Death Angel

by Linda Howard

Book Overview

In Linda Howard's gifted hands, second chances, unexpected romance, and unrelenting action combine into a riveting novel of suspense. In Death Angel, bad girls can wake up and trust their hearts, bad... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345486552
• ISBN13: 9780345486554
• Release Date: April 2009
• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 4.3" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

good book

the best book I have read in years

This one breaks the mold; you'll either love it or hate it, but you won't be bored

Plot Summary: Drea Rousseau grew up as a poor girl with an ugly name, and her idea of moving up in the world is being the mistress of a powerful, moneyed gangster, Rafael Salinas. She hides her intelligence beneath long, blond, corkscrew curls, designer silks, and shopping binges on QVC. Drea's soft run is up, and she disappears via a well-planned scheme with several millions of the gangster's dough. Rafael dispatches a ruthless assassin-for-hire, who unravels all of her disguises and precautions with masterful skill. His hunt for Drea ends with her death on the side of the road and he reports a successful kill to Rafael. Only, Drea doesn't die, and her second chance at life heralds a new change for this bad girl who always took the easy road. This novel begins with a stunning surprise, and any reviewer who blows it for the reader should be strung up and beaten with a stick. So, with my hands now tied, I'll continue. I am at a loss how to express my admiration for Howard's unique stories. There are too many romantic suspense novels that read like mutated clones of movies you've already seen. Howard's books may contain elements we're all familiar with -- the gangster, the mistress, the killer -- but in her hands they're unpredictable, like nitroglycerin. The boom will come when you least expect it. Nobody portrays a girl on the run like Howard (this is not her first effort, and I hope it's not her last either). Drea is like a mouse in the field, and the hawk circling above is going to make its kill. It is only a matter of time. The detailed escape Drea planned out sounded brilliant to me, but the assassin's ability to track her had me doubting whether any corner of our planet is truly invisible anymore. After Drea's accident, she woke up in a hospital, finally safe from Rafael, but with no purpose in life. Her stolen millions felt tainted so she ignored the money, and started on a new path in life, the right one, the hard one. She starts to realize how truly evil Rafael is, and the idea of letting him piss all over the world unfettered is more than her new spirit can stand. She begins to plot against him when someone unexpected steps in. I haven't alluded to it yet, but there is a strong romance within this story, and our hero remains a shadowy figure, even through the end. Drea's life is displayed like a watermelon that's been split open, every seed, every soft spot, and every vein is visible. But the man remains an enigma, and it injects his actions with a boogeyman-like fear. In the end, I accept that I never truly knew him, but I did not doubt his devotion to Drea, and that's all that mattered.

RESURRECTION

With the exception of Cry No More, the last few LH books have been clunkers. This is an off beat story, off beat protagonists, a little unbelievable at a crucial part, but Linda Howard carried it off. The Heroine was flawed but gutsy. Very interesting to see her metamorphosis from high class Ho to a woman of her own. Simon was another scary hero (see Cry No More) but it worked for me. Enjoyed this story and glad I bought the book. Whoever does the covers on LH books is amazing. Worth the read.

I loved it-very satisfying read.

This novel was not the usual fare for Linda Howard, but actually in the last few years it seems that there is no "usual fare" for her. She has written in first person narratives, and had a hit-man (actually governmental secret hit-woman) for a heroine, so maybe this is not so unusual for her. There are afterlife/redemption themes as well characters that are usually unlikeable -usually they are the "bad-guys" and their virtue is not apparent. After reading the first chapter I was uneasy with the main characters. While I was able to "get" their motivations, I didn't really like them that much. Please, keep reading, because by the end of the book these two may become some of your favorite characters as they became mine. (Dane and Marlie will always be my absolute favorites.) Its a testament to her writing and character building that by the end of the book, Simon and Andie are people that we could look up to. She has written 'romantic suspense' and 'passionate romance', and this story definitely had passion, but not what you might consider romance. What this story is at its core, though, is a LOVE story. How love can change two people, how love can save you, and what true love really is. I wasn't sure I was going to like this book. I didn't. I loved it. Reading it turned out to be just what I needed.

Best Linda Howard in Years!!!

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.

Intense Read - Well Worth Time and $$$

I agree with another reviewer that likened this story to "Son of the Morning" and "Cry No More." The story was as intense as those, but as emotionally fulfilling as "Mackenzie's Mountain," my favorite book of all time, not just of Ms. Howard's titles, to me. Drea/Andie reminded me more of Milla than Grace, and "The Assassin" definitely brought Diego to mind. This was one of Ms. Howard's best efforts since "To Die For." While the two storylines were very different, the characters were just as rich - the good, the bad, and the non-critical-path-individuals. The story was not something that I saw coming, and I hung on through the entire ride. While the end was perfect, like another reviewer, I would have loved for the story to continue...but I have to admit I feel that way about all of the good books I read. I read quite a bit, and am very particular in what I consider worth my time, effort, and hard-earned money. This was well worth all, even at the HC price. I don't feel that I can discuss the specifics of why the story worked for me without including spoilers...so, as the title of this review states, it is an intense story, and well worth the time, effort, and expense.