Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.

This story started off really engaging with a complete cast of characters. A horrific crime was witnessed by a young girl who refuses to speak so the police have very little to go on regarding who killed this girl's mother. As the investigation heats up, we are introduced to another set of characters who run an equine therapy program that the police hope will get Jazzy, the girl, talking. So far, so good. But as more and more characters were introduced I got more and more annoyed. So I looked up the book, wondering if it was part of a series. Surprise! It's part of a huge series that has subseries, or maybe this book is part of a subseries of the series. Regardless, Karen Rose has a whole population of people in her head that she is sharing with readers through several interconnected series. I can't imagine what her character development "board" looks like, I'm guessing a very complicated network of lines connecting people and places.

The crime-solving parts of the story I really liked and the secondary story of Taylor and PI Clay Maynard was pretty good but the romance part of this suspense story was implausible. Instant physical chemistry isn't implausible but the speed (1 day) at which Taylor and Ford connected emotionally etc is completely implausible and I was annoyed by their storyline. All in all, this book and its characters were okay but the thought of reading any more in the series and subseries is not appealing to me.

My Review
Published in September of 2017, I have finally gotten around to reading this book. Until just this moment, I had no idea that it was part of a series, which means you can read it on its own without feeling like you are missing something. In all honesty, I could not remember what the book was about when I decided to pick it up now. However, I was pleasantly surprised.

A woman tries to find the father she never knew by interning at an equestrian therapy ranch. She has been running from him her entire life because of the lies that her mother told her about him. I really enjoyed the story even though there were a few too many characters. I listened to this so maybe that is why I had trouble keeping the cast straight in my head.

This was full of suspense, murder, romance, and therapy. It was well done. I am so happy I finally picked this up to read.

I've read previous books by this author and thoroughly enjoyed reading them. However, this title left me with a "meh" feeling. I simply didn't connect with the storyline, characters, or action.

I've tried re-reading this book several times to see if I might have a different reaction. Sadly, this one just doesn't work for me and I wish I could point to a specific issue with the plot, characters, action, or writing. It isn't any of those things. MONSTERS IN THE CLOSET simply isn't a title that worked for me.

Quick FYI: I was a little lost with all the characters in this book, and there are A LOT. I picked up Monster in the Closet without realizing it was book 19 in a series. And while it can technically be read on its own, you'll, at least I did, feel like you are missing something. The characters are all interconnected and the author mentions their past obstacles/issues throughout. Which made me curious enough to want to know their back stories. However, I don't see myself picking up 18 prior books. Too many books on my TBR already and most definitely not enough time.

Some reviews touched on the insta relationship between Ford and Taylor. Forewarned, things between these two move QUICKLY. Normally, I would be one of those readers. However, it never felt instant. Their relationship, chemistry, and connection felt as though it was built over weeks and not just a couple of days. I think that's due to the way the author wrote their journey and the length/pacing of the book. I give Ms. Rose 5 HUGE STARS for this alone! She made me LOVE Ford and Taylor. And she made me forget one of my biggest pet peeves in the book world. Kudos, Karen Rose!! For this alone, I will pick up more of your books.

There were characters I liked-a lot, then there were the ones I could never bring myself to like-at all. Taylor's stepmom was one of them. Stevie was a complete bitch, throughout the book. We saw a few moments of kindness but not enough to make me like her. I mean her man found his long lost daughter after 23 years and his wife ruined almost every moment of that reconnection. Get the hell over your BS Stevie!! I seriously got tired of her excuse of it being her protectiveness over her family and hormones. The first time, yeah, I could maybe see that but the 100 times after...no! I don't know how she ended up with Cordelia being the sweetest and most caring 9-year-old. Cordy was my second fave character, right behind Taylor. That baby girl was smart, loving, and loyal. She didn't hesitate to have your back, even if she just met you.

Ford and Clay were tied for my third favorite. Both men were sweet, loving, doting, dedicated, and protective. Neither were ashamed or too manly to show emotion. I'm suck a sucker for a man who isn't afraid to show a tear or two and still be all alpha, badass.

Taylor was my most favorite character. I would love to have her as a BFF in real life. The strength, love, and courage she showed was inspiring. These were just a few things I loved about her character. She was so perfectly written. And the amount of BS Taylor had to deal with was huge, more than any one person should have to shovel. Pretty much everyone threw attitude and treated her like she was a suspect, with a hidden agenda. They treated her like dirt. Did she tell a lie? Yes, she totally did. But she had very good reasons to. Reasons she explained, in detail, over and over and over. Rinse, wash, repeat. This pissed me off so bad. This is a tight knit group. They ALL TALK TO EACH OTHER, the second something happens everyone knows. There was absolutely no reason for all the crap and speculation thrown in Taylor's direction. This went on through a 100% of the book. To me it felt like contrived drama. Definitely not needed when you had the plot of the murders to focus on. I seriously wanted to punch a few people in their faces. Thank gosh for Ford, Clay, and Cordy. Taylor needed their support and love.

The suspense aspect is not there. You know right from the beginning who the suspect is. The author even takes us through his mind, with his provided pov. There is no mystery. You know this dude is whacked and that he will do whatever he needs to save his self. I was a bit indifferent to him. I think this might have been different if we saw him in a different light and didn't know who he was straight off the bat.

Overall, I liked this book. It held my attention, through all 500 pages. Sometimes that was a struggle, as the pacing fluctuated and by 50% I felt like we should already be at the end of the book. There was some repetitiveness and some unneeded information that could have been cut out to make this a little shorter. With all that said, I would definitely read another of Ms. Rose's books.

Let me preface this review by saying that we know who the killer is from the beginning. I prefer mysteries where the mystery isn’t a mystery because I am so incredibly awful at guessing who the bad guy is. I literally have to be hit upside the head with it.

The book begins with Jasmine Jarvis finding her mother’s dead body in their apartment. She soon realize that she has walked in on the killer and immediately hides. It was heartbreaking. She is hiding mere feet from her mother’s unrecognizable, beaten dead body while her killer rummages around in the hall closet. Jazzy sees his face and isn’t surprised in the least. She knows that she can never tell who killer her mother or he will come back for her and her sister. So she doesn’t say a word. To anyone.

Taylor Dawson is an equine therapist at a local stable. She is instantly drawn to Jazzy, a girl she can see so much of herself in. It’s clear that she’s terrified and Taylor knows how fear like that feels. She’s determined to help Jazzy in any way she can. When Jazzy speaks to Taylor, everyone is hopeful as they are the first words she has spoken since she was found by her mother’s body. The police have kept quiet about the fact that Jazzy was found at the scene, knowing they have a leak somewhere in their department.

Taylor has her own reason for being in Baltimore. She is there to see if her biological father, Clay Maynard, is the evil man her mother made her believe he was for her entire life. For as long as she can remember, Taylor has lived in fear that someday Clay would come and take her away, even possibly kill her if he ever found her. She’s lived off the grid, changed her name, had bodyguards, and literally had no life to speak of based on what she now knows are lies. It wasn’t until she was on her deathbed that her mother told her the truth. Even then, Taylor wasn’t sure she believed her mother. It wasn’t until she discovered a box with cards and letters from Clay to Taylor going back years that she decided it was time to seek Clay out.

Ford Elkhart is the son of the owner of the stable. He has his own demons, just as Taylor does. Taylor thinks she’s all stealthy, but Ford sees who she truly is the day that he meets her. Her eyes are unique, exactly as Clay’s are. Although he feels drawn to Taylor, Clay has been his friend for years and he would never keep the daughter he has been searching for for twenty three years from him. When Clay sees Taylor for the first time? OMFG. Talk about feels. It was just devastating. They just lost so much time. Clay lost raising his daughter all because his ex-wife was trying to save face with her parents. Taylor lost her dad because her mom was a selfish bitch. It was just so sad.

In the meantime, the killer has learned that Jazzy is talking to Taylor and has decided it is time to eliminate her. What he doesn’t know is how astonishingly hard it will be to get to her. Taylor is now surrounded by people that will protect her. Taylor herself is no shrinking violet. She was raised by a man that taught her to protect herself if she ever found herself face-to-face with her father, whom she thought was a monster. Taylor is pretty amazing. There is one scene in the book where Ford is intimidated by her, which is actually pretty amusing.

I really enjoy the many POV’s in KR’s books. Because her books are so long, it doesn’t detract from the main characters. I felt that the story was told and it was a good one. I love the sense of community there is in Baltimore. I love all the characters and how characters from other cities pop in and out. I just love Karen Rose.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I LOVE Karen Rose!!!! She is one of my top 5 favorite authors and I don't see that changing anytime soon!

I never give away any details of the book as I truly believe you should take this journey yourself.

I will say there is murder, mayhem, blood, thrills, twists/turns, and awesome characters. While this is a standalone, too truly follow all the characters and how they are interconnected you really should read the other books in this Baltimore series.

If you have not gone on one of Karen Rose's journey's you need too!!!! You are really missing out on some great adventures.

Monster in the Closet by Karen Rose is a 2017 Berkley Books publication.

Clay’s job is locating missing children, but for years, his own missing daughter remained elusive.

But, when Taylor Dawson arrives at Carters Stables, working as a new intern, those who know Clay begin to suspect she could be his long -lost daughter.

Meanwhile, the traumatized child Taylor is working with may be harboring the identity of a killer.

Naturally, the little girl could be in danger, but if the killer thinks the child may have confided in Taylor, she too could be in the line of fire.

Taylor also finds herself conflicted when she begins to develop feelings for Ford Elkhart, a man who has survived a horrible trauma of his own. But, once Taylor’s internship is over, she will have to make a painful decision about her future. Will she stay and get to know her biological father and forge a deeper relationship with Ford, or will she return home to take care of the man who raised her?

This is a compelling story, but one that is also bittersweet. Taylor and Clay lost so much time together, time that can never be recovered, both laboring under false impressions this entire time.
However, reconnecting on an emotional level proves more complicated, stymied somewhat by their extended families, respectively.

I’ve read my fair share of Karen Rose’s romantic suspense novels over the years, and really enjoy them. This one, however, was a little tepid. This is a long running, interconnected series and to try at this point, to brief newcomers to the series would be difficult. Yet a little recap might have been in order since I struggled to recall some of the characters. I did remember Ford and Stevie, however, which were the focus of previous installments in this 'Baltimore' arc.

Some things about this story bugged me, like Stevie's attitude towards Taylor, which was understandable to an extent, but too over the top. She very nearly pissed me off and I had really liked her character, previously.

The romance segment got off to a very quick start, with very little build up, but it did run cold and hot, and is very complicated. However, I did want Ford to find happiness, and I think Taylor is a good match for him.

Also, readers should know up front that the identity of the killer is revealed straight away. Often this tactic only increases the suspense as I usually find myself sitting on pins and needles wishing I could give the good guys a heads up, but in this case the suspense was muted somewhat. There are some tense situations, however, that helps to offset the lack of a suspenseful buildup.

Still, the story is very absorbing and thought provoking. This installment seems to focus more on family connections and the building and development of relationships that may have seemed like a lost cause, than on the crime elements. However, the focus on family did give the story an emotional edge not all that common in romantic suspense novels. The ending is satisfying, and I liked the way the future looks for Taylor and Ford, two people who deserve some long overdue happiness.

Although this one was not my absolute favorite in the series, any book written by veteran romantic suspense author Karen Rose is a cut above, which is why I have bumped up the rating, after some careful consideration. This is a solid series, overall, and I find myself feeling really excited about the upcoming sixth chapter of the Baltimore series!!

I absolutely loved this book. Karen Rose is an author that I discovered a couple years ago. The opportunity to review this title was very much appreciated.

The author does an amazing job of weaving three story lines together. While each character is dealing with their own issues, the overlaps are flawless and very engaging.

The stand out character in this book is litter Cordelia. She was my absolute favorite and I would have loved to have seen more of her spunk throughout the book.

If you're looking for an engaging book that keeps you on the edge of your seat, then look no farther. Monster in the Closet is a great way to spend the weekend.

Taylor Dawson, an equine specialist, finds her world turned upside down when she discovers her mother may have stolen her from her father and lied about the reasons why. As she struggles to reconcile what she knows with what she finds, she becomes protective of a young client who witnessed their mother’s murder while falling for the bosses son. This story is the 19th in a series that I have not read; regardless, I still enjoyed. Heavily nuanced, two different plotlines wind and weave their way through the story, developing simultaneously as they slowly converge. Well developed characters and flowing narrative kept me engaged through the constant references to past books and characters overloaded the story at the expense of the suspense.

This story is the 5th/19th in a series that I have not read; regardless, I still enjoyed. Heavily nuanced, two different plotlines wind and weave their way through the story, developing simultaneously as they slowly converge. Well developed characters and flowing narrative kept me engaged through the constant references to past books and the sheer number of characters overloaded the story at the expense of the plotlines.
Grade: C+

Really wish I enjoyed this more, but a few things made it hard. I don't like knowing the killer's identity early on in the story, and unfortunately that's the case here. He was revealed early on, and had his own POV chapters, which was another drawback. He was a hideous person, not surprising since he's a killer, and I didn't like being in his head.

Also, there were so many characters from the previous books that kept popping up, which I guess is fine if you've read the whole series, but I was at a total loss and there was a lot of page time spent on them. Another strike, I couldn't stand Clay's wife Stevie! She was a total bitch to Taylor, the daughter Clay had spent years trying to find, and there was absolutely no reason for it. Stevie's excuse was that she's protective of her man and thought that Taylor caused him pain, but the circumstances (which were explained right away) were in no way Taylor's fault, so her behavior was totally uncalled for. Then there was the romance between Taylor and Ford, it felt very teenager-ish, and didn't do a thing for me.

I guess some of this is my fault since I picked up the series on book 19, but in a lot of cases these types of series can be read as a stand-alone, with the story focused on one particular mystery and couple. I wouldn't recommend picking up in the middle here.

A copy was kindly provided by Berkley Books in exchange for an honest review.

So, having not read any of the other books in this series, I have come to the conclusion that every person in this book has either been kidnapped or shot - or both- sometimes multiple times. Which was completely unrealistic to me. But anyway...

I'm honestly not even sure where to start with this book. There were like 4 different plots that all intersected but were also different. There was the story of Jazzie, who after witnessing the murder of her mother, ends up in therapy with her younger sister only to end up being stalked by the killer. Where she ends up in therapy is where Taylor Dawson works. But Taylor isn't just an intern there to help kids, she's actually looking for her birth father who works at the therapy ranch as security. Only he thinks his daughters name is Sienna and he's been looking for her for over 20 years. Oh, and there's a love story involved.

See? Confusing.

There was just too much going on in this book for me to focus on just one thing and therefore I couldn't really get attached to anyone. The most interesting parts for me were with Jazzie, the little girl. She hadn't spoken since finding her mothers body and reading her POV just broke my heart. And everything just kept happening to her.

The love story lost me because it was very instalove. Literally the day Taylor and Ford meet, everyone finds out who she is and by that night, they already can't leave each others side. YOU JUST MET. Gah! It was just unbelievable and sappy to all hell.

Then there was the character of Gage - Jazzie's father and the villain of the story. First, he seems to be just straight evil but then toward the end the author has him questioning his actions. Ok, so you killed multiple people but now your questioning using little girls for ransom? Was this the author's way of trying to redeem him or make us feel anything but disgust for him? Whatever it did, it just made me want to not read any more.

If you're going to write a mystery/thriller - don't make it so convoluted that you can't keep characters straight. Also, multiple plot points are not needed and just make a mess.

A child is the only witness to her mother’s murder, only she isn’t talking. Until Taylor Dawson, an intern at her therapy centre. But, when the murderer finds out there was a witness it puts Taylor and everyone around her in danger. But Taylor her her own secrets and her reasons for interning at the therapy aren’t quite what they seem.

Before I dive into what I thought about this book, I need to caveat that I haven’t read any of the previous books in this series. This didn’t effect my understanding of the story line of Monster in the Closet but I think it would have added to the experience. Many of the characters around Taylor have already had a book in this series, so I believe they will be familiar to those of you who follow the series. Unlike me who dived in at book 5. It didn’t directly affect my enjoyment…but I think I would have rated this slightly higher if I had been following the series and experienced that feeling of familiarity and home coming when you get to check in with past characters.

This book started out fantastically, I was literally on the edge of my seat as the poor little girl witnesses what happened to her mother. I also really liked the action packed end of the book. However, I thought this book lost a lot of momentum during the middle. It seemed to veer away from the main story line and instead check in with some of the past characters, more than what was necessary for the story. Which, is probably why I would have liked this book more if I had read the previous books. It took away the tension created at the beginning of the book and made the middle of the book a bit of a slog.

For me this book didn’t really work as a standalone. Not in regard to the story but there were too many characters, all with unique relationships with other characters which I wasn’t really aware of and there was too much dialogue and sitting around talking about things and not enough actual doing of things. In conclusion, it started out fantastically but didn’t really follow through.

NO RATING. DNF @ 43%

Sadly I'm going to put this one down. It's not grabbing me, I've been pushing until 40% because I truly enjoyed the previous books in this series but unfortunately I'm not enjoying it. I didn't care for most of the many—too many— characters, even the main plot wasn't enough to keep my interest.

Monster in the Closet is not for the faint of heart. It embraces the deep psychological wounds of three brave females—two young sisters and an equine therapist-in-training—and their intense journey to happiness is cathartic and believable.

There’s a Russian proverb, “Trouble never comes alone,” that sums up Monster in the Closet. It’s the 19th in Karen Rose’s romantic suspense series and the 5th of the Baltimore subset, although Monster in the Closet seamlessly incorporates past plots as needed.

The “monster in the closet” is revealed in the prologue. No one picked up 11-year-old Jazzie from school, so she made her way home on her own.

She stopped on the landing. The front door to their tiny apartment was ajar and Jazzie could feel it. The ... wrongness of it. The heavy dread she could actually taste. And it tasted bad. It was ... She wanted to cry. Toilet smells.

Not again, Mama. Not today.

But it’s so much worse. Jazzie hears “a man’s voice, swearing.” He’s in the coat closet, tearing things apart and yelling. Jazzie recognizes his voice: it’s her mother’s ex-husband Gage Jarvis. Then, she trips on a high-heeled shoe, “and it was still on Mama’s foot.” Her mother is dead. Jarvis wipes himself and the apartment down with bleach and leaves.

Jazzie didn’t move. Couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. She just sat and rocked and stared and told herself that it was just a dream. A bad, bad dream.

The theme that runs through Monster in the Closet is fraught, fearful relationships between daughters and fathers. Californian Taylor Dawson was raised in fear that her psychotic birth-father, Clay Maynard, would somehow find her. Her mother confessed on her death bed that she made up the entire story; Taylor had been lied to all her life.

Taylor is compelled to seek out Clay to see for herself if he’s a monster in truth. She’s a recent psychology grad; her skill set earns her an internship at an equine therapy center in the Baltimore area. And who should her first clients be but a traumatized, mute Jazzie and her little five-year-old sister, Janie.

Baltimore PI Clay Maynard routinely locates missing children for clients, but his own daughter—stolen by his ex-wife—has eluded him for years. Until she turns up right under his nose.

Since she was a child, Taylor Dawson believed the lie her mother told her: that her father was a monster. But now she has a chance to get to know the real Clay while doing real work as an equine therapist, which includes helping two girls whose mother was brutally murdered.

Taylor has Clay’s eyes. When the folks at the treatment farm realize that, events crescendo. Clay is not a monster, he’s a loved and respected member of a group that encompasses FBI agents, PIs, policemen, and judges—these are good people, and they don’t want him hurt. But it’s been the heartbreak, the curse of his life never to have found his daughter. It’s not just Taylor and Clay, who cry when they are finally reunited.

“It’s you. Isn’t it? Is it really you?”

Taylor nodded once, then blinked, sending new tears streaming down her cheeks. “I’m sorry,” she said, her voice tortured. “I’m so damned sorry.”

In a rush, Clay pulled her into his arms, his big shoulders shaking, and for the first time Ford saw his friend cry. Not just a tear or two, but deep wrenching sobs that tore Ford’s heart out. He couldn’t have held his own tears back no matter how hard he tried.

Happy tears for the reunion Clay had sought for so many years. Sad tears for the years they’d lost because of a lie. Anguished tears for the apologies that Taylor was repeating over and over.

The time for tears and new beginnings is short-lived, however, because Gage Jarvis is back in town, racing to snuff out anyone who can finger him as his ex-wife’s murderer. It’s a desperate manhunt to find Jarvis before he tracks down Jazzie. Clay and his newly found daughter Taylor work side by side to protect Jazzie and Janie. They make a badass team. Monsters and murderers don’t stand a chance.

Cathartic. Clay and adopted daughter. Taylor’s wonderful father. The hatred Jazzie has for the man who raised her. New beginnings, new family constellations—all at risk with a race against time.

Brought to you by OPS Reviewer jerjen

I have read quite of few books by this author in the past and I really liked them. This book is a reunion of sorts, bringing back some characters from her previous books and having them involved in this book.

A little girl, Jazzie, finds her mother brutally murdered and the killer is still in the house when the discovery is made. She has seen the killer and knows who he is. Since that fateful day, she has not spoken a word, not to anyone. Jazzie and her sister are enrolled into a horse therapy program called Healing Hearts, in hopes that it will allow the girl to get better and talk about what happened. There, Jazzie meets Taylor, one of the therapist at the center. Taylor has also had a traumatic past and she is hiding a big secret. Can these two damaged souls help each other to heal and solve a mystery?

The characters are well wounded and well developed. Taylor is someone who you would want to be friends with. She is a hard worker, friendly and has a big heart. She is also damaged and carries around a lot of baggage. She has been lied to her whole life and she struggles when she finally learns the truth. Although younger, Jazzie is a strong child who must find the courage to talk about what happened and help identify the killer. There are many other characters in this book and many of them were integral to the plot. But I did not feel that way about all of them. I felt like there were too many characters and it was hard to keep track of them in my mind. That is only my opinion and others may not feel the same way.

The writing style flows smoothly. The author is very talented in building suspense with just the written word, and although we learn fairly early who the killer is, there was still a lot of tension for me, turning the pages. I wanted to see what would happen next but I was also afraid to find out what would happen. I like when that happens. I did feel like the book was a little bit too long for me. I felt at times there was too much dialogue that really did not add to the mystery. Again, that is only my opinion and other readers may not agree with me.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted suspense mystery. This author is the epitome of a romantic suspense writer and I think that if you looked up the definition of a suspense writer, you would find her picture along side of the definition.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

I LOVED this book! I am not even sure I can get the right words to express how much I loved this book, but I am going to try!
It should be noted that apparently Monster in the Dark is part of a series, and I have not read any of the other books in this series. I am usually a hard-core proponent of reading books in order, even if they are standalones. I broke my own rules just by picking this book up. I now need to go back and read the rest of the series, because these characters are all so loveable!
Sometimes, someone or something comes into your life just when you need it. See, I had an uncle who had down syndrome. Due to this, I have always been super involved with Special Olympics and feel like I have an insider's insight into how this syndrome doesn't limit you, but just makes you unique.  Unfortunately, my uncle passed away last week, so this book, as hard as it was to read, was just what I needed to read at the time.
Over the years, I don't recall a single romance book where there were characters appropriately and accurately portrayed with down syndrome, but Karen has nailed it!
What I loved about this book, was that it just seemed different. I love a good romantic suspense, but so many times, I feel the suspense part of the story is simplified to allow the romance portion to come through, making the suspense part seem like the secondary storyline, not the primary. Karen has written an incredibly twisted, complex and intriguing story that kept me hooked to my Kindle for days!
There were a lot of storylines being intertwined in this book, but I never felt like I wasn't understanding, or it was getting too complicated.
I also loved that Karen is such a talented author that she can write a book in a series where someone can pick up one of the series, and not feel like they've missed an inside joke or don't understand what is going on and why. Not many authors can accomplish this, but Karen succeeded!
I really loved this new release from Karen Rose, and you can bet I will be checking out the rest of her books in this series!

This is my first read by Karen Rose... and I picked it up because I was in the mood for a good suspense/thriller story. Monster in the Closet is the 5th book in Rose's Baltimore series, and 19th overall in her romantic suspense lineup. Prior to reading the book, I did not realize that all of the books are interconnected, told within the same universe and a somewhat common cast of characters. If I had known that ahead of time, I probably would not have started with this book. However, I stumbled along just fine and was able to follow the story. I was just missing all the backstory on the characters. I think if I knew everyone's back story, I would have enjoyed this book even more. So I would recommend following the reading order if you have the time.

This story does not clearly delineate a defined romantic pairing and hero/heroine like I am most accustomed to in romantic suspense. Instead, we are following a close knit group of individuals and family with a tad more focus on Taylor Dawson and Ford Elkhart.

Taylor Dawson has shown up at the Helping Hands Ranch to intern and help traumatized children. But she was a traumatized child herself, and is actually in Baltimore for ulterior motives. Taylor wants to observe her birth father, Clay Maynard, whom she grew up believing was the boogeyman. Unfortunately, Taylor's ruse doesn't last long and she will have to confront her fears and the man pretty early on in the story. Except lots of teary moments when you are reading about Taylor and her two dads. As her personal drama unfolds, Taylor also stumbles into the crosshairs of a murderous junkie narcissist, and that gives us our main plot conflict.

Almost the entire staff and extended family of the Helping Hands crew will be pitching in to find a murderer, and they seem like an interesting cast of characters. I was really missing their back stories because I know that they had some doozies. And it would have helped me follow the story better... there were so many POVs and characters that I couldn't keep names/identities straight and not everyone got equal playing time, sometimes seeming to drop out of the story altogether. I kept confusing Daphne and Maggie, Deacon and several people, and I seem to have lost J.D. somewhere in the wrap up at the end. One thing that I can say is that I would not want to hang around these people... and not for the reason you think. They are freaking unlucky man! All of them seem to have been through some horrific event. So I think I will just admire them from afar lest I get kidnapped by a serial killer or something.

I really enjoyed the suspense plot in this book. Be ready to move along at a fast clip because the majority of the story takes place over only two days. While the big bad was truly vile, I thought the cops were pretty savvy and I liked that they were smarter than the criminals. He wasn't able to fool them much or for long, and I loved that they could see through some of the villainous plots.

There was a little bit of romance in the story, but it wasn't the main focus. I think that the storyline would have been just as good without the romance, which seemed to be jammed in higgedly piggedly at times. Though now I am curious to go back and start the romantic suspense books from the beginning as I do love to build relationships with characters over time throughout a long-running series. Hopefully I can get to that within the next year.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this that I received from the publisher, Berkley.

Honestly, I don't think I've ever read a book that encompasses both the mystery/thriller and romance categories, and after finishing this one (which I truly enjoyed, BTW), I probably won't do it again. The thriller part is great - more than a few times I caught myself right on the edge of my usual seat at one end of our living room sofa. The romance part? SMH.

That's not because I'm anti-romance - heck, I've been married for 55 years, although I suppose some might say that's an argument for both sides of the equation - nor is it because I didn't like the characters. In fact, I liked them all a lot (except for the bad guys and gals, of course). But mostly, that sappy stuff tends to leave me cold when it's on paper. Here, my thinking was more like hey, it's the 21st century - any two people your age I know would have booked a room by now, especially when one of you, shall we say, gets aroused every time the other one of you as much as burps.

So, I'll concentrate my review on the thriller part, and it's pretty much all good. A young girl named Jazzie came home to find her mother lying on the floor dead - and the murderer rummaging around in the closet in the room. She hides behind a chair and - to her terror - sees who it is. About a month later Jazzie, who hasn't spoken a word since the day of the murder, and her little sister Janie are sent to an equine therapy facility. There, they meet Taylor Dawson, who's come from California for an internship after graduating college with a degree in psychology.

At the facility, Taylor meets Ford Elkhart, the hunky son of the facility's owner (almost instantly, they become the two who really, really need to get a room). But Taylor has other issues; as a young child, her mother told her that her absent father was a terrible, mean person who someday would return to do her harm. She's since learned that her mother lied big-time, and she's desperately trying to find her birth father. Meanwhile, Ford's good friend and private-eye Clay Maynard has spent years trying to find the daughter he never knew, stolen by his spiteful ex-wife (hmmm, does two and two make four)?

Much of the tension happens when the murderer - who's been on the loose - begins to suspect that Jazzie could identify him. He finds out where the girl is, and his big question is whether she's shared her secret with anyone else and if so, with whom. How he answers that question threatens the lives of Jazzie, Taylor and several other fine folks.

Throughout if all, a number of other people are "connected" in various ways, with backstories that need to be kept straight (for the most part easy to do). Ultimately, they come together in an all's well that ends well finish.

I should also say that the entire book takes place over the course of a couple of days, making some of what happens a little tough to swallow. I'm pretty much willing to accept love at first glance. Believing that people who are willing to almost instantly forgive those they thought for years had done them wrong is a bit of a stretch. But when Taylor is injured during a squirmish, goes to the emergency room for stitches and the whole thing - from squirimsh to release - takes a total of two hours, it was all she wrote. I've known plenty of folks who had to visit an ER, and not a single one - not ever - got sprung in less than half a day.

My conclusion? Very enjoyable book. My thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sophia Rose’s Review

MONSTER IN THE CLOSET delves into the darkest corners and exposes the vilest of evil through the work of a tenacious band of law enforcement and private individuals determined to make a small corner of the world safe. I got swept up in their crusades again violent crime and saving the victims.

MONSTER IN THE CLOSET is both the nineteenth release in Karen Rose’s long running romantic suspense series and also book five in the specific Baltimore series following the team of crime-fighters there.

This was my first time with the Baltimore series with its crew of regular characters and I’ve only read the Cincinnati ones so I was prepared for a little struggle getting up to speed since this was book five. I was right to be cautious as, wowsers, this one was a reunion sort and I encountered so many people with inter-woven lives. It was obvious they were the characters from the previous stories in the series. All that said, the situations in this one were able to standalone.

Yes, I use the word ‘situations’ because these are ginormous books with multiple narrators and plot threads running through them until the threads start to knit together near the end. In this installment, like others, the criminals even get to be major players and narrate their side of matters. This in no way detracts from the intensity or suspense and acts quite the opposite.

MONSTER IN THE CLOSET has two main plots: a young girl who can give witness to who brutally killed her mother and a long-lost young woman looking to get past her mother’s lies and meet her father. There is also an update reunion of sorts for all the past characters. Oh, and let’s not forget that as usual, in the midst of the darkness of the suspense, there is a spicy romance.

Now, while I loved this one, I didn’t love it as much as previous books I’ve read in the Cincinnati series. It set up good and I was fully engaged, but then it slowed down a few times. The large group of surrounding cast was great characters, but I felt the story suffered from having so many people clogging the scenes. I also wasn’t into the romance side in this one. They were horny at the oddest times even though yes, I thought they were good together.

Both the main plots pulled me in emotionally and held my attention. The little girl, Jazzie, is old before her time and goes through so much in this story. She so captivated me that I would love to encounter her again in a future story to see how this steel-spined jaded, but loyal and loving girl grows up. The other heroine, Taylor, is the center of an explicable situation due to no fault of her own as are her adopted dad and birth dad. It really tugged at my heart strings.

The character development, particularly when it came to the main villain fascinated me. You really get a sense of the ‘why’ behind things and the good guys don’t have an easy time in bringing the villain down as he’s savvy and ruthless. I enjoyed being along as they put together the trail of evidence, built their case, and leaped into action when things got dire.

All in all, this latest release was worth my anticipation and I still want to go back for all that came before it as well as snatch up each future installment by the author. Those who lean more toward thriller police procedural style romance and like when it gets dark and gritty with some complex character development should give these a try.