I’d like to thank Headline and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Cheater’, the new novel in The San Diego Case Files Series written by Karen Rose, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Detectives Kit McKittrick and Connor Robinson are called to Shady Oaks Retirement Village where they find the body of Frank Flynn who before he retired twenty years ago was a well-respected Homicide Lieutenant at San Diego Police Department. When a second body is discovered, Kit believes there could be a conspiracy taking place at Shady Oaks and needs to find who’s responsible.

It’s been good to read more of Kit and her new partner Connor in ‘Cheater’ where they find themselves working with Dr Sam Reeves who’s previously worked alongside the detectives in the SDPD and also volunteers at Shady Oaks. I’ve loved meeting two of the senior citizens at Shady Oaks, Eloise and Georgia, who are only too happy to do a bit of matchmaking. The plot is involved with intrigue, suspense, twists and turns, and a number of possible suspects, but as the story seems to be longer than the average novel I haven’t been able to read it in my usual one sitting. It’s a very enjoyable thriller that’s had me gripped from the first page to the last as I’ve been trying to put the clues together to identify the perpetrator whilst hoping that Kit and Sam’s relationship will finally take off. I’m very much looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

What an excellent book this was to read. Great characters that you got into immediately and a storyline that kept you guessing all the way to the very end. My kind of book!

An enjoyable read exploring life at Shady Oaks retirement home. A soft touch to quite a difficult storyline. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to ARC this book.

Had had a bad couple of weeks with my book reading and wondered if I had developed reader's block (if such a thing exists) and then I started reading Cheater. The clouds lifted along with my spirits and away I raced, drawn by the excellent plot. In spite of my new-found delight, I really did have to sleep and so I did not manage to devour this tale in one sitting; I did try though.

No clues from me as to the plot, the synopsis does that for me and it is accurate.

You will, I hope, have gathered that this is a tale of mystery and twists and well worth your time. Please do read it, I cannot imagine you will be disappointed.

Detective Kit McKittrick has been called in to investigate the murder of Frank Flynn at the Shady Oaks retirement home.
But Kit recognises him as a retired policeman. Has he been murdered for who he was or what he found out.
Then the Head of security is found dead.
What is going on and is the retirement home at the centre of the murders?

You can’t go wrong with a Karen Rose book! We get thrills, murder, gore and romance. What’s not to love! This is the second instalment and it was so good to get more pages about the main characters! Thank you NetGalley!

Cheater returns readers to San Diego for a story that, although billed as romantic suspense is anything but.

As detective Kit McKittrick six months on from the case that made her name is back and she's still determined not to get romantically involved with Dr Sam Reeves.

However, it's getting harder and harder to avoid how he makes her feel. Especially when her latest case involves a murder at Shady Oaks Retirement Village. A place where Sam is a regular volunteer.

And it's a case that Kit and her partner detective Connor Robinson are determined to solve. After all, the victim has strong links to the homicide department.

Yet, as the case unfolds and the pair investigates more and more unanswered questions arise. As does the body count and it's clear someone at Shady Oaks knows a lot more than they are letting on.

But who could want a defenceless old man dead?

And how does all the other dodgy activity uncovered at Shady Oaks relate?

That's what Kit and Connor are determined to find out.

But will they manage it before Sam and the other residents he calls friends are put in even more danger?

And with an intricate and well executed storyline, really likable characters and the shoots of romance. This was a really gripping and enjoyable read.

But I did guess early on who was involved. Yet, I had lots of fun finding out if I was actually right, and I loved how it all came together.

And I have to say I've read almost all of Karen's stories and this is the first time I've ever figured out who a killer was!

I would happily recommend Cheater, the San Diego series and Karen's other stories to all.

This is the first book I’ve read by Karen Rose and I certainly hope it won’t be the last. An incredibly detailed police investigation that flowed well and never became tedious. A murder at a retirement home sends Kit McKittrick investigating. A retired cop is brutally stabbed and shockwaves are felt by staff and residents alike. Psychologist Sam Reeves is a friend of the home but Kit has been avoiding him for six months, aware of his feelings for her. However, they have little choice but to communicate for the benefit of the case and to attempt to discover the evil murderer. As the investigation continues it becomes apparent that there are many aspects to it, including theft and that more than one person could be involved in this increasingly complex crime. As further crimes are committed, it becomes a race against time to stop anyone else being harmed. Although I guessed a part early on, there were so many layers to this story that I didn’t feel cheated that I had realised something and it was still a great page turner and I look forward to reading more by this extremely thorough and clever author. There are also some great characters that I am already missing and I love Kit’s backstory and warm family.

I have read most books by Karen Rose so was pleased to get this ARC to read.
There is a murder at a retirement home and valuable coins go missing, Detective Kit starts to investigate and an old potential flame Dr Sam Reeves is a volunteer at the home and Kit has been trying to avoid him for months but as the two start to investigate they are thrown together yet again and more residents are in danger.
A few twists and turns keeps you reading till the end .a great read.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC and I give my honest review.
Posted to Goodreads

This is the second installment of the San Diego Case Files by Karen Rose, and is a continuation of the storyline of Kit & Sam from Cold Blooded Liar.
Book is a good novel and as always very detailed telling of the ongoing storyline and a another involving a suspicious murder with numerous suspects.
An enjoyable book, chapters are a little longer then normal. And this is not the end of this series as the romance is still not quite at its peak. More is to come from the San Diego series…

Karen Rose has done it ! I have been dying for the continuation of Kit and Sam! And boy did we get it. Without spoiling to much my heart absolutely breaks for poor Sam losing a good friend and trying to figure out what’s going on. This book has it all! Betrayal. Romance. Not to mention senior residents trying to do up match making! It was good seeing everyone and seeing how they were after the betrayal of their own. Devoured this one sitting and I really hope we get another one. Is it too much if I say from a little prosecutor best friend and dare I say it an ex girlfriend 👀

It’s been a while since I read a Karen rose book and I forgot how much I enjoyed them!! This was a brilliant read that is recommended to anyone.

Wow what another fantastic read from Karen rose I can't get enough of her books they are all just great. Can't wait for the next one .

In the second installment of the San Diego series, Kit and Sam are back.
Sent to the Shady Oaks Retirement Village for a stabbing and apartment ransacking, it transpires that the victim, Frankie Flynn, is an ex cop. Is his death linked to another murder that happens at a nearby motel?

I enjoyed this book, for the mystery element but I felt like some parts dragged on, and the romance was... meh.
Will be interesting to see how Kit grows in the next installment and whether the romance takes off.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I unfortunately had to DNF this book. I enjoyed the story line and how it is written but I can’t get past the length of the chapters.

In my personal opinion they are just too long and I am finding myself getting easily distracted, not wanting to pick the book up as I don’t like long chapters. They are about 20-25pages a chapter.

I do feel like the book would be good as an audible with the length of the chapters, as you don’t really realise how long they are when listening.

I do however like the story line and I am gutted that I am having to DNF it!

Thankyou to netgalley and headline for send me a copy of this book to review.

Yet another breathtaking novel by the woman who never disappoints, Karen Rose.
A twisted tale of greed, disloyalty and murder that hits you hard. Peppered with wonderful characters and some oh so delicious bad ones, this is a story that I highly recommend.
The author really knows how to keep up the pace, building the tension and then detonates it, causing the reader to gasp in fear and trepidation.
Highly recommended and well deserving of Five Stars.
Beautifully narrated too, for those who prefer an audiobook version.
Loved it.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A solid read with well written and likeable characters.

Book 2 in the San Diego Case Files series starring Homicide Detective Katherine ‘Kit’ McKittrick. It read well as a stand-alone but the previous book will provide more context. Kit and her sister Wren were bought up by foster parents; Wren was murdered and her killer never found. Kit is also still in denial over her feelings towards Dr Sam Reeves a psychologist and profiler who occasionally works with the police. Billed as part thriller part romance the former is definitely the main genre so if like me you’re not a romance reader don’t be put off, it’s very well done and very well written.

Briefly, Kit and her partner Conor are called to Shady Oaks Retirement Village where an elderly man has been stabbed to death and his apartment turned over. She discovers he was a retired cop and believes there is something deeper behind his murder. With more deaths and valuables going missing attention turns into the lives of the people and staff at the Village. At the same time Sam comes across two teenage runaway girls and takes them to Kits foster parents.

I loved how the case was progressed, the two octogenarian women in the Retirement Village were great characters. Brilliant and fast paced storyline with some good twists and turns. Kit faces real emotional issues at work and home and I really felt for her, but she’s a strong woman who is still struggling to deal with the loss of her sister and the lack of closure. A very entertaining and enjoyable read.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this brilliant book

when a former cop was found murdered in his retirement home kit and her fellow officers have their work cut out for them.... but a suspicious death has kit all over it especially as the mans very expenisve coin collection is missing

with numerous suspects can kit and her team find the perps before they disappear with the booty

a great storyline that keeps you guessing at what is going to happen next.... and it just goes to show that you shouldnt write of oaps they have a world of experience to call on when needed

I would like to thank Netgalley and Headline for an advance copy of Cheater, the second novel in the San Diego series featuring Detective Kit McKittrick and psychologist Sam Reeves.

Kit is called to Shady Oaks retirement centre where one of the members has been murdered and his flat ransacked. Kit recognises the victim, Frankie Flynn, as a former detective, something he kept quiet about in his retirement. Was he investigating or is his death linked to that of the centre’s security chief found shot dead in a nearby motel?

I thoroughly enjoyed Cheater, which takes a quieter approach to romance than the author’s usual sizzle and has an absorbing plot, full of twists and turns. It is a new departure for the author to feature the same couple in a second instalment, but it works. Sam is sure that he wants a relationship with Kit, and while she is attracted to Sam Kit is more skittish about the relationship thing. She produces a load of old cobblers to justify her refusal to get involved until she can ignore it and him no more. It’s baby steps for them and I think there’s perhaps another book in this relationship yet as they both navigate difficult pasts towards a future together.

The murder of Frankie Flynn is very absorbing. I can’t say very much about the plot without spoilers as there are so many twists, turns, developments and reveals that it made my head spin. It would appear that there is more than one crime going on at Shady Oaks presently and a lot of historical crime to be taken into account so the suspect list is longer than one might think. Kit and her partner, Connor, are diligent in assessing these suspects using the snippets of information Sam gathers as a volunteer at the centre and plenty of background research. The author throws the kitchen sink at all the crime being committed but still manages to keep the mystery going and retain the reader’s interest. I confess that I guessed the murderer’s identity much earlier than the detectives, but as that is only one aspect of a complicated crime spree it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the novel.

Cheater is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.