In His Wife's Name (Harlequin Intrigue, No. 631) [Mass Market Paperback]

Joyce Sullivan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2001

Back from the dead . . .?

Sexy lawman Luke Calder was honor bound to keep his wife's two-year-old murder case alive. And though evidence would have him believe Mary had returned from the dead, this eagle-eyed cop knew better. Who was the beautiful impostor?

Whoever she was, she was in trouble. And Luke vowed to blow her cover before whoever was trying to kill her succeeded. Except, while Luke's protective cop instincts served him well in unraveling this mystery, his physical responses to this stranger were proving problematic. Luke hadn't been able to safeguard his wife two years ago, but he'd be damned before this unsuspecting woman suffered the same fate!

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

It's hard to imagine that a heroine who commits a crime by stealing the identity of a dead woman could be considered heroic. When the justice systems fails Shannon Mulligan, she takes desperate measures to ecape her ex-husband who is stalking her--not knowing that the woman whose identity she's stolen has been murdered. And completely unaware that the man she's just hired is the murdered woman's husband. He's also a cop. Falling in love with Mary Calder's husband is impossible. Especially when they both know she's guilty of fraud.

About the Author

A former private investigator, Joyce Sullivan has a degree in criminal justice and has been weaving stories combining mystery and romance for the Harlequin Intrigue line since her first book was published in 1995. A transplanted American, she makes her home near Ottawa, Canada.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin (September 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373226314
• ISBN-13: 978-0373226313
• Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,289,664 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Identity thief winds up stealing a heart as well., April 16, 2002

By 

Chadwick H. Saxelid "Bookworm" (Concord, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In His Wife's Name (Harlequin Intrigue, No. 631) (Mass Market Paperback)

Shannon Mulligan, hiding from an abusive and obsessed husband, has gone underground and tried to start a new life as a woman named Mary Calder. What Shannon has no way of knowing though is that Mary Calder is dead, brutally murdered, and that the late woman's husband Luke, a police officer, has his wife's accounts flagged for attempted fraud. When Shannon tries for a bank loan using Mary's name and credit history the warning flags go up and Luke sneaks in undercover to see if the woman using his wife's name knows anything about her murder. Things get complicated when these two people with something to hide feel a fierce attraction to one another.

In His Wife's Name is a romantic suspense tale that emphasizes the romance over the suspense for most of the novel's storyline. Not surprising, considering this is a romance novel, but I felt the mystery lacked a certain sizzle, though it did kick into high gear in the last quarter and my hands were as good as glued to the cover until I reached the end, so the book is far from a pedestrian outing. Recommended.

4.0 out of 5 stars In His Wife's Name, October 13, 2001

By 

Jennifer L. Oliver "ollie1976" (Youngsville, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In His Wife's Name (Harlequin Intrigue, No. 631) (Mass Market Paperback)

What would you do if your wife was murdered over a year and then you find out that someone was using her identity? This is what happened to Luke Calder. He is a police officer that went searching for his wife's murderer. He finds out that Shannon Mulligan, who is running away from her own history, uses his wife's identity and ends up falling in love for her. I thought that this was a little unrealistic but the romance was very well written and it was a great quick read.

3.0 out of 5 stars In His Wife's Name, October 10, 2001

By 

Penny Griffin ([e-mail]) (Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In His Wife's Name (Harlequin Intrigue, No. 631) (Mass Market Paperback)

Joyce Sullivan is back with "In His Wife's Name." Luke Calder has been searching for the truth about his wife's death ever since her murder more than a year ago. When he receives word that a woman is using her name and identification, he immediately tracks her down. Luke is determined to find out if the woman calling herself Mary Calder is connected to his wife's death. He doesn't expect the attraction he feels for her. But is he attracted to this woman, or to her resemblance to his wife?

The best word I can come up with to describe "In His Wife's Name" is "pleasant." This is a sweet story about nice people. It's not particularly suspenseful, and the tension is rather low, but the characters are likable and the story moves smoothly. I may not have been on the edge of my seat, but I was never bored. The story is somewhat slow in the beginning. Part of the mystery is diluted because we know the truth about "Mary" and who she is from page one. Much of the book is spent watching Luke figure it out. The real mystery surrounding threats against "Mary" and the truth about Luke's wife's death, doesn't really kick in until a good ways into the story. Until then, everything she goes through seems more like silly pranks than anything truly menacing. This contributes to the "lighter" feel of the suspense. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though I'm sure I'm making it sound like it. It's good from a character standpoint, less so for the suspense. It offers a chance for the reader to get to know the characters well. As always, Sullivan's characters are warm and sympathetic, generating strong rooting interest. It just takes some time before the threats against them feel too urgent, despite the fears the heroine expresses. Meanwhile, Sullivan does a good job using the villain's point of view to tease the reader with information, leading to a particularly strong climax and resolution. The romance is sweet and engaging.

Many readers will find this approach appealing. Like "The Mysterious Twin" two months ago, this is a good story for those who like their romantic suspense a little lighter, without too much hard violence, and this book has a better ending. "In His Wife's Name" is a good read.