Karen Cleveland Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

An America writer of fast paced thriller novels, the author Karen Cleveland is a novelist with a strong sense of both pace and style, drawing her readers in and keeping them held there throughout, holding their attention, whilst also creating strong and fully three-dimensional characters that really resonate with her readers worldwide. Knowing and understanding her audience both inside and out, she also has a rich and textured background in counter-terrorism, having worked as a CIA analyst for some time prior to becoming a writer. This has provided her work with a certain degree of authenticity quite unlike any other. Making her worlds and scenarios highly believable, she really manages to create a strong sense of immersion, as she brings her characters and locations to life, whilst simultaneously remaining accessible to her many readers from all across the globe, as she resonates with readers regardless of their background and who they are. Whilst she may use some of her own experiences to influence her work and style, she also keeps her ideas true to herself too, giving the plots and the characters a real sense of immediacy with a sense of purpose as well. This allows her to ultimately tell the stories that she really wants to tell, allowing the characters themselves to come alive, whilst voicing herself on a variety of different issues. She doesn’t forget to ensure that her stories remain entertaining though, as she really keeps her narratives flowing in a fun and engaging manner, that is highly compelling for her audience. This is something that she has developed right from the outset, as she managed to take her past and really work with it within the format of the contemporary thriller novel, allowing it to become something else quite interesting in the process. She would then build upon this over the years, essentially allowing her stories and her worlds to take on a life of their own in the years to come. The characters themselves are also drawn from real life too, as she gets into the mindsets of her leading protagonists, ensuring that they are continually justified in their actions every step of the way. An expert of her craft, she really manages to get a handle on working with suspense too, knowing exactly how to generate a level of tension within her work that is extremely entertaining. Not creating series as such, she largely focuses on self-contained stories that really work on their own terms, something which she will continue for a long time to come.

Early and Personal Life

Growing up in America, the future CIA analyst and author to be Karen Cleveland would grow up with a strong academic interest in policy, along with both reading and writing. This would develop throughout the years, as she would later go on to attend Trinity College Dublin, whereby she would gain master’s degree, all whilst studying as a Fulbright Scholar. She would later follow this up with a period studying at Harvard University, which she would also graduate from, going on to become highly sought after as a professional analyst.

Going on to work for over eight years as a CIA analyst, she would gain an insight into how they operated, something which would come to serve her well in the years to follow. This would then come to followed up with the last six years being spent in counter-terrorism, something which would also come to shape her outlook and voice over time. Currently still writing to this very day, she lives in northern Virginia, where she lives with her husband and two kids, whilst working on a regular and consistent basis.

Writing Career

Bringing out her first novel in 2018, Karen Cleveland would make her literary debut on the scene with the novel ‘Need to Know’, which would be a thriller novel set within familiar territory for her. Not being a part of any series as such, it would work entirely as a stand-alone novel, providing its story in a direct and straightforward manner. It would also come to put forwards many of the experiences that Cleveland has acquired during her time working in the CIA, giving it an extremely high level of authenticity.

Using her many past experiences to inform her work, including her studies which involved ‘International Peace Studies’ at Trinity College in Dublin, along with ‘Public Policy’ at Harvard, she has a finely defined knowledge of the subject matter which she writes about. Using this to gain inspiration too, she really allows her work to come alive, something which her many critics have also come to appreciate too. With her writing career growing from strength-to-strength, this is something that will carry on for some time yet, as it appears that she’s not stopping anytime soon.

Need to Know

Originally brought out through the Ballantine Books publishing label, this would come to mark the first title from Karen Cleveland as an author. Released on the 23rd of January in 2018, this would see her first foray into the world of thriller writing, drawing from her own experiences in the process. It would also contain a self-contained mystery, not being a part of any series, ultimately allowing the reader to also pick it up as a casual read too.

With many strong ideas and themes, this is a great start for the author, introducing the reader to everything that she has to offer. Featuring Vivian Miller as its strong central protagonist, it manages to bring her character to the forefront, with her strong sense of personality and intelligence. The world that it’s set within is also brilliantly realized too, coming to life in full glorious color for the reader over the course of the book.

Assigned with uncovering Russian sleeper cells embedded in the United States services, Vivian Miller is a CIA counterintelligence operative who has a gift for always finding her agent. Then one day, whilst accessing the computer of a Russian suspect, she manages to uncover a number of dossiers that could potentially lead to a whole host of different operatives working deep within the United States, ones which could also threaten the safety of her and the lives of her family. Not knowing who she can trust, she has some serious choices to make, ones which could put her entire life as she knows it in jeopardy. Will she make the right choices? Who can she trust? What does she need to know?

6 Responses to “Karen Cleveland”

1. Ralph W. Stroede: 5 months ago

   When are you going to write some more? These are terrific books!

   Reply
2. Faye: 2 years ago

   I just finished Need to Know, – keep me guessing then when the end…now keeps me windering… A Real Cliffhanger. Is there going to be a followup on these characters. possibilities and questions??

   Reply
3. Susan: 3 years ago

   Why did you leave your first book with a cliff hanger and never address if the husband was good or bad . It needed a follow up. I was very disappointed !!! He smiled at the plane as it left ????

   Reply
4. Dorothy Jeanne Donnelly: 4 years ago

   I am wondering when “You Can Run” will be released?

   Reply
   • Graeme: 4 years ago

     It is currently scheduled for August 31, 2021.

     Reply
5. Joan Gallagher: 5 years ago

   Just wanted to offer congrats to Ms Cleveland, loved her book Need to Know, hoping there is another on the way, as I saw an opening at the closing Dosvedahya.

   Reply