The Obsession

The riveting novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Liar.

„She stood in the deep, dark woods, breath shallow and cold prickling over her skin despite the hot, heavy air. She took a step back, then two, as the urge to run fell over her.“

Naomi Bowes lost her innocence the night she followed her father into the woods. In freeing the girl trapped in the root cellar, Naomi revealed the horrible extent of her father’s crimes and made him infamous. No matter how close she gets to happiness, she can’t outrun the sins of Thomas David Bowes.

Now a successful photographer living under the name Naomi Carson, she has found a place that calls to her, a rambling old house in need of repair, thousands of miles away from everything she’s ever known. Naomi wants to embrace the solitude, but the kindly residents of Sunrise Cove keep forcing her to open up–especially the determined Xander Keaton.

Naomi can feel her defenses failing, and knows that the connection her new life offers is something she’s always secretly craved. But the sins of her father can become an obsession, and, as she’s learned time and again, her past is never more than a nightmare away.

Editorial Reviews

*03/07/2016
Romance queen Roberts entices readers with a winning tale in which a woman tries to embrace love even as horrific events of her past threaten her happiness. Naomi Bowes was just a young girl living in West Virginia when she discovered a cellar where her father was keeping his latest rape victim. After helping the victim escape and getting the police involved, Naomi and her mother and brother try to go on with their lives, though it’s a constant struggle. The past seems to constantly encroach on Naomi’s life, even though she changes her name and lives with her uncle and his husband. Years later, Naomi is a successful photographer who finds solace in the small town of Sunrise Cove, Wash., where she buys an old house and works on remodeling it. She also finds unexpected love with local mechanic Xander Keaton. As she lets him into her heart, her world is shattered by a series of gory murders. Roberts has an unparalleled ability to paint a picture with words–readers will easily picture Naomi’s photographic art and her rambling home with its beautiful view–and the story is expertly executed. Sizzling romance, affable characters, and enticing suspense make this a read to be savored. Agent: Amy Berkower, Writers House. (Apr.)
– Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Obsession

„Roberts retains her impeccably high standards in this excellently executed tale, once again dazzling readers with a sophisticated blend of edge-of-your-seat suspense and sexy romance.“–Booklist (starred review)

„Roberts has an unparalleled ability to paint a picture with words–readers will easily picture Naomi’s photographic art and her rambling home with its beautiful view–and the story is expertly executed. Sizzling romance, affable characters, and enticing suspense make this a read to be savored.“–Publishers Weekly (starred review)

„This riveting tale benefits from an immensely likable supporting cast and its rewarding blend of suspense and romance. Brief glimpses into the killer’s mind add a chilling touch to a story you won’t be able to put down.“–Library Journal
– From the Publisher

04/15/2016
Two days before she turns 12, Naomi Bowes rescues a woman from a cellar in the West Virginia woods near her home and discovers that her strict, Bible-thumping father is a sadistic serial killer. Stunned but determined to be strong, Naomi is taken in by her uncles and swept off to the East Coast (along with her mother and young brother) to begin a new life as Naomi Carson, eventually becoming a brilliant freelance photographer. Yet the taint of her father’s crimes lingers, and for years her own nightmares keep her on the move. Now, 16 years later in a quiet seaside community on the other side of the country, Naomi has finally found a place that feels like home–and a man she’s coming to love. Then the killings start, and the links to the past are impossible to ignore. A talented woman haunted by her father’s insanity but determined to live life on her own terms and a solid renaissance man lay old ghosts to rest and help bring a scoundrel to justice. VERDICT This riveting tale benefits from an immensely likable supporting cast and its rewarding blend of suspense and romance. Brief glimpses into the killer’s mind add a chilling touch to a story you won’t be able to put down. Roberts (Stars of Fortune) lives in Keedysville, MD. [An April LibraryReads pick.]
– Library Journal

2016-02-18
Nearly 20 years after bringing her serial-killer father to justice, a photographer begins to settle into a new life only to discover that a murderous stalker is after her–and may have been collecting his own victims along the way. Just before her 12th birthday, Naomi Bowes followed her father into the woods and made the grim discovery that he was a serial killer, which sent him to jail for life. Naomi, her mother, and her brother, Mason, moved in with her uncle Seth and his partner, Harry, ultimately settling in New York City and changing their last name for anonymity. But her mother never quite recovered from her husband’s horrid influence, and the tragic aftermath of that relationship will have a long-lasting impact Naomi won’t recognize until she settles into a new home in Washington state and her past catches up with her in ominous ways. Thanks to new friends, a new lover, a rescue dog, and her FBI-agent brother, she might weather this dangerous situation, but discovering someone has been shadowing her formerly nomadic life gives her a new appreciation for her own strength, resilience, and many blessings. Naomi’s unique past makes her wary of strangers, so when she falls in love with a house and buys it, then is quickly enfolded into a group of new friends and, through them, meets the man of her dreams, she feels both embraced and nervous, but when her past threatens her and her new community, she knows she’s in the right place with the right people. Bestseller Roberts explores the experience of a serial killer’s family and, more subtly, the true natures of trust, friendship, and loyalty. A little uneven and with an abundance of detail that occasionally slows the pace, this is still an appealing story from a romantic-suspense favorite.
– Kirkus Reviews