Sandy M’s review of Killer Charms (Darling Detectives, Book 3) by Marianne Stillings
Contemporary Romance published by Avon 26 Aug 08
After reading about the Darling brothers in the two previous books in this trilogy, I wasn’t sure this third book would be as good for me. I mean, I was in a Darling male mode. Suddenly the hero was an outsider charming his way into the only female Darling’s life. I’m glad to say I was very wrong. So wrong, in fact, that this is my favorite book of the three.
Andrea Darling is a detective in the vice squad of the SFPD, following in the footsteps of all the men in her family, all who have distinguished records of service. When the opportunity presents itself for her to show her stuff to the higher-ups and finally make it into the homicide division, Andie is ready, willing, and very able to prove herself. With her partner, she’s got her operation worked out, not letting a niggling of failure in.
What she doesn’t expect is to feel the attraction running through her when face to face with the con man she’s been assigned to bring down. He’s as handsome as can be, has a body to die for, and a Scottish burr that melts her to the bone. But she has to keep her mind on the job. Everything she’s ever dreamed of is within reach. But when a new threat rears its ugly head from an unexpected source, justice takes on a whole new meaning. To make matters worse, her dreams are beginning to complicate matters. They seem so real when a young woman from a hundred years ago treads through her slumbering mind, and when Andie discovers the truth about both her suspect and her dream spectre, her reality takes a huge hit.
With guilt eating at him for the last fifteen years, Logan Sinclair has been blocking the gift of his clairvoyance since the tragedy that nearly then took his own life. Using that gift now for his own wants and needs, he’s come to the United States for reasons so personal he’s shared them with no one. Meeting the darling Andie has thrown a wrench in his plans, however.
Finding out she’s a cop should make him think twice about what he’s going to do, but instead he pushes the beautiful detective to see how far she’ll go to get her man. Andie also makes him feel, something he hasn’t done for so long. Suddenly he finds himself questioning whether he wants his vengeance or he wants warm, soft, and willing in his bed and in his life. Knowing that it will be difficult for Andie to forgive him for his sins, he plows ahead with his plans, making it even more impossible to keep her in his life.
I so loved Logan. He definitely has killer charm. Ms. Stillings writes him perfectly, right down to his burr that comes through so well on the page. But it’s his guilt, his torturing of himself that really drew me to him. He suffered such a loss that he blames himself for that he’s cut himself off from all emotion, never getting close to anyone.
I enjoyed the way Andie thought she was playing him in her investigation, but Sinclair was always one up on her and I could just see the gleam in his eye whenever he provoked her. The love scenes are intense and raw when all secrets are finally revealed. And the addition of the past lives, along with the clairvoyance, gave the story a little extra something, made it different and more interesting. The Darling brothers are also back. We get an update on their lives and they are involved in Andie’s case to keep them in the picture a little longer.
This was a fun and intriguing trilogy. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend it!
Grade: A
Summary:
If he could really see the future, he’d know that Andie Darling always gets her man.
Logan Sinclair is nothing but a fraud – or at least that’s what Inspector Andie Darling, undercover detective on the streets of San Francisco, is determined to prove. Sure, the sexy Scotsman may claim to be clairvoyant, but Andie’s never believed in second sight (or love at first sight, for that matter). So why does his sweet talk turn her into a lovestruck fool?
Getting the goods on the elusive con man would get Andie out of boring Vice and into Homicide, yet all she can think about is getting into Logan’s arms. But juggling her job and her heart leaves her with little time to protect herself from a killer hot on her heels, or deal with the hypnotic dreams she’s been having of a time long past.
Logan would love to help Andie solve both mysteries, but charm and clairvoyance might not be enough to save her now . . .
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
