Have You Seen Her? Book

In Karen Rose’s new novel, Have You Seen Her?, a serial killer has his sights set on cheerleaders in a small town in North Carolina. The girls, abducted from their beds, have something in common apart from their cheerleading duties – they each have long dark hair. It’s imperative that the murderer is tracked down before he claims more victims, and Special Agent Steven Thatcher is dedicated to catching this monster. Thatcher is a widower, and has his own problems: his son Brad is growing away from him. Brad’s teacher, Jenna Marshall, is sympathetic, and a relationship grows between the detective and the teacher – but both Steven and Jenna are bruised and wary from earlier relationships. And the seemingly omniscient killer is setting traps – ever closer to his pursuer’s home territory.

Karen Rose’s first novel, 2003’s Don't Tell, created something of a stir, with her heroine, Eve Wilson, brutalised, left unconscious – and requiring plastic surgery. And if that weren’t enough, Rose’s next book, I Can See You, subjected Eve to further agony. So it’s something of a relief that the new book has different protagonists centre stage, even if they have to go through similar (though not quite as punishing) ordeals. Certainly, the tension here is delivered with similar mastery, and Rose (who was a high school chemistry and physics teacher – education’s loss was a gain for readers) knows how to juggle all the requisite elements in a taut narrative like this. Be prepared for long, uninterrupted sessions with Have You Seen Her? – you won’t welcome any interruptions. --Barry Forshaw

The new thriller from Sunday Times bestseller Karen Rose. One by one, the girls disappear from their beds at night. Each one is pretty, with long dark hair. And each one is found brutally murdered. Special Agent Steven Thatcher has sworn to find the serial killer preying on this small town. As the investigation pulls him one way, his family pulls him in another. A widower haunted by loss, he now worries about his son Brad slipping away. But there's a bright light in his life: his son's teacher, Jenna Marshall, has reached out to help. She's beautiful, kind and considerate - and slowly, tentatively, she and Steven are starting to fall in love. But both have been hurt before - badly. And as the two try to find the courage to bare their souls, a murderer who has slain many looks for the real treasure he craves. He sets his traps. And waits. For Jenna...

Have You Seen Her? (The Raleigh Series) : Paperback : Headline Publishing Group : 9780755371181 : 0755371186 : 06 Jan 2011 : They tried to escape him, but he wouldn't let them: DON'T TELL is a gripping thriller in the Chicago series by the Sunday Times bestseller Karen Rose.