From Library Journal
When Sarah Stevens, butler and bodyguard extraordinaire, foils a robbery, she could not have predicted either the tragic chain of events that would be set in motion or detective Thomas Cahill, who responded to the first crime scene. Sarah intrigued, attracted, and aroused him, but his first marriage had dissolved in livid disgust, making him all too wary. Sarah is equally frightened of her feelings for him; she had never before felt so deeply. It might have been bliss had Sarah's employers not developed a habit of dying by murder. This story, aided by Howard's descriptive narrative, translates well to audio, with evocative visual images cascading through every scene. The author also writes the most erotic lovemaking in the business, which Susan Ericksen handles with aplomb. Careful not to overdramatize, she captures the emotional undercurrents, the mood, and tone of the tale with apparent ease. Recommended for all popular fiction collections.Jodi L. Israel, MLS, Jamaica Plain, MACopyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From AudioFile
Can a tough, capable female butler/bodyguard find happiness in the arms of a jaded cop? Apparently, yes, many times and graphically. But Sarah is also being stalked by an obsessed and powerful sicko whose idea of foreplay is to kill her employers. Susan Ericksen's forthright reading elevates a too obvious plot while her agility with voices gives individual characters warmth and distinction. She seems to take charge of the script as Sarah takes charge of her life. Not even she, however, can keep a promising start from degenerating into a tangle of body parts and emotions. If you like your fiction hot and steamy, this is for you. J.B.G. © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine


Review
“Linda Howard meshes hot sex, emotional impact, and gripping tension.”
–Publishers Weekly (starred review)


From the Hardcover edition.


Review
?Linda Howard meshes hot sex, emotional impact, and gripping tension.?
?Publishers Weekly (starred review)


From the Hardcover edition.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Loyal. Beautiful. Professional. Impeccably organized. Potentially lethal. Sarah Stevens is a woman with many distinct qualities. First and foremost a butler par excellence, skilled at running large households smoothly and efficiently, she is also a trained bodyguard and expert marksman￯﾿ﾽindispensable to her elderly employer, a courtly gentleman whom Sarah has come to respect and love as a father.

Then one night she thwarts a burglary in progress, a courageous act that rewards Sarah her requisite ￯﾿ﾽfifteen minutes of fame￯﾿ﾽ with the local press. But the exposure is enough to catch the attention of a tortured soul who, unbeknownst to Sarah, will stop at nothing to have her for himself.

Sarah￯﾿ﾽs perfectly ordered life is shattered when tragedy strikes: her beloved employer is brutally murdered. The charismatic detective investigating the case, assures Sarah that she is not a suspect. Until lightning strikes twice. There￯﾿ﾽs a second killing￯﾿ﾽand this time, despite a lack of evidence connecting her to the crime, Sarah cannot escape the shadow of guilt.

The only option left for Sarah is to carry on with her life. But she doesn￯﾿ﾽt realize that a deranged stalker is luring her into an elaborate trap . . . one in which she, once ensnared, might never escape. For Sarah soon finds herself at the mercy of a man who will tend to her every whim, smother her with affection, and crush her in his all-consuming embrace.

In a nonstop roller-coaster ride of unrelenting suspense, Linda Howard has written her most chilling novel yet. Dying to Please is a breathless thriller of desire and obsession.

SYNOPSIS

Loyal. Beautiful. Professional. Impeccably organized. Potentially lethal. Sarah Stevens is a woman with many distinct qualities.

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal

When Sarah Stevens, butler and bodyguard extraordinaire, foils a robbery, she could not have predicted either the tragic chain of events that would be set in motion or detective Thomas Cahill, who responded to the first crime scene. Sarah intrigued, attracted, and aroused him, but his first marriage had dissolved in livid disgust, making him all too wary. Sarah is equally frightened of her feelings for him; she had never before felt so deeply. It might have been bliss had Sarah's employers not developed a habit of dying by murder. This story, aided by Howard's descriptive narrative, translates well to audio, with evocative visual images cascading through every scene. The author also writes the most erotic lovemaking in the business, which Susan Ericksen handles with aplomb. Careful not to overdramatize, she captures the emotional undercurrents, the mood, and tone of the tale with apparent ease. Recommended for all popular fiction collections.-Jodi L. Israel, MLS, Jamaica Plain, MA

AudioFile