Review: Veil of Night by Linda Howard

Jaclyn Wilde is a wedding planner who loves her job—usually. But helping Carrie Edwards with her Big Day has been an unrelenting nightmare. Carrie is a bridezilla of mythic nastiness, a diva whose tantrums are just about as crazy as her demands. But the unpleasant task at hand turns seriously criminal when Carrie is brutally murdered and everyone involved with the ceremony is accusing one another of doing the deed.

The problem is, most everyone—from the cake maker and the florist to the wedding-gown retailer and the bridesmaids’ dressmaker—had his or her own reason for wanting the bride dead, including Jaclyn. And while those who felt Carrie’s wrath are now smiling at her demise, Jaclyn refuses to celebrate tragedy, especially since she finds herself in the shadow of suspicion.

Assigned to the case, Detective Eric Wilder finds that there’s too much evidence pointing toward too many suspects. Compounding his problems is Jaclyn, with whom he shared one deeply passionate night before Carrie’s death. Being a prime suspect means that Jaclyn is hands-off just when Eric would rather be hands-on. As the heat intensifies between Eric and Jaclyn, a cold-blooded murderer moves dangerously close. And this time the target is not a bride but one particularly irresistible wedding planner, unaware of a killer’s vow.

Every summer I can be sure of two things:

1. It's going to be hot outside. 
2. Linda Howard, Nora Roberts, and Sandra Brown will all have new hardcover releases.

I start looking for my library to list the summer ladies' new books in their online catalog in January. Last year, I did not care for Howard's contribution. Burn wasn't plausible at all and the romance between the two main characters was utterly ridiculous. This year's book however, is Linda Howard at her best. Veil of Night has smokin' hot chemistry between the hero and leading lady who are both wrapped up in a whodunit mystery.

There is a television show on WE or Lifetime called Bridezillas and while I can honestly say that I have never watched a single episode I do believe that the victim here would have fit right in on that show. I do not understand that kind of histrionics and since I loathe people who live to manipulate I had absolutely no sympathy for Carrie, a bitch on wheels who was shish-kebabed to death. BTW, that is one of the most amusing methods of murder I have read in quite some time. Very creative. I didn't find the investigation/mystery part here all that creative unfortunately, though I don't think that was really the point. We are really meant to just watch Eric and Jaclyn fall in lust and love and that was fun and entertaining. For me, the best part of it was Eric Wilder. He is fabulous. This sexy, smart-ass detective was worth this read just on his own. I do believe I am jealous of Jaclyn :)

Other reviews:
http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/2010/08/11/review-veil-of-night-by-linda-howard/
http://dirtysexybooks.com/2010/08/16/review-veil-of-night-by-linda-howard-2010/