by Karen Botha
You'll find a lot of her life in this book - but please, don't believe everything you read!
Other books in the Naked Series: Naked Lies (book 2)
Other books...
Naked Truths was the debut novel by Karen Botha - more are on the way so sign up to her mailing list here. Book 2, is now out.
Naked Lies - Passion, Jealousy, Murder...
He has billions, she has his heart.
Scarred by her ex, the last thing on Lucy’s mind is a boyfriend. But when the perfect billionaire makes a play for her, she is forced to reconsider. Gorgeous, kind and generous, he has it all - on the surface. And he’s set his sights on Lucy. When she falls for his rags to riches story she takes the plunge...
But Lucy’s burgeoning relationship is complicated when Adam is arrested. Paula, an ex detective looks into matters for her best friend. When she uncovers a domineering business partner, a tormented PA and a resentful brother, each has a motive for the worst type of crime…
Will Lucy follow her heart and allow true love to prevail? And will Paula unravel the web of deceit before it’s too late?
Naked Lies is the second in the Naked Series of pulse-pounding Romantic Suspense full length novels. If you like steamy sex scenes, complex characters, and twists you won’t see coming, then you’ll love Karen Botha’s captivating tale.
Buy Naked Lies to uncover the layers of lies today! Only on offer for a short time.
Karen is also the author of an erotic romance series.
The first in the series is Buckle Up
The second is G-Force
The books are available as shorts or the entire collection in a 1 book format.
Karen has also written a few short stories and been fortunate enough to have these published in an anthology with other authors.
Whispered Lives: stories about women, by women
Escape - an anthology of very different short stories & poems with one theme
Excerpt from Naked Lies
The second in the Naked Series of Erotic Romance books by Karen Botha
Mo weaves through the crowds of low-lives hanging around in the police station lobby, then drapes his arm over my shoulders.
‘You OK, lovely?’ he asks.
‘Not really.’ My voice quivers. I try not to inhale the acrid smell of pee and poo combined.
He guides me towards the mirrored door and punches the access code with his free hand, blocking the other visitors’ view with his torso. I don’t know Mo well, but well enough that there’s never a lack of chatter between us. Today we’re both silent, pulling our heavy bodies up one tiresome linoleum stair to the next, until we finally reach the stark interview room.
Steve’s already seated. He stands as I enter. His face is pale, with bags under his eyes. His lips are pressed onto a thin thin line.
‘Hi Lucy.’ He steps towards me and then thinks better of it, gesturing to a chair for me to take.
‘Hi.’ I sit as instructed. He’s my lifeline, or Paula’s, right now, but a lot of water has passed under our mutual bridge, and I’m not sure how I feel about him.
‘I’m sorry to be seeing you again under such circumstances,’ Steve says.
I nod. ‘Me too.’ Grief, or perhaps guilt, wells under my eyelids. I swallow the lump back down my constricted throat.
He switches on the recording. ‘So we don’t miss anything, it's quicker than notes. Time is of the essence.’ He curls the corners of his mouth upwards, but it’s not a smile.
‘I understand.’ Part of me blames him; she wouldn’t have been out there being P.I. if he hadn’t strung her and his wife along. If he hadn’t made promises he couldn’t keep to Paula when it came down to delivering. If he wasn’t so shallow.
I wipe my mental white board; that kind of thought process won’t help Paula now.
And so, we go through it. Right from Adam getting arrested, him giving her this case and finally her crazy stint as a meter reader. I tell the whole tale with my gaze downcast. To raise them would allow them to see into my soul, to see my pain at losing my best friend, my fear that something appalling may be happening to her. And my anger at Paula for being so irresponsible and putting herself in harm’s way for no good reason.
As we get to the last part where I film Paula being taken, my cheeks glow red with shame at not having run to help her. I press my cool hands against them, maintain focus on the metal desk. I plough on.
‘But that’s fabulous, Lucy, you’ve not only captured a real-time account of what happened, but more than likely caught the perps on camera.’ Mo says.
Steve nods, ‘Where’s the video now?’
I fiddle with the zip on my bag. It’s jammed where I forced the drone and screen in to my too-small bag. ‘I wasn’t sure what I’d need, so I brought the lot.’
‘Here, hand me it.’ Mo holds out his hand as my fingers shake. With minimal effort, he retrieves the pad.
I retch as the episode plays out. Paula, springs to life, red faced and screaming; screaming so loud. She tugs and drops her weight in a bid to escape, no match for two burly thugs. Blood pours down the back of her neck, an angry stream of thwarted defiance howling from her gut.
A gurgle escapes my lips. I don’t even realise it’s me. I’m swallowed by fear, my chest is tight and my eyes are streaming tears.
‘I let her go in there. I knew it was a mistake and yet, I let her go.’
‘It’s OK, she shouldn’t have gone, she knows better,’ says Mo.
‘I should have got out of the car. I should have stopped her. I could have.’
Steve speaks, but all I can hear is ‘coward,’ echoing through my mind.
‘What’s this?’ Steve asks.
A momentary flash passes between the two coppers. The screen has flipped over to our covert Graham mission; it's frozen on a still of the shocked woman as we inadvertently flew past.
‘Oh, that’s a fraud case with one of Adam’s employees. Actually he’s also his foster brother so I don’t think it’s connected. His brother is his CFO and between them, they’re trying to establish whether he was skimming money. They were looking for the proof. Jerome should have it by now. He was going through this Grahams' accounts.’
Again, they both write with intensity. When they look up, Steve nods in the direction of the pad, indicating I should press play.
Buy the Naked Lies by Karen Botha now
Acknowledgements
So many people have been supportive during my quest to write this, my very first novel.
My friends have been tireless in their interest, although I can't be certain that wasn't to make sure they weren't included, or at the very least, if they were, that they were cast in a fabulous light.
To my beta-readers, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You gave me the confidence to continue past my first draft and the much needed technical knowledge to ensure my criticisms are kept to a minimum. That said, when you read this book, please do so in the knowledge it will never be totally accurate, that's just too dull.
Finally, thank you to my amazing husband, who has taken the downtime created by his wife spending so many hours writing to truly commit to golf. He's just hoping Naked Truths goes well now so he can continue. I may tease, but I really could not ask for any more from you. Thank you!
