Once again Karen Rose hooked me with a stimulating prologue that grabbed my interest. Buried Too Deep is the third book in her New Orleans romantic suspense series. It combines the activities of a private security firm with a romance and plenty of action. Phineas “Phin” Bishop, the nighttime security guard at Broussard Private Investigations has been working through post traumatic stress disorder episodes from his Army service. As he and a friend approach the office, a violent break-in occurs.

The only lead is a witness, Cora Winslow, a librarian who wants answers after her father’s body was discovered during the demolishment of a building built twenty-three years ago when he disappeared. As Cora, Phin, and several members of his firm work to keep Cora safe, they start unraveling secrets that have been hidden for years.

Phin has a service dog named SodaPop, loves old houses, and is somewhat vulnerable. While he feels broken, he is healing. He is loyal, smart, good at home repairs, wants to be useful, and likes to read. Cora is great at research, knows a lot of trivia, is kind and intelligent, and has a dog named Blue. However, she’s lonely, and grieving over several recent deaths in the family. Both are likeable and relatable characters with depth. It was also great to visit with other members of the security firm and catch up on their lives.

The storyline is gripped and immediately engaged me. I was invested in finding the answers to the hidden secrets. The writing is fluid with a deeply involved plot and a great setting. The story builds momentum with twists and turns and is well-plotted. There were a few surprises along the way and an action-filled conclusion. The epilogue was emotional. Woven into the story are threads of trust, secrets, betrayal, family, friendship, murder, grief, romance, and much more.

Overall, this was suspenseful, intriguing, and entertaining novel with characters that had great chemistry, a splendid setting, and a story that kept me turning the pages rapidly. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Berkley Publishing Group and Karen Rose provided a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently expected to be August 13, 2024.

Books set in New Orleans are personal favorites of mine. The mystic of the city seems to lend itself to a good story and this was a good story. Friends from previous books in the series popped back in to help just when one of their own truly needed them. Phin was a superb male lead in part because he was flawed and in that flaw he was real. The author did a nice job of handling Phin's PTSD. It wasn't merely a plot device mentioned and ignored. Phin struggled and the readers felt that struggle right along with him. Whether it was finding a friend covered in blood or dealing with accusations in the eyes of others, he struggled but at his heart he was a good man. And a good man need a good woman which we go in Cora. She brought the mystery as her live was thrown into disarray by a mystery stretching into the past and haunting those involved. Something about that felt very New Orleans to me. With action kicking off in this book and kicking off in both past and present, readers were left with no choice but to turn the page to see the tie in between past and present. Before I move on to what I didn't like, I would be remiss not mentioning SodaPop and her enormous contributions. She do and her role very real to anyone who has every cuddled their dog for comfort. One last should out to Dolores. She was a dynamo wrapped in a small package.
My biggest complaint is the length of the book. I think there is a sweet spot for romantic suspense of between 300 and 400 pages and this was more. Some readers said that they length was not a deterrent but for me it was. It took away from the flow a bit because at times it felt a little bogged down and it just wasn't as sharp as the early chapters when all the drama kicked off.
Overall, I enjoyed the book but just don't plan on this being a book you can finish in a single sitting. I have a feeling these characters will be back with the best friend starring in her own book. It felt like there was more story to tell for Tandy..
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I am super thankful that I was able to read the first and second story in the series although you really don’t have to. Rose does a wonderful job blending in prior story parts so that you don’t feel left out and you get that cohesive experience. I recommend reading at least the second book because it was perfect too.

This plot was great. She has the best pacing in her stories, and even though her books are massive, they go quickly because she has it down to science.

The pages are flying. The story is tight and interesting. The characters are phenomenal and I love the budding romance between the two main characters.

We’re dealing with PTSD and the compassion and chemistry between these two are just beautiful. Plus, we get the added bonus of SodaPop, the K9, who is also a fabulous character.

I can’t say enough good things about the story. It is definitely a page-turner. Twists are coming from all over the place that you really don’t see or expect.

This series has been addictive and Buried Too Deep is another intriguing addition to it and I can’t wait to read more by Rose.

Fŕist off a big thank you to the publisher as well as to the author and NetGalley, for those who don't know it Karen Rose is one of my all time favorite suspense writers, and this series is one of my favorite series by her , especially since it's right up there wither her other 2 series I'm reading The San Diego Case Files Book and the New Orleans series, there's just something about her style that makes the atmosphere of her books one of the best to get lost in as well as falling in love wither her characters no matter who they are. And her plot always gets me with the twist and turns , and how it they play out with each turn of the pages. With her books I tend to stay up late reading until I have to go to bed and even then all I want to do is stay up and read .

I loved this book by Karen Rose. The author always writes such in depth characters and the plot is amazing with so many twists and turns. It is a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. 5 Stars!

Buried Too Deep by Karen Rose is a gripping suspense novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This high-octane thrill ride had me staying up far too late at night, unable to put it down.

Buried Too Deep was an addicting story. I felt pulled in right from the start and couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. I loved how the romance and mystery were intertwined, I loved the characters, the found family, the drama, and watching the bad guys spiral. It was an exciting read and I was captivated!

I loved Phin and really getting to know him. He had such a big, caring heart. I felt for him about his past and loved his growth throughout the story. I adored Cora. She was a force of nature and I loved how she searched for the truth and wouldn’t let anyone push her around. Together they were so sweet and I loved their slow-burn romance developing in the middle of this intense situation. It was an easy romance with a touch of heat, but it was heartfelt and I couldn't help but root for them.

A lot was happening with the mystery and the build was incredible. I loved learning about what was going on in the present day and the details about the past and was anxious for all those dots to connect. There were bad guys in play and I loved getting all the different POVs. I always love how they try to make everything seem logical but then it all falls apart and they devolve. This wasn't a gritty suspense story but there were long-buried secrets being revealed and twists along the way that had me totally hooked. I had my guesses and the development of getting to those answers was phenomenal.

I felt invested in all the characters. I loved the found family with Broussard Investigations and how accepting they've always been of Phin and how they brought Cora into the fold. This is the third book in the New Orleans trilogy so people from the first two books are mentioned but not in a way that anything would be confusing.

Bottom line, this was an awesome read! I loved watching Phin and Cora come together. I loved how everyone rallied around them and were there for one another. Plus, there was an exceptional mystery and I couldn’t get enough. Loved this one!

The third romantic suspense title in the New Orleans series gives Phin Bishop a chance for his own romance. He suffers from PTSD and tends to disappear when he is overstressed. He's been gone from Brussard Investigations for five months this time. He returns just in time to go into the office and see a gunman running from the scene after shooting their receptionist Joy. Phin and his friend Stone manage to do CPR on Joy until the ambulance arrives but miss out on the chance to chase the shooter.

Phin's only clue to who might have shot Joy is that Cora Winslow had come in to consult with Broussards about the fact that the body of her father has been discovered in the demolition of a building. He was murdered 23 years earlier which is hard to understand since she's been receiving letters from him ever since he disappeared.

The people at Broussards want to know who shot Joy and believe it is related to Cora's problem. They decide to work with Cora to try to solve her case. As they are working together, Cora and Phin become close.

Meanwhile, we are also seeing the story from the viewpoint of Alan Beauchamp who is the pastor at a megachurch and a murderer. However, macular degeneration means that he has to depend on his grandson Sage when there are things to clean up, but Sage is tired of being his grandfather's flunky and tool.

This was both an entertaining thriller and an entertaining romance. I liked both Cora and Phin very much and liked their circle of friends. It was nice to catch up with characters who starred in earlier books in the series.

A typical romantic suspense novel that is one in a series by the author. It worked well as a standalone, but I believe I would have understood a lot more of the background if I had been reading the series from the beginning. As a veteran suffering from chronic PTSD, Phin had trouble with everyday life triggering events. When a close friend and co-worker is shot, he rises above it at first so that he can keep her alive, but later it deeply affects his behavior. Finding the one person who might know what happened becomes his focus. That person, a local librarian, also seems to be the one person who is able to understand his condition and assist him in working through it. Together, with the people of the Broussard Special Investigations, they are able to uncover the secrets that have brought more violence to the streets of New Orleans.

This is the 3rd book in the New Orleans series. This is Phin’s story and may be my favorite so far. I have been waiting for Phin’s story since his disappearance at the end of the last book. And, I was not disappointed.
When Phin, a former member of the military suffering from PTSD returns, he’s not alone. He now has a support dog named Sodapop with him. But, the return doesn’t go as smoothly as he hoped. He knows he has to earn back the trust of Burke and the others team members. He also finds himself a suspect in the recent shooting of a team member. He also finds himself very attracted to the agency’s newest client, Cora.
Cora is searching for answers in the disappearance of her father many years ago. Until recently she believed he might still be living, but her hope was dashed when his body was uncovered at a dig site for a new construction.
Rose is at the top of her game with this book. The plotting was perfect. The twists and turns kept me up way past my bedtime. The characters are developed wonderfully. Phin and Cora’s relationship was just what I needed.
Even though this is the 3rd book in the series, it most definitely can be read as a stand alone. But, i would recommend reading the others in the series they are also very good.
I was given an ARC of this book through NetGalley and the publisher for a fair and honest review.

"Buried Too Deep" is a romantic suspense. Though a part of a series, it works as a stand alone. Phin feels like a failure because of his PTSD and how he runs away from his friends (and family) every time it gets bad. He now has a support dog who helps him a lot, but he's embarrassed to need a dog's help. After the initial confusion of the crime scene, no one really suspects him of shooting someone at Broussard Private Investigations. However, he saw a potential witness flee the scene, so he helps track her down to question her. Cora wanted help investigating who killed her father, why, and why someone tried so hard to make her think her father was still alive but abandoned her and her mother for another family. The PIs (including Phin) and Cora work together to figure it out.

Since we get the viewpoint of the bad guys, we know that a television evangelist had something to hide all those years ago. He uses his nephew now to help him keep that crime covered up. The nephew has helped his uncle in the past by digging up dirt on those who threaten his uncle's reputation. He decides to find out why his uncle's running scared now. In the process, more people are killed to hide past secrets.

The suspense was created by the known threat to Cora (and others). The main characters were likable and reacted realistically to events. Phin and Cora worked together well, and Cora encouraged and built Phin up. I grant that the TV evangelist wasn't really a Christian, so he's not into forgiveness. But when we finally found out the secret motivating so much killing, while it was certainly a bad situation, I had a hard time believing that Cora's father (a proven secret keeper) was killed to hide a part of it while others were left alive.

There was a fair amount of bad language. There was a detailed sex scene.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing a DRC of this title.

This was so good! Karen Rose is such a master of the romantic suspense genre, with a perfect balance between a gripping plot, engaging characters, and palpable romantic chemistry. Buried Too Deep was probably my favorite of Rose’s New Orleans series, though I’ve read and loved them all. Rose will always be one of top recommendations for my romantic suspense-loving patrons, and I look forward to adding this one to my recommendation list! 5 stars/5.

Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead!
Welcome back to New Orleans and Burke Broussard Private Detective Agency, a personal security firm. Phineas Bishop, the night watchman at the firm has been accused of a break in of the office. His PTSD from the military kicks in and he spirals. During this time he meets Cora, a local librarian whose father's body has just been discovered. There is clearly more to his story and Cora wants to know and needs to be protected.

Welcome back to romantic suspense! Karen Rose does an excellent job of fanning flames of both. As a bodyguard to Cora, Phin is always nearby. As a service dog for Phin, the loyal SodaPop is also a feature. It's great fun and a must read for those who love a little more complicated love story.
Thank you to NetGalley! #buriedtoodeep #karenrose #sodapop
#berkley

I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Cora has been looking for her father for years. When she learns what happened, she goes to a detective agency for assistance. With Phins help she learns her father was a completely different person than who she thought he was. I enjoyed this book and can't wait to read her next one.

Sometimes there is just an author, series, or even a title that draws me to a book, and reading the blurb is unnecessary. So, right when I was ready to write this book review, I noticed how many times I highlighted this phrase on my Kindle device - Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead. As it turns out, this phrase is the most appropriate tagline for this third book in Karen Rose's New Orleans series.

Broussard Private Investigations is an elite personal security firm, and the firm's bodyguards offer the best of protection. For Phineas Bishop, his story is a bit different. Suffering greatly from PTSD, the Broussard team really looks out for Phin. When an office break-in occurs and Phineas becomes the NOPD's prime suspect. Not only does Phin want to clear his name, but he also is determined to find the perpetrator. This is what leads to Phin's meeting and helping to protect Cora Winslow, a town librarian.

As it turns out, Phin is not the only one in need for answers. In fact, Cora's father went missing over two decades ago, and it is only when his body is discovered, that it is more than apparent that it was a case of murder. This shocks Cora to her core because she had been receiving yearly handwritten letters from her father ever since his disappearance. Yet the body that was found is indeed that of Cora's father. So, who had written her all of those letters. And why has the discovery of her father's body placed Cora's very life in danger? Despite his PTSD, Phin is one of the bodyguards set in place to keep Cora safe.

Buried Too Deep just might have been my favorite of the Karen Rose books I have read so far. Although reading about PTSD is never easy, Phin and his relationship with his relatively new service dog SodaPop was utterly heartwarming. Any time I read a book when an officer has a K-9 partner or as in this case, a service dog, I am drawn much more deeply into the story. But of course the relationship between Phin and SodaPop is not the only relationship in this book. There is the growing attraction between Phin and Cora that really completed the story, especially when her compassion and empathy came into play.

Many thanks to Berkley Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Phin was in the army and suffers from PTSD. He is now a night watchman at Broussard Private Investigations. He has just returned to New Orleans after being gone for a little while. When he starts to “spiral” he takes off. He hasn’t seen or talked to his family in five years. Phin and his buddy Stone go to the office, they walk into mayhem. The receptionist has been shot and they saw a woman running away.
Cora is a librarian and went to Broussard’s to get some help. Her father has been discovered in a demolished building. Dead. He went missing twenty three years ago but someone had been sending her letters by him. Someone is after her and the team are trying to figure out what is going on. She has two bodyguards and Phin.
Someone keeps breaking into her house and they set up cameras and security. They are trying to put the pieces together and find out who killed her dad and why they are after her.
Secrets. Phin thinks he’s broken and no good for anyone. Cora has lost all her family and sets out to prove to Phin that he is fine the way he is. Action. Mystery. A little sex. I absolutely loved this story. It kept me turning the page from the very beginning.

* Voluntarily read and reviewed for Netgalley*

The description of this book on Goodreads does not give it justice to be honest. There are a few reasons that I chose a 4 star rating instead of a 5 star rating. First off, based off of the description of the book I absolutely would pick this up and buy it. I think the description is a little over the top for what it actually is.

That being said, it is not a terrible read. I really did LIKE the book. Phin is the MMC and is suffering from PTSD after going into the military at the age of 18 while depressed. During his stint in the military he experiences an unspeakable trauma. This led to extreme PTSD symptoms. He is finally on the mend when he returns to the Broussard office where he was working before his most recent stint of PTSD. When he arrives there has been a shooting and he is initially fingered by the police. Phin sets out to clear his name, working with Broussard to find the real culprit.

During this time they meet Cora Winslow. She was believed to be the target at the shooting of the office. She was bringing letters in to have them looked at and find who had written them. This leads to a deep dive into her past, and family secrets that have been buried and forgotten about for years.

During this time Phin and Cora develop a strong connection as they are both broken in their own separate ways. They stick together and develop a relationship. During this time, Cora is under protection from the PI's of the Broussard office. She experiences a break in, and stalking. They do not know who the stalker is.

During the book you also get to read from the point of view of a preacher and his grandson who also have secrets hiding in their family closet. Sage, the grandson, discovers many things about his grandfather during the book, and ultimately has to decide who has his loyalty.

OVERALL THOUGHTS:
The author, Karen Rose, does a wonderful job of building the characters and plot. I did not get lost during the book at all, and was able to keep up with the multiple POVs. The reason I am not rating this 5 stars is because it took forever to pull me in. The first half of the book was very slow as it was mostly setting the scene/character building. I understand that this has to occur, but it was very slow.

About mid-novel it picks up the pace quite a bit, and I couldn't put it down. This is a thriller that I would definitely recommend to friends and family, but it is not something that I would re-read. If you are considering it, I say "pick it up!". It is worth the read for sure, it's just not as pulse pounding as I would have liked it to be, and I feel like the description is partly to blame for that. I wanted more than it gave. I will definitely be reading more by this author in the future!

I savoured each and every word of this book, and I don’t want to spoil it but this is the type of book where I was constantly asking myself, "how did the author think of this"? Also, I enjoyed the development of the protagonist, throughout the entire book.

Phineas “Phin” Bishop works as a handyman and nighttime security for a PI firm. He wants to become a private investigator; however, his PTSD makes him a flight risk. When a colleague is hurt during a break in, Phin steps forward to help find the one responsible. Their investigation brings them to Cora Winslow. Something about her helps Phin calm his mental demons. He will do anything, even face his inner issues, to keep Cora safe. Can Phin overcome his PTSD to protect Cora? Or will it jeopardize the entire case?

Cora Winslow is a competent librarian in the Garden District of New Orleans, Louisiana. Her father’s discovered body raises a lot of questions like “Who killed him?” and “Who exactly is writing letters to her signed by him?” Cora also needs help catching the person breaking into her home. She soon finds herself entangled in something far more troubling than she bargained for. Cora cannot help but feel safe around Phin. Can she help the Broussard team in their investigation? Or will Cora end up just like her father?

It is no secret that I have a weakness for the wounded/tortured hero types. Phin piqued my interest since his part in BENEATH DARK WATERS, book two. When I learned this novel was his story, I could not hit “request” fast enough. Phineas made quite the impression on me. He is a broken man still grappling with his PTSD, especially the effect it has on his family and friends. My heart hurt for him. I only have one small nitpick. I desperately wanted a reuniting scene between Phin and Jace. He had been so good to the teen in the previous book. It disappointed me when there was not one.

Cora really impressed me. I admire how easily she empathized with Phineas. From the moment they first met, Cora never once saw him as broken or lacking. Instead, Cora saw a man struggling with his PTSD. I also like how she tried to bolster Phineas’ confidence whenever they flagged. Cora refused to allow him to buckle beneath his mental demons.

BURIED TOO DEEP is the third book in Karen Rose’s romantic suspense series, NEW ORLEANS. It is also the twenty-ninth book in her ROMANTIC SUSPENSE series. I have not read all of Karen Rose’s books, just a few here or there. The ones I did read, I enjoyed immensely. The author meshes crime stories with romance effortlessly. Yes, the romance element takes a back seat to the suspense of the plot.

I browsed through the books listed under the ROMANTIC SUSPENSE series. I suspected that many of the side characters, mostly the couples, had books. I never realized that I read Phineas’ sister’s book, even wrote a review for it. It is understandable that I forgot about it since I read ALONE IN THE DARK back in 2015. I have been searching for a book involving Stone and Delores. They did play a role in AITD because I remarked on it in the review.