The One Who Walked Away by Karen Rose

 She was the only one who walked away from a terrible accident, killing three others. Would it have never happened if she had only walked away from her abusive husband sooner?  

In bestselling author Karen Rose's latest murder mystery, The One Who Walked Away, Elle Randolph, a former attorney turned bounty hunter finds herself as the center of a serial killer's obsession.  As the body count increases, she must rethink her work and life choices to help find the killer before another innocent is murdered.

Ronan Clarke, a Mendocino police detective has little patience for bounty hunters. Especially when they are hunting a skip through his jurisdiction. Yet in meeting Elle Randolph, he finds he may have a soft spot for a troubled soul.  After spending the last 15 years raising his daughter as a single dad, the smart, troubled bounty hunter reignites his desire for more than his daughter and his job.  But is falling for her the right thing to do when a serial killer that is somehow connected to her is attacking his community?

Rose's novel, The One Who Walked Away, is a fast paced mystery full of intrigue and emotion.  Rose entices the reader to ponder topics including survivor's guilt and victim's ownership of responsibility for events outside of their control.  As a reader I was surprised when I found myself stepping into her heroine's role, which illustrates how well written and developed her characters are.  I empathized with Elle, understanding her misguided feelings of responsibility for other's actions.  I felt anxiety when the tension of the plot tightened, and joy when the final event concluded. 

I believe one of the highest praises for an author is when the reader looks for additional titles they have written upon finishing the book.  I felt this way at the end of Roses's story, The One Who Walked Away.  I was impressed with her book and now I am anxious to read more of her work. I rate The One Who Walked Away with four stars. 

The One Who Walked Away by Karen Rose is scheduled to be published August 11, 2026 by Berkley Publishing Group.  I would like to thank NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and Karen Rose for the Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review.

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