The Perfect Victim [Hardcover]

Linda Castillo (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 2002

A woman searches for her birth mother-and discovers that she is the sole survivor of her bloodline. A line that a killer is determined to make extinct.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 331 pages
• Publisher: Jove (2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0739428063
• ISBN-13: 978-0739428061
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,656,437 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Linda Castillo lives in Texas with her husband and is currently at work on her next thriller set in Amish Country and featuring Chief of Police Kate Burkholder. Her first novel in the series, Sworn to Silence, was a New York Times bestseller.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Riveting romantic suspense -- Very highly recommended, November 9, 2002

By 

C. Penn "WordWeaving" (Greenville, SC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Perfect Victim (Paperback)

Addison Fox needs a private detective to help with her stalled inquiry into the identity of her birth parents. Her appointment leads to the office of Jack Talbot. But instead of Jack, she meets younger brother Randall who happens to be quite inebriated and suffering from a case of mistaken identity. Angered, she subsequently lodges a complaint with the Better Business Bureau against Talbot Investigations.

An apology brings Randall to Addison's coffee shop three weeks later. Then when an invader breaks in through the back, Jack saves her life. While the police do not link the shooting to her biological mother's murder three weeks ago, Randall cannot help being suspicious. Later Addison finds her lawyer murdered, and Randall proves her adoptive parent's death was not an accident. Encumbered by their growing attraction and at a loss as the reason for the murders surrounding her, Addison and Jack must move quickly to find answers or they will not live long enough to explore their growing feelings.

Author Linda Castillo first made a name for herself penning edgy romantic suspense for Harlequin. Now she leaps from series romance to her first single title release with THE PERFECT VICTIM, penning a riveting romantic suspense that promises grand things from this rising star. Addison's idealized upbringing does not prepare her for the harsh realities her investigation sets into motion, but she meets the challenges with courage and fortitude. Her inauspicious beginning with Randall sets up a complicated hero with a dark past. Consequently, the perfectly balanced mix of complex relationships, deadly secrets, and the ultimate treachery make THE PERFECT VICTIM perfectly addictive. Very highly recommended.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A surprisingly good read..., June 19, 2003

By 

iheartjackbauer - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Perfect Victim (Paperback)

Addison Fox had no family left after her adoptive parents were killed in an auto accident ten months before. With nothing preventing her from locating her birth mother, Addison starts the search that begins something that she never expected. Finding her birth mother murdered, Addison is devestated, but determined to go on with her life. When people around her that she knows start to turn up dead, Addison realizes what they all have in common...they know who her mother was. She only has one person to turn to and she would rather do anything than ask for his help.

Randall Talbot has his own demons to fight. When Addison asks for his help, he wants to refuse. Then he's thrown right into the middle of the game, and he knows that he can't leave her to end up dead. The deeper they dig into the past, the more Randall knows that someone is going to wind up dead, and most likely it will be him and Addison. The very thought of being responsible for her life sends panic streaking through him every time he thinks of it. The more time he spends with Addison, the more he realizes that he will never be able to desert her.

My first book by Linda Castillo was not a dissapointment. She depicted two strong characters that will hold your interest as well as keep you at the edge of your seat the entire read. The suspense in this book is very believeable and the romance is very deep due to the time both the characters are in in their lives. I will definetly pick up the next Castillo book that comes out!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gritty page turner, August 9, 2002

By 

booksforabuck "BooksForABuck" (Long Beach, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Perfect Victim (Paperback)

Death seems to surround coffee shop owner Addison Fox as she attempts to discover information about her birth parents. A foiled attempt on Addison's own life convinces her the deaths and accidents aren't just bad luck--someone is trying to wipe out all links to Addison's past. She finds an unlikely ally in a burned out investigator, Randall Talbot, who seems to be the only person who understands what she's going through and who can protect her from a murderer. But can Addison protect herself from an attraction to a man with darkness in his very soul?

In her first single-title novel, Ms. Castillo has created a gritty page-turner that will keep any romantic suspense fan's heart thumping. As the clues mount, the body count grows higher and all avenues of escape disappear for Addison and Randall, leading to a riveting climax that pits our heroes against a relentless clock and a merciless villain. Highly satisfying!