Rating: 
Summary: Howard's Kill and Tell--Why?
Review: I purchased Kill and Tell on the strength of Ms. Howard's name alone. I didn't even read the blurb on the back. Kill and Tell felt incomplete. Why did the two main characters fall in love? More to the point how did the these two fall in love? He hated her on principal, and she knew he disliked her. Yet he wanted her and she fell in line, (or in bed, as the case maybe).
I've read several of Ms. Howard's books, like "Touch of Fire", "Heart of Fire", "White Lies" and many others. This book was beneath her great talent.
I'm more curious about John Medina that I am about Karen and Marc. I can only hope Medina's story is much better.
Long time Romance Reader
Rating: 
Summary: What a dreadful book.
Review: This so-called suspense story by an author who won an award for Best Sensual Romance is simply terrible. Howard may be a favorite romance author, but she must never ever again venture into "suspense" or mystery. The book jacket reads: "A riveting masterpiece of suspense." The publishers, Pocket Books, should be ashamed of themselves. If this had been billed as a romance novel, I could have known to avoid it. A mystery it is not. Nor is it suspense. If one is prejudiced and believes that superficial "romance" novels are trash, then this is trash. If, however, the readers want superficial, poorly crafted romance novels, perhaps then this is the book to read. But do not ever again, publishers, market her books as suspense or mystery. -K. Feig-
Rating: 
Summary: Did Linda Howard even write this?
Review: For a big fan of Linda Howard, her new and breathlessly-awaited novel, Kill and Tell, was a big disappointment for several reasons. A)It was difficult to "buy" into the relationship between the two main characters. They were not fully developed, and I couldn't see why they liked each other, much less why they would want to have sex. (The quick relationship in her short story in "Midnight Clear" -- a book of 4 authors released for Christmas 1997 -- is better and more believable than the relationship between these two in a full novel). B)Two other peripheral characters, the young detective Shannon and the Medina son were interesting, but you got the feeling Howard's deadline was due, so their (incomplete?) characterizations were chopped out of the story. This could have been a "real" novel if these two were more developed, as Detective Trammel was more developed in "Dream Man." C) This novel read like a "souped-up" Sillouette novel, padded with a few more explicit sex scenes, and mechanical ones at that. The sex scenes are in because they are sex scenes; not because they fit the characters, story or timing. D) Even though you got a pretty good feel for New Orleans (I grew up there), the plot did not seem fully developed or as intricate as it should have been. However, the story line was really good--it just needed more to it. E) I felt gypped -- this was being billed as (and charged as) a "real," full-length novel. This novel gets a "6," because even though it was a disappointment and a below par "Howard," it was an OK book.... Just don't expect a "Howard" along the lines of "Heart of Fire," "Dream Man," "After the Night," or even "Son of the Morning."
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Summary: Howard's Latest Disappoints
Review: Howard, usually so adept at creating appealing heroes and heroines and spinning tales that brim with sensuality and romantic tension, fails to capture readers' interest or empathy with her latest mainstream romance, Kill and Tell. Hero Marc Chastain is charmless and the relationship between him and heroine Karen Whitlaw is unconvincingly developed. The two go from being strangers to lovers so fast that there is no romance and the relationship seems superficial and somewhat crude. Howard's love story would have been more convincing and appealing if she had cut out some of her secondary characters or taken a cue from the novel's setting, New Orleans in the summer, and drawn things out. As it is, Kill and Tell is too short to create a convincing love story or support the number of characters that Howard has created. In Kill and Tell Howard also made one of the worst mistakes a romance writer can make: she created a secondary male character that is more appealing than the hero. Though he only makes a brief appearance, John Medina, son of one of the men killed in the novel, is intriguing and will hopefully soon have a book of his own. Some of Kill and Tell's best moments come early in the novel as heroine Karen Whitlaw reflects on her mother's recent death and the grief-filled void it has created in her life. Whitlaw's progress toward understanding her father--the cause of all the murder and mayhem--and resolving her conflicting feelings about him also occasions some better writing from Howard.
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Summary: Linda Howard is romance's crown jewel
Review: The Viet Nam War has been over for more than two decades, but its aftermath still lingers, claiming more lives with every passing moment. Karen Whitelaw loathes her father Dex for walking out on her and her mother after he returned from a three year stint in Nam. Dex is unable to adjust to civilian life and especially feels guilty over the one mistake he made back in the Nam jungle. Unable to cope, Dex became a drifter before finally deciding that he needs to end it all with a deadly game of cat and mouse with his long term adversary. However, before Dex started the end game, he sent a package filled with information to Karen. That box contains information that explains his one error and how he became the enemy of one of the most powerful people in the country. Dex is soon murdered, but the killer's employer needs the contents of the box that details his involvement in the Nam incident. Karen soon realizes that the recent rash of accidents that she has suffered from is tied to her possession of the box. She runs into the arms of homicide detective Marc Chastair, the only person she believes who can keep her physically safe, even though he has the power to break her heart. . Once again, Linda Howard delivers a fantastic reading experience, brimming with sexual energy and high voltage drama. KILL AND TELL gives a behind the scene glimpse of the dirtier aspects of war and how the past can impact the present and the future. This is one author who delivers her novels with a flair and style that makes her comparable to no one and loved by everyone. Harriet Klausner
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Summary: flawless Multi-POV makes this a Howard masterpiece
Review: Linda Howard has been one of the long time writers on my Keeper Shelf. She just delivers time and again with tales that keep you mesmerized by her talent. This is just another in the line of super reads penned since Howard rebounded from her back troubles in the mid 1990's.
Karen Whitlaw is still having to adjust to losing her mother, when she finds an odd parcel in the mail. A package from the father she has not seen in years. Ever since his return from the Vietnam War, he has been out of her life. Having trouble with accepting her mother's death, she does not want to deal with anything from her absent father. She puts the notebook from the parcel away - and promptly forgets about it. Until she receives another blow - a call from a New Orleans detective saying her father was murdered on their streets. The kind sounding detective, Mac Chastain, just chalks the death up to another street crime, endless violence in the gritty life of a homeless man, so Karen is willing to accept his verdict. Marc is unaware of the death of Karen's mother, and the numb state she is in, so he chalks her up to being cold, heartless when she does not show reaction over her father's death.
Only, slowly Karen becomes aware the crime was made to look like nothing more than senseless violence. Some one breaks into her home, and Karen is convinced they are after the notebook she put aside and dismissed from her mind. Fearful, she examines the book and discovers her father was a sniper in Vietnam. Through the worn pages, she is shocked to discover the book is a list of everyone of his kills.
Karen now feels she is running for her life, because someone wants that book. He has killed once, thus one hesitate to kill again. There is only one person she can trust: Marc Chastain. Together they must find the answers before they are the killer's next targets.
I always enjoy New Orleans as a setting for Romance books. The city has such a old world charm, the quirkiness of the people, that it's a brilliant locale for a story, giving both the glamour and seediness that exist comfortably hand in hand. Howard mines that used the sensual backdrop, giving the reader a strongly detailed story with a strong hero and heroine that will keep you breathless to the end.
With flawless Mutli-POV (point of view) that permits the reader to know both characters equally well, it just does not get any better than this!
Rating:
Summary: Not very good
Review: Too many characters for such a quick read. Story moved too fast for the characters to be developed. Sex scene was spectacular but I couldn't picture Karen even at the end. Not the usual Linda Howard we've come to expect but don't give up on her because her other works are spectacular. I just read Perfect by Judith Mcnaught prior to this and may have a lot to do w/ my review since Perfect is a 10 star book.
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Summary: Loved it!!
Review: I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed and the storyline kept you on the edge of your seat, not to mention very hot!!! Make sure you have the time to read this book, you won't want to put it down.
Rating:
Summary: Thumbs up!
Review: This book has both an interesting plot and believable and likeable characters. Karen Whitlaw and New Orleans detective Marc Chastain play off of each other beautifully throughout this well crafted novel. Karen must travel to New Orleans to identify her father, the victim of a homocide. Why would someone murder an apparently homeless man? That's for Karen and Marc to discover, and the secret soon leads to attempts on Karen's life. I fell in love with Marc -- he's tough, charming, handsome, knows how to dress, and owns a home in the French Quarter. It doesn't get much better than that! Linda Howard delivers, as usual, a keeper.
Rating:
Summary: Good Story
Review: This is your standard Linda Howard storyline. Heroine meets hero, she is being hunted, hero must help keep her alive. Karen receives a package from her estranged father, a homeless vietnam veteran. Around this same time, she also receives a telephone call from the police in New Orleans informing her that her father was murdered. Karen has to find the strength to pull herself together enough to go to New Orleans to identify her father's body, pay her last respects and find him a final resting place. When Karen arrives in New Orleans she meets Detective Marc Chastain who takes one look at her and her "cold" attitude and decides she is one of those "unfeeling, uncaring, selfish" types who could care less about family or the fact that her father is dead. As Marc helps Karen make an identification of her father, he realizes he has made an error and Karen is actually very hurt but hiding behind a touch facade. He is touched and very attracted to her. Karen soon finds out that she has even more problems than her father's murder, because someone is trying to kill her. Karen must work with Marc to track down the murderer before she is the next victim. This was a good solid story. I read in one sitting. I would recommend.
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