Karen Rose - The monster in the closet

Copyright 2017 Karen Rose Hafer

The right of Karen Rose Hafer to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

Apart from any use permitted under UK copyright law, this publication may only be reproduced, stored, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, with prior permission in writing of the publishers or, in the case of reprographic production, in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency.

First published as an Ebook by Headline Publishing Group in 2017

All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Cataloguing in Publication Data is available from the British Library

Ebook conversion by Avon DataSet Ltd, Bidford-on-Avon, Warwickshire

eISBN: 978 1 4722 4460 4

Cover photograph Larry Rostant

HEADLINE PUBLISHING GROUP
An Hachette UK Company
Carmelite House
50 Victoria Embankment
London EC4Y 0DZ

www.headline.co.uk
www.hachette.co.uk

Contents

Praise for Every Dark Corner :

NOBODYs better at dark scary suspense with a twist of romance. Fans will be thrilled Peterborough Telegraph

Praise for Alone In The Dark :

Deftly mixes a family crime saga and the horrors of human trafficking into a murder investigation... a gripping story Publishers Weekly

An addictive thriller that will accompany many a reader through a few winters nights CrimeSquad

Praise for Closer Than You Think :

A chilling, enthralling read that succeeds on every level Kirkus Reviews

Gripping, thrilling and ever so tense, this is writing at its best Erisea Magazine

Praise for Watch Your Back :

Tense, compelling and I couldnt put it down until I finished it Daily Record (Glasgow)

Slash and cut crime at its sharpest Northern Echo

Praise for Did You Miss Me? :

Shes up there with James Patterson and Nora Roberts when it comes to sweaty-palm suspense and a twist with a sting in the tail Peterborough Telegraph

A brilliant book Essentials

Praise for No One Left to Tell :

Roses rich cast of characters and intricate plot layers give the story real punch. Hang on tight and remember to breathe! RT Book Reviews

Every page is action-packed www.theallureofbooks.com

Praise for You Belong to Me :

[Karen Roses] glossy blend of romance and crime is completely compelling... another enjoyable and page-turning novel from the queen of romantic suspense Crime and Publishing

Fast and furious Sun

Praise for Silent Scream :

A high-octane thrill ride that kept me on the edge of my seat and up far too late at night! Lisa Jackson

Rose packs action into every moment... Thriller fans will love the high-adrenaline story and robust cast of intriguing supporting characters Publishers Weekly

Praise for I Can See You :

A terrific whodunit Harriet Klausner

Rose keeps the action popping Publishers Weekly

Praise for Kill For Me :

Rose has never disappointed with her books and this newest, Kill For Me , is her scariest and best book to date www.iloveamysterynewsletter.com

Rose juggles a large cast, a huge body count and a complex plot with terrifying ease Publishers Weekly

Praise for Scream For Me :

From the first rousing chapter to the last, Scream For Me is intense, complex and unforgettable James Patterson

Word is spreading about quite how good [Rose] is The Bookseller

Praise for Die For Me :

A blend of hard-edged police procedural and romance engaging Irish Independent

Chilling thriller with page-turning passion Asda Magazine

Praise for Count to Ten :

Takes off like a house afire. Theres action and chills galore in this nonstop thriller Tess Gerritsen

Gripping, chilling and utterly compelling, Karen Rose is a classy storyteller Lancashire Evening Post

Praise for You Cant Hide :

Every page is as gripping as the next, fast paced with surprising twists and turns. Really hard to put down South Coast Register

Karen Rose is quickly becoming an author that readers of suspense should have on auto-buy www.joyfullyreviewed.com

Praise for Nothing to Fear :

A pulse pounding tale that has it all Cosmopolitan

Tense chilling suspense that readers will appreciate from start to finish www.thebestreviews.com

Praise for Im Watching You :

Dont miss this perfectly pitched chill-fest with a human edge from a rising star in the thriller market Scottish Daily Record

Another stellar thriller... Roses strength lies in her characters www.bookloons.com

Praise for Have You Seen Her? :

Rose is adept at creating believable characters and balancing murder, violence and nail biting suspense The Royston Crow

The perfect recipe for an edge-of-your-seat suspense www.bookloons.com

Praise for Dont Tell :

Rose delivers the kind of high-wire suspense that keeps you riveted to the edge of your seat Lisa Gardner

As gripping as a cold hand on the back of ones neck... this assured debut bodes well for Roses future books Publishers Weekly

By Karen Rose and available from Headline

Dont Tell

Have You Seen Her?

Im Watching You

Nothing to Fear

You Cant Hide

Count to Ten

Die For Me

Scream For Me

Kill For Me

I Can See You

Silent Scream

You Belong to Me

No One Left to Tell

Did You Miss Me?

Watch Your Back

Closer Than You Think

Alone in the Dark

Every Dark Corner

Monster in the Closet

Novellas available in ebook only

Broken Silence

Dirty Secrets

Karen Rose was introduced to suspense and horror at the tender age of eight when she accidentally read Poes The Pit and the Pendulum and was afraid to go to sleep for years. She now enjoys writing books that make other people afraid to go to sleep.

Karen lives in Florida with her family, their cat, Bella, and two dogs, Loki and Freya. When shes not writing, she enjoys reading, and her new hobby knitting.

To my readers all over the world thank you for loving the
characters who live in my head as much as I do. I wrote this book
as a sort of Valentine to you.

To all the fathers who love their children without reservation,
including the stepfathers who step up to be the dads they dont
have to be, but are. May your children treasure the blessed
gift theyve been given.

To my sweet husband, Martin, who has always been the
most amazing dad to our daughters.

Terry Bolyard, for helping me to reconstruct my villain.

Amy Lane, for inspiring me to write something that I hadnt planned to.

Erica Ridley and Roy Prendas, for naming Tavillas gang. Gracias!

My lovely editors, Claire Zion and Alex Clarke, for embracing this surprise book.

Beth Miller and Caitlin Ellis for all the hours of editing and more editing.

Robin Rue, for loving it at first sight.

Sonie Lasker, for once again advising me the best way to knock a big guy on his... posterior section.

Geoff Symons, for generously sharing his forensic expertise, including blood spatter.

Baltimore, Maryland,
Wednesday 22 July, 2.45 P.M.

Jazzie Jarvis slowed her steps as she struggled up the third of the four flights of stairs to their apartment. Sweat streaked her face and the weight of her backpack nearly bowed her in half. Mama had forgotten to pick her up. Again.