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To Die For
He was tall strong, and determined.... And Mike Gerard was the best detective the police academy had ever bred. Tanda Grail desperately needed help finding answers about her brother's death, and Mike, with his virile magnetism and rock-solid manliness, was like a Galahad with a badge.
While the cop in Mike wanted to know what secrets Tanda might have uncovered, the man in him wanted to know how she had affected him as no woman ever had before. Her determination to involve herself in his investigation had Mike vowing to protect Tanda at all costs and to bring her brother's murderer to justice. But did honor and duty alone motivate him, or did he also hope to capture himself a bride?
250 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
About the author
Sharon Green
147 books113 followersBorn and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Attended New York University and graduated with a B.A. in 1963. Married in 1963, had three sons, divorced in 1976. Raised the sons, Andy, Brian and Curtis, alone in New Jersey. Worked for AT&T as a shareowner correspondent, then as an all-around assistant in a construction company, then sold bar steel for an import firm. Left that job as assistant sales manager. I've been writing full time since 1984.
Hobbies: knitting, crocheting, Tae Kwon Do, fencing, archery, shooting, jigsaw puzzles, logic problems, math problems, not cooking.
Don't do my own research, since if I did I'd stay with that and never get any writing done. I usually can finish a novel of about 120,000 words in about three months.
Hobbies: knitting, crocheting, Tae Kwon Do, fencing, archery, shooting, jigsaw puzzles, logic problems, math problems, not cooking.
Don't do my own research, since if I did I'd stay with that and never get any writing done. I usually can finish a novel of about 120,000 words in about three months.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 17, 2018
To Die For (Version 2.0)
December 13, 2000
Sharon Green returns to Intrigue after a seven year absence with the line's second "To Die For." When Tanda Grail's brother is murdered, he's only the first victim of a serial killer who murders five victims in a week. Tanda hires a private investigator to work on the case when the police get nowhere, only to see the P.I. become the killer's latest victim. Lieutenant Mike Gerard has been assigned to the case. As the bodies continue to pile up, can they hope to unmask the killer before it's too late?
I changed my mind about this book's rating several times while reading it, from three stars to four to five to four and finally back to five. "To Die For" left me too stunned and excited not to give it the highest rating I can. It's not flawless (more on that later), but it packs a wallop most Intrigues these days can't come close to delivering. Green delivers a mystery of such complexity and stunning twists most Intrigue authors today could never dream of inventing. It's so daring I kept checking the cover to make sure this WAS an Intrigue. The back cover even goes so far as to try to make this sound like another generic cop story. It's not. This is a wonderfully original read.
"To Die For" is a book that will satisfy readers more interested in the "suspense" portion than the "romance." Those who prefer the love story to be the priority in their romantic suspense will likely be disappointed. The romance in "To Die For" is forced and unconvincing; the character development nonexistent. But the mystery is thrilling. It reminded me so much of the Intrigues that used to be published back when Green started writing for the line (The love story often got the short end then too. To Green's credit this one is more credible than the one she delivered in "Haunted House.")
The first hundred pages are rather slow, full of setup that comes in useful later but isn't terribly compelling when presented. It's around page 100 that the book takes off and never stops. The mystery begins twisting and turning, with a scenario so unique and fresh I found myself grinning gleefully as I read. This was when I started to believe I had a five star book on my hands, an impression only diminished when the forced "romance" made an appearance before thankfully handing the rest of the story over to the mystery. This is simply the best mystery an Intrigue book has told since "Same Place, Same Time" a year ago, so well constructed and expertly plotted. It was a pleasure to be in the hands of a writer who wasn't telling her story because this type of book is supposedly popular (i.e. babies/cowboys/amnesia victims), but one who had a special vision all her own for this tale. So much about this story is just so wonderfully different. The heroine's occupation, which is used to wonderful effect. The richness of the details (although the Connecticut setting is so vague the story could have taken place anywhere. A shame. When was the last time a Harlequin novel took place in Connecticut???) The mystery also brings out the best in the characters. Through most of the beginning, they seem pretty cardboard. Though they don't exactly pop into three-dimensions later on, their actions in dealing with the mystery as the story goes along make them easy to root for (LOVED Tanda's comeback starting on page 172. Brilliant.) Romance readers may (justifiably) have quibbles. This book is a mystery reader's dream.
I do find it ironic though that a book that brings back an old author and comes closest to the spirit of what this series used to be also shows the current Harlequin regime's lack of regard for this line's history. The title "To Die For" was already used for an Intrigue, Number 214 by M.J. Rodgers, a book even more imaginative and full of twists than this one (It also had an actual romance). In a battle of the two "To Die For"s, the first is still the best, though both are must-reads.
Books like this are why I continue to read Harlequin Intrigues month after month, enduring recycled plots, uninspired writing and unimaginative stories in hopes that I'll find a book that knocks me off my feet. In "To Die For" (Version 2), I found one.
December 13, 2000
Sharon Green returns to Intrigue after a seven year absence with the line's second "To Die For." When Tanda Grail's brother is murdered, he's only the first victim of a serial killer who murders five victims in a week. Tanda hires a private investigator to work on the case when the police get nowhere, only to see the P.I. become the killer's latest victim. Lieutenant Mike Gerard has been assigned to the case. As the bodies continue to pile up, can they hope to unmask the killer before it's too late?
I changed my mind about this book's rating several times while reading it, from three stars to four to five to four and finally back to five. "To Die For" left me too stunned and excited not to give it the highest rating I can. It's not flawless (more on that later), but it packs a wallop most Intrigues these days can't come close to delivering. Green delivers a mystery of such complexity and stunning twists most Intrigue authors today could never dream of inventing. It's so daring I kept checking the cover to make sure this WAS an Intrigue. The back cover even goes so far as to try to make this sound like another generic cop story. It's not. This is a wonderfully original read.
"To Die For" is a book that will satisfy readers more interested in the "suspense" portion than the "romance." Those who prefer the love story to be the priority in their romantic suspense will likely be disappointed. The romance in "To Die For" is forced and unconvincing; the character development nonexistent. But the mystery is thrilling. It reminded me so much of the Intrigues that used to be published back when Green started writing for the line (The love story often got the short end then too. To Green's credit this one is more credible than the one she delivered in "Haunted House.")
The first hundred pages are rather slow, full of setup that comes in useful later but isn't terribly compelling when presented. It's around page 100 that the book takes off and never stops. The mystery begins twisting and turning, with a scenario so unique and fresh I found myself grinning gleefully as I read. This was when I started to believe I had a five star book on my hands, an impression only diminished when the forced "romance" made an appearance before thankfully handing the rest of the story over to the mystery. This is simply the best mystery an Intrigue book has told since "Same Place, Same Time" a year ago, so well constructed and expertly plotted. It was a pleasure to be in the hands of a writer who wasn't telling her story because this type of book is supposedly popular (i.e. babies/cowboys/amnesia victims), but one who had a special vision all her own for this tale. So much about this story is just so wonderfully different. The heroine's occupation, which is used to wonderful effect. The richness of the details (although the Connecticut setting is so vague the story could have taken place anywhere. A shame. When was the last time a Harlequin novel took place in Connecticut???) The mystery also brings out the best in the characters. Through most of the beginning, they seem pretty cardboard. Though they don't exactly pop into three-dimensions later on, their actions in dealing with the mystery as the story goes along make them easy to root for (LOVED Tanda's comeback starting on page 172. Brilliant.) Romance readers may (justifiably) have quibbles. This book is a mystery reader's dream.
I do find it ironic though that a book that brings back an old author and comes closest to the spirit of what this series used to be also shows the current Harlequin regime's lack of regard for this line's history. The title "To Die For" was already used for an Intrigue, Number 214 by M.J. Rodgers, a book even more imaginative and full of twists than this one (It also had an actual romance). In a battle of the two "To Die For"s, the first is still the best, though both are must-reads.
Books like this are why I continue to read Harlequin Intrigues month after month, enduring recycled plots, uninspired writing and unimaginative stories in hopes that I'll find a book that knocks me off my feet. In "To Die For" (Version 2), I found one.
April 15, 2023
A Great Who Done It
I really enjoyed reading this murder mystery, the characters are well developed and the storyline kept me interested and guessing right up till the very end. This book is definitely a good read and time well spent.
I really enjoyed reading this murder mystery, the characters are well developed and the storyline kept me interested and guessing right up till the very end. This book is definitely a good read and time well spent.
February 26, 2011
I really liked a lot of the Sci-fi fantasy books written by Ms. Green. Unfortunately, some of her series were never finished as they never sold well. Once again, I guess I'm a niche reader. When I saw a new book by her and I was excited. Yeah, this is not her best work. I would say that whilst she can write romantic elements, a full on romance novel is not my favourite writing genre of hers. This was just meh for me.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews