Book Review: Heartbreaker

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Heartbreaker     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Julie Garwood
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Thriller   Serial Killer   Government Agency
Pocket, Jul 2000, $24.95, 416 pp.

He sees them; he wants them; he stalks them; he takes them; finally, he kills them. The dangerous psychopath HEARTBREAKER enjoys murdering his victims. He has already chosen the next woman to add to his demonic list. Father Thomas is in confessional when HEARTBREAKER admits he plans to go after the holy man’s sister Laurant. Tommy is so frightened he calls his FBI friend Nick Buchanan for help. Nick promises to serve as Laurant’s bodyguard until the monster is caught.

The savvy Laurant realizes her situation could go on indefinitely. She offers to use herself as bait to draw out HEARTBREAKER, but a ballistic Nick rejects the notion because he refuses to allow her to take such a perilous risk. Instead, with the FBI involved, Nick and Laurant pretend to be lovers to make HEARTBREAKER jealous. While danger stalks them, the pair falls in love with one another even as the killer sets a trap to destroy Nick and Laurant.

Among romance readers, Julie Garwood is renowned for her lighthearted Medieval and Regency romps. HEARTBREAKER is different, as the author’s first contemporary is a taut suspense thriller that never eases up on the throttle. The charcaters are very complex accepting their current situation in a grave manner, but remain likable. Reminiscent of Brown and Hoag, HEARTBREAKER is heading to all the bestseller lists with Ms. Garwood expanding her already impressive fan base.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner