With Malice [Mass Market Paperback]

Rachel Lee (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2003

In the high-stakes world of passion and politics, everything is worth the risk . . .

Two seemingly unrelated murders put Tampa homicide detective Karen Sweeney in the crosshairs . . .

Both victims were women -- but what could connect an elderly nanny and a young exotic dancer? As Karen discovers, the answer is senator Grant Lawrence. Presidential contender . . . and a man with secrets.

As she is drawn deeper into a world of lies and hidden motives, the one person Karen is half ready to trust is the senator himself, a man torn by grief and guilt. Trying to protect his children. Could he have committed such crimes?

And if not, then someone is trying to ruin him, and everyone around his is at risk -- his children . . . and even Karen herself.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Veteran romance author Lee (aka Sue Civil-Brown) dishes up a messy platter of sex, lies and politics in her latest tale (after July Thunder), involving a double murder at the Tampa, Fla., home of Senator Grant Lawrence, a single dad and presidential hopeful. One victim is an exotic dancer who was romantically involved with Grant a few months earlier; the other is the senator's devoted 75-year-old nanny. Before the crime can be reported to the authorities, Grant's well-meaning aide removes the dancer's body, hoping to protect the senator from scandal. To homicide detective Karen Sweeney, the murder appears to be an interrupted burglary of the senator's files, which contain information on a controversial bill. Lots of folks would like to see the bill fail since it would have a negative financial impact on sugar cane growers in the Everglades, and it's up to Karen to find out who has the most to lose. Karen and Grant cruise the Washington, D.C., social scene, their attraction growing with every clue uncovered, but the situation escalates when Grant's two young daughters are kidnapped. The investigation takes a while to build up steam, and most of the secondary characters are merely fillers. Nevertheless, the protagonists are nicely delineated, and Lee succeeds in turning a dry topic-the creation of Senate bills-into a compelling source of conflict.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Mira (February 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1551666588
• ISBN-13: 978-1551666587
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 3.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,067,623 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tightly knit tale of murder, kidnap and politics, February 7, 2003

By 

S. Gould "gouldpjaks" (Woodmere, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: With Malice (Mass Market Paperback)

Detective Karen Sweeney is called on to investigate two seemingly unrelated murders on the same day. Senator Grant Lawrence learns that his beloved nanny and former lover have both been murdered on the same day. He knows there is a connection and that it is being hidden to protect his political career and his family. Karen trusts the senator but is disturbed by the hidden agendas that impede her investigation. As each is drawn into the deepening suspense and political agendas they form a tenuous relationship that is strongly tested before the final resolution. This plot is believable and very well developed. The personalities and motivations of Lee's central characters are beautifully defined. Once I began I was unable to stop reading until the end. I have read Rachel Lee before and I believe this is her best effort to date.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My first Rachel Lee, October 15, 2003

By 

B. Mckee "beemac" (Alma, AR United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: With Malice (Mass Market Paperback)

but not my last! This lady is special and her little extra touches make the story even more wonderful. She spins this tale of murder, betrayal, kidnapping, and more with style and grace.

I loved the characters--all of them--but especially Karen, the Tampa detective. I was moved to tears several times while reading the story, and the plot was intricate and suspenseful. Every time you thought things couldn't get worse--they did, and it was difficult to sort out the good guys from the bad guys. Mystery, suspense, fine character development, and a little romance--all the things I appreciate in a book, and, believe me, I'll be back for more!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars exhilarating police procedural romance, February 2, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
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This review is from: With Malice (Mass Market Paperback)

Tampa Homicide Detective Karen Sweeney is at the crime scene of a Jane Doe when the call comes in for her to change venues as a second murder at the estate of US Senator Grant Lawrence has been reported. Karen arrives at the second homicide scene where she finds the slashed throat of beloved elderly nanny Abigail Reese. Karen interviews Grant's special counsel Jerry Connally, who insists he was seeking papers for his boss when he found the corpse.

Karen believes Jerry is hiding something. Jerry informed Grant that he removed a second victim, stripper Stacy, a former girlfriend of the Senator, from the estate to the alley where she is catalogued as Jane Doe. Grant returns to Tampa to help with the investigation into the murder of his beloved nanny, but feels guilty covering up Jerry's rash action. As Karen falls in love with Grant, he reciprocates her feelings. However, she believes he knows more about the case than he has told, but she has yet to find the smoking dress even as a killer wants to do more than just abort his presidential run.

WITH MALICE is an exhilarating police procedural romance with political implications that readers of the three genres will enjoy, but requires acceptance from fans that an "amateur" could successfully remove a corpse from a crime scene. Karen is a good cop while Grant is an intriguing politician who compromises on some items, but refuses to budge on loyalty to those he loves even if it costs him the White House. The mystery, political thriller, and romance audiences will take immense pleasure Rachel Lee's suspenseful novel.

Harriet Klausner