Kiss And Kill [Paperback]

Anne has been married to a US senator for 20 years. She had a degree and was a journalist but chucked it all to be Mrs. Parker Atwood. Parker never recognizes Anne's intelligence and her main use to him is as a political wife.

They adopted daughter Barry when she was a few days old and she's now 16. Barry thinks her father is the best thing since sliced bread, even though he sent her to a boarding school 1500 miles away and pays her very little attention. On the other hand she sees Anne as the enemy and treats her horrendously. She constantly insults her and refuses to recognize her authority even though Anne is just trying to keep her safe. Barry is a complete brat.

Ellen is Anne's best friend who went into rehab several years ago and is clean and a successful lawyer. She divorced Scott, her cop husband, when she found him in their bed with another woman (Ick!). They've been divorced for five years and he had been seeing Carole (the other woman) for six months before he and Ellen broke up. He just split with Carole six months ago and basically says he doesn't have any deep feelings for her. He had a relationship for five years and doesn't care about her? Scott never really explains his actions other than to say Ellen made more money than him and he was supposed to be the major bread winner, that's the way it should be. He never apologizes to her but that was the pattern of most of the characters. The majority of the interaction between Scott & Ellen happens "off canvas" so we never know why their relationship goes in the direction it does.

Anne has known Ian McKay most of her life and had a very brief relationship with him before she met Parker. Again, we never get a real explanation as to why he left Anne and like everyone else he never apologizes. Well, everyone except Anne who's always apologizing to someone even though she's rarely at fault.

After Parker dies in a plane crash Anne acquires a stalker. With Ian's help she also uncovers the fact that Parker had a complete other life. Now my question is this: How could she have lived with this man for 20 years and not even suspected any of this? This guy was a borderline monster and yet she never picked up on anything? Was she living on Fantasy Island?

The stalker was obvious, the end anti-climactic and left loose ends.

Life abruptly changes when Parker's private plane vanishes in Montana. Accompanied by Barry, who blames Anne for her father's disappearance, reporters begin making inquiries. The worst news hound is Ian McKay, who is investigating alleged criminal activity by Parker. When an unknown blackmailer insists she continue her spouse's payments, a stunned Anne turns to Ian to uncover the truth behind the facade she lived with for twenty years.

KISS AND KILL is an exciting romantic intrigue that hard core suspense fans will enjoy. It is well written and never eases off the throttle but readers will sometimes question motives and relationships of the key characters when they don't gel. Karen Young is clearly a talented author as the novel retains a fun to read, suspense-laden quality, but the romantic elements seem inappropriate. Still, anyone who relishes a political thriller will gain pleasure from KISS AND KILL.

Harriet Klausner

Anyone that hasn't taken the time to read a Karen Young book....pick one up. Doesn't matter which one...they're all excellent. You'll become an instant fan of Young's....I promise!