To Die For    by Linda Howard Order:  USA  Can Ballantine, 2004 (2004) Paperback, Audio, CD, e-Book     Reviewed by Martina Bexte Blair Mallory has always been the lucky one in her family. Born blond and athletic, she became a cheerleader, was homecoming queen, snagged herself the 'perfect husband', and was living the perfect life by her early twenties. But her lucky four leaf clover shrivels up the day she catches her perfect Jason trying to seduce her sixteen-year-old sister. Not one to forgive and forget, Blair immediately files for divorce and takes good old Jason for everything he's worth, including his prize Mercedes. She uses her settlement and her college business degree to establish an upscale, and eventually very successful, fitness center called 'Great Bods'. Once again the tides turn and Blair's life couldn't be sweeter - until the night she witnesses the murder of one of her members, a woman who had developed a strange fixation on Blair, and whose pushy and annoying behavior alienated everyone she met. Blair convinces the investigators that it must have been a jealous boyfriend or lover who did Nicole in - it was no secret that she regularly flaunted numerous male conquests. However, police detective Wyatt Bloodsworth doesn't believe the case is cut and dried, and wonders if Blair was the original target. He makes it his personal mission to take care of her. Blair isn't happy about this unexpected turn of events. She and Bloodsworth dated two years before and their chemistry crackled like a hundred live wires. She was certain she'd found 'the one'. But after only a few days, Wyatt dropped her like a hot potato. She has only recently found out why - he figured she was just too 'high maintenance'. After that slap in the face, she's not about to let Wyatt intrude in her life all over again, let alone tell her what to do! She plans to show him she's over him, and figure out who the real killer is too! After a few back-to-back romantic suspense novels, Linda Howard takes a detour, turning her talents to more lightweight fare in To Die For. Though readers might find Blair's blonde moments clichéd at times, her genuine character, a breezy tone, nice pacing, many touches of southern humour and Howard's trademark scorching hot romance make for an enjoyable read. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Romance books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews