatedly being at odds as both conduct their separate investigations.
Kit and Sam are both likeable and relatable characters. Kit is focused, dedicated, hardworking, and is a rising star in the homicide department with her high closure rate. Sam is a caring person who volunteers for local charities. He has to balance his professional and personal ethics. He’s also nice, smart, and good at getting people to talk. While both go through transformations during the story, there’s still room for these dynamic characters to continue to grow in future books. The supporting characters have varying depths, but provide support or conflict to enrich the reading experience.
The writing is fluid and descriptive which helps readers envision the scenes without disrupting or slowing the flow. The author did a great job in bringing together the past and present within the story. The dynamic plot is exciting and intense. Add to that plenty of conflict and a strong but vulnerable protagonist who has a keen sense of justice, and readers will be on the edge of their seats. The ending brings several surprises. Themes include violence against children, murder, deception, assault, and much more.
Overall, this was intriguing, entertaining, suspenseful, and had an action packed ending with compelling characters that kept me turning the pages. With exciting scenes and a fascinating story line, this fantastic thriller kept me fully engaged. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Berkley Publishing Group 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 February 28, 2023. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
----------------------------------------
My 4.61 rounded to 5 stars review is coming soon.
December 31, 2022
Amazing, amazing story!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This story contains some cross-over characters from other books – Detective Kit and some of her co-workers, like her partner Baz. However, this book can be read as a stand-alone.
This story is unlike any I have read in the past. Rose dives into a serial killer, his crimes, and his victims. She weaves emotions and deep connections between the characters into this story. You get all of the feels right along with the characters.
This story is complex with many facets that will wind you up right along with the plot. Rose is not shy about writing with passion, guts, and the raw feelings involved with crimes. She dives into the personal aspects and we even get hints of a budding romance heating up.
Cold-Blooded Liar includes victims that are women and some are underage, so be aware of that. The plot, the complex storyline, and the characterization are all so compelling, I absorbed this as fast as I could.
I think this is one of my favorite books by her so far and I am really looking forward to more in this new San Diego based series. Amazing and sooooo good! 👏👏
* copy received for review consideration
* Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/cold-blooded...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This story contains some cross-over characters from other books – Detective Kit and some of her co-workers, like her partner Baz. However, this book can be read as a stand-alone.
This story is unlike any I have read in the past. Rose dives into a serial killer, his crimes, and his victims. She weaves emotions and deep connections between the characters into this story. You get all of the feels right along with the characters.
This story is complex with many facets that will wind you up right along with the plot. Rose is not shy about writing with passion, guts, and the raw feelings involved with crimes. She dives into the personal aspects and we even get hints of a budding romance heating up.
Cold-Blooded Liar includes victims that are women and some are underage, so be aware of that. The plot, the complex storyline, and the characterization are all so compelling, I absorbed this as fast as I could.
I think this is one of my favorite books by her so far and I am really looking forward to more in this new San Diego based series. Amazing and sooooo good! 👏👏
* copy received for review consideration
* Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/cold-blooded...
December 4, 2023
3.5. It feels like someone edited the Hell out of my favorite author. 😢😢😢
I miss the atmosphere, the SUSPENSE, the impending energy when an event is going down.
I MISS the ATTRACTION & sparking chemistry between the main characters.
The dialogue is fast paced. I never wanted to put this book down and I got extremely attached to the main character’s family. I still rooted for the good guys.
BUT… it was mostly dialogue (I’m reading, not watching TV) lots of repetition (ripples anyone?) and I FIGURED OUT THE KILLER HALF WAY THROUGH.
That sucked, BUT true to the author’s style there was much more to come afterwards.
I’m left .. emotional 🥲. I felt for all the characters especially the McK family. Rita’s storyline was like a gut punch at times. I just miss my favorite author’s signature romance and nail biting suspense so I’m … missing it like I miss an old friend.
_______
TW’s: Lots. Never go into a Karen Rose Novel if you’ve got triggers.
I miss the atmosphere, the SUSPENSE, the impending energy when an event is going down.
I MISS the ATTRACTION & sparking chemistry between the main characters.
The dialogue is fast paced. I never wanted to put this book down and I got extremely attached to the main character’s family. I still rooted for the good guys.
BUT… it was mostly dialogue (I’m reading, not watching TV) lots of repetition (ripples anyone?) and I FIGURED OUT THE KILLER HALF WAY THROUGH.
That sucked, BUT true to the author’s style there was much more to come afterwards.
I’m left .. emotional 🥲. I felt for all the characters especially the McK family. Rita’s storyline was like a gut punch at times. I just miss my favorite author’s signature romance and nail biting suspense so I’m … missing it like I miss an old friend.
_______
TW’s: Lots. Never go into a Karen Rose Novel if you’ve got triggers.
February 28, 2023
Psychologist Sam Reeves is deeply disturbed after a court-ordered client - a pathological liar - starts talking about a 'pretty young thing' in a park. Sam can't break doctor/patient confidentiality, but he's compelled to make an anonymous phone call to the San Diego Police Department telling them of a potential grave site in a park. He leaves his message for homicide Detective Kit McKittrick because of her reputation to stand for victims no matter what. After a second alarming session during which the patient becomes belligerent and threatening toward Sam and a potential new victim, he phones in another tip via a payphone to McKittrick hoping to remain nameless. Unfortunately for Sam, a short while later, he finds himself a suspect, spread-eagle on the floor of his apartment with Det. McKittrick slapping handcuffs on his wrists. After being released for lack of evidence, Sam begins an ill-advised investigation of his own in an effort to protect his own hard earned reputation and livelihood as a reputable psychologist and overall decent human being. When more girls are murdered with the same m o (modus operandi), it becomes apparent that a serial killer dating back a couple of decades is back in action. Evidence begins stacking up against Sam, and he doesn't have any believable alibis. Det. Kit McKittrick is inexplicably drawn to believe Sam, cutting him some slack much to the surprise of her partner and co-officers. Kit's instincts and gut are telling her something is off about this investigation, and she won't stop until justice is served.
Karen Rose's Cold Blooded Liar is a fantastic introduction to a new spin off series, San Diego Case Files. Rose renders a dark tale of the abuse and horrific murders of young teenage girls over several years, all with dreams of becoming big time actresses. McKittrick suspects this is the bond that the killer uses to draw them into his lair. Readers are quickly transported into the story through the terrifying sessions of a killer with his psychologist and the investigation. Tension escalates quickly and the tone is dire as the police always seem to be one step behind the killer even as the media is one step ahead. As in all of this author's books, the small details are extremely important. As a reader, I've learned to look for and follow the small crumb trail the author sprinkles throughout her stories as they prove to be important later on.
Cold Blooded Liar is a tense, complex, emotionally charged story that kept me turning pages in an effort to figure out what I was missing . . . who is the killer? I felt sure of who it wasn't, but while there are a couple of possibilities, I couldn't zero in on the person I thought was the most likely suspect and that's due to Rose's expert manipulation of both characters and readers. Characters are convoluted and well developed and are introduced with just enough background information to draw you in, and yet remain elusive enough to peak readers curiosity - leaving this reader looking forward to what happens in future books in this series. Fans of the Romantic Suspense series will enjoy appearances by past characters. As for the romance, there's a strong attraction between Kit and Sam, but as readers quickly learn, the baggage Kit carries makes her skittish about relationships which results in her attempting to hold Sam at arm's length. I loved the final line of the book with its implications that we'll see more sparks between this couple in future books which can't come soon enough. Highly recommended to fans of suspense and psychological thrillers. You don't want to miss this one!
Special thanks to Berkley Publishing for the arc and book tour invitation. This book is available on Feb. 28, 2023. My review is published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine and at Cross My Heart Reviews.
Karen Rose's Cold Blooded Liar is a fantastic introduction to a new spin off series, San Diego Case Files. Rose renders a dark tale of the abuse and horrific murders of young teenage girls over several years, all with dreams of becoming big time actresses. McKittrick suspects this is the bond that the killer uses to draw them into his lair. Readers are quickly transported into the story through the terrifying sessions of a killer with his psychologist and the investigation. Tension escalates quickly and the tone is dire as the police always seem to be one step behind the killer even as the media is one step ahead. As in all of this author's books, the small details are extremely important. As a reader, I've learned to look for and follow the small crumb trail the author sprinkles throughout her stories as they prove to be important later on.
Cold Blooded Liar is a tense, complex, emotionally charged story that kept me turning pages in an effort to figure out what I was missing . . . who is the killer? I felt sure of who it wasn't, but while there are a couple of possibilities, I couldn't zero in on the person I thought was the most likely suspect and that's due to Rose's expert manipulation of both characters and readers. Characters are convoluted and well developed and are introduced with just enough background information to draw you in, and yet remain elusive enough to peak readers curiosity - leaving this reader looking forward to what happens in future books in this series. Fans of the Romantic Suspense series will enjoy appearances by past characters. As for the romance, there's a strong attraction between Kit and Sam, but as readers quickly learn, the baggage Kit carries makes her skittish about relationships which results in her attempting to hold Sam at arm's length. I loved the final line of the book with its implications that we'll see more sparks between this couple in future books which can't come soon enough. Highly recommended to fans of suspense and psychological thrillers. You don't want to miss this one!
Special thanks to Berkley Publishing for the arc and book tour invitation. This book is available on Feb. 28, 2023. My review is published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine and at Cross My Heart Reviews.
March 10, 2023
Unmarked graves in city parks. Pretty, petite, blond, high school girls with a love of acting. A serial killer cutting the loose ends to his identity. A cop and a shrink at odds at first then coming to respect each other and finally working together to catch a murderer. As always, Karen Rose sets a wonderful stage on which the good guys finally triumph, but not before a whole lot of bodies drop.
For 20 years a serial killer has stalked young girls in San Diego, CA and he has never even left a shred of evidence behind. In fact, the police are pretty sure they haven't even uncovered all the victims. When Dr. Sam Reeves starts suspecting that some of the things told to him by his pathological liar of a client just might be true, he faces an ethical dilemma. An anonymous tip leads to all kinds of trouble for the sincere doctor. His initial encounters with Detective Kit McKittrick are not pleasant, but his mistrust of her quickly turns to respect. But not enough respect to make him back away from pursuing a killer.
Kit McKittrick is a product of the foster care system that, due to placement in a loving home and the murder of her foster sister, produced a driven dedicated cop. When she gets an anonymous tip about an unmarked grave, she uncovers another victim of a serial killer who has bodies dating back 20 years. Her first step is to find the tipster, which leads her to Sam and puts his career and those around him in danger.
Sparks fly and heat rises every time Sam and Kit smash up against each other. They each want justice for the dead girls. Sam wants to clear his name. Kit wants to find a killer who has eluded police for 20 years. Only when they stop being suspicious of each other and start working together do they use their strengths to find the killer.
For 20 years a serial killer has stalked young girls in San Diego, CA and he has never even left a shred of evidence behind. In fact, the police are pretty sure they haven't even uncovered all the victims. When Dr. Sam Reeves starts suspecting that some of the things told to him by his pathological liar of a client just might be true, he faces an ethical dilemma. An anonymous tip leads to all kinds of trouble for the sincere doctor. His initial encounters with Detective Kit McKittrick are not pleasant, but his mistrust of her quickly turns to respect. But not enough respect to make him back away from pursuing a killer.
Kit McKittrick is a product of the foster care system that, due to placement in a loving home and the murder of her foster sister, produced a driven dedicated cop. When she gets an anonymous tip about an unmarked grave, she uncovers another victim of a serial killer who has bodies dating back 20 years. Her first step is to find the tipster, which leads her to Sam and puts his career and those around him in danger.
Sparks fly and heat rises every time Sam and Kit smash up against each other. They each want justice for the dead girls. Sam wants to clear his name. Kit wants to find a killer who has eluded police for 20 years. Only when they stop being suspicious of each other and start working together do they use their strengths to find the killer.
February 26, 2023
Romantic Suspense #27 San Diego Case Files #1
Sam Reeves is a kindhearted psychologist who treats court-ordered clients. After one of his patients - a pathological liar - starts revealing plausible new details from a long-unsolved serial murder case, he's compelled to report anonymously to the SDPD tip line, though his attempts to respect patient confidentially land him facedown and cuffed by the aggressive (and cute) Detective McKittrick. San Diego homicide detective Kit McKittrick loves the water. she lives on a boat. and when she not solving crimes with the SDPD, she's assisting her foster sister with her charter fishing business, scuba diving, or playing with her poodle. But there's nothing intrigues Kit more than a cold case, so when an anonymous caller leads her on the path of a wanted kller, she's determined to end the decade-long manhunt.
This is a complex case. The characters are well developed, and the main characters are likeable. The pace is fast, its action packed, and filled with twists. This is an easy book to read. I was pulled into the story after a few pages, i was hooked and I didn't want to put the book down again. Its tense and the suspense builds throughout. I like the authors style in writing this book. The plotline is intricate. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #Headline and the author #KarenRose for my ARC of #ColdBloodedLiar in exchange for an honest review.
Sam Reeves is a kindhearted psychologist who treats court-ordered clients. After one of his patients - a pathological liar - starts revealing plausible new details from a long-unsolved serial murder case, he's compelled to report anonymously to the SDPD tip line, though his attempts to respect patient confidentially land him facedown and cuffed by the aggressive (and cute) Detective McKittrick. San Diego homicide detective Kit McKittrick loves the water. she lives on a boat. and when she not solving crimes with the SDPD, she's assisting her foster sister with her charter fishing business, scuba diving, or playing with her poodle. But there's nothing intrigues Kit more than a cold case, so when an anonymous caller leads her on the path of a wanted kller, she's determined to end the decade-long manhunt.
This is a complex case. The characters are well developed, and the main characters are likeable. The pace is fast, its action packed, and filled with twists. This is an easy book to read. I was pulled into the story after a few pages, i was hooked and I didn't want to put the book down again. Its tense and the suspense builds throughout. I like the authors style in writing this book. The plotline is intricate. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #Headline and the author #KarenRose for my ARC of #ColdBloodedLiar in exchange for an honest review.
April 1, 2024
Good read, kept me interested and usually I can guess who the killer is pretty early on and with this book I couldn’t.
Happy for book 2.
Happy for book 2.
March 22, 2023
With its compelling and masterfully plotted storyline, this is an impressive beginning to a new series by Karen Rose, one of my top-favorite writers. In my humble opinion, romantic suspense doesn’t get any better than hers.
An extraordinary well-done thriller introducing an incredible and stellar cast of new characters – Kit McKittrick, a homicide detective and Dr. Sam Reeves, a psychologist, who are leading the charge. And, of course, you know there’ll always be those evil bad guys who commit the despicable and reprehensible crimes that Rose writes so well.
Another stunning page-turner that combines suspense with sparks of romance between the detective and doctor. Plenty of twists and turns to keep readers riveted until the very end. A perfect reading escape for fans who like to read on the dark side.
I wasn’t nearly ready for this to end -- leaving me with a huge book hangover and, of course, instantly begging for more! I’ll be sitting on pins and needles awaiting the next exciting visit to San Diego to catch up with Detective McKittrick and Dr. Sam Reeves.
September 18, 2023
The mystery was ok but there was no romance? I guess this series will follow these same two main characters over a longer arc but wow was that a let down.
Also, the audiobook narrator made the male main characters sound like a Grade A weenie. He’s supposed to be 35 but sounded more like an nervous teenager and made it hard to root for him.
Also, the audiobook narrator made the male main characters sound like a Grade A weenie. He’s supposed to be 35 but sounded more like an nervous teenager and made it hard to root for him.
March 4, 2023
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as part of the book tour hosted by Headline Books.
Cold Blooded Liar is the first book in a new series; The San Diego Case files, featuring the main POVs of Kit McKittrick (a homicide detective) and Sam Reeves (a psychologist). As always, Karen Rose hooks me from the first few pages, and I couldn't put this book down. Fast-paced and full of twists that leave you questioning yourself as to who the serial killer could be, right until the very end.
Sam has a client visiting him for court ordered sessions after he beat his neighbour up in a violent rage. In the sessions, he talks about his 'pretty young things'. After feeling like a girls life is in danger, Sam tips off the detectives (mostly Kit) to the site of a possible grave in a local park. When the detectives then turn up on his doorstep and arrest him, his whole life gets turned upside down and inside out. When someone who is close to Sam, then gets murdered, he becomes even more of a suspect and he sets out to clear his name and get justice for his friend and the other victims. Kit really wants to believe Sam isn't involved and is innocent but something keeps holding her back. After losing her sister Wren as a young teenager and having strong reservations about seeing the department psychologist on the orders of her boss; Kit begrudgingly gives Sam the benefit of doubt to conduct his own investigation as she conducts her own with her partner and mentor Baz.
But the killer seems to be speeding up with his kills and the clock is ticking for all of them.
This book has some great character development and depth to each character, and I loved that it features some cross-over characters from other books. I honestly cannot wait to read more of all the characters and discover where book two takes us after several clever sunrprises at the end of the book!
Cold Blooded Liar is the first book in a new series; The San Diego Case files, featuring the main POVs of Kit McKittrick (a homicide detective) and Sam Reeves (a psychologist). As always, Karen Rose hooks me from the first few pages, and I couldn't put this book down. Fast-paced and full of twists that leave you questioning yourself as to who the serial killer could be, right until the very end.
Sam has a client visiting him for court ordered sessions after he beat his neighbour up in a violent rage. In the sessions, he talks about his 'pretty young things'. After feeling like a girls life is in danger, Sam tips off the detectives (mostly Kit) to the site of a possible grave in a local park. When the detectives then turn up on his doorstep and arrest him, his whole life gets turned upside down and inside out. When someone who is close to Sam, then gets murdered, he becomes even more of a suspect and he sets out to clear his name and get justice for his friend and the other victims. Kit really wants to believe Sam isn't involved and is innocent but something keeps holding her back. After losing her sister Wren as a young teenager and having strong reservations about seeing the department psychologist on the orders of her boss; Kit begrudgingly gives Sam the benefit of doubt to conduct his own investigation as she conducts her own with her partner and mentor Baz.
But the killer seems to be speeding up with his kills and the clock is ticking for all of them.
This book has some great character development and depth to each character, and I loved that it features some cross-over characters from other books. I honestly cannot wait to read more of all the characters and discover where book two takes us after several clever sunrprises at the end of the book!
July 8, 2023
Sam is a psychologist whose client knows details about an unsolved murder. Kit is a detective who wants to solve the cold case Sam may have information about. They both want to solve the case, and have to work together to do so.
Cold Blooded Liar is the 27th book in the Romantic Suspense series by Karen Rose. It is the first book in the San Diego series. I have read and enjoyed other books by Rose, so I was excited to read her latest book.
The characters are well-developed and realistic. The story is fast paced and intriguing. Cold Blooded Liar is an intense and thrilling novel.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Cold Blooded Liar is the 27th book in the Romantic Suspense series by Karen Rose. It is the first book in the San Diego series. I have read and enjoyed other books by Rose, so I was excited to read her latest book.
The characters are well-developed and realistic. The story is fast paced and intriguing. Cold Blooded Liar is an intense and thrilling novel.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 28, 2023
✨𝗣𝗨𝗕 𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪✨
Thank you #BerkleyPartner @berkleypub
for the gifted copy. #BerkleyIG
#penguinrandomhousepartner
𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗟𝗶𝗮𝗿
𝗕𝘆 𝗞𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗥𝗼𝘀𝗲
𝟰𝟲𝟰 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀
𝗣𝘂𝗯: 𝟮/𝟮𝟴/𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 - 𝗢𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆!
📖 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸: Cold Blooded Liar is a mix of suspense, police procedural, with light romance.
Kit became a homicide detective after the unsolved murder of her foster sister, Vera, when she was 15. Kit is a workhorse, throwing herself headfirst into every case. When she receives an anonymous call with a tip about a murder, it links back to unsolved murder cases of teen girls. With Kit's past, these cases hit close to home.
Sam Reeves is a psychologist and good Samaritan -- a real do-gooder. So he can't help but be surprised to find himself as the suspect of a murder case. His entire life is thrown upside down by the SDPD and the cantankerous Kit McKittrick. Sam's not going to sit idly by and wait for them to solve the case.
Working from different angles, Kit and Sam work to uncover the truth... And their growing feelings for one another.
💭 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: Cold Blooded Liar has everything I look for in a romantic suspense novel. Compelling characters, a mystery / whodunnit, a romance subplot, twists and turns, great side characters, and perfect pacing. It pulled me in from the first page and kept me engaged until the last. I love the relationship Kit has with her foster dad. ❤️
I read along with the audiobook and Hillary Huber did a great job with the narration! I'd expect nothing less.
Fun fact: this subgenre is all I read for years! I love it, as it's the perfect mashup of two of my favorite genres: thriller and romance. I have branched out quite a bit these last several years, but romantic suspense will always be my comfort read. Cold Blooded Liar brought back all those nostalgic vibes and I loved every second of it.
Though this was a tad lighter on the romance than I expected, it did not impact my reading experience. I suspect the author is setting the scene for the next book.
Can't wait for it!!! 🥰
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Thank you #BerkleyPartner @berkleypub
for the gifted copy. #BerkleyIG
#penguinrandomhousepartner
𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗟𝗶𝗮𝗿
𝗕𝘆 𝗞𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗥𝗼𝘀𝗲
𝟰𝟲𝟰 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀
𝗣𝘂𝗯: 𝟮/𝟮𝟴/𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 - 𝗢𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆!
📖 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸: Cold Blooded Liar is a mix of suspense, police procedural, with light romance.
Kit became a homicide detective after the unsolved murder of her foster sister, Vera, when she was 15. Kit is a workhorse, throwing herself headfirst into every case. When she receives an anonymous call with a tip about a murder, it links back to unsolved murder cases of teen girls. With Kit's past, these cases hit close to home.
Sam Reeves is a psychologist and good Samaritan -- a real do-gooder. So he can't help but be surprised to find himself as the suspect of a murder case. His entire life is thrown upside down by the SDPD and the cantankerous Kit McKittrick. Sam's not going to sit idly by and wait for them to solve the case.
Working from different angles, Kit and Sam work to uncover the truth... And their growing feelings for one another.
💭 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: Cold Blooded Liar has everything I look for in a romantic suspense novel. Compelling characters, a mystery / whodunnit, a romance subplot, twists and turns, great side characters, and perfect pacing. It pulled me in from the first page and kept me engaged until the last. I love the relationship Kit has with her foster dad. ❤️
I read along with the audiobook and Hillary Huber did a great job with the narration! I'd expect nothing less.
Fun fact: this subgenre is all I read for years! I love it, as it's the perfect mashup of two of my favorite genres: thriller and romance. I have branched out quite a bit these last several years, but romantic suspense will always be my comfort read. Cold Blooded Liar brought back all those nostalgic vibes and I loved every second of it.
Though this was a tad lighter on the romance than I expected, it did not impact my reading experience. I suspect the author is setting the scene for the next book.
Can't wait for it!!! 🥰
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.
.
February 28, 2023
NOW LIVE!
Amazon US * Amazon UK
What's really fun about Karen Rose as an author is that her books always have the same type of vibe and I think it's easy to tell when you're reading a story from her, but they never get too similar. Every book I devour from her feels fun and new and I really enjoy that about her stories.
Cold-Blooded Liar brought in a true crime feeling along with the mystery aspect of the book. We got to see one crime from different perspectives and different investigation tactics and it made the story really fun to read. It also had me guessing doubly hard on who the killer was.
The romance was extra light in this book but honestly it didn't lessen my enjoyment at all. It felt more playful by only giving us hints of a connection between Kit and Sam. Overall, a great read and I really hope we'll be seeing more from these characters in the future.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon US * Amazon UK
What's really fun about Karen Rose as an author is that her books always have the same type of vibe and I think it's easy to tell when you're reading a story from her, but they never get too similar. Every book I devour from her feels fun and new and I really enjoy that about her stories.
Cold-Blooded Liar brought in a true crime feeling along with the mystery aspect of the book. We got to see one crime from different perspectives and different investigation tactics and it made the story really fun to read. It also had me guessing doubly hard on who the killer was.
The romance was extra light in this book but honestly it didn't lessen my enjoyment at all. It felt more playful by only giving us hints of a connection between Kit and Sam. Overall, a great read and I really hope we'll be seeing more from these characters in the future.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
July 13, 2023
DNF
Had to stop on page 133 - this was like a Young Adult romance novel. The writing and dialogue were extremely juvenile. Who cares if Dr Sam has such great green eyes - he’s a total wimp that sounds like a 16 year old Mama’s Boy. Kit comes across as a lovesick teen. More budding relationship than mystery - no thanks👎
I’d never heard of the author before and hope I don’t ever hear of her again!
After reading the reviews, I’m amazed at all the 5 stars. Did I read the same book?
Had to stop on page 133 - this was like a Young Adult romance novel. The writing and dialogue were extremely juvenile. Who cares if Dr Sam has such great green eyes - he’s a total wimp that sounds like a 16 year old Mama’s Boy. Kit comes across as a lovesick teen. More budding relationship than mystery - no thanks👎
I’d never heard of the author before and hope I don’t ever hear of her again!
After reading the reviews, I’m amazed at all the 5 stars. Did I read the same book?
March 1, 2023
Detective Kit McKittrick was motivated to join the police force after a personal tragedy. She’s dedicated her life to bringing killers to justice, so when a tip comes in that leads them to the body of a teenage girl she’s determined to find the person who called in the tip. Either he knows more about the killer or is the killer himself.
When Sam Reeves patient’s claims hint at him being a killer he doesn’t know how to tell the police without jeopardizing his career with patient confidentiality laws in place. However, Sam can’t live with himself if there’s someone in danger and he doesn’t do something about it. Little does he know that his tip with lead to him being a suspect.
In her heart Kit doesn’t think Sam is a murderer, but she doesn’t want to let her personal feelings dictate her investigation. While the police are somewhat mollified when he tells his side of the story he’s still under suspicion, and he doesn’t quite trust the cops, so Sam decides to do some of his own investigating. He’s actually good at it and ends up helping the police. I liked that Sam was smart about his situation and made sure to have backup and someone with him to corroborate his activities while still being under scrutiny from the police.
There’s a definite connection/attraction between Kit and Sam, but the investigation is the primary focus. I really liked both Kit and Sam! With the way things are left I’m hoping for more in the coming books.
Cold Blooded Liar was a captivating mystery! Karen Rose balances the personal aspects of her characters with a tight, page-turning plot! There were plenty of suspicious characters. It kept me on my toes trying to figure out the killer was!
I alternately read and listened to an audio version (purchased) of Cold Blooded Liar narrated by one of my favs, Hillary Huber. I love her smooth, rich voice and her performances of both female and male characters! I listened at my usual 1.5-1.75x normal speed.
An e-copy was kindly provided by Berkley in exchange for an honest review.
When Sam Reeves patient’s claims hint at him being a killer he doesn’t know how to tell the police without jeopardizing his career with patient confidentiality laws in place. However, Sam can’t live with himself if there’s someone in danger and he doesn’t do something about it. Little does he know that his tip with lead to him being a suspect.
In her heart Kit doesn’t think Sam is a murderer, but she doesn’t want to let her personal feelings dictate her investigation. While the police are somewhat mollified when he tells his side of the story he’s still under suspicion, and he doesn’t quite trust the cops, so Sam decides to do some of his own investigating. He’s actually good at it and ends up helping the police. I liked that Sam was smart about his situation and made sure to have backup and someone with him to corroborate his activities while still being under scrutiny from the police.
There’s a definite connection/attraction between Kit and Sam, but the investigation is the primary focus. I really liked both Kit and Sam! With the way things are left I’m hoping for more in the coming books.
Cold Blooded Liar was a captivating mystery! Karen Rose balances the personal aspects of her characters with a tight, page-turning plot! There were plenty of suspicious characters. It kept me on my toes trying to figure out the killer was!
I alternately read and listened to an audio version (purchased) of Cold Blooded Liar narrated by one of my favs, Hillary Huber. I love her smooth, rich voice and her performances of both female and male characters! I listened at my usual 1.5-1.75x normal speed.
An e-copy was kindly provided by Berkley in exchange for an honest review.
February 28, 2023
Kit McKittrick is a solid cop, a homicide detective who has a very good reason for the career that she chose. Having lost her foster sister to murder when they were teens, Kit has always wanted to find her sister’s killer. When other cold cases start to come to her attention, Kit begins to find direction from an unlikely source.
Sam Reeves is a psychologist and one of his patients whose treatment has been ordered from the court is a pathological liar who seems to live in a fantasy world. However, he has lately began to slip some details about murders that were never solved. This places Sam in a quandary. For ethical and confidential reasons, he cannot reveal what his patient has shared with him, but Sam wonders if this man is telling the truth about some things, and if any other lives will be at risk.
Sam devise a plan to give the police enough details so that they can start looking for clues to solve some of these murders. However, it does not take the police long to identify Sam, and in fact, he ends up being their main suspect. However, there is just something about the kind, gentle psychologist that makes Kit certain that he is no killer.
The cold case that has Kit’s attention has been going on for years, and she is bound and determined to be the one to solve the case. Meanwhile, Sam has his own ideas and between the two of them, although independently for the most part, is looking for answers of his own.
Cold-Blooded Liar was an excellent, excellent book with fabulous characters that were easy to relate to. Not only were Sam and Kit wonderful, there were also Kit’s uncle and aunt Sullivan and Marion, as well as her partner, Baz and her new partner. I love that this book laid the groundwork for what promises to be a fabulous series. This book is serious and heartbreaking but offers so much promise when it comes to the strength of the characters and their determination to find justice. This was a thrilling book that I literally sped through because I just had to know what was going to happen next, and I am very excited for the next book in the series.
Many thanks to Berkley Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/kUpNhLuG0gA
December 2, 2022
This was a fun book.
Very fast read and super entertaining. It *is* about a serial killer who does bad things to young women/girls, so it’s not all bubble gum and flowers – definitely some tough subject matter. But it still manages to somehow be a light read.
I loved our characters and there are some peripheral characters who definitely need their own books (hint to the author/publisher).
As for the romance, it’s the sweet kind, not the scorching kind. You have two damaged individuals who are dealing with terrible things and just kind of…tip toeing toward each other.
Definitely enjoyable!
• ARC via Publisher
Very fast read and super entertaining. It *is* about a serial killer who does bad things to young women/girls, so it’s not all bubble gum and flowers – definitely some tough subject matter. But it still manages to somehow be a light read.
I loved our characters and there are some peripheral characters who definitely need their own books (hint to the author/publisher).
As for the romance, it’s the sweet kind, not the scorching kind. You have two damaged individuals who are dealing with terrible things and just kind of…tip toeing toward each other.
Definitely enjoyable!
• ARC via Publisher
March 21, 2023
This is a really interesting concept for a story because it follows not only the perspective of the police working on a serial killer case, but also the perspective of a psychologist who has found himself involved in the case. Kit is a determined, hardworking cop who is motivated by the murder of her foster sister to solve as many cold cases as possible to give families closure like she didn’t get. Sam is a psychologist who does lots of charity work and seems like an all round Good Samaritan. One of his patients disclose information connected to a serial killer that leaves him feeling unsettled, and he gets pulled into this case and even finds himself as a suspect.
One thing I absolutely loved about this story was the relationships between Kit’s family. They were so kind and supportive and always there for each other and it honestly just warmed my heart reading about them. I loved that we got an in-depth look into all the characters too, I felt really involved in the story and found myself really caring about the characters and what happened to them.
There were lots of twists and turns in this story and I had no idea who the killer was. The reveal was so good and the killer in this book is actually one of the most evil I’ve read about and I was definitely a bit disturbed. The writing, plot, characters, literally everything was spot on for me, and I can’t actually fault a thing! I also enjoy the light romance in here because it wasn’t over powering at all and didn’t take my attention away from the mystery. I think there will be more books following these characters and I can’t wait to read them!
Thank you so much to Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
One thing I absolutely loved about this story was the relationships between Kit’s family. They were so kind and supportive and always there for each other and it honestly just warmed my heart reading about them. I loved that we got an in-depth look into all the characters too, I felt really involved in the story and found myself really caring about the characters and what happened to them.
There were lots of twists and turns in this story and I had no idea who the killer was. The reveal was so good and the killer in this book is actually one of the most evil I’ve read about and I was definitely a bit disturbed. The writing, plot, characters, literally everything was spot on for me, and I can’t actually fault a thing! I also enjoy the light romance in here because it wasn’t over powering at all and didn’t take my attention away from the mystery. I think there will be more books following these characters and I can’t wait to read them!
Thank you so much to Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 5, 2023
Wow, I was hooked from start to finish! This had so many twists and turns. Usually I’m able to guess who the killer is but I had NO IDEA until they did. And holy shit was that a shocker. This whole investigation was insane! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!! I will definitely be reading more from this author.
~Kit had a hard start to life but it turned around when she ended up with the McKittrick’s. Now a homocide detective, she chose to dedicate her career to cold cases after the murder of her sister. When an anonymous tip brings her closer to closing a case of 10 years, she’s determined to do whatever it takes to find the killer.~
~Kit had a hard start to life but it turned around when she ended up with the McKittrick’s. Now a homocide detective, she chose to dedicate her career to cold cases after the murder of her sister. When an anonymous tip brings her closer to closing a case of 10 years, she’s determined to do whatever it takes to find the killer.~
January 10, 2024
This was my first Karen Rose book. It is so crazy to me that some authors can have this many books out! While all of these are a part of the romantic suspense series- they seem to be broken down into duologies or trilogies. This is the first one of the San Diego mini series if you will and involves Detective Kit McKittrick and Sam Reeves. Both of these main characters have some major trauma that they continue to deal with which added to the story. This was more of a thriller with the hint of the possibility of something. I think I am going to start categorizing suspense with romance and then romantic suspense for my own sake LOL.
Detective McKittrick and her partner are working a string of murders that have been going on for 20 years. This killer has continued to evade the police and has left calling cards that only the police know about. This time they have gotten an anonymous tip about a body that will be found. When they run down the anonymous tip, they run into Sam Reeves who is a psychologist for criminals. Kit and her partner have a hard time not thinking Sam is a suspect and so of course he is taken into custody. The whole time though Kit is trying to trust her gut and not acknowledge that there is an attraction between her and Sam. She is too scared to explore it.
Sam turns out not to be the killer and when he asks if he can help he is told no. He however decides that he is going to do his own investigation. See people feel comfortable talking with him- he may be able to get them to open up in a way that the police cant. Which is exactly how he finds himself finding more evidence on this killer than the police have found. He finds himself liking working with Kit. He likes meeting her family and learning about her tragic past. He wants to explore what could happen between them.
They end up finding the killer together, who I did not see coming at all. They have a moment together that is captured via the newspapers for all to see. Kit's partner has decided to retire. There is too much change happening for her. She does not want to open up her heart because people leave her. However, Sam is a patient man. He is willing to wait which leads us to book 2!! Which is out very soon. I am hoping we get the romance arc we all want and that there is some spice! Please let there be spice LOL.
Detective McKittrick and her partner are working a string of murders that have been going on for 20 years. This killer has continued to evade the police and has left calling cards that only the police know about. This time they have gotten an anonymous tip about a body that will be found. When they run down the anonymous tip, they run into Sam Reeves who is a psychologist for criminals. Kit and her partner have a hard time not thinking Sam is a suspect and so of course he is taken into custody. The whole time though Kit is trying to trust her gut and not acknowledge that there is an attraction between her and Sam. She is too scared to explore it.
Sam turns out not to be the killer and when he asks if he can help he is told no. He however decides that he is going to do his own investigation. See people feel comfortable talking with him- he may be able to get them to open up in a way that the police cant. Which is exactly how he finds himself finding more evidence on this killer than the police have found. He finds himself liking working with Kit. He likes meeting her family and learning about her tragic past. He wants to explore what could happen between them.
They end up finding the killer together, who I did not see coming at all. They have a moment together that is captured via the newspapers for all to see. Kit's partner has decided to retire. There is too much change happening for her. She does not want to open up her heart because people leave her. However, Sam is a patient man. He is willing to wait which leads us to book 2!! Which is out very soon. I am hoping we get the romance arc we all want and that there is some spice! Please let there be spice LOL.
May 29, 2024
The plot was solid, the mystery engaging enough. However, the story is very dry, procedural, and lacks any real excitement or drama. You just plod along through scenes. I'm sure this style suits some readers.
My biggest issue was that every character lacked a unique personality. They all blended into one for me. They talked the same, thought the same, reacted the same. Cardboard cutouts each filling a role needed in the story.
There was also so much repetition. Sincere! Sam was so sincere! Pick a new word! This one isn’t even that good of a descriptor. His sincere eyes were talked about so often I started to think he was actually just a very accomplished golden retriever (not the trope kind). Ripples was equally overused and didn’t need to be referenced as much as it was. There was also too much SHRINK panic and pearl clutching, it felt dated. I don’t think anyone ever called the psychologist characters psychologists. It was “shrink this, shrink that”.
I'm tempted to read the second book in this series because I am curious but might find myself disssapointed again.
My biggest issue was that every character lacked a unique personality. They all blended into one for me. They talked the same, thought the same, reacted the same. Cardboard cutouts each filling a role needed in the story.
There was also so much repetition. Sincere! Sam was so sincere! Pick a new word! This one isn’t even that good of a descriptor. His sincere eyes were talked about so often I started to think he was actually just a very accomplished golden retriever (not the trope kind). Ripples was equally overused and didn’t need to be referenced as much as it was. There was also too much SHRINK panic and pearl clutching, it felt dated. I don’t think anyone ever called the psychologist characters psychologists. It was “shrink this, shrink that”.
I'm tempted to read the second book in this series because I am curious but might find myself disssapointed again.
January 30, 2023
When it comes to books, if I see the word "romance" in the description my eyes start to cross, my nose twitches and my lips start puckering up to say "Noooooo." But since I've read and enjoyed a couple of other books by this talented author - and since the other descriptive word is "suspense" - I crossed my fingers and went for it.
And it worked out just fine. Oh, there are hints at romance - mostly, I think, as a lead-in to the second book in the "San Diego Case Files" series - and much of them are to me downright silly. But it's hardly the overarching theme - identifying a longtime serial killer is the real deal here - so it's easy to overlook if your sappy stuff perspective is as jaded as mine. The focus is on Katherine (Kit) McKittrick, an ace detective with the San Diego Police Department. An otherwise competent woman who struggles with trust issues as a result of her past - which includes a long stint in the foster system - Kit is hard-pressed to trust psychologist Dr. Sam Reeves when he risks his professional career by calling the police about one of his patients - a pathological liar. The romance part rears its head when Kit, who is infatuated with Sam (reluctantly of course) can't quite bring herself to consider him a suspect when the body of a young woman is unearthed following his phone tip.
The discovery is gruesome just because of the crime, but it quickly gets even worse when the killer's M.O. matches that of a never-caught serial killer of young women. More ties to Sam turn up, making it even harder for Kit to believe he's innocent - compounded by the fact that her longtime partner and mentor, Basil "Baz" Constantine, thinks she should take off her rose-colored glasses and at least entertain the possibility that he's not the all-around sweetheart he seems to be. Honestly, there's a little too much waffling on Kit's part to suit me, and I think the author was a little too heavy-handed with trying to polish his halo, but happily he - and she - are such likeable characters (Baz even more so) that it matters not.
The story follows the intense investigation as well as insights from Kit's troubled past to her close relationship with her "last" foster parents who are almost too good to be believable, but their relationship with their charges tugged at my heartstrings anyway. The ending brings a surprise - unwelcome to several of the characters for various reasons I can't reveal - and a sigh of disappointment from me just because the whole thing was over and I'll have to wait for the next installment. Meantime, many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy of this one. Well done!
And it worked out just fine. Oh, there are hints at romance - mostly, I think, as a lead-in to the second book in the "San Diego Case Files" series - and much of them are to me downright silly. But it's hardly the overarching theme - identifying a longtime serial killer is the real deal here - so it's easy to overlook if your sappy stuff perspective is as jaded as mine. The focus is on Katherine (Kit) McKittrick, an ace detective with the San Diego Police Department. An otherwise competent woman who struggles with trust issues as a result of her past - which includes a long stint in the foster system - Kit is hard-pressed to trust psychologist Dr. Sam Reeves when he risks his professional career by calling the police about one of his patients - a pathological liar. The romance part rears its head when Kit, who is infatuated with Sam (reluctantly of course) can't quite bring herself to consider him a suspect when the body of a young woman is unearthed following his phone tip.
The discovery is gruesome just because of the crime, but it quickly gets even worse when the killer's M.O. matches that of a never-caught serial killer of young women. More ties to Sam turn up, making it even harder for Kit to believe he's innocent - compounded by the fact that her longtime partner and mentor, Basil "Baz" Constantine, thinks she should take off her rose-colored glasses and at least entertain the possibility that he's not the all-around sweetheart he seems to be. Honestly, there's a little too much waffling on Kit's part to suit me, and I think the author was a little too heavy-handed with trying to polish his halo, but happily he - and she - are such likeable characters (Baz even more so) that it matters not.
The story follows the intense investigation as well as insights from Kit's troubled past to her close relationship with her "last" foster parents who are almost too good to be believable, but their relationship with their charges tugged at my heartstrings anyway. The ending brings a surprise - unwelcome to several of the characters for various reasons I can't reveal - and a sigh of disappointment from me just because the whole thing was over and I'll have to wait for the next installment. Meantime, many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy of this one. Well done!
March 29, 2023
Another draining, gritty, but in the end triumphant romantic suspense from Karen Rose. This latest takes the series to San Diego and a grim series of killings by a predator possessing a clever, cold mind.
Like the rest of the Romantic Suspense series, this latest can be started without reading the prior sub-series named after the cities where they take place.
I knew from the beginning that this was going to be an emotional, gut-wrenching story. Kit was a foster kid who had significant struggles even before a foster sister became a long-time missing person’s case. She can count on one hand with fingers left over the people whom she trusts, but she is an amazing detective for the San Diego department and she needs to bring down the guy hurting and killing these girls.
Sam Reeves is her number one suspect, but she wavers because from the beginning her instinct tells her that he is one of the good guys. Unfortunately, there is a tightening circumstantial evidence trail leading right to him. She has to find a break that will put him firmly in the clear or nail him. In the meantime, she’s fighting feelings for him that scare her more than that he’s a suspect.
Sam is a golden guy. Amazing in his dedication and being good at what he does. He does the right thing and now he’s living a nightmare and forced to turn amateur detective to clear his own name. Kit, even when she had him down in handcuffs with her knee in his back, has caught his attention, but he is well aware anything they might have must be oh so slowly and carefully cultivated- assuming he gets through all this.
The emotional side of the book is draining for me as is usual when I read this author’s books because she pulls you into the world so deeply. The victims are treated with dignity, but it is never pretty. The descriptions don’t get gratuitous, but are enough to feel the need for justice and really cheer on the team working to bring the fiend behind it down. Trigger warning to those who need to avoid mentions of abuse and killing of teenage girls and young women.
But, on the flip side, there is so much hope because the professions are portrayed as human, but good, tough, and relentless at their jobs. Kit was the main detective, but there were several working together and then there was Sam’s investigations, too. This one was interesting because the second main character is both a detective and a suspect and the author takes the reader into what that can feel like, as well.
All in all, it is a long book that read quickly and ended at a satisfying place with justice served though what a shocking betrayal once the truth came out. The romance was more hinted as a possibility in this book and will hopefully develop over the San Diego series. If you love true crime or crime fiction, police procedurals or grittier murder mysteries, this series is one I can heartily recommend.
I rec'd an eARC via NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Caffeinated Reviewer Mar 25th.
Like the rest of the Romantic Suspense series, this latest can be started without reading the prior sub-series named after the cities where they take place.
I knew from the beginning that this was going to be an emotional, gut-wrenching story. Kit was a foster kid who had significant struggles even before a foster sister became a long-time missing person’s case. She can count on one hand with fingers left over the people whom she trusts, but she is an amazing detective for the San Diego department and she needs to bring down the guy hurting and killing these girls.
Sam Reeves is her number one suspect, but she wavers because from the beginning her instinct tells her that he is one of the good guys. Unfortunately, there is a tightening circumstantial evidence trail leading right to him. She has to find a break that will put him firmly in the clear or nail him. In the meantime, she’s fighting feelings for him that scare her more than that he’s a suspect.
Sam is a golden guy. Amazing in his dedication and being good at what he does. He does the right thing and now he’s living a nightmare and forced to turn amateur detective to clear his own name. Kit, even when she had him down in handcuffs with her knee in his back, has caught his attention, but he is well aware anything they might have must be oh so slowly and carefully cultivated- assuming he gets through all this.
The emotional side of the book is draining for me as is usual when I read this author’s books because she pulls you into the world so deeply. The victims are treated with dignity, but it is never pretty. The descriptions don’t get gratuitous, but are enough to feel the need for justice and really cheer on the team working to bring the fiend behind it down. Trigger warning to those who need to avoid mentions of abuse and killing of teenage girls and young women.
But, on the flip side, there is so much hope because the professions are portrayed as human, but good, tough, and relentless at their jobs. Kit was the main detective, but there were several working together and then there was Sam’s investigations, too. This one was interesting because the second main character is both a detective and a suspect and the author takes the reader into what that can feel like, as well.
All in all, it is a long book that read quickly and ended at a satisfying place with justice served though what a shocking betrayal once the truth came out. The romance was more hinted as a possibility in this book and will hopefully develop over the San Diego series. If you love true crime or crime fiction, police procedurals or grittier murder mysteries, this series is one I can heartily recommend.
I rec'd an eARC via NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Caffeinated Reviewer Mar 25th.
March 6, 2023
4.5 stars.
Psychologist Sam Reeves treats court-ordered clients. When one of his clients starts dropping hints that he may have been involved in a serial killer cold case where all the victims were teen girls, Sam is compelled to anonymously report this to the San Diego PD tip line. Sam’s attempts to preserve doctor-patient confidentiality backfire, however, when Sam himself ends up arrested and considered a suspect in the case.
Sam’s arresting officer is Kit McKittrick, a homicide detective who is a bright star at the SDPD. When Kit was a teenager, her sister and best friend Wren was murdered and the murder was never solved. This is what led Kit to become a homicide detective and why she is so passionate about solving cases that involve teen girls. Kit and her partner/mentor Baz eventually let Sam go, with the understanding that he is still a suspect, and they set out to catch the killer. Sam, knowing that his career, reputation, and perhaps even his own life, are all on the line, decides to do a little amateur sleuthing on his own.
I really enjoyed following both Kit’s and Sam’s separate investigations and the tension it created between Kit, Sam and Baz because they kept butting heads almost every step of the way of the investigation. There also appears to be an unspoken attraction between Sam and Kit, which also makes things all the more interesting since Sam is still considered a suspect.
I don’t want to give anything away about the investigation itself except to say that it was intense & suspenseful & kept me guessing until the final pages. I was also fully invested in the story because Rose did such a wonderful job fleshing out her characters. I loved Kit and her adoptive family, the McKittricks, who appear frequently throughout the book.
Cold Blooded Liar is the first book in Karen Rose’s new San Diego Case Files series. It was my first time reading something from Karen Rose but it definitely won’t be the last!
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Psychologist Sam Reeves treats court-ordered clients. When one of his clients starts dropping hints that he may have been involved in a serial killer cold case where all the victims were teen girls, Sam is compelled to anonymously report this to the San Diego PD tip line. Sam’s attempts to preserve doctor-patient confidentiality backfire, however, when Sam himself ends up arrested and considered a suspect in the case.
Sam’s arresting officer is Kit McKittrick, a homicide detective who is a bright star at the SDPD. When Kit was a teenager, her sister and best friend Wren was murdered and the murder was never solved. This is what led Kit to become a homicide detective and why she is so passionate about solving cases that involve teen girls. Kit and her partner/mentor Baz eventually let Sam go, with the understanding that he is still a suspect, and they set out to catch the killer. Sam, knowing that his career, reputation, and perhaps even his own life, are all on the line, decides to do a little amateur sleuthing on his own.
I really enjoyed following both Kit’s and Sam’s separate investigations and the tension it created between Kit, Sam and Baz because they kept butting heads almost every step of the way of the investigation. There also appears to be an unspoken attraction between Sam and Kit, which also makes things all the more interesting since Sam is still considered a suspect.
I don’t want to give anything away about the investigation itself except to say that it was intense & suspenseful & kept me guessing until the final pages. I was also fully invested in the story because Rose did such a wonderful job fleshing out her characters. I loved Kit and her adoptive family, the McKittricks, who appear frequently throughout the book.
Cold Blooded Liar is the first book in Karen Rose’s new San Diego Case Files series. It was my first time reading something from Karen Rose but it definitely won’t be the last!
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2023
This is my first book by Karen Rose and I might have to pick up some more in the future because it was an interesting story albeit I didn't love the writing style so I'm curious if that's the case with all her books.
The plot was good! I felt like I was in an episode of Criminal Minds for a minute. Where I had issues resided with the characters. I felt the characters were not written well. Reading it I had a hard time believing these characters were all over the age of 30 because they didn't sound like it.
One is a female police officer and the other is a phD therapist yet they both conversed like they were young minded. I don't know how else to explain it besides saying their dialogue was very simple and sounded juvenile especially Sam the therapist, his voice was written very weird. Maybe that was the point?
I'm definitely gonna be checking out some more from this author to get a better perspective.
Huge thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy!
The plot was good! I felt like I was in an episode of Criminal Minds for a minute. Where I had issues resided with the characters. I felt the characters were not written well. Reading it I had a hard time believing these characters were all over the age of 30 because they didn't sound like it.
One is a female police officer and the other is a phD therapist yet they both conversed like they were young minded. I don't know how else to explain it besides saying their dialogue was very simple and sounded juvenile especially Sam the therapist, his voice was written very weird. Maybe that was the point?
I'm definitely gonna be checking out some more from this author to get a better perspective.
Huge thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy!
March 3, 2023
Loveeee Karen Rose but this book just didn’t all the way hit the mark for me. I think at least half of it was the awful narration for the male main character. The narrator made him sound like a nasally teenage boy and he’s supposed to be a Clark Kent-like 36-year-old man.
There wasn’t any romance. Like, none, and I didn’t even feel the chemistry between the characters. I think it’s going to be a multi book series following the same two leads, but there has to be better chemistry and a new voice for our hero or I’m tapping out and will just follow her other series.
I did like the mystery, it wasn’t as scary or suspenseful as some of her more recent books and I guessed the bad guy pretty early - but it had some great twists and a fantastic group of supporting characters that saved the book for me.
Overall, I’ll give this series one more try because Karen Rose is the best - but if the narrator is the same I’ll just read the ebook.
There wasn’t any romance. Like, none, and I didn’t even feel the chemistry between the characters. I think it’s going to be a multi book series following the same two leads, but there has to be better chemistry and a new voice for our hero or I’m tapping out and will just follow her other series.
I did like the mystery, it wasn’t as scary or suspenseful as some of her more recent books and I guessed the bad guy pretty early - but it had some great twists and a fantastic group of supporting characters that saved the book for me.
Overall, I’ll give this series one more try because Karen Rose is the best - but if the narrator is the same I’ll just read the ebook.
March 1, 2023
I feel like this should be a San Diego 0.5 instead of 1. I enjoyed the plot, but I feel like it was a slow pitch for the author to set up the San Diego series. Hopefully she hits it out of the park with the next in the San Diego series. I’m still looking forward to her next book.
December 26, 2024
5 stars. A few weeks ago, I was gifted an ARC of Dead Man's List (book 3 in the San Diego series) by Berkley. If you follow my reviews at all, you'll know I'm a big fan of romantic suspense. It's probably my favorite thing to read, with PNR/ romantasy coming in at a close second. I really enjoyed Dead Man's List, so much so that I decided to read the series from the beginning and purchased a copy of Cold Blooded Liar. And boy am I glad that I did. Because this book was So DAMN GOOD. The series follows Kit, a former foster kid turned homicide detective, who ends up working on a serial killer case that has been ongoing for 20 years. Kit gets introduced to the case by Dr. Sam, a psychologist who finds out during a session that his patient may have done (and may still be doing) very very bad things. But because of patient/ doctor confidentiality, Sam doesn't know how to get the cops involved. So instead, he sends the cops an anonymous message- which of course ends up not being anonymous and turns Sam into a potential suspect! Kit is a complex character and you become as invested in her and her relationships as you do in solving the case. As far as romantic suspense goes, I love it when I'm actually surprised an unable to figure out the bad guy(s). So points to Rose, because I 100% did not have this one solved, at all. These books kind of remind me of books written by the queen of romantic suspense, Nora Roberts/ JD Robb. So if you've ever read (and loved) her books and are looking to branch out to a new author, definitely give the San Diego series a try. I loved this book so much that I've already purchased and bought book 2!
March 1, 2023
This one really grabbed me from the start. I hated Kit's past, but loved that she found a good place and that she let herself be welcomed in! The McKittrick's were awesome with all the kids and seemed to want everyone to be welcomed by them.
I like how Kit's past put her on the path she's on today, how she works for those that need her the most. This case really seemed to hit close to home for Kit in who the victims were and how things shook out with the case.
I really liked Sam from the start, understood his rock and hard place situation. I thought he did the best he could with what he knew. I hated how all of a sudden Sam was a suspect and how the bad guy had insider knowledge that helped frame him. With his back against the wall Sam was smart in starting to investigate things on his own, often finding things that the cops didn't. Even better was how Sam immediately shared the info with Kit.
Things got dicey at the end when all the action came to a head. With Kit and Sam figuring out who the bad guy was at the same time they were able to stop one last killing, one that would have hit Kit hard.
I was glad things were cleared up, that the future looks good for Kit and Sam, but wished things would have ended more with them together. We'll have to wait for future books to see if anything happens there.
I like how Kit's past put her on the path she's on today, how she works for those that need her the most. This case really seemed to hit close to home for Kit in who the victims were and how things shook out with the case.
I really liked Sam from the start, understood his rock and hard place situation. I thought he did the best he could with what he knew. I hated how all of a sudden Sam was a suspect and how the bad guy had insider knowledge that helped frame him. With his back against the wall Sam was smart in starting to investigate things on his own, often finding things that the cops didn't. Even better was how Sam immediately shared the info with Kit.
Things got dicey at the end when all the action came to a head. With Kit and Sam figuring out who the bad guy was at the same time they were able to stop one last killing, one that would have hit Kit hard.
I was glad things were cleared up, that the future looks good for Kit and Sam, but wished things would have ended more with them together. We'll have to wait for future books to see if anything happens there.
February 27, 2023
As a psychologist who treats court-ordered clients. What would you do when one of them starts revealing plausible details about a long unsolved serial murder case?
That's the problem facing Doctor Samuel Reeves. Who knows his client is a pathological liar. But he occasionally says something that raises the hairs on his neck and feeling he has no choice, Sam has to act.
So he reaches out anonymously to Detective Kit McKittrick. A homicide cop with an uncanny ability to solve cold cases and a history that makes her the perfect choice to help.
Only thanks to client confidentiality Sam can't reveal his client's name. Which immediately makes him Kit's number one suspect.
And as the investigation unfolds and the stakes rise. Sam starts to believe his only option is to hunt for answers himself.
But Kit is one determined detective and will stop at nothing to uncover a killer who has been active for at least twenty years.
And with extremely intriguing and likable characters. A complex, captivating storyline. Not to mention twists and turns. This was a fantastic read and introduction to a new department and city and I'd one hundred percent recommend it to others.
I was kindly provided with an ARC in exchange for an honest review
That's the problem facing Doctor Samuel Reeves. Who knows his client is a pathological liar. But he occasionally says something that raises the hairs on his neck and feeling he has no choice, Sam has to act.
So he reaches out anonymously to Detective Kit McKittrick. A homicide cop with an uncanny ability to solve cold cases and a history that makes her the perfect choice to help.
Only thanks to client confidentiality Sam can't reveal his client's name. Which immediately makes him Kit's number one suspect.
And as the investigation unfolds and the stakes rise. Sam starts to believe his only option is to hunt for answers himself.
But Kit is one determined detective and will stop at nothing to uncover a killer who has been active for at least twenty years.
And with extremely intriguing and likable characters. A complex, captivating storyline. Not to mention twists and turns. This was a fantastic read and introduction to a new department and city and I'd one hundred percent recommend it to others.
I was kindly provided with an ARC in exchange for an honest review
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