Say You’re Sorry – Karen Rose (5 *****)

I was fortunate to receive this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an objective review.

Eleanor ‘Daisy’ Dawson is a recovering alcoholic, who fights the demons of her past on a daily basis. With the help of her best friend Trish and her therapy dog Brutus, she maintains her sobriety one day at a time. Working presently as a radio personality on a busy morning show, she keeps herself busy, particularly with the local animal shelter’s adoption program.

While walking home one evening, she is unexpectedly attacked and pulled into an alley. She fends off her attacker, but not before he says some things to her, leading her to believe he’s taken other women. And then she realizes she holds a locket in her hand – a locket that she must have pulled off her attacker’s neck in the scuffle. Sacramento PD Detective Rafe Sokolov, Daisy’s friend and landlord, is called to the scene.

FBI Special Agent Gideon Reynolds has his own demons to fight. Escaping from the Church of Second Eden, an abusive, cult-like society when he was 13, he continues to search for the group’s location, as an adult. Then he receives a call from his close friend Rafe, who explains to him about Daisy’s attack and the locket she grabbed – almost identical to a tattoo Gideon once had on his chest. Gideon joins the group as the police interview Daisy, and its instant attraction for both of them.

As the investigation heats up, the FBI allows Gideon to re-open the investigation into the cult, while he provides protection of sorts for Daisy, concerned her attacker may try again. A second victim is discovered, with evidence that links to many other homicide victims, and the search for a killer commences…but the killer has set his sights on Daisy and Gideon…

I have been a fan of Karen Rose for years, and she has outdone herself with this novel! A fantastic police-procedural with all of the mystery, drama, and edge-of-your-seat suspense you could ask for, with a little romance thrown in as well. I could NOT put it down!! I’m hoping for more of Gideon & Daisy in future novels!! Awesome!! One of the best books I’ve read in a while!!