Customer Reviews

Dear Killer (Marley Clark Mystery Series)

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

As a real fan of mysteries, I thoroughly enjoyed Linda Lovely's book, "Dear Killer." The series looks like a real winner, blending so many appealing elements. Like Carolyn Hart, Ms. Lovely has set her mystery on an island off SC, and it just gets better from there. Her protagonist is of the "hard-boiled" type of crime solver, like P.I. Warshawski by Sara Paretsky, but with softer edges - like Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone.

Ms. Lovely took a chance of making her heroine 52 years old and the good-looking good guy cop a lot younger. That's unique to her heroine and should hit the fantasies of a lot of women out there. And (good for her) the heroine can figure out how to get herself out of trouble most dire without help from anyone until it's all over but the shouting.

The sex scenes were realistic, not shocking, sorta middle of the road for today's romantic literature. I get the feeling they were toned down somewhat to meet mainstream expectations.

I look forward to the next book in the series. Ms. Lovely gave enough introductions in this book to build an interest in the crusty old aunt for the sequel. Way to go Linda Lovely. Keep writing them this good and you will have me as a fan for life!

Susan M. Thigpen, Editor
The Mountain Laurel
editor@mtnlaurel.com

I just finished Linda Lovely's Dear Killer, set in the beautiful Low Country of South Carolina with plenty of Southern charm and some Gullah history thrown in for good measure. Not only did Lovely hook me right away, but she also kept me blissfully bogged in wet sand while I tried to figure out Marley's next moves. I thoroughly enjoyed plenty of romance mixed in with shovelsful of action including killings, deceit, and cover ups. It's difficult to believe this is Lovely's first novel. I wait impatiently for the next one. I highly recommend this book!

Dear Killer is a fun read with a terrific female role model and a devious villain. The fast moving plot and clever dialogue will keep you entertained until the last page. Highly recommended.

Linda Lovely's "Dear Killer" is set on Dear Island, off the beautiful SC coast, which serves as a great backdrop for the adventures of Marley Clark, a retired military intelligence officer. Marley's 52, independent, experienced in sleuthing, fit and attractive, especially to a much younger sheriff's deputy. We hope this will be a nice long series, as the two make a great combination.

Lovely hasn't succumbed to the current fashion for overwriting; this is an entertaining murder mystery/romance that may keep you up reading, but probably only one night. Her prose is tight, her descriptions colorful but not too long, her characters behave in ways we believe, and the story moves right along.

Can't wait for the next Marley!

From the description of Dear Island to the lowland of South Carolina this is a beautifully written book. I didn't want to put the book down once I began reading it. Charters came alive and soon became people I know as I slipped into their lives and followed their experiences.

Ms. Lovely tells a good story bringing people, places, and events to life. I highly recommend "Dear Killer" - once you begin it you won't put it down until it's finished.

I was up till 1 A.M. hyperventilating as this book came to a powerful ending! Marley is a great character and it's nice to have a protagonist that is middle aged, retired and now has a second career...it has it all, sex, murder, and a thrill a minute! I am so excited another Marley adventure is coming. I can't wait. I'm now a fan, so keep writing Ms. Lovely, you have a winner!

Both Kinsey Milhone and Stephanie Plum would enjoy the humor and descriptions of Marley Clark as she narrates her investigation of a series of murders in a tranquil beach retirement community. Marley, a bit older than the usual female sleuth, finds a new romance during her search for the killer/s.
A good beach read.

This is a great read. Linda Lovely has created a great mystery, full of surprises, that keeps you turning the page until the wee hours of the morning. Her Marley Clark is a resourceful, athletic woman in her middle years who faces danger without blinking (well, maybe a little). Her gps steers her through the island perils while her internal compass distinguishes the truly bad actors from those challenged by personal loss. Can't wait to read what Marley gets into next. This is a great book club selection.

What a great read and a great cast of characters. From the very beginning, people drop dead in unusual ways, and there is plenty of action to keep you turning pages. I'd advise everyone to read this book. I'm just looking forward to the next in the series.

From the very first page, where a bizarre murder is discovered, until the last, Linda Lovely keeps us in suspense, making us turn each page, not letting us go until the exciting climax. There is just enough love interest here to add an extra layer to a well crafted and compelling plot. I'm looking forward to the next in what I hope is going to be a series. Kathleen Delaney