Closer Than You Think

FBI Special Agent Faith Corcoran relocates to Cincinnati to escape a stalker and inherit her grandmother's mansion. Upon arrival, she becomes entangled in an investigation involving human trafficking and discovers disturbing connections to her own past. The case pairs Faith with Supervisory Special Agent Deacon Novak, who pursues a serial killer targeting local women. Their professional partnership grows complicated as they confront both personal and professional dangers while racing against time to prevent more victims. Faith must navigate threats from multiple directions while uncovering long-buried secrets about her family history and the property she inherited. The investigation forces her to confront traumatic elements of her past while building new alliances in unfamiliar territory. The novel explores themes of survival, trust, and the intersection of past trauma with present danger. Through its parallel investigations, it examines how people cope with fear and find strength in unexpected places.

Readers praise the detailed police procedures, complex plotting, and chemistry between the main characters. Many note the balance of romance and suspense elements, with the investigation taking center stage. Reviews highlight the authenticity of both the forensics and the Cincinnati setting. Common criticisms mention the book's length (600+ pages), with some readers finding the pacing slow in the middle sections. A portion of reviewers point out that the romantic elements feel rushed compared to the investigation. Some note the violence level is high for a romantic suspense novel. Ratings: - Goodreads: 4.2/5 (5,800+ ratings) - Amazon: 4.5/5 (500+ ratings) - Barnes & Noble: 4.3/5 (100+ ratings) Sample review: "The investigative details and character backgrounds are thorough, but the middle drags with repetitive scenes. Still, the finale delivers." - Goodreads reviewer "Strong research into police work shows, but could have been 100 pages shorter." - Amazon reviewer

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🔍 Author Karen Rose worked as a chemical engineer before becoming a bestselling thriller writer 🏆 This book is the first installment in the Cincinnati Series, which follows detectives and FBI agents working in the Cincinnati Police Department 🗺️ The author conducted extensive research with the Cincinnati Police Department to ensure accurate portrayal of police procedures and locations 💻 The story features a tech-savvy serial killer who uses social media to stalk victims, reflecting modern concerns about digital privacy 🔄 The main character, Faith Corcoran, changes her identity to escape a stalker - a theme that appears in several of Karen Rose's other novels