Cover Image: Cold-Blooded Liar

Cold-Blooded Liar

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Member Reviews

If you like Alex Cross or Women’s Murder Club this book is for you! This book was definitely for me! Sam is in a predicament when one of his patients starts giving details about a long unsolved case he’s unsure what to do. The problem is the patient is a pathological liar and Sam doesn’t want to break confidentiality so decides to report the clues anonymously.
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Detective Kit McKittrick takes the anonymous info and sets off down a path to hunt a serial killer.
Kit and Sam come together to try to solve this case but the path is not an easy one!
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Huge thank you to @berkleypub@netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Short Synopsis: When an anonymous caller reaches Kit, she's immediately invested in solving a decade long cold case. Working together with Sam, a psychologist, to find one of the most deadly serial killers the city has ever faced.

My thoughts: This is probably my first Romantic suspense and it didn't disappoint. I wished going in that I'd known it was part of a series, but I felt like the author did a great job at helping the reader know what was happening without reading prior books.

I loved Kit's character and her determination and resiliency in her job. She didn't stop even when the stakes were impossibly high. I felt like Kit and Sam worked so well together and really enjoyed watching the progress they made. And the romance side story is always a huge bonus for me!

This one had me on the edge of my seat from the first chapters all the way until the end. This story has some pretty tough subjects discussed so be sure to check triggers before starting.

Read if you love:
- Series that can be read as stand alones
- True crime and serial killers
- Investigation stories
- Romance side stories

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Really liked Cold Blooded Liar. It kept me guessing throughout the entire book and the ending was a surprise. It had lots of twist and turns that keeps one off guard.

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4.5/5 stars

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for the advanced reading copy and the beautiful finished copy!

Psychologist Sam Reeves is caught between a rock and a hard place. One of his court-ordered clients, also a pathological liar, has started slipping hints about various murders into their sessions. Sam isn't sure what to make of this or how to navigate doctor-client privilege, so he makes an anonymous tip to the SDPD, resulting in him face down in handcuffs by Detective Kit McKittrick. Detective McKittrick has a knack for solving cold cases, and this decades-old serial killer won't be the first case to pique her interest. Add on her own experience with losing a sibling, foster care and a slight flirtation with Dr. Reeves, and Kit can't keep her hands off this case. Eventually released, Dr. Reeves seeks to clear his own name while working parallel to Detective McKittrick, all in hopes of uncovering the deadliest serial killer San Diego has seen in a long time.

This was a really solid and fun thriller. This was a classic police procedural, but with the twist of a psychologist's moral and professional dilemma spicing things up. As a mental health professional myself, I found this plotline to be super enticing and interesting, and it didn't disappoint! Kit had a bit more depth than female detectives in thrillers typically do (probably because this book was written by a woman...) and I really enjoyed hearing about her family background and her own experiences. Her subtle flirtation with Dr. Reeves was fun to read and I can't wait to see where this goes in future books in the "San Diego" series. The case in this book was complex, and there were a few moments I felt like things were handed to the characters a bit too easily -- hence my 4.5 stars instead of a perfect 5. Overall, though, there were a good number of surprising connections and twists throughout this one that kept me interested the entire time, which is impressive considering this was a bit longer of a book than I usually go for. Overall, I really enjoyed this one and was super excited when a new Karen Rose novel showed up at my door just after I finished this one!

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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.

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Wow, what a well-written, bone-chilling thriller! This book had me at the edge of my seat and kept me guessing until the end. I loved Kit’s character and how her childhood and time within foster care shaped her. She had so many layers to her and her caring heart was really wonderful. I also thought that her dedication to solving cold cases and finding justice for the victims and their families. I also really liked Sam’s character and the interactions he had with Kit. I also liked his integrity as a psychologist. They worked well together and I loved the budding feelings we got to see starting to grow throughout the story. The serial killer storyline was so well done and I felt like I was right there with Kit and her team as they put the pieces together!

There are many tough subjects covered in this storyline and it’s important for readers to be mindful of content warnings for this book. If you are comfortable reading about these topics, then you are in for a complex, interesting, and highly suspenseful read! Highly recommend!

Thank you Berkley Publishing #partner for the free book. Also, thank you PRHAudio for access to the audiobook version.

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When did I become a cop novel girly? I don't even know but here we are I guess. This story follows Kit, a cop who became a cop because of her foster sisters death, and her trying to catch a serial killer. And then we have Sam, the psychologist who is accidentally put right into the middle of the case when a patient - and then himself, become the prime suspects.

I don't have too much to say about this book. It was an interesting read, but it wasn't mind blowing. The storyline was pretty straightforward and I didn't really feel too much of a connection to any of the characters, it felt more like someone giving me second hand accounts of the characters instead of me getting to know them myself. There just wasn't that much to draw me into either of them, and I wish I had a bit more backstory or learned about their interests outside of work.

Then there's the killer reveal, it was...lackluster. I didn't guess who the killer was, but mainly because there wasn't really a reason to suspect them before the big reveal. It all came together rather quickly and due to a lot of coincidences and perfectly timed moments, and I had no feelings regarding the reveal because that character just wasn't important until that moment.

For a straight forward whodunit, its not a bad book, but probably not an author I'll read again in the future.

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Cold-Blooded Liar is the first book in Ms. Rose’s San Diego branch of her Romantic Suspense series. The story has a lot of the elements I look for in a romantic suspense story but there were a few things that stuck in my craw and kept me from fully enjoying the book.

The characters
Ms. Rose creates dynamic characters that are fully fleshed out and entertaining. But I felt Sam and Kit weren’t balanced as main characters. Kit had a rough childhood growing up as a foster kid and experiencing loss at a young age which shaped her as she becomes a tough-as-nails cop that doesn’t show much emotion. Sam grew up with both parents, had a few devastating things happen to him as well, but he’s so kind and loving and is not afraid of being vulnerable or showing emotion. With this large differential between the two, it’s hard to generate chemistry and I definitely felt it, or the lack thereof.

The plot
The storyline was well thought out and meticulous as is in any Karen Rose book. It’s just not my favorite location. I didn’t feel as excited about it as I have been with other locations in the series.

The suspense
I felt like the suspense built a lot slower in the book making it a bit hard for me to keep engaged in the story, regardless of the great characters and storyline. Ms. Rose always does an amazing job with the “whodunit” part of the story and Cold-Blooded Liar is no exception. There was a solid sleight-of-hand moment in the book. What I mean is, I always try to figure out who the bad guy/girl(s) is/are and usually I get fooled.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. There were a few things that bugged me as previously stated but I’m definitely looking forward to the next book.

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Cold-Blooded Liar is the first novel in the San Diego case files' series, featuring Detective Kit McKittrick.This is my first Karen Rose novel, and for the most part, I enjoyed it. However, it was a lot longer than I would have liked, and for all of the build-up leading up to the reveal, the ending turned out to be very anticlimactic. I didn't guess the ending beforehand, but then again, the reader isn't given much to reach a conclusion.

Also, I'm aware this genre is considered romantic suspense, but I got really tired reading about the two MCs pining over each other.

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Thank you @berkleypub for the free book and @prhaudio for the audio version as well. My thoughts are my own.
#penguinrandomhousepartner

I love police procedurals and I really enjoyed this book. When a patient known to be a liar tells psychologist Sam Reeves where a body is buried, Sam makes an anonymous phone call to the police. Could his patient be a serial killer? However, it doesn’t take the police long to trace the call back to Sam and soon, he finds himself being arrested by Detective Kitt McKittrick. He is taken to the police station for questioning but eventually he is released.

Then, Sam makes a series of poor (and almost unbelievable) decisions by continuing to search for the killer on his own. Of course, this leads to more police suspicion and major conflict between Sam and Kit. Sam and Detective McKittrick continue to search for the killer on their own separate paths, but soon they will be forced to cooperate.

I wasn’t sure what I thought about Sam for most of the novel! I enjoyed the fast pace, the element of danger, and the twist at the end. Although I wasn’t totally wild about either of the main characters, by the end of the story I did understand them better. That being said, I do plan to read the next book in this series when it comes out!

I recommend reading the physical version rather than listening to the audio version. The narrator, whom I have heard do a fantastic job narrating other books, makes the male main character sound like a whiny boy instead of an adult male. Although I often alternate listening to and reading the same book, I switched to the physical book and stayed with that version.

Read this if you enjoy:
*police procedurals
*a hint of romance in the storyline
*tense storylines
*a twist at the end

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COLD BLOODED LIAR
Karen Rose, Author
Hillary Huber, Narrator Mystery/Thriller

In a new series by Karen Rose, we are introduced to Sam Reeves, a psychologist treating court-ordered patients and Detective Kit McKittrick. When Sam believes one of his patients is a serial killer, he makes a call to the San Diego PD tip line which lands on Kit’s desk. Investigating this killer just might change Kit and Sam’s lives forever.

I loved this book. I had never read or listened to anything by Karen Rose before and this book sucked me in from the beginning. This was a fast paced book with a lot of twists and turns. This includes some talk of child porn and suicide, but I still give this book a solid 5 out of 5 stars.

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Cold-Blooded Liar is a fast paced, thrilling ride. It is filled with colorful and entertaining characters and I was on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book. I was quickly turning the pages because I needed to know what would happen next in this intriguing story.

The main character in the story is Kit, a homicide detective. She works hard on all her cases and also tries to solve many cold cases when she has some free time. She has a good reputation and is respected by her peers.

Kit meets Dr. Sam Reeves, a psychologist when he becomes a suspect in a serial murder case she is working on. Sam is a good guy who gets in trouble trying to do the right thing.

There is an immediate attraction between Sam and Kit but neither of them take the next step while trying to solve the case. This is a slow burn romance with an unresolved ending to Sam and Kit’s romance. I wish there was an epilogue at the end of the story letting me know how everything worked out between them.

I love reading suspenseful stories and I like everything Karen Rose writes. She knows how to paint a picture with intricate plot weaving. The characters in this story are believable and easy to relate to and I found myself devouring every word.

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Cold=Bloded Liar is the first in a new series by bestselling author Karen Rose, and it's winner! The story follows San Diego PD detective Kit McKittrick as she works to solve a serial killer case. Sam Reeves, a psychologist who takes court appointed patients, becomes concerned by some of the things one patient is telling him. He calls the police from a burner, as he's concerned the man has another victim, and in doing so becomes a suspect in the killings.

Karen Rose spins one heck of a story, and i'm already looking forward to future installments. Both Kit and Sam are fabulous, warm and relatable characters. This reader is happy that Rose avoids the trope of miserable, misogynistic senior officers. The cops at SDPD are interesting and likable in their one right. This series is going to be huge! Highly recommended. #Cold-BloodedLiar #NetGalley #SaltMarshAuthors

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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.

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Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.

I've been a long-time fan of Karen Rose, and that's not a fact that will change any time soon. Her romantic suspense novels have been a staple on my TBRs for a long time and is an auto-buy author for me. That being said, this new entry was a bit of a miss for me. I still enjoyed it for the thriller/suspense aspect of it, and it did have a romance, but the romance between Kit and Sam felt too drawn out for my specific tastes.

I'm not going to give you the synopsis, you can read it for yourself, and I can't even say specifically what happens without spoilers, but the ending of this book bothered me a lot in comparison to what she usually does/how her books are typically wrapped up. The story will definitely continue in the following books, and will likely still follow these two characters (I hope, anyway), and I'll be interested in seeing what happens, but for now it was a bit of a disappointment.

I did enjoy Kit's backstory (Rose does a great job of fleshing out characters and making you understand how they got to be the way they are), and I wish we got to know a lot more about Sam, as well. I ended up giving this a three out of five stars.

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Please know, this read has some trigger warnings: rape, kidnapping, murder, drugging, and domestic abuse. Some scenes are detailed.

Not sure I would classify this as a romantic suspense, due to the fact, the whole romance part is absent. Yes, Sam and Kit experience some attraction, but that's about it. So, if you are looking for the characters to experience some smexy time or hell even a kiss you might want to pass.

I'll admit this was one aspect I missed in Cold-Blooded Liar. Karen Rose writes some hellafied chemistry between her characters and it was sorely lacking this time around. Actually I can't exactly say that...it was there between Kit and her family, Kit and her squad. It just came up short between Sam and Kit. For this reason, the book fell flat and felt incomplete. Sadly, it kept me from devouring the pages. Which is totally not normally when I pick up this author.

Outside of that, I enjoyed all of the characters. I ADORED Kit's family and I can't wait to visit with them again. I LOVED the HELL out of Kit. She was pretty badass. I totally wanted an HEA for her, especially knowing what she's been through. And I truly hope in future books, Sam gives her a run for her money. I can see the potential there. It'll be interesting to see where Ms. Rose takes these two.

I did not see the end coming. Which was an added plus, bumping up the star rating from 3 to 4. The suspense was there. The crime solving was there. However, I wasn't on my edge of my seat with with it like I have been in the past with Karen Rose's books, but that may be because the I wasn't completely captivated.

I'm excited to see where this series goes next. And truly look forward to Sam being out of the limelight as a suspect and pursuing Kit. Although, with that said, I wouldn't be upset if Conner also put his cards in the mix.

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After reading quite a few romances lately, I was in the mood for some suspense, and Cold-Blooded Liar delivered!

The pacing and plot really captured me and kept me invested to find out what would happen next, and I really enjoyed this book overall. This was my first book by author Karen Rose, and I'm excited to read more by the author.

*many thanks to Berkley and netgalley for the gifted copy for review

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Karen Rose is one of my auto-buys for romantic suspense, and this time -- again -- she does not disappoint. All the hallmarks that make her stories so captivating are present, including great characters, tight plot and a fast pace. I loved Kit and her love of water and tenacity, and I loved Sam's soft heart. Small details peppered into characterization make this super memorable.

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Cold-Blooded Liar was my first book by Karen Rose and it was nail bitingly good. I loved how in depth the story was written and the way that the characters story fit in around the investigation. It was scary when we found out who the killer was I could not believe that he had been that close all along. Great story and I love books where I cannot figure out the puzzle until it is given to us. This was a great read and I recommend it.

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I adore Karen Rose. I binged her entire backlist in one summer a few years ago and have eagerly devoured each new release since… but sadly, this book just didn’t all the way hit the mark for me. At least half of my three star rating 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.

Getting into the actual story, there wasn’t any romance. Like, none! A cardinal sin in my book and one I didn’t expect. After finishing the book and doing a little digging, I think this book is the beginning of a multi-book series following the same two leads. Okay, I can accept a slow burn across books, but I didn’t feel the chemistry between the characters. I am not saying a couple can’t grow together, especially when the romance is going to be dragged out, but there has to at least be a spark.

Also, Karen Rose writes multiple series at one time, so her next release is not the same couple. It’s an entirely different set of characters, which leaves me thinking this might not be the best format for her. Am I going to have to wait two years for a resolution? I know as a romance reader, I am often spoiled by prolific writers, but I hope my interest in the couple and the series doesn’t fade.

On the positive side, 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 the story 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. Yeesh.

**I received a free copy of this book in order to provide an honest review**

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