Dying to Please

Rating:
Summary: An OK read
Review: As a fan of LH for many years I guess I may expect too much every time a new book is released. DYING TO PLEASE is a nice easy read, but has no real fire that seems to be in her earlier books. I think part of the reason is the reader knows who the bad guy is from the beginning so the suspense part is missing. Towards the end of the book when there was a chance to add that missing element, you turn a couple of pages and it was over.
Overall, if you are a new fan or an old faithfull, it is an enjoyable way to spend an evening.

Rating:
Summary: Dying to please.......................all her readers!
Review: I absolutely loved this book! It's been a long wait and I wasn't disappointed. I sold my book online after reading and now regret not holding onto it for future reading....
A butler/bodyguard gets an enamored fan after making the headline news of botching a burgulary at her employer's home. It leads to multiple killings all in effort to bring her to his home to work - he's nuts.
The love scenes are hot and not over rated - L. Howard knows how to write her scenes where they are not cheesy and you feel as though you are completely in touch with the characters.

My review doesn't at all give the worth of this read - if you are a Linda Howard fan, this is a must read. I am ready for a new books of hers to come out SOON!

Rating:
Summary: Dying, please!
Review: I really liked this book - not as much as some of her other ones, but it is definately a good book. Sarah is really strong and shows it during all the turmoil going on all around her. I loved how Cahill woos Sarah, but was somewhat disappointed in his reaction after the second murder. I did hope that Sarah would make Cahill try harder to win her back after the second murder...the only thing that I did not really like is the abrupt rush Ms. Howard seemed to be in towards the end of the book. Everything just kind of tied together rather quickly and there was no time to process what had happened and then it was the end of the story. Besides that, great read and very creepy!

Rating:
Summary: Very Good Read
Review: Hey, Its no "Mr. Perfect", but its still a rather good book. Cahill is a typical Howard guy. Strong, [good looking], and dangerously handsome. Which lets be honest,, aren't we all looking for a Cahill or Sam Donovan? Kudos, Linda.. You scored a "10" again.

Rating:
Summary: I was very impressed!
Review: This was my first Linda Howard book and you can bet I'll be reading her again. This book had everything I was looking for ... an easy read, page turning, and fun. Of course this is a murder mystery so there were a few pages when her employers were murdered that were just a little graghic.

I enjoyed the strong, independent nature of the chartacter ... Sarah. BUT even though she was strong there was a balance of softness and vunerability to her....

The only flaw I could find in the storyline was with security systems in Sarah's employer's home. My question would be ... if they are so wealthy, why couldn't they afford video security camera's? Ms Howard spoke a lot to how secure all the homes were. so it didn't make sense that the murder was not on film and could me caught sooner. You would think with past death threat to the Judge, this would be a must.

In any case ... the book was enjoyable. I couldn't put it down.
I would definetly read "Dying to Please."

Rating:
Summary: Very enjoyable! ....but then I love LH books!
Review: Pre-ordered for Mother's Day, I waited until I had a whole weekend to read it. I love how Linda Howard writes and draws you into each story. It will seem like a very LONG wait until her next book!

Rating:
Summary: fun combination police procedural¿romantic suspense tale
Review: She's young, beautiful and sensual. Sarah Stevens is the perfect butler cum bodyguard for retired federal Judge Roberts who has received numerous death threats during his time on the bench. When two burglars break into the judge's home, Sarah disarms them by tripping one thief and landing a knock out punch on the other. When Detective Cahill arrives on the scene, he's immediately attracted to Sarah and she to him, but they both fight it because of previous hurts and future plans.

Sarah's crime fighting stills displayed in her current assignment land her on the television news that leads to her coming to the attention of a wealthy businessman who decides he wants her all to herself. Towards that end, he tenders a job offer but when she turns it down he kills her employer, hoping Sarah will reconsider his offer. At first Detective Cahill considers her a suspect. When she is cleared they enter into a relationship that is destroyed when a second murder occurs. Again Sarah is the prime suspect. It is at this point that the stalker/killer makes his move.

Aside from her unique profession, the heroine is so self composed, content with her life, and sure that she can protect herself in any given situation that the audience can't help but adore her. The story line of DYING TO PLEASE is a fun combination police procedural-romantic suspense tale that has plenty of allure to attract readers of both sub-genres. Linda Howard is at her all time best in this crime thriller that is filled with plenty of action, suspense and romance, giving it a mainstream appeal.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Avid Reader
Review: I found the book well-written and enjoyed the plot. Not a lot of surprises but that was OK. I like a female lead character with the kind of spunk Sarah had esp. in relationship to the male lead. Well worth buying (even in hardback) and reading!

Rating:
Summary: DYING TO PLEASE is a book to die for
Review: Small town mayhem seemed to be the recurring subject for Linda Howard as in her atmospheric sizzler Dream Man and After the Night. Dying to Please is no exception and it aims to gratify readers with her trademark smoldering sensuality and jugular suspense. Her female protagonist this time round is butler Sarah Stevens who is a marksman cum dexterous martial arts expert hired to protect the retired Judge Lowell. She foils a burglary in the Lowell's residence and her heroics are lauded in the media. It earns the unwanted attention of an obsessive stalker whose craze has manifested into her nightmare. Her employer is killed. Detective Thompson Cahill is enlisted into the investigation and soon finds himself struggling between duties and passion to Sarah....

Strong evocative characters have always been Howard's formula for success. Sarah is independent yet vulnerable with a mind of her own; Cahill is the delicious alpha male with a protective streak and wounded past in an unhappy marriage. Their romance is fueled by the scorching sex in Howard's imaginative sensual prose.

It could have been more if not for the spoiler in the author's acknowledgement where the murderer is revealed blatantly. There are some pulverizing suspense toawrds the climax yet never twisting enough to make it a stunner. Yet all is forgiven when the romance between Sarah and Thompson is oh-so-dying-to-please. It may not be Howard's best but Dying to Please places her in top-form again after her lackluster Open Season. For Howard's fans - this book is to die for.

Rating:
Summary: Another Smash for Linda Howard
Review: As usual, Linda Howard builds excellent suspense and tension. Her characterization of Sarah and Cahill's personalities are great. Along with her other books of suspense, Linda delivers a great story!! Read this book, you won't regret it.