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Kiss Me Deadly

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Mandy Newman won the biggest lottery in history

She and her coworkers picked the right numbers and hit the jackpot… and then someone stole the ticket.

Now Mandy's fellow winners are being murdered one by one, and an attempted drowning convinces Mandy she's next on the killer's hit list. In urgent need of protection and help to recover the ticket, she finds both, wrapped in the sexy form of DEA agent Zachary Taylor.

But Zack abandoned Mandy once before, so relying on him doesn't come easy. If she's going to trust him, he needs to start telling her the truth. And she must do the same--since Mandy has a secret that could devastate them both. While on the run, Mandy and Zack struggle between sparking sensuality and latent distrust. But can they overcome their past as a killer attempts to destroy their future?

336 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 26, 2007

8 people are currently reading
160 people want to read

About the author

Susan Kearney

119 books128 followers
Susan Kearney used to set herself on fire four times a day, now a USA TODAY—BESTSELLING author, she does something really hot—she writes paranormal romance and romantic suspense for Tor. She can apply the old rule of "write what you know" and never run out of ideas for characters and plots. An All-American and professional diver, expert in martial arts, sailor, real estate broker and owner of a barter business as well as women's fitness and three hair salons, she has enough material for a lifetime.

Kearney, a native of New Jersey, writes full time and has sold books to the industries' top publishing houses — Grand Central, Tor, Simon & Schuster, Harlequin, Berkley, Leisure, Red Sage and Kensington. As an award winning author, Kearney earned a Business Degree from the University of Michigan. Kearney's knowledge and experience spans throughout the romance genre, and her fifty plus books include contemporary, romantic suspense, historical, futuristic, science fiction and paranormal novels. She resides in a suburb of Tampa—with her husband, kids and Boston terrier. Currently she's plotting her way through her 54th work of fiction.

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5 stars
31 (17%)
4 stars
57 (32%)
3 stars
56 (32%)
2 stars
25 (14%)
1 star
5 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for Diana Francis.
Author 44 books760 followers
May 3, 2013
There's a lot that I liked about the book and a few things I didn't so much. I thought the mystery was overall well done, though I did wonder why people assumed it was the lottery that motivated the killer when the first attempt happened before. It didn't make sense. Was artificial.

One of the things that bothered me about this book was Zack's sexual response to Mandy. They'd been lovers awhile back, and I get the flame was still there, but he hears someone tried to kill her, and all he can do is think sex. Then they are being attacked in the safe house, and again, he's all about the sex. Then when they are in the pool hall, same thing. Just didn't ring true. Sure he gets the bodyguard job done, but I couldn't buy that part of his character.

I was also bothered by Maria's kinky sex life. I know it was to set up Ray as a possible killer, but it just didn't work for me. Kinky here seemed shorthand for character development.

I overall thought that the building of the bad guy was well done. Even though I hate the secret baby plot in general, this worked out well in terms of characters and story.

I had given this 4 stars at first, but then as I wrote this, it dropped to three. The writing was good, but the problems were more problematical after thinking it through than I previously thought.
Profile Image for Maryanne.
646 reviews3 followers
August 31, 2014
It's a romance with suspense, you already know what you're getting.
I didn't find the suspense overly riveting or characters very interesting but the thing that bothered me most was lack of editing. The book is rife with inconsistencies sometimes within single sentences. "This was covered in latex, he pats the leather and tells her to hop on."
94 reviews4 followers
May 12, 2013
I enjoyed this book-
it was a good thriller, with a happy ending-rather predictable, but enjoyable
58 reviews
August 21, 2018
Põnev ja hoogne lugemine algusest peale.
Kui Mandyt üritatakse tappa esimest korda muudab asjad keerulisemaks veel loto peavõit.
Mandy koos oma sõbrannadega töötab advokaadibüroos ja kui neist üks tapetakse algab sündmuste keeruline ahel.
Kes on järgmine. Kas rünnakud on seotud töö või super loto võiduga.
Plahvatused,pussitamised ja ohu korral kaitse rünnak neist pole ka puudu.
Kas Mandy jääb seekord kokku oma lapse isaga? Loed sa ise raamatust.
Kes on mõrtsukas ja kes kelle palkas. See selgub alles lõpus ja tegelikku süüdlast poleks osanud iialgi kahtlustada😀
Profile Image for Heather.
64 reviews
April 28, 2019
Suspenseful

This is a quick, suspenseful read. There is a lot happening throughout the story. It was an exciting book to read.
Profile Image for Suha.
278 reviews15 followers
May 22, 2024
Interesting but smutty.
Profile Image for Karen.
1,604 reviews18 followers
May 30, 2024
This is one of Susan's best but she slways has to put sadomasochism in. She would be better without it.
Profile Image for Jo.
987 reviews26 followers
May 13, 2013
Kiss Me deadly
By Sue Kearney
Summary courtesy of Goodreads.com
She and her coworkers picked the right numbers and hit the jackpot… and then someone stole the ticket.

Now Mandy's fellow winners are being murdered one by one, and an attempted drowning convinces Mandy she's next on the killer's hit list. In urgent need of protection and help to recover the ticket, she finds both, wrapped in the sexy form of DEA agent Zachary Taylor.

But Zack abandoned Mandy once before, so relying on him doesn't come easy. If she's going to trust him, he needs to start telling her the truth. And she must do the same--since Mandy has a secret that could devastate them both. While on the run, Mandy and Zack struggle between sparking sensuality and latent distrust. But can they overcome their past as a killer attempts to destroy their future?

Review
Mandy Newman is a lawyer who practices family law and has mainly been dealing with divorce cases recently. Mandy is targeted by an unknown man in a white truck, who begins riding her bumper and trying to scare her. This is no drunk, or near sighted driver, or the husband of someone she represented out to scare her, this is someone who wants her dead.

This would be murderer sends Mandy's car crashing and sinking into the Hillsborough River, Mandy fights to survive for the sake of her one-year-old daughter Gabby.

When she and five co workers purchase a lottery ticket and win three hundred and sixty million dollars life seems to be looking up after all Sixty million dollars is life changing. Until someone steels the ticket. One by one Mandy's coworkers are being attacked and murdered. Mandy has no choice but to wonder if her near brush with a watery grave had anything to do with the ticket. Each person gets bodyguard to protect them.

Zachary "Zach" Taylor is Mandy's bodyguard, and a man who told her that he never wanted a family, they share a complicated history, they dated and split up when Mandy discovered she was pregnant with Gabby.

Zach is a DEA agent and often goes deep undercover. When Dana Mandy's best friend begs her brother to protect her he agrees. Although Zach never contacted Mandy, he has been unable to forget her. They are soon kept busy, dodging a killer who seems determined to kill her.
This was kind of predictable but still a good read- 3.5 Stars
Profile Image for Arlena.
3,503 reviews1 follower
June 20, 2013
By: Susan Kearney
Published By: Tor Books
Age Recommended: YA- Adult
Review By: Arlena Dean
Rating: 4
Book Blog For: GMTA
Review:

"Kiss Me Deadly" by Susan Kearney was a good contemporary romance with some suspense. I did find this read somewhat predictable. This was not your regular type of love story having a lots of drama with suspense which definitely kept your attention. "Kiss Me Deadly" will have some hot sizzling moments. Who would have thought all of this was about ....Winning this lottery ticket!

This novel will keep you interested "why the women are being targeted and the love affair between the hero and heroine. To get it all you must pick up the read to see what, where, how and why of all of it from this good read "Kiss Me Deadly." Would I recommend? Yes!
Profile Image for ❀ Crystal ✿ -  PEACE ☮ LOVE ♥ BOOKS .
2,533 reviews315 followers
March 1, 2013
Mandy works at a law firm with very close friends. She had a baby with her best friends brother who (of course) doesn't know. People (co-workers) start getting killed after buying a winning Powerball ticket. The baby's father comes to the rescue eventually. The story was good but very cut and dry. The end seemed to come out of nowhere like it was just thrown in there, in the middle of unresolved issues.
81 reviews1 follower
May 14, 2013
Meh, it wasn't great but it wasn't bad either. This may sound ridiculous but it really bothered me that the female's name was Mandy. It was hard to take her seriously with that name, I kept thinking about Barry Manilow's dog...I know that's an urban myth but I couldn't get it out of my head.

All in all it was entertaining but not captivating.
Profile Image for Nicole Naranjo.
572 reviews8 followers
May 14, 2013
I have been wanting to read this book for a while and I'm so glad I finally did! I really enjoyed that it wasn't your typical love story. Zack is yummy and I love how protective he is of the women he loves. I love that it had so much drama and suspense; I definitely had no clue as to what was going to happen next. I really wished they're would've been an epilogue(I love them so much!)
Profile Image for Jeanna Brown.
27 reviews1 follower
August 30, 2016
Kiss Me, Deadly, is about a young female lawyer who runs a practice with her mother. Soon the lawyer then begins to receive threats causing her to hire security. The security she hires is her friend’s brother whom is the father of her young daughter that she also had a one night stand with - but he doesn't know.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
1,833 reviews4 followers
October 30, 2015
Loved it

Action from beginning to end.A great story with thrills,Suspense,Mystery,Romance,keeps you on the edge of your seat holding your breath.Wondering what s going to happen next.
Profile Image for Brette.
181 reviews2 followers
April 9, 2007
Really fun, classic noir. Deffinately kinda misogynistic and at times the cool-speak gets a little hard to follow but that's exactly what it's supposed to be.
Profile Image for Sandy.
498 reviews20 followers
June 27, 2009
Lots of action and thrill. 3/5 stars.
9 reviews
March 22, 2013
Had potential to be a good story, but Mandy seemed to have 5 different personalities and I couldn't get in to her character. Pretty dull when I think it was trying to be suspenseful.
900 reviews11 followers
March 24, 2014
Confusing

Too many secondary characters. I basically flip through the chapters. The first 3 chapters was the only ones that grab me. I wouldn't recommend this book too confusing.
Profile Image for Polly.
1,550 reviews6 followers
September 11, 2014
Excitement from page one. This book goes from winning the lotto to murder. I loved it.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews