Linda Howard Death Angel

Death Angel

Linda Howard

Ballantine, Jul 2008, $26.00

ISBN: 9780345486547

Drea Rousseau liked the finer things in life; jewelry, designer clothing, unlimited expense accounts. To obtain these things, she became the mistress of Rafael Salinas, a major supplier of illegal drugs. He believes she is a classic bimbo, but Drea is smart enough to conceal from him how much she truly knows about his operation.

One day he assigns a job to the Assassin who in payment says he wants sex with Drea. Salinas accepts the terms. When Drea learns he ' pimped ' her she is outraged that he treated her as a street hooker. She takes the jewels he gave her and removes two million dollars from her account before leaving. Irate by what he determines is a betrayal; Salinas hires the Assassin to kill Drea. He doesn ' t get to kill her because she was in a car accident, but after being dead for an hour she returns to life. Drea has a new chance, but must change how she lives. She also believes she must get Salinas off the streets. She knows the Assassin who enabled her to live is the ticket; he has a connection to her just like she feels towards him. If they are to explore that attraction, she believes Salinas must go first.

Neither protagonist is a decent person as he is a vicious professional hitman and she is a hedonistic selfish SOB until they meet. Readers will admire them as they do what they must to survive and even somewhat empathize with the duo; an obvious display of Linda Howard ' s characterization skills. She has a chance to redeem herself, but he believes for him it is too late but hopes to help her. Ms. Howard has written a terrific tale that is filled with action and two different than usual ' heroes ' who come from the underbelly of society.

Harriet Klausner