What a ride! Wow! This is an action packed thriller about a serial killer getting revenge. This a bit gritty at times. The heroine is a court reporter and is targeted because the killer wants revenge on her father. There is a bit of romance and some inspirational messages of hope and trusting God even in fearful situations.
*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher Thomas Nelson and this is my honest opinion.

This is an excellent story line that will keep you turning the pages and guessing who the serial murderer or murderers are. I enjoyed the author's choice of a court reporter as the main character. A position where a person hears and records countless details in many different cases and at the same time unknowingly absorbs information. When Teagan becomes the target of threats in the way of notes, an unknown person begins to play a game with her that includes attempted murder and the murder of those nearest her. Coming from a family of law enforcement, the entire family, along with Teagan's boyfriend, Max, are drawn into the race to find the killer before Teagan dies.
I thought the presentation of law enforcement, use of guns, and feelings that faith in God would be enough for protection was well written. The characters allow you to see the pros and cons of different opinions when it comes to protecting yourself against the evil of this world.
I highly recommend this read!

"I received a complimentary copy of this .”Closer than She Knows”. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
Teagan O’Rourke is a court reporter who comes from a family of cops. She is trained to be aware of people and what they are capable of doing.
Then a serial killer starts stalking people around her - one of them is her elderly neighbor whom her friend Max hears screaming as she is killed, but he is attacked too and can’t save her in time. A note was left with her to Teagan telling her that Evelyn was too close to home, and signing it Francois Bonaparte, a character in a novel.
Max protects Teagan and then his brakes fail and he crashes into a group of juniper trees. Who is after Teagan.....

I feel like it's super cheesy to say that this book grabbed me from the first few pages, but in reality that's what it did! Talk about jumping right into the action! I loved it and devoured this book in one weekend. I really appreciate how Kelly Irvin writes about non perfect Christians. Because that's what we are. We are all hurt and broken and deal with different issues. So the fact that she shared about someone with alcoholism and drug addiction and how they live each day as a believer and fighting that was really wonderful. I also appreciated how she wrote about the Daughter/Father relationship and the dynamics and hurts involved with that.

Wow - what a wild ride! I first heard of this author a couple of years ago when her suspense debut, "Tell Her no Lies" released. She's best known in the Amish fiction community, but she has a clear gift for suspense as well. While I didn't care much for last year's release, "Over the Line", I decided to still give this one a try because I enjoyed her first suspense book so well - that, and I found the plot intriguing. I'm so glad that I did as this book was absolutely phenomenal!

Teagan O'Rourke lives a quiet life in a quaint neighborhood where she knows and likes her neighbors, and she sponsors her own Free Little Library. She works as a court reporter and is in love with her best friend Max, but they have some differences in thought that seem irreconcilable. Her world is turned up on its head when a police officer who is escorting her and a case's evidence to the courthouse is shot and killed. When a letter turns up announcing serial intentions in Teagan's Free Little Library, she works to stay one step ahead of the killer before he kills again.

This book was super intense and a bit on the creepy side. I really enjoy reading books about serial killers who have a certain "signature" - in this book, the killer leaves letters to Teagan and signs them as literary killers. It added to the suspense and intensity every time they found a letter. There was a romance included making this a solid romantic suspense. As a general rule, I'm not typically much of a fan of the romance element of romantic suspense, but this one was done really well as the characters had good history and worked though their issues as the book progressed. It also didn't take over the suspense element, but worked alongside it. There was a solid faith element as well, as the main characters were Christians and seeking God's Will in how things played out. I loved Max's prayers - so heartfelt and well-phrased! There were also some difficult topics - alcoholism, PTSD, gun control, foster care, blended families - as well as all of the other issues that come with death being a prominent theme. The author handles these with grace and care. And unless you've come upon a murder scene, I don't believe that any of this issues are presented in a triggering way.

All in all, this was a fantastic novel. I really enjoyed it from the very beginning. I would strongly recommend to fans of romantic suspense. Special thanks to Thomas Nelson and Netgalley for an advanced e-copy of this book. I was not required to write a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

This is the best book I've read by this author.

If you enjoy reading good Mystery, Christian, Romance...read this book. Teagan was a capable heroin and Max was mans man. This book had all of the twist and turns you would enjoy and a mystery. I didn't know who the bad person was until close to the end.

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent job of blending genres. Is it a romance novel? a murder mystery? a Christian novel? Yes to all, and the author has blended the together seamlessly in a very believable protagonist, plot, and supporting characters.

Closer Than She Knows is a good Christian romantic suspense. It has a very interesting premise of a court reporter, Teagan O'Rourke, coming to the attention of a serial killer. Teagan is inches from a police officer who is shot, and then the killer begins leaving notes for her. Teagan's family of police officers, plus her dear friend Max, all jump into protective mode.

While they are all racing to find the killer, Teagan also has to deal with her feelings for Max, and the belief that she can never give him what he wants most.

I liked the way Teagan's family and Max were all so protective of her. I thought Teagan's determination to help solve the murders was courageous. She came across to me as a little too stubborn at times, but I admired her for the most part. The storyline was fast-paced and stayed interesting throughout.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and this is my honest review.

This is a book about a serial killer. It is the first one of this kind I have read. It is well written and I didn’t want to put it down.
I received an advanced copy from the publisher through netgalley.
This is my own opinion.

CLOSER THAN SHE KNOWS by KELLY IRVIN is a brilliant thriller that will really keep you guessing. A real page turner with interesting characters and a really good plot.
There is a serial killer at large in San Antonio who is targetting court reporter Teagan O'Rourke and her law enforcement family.
Teagan lives in tremendous fear of losing those she loves, including Max Kennedy, a youth pastor who is a struggling alcoholic with a checkered past. I like the way Max has such a close relationship with the Lord, trusting Him and wanting Teagan to trust Him too.
As the murders get closer to home, with the psychopathic killer writing notes to Teagan, calling himself by names of killers in books she has read, things really get exciting.
I will leave it there as I do not want to spoil the read for you.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Thomas Nelson. The opinions in this review are completely my own.