Set in San Antonio, Texas, the story follows the lives of Teagan, a court reporter and a whizkid with the law enforcement regulations, Max, a retired Army medic and a present-day youth minister who is quite captivated by Teagan, and Dillon, Teagan's dad and retired SAPD officer. When Teagan gets the attention of a creepy and dangerous stalker who seems bent upon taking lives of her close ones and leaving her wrecked with misery with his eerie notes, the three have to join forces to crack the mystery.
Fast-paced and gripping, the book was a brilliant read. I loved the characterization, especially that of Max, with his suave demeanour. My thanks to author Kelly Irvin and PICT PR Firm for gifting me with a copy of the book for an honest review.

<b>Her prayer life was more
a series of discussions
between an Abba Father and
His recalcitrant daughter. </b>

It is not often I read a book for a second time - I did this one. Not because it was great (though, it was good), but because I read it the first time last February. I was ready to review it, but then the 2020-pandemic hit. My schedules changed, my wife was home, meals were a bit different. And for 6-8 weeks my habit of reading and reviewing got sidelined. I have mostly caught up on my reviews, but this book got pushed to the bottom of the pile. Now, six months later, I discovered the missing review; but to prepare a current and fair review, I needed to reread the book. I am glad I did.

Kelly Irwin has written a faith-based novel that focuses on the court recorder daughter of a law enforcement heavy family. Her father and two of Teagan O’Rourke siblings were in law enforcement. One stepsister chose law school - a close second. A serial killer was slowly murdering the important people around her, co-workers, friends, and now, it seemed, family members. The clock was ticking before another would die. The family, working with the San Antonio Police Department, and the youth pastor, who was sweet on Teagan, would need to follow the clues - would they lead to a murderer or to a trap.

Teagan would need to learn (or was it relearn) to trust God - both for her and her family’s safety and for her future. They would be hard lessons to learn.

The book held this reader’s attention from chapter one to chapter forty-two. Though not planned, it was a book worth reading a second time.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are my own.

This was a fun read! This was my first foray into the works of Kelly Irvin, but it held my attention all the way through. Good strong characters, sweet romance, interesting adventure. There was danger, a few twists I didn’t expect, and an all-around fun who-dun-it mystery. I’m a fan of Dee Henderson’s books, and these reminded me of her style of writing. Definitely recommend this one for mystery/thriller lovers

Rated PG-13 for intense situations, some violence, and death.
—clean romance
—some violence
—intense situations
—no language

I received this ebook free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

I really liked the premise of this book. The story itself was good and kept me interested however I just didn’t feel overly invested in the characters. An overall good read.

I had read some of Kelly Irvin’s Amish fiction before. When I saw that she also writes some suspense books, I knew I had to give it a try. This one wasn’t too bad. I thought I had it figured out, but I was still surprised. I think this would be good for fans of Nancy Mehl’s suspense books.



I was given a complimentary copy of this ebook from the author, but was not required to write a review. The thoughts and comments are my own.

Kelly Irvin made her name in Amish romance before publishing Tell Her No Lies, her first romantic suspense novel, in 2018. I was impressed by that novel, but was less impressed by Over the Line (I’m from New Zealand, and the story was too pro-gun for my tastes, especially in the aftermath of the Christchurch shooting).

Closer Than She Knows takes all the strengths of Tell Her No Lies and builds on them to deliver a powerful novel.
Teagan O’Rourke is a court reporter. She’s not a journalist, but the person who sits in the courtroom and transcribes every word spoken during a trial. That’s new—I’ve never read a novel featuring a court reporter before. It was interesting to find the court reporter is also responsible for the physical evidence in the trial, and that’s where Closer Than She Knows starts …

Teagan is transporting trial evidence under police escort when her escort is shot in the head. That’s shocking enough, but when Teagan’s next-door neighbour is stabbed to death and another friend attacked in Teagan’s house, then the police suspect Teagan is also a target. Notes found by the bodies leave Teagan’s father, a retired policeman, suspecting the murders might be related to one of his cases—a convicted murderer and suspected serial killer.

What follows could be a typical chase-type romantic suspense novel, but it’s more than that. There’s also Teagan’s relationship with Max, the youth leader at her church. He thinks she’s not interested in anything more than friendship because he’s a recovering alcoholic. She’s not interested … but for a completely different reason. Max challenges her on her reasoning, partly out of selfish reasons (he disagrees with her), but more because he says her belief is limiting God. That was an interesting and welcome twist.

Yes, Closer Than She Knows is definitely Christian fiction, and it isn’t afraid to address some of the hard questions in life and faith: why do bad things happen to good people? Can we go against something we believe in when the people we love are in danger? Can we trust God with the hard things? And more …

There was plenty of tension which kept me turning the pages until the satisfying end. But there were also touches of humour and some tender moments amid the suspense and the introspection. Overall, Closer Than She Knows is an excellent example of Christian romantic suspense, with a great balance between faith, romance, and suspense, and a cast of believable and interesting characters.

Recommended for fans of Christian romantic suspense.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

*3.5 stars*

This was an enjoyable Christian suspense/murder book. It was quite fast paced and kept my interest.

Thank you to the publishers for a free copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Closer Than She Knows is a suspenseful read that kept me guessing. This book would be considered Christian fiction which is something that some readers would definitely want to know beforehand in case that isn't their thing. The characters beliefs do play a major part of this book at times which is why I felt like it was important to mention. I found myself instantly intrigued by the setup of this book. Teagan finds herself in the sights of a serial killer at the very beginning of this book which really started this book off with a bang. I found myself trying to figure out who the killer could be right along with all of the other characters. I liked that the author also hit on some other heavier issues within this book. For example, Max is a former alcoholic. This isn't something that is just glossed over but is something that he deals with throughout the book. The need for foster parents is another issue that was also brought up within the pages of this book. I thought that the way that the author brought these things into this book added to the mystery without distracting from it. It made the book feel more like real life as these are issues that are faced by so many all of the time. I spent the entirety of this book trying to figure out who the killer was and the why's behind it all. While I did end up suspecting the correct person at one point, I wasn't for sure until the very end when everything is revealed. I thought that this book was a page turner - especially with that ending!

Overall, I liked this one and would be open to reading more by this author in the future. I thought that the author did a good job of writing a suspenseful read that kept me guessing. I really liked Teagan's family and would love to read more of them in future books. I also enjoyed the fact that the author's love of mysteries was interspersed throughout this book. The killer would leave Teagan notes signed as the killer from different mystery novels that Teagan had read and loved. I just thought it was a fun way to pay homage to the mystery genre and the author's love of books. I think that readers who enjoy suspenseful reads, Christian fiction, or just mysteries in general would enjoy this book.

Bottom Line: A suspenseful read that kept me turning the pages.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher as part of a PICT book tour. Honest thoughts are my own

Well, this book jumped right into the action. No worries about a slow book if you pick up Closer Than She Knows. However, it did seem a tiny bit abrupt to me.

While this was a good book, it was not for me. A large part of that had to do with the characters. It was difficult for me to relate to them. (It was just a personality thing between me and the characters.)

The writing was typical of Kelly Irvan and I enjoyed getting to read it again.

I do NOT ship Teagan and Max. Don't ask me why, it is difficult to explain. I think it may have to do with the different opinions of the characters. Some different opinions are good but they had a lot of differences with political stuff.

Since I mentioned politics, I might as well mention it more. There was A LOT of talk about guns and the Second Amendment. The talk did show both sides, which was good, but still, a lot of political talk.



Rating: 3/5

Language: n/a

Romance: one kiss (very non-detailed)

Spiritual: Max is a paster

Violence: a book about a serial killer, need I say more?



*I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.

Teagan’s career as a court report gives her an inside look at the evil and horrors humans can commit. When she and her friends and family become targets of a serial killer, she often views the situation through the lens of her job. And since the rest of her family are law enforcement, she gets plenty of opinions.

By far, my favorite character in this book is Max. He’s made some mistakes in his past and is trying to let them go but he’s human and falters sometimes. His affection for Teagan is obvious as is his hesitancy to push for more than their friendship.

While the suspense is ratcheted up with each new discovery and a few red herrings are thrown at the reader, I figured out who the culprit was early on and his motivation became clear upon meeting a certain character.

I’ve watched Kelly Irvin’s growth as a suspense writer over the past few books, and Closer Than She Knows raises that bar a little higher.


Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

This story had me hooked from the beginning. I love a good Christian fiction suspense/romance story!

Teagan is a court room reporter. She feels she's a disappointment to her family of police officers, but she loves her job. In her front yard, she has her Free Little Library where neighbors can borrow books to read. She loves her home, neighborhood and neighbors. But, her life is lonely.

While riding with a female police officer to pick up evidence in a case at the police headquarters, the unthinkable happens. Shots are fired and the officer driving Teagan is killed right before her eyes! And, that's just the beginning of this action packed story! More of Teagan's friends die. A serial killer is targeting Teagan. He leaves hints in a letter with each of his victims. Why would someone be targeting Teagan? Does it have something to do with a member of her family who sent someone to prison?

Then, there's Max, Teagan's best friend. Teagan feels they can't go beyond friendship for Max desires something that she does not. I did feel Max had a much closer relationship with God than Teagan did.

A story of suspense. If you love suspense, as I do, you'll want to read this one!

I was given a complimentary copy by the publisher, Thomas Nelson and Netgalley. I was under no obligation to write a positive review.

A mystery written from a perspective I have never read before. The main character is a court reporter. Her thought process is expressed through that lens and it made for interesting and, initially, challenging reading. I enjoyed reading this book. It was easy to get lost in the story trying to figure out who the killer was.

Closer Than She Knows by Kelly Irvin is a suspenseful romantic thriller I read straight through without stopping for sleep. Teagan O’Rourke who is a court reporter is a lot like me as she enjoys reading murder mysteries. She was raised with a family of law enforcement officers and her father now serves as a consultant to the sheriff's department. She feels a bit estranged from her father due to his remarriage after her mother's death years ago.
Her life takes a drastic turn when she becomes the target of a serial killer. When Teagen is being escorted with evidence to be stored in an ongoing trial, the officer driving her is shot and killed. Later her friend Max is attacked as he tries to help her sweet neighbor from a murderer.
More deaths follow as Teagan is being taunted by the murderer. I think because I read suspense thrillers each week I was able to figure out the serial killer's identity the second time he appears in the story. I like the characters of Teagan, Max, and her family. I appreciate the inspirational values of the characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Closer Than She Knows by Kelly Irvin is a Christian Romance Suspense novel and it might be my very first one! What intrigued me to read this book was the mention of some ‘literary backdrop” for our story and protagonist, Teagan. I am a sucker for books about books or books containing some kind of literary mentions. I am totally a sucker for it - seriously. However, what really ended up dragging me into this fantastic story was the fact that from beginning to end - it was non stop. There was always something happening and always the feeling that something else was happening soon. A non stop creepy thrill ride is the way I would describe this book. Also, being the die hard romance reader that I am, I truly enjoyed the sprinkling of romance that this book had to offer. It gave me everything I like. Of course, I always wish the romance could be pushed farther - but that is just me in this case.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves thriller-y stories about serial killers and those readers who definitely enjoy the creep factor in stories. Try this book out, for sure!

Closer Than She Knows by Kelly Irvin - “Teagan O’Rourke has always loved murder mysteries. In her job as a court reporter, she has written official records for dozens of real-life murders. She’s slapped evidence stickers on crime scene photos. She’s listened to hours of chilling testimony. But she’s never known the smell of death. And she never thought she might be a victim. Until now. A young police officer is murdered just inches away from her and then a man calling himself a serial killer starts leaving Teagan notes, signing each with the name of a different murderer from her favorite mystery novels. Panicked, Teagan turns to her friend Max Kennedy. Max longs for more than friendship with Teagan, but he fears she’ll never trust someone with a past like his. He wonders how much of God’s “tough love” he can take before he gives up on love completely. And he wonders if he’ll be able to keep Teagan alive long enough to find out.”
This was a very compelling, serial-killer mystery. There were many characters. I couldn’t put the book down. You were kept in suspense till the end. I recommend this book but know it has to do with a few murder cases but I believe you will like the book. Thank you to Net Galley for an advanced reader’s copy.

In Closer Than She Knows, author Kelly Irvin transports the reader to San Antonio, Texas for an intriguing Christian Romantic Suspense story that will keep the reader guessing and turning the pages.

Teagan O'Rourke is a court reporter, who knows the criminal justice system inside out, she comes from a family of law enforcement officers.

Max Kennedy is a retired Army medic and now a part-time Youth Minister, who is romantically interested in his friend and fellow church group volunteer, Teagan.

Teagan becomes the target of a person claiming to be a serial killer, when he starts murdering people close to Teagan, and leaving her his signature calling card, tantalizing letters ending with literary fictional characters. Teagan's father, Dillon O'Rourke is retired from the San Antonio Police Department. Dillon recognizes the serial killer letters, and thinks the serial killer has Teagan in his cross-hairs to get personal revenge. Can Tegan, Dillion, and Max find the serial killer before time runs out and he gets to Teagan, or is the serial killer closer than she knows?

Author Kelly Irvin weaves a fast-paced and suspenseful tale written in the third person narrative that follows Teagan, Max, and Dillon as they search for the serial killer before he can get to Teagan. The reader will be easily drawn into this action-packed and well written story with its richly descriptive plot that will keep them guessing as secrets, possible motives, and clues are uncovered during the search for the serial killer. Just when you think you know who the serial killer is, the author teases the reader with more possible suspects until the surprising ending. I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much I loved the intertwining of a Christian themed story with intriguing suspense, and the close friendship and angsty underlying attraction between Teagan and Max, you can't help but hope that they find love amongst the craziness of the search.

Closer Than She Knows has enough drama, tension, action, dark secrets, a touch of romance, and unexpected twists and turns that will take the reader on one heck of a thrilling roller coaster ride.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2020/07/closer-than-she-knows-by-kelly-irvin.html

This is a great modern day stand alone Christian thriller. This is one of those stories that pulled me in very quickly and I didn't want to put down. The story is fast-paced with lots of twists and turns. The story kept me guessing who the murderer could be. The characters are so realistic and well introduced it felt like I knew them. Just the simple thing of Teagan's sister moving home until she found a new apartment, so realistic.
One of the issues that stands out the most to me is the way Teagan handled her relationship with Max. He wanted children and she felt it was wrong to bring a child into evil world. Another thing that stands out for me is the amount of times God tells us in the Bible to not have fear. It is a reminder to have faith and trust God to handle things for us in the bad times as well as the good. One of the things I enjoyed about this book is the romance is very mild and does not take over the crime story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Serial killers are fascinating and this book delves into their minds and keeps you guessing.

I will admit I figured out who the "bad guy" was pretty fast but I've read and watched way too many crime dramas.

One part of this book that I really appreciated was how guns were viewed by various characters. It was nice to read about a heroine that shares my view of guns.

I also loved that this book talked about the real life dangers of alcohol and pills but also the real help that AA and good therapists can provide. There is so much stigma around these things and I'm glad the good was shown in this book.

I was kept engaged in this book through the hunt for the killer but also the developing romance here Teagan and Max. I loved how they talked about things and how their friendship was so strong. I especially loved the compromised they came up with at the end.

Even if you don't enjoy romance in your suspense I think you'll still enjoy this book because it was definitely only a small part.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Teagan O'Rourke makes a living being a court reporter and has been around criminal justice and police work for her entire life. She never thought that she would ever be the focus of a killer. It isn't just her though. The killer wants her friends and family to pay as well. I really liked the mystery component of this book, however felt that a budding relationship and a resolution just seemed far fetched with everything else going on.. Teagan came across as seeming kind of flat as a character to me. I just really didn't get her. Thanks for the ARC, First Reads.

Teagan O'Rourke loves a good murder mystery and equally loves her job as a court reporter, typing up the official records of real-life murders. But, when a serial killer seems to be on the loose and seems to be targeting her, she realizes these mysteries are not so fascinating; in fact, they are quite scary.

I hadn't realized when I read the blurb that this was a Christian romance/suspense novel. I think that should be a bit more pronounced in the blurb because the theme was prevalent on every page. Other than that, this was a fast-paced mystery with constant action. The characters were likeable (especially Tigger 🐾). I thought I had the whole thing figured out early on, and I sort of did and sort of didn't, if that makes sense 😂 so there were a few good twists that kept me guessing. Overall, an engaging suspense novel that I read in one sitting.