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Killer Body

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Texas was ablaze with murder and corruption, but Dawson Gray was used to the heat. High-pressure situations couldn't shake the ex-Army heavy hitter; he was forged in them. Having no fear for his own life, he signed on with the Lone Star Agency.

Assigned as a bodyguard, Dawson was all over Savvy Jones - if that was her real name. Caught in a frame-up, Savvy didn't remember who she was, and his first task as her bodyguard was to jog her memory. His second? To make sure that the drug cartel targeting her didn't harm a hair on her sweet head.

But as Savvy began to mean more to him than just a case, Dawson found that there was one thing he did fear - losing her forever. And that wasn't going to happen on his watch.

171 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2010

33 people are currently reading
115 people want to read

About the author

Elle James

724 books1,204 followers
Award-winning author Elle James grew up as an air force military brat. She received her work ethic from her rock-solid father, her creative streak from her artistic mother and inspiration from her writing partner and sister, Delilah Devlin. As a former member of the army reserves and a current member of the air force reserves, she's traveled across the United States and to Germany, managed a full-time job, and raised three wonderful children. She and her husband have even tried their hands at ranching exotic birds (ostriches, emus and rheas) in the Texas hill country. Ask her, and she'll tell you what it's like to go toe-to-toe with an angry three-hundred-and-fifty-pound bird and live to tell about it!

Her adventures in the army and air force reserves, and the wild antics of her life on a small ranch in Texas give her fodder for mystery, suspense and humor in her writing. Elle writes gothic, paranormal mystery for the Harlequin Intrigue line and paranormal romantic comedy for Dorchester Publishing. A former manager of computer programming and project management professionals, Elle is happy she now has the opportunity to pursue her writing full time.

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5 stars
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34 (21%)
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Profile Image for Anita.
2,652 reviews220 followers
February 2, 2018
Not a fan to the "the love of my life died and I can't love another, but I can bang your brains out" hero troupe. But this one also has the "amnesia" heroine for good measure and a healthy dose of TSTL thrown in also. The only good thing is that is was short. I know Elle James can write better than this, I've read them.

Dawson Gray is a private investigator with the Loan Star Agency and has been assigned as bodyguard to a woman who could either by a murderer or a victim. She has no memory of the event, or any memory of her past at all. That the murdered man is the son of a drug cartel leader and this all takes place in Laredo, Texas which makes keeping her safe near to impossible. And there is that not so little think called lust that has chosen this woman after two years.

Savvy Jones has been caught in a frame-up, and she doesn't even remember who she is. That she isn't really "Savvy Jones" is apparent when no one knows anything about her other than she has been in Laredo for the past four months and her boss and co-workers all love her. She is determined to regain her memory and drags Dawson into helping her, even if it puts both of them in danger.
Profile Image for Paula Legate.
Author 17 books25 followers
October 8, 2013
Book 2 Killer body
I really enjoyed this book! It had the perfect blend of action, suspense, and romance. This book pulled me right into the plot.

Savvy wakes up in a hospital with amnesia. She is also the target of a Mexican drug cartel. She is wanted for murder, but can’t remember anything. She does know she couldn’t kill anyone. She wouldn’t be able to kill a bug, much less a person. Savvy knows she is being framed.

Dawson is hired to be her bodyguard. Dawson didn’t want to be her body guard. He didn’t want the responsibility of another person’s life. He thought he had let too many people down in his past. Dawson is alpha male, but also dealing with a lot of guilt. He doesn’t think he is the man for the job. His actions on the other hand, tell that he is the only man that can protect Savvy.

When Dawson's replacement shows up to relief him of his duties as bodyguard to Savvy, he can't drop the case. Together Savvy, and Dawson dodges bullets, finds out who Savvy really is, and finds out who the real murder is. The romance was perfect, and sweet. Savvy touches his heart, and teaches him to let go of his guilt that he has been carrying around for years.

I'm adding this book to my favorite's list!

Sample from chapter1 : Again she tried to remember what brought her here. Had she been in a wreck? Where was her family? A sudden emptiness filled her chest pressing hard against her heart. Did she have family? She glanced around at the sterile rom. No flowers, no get well cards, no signs of anyone caring whether she lived or died. She didn’t know what was worse: That she couldn’t remember who should care about her, or that she didn’t actually have anyone who cared about her. For the life of her, she couldn’t picture anyone, couldn’t name a name, not even her own.

Sample from chapter 3 – “I have to do it. Someone has to be trying to frame me. Until I remember what happened, I’m the prime suspect. My memory is the only thing standing between me and jail.”
Sample from chapter 6 – The warm, soft feel of his mouth against hers sparked desire so powerful she couldn’t pull away. His arms tightened as he crushed her to him, deepening the kiss into something so savagely desperate, Savvy couldn’t determine where she ended and he began. They fused as one in that searing, rugged connection.

Sample from chapter 7 – “Sometimes memories can be more painful than forgetting.” She faced him, her eyes large pools of deep green in the light from the dash. “Those painful ones help define who we are as a person. They make us stronger. We learn from our mistakes.”

Another sample from chapter 7 – If you forget everything about her, you’d be forgetting the good along with the bad. Do you really want that?”

Sample from chapter 10 – “To whom?” she snorted softly. “To the drug lord’s thugs, I’m a hit job. To you and your friend Jack, I’m an assignment. To the D.A., I’m a witness or a suspect.” She shrugged. “Just leave it, Dawson. You don’t have to pretend to give a damn.”

Sample from chapter 11 – Dawson slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to a screeching halt. Savvy lurched forward and her head bumped against the dash, a sharp pain slashing through the wound at her temple. Dizzying lights flashed across her vision. A loud band erupted from the car running along side them, followed by a thunk against their rental’s metal car frame. “Tell me they’re not shooting at us,” She cried. “Okay, I won’t tell you. But you might want to hang on.” Dawson shoved the gearshift into reverse, spinning the car around.

Sample from chapter 13 – Dawson hit the floor and rolled to the side, yanking the glock from his shoulder holster. The sharp report of weapons fire echoed off the walls, the acrid scent of gunpowder warring with the lingering scent of alcohol.

Profile Image for Mojca.
2,132 reviews168 followers
February 15, 2010
Dawson Grey is tasked with protecting a murder witness or possible murder suspect. She was found with a gun in her hand and a gunshot wound to the head. Maybe she killed the son of a drug mogul and then attempted suicide, or she witnessed someone kill the son of a drug mogul and they had to kill her.
Either way, she can’t remember a thing.

And Dawson would love nothing more than to have someone else protect the woman known as Savvy Jones. Because his track record isn’t exactly stellar.


This was a rather disappointing read in this otherwise rather good series. The plot was too convoluted, the characters a little bland, there was a tad too much emotional baggage for my taste, and the inner recriminations went on a little too long. Also the heroine came through as a tad TSTL (I know you have amnesia, but you just don’t go traipsing around town when someone wants you dead!). The secrets about the heroine, the mystery surrounding her created too much of a mess in an already messy story, and the resolution was a bit anticlimactic and the motive rather far-fetched.
Profile Image for Susan.
4,808 reviews126 followers
October 18, 2011
Good book. Dawson didn't want the bodyguard job, as he'd had two people close to him die and felt he should have been able to prevent it. But the more he got involved with Savvy, the more he wanted to help her. Savvy woke up from her attack with no memory of what happened before it. She was certain she could trust Dawson to keep her safe while they tried to get to the bottom of her identity and who wanted her dead. I liked that she didn't just hide, but was determined to participate in the events that are happening to her.
Profile Image for Caro.
1,776 reviews42 followers
January 26, 2015
This book was pretty good. I liked the suspense and feelings. I was page-turning, you never new when a new bad guy was going to turn up. I would read this again, but not search it out for sure. Enjoy
Profile Image for Erin.
41 reviews1 follower
September 3, 2011
The plot was weird, the characters were boring and honestly I just didn't like this book one bit
Profile Image for Leslie.
504 reviews16 followers
October 3, 2017
Great book, Savvy Jones needs a protector!

She's in more danger than she even realizes. She had been found in the alley of where she works, with a bullet head wound.
The county DA, requested a bodyguard, and to his much reluctance, Dawson Gray was sent in to keep Savvy safe. The DA, wasn't sure if it was true what the evidence showed, that Savvy Jones had killed Tomas, the son of a cartel leader, or was she set up? All of a sudden, he got the feeling things were not right, the cop was not outside her hospital room, And at that moment, Before he even gets the chance to introduce himself to Savvy Jones he knew he was going to have to keep on his toes. This bodyguard business wasn't for him!


Savvy couldn't remember anything and so she and her edgy and gorgeous protector tried to figure out the clues to all the attempted times they try to kill Savvy. And it was only because she had chosen at that moment to take out the trash. As he tries to be protector Savvy, he tries to figure out who is really Savvy? What is she hiding? And Why? He begins to see how much more he's willing to be her protector and more, what is wrong with him, why can't they seem to stop their love growing for one another!

With the help of his fellow bodyguard and Jack McDermont, will they figure out who Savvy is, while keeping her alive and will Dawson figure out it's ok to fall in love again?

And will there ever be a HEA, for Jack McDermont?

Profile Image for Christy Roberts.
1,517 reviews50 followers
January 28, 2025
I'm making my way through bodyguard of month books I bought years back. This is 3rd one for month of March. The only good thing about it was they didn't kick the side character Jack off who I loved so much like last 2 books have done with their side characters that I loved.

I just didn't care about how things turned out. I kept forgetting Dawson's name too.

Dawson doesn't want to protect Savvy after she's shot in head and left for dead. Evidence looks like she killed a drug lord's son, but she got amnesia and can't even remember her name. She gets it back before the end but at the most convient time. Which also annoyed me.

Savvy to me was acting like a brat. She didn't care about neither her life or Dawson's. Dawson gave me whiplash one minute saying or thinking his dead wife all he could ever love then kissing or doing Savvy next sentence or page.

Jack who was sent to take over for Dawson, after Dawson told his boss couldn't watch over Savvy, is only one I wanted know anything about.

It was one chase scene or shooting almost every other chapter and Savvy was stubborn in the way she nearly got herself and Dawson killed each time by not listening. It'll be leaving my books.
Profile Image for Elaine Swinney.
2,203 reviews7 followers
June 20, 2025
This is a well written Romantic Suspense book with awesome characters. This is one you will not want to put down. This one will keep you guessing. I think you will enjoy this one I know I did. I love a good who done it book, and this one is a good one. This one is worth your time.
Profile Image for Mary M.
62 reviews1 follower
August 13, 2023
Dawson Gray: Former special ops soldier. Takes on the assignment of bodyguard to a potential murder suspect.
Savvy Jones: Bar waitress who can’t remember killing a drug lord’s son and then shooting herself.
Frank Young: Webb county district attorney who hired Dawson to protect the witness or keep tabs on the killer.
Marisol De La Fuentez: Mexican national and seductress.
Jose Mendoza: Humberto Rodriguez’s enforcer.
Tomas Rodriguez: Playboy son of a Mexican drug lord. Shot to death.
Humberto Rodriguez: Ruthless Mexican cartel leader. He wants revenge for the murder of his son.
Liz Scott: Savvy’s only friend, who found her lying in the alley with a bullet wound to her head.
Eb (Earl Bradford): Bartender.
Edward Jameson: A rich man, whose daughter, Sabrina, has been missing for four months.
Audrey Nye: Owner of the Lone Star Agency
Jack McDermott: Dawson’s friend, sent by the boss to replace him on the bodyguard gig.

Dawson was to report into the hospital where Savvy Jones was in a room. She had been shot in the head. The DA hired Dawson to protect Savvy. When he finally got up to her room, he was told that there was a security guard posted at her door, but there wasn’t, so he went on into the room only to find a man standing over her on the floor with a pillow in his hand. He was trying to kill Savvy. Dawson attacked the man and saved her.
Savvy ended up not remembering anything about herself, what happened, where she was, anything. She wanted to leave the hospital and get away from someone trying to kill her. Her friend and co-worker arrived to see her. Savvy had Liz help her get dressed. Liz and Dawson took her to the lobby and out the front doors where the DA was talking to the press about Savvy and the fact that she may have shot Tomas Rodriguez, but she didn’t remember anything. Everyone was very happy about the killing because Tomas raped young women on both sides of the border between Mexico and the United States.
After Dawson got Savvy into his truck, they were followed and shot. They couldn’t stay in one place for very long as they were being shot at quite a bit.
Dawson talked Audrey, his boss, into having Jack arrive to stay with Savvy while he went to a couple of places and investigated a couple of people. Jack stayed with Savvy, but it ended up that they shot him in the shoulder and kidnapped Savvy.
Savvy was taken to Mexico to the drug cartel and she got her memory back. She called her father because the kidnappers wanted a ransom. Savvy ended up being Sabrina Jameson who had a daughter and an ex-husband who had been killed in a car accident six month prior. She couldn’t stay in New York any more because she couldn’t handle the memories of her daughter.
When all said and done, the bad guys were either killed or taken into custody. Dawson asked Savvy to move in with him in San Antonio.
It was an okay read, but there was a great deal of repeating that Savvy couldn’t remember anything and Dawson wanted to forget his wife and daughter’s deaths. His wife and daughter died at childbirth when he was overseas in the military and couldn’t get home fast enough.
Profile Image for Paige.
1,907 reviews13 followers
October 16, 2011
Savvy Jones was found with a gun in her hand, a bullet hole in her head, and a dead man a few feet away. The son of a ruthless Mexican cartel leader who is out to get his sons killer.

Yet evidence makes DA Frank Young call in a need for a bodyguard to guard Savvy when she leaves the hospital.

Which is when Dawson Gray is called in. Usually dealing with catching missing people and cheating spouses, Dawson is not thrilled with his assignment and puts in for a replacement as soon as possible. After losing his wife and child in childbirth and men during war, he doesn't want to be responsible for anybody's life again.

Yet, stepping into her room to find her being smothered instantly turns on his protectiveness and her genuine confusion, yet courage makes it hard not to fall for her.

Trying to remember her memory, Savvy and Dawson visit multiple spots, against Dawson's protest, that she hopes will job her memory. At everyone they are found in some form of fashion and must escape with their lives.

As more and more information comes out, Savvy discovers the life she forgot she had. Including a rich father who cared more for his career than his family and forced her into a marriage with a man she didn't love and like him in career focus. Her only joy was her baby girl who, along with her estranged husband, perished in a car accident.

Now, they both have a heartbreaking past and with more vigor to protect her, he doesn't quit being her bodyguard.

When Savvy is taken, Dawson and fellow bodyguard Jack go after her. Held at gunpoint, the real killer is found and Humberto Rodriguez takes matters into his own hands, avenging his sons murder.

With Savvy safe, Dawson isn't letting her get away.
Profile Image for Mirela.
3 reviews
December 24, 2010
I liked the hot scened I must admit. The ending on the other hand could be in a Bruce Willis movie. Come on, seriously?
451 reviews4 followers
July 4, 2011
This was an entertaining read. Nothing like guarding a woman who has no idea sho she is.
2,220 reviews4 followers
April 19, 2024
Killer Body (Bodyguard of the Month

Great story. It had a lot of interesting characters and a lot of action. The building romance was heartwarming. Two people with tragic pasts.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews

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