Closer Than She Knows Review and Giveaway

Closer than She Knows

My Review of Closer Than She Knows

“What do a young police officer, an elderly woman, and a court reporter have in common?”

Nothing, but Teegan, a court reporter. Teegan is transporting evidence with a police officer when the officer is shot dead. While making her witness statement, she sends her youth minister friend, Max, to feed her dog, Tigger. Max hears a scream when he arrives at Teegan’s house. He finds Teegan’s elderly neighbor stabbed to death in her backyard. Attempting to chase the perpetrator, Max is clubbed to unconsciousness.

When the first note from the killer is found, Teegan knows she will need help finding the serial killer from her police blue family to protect both her loved ones and herself. This time it’s personal and the killer is Closer Than She Knows.

After reading hundreds (perhaps thousands) of thrillers, I look for small variances between them. In keeping with the author’s Amish romance past, the best part about this book is the warm relationships between the characters. I felt like they were close friends by the end of the book. However, in contrast to the usual romance, the book keeps a thriller’s pacing and has plenty of plot twists. Closer Than She Knows is an excellent example of a character-driven thriller. It is also a Christian tale with no inappropriate conduct, while not hitting you over the head with religion. 4 stars!

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Synopsis:

A serial killer bent on revenge . . . and striking too close to home.

Teagan O’Rourke has always loved murder mysteries. In her job as a court reporter, she has written official records for dozens of real-life murders. She’s slapped evidence stickers on crime scene photos. She’s listened to hours of chilling testimony. But she’s never known the smell of death. And she never thought she might be a victim.

Until now.

A young police officer is murdered just inches away from her, and then a man calling himself a serial killer starts leaving Teagan notes, signing each with the name of a different murderer from her favorite mystery novels.

Panicked, Teagan turns to her friend Max Kennedy. Max longs for more than friendship with Teagan, but he fears she’ll never trust someone with a past like his. He wonders how much of God’s “tough love” he can take before he gives up on love completely. And he wonders if he’ll be able to keep Teagan alive long enough to find out.

As Teagan, Max, and Teagan’s police officer father race to track down the elusive killer, they each know they could be the next victim. Desperate to save those she loves, Teagan battles fears that once haunted her in childhood. Nothing seems to stop this obsessed murderer. No matter what she does, he seems to be getting closer.

Book Details:

Genre: Romantic Suspense Published by: Thomas Nelson Publication Date: June 9th 2020 Number of Pages: 352 ISBN: 0785231862 (ISBN13: 9780785231868) Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

“We’re almost there, Ms. O’Rourke.” Officer Moreno came to a full stop at the corner of Park and Academic Court, where the glass-covered police department recruitment center and property room facilities glinted in the late-afternoon sun. A smile brought out dimples on Moreno’s cherub-cheeked face. Her assignment to escort a court reporter and the evidence to the property room was almost to the halfway point. Teagan had told Moreno to call her by her first name, but the patrolwoman couldn’t seem to manage it. “I’ll get us through security, we’ll stow the evidence, and I’ll have you back to your car in a jiffy.” Did people still say “in a jiffy”? Teagan’s grandma might, but this woman was no more than twenty-four. A couple of years younger than Teagan. She studied the officer’s face as she turned onto Academic Court and accelerated. The woman was for real. A straight shooter determined to be successful in a man’s world. Teagan smiled, but Moreno had already returned her gaze to the road, hands at the proper ten and two positions on the wheel. “I know there’s plenty of other things you’d rather do than babysit evidence—” The driver’s side window exploded. The force knocked Teagan’s head against her window. Sudden pain pricked her face. Fragments of glass pierced her cheeks and forehead. The car swerved, jumped the curb, and crashed into the wrought-iron fence that protected the academy. Was this what Mom felt the day she died? The inevitability of it? Air bags ballooned. Teagan slammed back against her seat. I’m sorry, Max. I’m sorry I never said it. A second later the bag deflated. The smell of nitrogen gases gagged her. Powder coated her face. The skin on the back of her hands burned. Time sped up in an odd, off-kilter tick-tock. Teagan struggled to open her eyes. Pain pulsed in her temple. Her stomach heaved. Waves of adrenaline shook her body as if she’d grasped a live electrical wire. I’m alive. Today’s not my day to die. The evidence. Protect the evidence. *** Excerpt from Closer Than She Knows by Kelly Irvin. Copyright 2020 by Kelly Irvin. Reproduced with permission from Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

Author Bio:

closer-than-she-knows-by-kelly-irvin-author

Kelly Irvin is a bestselling author and two-time Carol Award finalist. She is a former newspaper reporter and retired public relations professional. Kelly lives in Texas with her husband, photographer Tim Irvin. They have two children, three grandchildren, and two cats.

Visit her Online: KellyIrvin.com Goodreads BookBub Instagram Twitter Facebook

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1 Comment

  1. Your review has me convinced that I need to get my hands on a copy!

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