Karen Rose Books in Order (Updated 2026-02-05)

Karen Rose writes romantic suspense in connected “city runs”, each set follows investigators, prosecutors, doctors, and survivors whose lives overlap from book to book. You can read across the catalog in strict publication sequence, but most readers get a cleaner experience by choosing one city run and finishing it before moving on.

If you only want one dependable starting point, begin with Don’t Tell (the first Chicago book) and follow the city runs forward.

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How to read Karen Rose without getting spoiled

• Pick one city run (Chicago, Baltimore, Cincinnati, etc.).
• Read straight down the list for that run.
• Then choose another run and do the same.

Cameos are common. Relationship outcomes and major case fallout can carry forward.

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Chicago (read in order)

1. Don’t Tell: A woman hiding from an abusive past becomes the center of a new investigation, and a risky new attachment.
2. Have You Seen Her?: A missing-child case drags old secrets into the open while trust builds under pressure.
3. I’m Watching You: A prosecutor and an agent chase a killer who escalates fast, forcing personal vulnerabilities into daylight.
4. Nothing to Fear: A woman’s work with victims becomes dangerous when the next target is closer than expected.
5. You Can’t Hide: A case tightens around a heroine who can’t outrun what she knows, and what she’s afraid to admit.
6. Count to Ten: A deadly pattern returns, and the investigators realize the past has been rehearsing this ending for years.

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Philadelphia / Atlanta (read in order)

1. Die for Me: A serial predator forces a detective and a medical examiner into a partnership that turns personal.
2. Scream for Me: A public nightmare becomes private when the threat selects victims with a purpose.
3. Kill for Me: A final escalation ties earlier threads together, raising the cost of every choice.

Optional later extra

• The White Picket Fence (short story): A contained, sharp shock of suspense that works best after the trilogy.

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Minneapolis (read in order)

1. I Can See You: A woman with a hidden past is pulled into danger when someone proves they can still find her.
2. Silent Scream: The investigation turns colder and more intimate as the stakes narrow to one life at a time.

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Baltimore (read in order)

1. You Belong to Me: A cold case wakes up, and a survivor realizes the past isn’t finished hunting.
2. No One Left to Tell: A crash becomes a doorway into a wider conspiracy, and the “safe” answers stop making sense.
3. Did You Miss Me?: A killer plays a messaging game, forcing the team to race the next taunt.
4. Broken Silence (novella): A shorter, high-intensity story that deepens the emotional aftermath of the earlier cases.
5. Watch Your Back: Protection turns complicated when the threat knows routines, relationships, and weak spots.
6. Monster in the Closet: A long-buried horror returns, and denial becomes the most dangerous tool in the room.
7. Death Is Not Enough: A case with heavy personal fallout pushes the team to their limits of endurance and loyalty.

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Cincinnati (read in order)

1. Closer Than You Think: A psychologist trying to stay ahead of trauma is forced to run straight toward the truth.
2. Alone in the Dark: A new crime echoes an old wound, and the investigation becomes a test of survival skills.
3. Every Dark Corner: A cold case and a present threat collide, trapping the characters in a tightening circle.
4. Edge of Darkness: The final turn in this run brings payoffs, and consequences, no one can walk back.
5. Into the Dark: The city’s darkest patterns surface again, with the team fighting to keep one step ahead.

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Sacramento (read in order)

1. Say You’re Sorry: A detective and a psychiatrist face a predator linked to a closed religious world and an open wound.
2. Say No More: Escape becomes complicated when a cult shadow stretches into the “normal” world.
3. Say Goodbye: The final book pushes toward closure as past crimes refuse to stay buried.

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New Orleans (read in order)

1. Quarter to Midnight: A high-end investigation team takes on a case where the city’s shine hides something brutal.
2. Beneath Dark Waters: The danger moves closer to home as trust becomes a survival requirement.
3. Buried Too Deep: A past crime resurfaces with new teeth, forcing the team to face what was overlooked.
4. Knife in the Back: A personal framing threat turns the case into a fight for reputation, freedom, and truth.

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San Diego Case Files (read in order)

1. Cold Blooded Liar: A homicide case tightens around a psychologist and detective as lies multiply faster than evidence.
2. Cheater: A new case exposes betrayal in unexpected places, testing what “loyalty” actually means.
3. Dead Man’s List: A body count and a list of names force the team to predict violence instead of simply reacting.
4. Family Lies (scheduled 2026): A case built around blood ties and hidden histories pushes the investigators into the most personal territory yet.

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Standalone (separate from the city runs)

• The One Who Walked Away (scheduled 2026): A fresh suspense setup designed as its own entry point, built around disappearance, fallout, and the cost of telling the truth.

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The cleanest plan for new readers

If you want a straightforward route that stays spoiler-safe:

1. Read Chicago from Don’t Tell through Count to Ten.
2. Choose your next city based on mood:
   • Baltimore if you want deeper recurring-team continuity
   • Cincinnati if you want a tighter “run” feeling
   • New Orleans or San Diego if you want the most recent style and pacing