TEST
The heroine from Dead Shot is among the most atypical I’ve ever read. Readers will either love her and embrace the stereotype break, or be put out of their comfort zone. As for the rest of the book, the story is interesting, thought though the ending leaves a bit to be desired.
Ever since Gillian Gray found her supermodel mother raped and stabbed to death in her kitchen, she’s led a tortured life. As a teen she was very depressed, and has the scars and burns marring her arms to prove it. She likely would have self-destructed, but one day she picked up a camera. Photography provided a new outlet for her pain. After that, her self-mutilating tendencies are put aside for a new focus: To find the man who killed her mother.
Gillian becomes famous for her infamous portraits, entitled Dead Shots. All of them are of her, and staged like crime scene photos in their violence and brutality. They’re controversial and frequently protested, and she’s been threatened by fanatical opponents of her work. However, she still has her own vendetta, and instead of shrinking away from harsh and questioning media, she proudly proclaims that she wants her mother’s killer to come and get her.
Ray Pearce is a security guard hired to help protect the gallery in which her art is displayed. After a failed attack on Gillian herself at the opening of her show, he’s assigned to protect her as well. Even while he’s irritated with her habit of ignoring security procedures and throwing all caution to the wind, he can’t help but be attracted to her. Then a journalist starts receiving photographs that mimic Gillian’s…but in these, the bodies aren’t staged.
The story is interesting. The plot moves quickly, and Ray and Gillian are a good couple. His feelings for her were clear, but I did have a hard time reading her actions and emotions. Ray has a tiny bit of a side plot involving his ex-wife and ex-in-laws which adds some interest to his past. He’s a good hero, albeit one we’ve read before.
Gillian’s character, though, is quite unique. She’s darker than usual, obsessed with death – and somewhat suicidal. There is a scene in the book in which she cuts herself. This is definitely unorthodox in romance novels, but cutting is the self-destructive method of choice these days. If that’s a problem for you, don’t read this book. I thought how the hero dealt with her scars was important, though perhaps more emotionally than I would have expected.
While I’m sure many readers will have trouble with Gillian, my biggest problem with this book wasn’t with her, but with the conclusion, or lack thereof. It’s not necessary to tie up all loose ends, but one of the major plot lines involving Gillian’s mother’s death was left unresolved, and while there was some closure in Ray and Gillian’s relationship, it wasn’t enough to satisfy. The book needs a sequel, but there’s no mention of one on Solomon’s website. Perhaps the story will be continued in a later volume, but as it stands, the ending left important things unwrapped.
Grade: B-
Book Type: Romantic Suspense
Sensuality: Hot
Review Date: 17/05/07
Publication Date: 2007
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Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.