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59th out of 826 books
—
1,074 voters
Kill and Tell (CIA's Spies #1)
by
Linda Howard
Some secrets need to be told... Still reeling from her mother's recent death, Karen Whitlaw is stunned when she receives a package containing a mysterious notebook from her estranged father, whom she has barely seen since his return from the Vietnam War decades ago. Then, a shocking phone call: Karen's father has been murdered on the gritty streets of New Orleans.
Even if t...more
Even if t...more
Paperback, 305 pages
Published
September 30th 2003
by Pocket Star
(first published January 1st 1998)
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I'm a big fan of LH's earlier romantic suspense novels, but her latest releases have failed to catch my interest. Kill and Tell is one of her oldies and, IMHO, a very good one.
The story starts with Dexter Whitlaw, a Vietnam veteran, sending a "mysterious" package to his estranged wife. Unbeknown to him, she died a few weeks ago and it's their daughter, Karen, who receives the package. Still grieving for her mother's death and resentfull of her father, who left them when she was only a teenager t...more
The story starts with Dexter Whitlaw, a Vietnam veteran, sending a "mysterious" package to his estranged wife. Unbeknown to him, she died a few weeks ago and it's their daughter, Karen, who receives the package. Still grieving for her mother's death and resentfull of her father, who left them when she was only a teenager t...more
19 likes · like · see review
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Oct 10, 2012
Lady Heather
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
contemporary romance, and fans of thriller/suspense
"Dance with me," he said softly, standing up and holding out his hand to her. She stood and went silently into his arms. She closed her eyes, and her head found her personal resting place on his shoulder. There couldn't be anything more perfect, she thought, than slow dancing, barefoot, on a balcony in New Orleans, while the rain poured down and twilight wrapped around them.
This was the part of the book that had me hooked, and I couldn't put it down until the mystery solved (which just happe...more
11 likes · like · see review
Aug 15, 2008
Collette
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
romantic suspense
Shelves:
howard,
romantic-suspense
This is the first in a trilogy featuring John Medina (ultimate spy). He doesn't have much play time in this book though as it's centered around yummy Marc, a cop from New Orleans and the withdrawn Karen, nurse from Ohio. Her estranged father winds up murdered in New Orleans and since he was ex-military Marc wants to help Karen find out what happened and also to help her get over her self-protection mode. It gets a bit steamy in places and they do seem to spend a lot of quality bed-time getting t...more
4 likes · like · see review
I am not super crazy about this book. It takes place in New Orleans, where I live and grew up. Howard does a great job with her description of the unique quality of the city, but I wasn't falling for the cop and the dead man's daughter... This should really be a 3.5 from me. I am going for 4 because of Natalie Ross. She does a great job with Howard's books. Her performance was good. No one ever gets the New Orleans accent right. But Ross did a decent job not overdoing it. Howard is one of my fav...more
An excellent ‘why are people trying to kill me’ mystery.
I understood how Karen Whitlaw was feeling. While never been in a situation like that, it was close. To lose someone so close to you so quickly, then to lose someone who is supposed to be close to you soon afterwards would have anyone feeling as she felt. A brave woman, she uses her head, her instincts, and her fight for survival to get herself out of whatever situation she finds herself in.
Marc Chastain is one hell of a detective. It’s ver...more
I understood how Karen Whitlaw was feeling. While never been in a situation like that, it was close. To lose someone so close to you so quickly, then to lose someone who is supposed to be close to you soon afterwards would have anyone feeling as she felt. A brave woman, she uses her head, her instincts, and her fight for survival to get herself out of whatever situation she finds herself in.
Marc Chastain is one hell of a detective. It’s ver...more
I've read a lot of erotic romance and erotica in the ten years since I first turned into a puddle of goo after reading the seduction scene in Kill and Tell. I still haven't read anything sexier. What could be more erotic than slow dancing barefoot on a balcony on a rainy night in New Orleans with a hot cajun detective focused on getting you into his bed? Nothing, I tell you. The dreamy scene, told without graphic and clinical detail, as seen through the eyes of the thoroughly seduced heroine is...more
Ho. Ly. Crap. What a freakin' awesome, riveting, romantic, suspenseful, finely tuned tale of murder, revenge and power! Sheez Louise! "Kill And Tell" by Linda Howard was teased at the end of one of the books I had read and it sounded kind of intriguing so I put it on my list of books I'd eventually like to read. Thank goodness it was at the right library at the right time or it'd still be on that very long list. (I'll chalk it up to kismet.)
So anyway...Karen Whitlaw receives a package addressed...more
So anyway...Karen Whitlaw receives a package addressed...more
1 like · like · see review
I'm giving it 3.5 stars. This book should have been like, 100 pages shorter. There was just sooo much thinking... and thinking... and worrying... and more thinking. When it wasn't Karen sitting by herself thinking, I was loving the book. I liked the characters, the romance, the sex, the plot, etc. But there were literally pages of "Karen mulls over her dilema" and I found myself skimming. Basically reading the first and last sentences of a paragraph and since everything made sense, I don't think...more
The only reason I gave this book 2 stars is because of the mystery line. I've missed reading thrillers and I was curious to find out what would happen in the end. However, the love line was hopeless. It was... words fail me, actually. Words are not able to describe just how implausible, ridiculous and stupid the whole "love story" was. Here we have the main heroine who lives a practically chaste life - but two days of seeing our main hero and she is into having wild sex non-stop. Interesting. Bu...more
May 04, 2013
Anita Fleming
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
romantic-supense
Kill and Tell is a fast paced book that grabs you on page one and does not let you go. I loved the story. It was twisty in all the right places and held my interest throughout. While I was reading the book I was wondering how everything was going to tie in. When it did tie in I was quite surprised by the result! All in all a great book!
Karen has just lost her mother to a sudden illness and out of the blue she receives a package of papers from her father, Dexter, a Vietnam vet, who deserted them...more
Karen has just lost her mother to a sudden illness and out of the blue she receives a package of papers from her father, Dexter, a Vietnam vet, who deserted them...more
ชื่อ John Medina ในวงเล็บทำให้คิดว่าตานี่เป็นพระเอกแต่ในปกหลังกลับไม่มีกล่าวถึง แล้วตัวละครตัวนี้ก็มีบทบาทน้อยมากหรือว่าผู้แต่งต้องการให้มีซีรีส์ต่อจากเล่มนี้ ซึ่งจริง ๆ แล้วตัวละครตัวนี้ก็น่าสนใจติดตามอยู่เหมือนกัน ชอบพระเอกมาก เจ้าแผนการเหลือเกิน ยิ่งแผนการล่อลวงนางเอกเนี่ยคิดได้ไงก็ไม่รู้ที่ใส่คอนดอมไว้ล่วงหน้าเพื่อไม่ให้อารมณ์สะดุด
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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May 10, 2013
April Blaine
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
romantic-suspense-spies
Loved it. I loved the growth of Karen, who started a woman scared to become attached to any man, fearful he would leave her as her father left both her mother and her. I appreciated that she is smart and inventive. Chastain is a strong hero, emotionally gutsy enough to admit to Karen he didn't like her when he first met her. That would normally be a relationship-killer but he pulls it off. The background conversations of many other characters (John Medina, Viney, her father and even the villain)...more
I loved this book..!!
It had everything from fast paced story, action, great suspense, romance. I always feel that it's your character that sells the story and this book had great characters... Karen is independent yet vulnerable, the elusive John Medina who comes across as so powerful and unbeatable and yet with a core inside that is soo good.. You wanna know more about him. Senator lake with his twisted need to gain approval and succeed.... But the characterisation of Marc surprised me the mos...more
It had everything from fast paced story, action, great suspense, romance. I always feel that it's your character that sells the story and this book had great characters... Karen is independent yet vulnerable, the elusive John Medina who comes across as so powerful and unbeatable and yet with a core inside that is soo good.. You wanna know more about him. Senator lake with his twisted need to gain approval and succeed.... But the characterisation of Marc surprised me the mos...more
Karen Whitlaw's mother just died and she gets a package from her estranged father, who left them when she was small. She packs it away and forgets about it. Sometime later, her father is murdered in New Orleans. She flies down to identify the body and begins a relationship with Detective Marc Chastain. Soon after returning home, her mother's house burns to the ground and someone breaks into her apartment trying to kill her. Someone is after the contents of the package her father sent, but who?
Th...more
Th...more
The best part about this audiobook was the narrator. I usually love Ms. Howards work, but this one was way below most of her others.
While I enjoyed the characters main characters, the story seemed a little too rushed and it lackec the excitement of some of her other mysteries. The dialog between the "bad guys" was uninteresting and didn't have you asking why about anything other than what they were after.
The romance between the two main characters was alright, but the book was very slow to star...more
While I enjoyed the characters main characters, the story seemed a little too rushed and it lackec the excitement of some of her other mysteries. The dialog between the "bad guys" was uninteresting and didn't have you asking why about anything other than what they were after.
The romance between the two main characters was alright, but the book was very slow to star...more
2 likes · like · see review
Karen Whitlaw is still trying to get over her mother's recent death when she gets a package addressed to her mother from her estranged father, Dexter. He's a Vietnam War veteran who never recovered from his war experience and she hasn't seen him in almost 20 years. She puts the package away without giving the contents much thought and sets off a chain of events completely out of her control. When she's notified of her father's murder, Karen goes to New Orleans to identify his body. We learn at t...more
Quick and entertaining read! I was really into the romance in this one, despite how few days they had to get to know one another. Often, in a suspense-thriller with an underlying romance, the situation is too situational for me to believe the love. In this case, though, I was really pulled into the passion. These two seemed like a good match, and I liked them together.
The only real problem I had with this was the sheer number of viewpoints. They all made sense, and added to the suspense, but at...more
The only real problem I had with this was the sheer number of viewpoints. They all made sense, and added to the suspense, but at...more
This was an interesting book. When I first started reading it I was confused by what was happening, it didn't seem like things made sense. But as the story progressed it slowly started to connect, which was a relief for me. I had been hearing so much about the John Medina books so I expected more with him. I can see where the events of this book are setting up things for him in later books.
With all that said I did really like Karen and Marc. I can see where Karen was coming from in regards to h...more
With all that said I did really like Karen and Marc. I can see where Karen was coming from in regards to h...more
Another excellent romantic suspense novel. It was a good thriller, interesting characters, good relationships, good plot and action.
Definitely worth reading. Dexter was a Vietnam Vet who abandoned his wife and daughter after that war. He was killed. His daughter, Karen, went to New Orleans to identify and bury him. She met Marc, a detective and a romance began. The killer then started going after Karen. John Medina has a small but important part in this book. He is the main character in the next...more
Definitely worth reading. Dexter was a Vietnam Vet who abandoned his wife and daughter after that war. He was killed. His daughter, Karen, went to New Orleans to identify and bury him. She met Marc, a detective and a romance began. The killer then started going after Karen. John Medina has a small but important part in this book. He is the main character in the next...more
I really liked this book. It started out a bit slow but the pace got faster halfway in. It's unlike any book I've ever read, and I can't quite put my finger on why that is. I can tell you that the characters were not your typical hero and heroine, and I love it when a writer does that. When you've read lots of books of the same genre, many themes can get a little repetitive, and this book is an example of how not to overuse the man-about-town-rescues-helpless-nicegirl theme, even though that's w...more
Mmmmm....This is such a great read -- Linda Howard at her best. Primarily set in New Orleans, you can practically feel the heat and humidity, and I'm not just talking about the weather! Marc Chastain is a police detective who is investigating a seemingly random street killing when he meets the victim's daughter, Karen.
The writing is just amazing; the characters are vivid, and the plot moves quickly as we learn of a high-level plot to cover up the crime.
This is also the first time we are introd...more
The writing is just amazing; the characters are vivid, and the plot moves quickly as we learn of a high-level plot to cover up the crime.
This is also the first time we are introd...more
This book takes place mainly in present day North Dakota. Karen Whitlow and Marc Chastain meet up and fall in love in this mystery-thriller. It's a fun book with lots of steamy parts and I read it in about 3 hours! There's nothing really unique about it, just found it fun. And that's what reading is, recreation. Some quotable quotes include: "Crying causes endorphins to be released into the body automatically lifting the mood." "People always laugh at funerals, sometimes even the families. It is...more
cerita pembunuhan terhadap 2 org pembunuh bayaran ini kurang menarik kalo buat saya.
tokoh Karen Whitlaw nampak terlalu pintar untuk ukuran seorang perawat. tapi mungkin ini adalah salah satu contoh "kekuatan" yg cuma dimiliki oleh seorang tokoh utama dlm setiap novel. misalnya, bagaimana cara dia menyelinap ke kamar mandi tanpa diketahui oleh penjahat yg berjarak deket bgt sama dia, hal ini hampir gak mungkin bs dilakukan org seorang perawat kl saja dia bukan sang tokoh utama. ending nya juga cu...more
tokoh Karen Whitlaw nampak terlalu pintar untuk ukuran seorang perawat. tapi mungkin ini adalah salah satu contoh "kekuatan" yg cuma dimiliki oleh seorang tokoh utama dlm setiap novel. misalnya, bagaimana cara dia menyelinap ke kamar mandi tanpa diketahui oleh penjahat yg berjarak deket bgt sama dia, hal ini hampir gak mungkin bs dilakukan org seorang perawat kl saja dia bukan sang tokoh utama. ending nya juga cu...more
When Homicide Detective Marc Chastain is called to the mysterious murder of a seemingly homeless man, little did he realize his life was about to change, dramatically! The homeless man, Dexter Whitlaw, was a Vietnam vet, with many secrets to hide, and it seemed he had been targeted in the last days of his life.
His daughter, Karen Whitlaw, hadn’t seen her father in over 20 years, and was still grieving the very recent death of her mother. When she received a mysterious parcel, addressed to her mo...more
His daughter, Karen Whitlaw, hadn’t seen her father in over 20 years, and was still grieving the very recent death of her mother. When she received a mysterious parcel, addressed to her mo...more
After another re-read I'm still loving this book! Karen is contacted by the NOPD when her father (whom she hasn't seen for many years) is found murdered in an alley. Still grieving for the loss of her mother a few months before, this overworked nurse makes the journey to New Orleans to identify and bury the man her mother loved till the day she died. Detective Marc Chastain is the man in charge of the investigation and although he is helpful, he is at first , cold towards Karen. Then he realises...more
3* for story (B-/C+)
4.5* for narration by Natalie Ross (A)
The story was somewhat weak to me. It was too confusing and took too long to get off the ground. Thankfully, the second half of the book was faster-paced and more interesting than the first part.
I liked several of the secondary characters as much or more than the main characters. Zach and Sam were way too caught up in what happened before and spent too much time in their own heads, especially in the first part of the book. Overall it was...more
4.5* for narration by Natalie Ross (A)
The story was somewhat weak to me. It was too confusing and took too long to get off the ground. Thankfully, the second half of the book was faster-paced and more interesting than the first part.
I liked several of the secondary characters as much or more than the main characters. Zach and Sam were way too caught up in what happened before and spent too much time in their own heads, especially in the first part of the book. Overall it was...more
Great story, great writing. LH on top of her game. At times the descriptions of how wonderful Marc is and how wonderful he treats all women got to me. Really Marc, you're just a man. You may be a good one, but you are just human. Stop thinking how wonderful you are and just show me. Oh, and wearing a condom while you are dancing on a balcony is NOT WONDERFUL! It's creepy! Not sure I'll ever get passed that. :)
All in all, this is a great read. Marc and Karen are both great characters. I love that...more
All in all, this is a great read. Marc and Karen are both great characters. I love that...more
2 likes · like · see review
Apr 18, 2008
Gramedia Pustaka Utama
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
linda-howard
Dexter Whitlaw yang tidak mengetahui bahwa istrinya Jeanette telah meninggal, berusaha mengirimkan sebuah paket rahasia pada istrinya. Entah apa isi paket rahasia itu yang pasti putri Dex, Karen, enggan untuk melihat isinya dengan teliti. Apalagi setelah tahu yang mengirimkan paket itu adalah ayah yang nyaris tidak pernah dikenalnya. Ia lalu menyimpan paket itu bersama barang-barang ibunya dan menyimpannya dalam gudang sewaan.
TApi sayang ternyata ada seseorang yang mengetahui Dex telah mengirim...more
TApi sayang ternyata ada seseorang yang mengetahui Dex telah mengirim...more
So, I've been trying to read by author to see how they write, develope characters etc. It's very interesting. I've read several of Linda Howards. I think she is a good writer and her stories really suck you in and keep you turning the pages. They are exactly what I'm looking for. But, just like w/Mr. Perfect, I think she goes overboard w/sex and language when it's not necessary. And again I have a feeling I'm the minority on this as this was also a really good seller for her.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marc Chastain vs. John Medina | 12 | 38 | Aug 25, 2011 07:23pm |
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
(1) Romance author
Linda S. Howington was born on August 3, 1950 in Alabama, United States. She began to write at nine years old, and wrote for twenty years for her own enjoyment. She worked at a trucking company where she met her husband, and then decided to try and get her work published in 1980. [1:] Her first...more
More about Linda Howard...
(1) Romance author
Linda S. Howington was born on August 3, 1950 in Alabama, United States. She began to write at nine years old, and wrote for twenty years for her own enjoyment. She worked at a trucking company where she met her husband, and then decided to try and get her work published in 1980. [1:] Her first...more
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“Death isn't peaceful; it is just nothing. Everything is gone. No more sunrises, no more hopes, no more fears. Nothing.”
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