A murder with an 11 year old witness, an intern at an equine therapy program with a hidden agenda, a dirty lawyer looking to cover up his crime, a slew of cops trying to find the truth, and more! Monster in the Closet has a cast of characters that will probably require you to keep a list-sometimes it was difficult to keep up with them all!

Jazzie witnesses the aftermath of her mother's murder, and knows that her father is responsible. But she is so traumatized from the attack, she hasn't said a word. Taylor is working with Jazzie and her sister, Janie, at the equine therapy program in hopes of helping the girls.

Then you have Taylor who has really come to town to find her father, after years of being hidden away by her mom, who has recently passed away. Ford, the therapy owner's son, has his own harrowing story. He and Taylor start to fall for each other during all this tangled mess.

So, then, in all this, the killer targets Taylor because Jazzie has gotten close to her and is opening up. As the reader, you know who the killer is the entire book, but you don't know how it will all play out which is what keeps you flipping pages.

My biggest issue? So many subplots. Honestly, it got a bit distracting and off track. It made it difficult to stick with the book at times because it felt that each chapter went into a different subplot or new characters. Seriously, there are a LOT of characters. But, the suspense is great, the romance between Taylor and Ford was sweet, and I adored Jazzie and Janie.

While this is book 19 in a series, and book 5 of that subseries, I have not read the other books and was able to keep up and not feel that I missed something; however, the characters from the previous book play important roles in the story. Its not critical to KNOW their backstory, but I would imagine that if you had read the previous books, getting a little check in with old favorites would be delightful. I have always wanted to read Karen Rose's books; she has a series set in Cincinnati that I am super interested in!
Link live on 8/21/17

In Monster In the Closet, Karen Rose returns to her best-selling Baltimore series with a twisty tale of love and murder. Since I haven't read a Karen Rose novel I didn't love, I was super excited to dive into this one, and I'm pleased to let you know she's written another winner.

If you've read the books in the Baltimore series, starting with You Belong to Me, you'll be familiar with all of the characters and their stories, which is a definite plus. But  if you haven't read them yet, don’t worry - you won't have any trouble understanding this story as both the romance and mystery arcs are fully self-contained.

Private investigator Clay Maynard has been searching for his missing daughter for over twenty years. His ex-wife spirited the child away shortly after her birth, and Clay has been unsuccessful in every attempt to locate her. As you might imagine, he's pretty discouraged, but there's a nugget of optimism deep inside him that won't allow him to give up completely. True, Clay has a great life with his wife Stevie and stepdaughter Cordelia, but getting to know his daughter would make things even better, if only he can find her.

Twenty-three-year-old Taylor Dawson has just arrived in Baltimore from California to intern at the therapeutic riding center run by Daphne Montgomery-Carter. She's grown up around horses, and is a firm believer in their ability to help children who are suffering from serious traumas. But Taylor has another reason for being in Baltimore. Her mother has recently passed away, and, on her deathbed, she told Taylor that she had told a series of terrible lies about Clay Maynard, the man Taylor has always believed to be an abusive monster. Clay is the chief of security at Healing Hearts, the center for which Taylor is interning, and Taylor is hoping to get to know him a bit before revealing herself to be his long-lost daughter.

As is usual with these types of stories, things don't go as smoothly as Taylor expects them to. A woman has recently been brutally murdered and her body was found by her eleven-year-old daughter Jazzie. The police are certain Jazzie knows the identity of her mother's killer, but the girl isn't talking. She and her younger sister are enrolled at Healing Hearts where Jazzie makes a close emotional connection with Taylor, putting the young woman smack in the middle of a dangerous investigation.

From the moment Ford Elkhart lays eyes on Taylor, he knows exactly who she is. Of course, the fact he's overheard her asking questions about Clay tips him off, but one look at Taylor is all he needs to confirm his suspicions. Taylor is the daughter Clay has been searching for all these years, and Ford isn't sure how he feels about that. He considers Clay a close friend and doesn't want him to be hurt by Taylor, especially if she plans to go back to California at the end of the summer. But Ford is drawn to Taylor in ways he can't explain. For the first time in years, he's developing feelings for someone of the opposite sex, feelings that are complicated by his loyalty to Clay.

There's a lot going on here, but Karen Rose masterfully weaves the many threads together into a captivating story I absolutely could not put down. We know the identity of the killer pretty early on, but I found myself thoroughly engrossed as I watched the police struggle to bring him to justice. There are several chapters from his point of view, something that adds an extra element of creepiness to the story. He's one messed up dude!

The bulk of the story takes place over about a thirty-six hour period, which makes the romance angle a little rushed. If you're looking for a book that ends in a full-on HEA, you might be disappointed, although I actually enjoyed the way Ford and Taylor agree to explore their feelings for one another without rushing into anything. They're both intelligent people who are dealing with some past traumas that make commitment difficult and I'm glad Ms. Rose doesn't force the issue here. The beginnings of their relationship feel full of promise, and that was enough for me, but I do recognize some readers might be looking for something more concrete.

I loved watching Taylor and Clay get to know one another. They have a lot of lost time to make up for, but each is respectful of the other's need not to rush things. Clay knows Taylor has a strong bond with the stepfather who raised her, and he is careful not to infringe on that relationship. For her part, Taylor wants to be a part of Clay's life, but she's not quite sure how that will pan out. She's torn between staying in Baltimore with Clay and returning to her family in California. It's a tough situation that Ms. Rose handles wonderfully.

Ms. Rose allows readers to catch up with characters from the previous Baltimore books, and it was a true joy to be reunited with people I hadn't read about in a while. These characters are a close-knit bunch, exactly the kind of friends and family I'd love to be surrounded by. In fact, it is the relationships between the various people in the story that make this novel so much fun. I came away from it with a warm, happy feeling, exactly what I needed at the time.

Established fans of Ms. Rose's books are sure to be delighted by Monster in the Closet, as are people who are new to her work. There's just not much to dislike about a book like this.

Buy Now: A/BN/iB/K

MONSTER IN THE CLOSET is a lot different from the previous book. It’s slower paced and very emotional. The book follows two storylines: a young child witnessing a heinous crime and a young woman interning at an Equine therapy farm with ulterior motives. I really enjoyed watching both storylines unfold and intersect.

The story takes us back to Baltimore where we get visits from previous characters and a few surprise cameos. This book can easily be read as a standalone. Having not read any of the Baltimore books, I am now curious to find out more about all of these characters.

Some stuff goes down in the book that is very heart-wrenching and emotional. I definitely recommend tissues when getting into the story. I’d like to say more but I just… can’t! It’s a romantic suspense for a reason and I definitely don’t want to ruin the mysteries! The story is enjoyable but ended way too soon. As always, I cannot wait to see what Karen Rose has in store for us next!

***I voluntarily read a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own***

Monster in the Closet by Karen Rose is a fantastic romance suspense story line. I was not sure what to expect, as I have read only one of her romance suspense books, and none in her Baltimore arc within this series. Monster in the Closet read very well as a standalone, as the author deftly gave us enough information on the other characters, who made appearances and had their own stories.

Taylor Dawson, our heroine, has just started working at Daphne Montgomery-Carter stables, for the Healing Hearts with Horses program, where she works as a therapist for problem children. Taylor has another reason for coming from California to take this job. She wants to meet the man who is the security director, Clay Maynard, and learn about him. Before Taylor’s mother passed away, she told her daughter the truth about the father she never knew. Taylor had spent all of life fearing her father, who was supposed to be an abusive man, only to find out it was all a lie. Now she travels from her home in California to take this job in Maryland to discover for herself, what her real father was like and what she has missed not knowing him.

Clay Maynard has been searching for his long lost daughter unsuccessfully for 23 years. Clay has a great life in Maryland, wonderful and loyal friends, a wife he loves and a daughter. When Taylor’s new boss, and Ford, calls him to the ranch, Clay will come face to face with the daughter he has been searching for most of his life. This is an amazing story of family, secrets, friends and a slow build romance, which plays a major part of this story. But the real story that drives Monster in the Closet, is a murder mystery, where an 11 year old child, Jazzie comes home from school to find her mother dead, and while she hides, she sees that her estranged father is the murderer. We see this from the beginning, and know who the evil murderer is. But Jazzie doesn’t talk, and no one knows she was at the scene at the time of the murder. Detective Fitzpatrick suspects that Gage Jarvis killed his wife, but he cannot prove it, as Jarvis has an alibi. When a few people are murdered, Fitzpatrick knows Jarvis murdered those people to keep his secret, but he cannot prove it.

When Taylor is working at the ranch, she has the ability to reach out to the young children, and one morning Janie Jarvis, the younger sister of Jazzie, is riding a horse with Taylor’s help. When they get ready to leave, Jazzie hugs Taylor and thanks her for taking care of her younger sister. Everyone was thrilled that this was a breath through. But the police know they need to protect Jazzie, in case her father finds out she was there and can identify him.

What follows is an intense exciting adventure; with Gage Jarvis willing to do anything to make sure no one can identify him. Taylor is put in the middle, as when Jarvis does find out that Jazzie recognizes him, he thinks she told Taylor. All hell will break loose, with Clay, Ford, and Taylor becoming injured. All the people that are part of the ranch, police members who know the Maynards and Montgomeries come forward to help find the murderer before he kills the young girls and Taylor.

A sweet romance builds between Taylor and Ford, who is the owners son. I really liked them together. The family atmosphere and this romance were just enough to release some of the tension of the case. Karen Rose has written a wonderful suspenseful thriller, with a nice blend of family and second chances. Monster in a Closet is one of the best suspense thrillers I have read this year.

Jazzie ,an 11year old, walks home real upset because her mom didn’t come to her art fair as promised, but after arriving home she is greeted by a nightmare. She finds her mom brutally murdered with the killer still in the house. Scared Jazzie hides behind a chair till the killer leaves and hasn’t spoken a word since. Jazzie and her sister Jamie end up at Daphne’s equine therapy center Healing Hearts with Horses where a new intern Taylor Dawson seems to make progress with Jazzie. But Taylor is keeping some secrets of her own and has come to put an end to a monster that visited her dreams since she was a little kid.

An exciting continuation to the Baltimore series where old characters are revisited .You know who the killer is in the beginning but Karen Rose still makes it a thrilling suspenseful ride. The characters are well developed even the antagonist. I highly recommend this book to all Karen Rose fans.

Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group/Berkley & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

I had high hopes about this book as I have heard a lot about Karen Rose and her writing. One thing became abundantly clear very quickly and that this is truly a continuation in a series. I was at a loss in certain aspects because I had just not read the prior book.

While most of the story was easy to follow, I did get lost with the amount of characters in the book. There are at least 20, if not more, people that are involved in the story. They all intersect and are related in one form or another, either through work or personally. I finally gave up trying to keep track of who is who.

The story itself was very interesting but the way it’s written did not lend itself to a lot of suspense. There was an overload of conversation that did not really pertain to the current crime, but more in the past books and relationship department. It’s tough to blend a romantic suspense novel. I think she did well in the personality and character development area, but the suspense area was lacking for me.

The best part of the book was the ending and how she wrapped up the crime. Some was exciting and some predictable. She also included a long finale which will lead to other stories, I’m sure.

For me, this was a good read but I grew bored with a lot of the conversation and repetitiveness through the 20+ characters. I think I will read other books by Karen Rose as I enjoy this genre, this one was not overly exciting until till the end.

Monster in the Closet is my first Karen Rose novel even though this is the ninetieth book in her romantic suspense series. I don’t know how I missed her books in the past and I will certainly rectify my oversight quickly.

The story begins with a gripping scene of a young girl finding her mother dead and beaten beyond recognition when she comes home from school. To add to the dreadful situation the murderer is still in the apartment; Jazzie Jarvis knows who the murderer is. When Jazzie is found, the little girl is traumatized and doesn’t speak until Jazzie and her sister Jaine are enrolled in a horse therapy program called Healing Hearts. Even though Jazzie is afraid of horses, she connects with the young therapist, Taylor Dawson. Taylor Dawson has experienced trauma in her past, and she is hiding a big secret from everyone at the prestigious program.

There is a lot of action from the start to the end of Monster in the Closet. Most of the characters made appearances in prior books in the series. There is enough revealed to make the story work as a standalone. The nuggets shared about their backstory keeps a new reader in the loop while not repeating too much to bore a fan who read previous books. I love how the characters are all a part of a pseudo-family of law enforcement and their family members.

The procedural in the story is well done. Even though the reader knows who the murder is from the start, the way the police put the clues together is realistic and informative. Ms. Rose uses the events to build anticipation and anxiety while on the quest for the killer. The characters are endearing. Even though I am new to this team, I immediately feel connected and want to know more about them.

In addition to the recurring characters that fans know from previous books, the new characters are engaging and realistically portrayed. Jazzie is a young girl with a lot of spine. She has highs and lows throughout the story. She learns how to dig deep to protect the people she loves and respects. I love how she is determined to help her sister even when she is afraid. Taylor Dawson is also easy to connect with on several levels. Her past has a lot of pain that she needs to learn to accept and move on with her future. Her present has a lot of potential including a love interest. Ford and Taylor have good chemistry that they want to explore when the current events are resolved.

The story is often spellbinding full of close relationships and mystery. It is an exciting read and makes me want more. I highly recommend Monster in the Closet to my fellow suspense lovers. You will be on the edge of your seat as one

Simply amazing job by Ms. Rose. The plot and characters swept me away. I loved how she wove 2 different plots (each could have been their own focus) into one story and wrapped it very nicely.

We all know monsters are not in the closet, or they shouldn’t be, but for one young girl, that monster was very real and very deadly and all she could do was hide until he left. Jazzie faced a nightmare beyond imagining. She spent hours alone in her ruined apartment, her brutally murdered mother’s body just inches from her and she will never tell what she saw because somehow she knows he will know and come for her, too.

Her complete silence make Jazzie a candidate for Healing Hearts with Horses and there she connects with new intern, Taylor Dawson. Is it because they both are keeping secrets? Is it because they both know there ARE monsters in the closet that can become real-life monsters?

As Jazzie runs from her monster, Taylor has vowed to get to know the man who haunted her life, the man her mother called a monster, her father. What Taylor finds means her entire life was a lie, but for Jazzie, her monster is real and coming for her and anyone she may have opened up to. Taylor has slain one monster by getting to know who her father really is, but now she is in the crosshairs of Jazzie’s monster, whose gun is very real…

Karen Rose’s MONSTER IN THE CLOSET is a web of turmoil, lives crossing paths and buried truths revealed as one young girl with the wisdom of a sage and the terror of a child traumatized becomes the focus of a murder investigation because only she knows what really happened and she isn’t talking. Meanwhile, one young woman will battle her own demons to finally face the truth of who her own monster really was.

Edgy, intense and emotionally charged, there is a common thread that binds the many characters in this tale and Karen Rose keeps the tension high and the danger chilling. I was caught up in the drama, the suspense and the lives that were touched by a monster.

I received an ARC edition from Berkley in exchange for my honest review.

Series: Romantic Suspense - Book 19
Publisher: Berkley (August 29, 2017)
Publication Date: August 29, 2017
Genre: Suspense
Print Length: 512 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

With how this one opened you knew it was going to keep you on the edge of your seat. I hated what Jazzie had to see and realize just who her monster was. It was nice that Jazzie made a connection with Taylor, an adult she could feel safe with.

Taylor was interesting, she had so much she was hiding. Her reason made sense for me, yet I was glad that her secret came out early. When Clay first realized who Taylor was I found myself crying along with him, so many years he had searched and then Taylor fell into his lap. I think Clay's reaction when a long way to ease some of Taylor's fears. I hated learning the lies that Taylor's mom told her, was glad she was dead. It did suck for Taylor that everyone was suspicious of her, that they thought she was there to hurt Clay. It was only as the weekend went on that they realized they could trust Taylor.

I loved how Taylor and Ford became instantly smitten to each other. Loved how they managed to make out surrounded by the whole family and did the smart thing by going slow.

The action at the end where everything came to a head was a bit crazy. I wished that we could have gotten more with Jazzie and Janie, to see that they would be ok in the aftermath.

The best part of the book for me was the talk between the dad's, Clay and Frederick. Both of them could have resented the other, both of them could have fought to be the only dad, both of them could have guilted Taylor in where she would live after her internship. Instead both made peace with each other, were grateful that they were in her life. I especially loved the choice that Frederick made, one that will let everyone have what they want.

This the writer that had me hooked on romantic suspense, more suspense then romance. I like all her books there is someone for everyone to relate to. She brings this story too life with it compelling building up to that climatic point and leaving you craving more of the writing

Another great beach read that I knocked out in a day. Karen Rose never fails to bring to me a great and suspenseful read. The twists and turns will leave you breathless to the last page.

Monster in the Closet by Karen Rose is one book in a series. You do not need to have read her previous books to understand this one and it's characters. Ms Rose spends about one quarter of the book explaining backgrounds, or it certainly seemed like that much. Monster in the Closet was a lot of romance with some danger thrown in the mix. I was given a copy to review.

Karen Rose never disappoints me! I loved reading Monster in the Closet. Once again, this book had it all. There was suspense, action, intrigue and romance... the kind of romance that gives you tingles.

Jazzie Jarvis is an eleven year old girl who is traumatized after seeing her mother brutally murdered by her father. Her father, Gage Jarvis, doesn't know that little Jazzie is hiding behind a chair. Now before you cringe away and think that you can't read this because it is all so horrific, let me tell you that the way this story comes together will keep you turning those pages, praying for a happy ending... but I'm not giving away too many spoilers here.

Along comes Taylor Dawson, recently graduated with a degree in psychology, who has accepted an internship with Healing Hearts with Horses, an equestrian center specifically developed to help trauma victims. But Taylor has a few secrets of her own. Taylor is able to connect with Jazzie in a way no one else has been able to. Will she be able to get Jazzie to talk about what had happened to her? Or will Jazzie just remain quiet and continue to protect and hover over her little sister Janie? And what happens when Gage realizes that there may be a witness to the murder?

Add in the boss' hunky son, Ford Elkhart, who is immediately attracted to Taylor, and also add in Clay Maynard, head of security at Healing Hearts who has been looking for his daughter for many years, and you have the basic ingredients for one very fascinating story. But this story is anything but basic! Lots of action and lots of plots that all intertwine. I could not put this book down!

There are so many characters that you can't help but love, and also those you love-to-hate. But even those that you hate are so well developed that you are able to see their motivation for what evil things they do.. all because of the great writing skills of Karen Rose.

I highly recommend this book.

I DNF this book. Nothing wrong with it, just way too triggering for me. So sorry!

Karen Rose is consistent in her ability to grab you at the beginning and not let go till the end! Never disappointed by her!

I enjoyed reading This book. I liked the characters. I enjoyed Taylor meeting her birth rather and the rest of te family. My heart broke for both of the little girls.
A little girl is disappointed. Her mother has failed to show up for her drawing show that the school is sponsoring. As she approaches her apartment she notices that the door is partly open. As she enters her home she hears a voice cursing and yelling. Something is on the floor, she realizes it's het mother! Hiding behind a chair, the child knows, this is what nightmares are made of.
5 Stars

If you enjoy romantic suspense then this author is a must read. She's an author with a knack for weaving threads within her stories that tie her characters together. Sometimes the stories can be so dark it's a wonder readers can see as they peak from behind the hands hypothetically shielding their eyes but no matter how disturbing or stomach churning her ideas somehow the good guys get through.
This particular book brings together so many characters from previous novels that my poor head was spinning trying to remember everything that had previously happened! If new to the authors work then don't worry as I did think this book worked fine as a standalone but it's obviously a reward of sorts, a celebration that readers can share and possibly the beginning of a whole new chapter.
So I'm obviously a huge fan and adore the way the author usually manages to wrap the suspense and crime element around a solid and adult romance. This particular story has two children floundering after the murder of their mother which brings them into contact with Taylor a young woman with a secret that connects her to what as a reader I perceive as a very extended family! I mentioned young and it's almost a new adult romance happening here which if honest didn't really set the pages on fire . However towards the end ( !) the pace gathered momentum and the drama finally had a lot more action. For me personally it seemed to meander a little too much at times and yes I can see that the sub plots and family dynamics helped flesh out the story but I missed the tension and often horror that I normally associate with these books. Not a bad book but not that typical of the usual fare I enjoy from this author although if you find some of her previous stories too dark then this should be a welcome relief.
A copy of this was provided for me with no requirement to review. I've voluntarily read it and these thoughts and comments are I believe a fair opinion

Jazzie is 11 years old. Coming home from school she finds her mother dead on the floor ... and her killer rooting around in the closet. Jazzie does the only thing she can ... she hides behind a large chair and holds her breath.

Weeks later, Jazzie becomes a part of an organization that provides horse therapy for kids who have been victims of serious crimes. She has no spoken a single word since finding her mother's body ... and she's never told what she knows.

Taylor Dawson is interning at Healing Hearts with Horses, as part of her becoming a practicing psychologist. And while Taylor makes a small connection to Jazzie, Taylor has her own secrets. She's been asking questions about a man who also works for the organization. She has just come from California, so why would she be asking about a man who resides in Maryland?

I have always enjoyed this author's Romantic Suspense stories. This one is about 95% suspense and the rest is romance. The author has written a book full of the characters of some of her previous books. So although a part of a series, this serves extremely well as a stand alone.

The reader learns early on who the killer is ... and just how monstrous he is. He decides that Jazzie must be silenced before she tells what she knows, as well as her therapist, Taylor. The book is suspenseful, exciting, and full of characters that have chosen to become a family. All of them have endured and overcome personal tragedies to come out relatively normal on the other side.

5 Stars for the book ........... 5 Stars for the series!

Many thanks to the author / Berkley Publishing Group / Netgalley for the advance digital copy of this book. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

"Monster in the Closet"

By: Karen Rose

WOW! It has been a long time since a book has moved me to tears. And not just once but multiple times and both happy and heart wrenching.

This author is an exceptional storyteller. I almost felt as if it were an audiobook and never once stumbled on the sentence structure, timeline or descriptions. I couldn't put it down as I was riveted to the story of Taylor (Sienna) who was hidden away from her father; being told that he was an abusive man who would steal her away from her family. On her mother's deathbed she told Taylor the truth and so begins the saga of her search for her biological father while trying to stay loyal to the only man she knew as "dad".

Taylor finds herself caught up in a case of 2 young children and an enticing young man battling similar PTSD situations and puts her own experiences to good use.

This read is suspenseful, emotional and thought provoking with a smattering of romance. I will definitely pick up this author's other books if this is any indication of her writing talent!

Jeanie G

Getting 5 "weepy" sheep.