Keep You Close

Author: Karen Cleveland
Genre: Suspense
Type: Trade Paperback
Pages: 352
Source: Publisher
Publisher: Ballantine Books
First Published: May 28, 2019
Opening Lines: "The woman jolts awake, gasping, heart pounding. Gunshots echo in her head, ones conjured in sleep."

Book Description from GoodReads: Stephanie Maddox makes tough decisions every day. She has her hands full heading the FBI's Internal Investigations division, policing wrongdoers within the Bureau. But, as a single mother, the most important thing in her life is her teenage son Zachary, who's anxiously awaiting college acceptance letters. So when she discovers a gun concealed in Zach's room, her world reels. And then an FBI agent on the domestic terrorism squad shows up at her door and utters three devastating words: "It's about Zachary. . . ."

Has she been wrong about her near-perfect son? Is Zach embroiled in something criminal--something deadly? And, if so, what is her greater duty: To protect him? Or to protect her country?

My Rating: 3 stars

My Review: Karen Cleveland came on my radar early last year when I read and loved her debut novel, Need To Know. This time, the former CIA analyst-turned-author brings readers into the lives of FBI agent Steph Maddox and her teenage son Zachary as they try to figure out who is trying to frame Zachary for a terrorist act.

It's an interesting premise that starts off strong with short chapters and a good pace. There's a lot going on with some good twists but unfortunately, it soon has a muddled feel with choppy transitions between scenes and flashbacks, secondary characters that blend into each other and repetitive dialogue. 

I think I would have liked the book more if I had a better connection to Steph. I love that she's a strong female main character, but her actions make sympathizing with her difficult. Throughout the book I kept feeling like I was on the verge of becoming invested in her life, but I never quite got there.

This is a story about conspiracy theories and political intrigue but it's also about a mother who learns she may not really know her teenage son. It has an intriguing premise and while the execution didn't quite meet my expectations, I look forward to reading her next book. 

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Ballantine Books for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.