The Girl from Guernica - thriller, historical fiction, 2022

Inspired by Picasso’s great masterpiece, Guernica, New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards returns with a riveting story of intrigue, deception and bravery in the face of war... In the run up to World War II, a sleepy Basque village is savagely bombed by the Nazis in an unprovoked war atrocity that still shocks today. Picasso immortalized it. Sibi lived it.

The Black Swan of Paris - thriller, historical fiction, 2020

Paris, 1944. Celebrated singer Genevieve Dumont is both a star and a smokescreen. An unwilling darling of the Nazis, her status allows her to go undetected as an ally to the resistance. When her estranged mother is captured, Genevieve knows it won't be long before the Gestapo tortures information out of her that will derail the upcoming allied invasion. The resistance movement is tasked with silencing her by any means necessary—including assassination. But Genevieve refuses to let that happen. Now she must find a way to navigate the perilous cross–currents of Occupied France undetected—and in time to save her mother's life.

The Fifth Doctrine - thriller, 2019

The tale comprises a long, exciting chase (leading to a gratifyingly suspenseful conclusion). Robards’ fans will devour this latest in the series. — Booklist.

Bianca St. Ives, master manipulator, has finally been cornered, but—surprisingly—there’s an offer on the table: a one–shot deal that would allow Bianca to walk away scot–free as if they’d never found her. And all she has to do is run one last mission—the kind she might never return from. But if Bianca ever wants to go back to her normal life it’s not like she has a choice.

The Moscow Deception - thriller, 2018

The delightful, capable, and frequently funny Bianca is an intoxicating combo of Stephanie Plum and James Bond. Publishers Weekly

There's a million dollar bounty on her head, a CIA Kill Team on her tail, and a terrible secret in her past. The game Bianca's being forced to play is kill or be killed, and the clock is ticking. The price of survival is pulling off the robbery of the century. But to succeed she must survive repeated assassination attempts, dodge a too-sexy-for-his-own-good former MI6 agent, re-connect with a down-and-out circus troupe, and come up with a plan that gets her into - and out of - Moscow alive.

The Ultimatum - thriller, 2017

Enthralling... Readers won’t want this adrenaline–rich story to end. — Booklist (starred review).

Thief. Manipulator. Con artist. Call it what you will—Bianca St. Ives is the best in the business. When a huge heist goes awry, shadowy criminal Bianca emerges as a security expert—only to be drawn back into crime by a mysterious job she’s blackmailed into taking.

Darkness - romantic thriller, 2016

New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards continues her penchant for fantastic storytelling (RT Book Reviews) with this next heart-pumping romantic suspense novel, the tale of a brilliant ornithologist trapped on the remote Attu Island in Alaska, fighting for her life—and that of a handsome stranger—before they're swallowed up in darkness forever...

The Last Time I Saw Her - romantic thriller, 2015 - Dr. Charlotte Stone series Vol. 4

In the sizzling new novel from New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards, Dr. Charlie Stone must prove the innocence of a dangerously sexy condemned man, or lose her one chance at true love...

Hush - romantic thriller, 2015

In New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards's latest heart—pounding thriller, a woman must uncover a murderer—or risk being the next victim of a vicious killer. When Riley Cowan finds her estranged husband Jeff dead in his palatial home, she's sure it's no coincidence. The police rule it a suicide, but Riley thinks someone's out for blood—specifically someone Jeff's father ripped off in one of the biggest financial fraud cases of all time. She suspects that someone is trying to send a message to Jeff's father: Tell me where the money is, or everyone you care about will die...

Her Last Whisper - romantic thriller, 2014 - Dr. Charlotte Stone series Vol. 3

Readers who relish heated passion and chilling suspense love New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards's acclaimed novels featuring Dr. Charlotte Charlie Stone. A heroine with a keen mind for catching killers and a soft heart for bad boys, Charlie is back in this third sizzling paranormal romance thriller...

Hunted - romantic thriller, 2013

In New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards's latest heart—pounding romantic suspense novel, a reckless former detective knows too much, and a hostage negotiator is forced to join him on the run for his life. 'Twas the night before Christmas ... and dozens of rich, influential hostages are trapped inside a sprawling lakefront mansion in New Orleans. The perp? Detective Reed Ware, model cop turned outlaw. Reed's out for truth, and will stop at nothing to get it...

The Last Kiss Goodbye - romantic thriller, 2013 - Dr. Charlotte Stone series Vol. 2

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY RT BOOK REVIEWS

When New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards brought her irresistible brand of hot passion and chilling suspense to the paranormal romance scene with The Last Victim, it was just the beginning. Now her all—new series cranks up the deadly danger and intense desire to the next level, as sexy serial killer hunter Charlotte Stone returns to action in her thrilling second adventure...

Shiver - romantic thriller, 2012

When she swore off love, he was the last man she imagined would steal her heart. If driving a piece-of-crap tow truck through the seediest part of town with a Smith & Wesson beside her means putting a roof over her son's head, then Samantha Jones is going to be the best damn repo woman on the books. The streetwalkers, the drug pushers, the bands of looking—for—trouble punks haunting the mean streets at midnight don’t intimidate her. These are her people. The guy she finds bound and bloodied in the trunk of her latest conquest, a flashy new BMW, is a different breed entirely...

The Last Victim - romantic thriller, 2012 - Dr. Charlotte Stone series Vol. 1

[An] exceptional storyteller...Leave it to [Karen] Robards to deliver the start of a series that is distinctive and unforgettable!—RT Book Reviews A sought-after expert in criminal pathology, Dr. Charlotte Stone regularly sits face—to—face with madmen. At the age of sixteen, she herself survived a serial killer's bloodbath. Because of the information she gave police, the Boardwalk Killer went underground, but Charlie kept her postmortem visions of the victims to herself. Now a teenage girl is missing, her family slaughtered. The Boardwalk Killer—or a sick copycat with his M.O.—is back...

Sleepwalker - romantic thriller, 2011

Cops and robbers don't mix. It's not that Micayla Lange is afraid of the clinking she hears coming from the first floor of the empty McMansion she's housesitting for her uncle Nicco. She's a cop, after all. It's just that finding out her boyfriend was cheating on her was enough drama for one night. Now she's alone on New Year's Eve, wearing flannel pajamas and wielding a Glock 22 as she zeroes in on the unmistakable source of the sound: Uncle Nicco's private office...

Justice - romantic thriller, 2011 - Jessica Ford Vol. 2

Feisty criminal attorney Jessica Ford has done her best to comply with the orders of the Secret Service's unofficial witness protection program ever since she became the lone witness to the First Lady's murder. She changed her name, dyed her dark hair blonde, and traded her sturdy black—rimmed glasses for contact lenses. Unfortunately, winning her first high—profile case for prestigious Washington, D.C., law firm Ellis Hayes, and subsequently landing her face all over the news, is not exactly keeping a low profile...

Shattered - romantic thriller, 2010

While reviewing cold cases in the Fayette County courthouse, Lisa discovers a thick envelope with engrossing details of an entire family's disappearance. And that's not all: The mother in the photo could have been Lisa's twin. That makes Lisa's life a lie, and whoever erased the truth isn't through with her...

Shameless - historical, 2010 - Banning Sisters Vol. 3

In Regency England, a beautiful young woman finds her life thrown into turmoil by the arrival of a handsome scoundrel. Lady Elizabeth, the youngest and most headstrong of the three Banning sisters, has been engaged three times, and has most scandalously broken off all three engagements. Her fear of becoming any man's property has kept her from marriage and earned her a reputation in the town as a heartbreaking flirt. Neil Severin is a wicked rogue, black of heart and black of reputation. A man of no morals, devoid of compassion, he is a government sanctioned assassin. And his newest target is a man Beth holds dear...

Pursuit - romantic thriller, 2009 - Jessica Ford Vol. 1

When the First Lady dies in a fiery car crash, rookie attorney Jessica Ford is the only survivor of the tragedy. As the nation mourns, Ford has reason to believe it wasn't an accident. One by one, others in the First Lady's inner circle are being killed. Jessica must find out why — before she's next.

Guilty - romantic thriller, 2008

Single mother Kate White has had to travel a long, hard road to become a prosecutor in Philadelphia. A foster child, she had trouble with the law, culminating in a brutal incident at a Baltimore convenience store involving her friends. The birth of her son Ben changed her, and she put herself through college and law school, only to, once again, end up at the wrong place at the wrong time with the same wrong friends. During a routine trial, chaos erupts as the defendant attempts to escape, and Kate is taken hostage...

Obsession - romantic thriller, 2007

A woman survives a horrific attempt on her life, only to feel like a stranger in her own home, in the electrifying new novel from New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards. The house is all wrong. Her clothes are all wrong. When Katharine Lawrence recovers consciousness on the kitchen floor, staggers to her feet and looks at herself in the mirror, the beautiful face staring back at her is familiar—but wrong. Despite all the evidence—her pictures are all over the apartment, the clothes in the closets are the right size, and it's her hair caught in the brush atop the dresser—everything feels wrong...

Vanished - romantic thriller, 2006

When she receives a call from a child who sounds exactly like her missing daughter Lexie, Sarah Mason turns to her closest friend in the world, P.I. Jake Hogan. Jake is convinced that someone is deliberately tormenting the grief—stricken mother. But as their friendship explodes into passion—and the torment escalates into murder—Jake is the only person who can keep Sarah safe in their horrifying search for the truth...

Superstition - romantic thriller, 2005

The beautiful vistas of Pawleys Island hide a dark side—the murder of a local girl fifteen years ago and the strange disappearance of her two friends. The story of the unsolved crime could be journalist Nicole Sullivan's big break. But while Nicole works intimately with the Police Chief Joe Franconi, her investigation takes a haunting turn when another young woman is murdered...

Bait - romantic thriller, 2004

(Publisher's Weekly called it ....another hold-your-breath drama.)

It's a business trip that takes advertising agency owner Maddie Fitzgerald down to New Orleans, but it's hardly business as usual when a man breaks into her hotel room and tries to kill her...

Beachcomber - romantic thriller, 2003

(Riveting. Cosmopolitan)

From New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards comes a thrilling new novel of suspense and steamy seaside sensuality set in North Carolina's Outer Banks, where a serial killer combs the beaches filled with beautiful female tourists for his next victim...

Whispers At Midnight - romantic thriller, 2002

(One of Robards' best..... The Columbus Dispatch)

Carly Linton is hell—bent on starting over. After a bruising divorce, she moves back to her tiny hometown of Benton, Georgia, to start up a bed-and-breakfast in the old house she inherited from her grandmother. The whole town remembers her as the proverbial good girl, but Carly is tired of being good -- she's ready to walk on the wide side, and she knows exactly where she wants to start...

Irresistible - historical, 2002 - Banning Sisters Vol. 2

(Winner of the Reviewers' Choice Award from Romantic Times Magazine for Best Historical Romance of 2002)

Claire Banning fulfilled every debutante's dream when she married a rich nobleman. Soon, however, the celebrated beauty realizes she wed a dissolute wastrel. Bitterly hurt and desperately lonely, Claire vows nonetheless to take her expected place in society. Then on a journey home to her husband's estate on the coast of Sussex, she is abducted, and her life — and her heart — are changed forever.

Mana From Heaven - romantic thriller novella, 2001

(from the anthology WAIT UNTIL DARK — hard to find and definitely worth looking for. It's fast-paced and flat-out hilarious)

Danger and desire ignite when Charlotte Bates drives straight into a DEA agent's hot pursuit of a drug smuggler. But when the lawman takes Charlie hostage, an electrifying adventure begins...

To Trust A Stranger - romantic thriller, 2001

(I love these characters: Josephine the poodle, Julie, a former beauty queen turned pageant gown designer whose biggest problem was clients getting boob jobs before their final fitting until someone started trying to kill her, and Mac, also known as Debbie, also known as our hero. Here, in Julie's words, is a description of him: When a six-and-a-half foot tall transvestite crosses his arms over his eye-popping chest, gives you an impatient look, and starts tapping his pointed patented leather toe, the effect is galvanizing.... The Old Book Barn Gazette said of this one, It's dynamite.)

Scandalous - historical, 2001 - Banning Sisters Vol. 1

(a story to savor....Scandalous will delight regency and mystery readers as well. Romantic Times)

England, 1810: When Lady Gabriella Banning receives word that her half—brother, the Earl of Wickham, has died on his tea plantation in Ceylon, she faces the reality that she and her younger sisters, Claire and Elizabeth, are suddenly penniless. The family's riches will pass to the next male heir — a distant cousin — and the Banning sisters are doomed unless Gabby thinks fast...

Paradise County - romantic thriller, 2000

(this one is set in Simpsonville, Ky., very close to home; You'll find this thriller hard to put down. Don't miss it. The Old Book Barn Gazette )

The rolling fields of Shelby County are home to some of the finest horseflesh and bluest blood in Kentucky. With its rural beauty and tranquil lifestyle, it is easy to see why the locals call it Paradise County. But beneath the serene exterior lies a dark underside, and an evil that threatens everyone who touches it...

Ghost Moon - romantic thriller, 2000

Nine years after leaving in disgrace, Olivia Morrison is coming home again to put things right with the Archer clan. But there is no welcome for the prodigal daughter at the lavish Louisiana estate. The bayou echoes with memories of her mother’s mysterious death. Suicide by drowning, they said. But Olivia’s terrifying nightmares suggest another story...

The Midnight Hour - romantic thriller, 1999

(paranormal elements and a hold-your-breath story)

Grace Hart seemed to have it all: a bright, beautiful daughter, a successful career as a judge, and a lovely home in an Ohio suburb. But beneath the placid veneer, darker truths lie waiting. Her fifteen—year—old, Jessica, is teetering on the cusp of drugs and delinquency. And someone is stalking the troubled teenager. Someone who has already violated their home and stolen their peace of mind...

The Senator's Wife - romantic thriller, 1998

(very steamy!)

A public scandal. A private torment. A love that changed everything — Ronnie Honneker is the senator's wife. When she fell for the dashing politician, the stars in her eyes kept her from seeing his flaws. And when she discovered his constant need for other women, it was already too late. Now all the glamour of politics can't make up for Ronnie's loneliness—or her husband's affairs. Especially the one that explodes into a media sex scandal.

Heartbreaker - romantic thriller, 1997

(this is an action-packed adventure novel; it is scary - and hilarious)

While vacationing in Utah's mountain wilderness, Lynn Nelson suddenly finds herself having to deal with her teenage daughter Rory's raging hormones. The object of Rory's passion is their guide, drop—dead gorgeous Jess Feldman, a man the divorced Lynn instinctively distrusts, even as she shields herself from his blazing baby blues. But after Lynn and Rory fall off a cliff of sheared rock, Jess becomes their only hope

Hunter's Moon - romantic thriller, 1996

(The Literary Times called this one "Exciting... A real thriller and the most wonderful story....")

Molly Ballard was desperate. It wasn't easy caring for two brothers and two sisters, and keeping a roof over their heads. She needed money more than ever. Yet in a fit of anger she quit her job as a groom at the posh Wyland Farm in Kentucky's rich turf—and then stole out of the tack room with $5,000 in FBI cash. So when Agent Will Lyman catches her in a lie, she agrees to cooperate in a sting

Walking After Midnight - romantic thriller, 1995

(this one features a ghost, it's funny, and is a favorite with fans and — ahem! — its author)

The nude male body lay on the embalming table, battered beyond recognition. Gingerly, Summer McAfee, chairman, CEO, and sole employee of Daisy Fresh cleaning service, reached out to touch an arm to reassure herself that she hadn't just seen the corpse move. Suddenly, shockingly, her hand was in the viselike grip of a man very much alive and desperate enough to take her captive on a no—holds—barred run from cops, killers, and his own decidedly complicated past...

Maggy's Child - romantic thriller, 1994

(the setting for this is Louisville, my home town)

A riveting novel of love, lust, and savagery in Kentucky's bluegrass country—a spellbinding story of a mother's sacrifice, a dynasty's power, and one man's passion to reclaim the woman who was born to be his...

One Summer - romantic thriller, 1993

(my first contemporary hardcover features Rachel, a prim and proper teacher, and Johnny, her bad boy former student; it's steamy)

He was pure, unadulterated trouble. Johnny Harris is home again, his too-tight jeans and damn-your-eyes belligerence honed to perfection by a ten—year stretch in federal prison for murder. Now he's out on parole and ready for the job Rachel Grant has promised to help him begin a new life. Unlike the rest of the town, Rachel has always believed in her former student's innocence. But one thing has changed...

Nobody's Angel - historical, 1992

(my first hardcover; it won another Wally from Waldenbooks, for the best-selling hardcover debut romance in 1992; I love the story, and Susannah is one of my all time favorite heroines)

In Carolina Colony, the community admired Susannah Redmon, plain eldest daughter of the preacher. Her herbal healing skills made her an angel of mercy, her determination held together the family's farm, and her strong will always got her what she wanted — even the buying of a man. But no suitor had ever courted her...

This Side of Heaven - historical, 1991

Defiantly beautiful, Caroline Wetherby stepped ashore in a land so wild and fierce, she trembled. She had come seeking refuge with the last of her family, but her sister was dead. Waiting to greet her were pious Pilgrims, warring Indians, howling wolves, a boisterous household of men and boys...and him, her rugged, unwelcoming brother-in-law, Matt Mathieson. Caroline wanted to hate Matt as she hated all men.

Green Eyes - historical, 1991

Young, beautiful, and destitute, widowed Anna Traverne finds herself at the mercy of her brother-in-law Lord Ridley, who offers her and her little daughter a home for a price: Anna must become his mistress. Frightened, revolted, gently bred Anna can see no way out — until a handsome jewel thief breaks into Gordon Hall in search of a fabled set of emeralds...

Morning Song - historical, 1990

In this steamy romance by the mistress of sizzling sensuality (Romantic Times), eighteen-year-old, defiantly tomboyish Jessie Lindsay is left at the mercy of her wicked stepmother Celia upon the death of her beloved father. Beautiful, vampish Celia can have any man she wants, and when devilishly handsome stranger Stuart Edwards turns up amongst their aristocratic Mississippi plantation society, she wants him. What Celia doesn't know is that Stuart is a con man and a fortune hunter...

Tiger's Eye - historical, 1989

(Publisher's Weekly called it a delightful tale and it's another one of my favorites)

When beautiful aristocrat Lady Isabella St. Just first sets eyes on handsome Alec Tyron, he is holding her at gunpoint. Despite her fear of him, the tawny-haired, golden-eyed king of the London underworld saves her from the criminals who abducted her, only to fall victim to a gunshot wound himself. Thrown together in the seedy underbelly of glittering London, they are wary of each other from the start...

Desire In The Sun - historical, 1988

n this steamy romance by the mistress of sizzling sensuality (Romantic Times), the beautiful daughter of a plantation owner, Lilah Remy, is swept into a wild romance with the dazzlingly handsome man her family has just enslaved. Raised an English gentleman, Joss San Pietro finds himself caught up in the turbulent currents of the Deep South as he tries to right an ancient wrong. Destiny brings Joss and Lilah together as equals, then throws them together as mistress and servant onto tempestuous seas...

Dark Of The Moon - historical, 1988

(Connor d'Arcy, Lord Earl of Iveagh, is one of my very favorite heroes)

Disguised as a lad, Irish street waif Caitlyn O'Malley makes what could have been a deadly mistake when she tries to rob a tall, black-haired, dazzlingly handsome aristocrat on a cobbled Dublin street. Connor d'Arcy, Earl of Iveagh, is far from the English fop he appears, as Caitlyn soon discovers...

Night Magic - romantic thriller, 1987

(winner of a Wally, from Waldenbooks, for the best-selling contemporary romance of the year)

Romance writer Clara Winston dedicates her newest book to her cat, Puff, without knowing what havoc she is about to unloose on her placid (boring?) life. Because there's a rogue CIA agent out there whose code name is Puff, and some very bad guys want to kill him. When the bad guys show up at mild-mannered Clara's house, thinking that she can lead them to the man they're hunting, she is rescued by that man, disgraced CIA agent Jack McClain...

Loving Julia - historical, 1986

Seventeen-year-old Jewel Combs is not a lady. She is a guttersnipe living hand-to-mouth on London's mean streets when she meets a dying man who marries her to spite his aristocratic family. Cold, aloof, breathtakingly handsome, Sebastian, Earl of Moorland, is the head of that family, and when widowed Jewel belligerently presents herself to him as his newest relative his inclination is to throw her back out on the streets. But instead he accepts her into the family to spite his icy, unloving mother, on the condition that Jewel let him turn her into Julia Stratham, lady of the town..

Wild Orchids - romantic thriller, 1986

(wild, funny, and hard to get; the heroine is a teacher, and my working title for it was How I Spent My Summer Vacation)

Prim mid-western schoolteacher Lora Harding is in for the summer vacation of her life when darkly handsome American Max Maxwell slides into her rented car in steamy Cancun, Mexico and orders her to drive at gunpoint. Max and his men break Americans out of Mexican jails for a living, but his latest job has gone horribly wrong and Max is on the run for his life...

Dark Torment - historical, 1985

(Publishers Weekly called this one spellbinding)

Falsely accused, Irish-born convict Dominic Gallagher is shipped to the Australian Outback, where he is rescued from being beaten to death by Sarah Markham, the plain, no-nonsense, spinster daughter of a sheep baron. Indentured to Sarah's father, gorgeous, blue-eyed Dominic must do Miss Sarah's bidding even while the two begin to secretly burn with passion for each other...

To Love A Man - romantic thriller, 1985

(this, my first romantic thriller, was written on a yellow legal pad in the ladies' room of the orthodontic office where I worked on my lunch hour; I was inspired by my surroundings, so check out the opening scene - it takes place in an outhouse.)

Journalist Lisa Collins is in Africa to cover an armed uprising, but finds herself caught up in a war in this thrilling contemporary romance by one of the most popular voices in women's fiction (Newsweek).

Amanda Rose - historical, 1984

A riveting romance about a swashbuckling hero and the high-spirited lady who wins his heart. In 1840 England, Lady Amanda Rose Culver saves handsome, falsely convicted murderer Matt Grayson's life when he is wounded as he barely escapes the gallows...

Forbidden Love - historical, 1983

A spellbinding novel about a headstrong young beauty and her aristocratic guardian who are torn between passion and propriety. Megan Kinkead was a girl when she left Maam's Cross Court for school, but she has returned a woman, body and soul. Once Megan's guardian, Justin, the sixth Earl of Weston, is soon her heart's obsession. Desire smolders between them, and then he tells her he is married...

Sea Fire - historical, 1982

sequel to ISLAND FLAME

Bestselling, award-winning author Karen Robards once again brings us dazzling adventure and unforgettable characters in a searing saga of passion, seduction, and dangerous love. The tempestuous saga of Lady Catherine Aldley and the pirate Jonathan Hale that began in Island Flame now continues in Sea Fire...

Island Flame - historical, 1981

(my first book - I was so thrilled!)

Lady Catherine Aldley was en route to London when pirates attacked her ship. Just in time, Captain Jonathan Hale rescued her from his own men, sweeping her into his arms, staking his claim on the pampered daughter of England's ambassador to Portugal. All Catherine had were her wits and the will to beat her captor at his own game. His searing kisses kindled unfamiliar passions, but she vowed to make him her prisoner of desire...