would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this brilliant book

when a former cop was found murdered in his retirement home kit and her fellow officers have their work cut out for them.... but a suspicious death has kit all over it especially as the mans very expenisve coin collection is missing

with numerous suspects can kit and her team find the perps before they disappear with the booty

a great storyline that keeps you guessing at what is going to happen next.... and it just goes to show that you shouldnt write of oaps they have a world of experience to call on when needed

I would like to thank Netgalley and Headline for an advance copy of Cheater, the second novel in the San Diego series featuring Detective Kit McKittrick and psychologist Sam Reeves.

Kit is called to Shady Oaks retirement centre where one of the members has been murdered and his flat ransacked. Kit recognises the victim, Frankie Flynn, as a former detective, something he kept quiet about in his retirement. Was he investigating or is his death linked to that of the centre’s security chief found shot dead in a nearby motel?

I thoroughly enjoyed Cheater, which takes a quieter approach to romance than the author’s usual sizzle and has an absorbing plot, full of twists and turns. It is a new departure for the author to feature the same couple in a second instalment, but it works. Sam is sure that he wants a relationship with Kit, and while she is attracted to Sam Kit is more skittish about the relationship thing. She produces a load of old cobblers to justify her refusal to get involved until she can ignore it and him no more. It’s baby steps for them and I think there’s perhaps another book in this relationship yet as they both navigate difficult pasts towards a future together.

The murder of Frankie Flynn is very absorbing. I can’t say very much about the plot without spoilers as there are so many twists, turns, developments and reveals that it made my head spin. It would appear that there is more than one crime going on at Shady Oaks presently and a lot of historical crime to be taken into account so the suspect list is longer than one might think. Kit and her partner, Connor, are diligent in assessing these suspects using the snippets of information Sam gathers as a volunteer at the centre and plenty of background research. The author throws the kitchen sink at all the crime being committed but still manages to keep the mystery going and retain the reader’s interest. I confess that I guessed the murderer’s identity much earlier than the detectives, but as that is only one aspect of a complicated crime spree it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the novel.

Cheater is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

I really don't know where Karen Rose gets her ideas from but this was another page-turning read. Det. Kit McKittrick is called to a retirement home to investigate the death of an elderly resident. When she recognises him as a retired police detective, she is determined to find his killer. What she didn't bargain for was meeting forensic psychologist, Sam Reeves, again.. They have a complicated relationship but she knows that Sam can help her. Then, another man dies...is there more to this than meets the eye? An excellent read, from an excellent author which kept me glued to the page! A brilliant read.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! I love Karin Slaughter and she did not disappoint with this book!
This is the 2nd in the series with the McKittricks and once again it’s a series I can’t wait for the third in now!!
Kit McKittrick as Homicide Detective and one of the main characters, with a case that becomes personal. With the normal twists and turns….add in some romance and it’s again perfect!
Some may say that her books are to similar to each other but I love them!!



.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC

Unfortunately I DNF'd this one at 40%. I just couldn't get into it and didn't care enough about the characters to find out the culprit. The dialogue put me off as well, there was a lot of murmuring going on! 2.5 stars for the part that I did read.

This book is a bit of a departure from her usual series in that it concentrates on the same main characters rather than having a different couple in each book. I think I prefer the usual style as Karen Rose does romance just as well as she does murder and mystery, I'm hoping that we see more of this with Kit and Sam in the next book. Although the romance is lacking, the mystery definitely isn't and I'm hoping that one of the books will see Kit being able to investigate her sisters murder a bit more. I think there is definitely a lot of potential with this series, Kits parents and their fostering definitely opens a lot of potential story ideas in the future.

Great first read from this author. A detective story that really makes you fall in love with the characters.
Kit a homicide detective is brought in to solve the murder of an ex policeman found dead in his retirement home.
Sam a therapist who volunteers at the retirement home works with the police as an advisor and is in love with Kit - who tells him she doesn’t feel the same.
The murderer covered their tracks making it hard to know who committed the crime yet it pointed fingers at many others - who had motive?
I really enjoyed the book especially the old ladies Eloise and Georgia who were funny despite the losses they were suffering.
The only annoying thing I’d highlight about the book was that Kit made a huge deal about not wanting to be with Sam yet you could tell that she did, I did find this to be a tad monotonous. Overall however a well written detective story, this was not the first book with Kit and Sam however it could be read alone - as I did. I would be interested in reading the preceding book.

Another thoroughly enjoyable thriller from Karen Rose - her books always keep me turning pages well into the night!

Another triumph for the amazingly talented Karen Rose. A fabulously written gripping story that was a pleasure to read. I would absolutely recommend this book, it was brilliant

Homicide Detective Kit McKittrick is investigating a murder at Shady Oaks retirement home. Ex-detective Frank Flynn has been found stabbed to death and his room ransacked. At first they believe it is something to do with his past but as Kit investigates she finds that nobody at the home knew about Frank's past and it is something else entirely that is the cause. Following Frank's death, the head of security at the home is discovered dead in a cheap motel and it appears that he has been embezzeling money from the place for years.
I enjoyed the mystery element to this novel but I got a little tired of the relationship between Kit and the police profiler, Dr Sam Reeves. Partly this is my fault as I hadn't realised from the blurb I'd read it was a 'romantic suspense' but even so I found their relationship rather tiresome and wanted to knock their heads together. In places the story line becomes a little slow and turgid with a great deal of detail over explaining to the reader. But it was a well through out plot and it did keep my reading and I liked the characters of Miss Georgia and Miss Eloise.
With thanks to Netgalley and Headline Books for an early copy in return for an honest review.

DNF.

I couldn't get past 25% of this book. I found it boring and the main character is just a ninny.

Karen Rose is a fantastic storyteller, she grips you from the beginning. I just love the character of Kit and her wonderful adoptive family. This book has everything, love, friendship, murder, family, I can’t wait to see what Kit does next not just professionally but personally.

A second in the series featuring homicide detective Kit Mckittrick. Emotionally damaged by her upbringing she finds it difficult to forge relationships, which makes it really difficult for Dr Sam Reeves a psychologist and profiler who works closely with her.
Kit finds herself investigating a murder in a very upmarket care home. The victim turns out to be an ex police officer and has been stabbed in the chest. The cctv has been turned off so things get off to a shaky start - nothing and on one is what they seem
A reasonably engaging story line, although I felt a bit talked at at times as the author felt the need to explain - also it is American so the use of language was not always my cup of tea

I love the author so had hopes and she actually surpassed them! Obv romance thrillers are kind of the standard and whilst i love her writing and plots, I'm not one for romance so I loved the this book had less of a romance angle and was more about solving the crime! It was a slow burn and very intricately plotted out but that level of attention to detail and layering is what makes these books so captivating. I hadn't read the 1st in this series but with how much I enjoyed this book, I kinda feel I have to now lol. Amazing!

Book 2 in the San Diego series.

With her trademark intricate plotting this book had me totally hooked. I had no idea who did it and I couldn't put it down until I found out! Absolutely brilliant as usual.


Homicide Detective Kit McKittrick finds herself standing over a dead body in the Shady Oaks retirement centre. Frank Flynn has been stabbed and his room ransacked.

Though he kept his background quiet at the centre, Kit recognises Frank from the San Diego Police Department. Had the former detective been following a trail that led to his murder? When the head of security is also found dead, it points to a conspiracy right at the heart of Shady Oaks.

The one person who might be able to help uncover the truth is just who Kit has been avoiding: Dr Sam Reeves. As a volunteer at the centre and a friend of the victim, the forensic psychologist could be just what her case needs.

But without access to CCTV of the day of the murder, how will Kit catch her killer? And can she do so before anyone else is put in danger?

I really enjoyed the main story of Cheater, as the characters were easy to connect with.

However, I did find this a difficult read and got bored at times, as there was too much information that was not relevant.

I feel that storyline line is good but it feels very empty at the same time.

I was expecting this book to be a thriller and dark but in fact it was a very interesting look at how a murder was solved. I thought I had solved who.the murderer was at one point but then there would be a twist and I would be left questioning it all again.
I enjoyed the storyline and would definitely read more from this author.

As with the first book in this series, the romance is extremely slow burn, very unlike Karen Rose’s previous books, so if the equal mix of romance and suspense is what you really want, this particular series won’t give you that. What it will still give you is the other things Karen’s books are known for, such as a fast paced story with lots of suspense, twists and turns, and so many great characters with plenty of depth.

Personally, whilst I love the normal style of romance and suspense, I understand why it needed a slightly different approach with these characters. Kit needed the time and gentle approach, and who better to give her that than Dr Sam Reeves. Gosh that man is so kind and thoughtful! I loved the way he was so respectful of Kit and her feelings. He never tried to press or rush her (although plenty of other characters were trying their best to play matchmaker). I really hope there will be another book in this series so we see how their story will play out.

Another amazing story with plenty of suspense, well worth a read!

4.5 stars rounded up

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Headline, for my advanced reader copy of the book. All opinions are my own and provided willingly.

Having read a previous book about Detective Kit McKitrick, I was pleased to receive “Cheater” as a review copy.
Kit is called in to investigate the murder of an elderly resident of Shady Oaks Retirement Village. When it transpires that the victim is an ex cop, Kit is determined to solve the killing, despite a distinct lack of clues including no cctv of the time it happened. When another murder occurs which seems to be connected, she is in a race against time to work out who the perpetrator is before something else happens
Dr Sam Reeves, a police psychologist consultant also volunteers at the facility and was friendly with the victim so he is particularly devastated by the death. However Kit is not happy to see him as she still has feelings for him and has been keeping him at arms length, despite their obvious attraction to each other.
This is part murder mystery and part romance and I think it is pretty successful in both aspects of the plot. I like both genres so it was a perfect book for me.
It took a while for Kit to work out what was going on but gradually she puts the clues together. I really enjoyed reading about Kit and her background story, how she was adopted and the loss of her sister which was described in the earlier book and revisited in “Cheater”
I liked the compassion of both Kit and Sam, shown particularly well in their encounter with two young runaway girls. This is definitely a series I want to read more of and I will be looking out for the next one when it comes along. Definitely a recommended read!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my advance copy.

Somehow I was expecting this book to be dark and scary, but in fact it was a very interesting look at how a murder was solved. The lead detective, Kit, is investigating a murder within Shady Oaks retirement home, a very upmarket place for elderly retirees. There is a romantic interest with Dr Sam Reeves, but Kit tends to shy away from him. There was so much detail provided that I felt as though a phrase in the book was very apt....'Too many puzzle pieces'.
Despite the mass of detail I followed the plot and the people involved, and enjoyed trying to guess who the murderer would be.
Thanks to NetGalley for a chance to read and review this book.