Whispers [Mass Market Paperback]

Lisa Jackson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1999

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jackson delivers the suspenseful story of a woman with shocking secrets who is drawn into a journalist's web...and an obsession that could destroy her. In the chill of an Oregon Night, a man plunges to his death. Another vanishes without a trace. A third drowns in the murky waters of a quiet lake. Alone in the dark, a ruthless killer is certain that every loose end has been cut, every enemy silenced...except one. It's been sixteen years since Claire St. John fled in terror from her family's home on Lake Arrowhead. Sixteen years since her fiance's tragic death and the shocking secret she promised never to reveal to anyone. But that was before journalist Kate Moran began probing the mystery of that horrible night, turning a light on the darkest corners of Claire's life, exposing her once again to a cold-blooded murderer's vicious fury. Now, as Claire returns home to face a past she's tried to forget, another body is unearthed, revealing the twisted nature of a killer who is ready at last to make Claire pay the ultimate price!

--This text refers to an alternate Mass Market Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In a letter to readers, Jackson (Cold Blooded, etc.) declares this a "spanking brand new edition" of her 1999 romantic suspense novel, complete with new twists and a new ending. As such, it should generate plenty of excitement among her fans, but new readers may be put off by the book's overabundance of sex and violence. After being approached to run for Governor of Oregon, Dutch Holland vows to lay the skeletons of his past to rest. He soon learns, however, that they won't go away so easily. Sixteen years earlier, his rival's younger son, Harley Taggert, was murdered, and Dutch believes one of his own daughters may have been responsible. Now, journalist Kane Moran has returned home to crack open the case and write a book about it, despite the fact that his actions may hurt his old crush, single mom Claire Holland, Dutch's daughter. Harley's brother, Weston Taggert, a typical animal-abusing sexual deviant, also hates Dutch and would do anything to discredit the Hollands. The relationship between Kane, a lowborn, abused bad boy, and the unreachable, well-off Claire follows a familiar path, but the pages practically sizzle when they're together. Stock secondary characters and predictable family dramas leech away some of the suspense, but Jackson livens up her story with a final, dizzying twist.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Mass Market Paperback edition.

About the Author

Lisa Jackson has been writing romantic fiction for fifteen years. Over sixty of her books have been published and reprinted in more than a dozen foreign languages. A single mother, she is a native of Oregon, where she still resides with her two teenage sons. Lisa is often asked what is the key to her success, and her unfailing answer is a keen imagination, incredible friends, loving family, and always, loads of laughter. As Oscar Wilde is purported to have said, "Life is too important to be taken seriously."

--This text refers to an alternate Mass Market Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Zebra Books (September 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821763776
• ISBN-13: 978-0821763773
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,135,338 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

#1 NYT and USA TODAY bestselling author Lisa Jackson started writing after her sister read an article in TIME Magazine in 1981 about how young mothers were making money writing romance novels. Both Lisa and her sister, Nancy Bush, began their writing careers right then, and lo, these many years later Lisa has published seventy-five plus novels and has no plans to slow down anytime soon.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars intriguing..., November 26, 2001

By 

lusty22 "avid reader" (VT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Whispers (Mass Market Paperback)

This book was pretty involved and very intriguing. Each of the sister's lives, not to mention all the other characters, really kept me in suspense. The fued between the Taggerts and the Hollands was interesting. The only reason I can't rate this book higher is because the sex gets to be too much. Everyone is constantly having sex and the graphic nature of it gets to be tedious and boring. Each encounter is the same and I found myself skimming the sex parts to get to the meat of the story. I mean, who cares? I enjoy a good mystery and this story has murder, suspense, romance, the works, but the sex is way overdone. This is the second Lisa Jackson book I have read and it seems as though she tries too hard to throw that in when in reality it is not necessary for a good story. Leaving a little to the imagination is a good thing sometimes.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A complex tale of lies and betrayal...., July 6, 2003

By 

iheartjackbauer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Whispers (Mass Market Paperback)

Claire Holland has come home to Oregan after her marriage crumbles. After a summons from her father, Claire returns to find out that the truth about one night sixteen long years ago is finally going to come out. Not only that, but Claire has her own truth to deal with, including the boy whom she finally realized she loved, Kane Moran. After one passion filled night, Kane left town to join the army and Claire never saw him again.

Miranda Holland has her own secrets to keep, ones that she will guard religously. Only two people beside herself know what happened on the night Harley Taggert was killed. After getting pregnant by the boy she loved, Miranda thought she had it all. Although she knew she would have to put her career on hold, it was worth it to have the man she loved and a the baby that they made together. Now all the lies are about to come out and Miranda can only wait for the fall out.

Tessa Holland has been fighting her own demons for all the years that Miranda lied for her. Never being the strong one like Miranda, nor the smart one like Claire, Tessa knew she came up short. Messing up her life at an early age cost her much, but she knew that when all the truth came out, she would be the one at fault.

Kane Moran fell for Claire fast. It was a classic case of the princess and the peasant, but he only now realizes that she felt more than pity for him. Never having much, Kane knew that one day he would amount to something, and when he did, Dutch Holland, father to the three Holland girls, would pay for messing up his life. And it starts with writing the book of the Holland family, to stop Dutch from becoming govenor. Kane soon realizes that his love for Claire means more to him than any fame or revenge and all he can do is protect her and her family as best as he can.

Whispers is a very complex tale of so many lies that I don't know how the reader can keep track of them! These four characters will tug on your heartstrings and the other characters involved will make you sick. In her classic tale of romance and suspense, Lisa Jackson doesn't dissapoint!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good story, but she really needs an editor, March 26, 2004

By 

Dixiesummer "Dixiesummer" (Edgewater, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Whispers (Mass Market Paperback)

Overall this is a very good story with an interesting plot and characters. However, as was stated by another reviewer, there are way too many repetitions of the same themes, and even the exact same words, over and over again. But even worse than that are the glaring discrepancies. Like this from Chapter 26 "He looked so deeply into her eyes she was certain he could see past her pain, past her lies, to the truth. The seconds ticked by in silence and finally Miranda opened her eyes." How the heck was he looking deeply into her eyes if her eyes were closed????? There are too many of these to list, but another example is that early in the book it is stated that Claire found out her husband was cheating on her when she was pregnant with her daughter, and late in the book it is stated that she found first found out when her daughter was two. Discrepancies like this spoil my enjoyment of the book.

However, I did really like the story. This is the first Lisa Jackson book that I have read and I definitely will read more of her work.