I found Shallow Grave to be just okay. I didn't love it or hate it. I literally lost interest in reading it.

This is a book that looked so good the cover caught my attention right away. I loved it. The story however I found less so. I haven't read the other books in this series and because of that I felt like I was really missing alot of the story. I found myself wanting to read the other stories they referenced instead of the one I was reading. All tho I liked the main characters the story about the zoo just didn't hold me. I would have enjoyed it focusing more on Duncan and his story and less about the zoo. It just didn't matter to me maybe because I haven't read the other stories. It frustrates me to start in the middle of a set for all these reasons. I do think I will go back and try to read the rest of the series because as I said I liked the characters and im not sure Im ready to give up on them just yet.

The truth won’t stay buried forever…

It’s been four months since forensic psychologist Claire Britten last crossed paths with danger. Finally feeling she can catch her breath, together with her partner, criminal lawyer Nick Markwood, Claire has settled into a new role, volunteering with a support group for children stressed by domestic violence. But a leisurely field trip to a wildlife sanctuary turns deadly, leaving Claire to question whether the death was an accident, suicide—or something far more sinister.

Nick gets the South Shores team on the case, hunting down anyone with a potential grudge against the sanctuary. But their investigation turns wild when other attacks come too close to home. With a hostile predator on the loose, Nick and Claire will have to race to unbury the truth before a killer wipes them from the endangered-species list for good.

* * * * *

I was so happy when I saw that Ms. Harper had put out another book in her South Shores series! This is a series that I have been following from the beginning because I love the characters. And there is quite the cast which is why I do recommend starting this series from the beginning. Now that I states that, I do need to let it be known that SHALLOW GRAVE can be read as a stand alone book but you will be missing a lot of history of the characters that is brought up occasionally.

SHALLOW GRAVE does start off slow enough that I did start wondering if this series had perhaps lost its spark but I am happy to report it isn't so. The tension and pacing does pick up quite nicely by chapter three and by the next chapter, I was invested (reinvested) in the characters and the mystery to the point that I ended up staying up a bit late on a work night.

Overall, I would say that I enjoyed the book and it was a very good object lesson to myself to give a book more time to develop. The ending satisfied my curiosity yet I still have more questions that will hopefully be answered in the next book. I do think that my readers who enjoy romantic suspense would like this book especially if they have been following the series.

***I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own and not influenced by the publisher or author.

Nick and Claire are back recovered from their previous round of adventures in a new home with a baby on the way. Claire along with her sister and both their children volunteer at a support group for troubled children when an afternoon outing at a nearby family owned zoo turns deadly.

Get prepared for an adrenaline fueled adventure with dead animals and safari style hunting as the story quick spins out of control with Nick and Claire once more embroiled in the heart of things. A book not to be missed as you turn pages feverishly to see what comes next.

Karen Harper continues her Florida intrigues in another South Shores mystery. Claire Britten, forensic psychologist, hopes her deadly adventures are over. She is pregnant by her new partner, Mick Markwood, and taking care of her daughter by a previous marriage. When she takes a group of children from damaged homes to a private wildlife sanctuary the father of the manager is mauled to death by a tiger. Whodunit? Just the tiger? Was the game hunting neighbour at fault somehow? Was the family at war with itself. Claire starts getting dead wildlife on her front yard. Terror ratchets up. Suspense with sizzle.

A book not for the faint of heart, but then none of the books in this series have been, and this one is going to keep you guessing and holding your breath right to the end.
We are back with Nick and Claire, and of course, precocious Lexie, and the extended family, and now we are settled down with a new home and a baby on the way, life is back to normal, right?
With tender hearted Claire, life will never be normal, and this is a story that she might not make it to the end, with the evil that is lurking in the background.
A book not to be missed and you will be quickly page-turning as the story gets better and better, enjoy!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Harlequin, and was not required to give a positive review.

Super!! Karen Harper has done it again! Be sure to get this one!

I've really been enjoying this series. I wouldn't recommend jumping into the series with this book, although it does kind of stand alone, the back story really helps define the characters and give you some insight to what is going on and why they react to certain situations the way they do.

I have to admit, Shallow Grave was a little more drawn out than I prefer. it wasn't edge of my seat suspense, but still a well written story that was enjoyable to read.

Ugh... sigh. I have such a hard time with not finishing books. DNF at 35 percent. I was having such a hard time with following all of the characters. There were too many too quickly in the beginning and I just could not follow the story at all. I was not feeling it and could not connect. Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for the advanced arc.

Nick and Claire are in their new home with Claire's daughter,Lexie and hoping they will finally get in to a somewhat normal routine. With Claire pregnant with their first child, Nick would love nothing better than for her to just stay home. 

Along with her sister, Claire forms a group for kids of domestic or traumatic violence. On their outing to the BAA zoo, run by Claire's ex-husband's girlfriend. But when a man dies, killed by one of the animals, it's beginning to look as if Claire and Nick are once again in danger.

With suspicious characters on all sides and dead animals in the pool, this won't be an easy one for them to figure out!

What a good series and a good book! The characters were all very well-developed and the story line is fast paced. I would love to read another one!

NetGalley/Mira   February 27, 2018

Psychologist Claire Britten and her partner, lawyer Nick Markwood are back in a new novel. Claire is still recovering from the horrors of their last case and spending time volunteering with children who are victims of domestic violence. The work is difficult, but rewarding and gives her a sense of accomplishment. Then a trip to a wildlife sanctuary ends in death, the only question is, was it an accident, a suicide, or a murder. With he South Shores team on the case, both Nick and Claire hope the answers will come sooner than later, as the longer it takes to solve the case, the more danger they are in. Fans of the series will enjoy the latest outing, which has all the hallmarks they expect from Harper

I am really enjoying this series. Karen Harper writes a wonderful romantic suspense and I always love her characters. I am looking forward to more books in this series