Death Angel: A Novel

This story is a little different and a bit of a surprise for this die-hard LH fan. Without giving away the plot, I can say that the story is very dark (reminded me a little of "Son of the Morning" and "Cry No More") and heartbreaking. For the first time Howard has a story where none of the main characters are intrinsically good and without major moral deficiencies - it really became a story about the redemption of a couple of very tortured souls. While LH gives you some of her patented hot moments, there are some surprising twists and turns, and it ends up going in a totally different direction than expected. This is both good and bad. Death Angel makes you think, but if you are looking for your typical hot and sexy crime thriller about the cop and the damsel in distress, Death Angel is not for you.

I knew when I finished this book that other readers were going to have trouble accepting the fact that Simon was/is a hitman, plain and simple. While reading the book, I kept waiting for more background on him to come out- such as he was secretly working for the gov't. But, nope. Didn't get that info, in fact, there wasn't much on Simon at all. Almost like LH cut him out of a cardboard box and said "You will have amazing eyes but say next to nothing."
Drea, I actually liked her even though many reviewers were calling her a whore. Yes, she was arm candy and slept with a drug lord for the life she wanted, but considering the hardknock life she came from, it's really not that unfeasable.
LH made her characters real with flaws and all and none of the "OMG. What is this person? A saint??" feelings that usually accompany me when I read through a romance.
For all the flaws in this book, I could not put it down.

Linda Howards' latest novel, Death Angel, concerns two characters darker than she has ever written before who find redemption and each other. I don't feel the characters were believable especially after the change half way through the book. I found it hard to suspend disbelief. I have always enjoyed her books upto Cry no more which is her best ever. After that she seems to have lost the plot. With this one, she is more on form, but not, in my opinion, is this one her best or comparable to Cry no more or After the Night. Despite having said that, it was a fast, and enjoyable read and Linda Howard fans will certainly enjoy it.

The first 100 pages had me on edge, I couldn't put the book down. The hero is BAD, the heroine feisty. I was very interested to keep reading and find out what happens to these 2 people. But, once the 'miracle' happens, the book changed to a different tone. The heroine becomes almost preachy and a bit psychic. The hero is the silent buy strong type, which I don't go for. I do like the minor characters. The author fleshed them out well, giving them personalities with minimal words, which I enjoy. I would definitely read other books by her.

I love most of Linda Howard's books but this one gave me some real trouble. While the story has a few good "morals", the two main characters have not lived very upright lives. In fact, the female lead is mistress to a mobster/drug lord and squirreling away jewelry he gives her so she will have money once he tosses her aside -- money is VERY important to her. Drea will do any sexual favors for her man, Salinas. The male lead is nothing short of a cold-blooded assassin! He works for money and has made lots of it. They mention in the story that the assassin has never killed anyone in law enforcement a couple of other caveats. Does that make all the other killings he has done alright?

Right in the beginning Drea is with Salinas and he is paying off the assassin and offering him a bonus of $100,000. However, the assassin asks for one afternoon with Drea instead. Reluctantly at first, Salinas finally does tell him he can have Drea. Drea, of course, has no say in this at all.

What gave me problems with this is the too convenient "chemistry" between Drea and the assassin even though she doesn't even know his name and he is there essentially -- although of course he seduces her -- to rape her.

**PARTIAL SPOILER** While we do have a miracle and the leads re-thinking their positions and so forth near the end, I am not sure that is really enough especially for the assassin.

Exciting and touching if you don't mind the main leads morals.

Limited recommendation.