Lady Killer [Paperback]

Meryl Sawyer (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Too tame to be a thriller but too lacking in romantic tension to be a romance, this newest offering from Sawyer (Every Waking Moment, etc.) is difficult to categorize. It is a novel of extremes, in one instance depicting the wild world of surfing in Kauai and in another following the intense hunt for a San Francisco serial killer who targets successful women. Although the transition in setting won't jar readers, the change in tone will. Herald newspaper columnist Jessica Crawford first meets Cole Rawlings in Kauai, where she learns that there are two types of orgasms—the sexual kind and the surfing kind. The two share a few frenzied moments experiencing both and then go their separate ways, only to meet up at the Herald, where Cole has taken a position as investigative reporter. Though the two are cold toward each other initially, the search for the serial killer brings them together. It's obvious Sawyer has done her homework—she throws in a number of superfluous details about notorious killers and the methodology of profiling—but her story falls short of riveting. An excess of information about Jessica's work, her friendships, her sad childhood, Cole's extremely sad childhood and the serial killer's hatred of "feminazis" bogs down the story. While some readers will appreciate the sharply drawn characters, others will grow impatient waiting for the suspense to heat up.
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Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Zebra (April 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821772139
• ISBN-13: 978-0821772133
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,724,803 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Strong Romantic Suspense...But..., June 23, 2004

By 

Kristi Ahlers (Illinois) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lady Killer (Paperback)

This was a strong romantic suspense that offers it all. Great suspense, wonderful chemistry between the two main characters but at times I felt that there was just too much information to process. Secondary character's are important to the plot but even then I think there were just too many of them.

There is a serial killer hunting in San Francisco. He's picking high profile victims and he has dubbed himself "Lady Killer." Jessica Crawford is a reporter for a local newspaper. The investigating reporter that normally would handle the serial killer case is in rehab so Jessica takes over and writes an article under a different byline and it sends the killer into a rage. Before she knows it she is center in a real life drama which will soon strike closer to home then she comfortable with.

Cole "Tag" Rawlings has finally come back to life after dealing with an emotional and personal tragedy. He meets a woman at his brother's surf resort and after an afternoon of wonderful steamy sex realizes that he's ready to get on with his life. Problem is when he was done taking care of an emergency he returns only to find her gone. He decides at that moment that he has to get back on with the business of living and that means earing a paycheck. He takes a job in San Francisco at newspaper where he will be the investigating reporter. What he doesn't expect to find is his mystery woman nor the mess that he find her in. A serial killer may just be stalking her and despite his best efforts to stay mad at her he keeps feeling things that are anything but anger, and the fact that a killer has her in his sights is unacceptable. Together they will put the pieces of the puzzle together that will lead them to a serial killer before he has a chance to kill again.

As I stated earlier this was a strong romantic suspense but the added background information such as the running of a newspaper, how to surf the internet, or even how to surf waves bogs down the read. Much of this could have been left out and the book would have still been good. Perhaps even better. This was a fast moving read and although you know who the killer is it dosen't detract from the story. I recommend this book and author for a good solid read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Depends What You Are Looking For..., November 21, 2008

By 

Susan Calvin "So many books, so little time!" (Alabama) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lady Killer (Paperback)

It depends what you are looking for in this book. If you are looking for a serious murder mystery only, this is probably not the best choice. If you are looking for a fluff/chick lit book only, this book probably isn't for you either. But, if you are open to a combination of both, then it is a thoroughly enjoyable read. Yes, there is a serial killer and that story is good. I also enjoyed learning about how a newspaper is run, Internet dating, the thrills of extreme surfing and other aspects of our modern techno-savvy culture.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An entertaining read, August 28, 2007

By 

K. Mallory "grammar diva" (Middle of Nowhere, MO) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lady Killer (Paperback)

This is the first novel I've read by Meryl Sawyer, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. It was an interesting twist to know who the killer is throughout the story - I usually read "whodunit" stories and have to guess. The story flowed nicely, but the ending was a bit rushed. The sex scenes were pretty good, and the tension between the main characters was mostly believable. I look forward to reading a few more of Sawyer's novels soon.