"Hardback Re-Release of A Nifty Romantic Suspense Novel"

KILL AND TELL was originally released in 1998 and is currently being re-released by Atria as a hardback. I assume they want to reach the new readers who have discovered Howard since the wonderful best-selling MR. PERFECT. Since I am in that group of readers, I am happy for the re-release as KILL AND TELL had escaped my attention.

KILL AND TELL is non-stop action from page one and I couldn't put it down. Early on Dexter Whitlaw is murdered in New Orleans, after he attempts to blackmail the wrong person. Dexter is murdered by Rick Medina, a contract CIA officer, who is immediately murdered by shadowy figures who had sent him on the mission to kill Dex.

New Orleans Detective Marc Chastain calls Dex's daughter Karen Whitlaw to inform her of her father's death. Marc is one of the most delectable heroes in the romance genre. He is a bright and honorable cop, who suspects there is more to Dex's death then just another bum dying on the streets of the French Quarter. Marc rings true as a southern gentleman, who genuinely enjoys taking care of women. Not to mention that he is drop dead gorgeous with a voice that has Karen panting to meet him after hearing it on her recorder.

Marc's first reaction to Karen is a negative one, but he quickly realizes his mistake. As he comes to know Karen, he realizes he wants to have a long term relationship with her.

Karen is a strong, valiant woman, who I liked immediately and is the perfect mate for Marc. Karen has fulfilled her lifetime ambition to become a nurse and has taken care of all those in her life for years. The death of her father is difficult for Karen, as she still is reeling from the unexpected death of her mother. Her anger at her father for abandoning his family is so great that when she received a box of papers from him, she didn't even look at them. She just stuck them in a box of her mother's things and put them in storage.

Having to deal with the murder of her father strains the iron control she has always had over her emotions. She has not had anyone take care of her since childhood and Marc's gentle caring at a bleak time in her life touches her deeply. She is grateful for the gentle care she receives from the New Orleans detective, but flees home to Ohio very embarrassed after a night of extremely hot sex with Marc.

What follows the steamy night is a tense thriller that kept me turning the pages rapidly toward the exciting ending. The villain is known from early in the book, but this doesn't make him any less creepy and the shadowy world that surrounds this powerful man is a scary one indeed. A world where people are ordered killed because they are 'loose ends'.

Linda Howard has made the transition into the 'Romantic Suspense' sub-genre very smoothly. Howard has kept all of the elements that romance lovers want: i.e. happy ending, wonderful couple and great sex; while giving the couple extremely exciting storylines to keep thriller fans happy. Karen and Marc's romance never gets lost in the action and believe me the delicious Marc is reason enough to spend the money for a hardback copy or to hunt up the earlier paperback edition. I am going to be hurrying to the store to find ALL THE QUEEN'S MEN for the story of John Medina, the extremely intriguing CIA agent introduced in KILL AND TELL.

Reviewed by Linda Hurst
Posted November 12, 2002