With Intent to Kill [Paperback]

Nancy Kopp (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1998

In a small Wisconsin town, a county D.A. fleeing memories of a painful marriage finds herself immersed in the investigation of the brutal murder of a four year-old boy--the son of a prominent community member. Complicating matters is a police detective who's as stubborn about his work as he is handsome, a model student-turned suspect who none of the townspeople can believe is guilty, and the dark secrets of a powerful family that will do anything to keep them hidden!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Liz Stanfield is trying to make the best of a lousy time: her marriage is over; she's got 15 pounds to lose; her mother has nothing nice to say about her; and she's trying one of the worst cases of her careerAthe brutal murder of a young boy, perhaps by another child. Stanfield, an assistant D.A. in a wealthy suburb of Milwaukee, Wis., where she's recently moved, teams up with detective captain Jeff Gardner, who doesn't hide his disgust at having Stanfield working with him on the investigation. With the town's rich and impatient citizens hounding them, the two sleuths work to pull the pieces of the crime together. Although Kopp (Acts & Omissions) moves the plot along nicely as the two try to find some evidence to convict the accused, and includes plausible police details, the novel's soap-opera dialogue ("I don't know why you're being so coy.... The man's a hunk. Trying to land him would certainly be a more noble pursuit than wasting your time with Hapless Harry") ultimately leads to disappointment.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Signet (November 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451195515
• ISBN-13: 978-0451195517
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,094,596 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't do an act of omission by missing this legal thriller, September 20, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: With Intent to Kill (Paperback)

Following her divorce, Liz Stanfield decides she needs a change of scenery. She no longer wants to live or work in Milwaukee, even though she is employed as an attorney by the biggest law firm in Wisconsin. Liz moves to the affluent suburb of Oakwood and becomes a Horicon County Assistant District Attorney. At thirty-five, Liz is beginning to relish life once again.

However, her idyllic lifestyle is abruptly shattered when the police locate the murdered corpse of four-year old Jeremy Barker. The victim died from continual blows to his head. The shocked townsfolk want fast answers because no one seems able to accept that a monster lives among them. Her boss Harry Washburn assigns Liz the case. She knows that she must quickly uncover the identity of the killer and follow that up with a prosecution that convicts the culprit of first degree murder even if the killer is a member of one of the mostaffluent families in thhe area.

WITH INTENT TO KILL is an exciting legal thriller that will bring critical acclaim and fan praise to Nancy Kopp. The invigorating story line provides a well written fictional account of something that could have easily been a true crime, especially the exhilarative trial sequence. The characters are all top rate, but remarkably outstanding is Liz, a fantastic protagonist, who hopefully will make future appearances. Sub-genre fans should try this novel and Ms. Kopp's previous story, ACTS & OMISSION because both are quite entertaining.

Harriet Klausner

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Too Good To Be True!!, February 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: With Intent to Kill (Paperback)

If you want a great book, this is the book for you. I couldn't put it down at all. The story was excellent, and could easily have been mistaken for a true story. The characters were well developed, and this would make an great blockbuster film.

3.0 out of 5 stars Good story--weak characters, January 2, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: With Intent to Kill (Paperback)

I recommend this book simply because the story is interesting. It's not particularly well written. The dialog is flat. The characters are props to move the plot along. The big secret that drives Jeff the detective doesn't even make sense given that the man with whom he identifies is the richest man in Oakwood...(you'll see what I mean if you read the book). The only character trait of Liz's that I can put my finger on is that she wants to lose weight....And yet, as I stated, I'd still recommend the book. There's something about the unraveling of the crime that kept me reading. I may even read more from this author--maybe her writing will improve.