As always, thank you SO MUCH to Berkley and Netgalley for sending me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

If you've seen me review any Karen Rose book before, you know the drill. If I get the opportunity to read a new one. I drop everything in my life to start it immediately. And WOW do I love her New Orleans series. I've been so interested in Phin's story from the very first time we saw him and OMG did it tear my heart to pieces and put them back together again. Being in his head and knowing how badly he wants to protect people and doesn't trust himself enough to....God I just wanted to give him the biggest hug. Having read Scarlett's book and, before this, Val's book....it just breaks your heart for him so badly.

Seeing him learn to trust himself again with Cora, leaning on his service dog for help when he needs it....I'm a sucker for an animal companion always and this book is definitely added to my (long) list of Karen Rose reread. She's done it again, folks, and I'm going to continue to read everything this woman writes.

Excellent as always. Phin is back and his story continues. Lots of twists and turns, deceit, and intrigue as Karen Rose does so well. If you've enjoyed the first two in this series, you'll love the third. If you haven't read the first two, get to it!! Great group of characters that are not all cookie-cutter perfect as we often see. They feel more real than so many others. Well written, a pleasure to read. Drives me nuts to find inconsistencies, ridiculous leaps, and poor grammar, punctuation, and spelling. You don't find that here. Highly recommend.

Life was complicated enough suffering from PTSD, but getting pinned by the police for a break-in sets a man on a path of investigation straight into the dark shadows of an even older crime. Karen Rose’s New Orlean’s series has been captivating from the beginning and I love the focus around the Broussard Investigations and security firm. The series only seems to get stronger as I go.

Buried Too Deep is the third of the New Orleans sub-series and thirtieth in the Romantic Suspense series overall. While one could get away with reading it out of order, I did enjoy having the background and world of Broussard’s people and the overall situation with New Orlean’s backdrop from the previous books.

Phin Bishop is struggling, but he’s working through his PTSD and the Broussard Security family is behind him a hundred percent. When there is a break in and he gets tagged for it by the NOPD, they support him and he is determined to clear his name. His investigation leads him to Cora, a librarian.

Cora’s dad disappeared twenty years before, but bones being identified as him has just turned up. One might think this is a good thing and would bring closure, but no… cue the creepy music. See, Cora’s been getting an annual letter from her dad even while those bones definitively ID’d as him have been moldering in the ground. So, whose been sending her the letters? And, why is she suddenly in danger after the bones are found? Cora wants answers and with Phin on her bodyguard team with his new K-9 companion, Soda Pop (love the name)- they will dive in and discovered a dark cover up.

I was very taken with Phin’s character and his connection to his work friends, his companion dog, and his growing romance with Cora. As usual, Karen Rose did her research and portrayed PTSD as an ongoing, realistic struggle. I loved Cora and Phin together and how much she was all in and supportive. They were both smart about their investigating and I appreciated the balance of their building relationship and the tension of the suspense side of the plot.

The story had Phin and Cora both getting large swaths of the narration, but also the villain’s perspective which doesn’t give away as much as you’d think.

All in all, an abso-fab entry in a fantastic series. Romantic suspense and thriller romance fans who like good police procedural and some grit with a good balance of the romance and action should definitely give these a go.

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for this arc.

The entire book takes place over the course of not much more than two weeks. Phin and Cora are fairly instantly attracted to one another but the short time frame of the story didn’t leave a lot of room for relationship development. Yes, I saw a connection between them but after such a short time I wasn’t quite ready for a full HEA. I did think Phin and Cora were good for each other but boy was it fast.

Alan kills various people, Sage does too and Cora and Phin get closer as they try to work out what happened to her father, who shot Joy and why they are after her. Alan in particular is a caricature of a villain, with no nuance to him whatsoever. Sage at least, had some subtlety to his characterisation.

What attracted me most to Buried Too Deep was the service dog, Sodapop. I was hoping we’d see more of her doing her thing. We did see some and she was a Very Good Dog but she didn’t feature as much in the story as I’d hoped.

There was a sensitive depiction of PTSD and the challenges vets with trauma face when they return home, which I appreciated.

I didn’t quite understand how Cora was so financially challenged in looking after her house (inherited through generations of Winslows) when her grandmother left a trust for the house’s upkeep. It seemed Cora was reluctant to use the money for it’s designated purpose?

The book is a bit of a doorstopper, the plot convoluted and a little cheesy and there just wasn’t enough of the dog. Possibly readers of the earlier books in the New Orleans series will enjoy the book a little better, given they will already know some of the characters, but for me Buried Too Deep was just okay.

Phin has just returned to his job at Broussard Investigations after the last case brought out his PTSD enough that he had to escape to a safe haven and decompress. Unfortunately, his first day back is dramatic with a shooting at the office that leaves one of the members gravely injured. Phin witnesses Cora, the librarian seeking Broussard Investigations’ assistance, fleeing the scene and is eager to find out why.

Cora has just discovered her father didn’t leave them like she thought he did but was murdered twenty-three years earlier. Who’s been writing the letters supposedly penned by her father then? She’s seeking help from Broussard’s when she’s ambushed.

I was eager to find out why someone was targeting Cora now. I enjoyed seeing Phin and his cute service dog, Soda Pop, help with the investigation. They scour the attic of the family’s historic home (sounded wonderful!) for clues about her father and what he was up to. Phin felt bad about his setbacks triggered by the events of the past book, but his help was invaluable to Broussard’s team and to Cora. The attraction between Cora and Phin was quick, but understandable since things were amplified by the intense situation Phin and Cora were thrown into.

Buried Too Deep captured my attention right away, as most Karen Rose’s mysteries do! The identity of one of the bad guys was known, pretty much from the start, but there was another involved that I had to puzzle over. I raced through the pages quickly! Definite recommend for fans of high action romantic suspense/crime procedurals! I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy courtesy of the publisher. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Buried too Deep by Karen Rose, book three in the New Orleans series and thirty in the Romantic Suspense series, is filled with tension, twists and turns, a storyline dealing with PTSD, healing and redemption. A reconnection with the faces of Broussard Investigations and a mystery with evil lurking in the least expected places. Great plot, complicated character development and mystery and a well thought out transition from good to evil without second thought.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.
#NetGalley #Berkley

I really enjoyed this romantic suspense novel with many twists and turns. I loved Phin and Cora. I loved getting to see how a support dog helps someone to cope with their troubles. I loved seeing how Cora handled herself after her trauma. I could not put this book down. I had not read the first two books in this series but I had no problem getting to know all of the characters in the book. I received a copy of the book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

DNF at 70%

What I liked:
The mystery behind the letters sent to Cora was interesting and I did like the multiple POV simultaneously including the “villains” once again. I also loved including the dogs, and the representation of PTSD was solid.

Why I DNF’d:
Ultimately it was just really long and there were long periods of time with little action. I really enjoyed Quarter to Midnight and I think a big difference is that there wasn’t as much time developing the back story for the characters in this book. I’m not sure if some characters are from the Cincinnati series and maybe that’s where their back story is, but since I haven’t read that, I’m not sure if I’m missing the connections.

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

4.5 hearts

I love the Romantic Suspense series. I've read them all. I started the series with the first Cincinnati book, with Faith and Deacon. It was actually #16 overall. Then I went back and read the previous 15 books. I would not jump into this in the middle of the series. One could start at the beginning of a city since those stories connect well, and they seem to be labelled on Goodreads.



Another romantic suspense story has a librarian, a veteran with PTSD, a service dog, and the private investigators we already know in New Orleans. Cora has known so much loss over the last few years. Then the father she thought had left them for a new family turns out to have died 23 years ago. Those responsible are trying to cover it up. Cora has to face the possibility that those closest to her have betrayed her, at least they have to be eliminated as suspects.

There are a lot of Threads to pull which connect into the time in the past. Cora with her librarian skills and family knowledge works those avenues, right along with the Burke people. The beginning is slow but then it picks up and things happen more quickly. Cora is trying to handle her grief and shock; Phin is learning to work through his PTSD moments.

Cora and Phin are kind to one another and provide each other with support during these difficult times. They dig for the truth which led to her father's death, and the more recent shootings and break-ins. Burke's people have some great skills and on other fronts they seem a little lacking on the protection. It's no wonder Cora is shaken with everything that has happened and feels more comfortable with the competent Phin at her side, along with his service dog, SodaPop.

I enjoyed hearing updates on the New Orleans and Cincinnati families and the addition of Cora and Phin to them. The depth of the world and character development is exceptional.

The New Orleans series is heating up in Buried Too Deep. The action is exciting and the villains are supernaturally diabolical. The suspense is gripping and the mysteries are mind-blowing!

Cora and Phin meet under unusual circumstances and have a shared interest in discovering who’s responsible for the attack on the PI office. Is it related to Cora’s father’s death? And who’s sending her letters if her dad was dead the whole time? Each mystery reveals more questions than answers. It’ll take Phin and the rest of Burke Broussard’s PI gang to help Cora detangle this web of intrigue, duplicity, and betrayal.

Cora is a spitfire who’s also patient, kind, and so strong. She won’t let anything get in her way of discovering the truth. Phin is a pillar of strength for Cora. He desperately wants to prove to Cora–and to Burke–that he can do his job, protecting Cora, despite his PTSD. Cora and Phin have an understated chemistry that’s both tender and endearing. I think they make a great couple and pair beautifully together, Phin with his quiet intensity and Cora with her fierce protectiveness.

I really appreciate the way Ms. Rose approached Phin’s PTSD struggles. We first hear of Phin and his illness in Alone in the Dark, Book 2 of Ms. Rose’s Cincinnati series. Thankfully, Phin had some wonderful friends to help him along the way, and a wonderful support dog in SodaPop. The author handled the subject of PTSD beautifully and respectfully by normalizing this very real and very relevant illness.

Buried Too Deep is full of brow-raising, puzzle-piecing, unpredictability that’ll have readers thirsty for more.

I absolutely LOVE the story and the characters and I can’t wait for the next book! Karen Rose is a staple in the romantic suspense genre. I highly recommend all her books.

ʙᴜʀɪᴇᴅ ᴛᴏᴏ ᴅᴇᴇᴘ
ᴋᴀʀᴇɴ ʀᴏsᴇ
4/5 💫
🌶️🌶️

•ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄ sᴜsᴘᴇɴsᴇ
•ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀʏ
•ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ
•ᴛʀᴀᴜᴍᴀ ʙᴏɴᴅɪɴɢ

𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥….

Shout out to for this wild, fast paced ride. Was it a *tad* too long? Yes. But I still enjoyed this atmospheric thriller set in New Orleans with some romance sprinkled in.

Phin, continually overwhelmed by ptsd from his army service, tries to help Cora…a spirited librarian who needs answers to her father’s mysterious death that occurred 23 years prior. The only problem? She thought he abandoned her years ago - she received letters from him monthly.

How does this connect to recent murders, buried family secrets, and a tv evangelist in the garden district? Read to find out!

When Phin Bishop shows up at Broussard Investigations just in time to see a man chasing a woman fleeing the premises and their receptionist on the floor bleeding out from a gunshot wound. Struggling to overcome his PTSD, Phin lends a hand by staunching the wound, but his bad timing makes him a suspect. In order to clear his name he needs to find the woman who fled, Cora Winslow. Cora was at Broussard Investigations to ask her friend Joy for help in discovering who murdered her dad 23 years ago. She doesn’t expect to be running for her life through the streets of New Orleans.

When Phin tracks Cora down she’s just coming out of the police station where she told her side of the story. He and the Broussard team agree to help Cora investigate her fathers murder in the hopes of finding the person who attacked a member of their team. Phin and Cora make a pretty instant connection, both of them having survived trauma in their lives and see a lot of similarities in each other even though their stories are completely different. As they investigate each clue they rely on each other more and more and their feelings become more romantic. I thought the author did a good job of describing Phin’s PTSD and how he gets through each moment when he is triggered. I could see how kind-hearted Cora could see past his insecurities and self-doubts to the strengths of the person underneath. For me that aspect of the story worked well, but the mystery was what shone.

It’s hard to talk about a mystery without giving away any of the details and I don’t want to spoil this story for anyone else. I’ll just say that there were a lot of threads to this story and although you know the bad guy from almost the very beginning the author crafted a story that was interesting, held my attention, and created characters I cared about. All in all a solid book!

This one starts off pretty slow and picks up as the story goes on, about halfway in. Having not read the other books in the series, I wonder if there’s some backstory I was missing at first to really appreciate the story. It’s certainly able to be read alone, but, I found myself taking a longer time to care about the characters.

Overall, a good romantic suspense read. But I wasn’t blown away.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC

Author Karen Rose returns to New Orleans in BURIED TOO DEEP, book three in the New Orleans series and book thirty in the Romance Suspense series. Rose's ability to keep plot lines unique and engaging after so many books is a testament to her expert ability to craft a highly entertaining and intriguing story with authentic characters readers enjoy time after time. Whether you're a series fan or a first timer, you can feel confident in picking this book up and settling in for an entertaining evening of reading as the author includes any needed backstory.

With his PTSD therapy dog, SodaPop, by his side, Phin Bishop pauses outside his employer's office, Broussard Private Investigations, an elite personal security firm, to settle his nerves. What if he's no longer welcome after ghosting them following his last bad episode? What if Burke refuses to allow him to return as a nighttime security guard? Before he can make a move, total chaos erupts with gunshots ringing out and a woman fleeing the office before Phin rushes inside to find Joy, a friend and colleague, lying on the floor bleeding out. Authorities arrive and Phin finds himself in handcuffs and jailed as a suspect in the attack. After his identity and status are verified by Burke Broussard and the rest of the gang, Phin is released and rejoins the firm with a vow to locate the mysterious woman and get justice for the recovering Joy. Locating Cora Winslow, a feisty librarian who's recently learned the skeletal remains unearthed beneath a demolished building is her father who disappeared twenty-three years ago but has continued sending her handwritten letters every year, is the first step. The second is finding out who forged the letters and why. After numerous break-ins at her house, Cora seeks help and protection from Broussard Private Investigations where she meets Phin, forming an immediate bond. Promising to keep her safe, Phin, Burke and the gang double down to solve the mystery of the letters and the motive behind the attacks. As the attraction between Phin and Cora grows, he fears jeopardizing the case and Cora's life if he can't control his PTSD. As the story progresses, the plot thickens, the threat increases and secrets begin leaking out. Time is running out as bodies pile up.

BURIED TOO DEEP is a multilayered, tautly plotted romance thriller set in the mysterious Garden District of NOLA lending an additional mysterious, secretive air to the story. It's unique in that, in addition to others, readers get the point of view of the villain meaning only the characters are in the dark as to who the evil perpetrator is. Rose remains true to her signature writing style by slowly building the foundation before steadily increasing the pace and suspense throughout while leaving tidbits of clues sprinkled throughout for characters and readers to discover. The plot line is complex, and the mystery of why Cora Winslow is targeted a well-guarded secret until the reveal near the end. The romance blossoming between Cora and Phin is heartwarming as they both work through personal issues from their respective pasts. Fans of the series will enjoy seeing many favorites from past books, but again, no worries if you're new to the series. Author Karen Rose fills in any blanks needed by readers to enjoy this book.
The action is swift, the tone dire and the stakes high in Rose's latest romance suspense thriller, BURIED TOO DEEP. Dark, deeply buried secrets are threatening someone's lifestyle, and it's up to Phin and the rest of the gang at Broussard Private Investigations to solve the mystery before more bodies pile up. A sweet side of romance helps balance the scales making this another great addition to the New Orleans Series. Highly recommended to fans of romance suspense, mysteries and suspense thrillers. Just remember . . . “Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead.” (Quote from BURIED TOO DEEP by Author Karen Rose.)

Dead in the water at 70%

This is the most boring book I have read in a very long time. It’s cliched, slow moving and flat as a Saskatchewan highway.

Both main characters are such weak, milquetoast and uninteresting sad sacks that I did not care if they ended up together or were brutally murdered by the villains.
The villains btw were one-dimensional and yawn inspiring.

This serves me right for picking up book #30 (!!!) in a series, however in my defence NetGalley does not list those details. This author is probably for people about forty years older than I am.

Also how is it possible that every single person in the book set in Louisiana was white and straight. I’ve come to expect at least a reasonable amount of diversity in my reads because that’s how the world actually looks.

Anyway I would rather eat a bowl a cold instant oatmeal in the plain flavour than read any more of this.

*4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account*

"...there was no shame in needing a service dog...in having PTSD....But he hadn't been able to accept that he deserved the assistance."

"...You want to protect her. You want her to find you useful. You want her to find you...worthy. Worthy of keeping. Worthy of wanting. Because you want her, too."

"He wanted her to trust him with more than her safety. He wanted her to trust him with her pleasure, because he didn't think she'd had nearly enough of that..."

Starting a Karen Rose book means not sleeping until the end; and the riveting murder mystery, Buried Too Deep, by this masterclass storyteller had me up until sunrise finishing a most satisfying romantic suspense.

Cora's been getting letters from her Dad since he deserted the family 23 years ago. She's shocked when his remains are found under a building after its demolition. He's been there 23 years with two bullets in his head. So who's been sending her letters, and why?

Seeking help from Broussard Private Investigations, she finds herself caught up in murders, assaults, stolen laptops, an attic filled with possible clues to the truth about her father and a fiercely protective loyal vulnerable PTSD former Army soldier with the best service dog, Sodapop.

Phin runs every time he has a PTSD episode fearing he might hurt someone. But keeping away from family and friends is not a way to survive. First he'll help Cora because he can, he wants to and he knows she's vulnerable too. Maybe they can heal together.

There's A LOT of secrets, twists, and WTF moments. We know the killer from the start but the whys are a mystery buried deeply in a killer's narcissism.

*Book 3 of the New Orleans series but a standalone.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Buried too Deep by Karen Rose is the 3rd book in her New Orleans series. As I have mentioned previously, I am a big fan of Karen Rose, as her suspense thrillers are amazing, and unputdownable. Buried Too Deep is another fabulous book, as Rose always creates fantastic heroes and wonderful secondary characters, as well as evil villains. Buried Too Deep is a tense, violent, exciting, non-stop action filled story that kept me on the edge of to my seat from start to finish.

Broussard Private Investigations is an elite security firm, in New Orleans. Phin Bishop, suffers from PTSD, and the team always looks out for him. Phin, now has a service dog, SodaPop, who follows him, and helps to make sure Phin is calm. Phin arrives at the office, only to discover their receptionist, Joy has been shot, and though the police suspect him, they realize that he was innocent, only arriving at the office after Joy was hurt. Phin also saw a woman run out of the office, when he arrived, with someone chasing her.

Cora Winslow had contacted Broussard Agency to help to discover who was sending letters to her over the years, as her father had been missing for twenty-three years. Cora is a librarian in the Garden District, and was talking to Joy, when she ran after someone shot Joy; she suspected that she may have been the target at the office. She does go to the police to give further information about the shooting, which cleared her name, especially since a body was discovered buried under some foundations and it turned out to be her missing father. Cora also is determined to find out who has sent letters pretending to be her father. The entire Broussard PI team will work together, which includes Burke, Molly, Val, Antoine and Phin to find the clues as to who is behind the attacks, as well as someone breaking into her home. Molly and Val take turns protecting Cora, with Phin also fixing up things in her home.

Phin will watch Cora, and soon the attraction between them escalates. Cora has a lot of empathy and compassion, as she always is able to calm Phin, as well as SodaPop. I really liked how both of them slowly found each other. Phin and Cora were great characters, but the entire Broussard team was equally fantastic.

We have another POV centered on the killer, as well as his grandson; with the grandson determined to discover the secrets of this grandfather. The grandson, discovers many things about terrible things his grandfather has done, and ultimately must decide who to trust.
What follows is an intriguing, tense, exciting, and edge of your seat suspense story line that had me unable to put the book down; also, with plenty of twists and turns. This was very tense from all the way through, especially with the evil villains constantly killing off many innocent people. I do not want to give spoilers, as you really need to read this book from start to finish.

Buried too Deep is an intense thriller, with non- stop action all the way. As I have said before, Karen Rose never fails to give a fantastic well written thriller that is intense, always on the edge, with fantastic characters, evil villains and a wonderful couple you care for. If you love suspense, with a touch of romance and a thriller all the way, then look no further then Karen Rose.

I absolutely loved this book! The story had me totally engaged, and I found the characters to be really interesting. The slow-burning romance between the main characters, Cora and Phin, who is a bodyguard, was sweet and well-developed. Their chemistry together was fantastic, and Cora's tender care of Phin really pulled at my heartstrings. The author also did a fantastic job of addressing Phin's PTSD, which was really well done.

Now, let's talk about the suspense in the story. It was a wild ride! The author kept me guessing right until the end, and the conclusion was completely unexpected. The plot was gripping and intense, and the characters were complex and engaging.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially if you're a fan of romance with a healthy dose of suspense. I highly recommend giving it a read!

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

Karen Rose is the queen of romantic suspense!

Buried Too Deep is a fantastic addition to her New Orleans series. The plot is captivating and keeps you on your toes. The pacing is done well and everything has a purpose. I liked putting the pieces of the puzzle together in this book. I thought the mystery was gripping and very well plotted.

The romance is slow building. I loved the tension between them. It created so much angst and chemistry. The build up to the relationship was done well and made the romance grand and romantic. Phin and Cora were lovely together.

Phin is dealing with PTSD and a new service dog. Karen Rose always does a wonderful job handling tough topics and I think she did a great job with Phin's mental health. I think the topic was handled with a lot of care and you can tell Rose did her research. I thought the addition of the service dog was nice. It added a bit of reprieve from such a heavy topic. SodaPop was so cute!

I would say you can read this as a standalone if you wanted to. Rose does a good job of filling in the blanks when necessary.

A great mystery with a lovely romance. Would 100% recommend.

Readers who have enjoyed the first two books in the New Orleans series will not want to miss this one. Post traumatic stress syndrome plays an important part in this story as Phin, a veteran works through his issues. Love Soda Pop, the support dog. Cora, the center of all the mystery is awesome with her library skills as the team works to protects her. The twists and turns will have readers engaged until the end. Just how evil can people be? Highly recommended!