I'M WATCHING YOU
Finalist in the 2005 RITA Award
Best Romantic Suspense
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"...Karen Rose should be one of the first names on anyone’s favourite list. This author captures everything that is good, powerful and addicting about romantic suspense. I’m Watching You is one of the best stories of this genre I have ever read.

"With Kristen, Abe and Abe’s family being awesome characters who a reader can’t help but love, it’s twisted to even say it, but I found myself liking the “avenger” in I’m Watching You as well. With the scum who prey on those innocent being taken off the streets, I found myself teetering on the fence, rooting for the killer but understanding that vigilantes are not the way to go either. Ms. Rose compels her reader to identify with this killer, while also having us hoping he too will be caught.

"With the budding romance between Kristen and Abe, it is balanced well gripping intrigue and volatile suspense. I’m Watching You is another gloriously fantastic story on the list of this extremely talented romantic suspense author. It most definitely should not be missed!

Reviewed by Tracey West for...
The Road to Romance
December 25th, 2004

THE ROMANCE ZONE

I love smart, strong women in a romantic suspense novel and I love the men who love these kinds of women. Karen Rose’s latest book I’m Watching You has Abe Reagan, a police detective protecting such a woman, Kristen, from a stalker.

The book has a lot of different facets, twists, and turns...This book could easily become a movie.

"When Kristen Mayhew finds pictures and evidence of homicides in the trunk of her car, she is horrified. It appears that for every case the prosecutor lost, a murderer intends to rid the world of the scum who committed the crime. Finding dead bodies is a job the cops handle, and detective Abe Reagan takes over, protecting Kristen from the man who keeps sending her "gifts." Abe not only has to keep Kristen safe; he must find the murderer and the location of where the bodies have been buried.

"As word leaks to the press that Kristen is somehow connected to the serial murders, she begins receiving threats from the families of the victims, yet praise from others. Unbeknownst to the killer, he has now made her a target for other bad guys. When attempts are made on her life, Abe moves into her home, and it is only a matter of time before she is forced to let him into her heart.

"Karen Rose has created a heart-stopping book that will keep readers on their toes. The suspense behind Kristen and Abe's meeting and relationship is a plot worthy of praise. I'M WATCHING YOU is filled with enough terror to make the romance a secondary plot, and will delight readers as they devour this novel. Abe is the strong hero who vows to keep his woman safe, a theory that has delighted since the times of the caveman. While this book has a strong hero, its heroine is no cowering waif. Kristen is a hardworking, caring woman who can hold her own against the murderer and Abe with her inner strength.

"(For a) well-written novel, this reviewer highly recommends I'M WATCHING YOU for any reader of suspense. A warning, this book contains material not for the weak at heart. Ms. Rose has a style of writing that flows quickly and smoothly. She gives details that make you feel as though you are right there at the autopsy scenes and more. As the pictures are painted with words, Ms. Rose will leave you wanting more, yet appalled that the murders are being committed."

Reviewed by Angie
October 2004
© Love Romances, 2001-2004. All Rights Reserved

"Prosecutor Kristen Mayhew has a very good track record when it comes to winning cases but even she can’t win them all. After a particularly bitter loss, she returns to her car to discover that she has a new secret admirer. Unfortunately this admirer has decided to mete out his own brand of justice against criminals that have gotten away.

"While he can’t feel to sorry for the current victims of this new vigilante killer, Detective Abe Reagan fears that things could escalate. He’s right; now the father of one of the criminals executed holds Kristen responsible and vows revenge. If that weren’t bad enough she’s also got the vigilante killer on her case. But this killer seems to know way too much about Kristen, leading Abe to suspect it is someone she knows.

"Becoming a monster to eliminate monsters is the haunting new theme in this terrifying and gritty new thriller. With this terrific gut-wrenching tale, Rose is certain to gain a very large following." —Romantic Times Magazine

ROMANCE DESIGNS
Overall Rating: 10

"When I found out that Ms. Rose had a new read available, I ran out and picked it up right away. Ms. Rose is an author that does not disappoint she always delivers a fast paced read the combines great characterization, fast moving plot, and great chemistry between main characters.

"Kristin Mayhew is a very talented and successful prosecutor who has just recently had a very bad day. She has just lost a case and it has hit close to home. She is on her way home when she has a run in with a dark handsome stranger that she tries to pepper spray. She has just tried to take down Detective Abe Reagan. Abe at first can’t believe her, but then he gets a good look and takes a hit to the solar plexus. He knows Ms. Mayhew and she managed to wake his desires again and at the same time his protective instincts. He walks her out to her car only to find that she has a flat tire. He is in the process of getting the spar out of the trunk when he finds three boxes with pictures of dead men on the lids. Now he and Kristin are plunged into a case that seems to have no end, and yet the body count keeps rising. Kristin now finds herself with a secret admirer who wants to make right the cases that she failed to win. He has nothing but respect for her and has no intention of hurting her. He wants to help her and he calls himself her 'humble servant.'

"Abe Reagan is a good detective and his first case after coming back from deep undercover case is not only a powder keg but also it involves the first woman to awaken his heart after the tragic loss of his wife Debra. Abe now can't keep himself distant from Kristin. She has touched him in away he can't walk away from. She is tough, but at the same time he sees her for who she is. She has been hurt in her past and he wants to help her heal. Together they tackle a case that has more twist and turns the most mountain roads, and at the same time they can't help but act on the mutual attraction neither can hide nor fight. Will they be able to find the killer before he kills again? And will Kristin find the courage to tell Abe about her past, or will she loose him as well when he finds out she can't be all that he needs?

"This was a great page turning read. Abe and Kristin have wonderful chemistry and their relationship is not only steamy, but sweet as well. It is equally balanced with the murder plot which manages to offer enough twists and turns without being redundant or overblown so the reader is guaranteed a well-rounded read. If you have not yet read Ms. Rose you have missed out on a very talented author and I highly recommend you pick up her latest effort. You won't be sorry." —Luv2readinBruxelles

A Romance Review Dot Com

"Prosecutor Kristen Mayhew spends her days trying to put some of the sickest criminals around behind bars, however, there are always a few who slip through her grasp and are back on the streets prowling for the next innocent woman or child. Now someone has taken it upon themselves to give these offenders what they never got from the judicial system. They are being killed off one by one and each murder is done in a way fitting to the crime they committed.

"Mementos of each crime are left behind for Kristen to find along with a note that always lets her know that this killer is her humble servant and is getting justice for her. He also includes personal postscripts letting Kristen know that he knows her every move and her darkest secrets.

"Kristen’s personal secrets have given her the name 'ice maiden.' It is only when police detective Abe Reagan is assigned to the case that Kristen feels safe enough with another person to share the secrets about her past and open herself up to possibly falling in love. Abe is the type hero that I always hope to find when I open up the pages of a romance. Not only is he handsome but he is also a gentle hero who knows just how to show a woman how important she is.

"This book will keep your interest right up to the very last page when you finally get the chance to figure out who the vigilante murderer is. However be warned once you start this particular book, you won’t be able to function in the real world until you’ve finished it. It is that good!

"This was my first book by Karen Rose and I want to just knock myself in the head for waiting so long to read this author. Her newest book left me wake until the wee hours of the morning reading. It was that hard to put down. It takes a special author to blend just the perfect mix of suspense and romance when writing a romantic suspense novel. Rose’s combination was perfect. I was dying to get to the last page so I could find out who the killer was but on the other hand I couldn’t wait for each section of the book that dealt with the romance between Kristen and Abe. I like my romance novels to build up to a fever pitch instead of happening within the first two minutes of meeting each other and that is exactly what Karen Rose did. The romance built up slowly but by the time things started happening, I found myself wiping the sweat from my brow. My only question is--when is her next book due out?"

Shelby
A Romance Review

"Skillfully written romantic suspense with powerful energy and graphic details."

"Kristen Mayhew is a prosecutor in the State's Attorney Office. Her job in Chicago is to prosecute, and she has an outstanding conviction rate to prove her abilities. However, her life is about to be changed forever and secrets are set to be revealed.

"Someone has made it his mission in life to rid the earth of all the sex offenders who've managed to beat the justice system. He takes it one step farther. He kills those defendants from Kristen's cases, who've won either by a technicality, jury tampering or a payoff to a judge.

"He kills the men in an 'eye for an eye' fashion, then sends evidence to Kristen along with a personal note. In addition to his own vendetta, she will be grateful to him, this vigilante thinks. Her life becomes a nightmare of death threats and great emotional pain.

"Abel Reagan has just come out of five years of dangerous undercover work. He's assigned to homicide. His first day on the job, he assists Kristen with a flat tire and discovers three crates in her trunk, the evidence of five murders. As the evidence stacks up, along with more bodies, Abel finds protecting Kristen is a 24-hour job. Kristen reminds him of his personal pain, yet helps to soothe it. For Kristen, Abel has touched her in a way she never thought possible. Their tentative relationship grows right along with the discoveries they make as each day breaks.

"This is a fantastic read! It's packed with a powerful energy that draws the reader from page to page with a desire to discover what the vigilante will do next, who will be his next victim, what will he have to say to Kristen, and at what level will it impact her? Skillfully written, the mystery plays out in a remarkable unfolding fashion. Ms. Rose will thrill you with graphic visual accounts, an electrifying pace, and a special romance that delivers an arrow straight to your heart. I'M WATCHING YOU is definitely a book to read."

Reviewed by Sabrina Marino
Posted September 20, 2004

I'M WATCHING YOU - Karen Rose
A Perfect 10
Warner Books
ISBN: 0-446-61447-5
October 2004
Romantic Suspense

"Chicago, Present Day

"When several men who have escaped the hand of justice for one reason or another start turning up dead, the police find that all of these creeps have one thing in common, they were all prosecuted by Kristen Mayhew, who at the time was powerless to stop their escape from punishment. Now a madman has rendered judgment...permanently. Not only does this avenger know every aspect of every case Kristen has prosecuted and lost, he also knows everything about her, and informs her of it with a letter for every body that is found.

"Assigned to protect Kristen and find the vigilante that is terrorizing the beautiful attorney, Abe Reagan finds himself wanting to spend more and more time with Kristen, and not just to guard her from a killer. As Kristen and Abe struggle to overcome their vulnerabilities and the shadows that haunt them, the two turn to each other and begin to rediscover the passion they both crave so much. But Kristen and Abe both harbor deep secrets, and when the murderer finds out just what Kristen's secret is, his thirst for revenge makes Kristen a target for murder.

"Wonderfully heart-stopping, I'M WATCHING YOU had me turning pages almost faster than my eyes could read the words. Kristen is an intelligent, independent woman who knows her mind, but is afraid to trust her heart. Abe is magnificent as the hero, and his guilt over his wife's death only endears him to the reader. Their mutual attraction and hesitancy to get involved in a relationship other than work related is a problem that I can imagine touches more people in the working world today than can be imagined, and makes their dilemma one that is truly believable.

"Secondary characters abound, and while their backgrounds are important to the weaving of the tale, they in no way detract from the main plot. Descriptive narrative is vivid and dramatic, and as I read, I could feel the chill of the winter wind and the ground below at the crime scene.

"Ms. Rose has penned a fantastic tale filled with suspense, romance and some very hair raising scenes, and I highly recommend I'M WATCHING YOU."

Catherine McHenry
Romance Reviews Today

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