Death Angel: A Novel [Mass Market Paperback]

This is truly a story of redeeming love, and I loved it. Linda Howard has taken some truly unlikeable characters and because of a life changing miracle given us two truly memorable characters. The first few chapters led me to believe it was like some of her other books and I started to put it down. But the cover said something about a miracle so I kept reading and am I glad I did.

Drea Rousseau is the mistress of a mobster. She is smart enough to act very dumb. She was raised poor and determined to have the best in life she could get. She has been his mistress for two years. At the age of 15 she got pregnant and when she lost the baby she lost her self. That was when she decided to go for everything she wanted. Using her body and her wits she has climbed to the penthouse of a mobster.

The assassin is unknown and we don't learn his name until the end of the book. The mobster uses him for the most deadly hits on his competitors. He always gets the job done and his very cold deadly glance gives even Salinas cold chills.

As the book starts he is facing Salinas, who wants to give him a bonus for his good work. A hundred thousand extra dollars, but the assassin asks for Drea for one time. He is testing how far Salinas will go to humor him. Drea considers herself a mistress not a ho. Now however she can't believe Salinas will give her to this man.

Drea spends four hours with the assassin and her life is changed in ways she doesn't understand. She asks him to take her with him, but he laughs and leaves. At that time her hatred for Salinas is unstoppable and she puts her get away plans into motion.

Salinas naturally calls on the assassin to take her out. From this point on I could not put it down. It is truly one of the best books by Howard I have read in many yrs. Do not miss this one.

Drea Rousseau has not lived a good life. At a very young age she learned about heartache and as a result has gone through great lengths to make sure she would never feel that again. Using her wits and her body she has spent her years manipulating men into getting what she wants and playing whatever role is needed.

As an arm-charm to a ruthless drug lord and criminal, Drea thought she had it pretty good. She had no delusions about what their relationship was or was not, she was just taking one day at a time always knowing the end was coming. One afternoon he surprises her by treating her rather callously and for Drea that makes the end of their relationship come a lot sooner than expected.

But even as she makes her escape life throws yet another monkey wrench in the works and Drea's life and outlook is irrevocably changed, forever. What once seemed so important isn't anymore and she works hard to make every moment of this second chance count.

I thought this book was incredible; filled with twists and turns and completely unpredictable. From page one it was clear that this tale was going to be daringly different from any other romantic suspense novel I have read. The two main characters aren't nice people and I really shouldn't have cared for either one, but the way they are written, despite their flaws, I felt and fell for both. These aren't two people that you expect to be stars in a romance novel, but it is their unique characters that make this book so great. Both had led shallow and selfish existences and aren't very apologetic about it. But with the second chance that Drea faces, they both rediscover life, one another and are struck by the power of love.

Truly a wonderful story filled with some heartbreaking, fantastic and miraculous moments; I loved ever word of it.

Cherise Everhard October 2008

If asked "Who has been disappointed by Linda Howard's latest hardcover novels, raise your hand?" mine would've been the first one to shoot into the air. However, Linda Howard is one of the most versatile authors out there and she has written some of my very favorite books, so when given the opportunity to read this book, I jumped at the chance. I thought it was great! Her last few books have focused too much on the details and/or the unbelievable plots and left characters to fall by the wayside. Not so with Death Angel. Yes, there are a lot of details and the plot is unbelievable at times, but the way the story is put together is one heck of a ride. I couldn't stop turning the pages.

When reading the summary, I wasn't sure I would like Drea. Who would be interested in a drug runners arm candy? So I was more than a little surprised when I was actually sympathizing with her from the first chapter. She is a very layered heroine and it was so interesting to watch the evolution of her character. She is most definitely arm candy by the very definition of the phrase for the first part of the book, but she is also very cunning, conniving and street smart - a fact that is shown more than once as she plays the role of girlfriend to Rafael Salinas (a role that he buys into wholeheartedly).

This book doesn't skimp on the details of Drea's situation or how she gets out of it, but unlike last year's 'Up Close and Dangerous', the details add to the story instead of taking away from it.

This isn't a love story in the traditional sense of the word, but there is a love story in it. It's a very female-driven plot (think of 'Son of the Morning' or 'Cry No More' - the story in no way resembles these two books, but the layout of the plot and the heroine doing anything and everything she can to survive is what reminded me of those two, as well as the relationship between the hero/heroine - not a lot of page time, but it's worthwhile when they are together).

That being said, it won't be for everyone. There is a small paranormal aspect to it that some people probably won't like. I enjoyed it and others will as well, but not everyone. It's a very small aspect of the story (less than 25 pages) but very pivotal, so don't let that sway you either way in buying the book or not buying it.

The hero is definitely her darkest yet. The baddest of her bad boys and one of my new favorites. He's known for several chapters as nothing but 'the assassin' which set him apart from her other heroes at the first mention of him. The heroine was strong and smart with a soft side that draws the reader (or at least this reader) in from the very beginning. It starts off with a bang (literally) and the pace rarely slows down until the end.

Is it as good as some of Linda Howard's novels? No. But it is one of the best books I've read this year and I'm so relieved to see she hasn't lost her edge. It's definitely LH's best hardcover in the last five years or more. Without question, I will be buying her next book in HC, and looking forward to it.