Status
Available
Genres
Collection
Publication
Bantam Books (2004), Edition: English Language, 402 pages
Description
Fiction. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:What would you do if the man of your dreams hides the soul of a killer? Jim Beckett was everything she'd ever dreamed of . . . But two years after Tess married the decorated cop and bore his child, she helped put him behind bars for savagely murdering ten women. Even locked up in a maximum security prison, he vowed he would come after her and make her pay. Now the cunning killer has escaped�??and the most dangerous game of all begins. . . . After a lifetime of fear, Tess will do something she's never done before. She's going to learn to protect her daughter and fight back, with the help of a burned-out ex-marine. As the largest manhunt four states have ever seen mobilizes to catch Beckett, the clock winds down to the terrifying reunion between husband and wife. And Tess knows that this time, her only choices are to kill�??or be k… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member debavp
Ths is the first work of Gardner's I've read and I was pleasantly surprised. This easliy could have been oh so predictable, but wasn't. While I don't like neat and tidy endings, this one was acceptable, with clear indications to the reader of no HEA. Gardner could have developed a few minor
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characters a bit earlier without hurting the suspense, but overall this was a great suspenseful read. Show Less
LibraryThing member acorley84
This book is fantastically written with wonderfully in depth characters with real, raw emotion. I like how the story line flowed very smoothly between different situations, but didn't leave you confused as to what was going on in the story, you were very easily able to catch on to what the author
Lisa Gardner never ceases to amaze me with all of her amazing writing capabilities and this book is no exception. I was quite hesitant to start reading this series because I fell so in love with the DD Warren Series, and I wasn't sure that anything could compare to that, but she certainly did an exquisite job on creating another series just as wonderful, but totally different and compelling in new ways! The two series aren't even comparable with totally different styles, but both equally as spell binding. I don't think that I could pick one over the other as my favorite.
I did enjoy the bit of romance that was thrown in to the story just because it wasn't overwhelming, it was just enough to make it different!
I am so glad that I finally jumped into this series, as I've been holding on to it for about a year now, and I can't wait to read all of these!
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was writing about.Lisa Gardner never ceases to amaze me with all of her amazing writing capabilities and this book is no exception. I was quite hesitant to start reading this series because I fell so in love with the DD Warren Series, and I wasn't sure that anything could compare to that, but she certainly did an exquisite job on creating another series just as wonderful, but totally different and compelling in new ways! The two series aren't even comparable with totally different styles, but both equally as spell binding. I don't think that I could pick one over the other as my favorite.
I did enjoy the bit of romance that was thrown in to the story just because it wasn't overwhelming, it was just enough to make it different!
I am so glad that I finally jumped into this series, as I've been holding on to it for about a year now, and I can't wait to read all of these!
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LibraryThing member emigre
With this book, you get a strong romance and an intense thriller as well, I wish more romance readers would pick up this book and not be scared away by the crime plot lines. While some plot devices were seen before, they're still very expertly used and don't seem tedious.
LibraryThing member jgutierrez
Sadistic husband. Yuck. But, I read from cover to cover.
LibraryThing member Conkie
Book by Lisa Gardner: 3 stars. The story shows its age (1997). The secondary story between Marion and J.T. is creepy; are they siblings or lovers?
Audiobook Narration by Jennifer Wydra: 1/2 star. Horrible. She never maintained a consistent voice for Tess, the main character. Sometimes southern
Audiobook Narration by Jennifer Wydra: 1/2 star. Horrible. She never maintained a consistent voice for Tess, the main character. Sometimes southern
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drawl, sometimes northeastern tough, sometimes midwestern twang, sometimes no dialect at all. She was down right painful to listen to. Ugh. Show Less
LibraryThing member daddyofattyo
Good story, so-so writing, too rough and heavy on the sex scenes. Would a woman running from an abusive psychopath husband really hook up with a guy who thrashed her aroung and 'fucked her hard'? I think not.
LibraryThing member garbostyle1
Lisa Gardner never disappoints and The Perfect Husband is no exception. I could not put this one down and read it in record time. Be sure the doors are all locked when you pick this one up and sleep with the lights on, I did,lol.
LibraryThing member chrissywest
OMG! Lisa Gardner has come up with one of the creepiest villains ever. This book is chilling and full of suspense. It has an outstanding climax. I would be giving it 5 stars except for the editing. J.T had a cast put on his broken, shattered arm then he’s swimming in the motel pool. Tess’s
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daughter was just kidnapped and she’s having sex with J.T, who has a broken arm. Come on! Let’s be realistic. I am not a mother - but if my child was kidnapped by her father, who is a nasty as they come - sex would be the last thing on my mind. Show Less
LibraryThing member Barb_H
I really liked this book a lot. It was exciting and suspenseful and a roller coaster ride of emotions. It's supposed to be 1st in a series about Quincy and Raines. Quincy is an FBI agent and we get to know him a little bit, no Raines though. I look forward to reading the next book and getting to
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know them. Show Less
LibraryThing member Frederika.Roberts
This is the first Lisa Gardner book I've read and I'm delighted that she's written so many more, because I'm addicted. The suspense never ends and keeps you enthralled all the way through. The plot is thick with heart-poundingly tense twists and turns and you just don't want to put this book down!
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Lisa Gardner definitely ranks amongst one of my favourite authors now. Show Less
LibraryThing member coloradogirl14
This was my first foray into romantic suspense, and even though the romance wasn't quite to my taste, this still made for an entertaining and very fast read that would appeal to both romance fans (provided they don't mind a heavy dose of violence, sex, and language), and suspense fans (provided
The story centers around Tess, who marries a charming police officer named Jim Beckett. Two years into the marriage, however, Tess discovers that Jim is a sadistic serial killer who has murdered ten women. She has Jim arrested, but not before he attacks her. Now, several years later, she learns that Jim has escaped from prison to find her.
Most people in Tess's position would go straight to the police, but because Jim Beckett is an ex-cop, and because he managed to get past the cops before, Tess decides on a different strategy...she decides to fight back. With the reluctant help of J.T. Dillon, an ex-Marine, she learns to defend herself. But the whole time, Jim is planning his ambush...
Even though the plot centers around Tess, the story is told from the perspective of multiple characters, the two main ones being Tess and J.T. But through this multiple perspective approach, we learn a lot about the characters and their back stories, and the suspense increases dramatically, especially when we get inside the head of Jim Beckett.
And, of course, we have the romantic attraction between Tess and J.T. As I mentioned before, I wasn't a fan of the romantic angle, but that's just a personal preference of mine. At any rate, the romance wasn���t excessive, so it didn���t detract too much from the rest of the story, and it did provide some interesting insights into the characters.
For me, the story���s biggest strength was in the suspense it created, and the plot twists introduced in the last half of the book. By letting the reader inside Jim Beckett���s head, we know more than any of the rest of the characters, and we get a better sense of his razor-sharp intelligence, making him an even more terrifying villain. This is a classic example of the page turner ��� you���re sure to blast through this one within a few days.
Readalikes: Catherine Coulter, Tami Hoag, Sandra Brown, Julie Garwood are all popular romantic suspense authors who write thrilling stories with strong female protagonists. For less of a romantic suspense angle, try Harlan Coben, who also writes well-plotted suspense stories with intriguing characters and accurate forensic details.
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they don't mind the romance angle).The story centers around Tess, who marries a charming police officer named Jim Beckett. Two years into the marriage, however, Tess discovers that Jim is a sadistic serial killer who has murdered ten women. She has Jim arrested, but not before he attacks her. Now, several years later, she learns that Jim has escaped from prison to find her.
Most people in Tess's position would go straight to the police, but because Jim Beckett is an ex-cop, and because he managed to get past the cops before, Tess decides on a different strategy...she decides to fight back. With the reluctant help of J.T. Dillon, an ex-Marine, she learns to defend herself. But the whole time, Jim is planning his ambush...
Even though the plot centers around Tess, the story is told from the perspective of multiple characters, the two main ones being Tess and J.T. But through this multiple perspective approach, we learn a lot about the characters and their back stories, and the suspense increases dramatically, especially when we get inside the head of Jim Beckett.
And, of course, we have the romantic attraction between Tess and J.T. As I mentioned before, I wasn't a fan of the romantic angle, but that's just a personal preference of mine. At any rate, the romance wasn���t excessive, so it didn���t detract too much from the rest of the story, and it did provide some interesting insights into the characters.
For me, the story���s biggest strength was in the suspense it created, and the plot twists introduced in the last half of the book. By letting the reader inside Jim Beckett���s head, we know more than any of the rest of the characters, and we get a better sense of his razor-sharp intelligence, making him an even more terrifying villain. This is a classic example of the page turner ��� you���re sure to blast through this one within a few days.
Readalikes: Catherine Coulter, Tami Hoag, Sandra Brown, Julie Garwood are all popular romantic suspense authors who write thrilling stories with strong female protagonists. For less of a romantic suspense angle, try Harlan Coben, who also writes well-plotted suspense stories with intriguing characters and accurate forensic details.
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LibraryThing member SabrinaJeffries
Great writing and masterful thrills make this one a keeper. You won't find a more chilling villain than the serial killer of this book. The hero and the heroine both have enough tortured secrets to fill a battleship, yet they come together in one of the most satisfying unions I've ever read. I've
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always liked Lisa Gardner's series books as Alicia Scott, but now I intend to buy all her books as Lisa Gardner. Show Less
LibraryThing member ct.bergeron
The story of Tess Williams, wife of a serial killer. She is looking for help in order to protect herself and her 4 years old daugther from her husband who just escaped from prison. With the help of J T, an ex-mercenary, she will discover what her limits are in order to protect herself and the ones
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she loves Show Less
LibraryThing member sandra.k.heinzman
I could barely sleep last night, because is couldn't wait till morning to finish this book. What a thriller! This would make a great movie.
LibraryThing member sandra.k.heinzman
I could barely sleep last night, because is couldn't wait till morning to finish this book. What a thriller! This would make a great movie.
LibraryThing member Olivermagnus
Theresa Matthews met and married Jim Beckett thinking he was everything she'd ever dreamed of. But after becoming pregnant she learns that her perfect husband is hiding a horrific secret. Two years after Tess helps get Jim locked up for the serial murders of ten women, she thinks she and her child
I found the concept for this story to have a lot of potential but it's obvious this was one of the first books ever written by Lisa Gardner. Normally I like them much better than this one. I found the relationship between Tess and J.T. to be pretty shallow and awkwardly written. It didn't make sense to me that a woman with a background of violence in relationships would be attracted to a hot-headed, drunken, and seemingly violent man. The characters were not developed enough for me to care too much about them. To be fair, I'm not a huge fan of romantic suspense.....I like a grittier style of mystery. I think many people will enjoy it more than I did. Lisa Gardner does write some really good books and I've enjoyed her D.D. Warren series quite a bit. Like many early books, Gardner has gotten a lot better with time.
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are safe. But Jim escapes from his maximum security prison and pledges revenge on his wife. Tess puts her daughter in police protection and then sets out on her own. She believes the time has come to stop running and start fighting for her life, so she turns to the burnt out ex-marine J.T. Dillon for fighting lessons. J.T. has his own demons, and he doesn't want the responsibility of protecting Tess. Battling his way through a horrible childhood, J.T. came out scarred. He knew that he didn't protect his younger sister, Marion, from their father and suffers extreme depression over the loss of his wife and child, the only people he cared for. Now, after two weeks training with Tess, J.T. knows that he cannot lose another woman he's come to care for.I found the concept for this story to have a lot of potential but it's obvious this was one of the first books ever written by Lisa Gardner. Normally I like them much better than this one. I found the relationship between Tess and J.T. to be pretty shallow and awkwardly written. It didn't make sense to me that a woman with a background of violence in relationships would be attracted to a hot-headed, drunken, and seemingly violent man. The characters were not developed enough for me to care too much about them. To be fair, I'm not a huge fan of romantic suspense.....I like a grittier style of mystery. I think many people will enjoy it more than I did. Lisa Gardner does write some really good books and I've enjoyed her D.D. Warren series quite a bit. Like many early books, Gardner has gotten a lot better with time.
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LibraryThing member Melayla
Grabbed this cuz I thought I recognized the author's name and the series sounded like my kind of thing. Instead of a thriller though, it felt more like sex/romance kind of thing (maybe that's what the author usually write?) The thriller/mystery aspects were poorly written. I felt it tiresome to
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read, and I'm not sure I would have enjoyed it even if I were looking for a sex/romance thing. Show Less
LibraryThing member Alphawoman
I recently purchased a box of paperbacks at an auction. My prime intent was to donate the entirety to a rehabilitation facility that had a limited library. I have donated many but I have put aside several for "light " reading. Two weeks later I have devoured a lot of them. Some good, some
Maybe not the best suspension novel, maybe full of raw sex, but oh my, the twist was so perfect, so unforeseeable that I literally gasped and laid the book down!!
A good read. Worth 4 stars but knocked to 31/2 due to the sappy sex scenes.
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unreadable and quickly donated. This jewel was a fascinating read and I did it in 24 hiurs.Maybe not the best suspension novel, maybe full of raw sex, but oh my, the twist was so perfect, so unforeseeable that I literally gasped and laid the book down!!
A good read. Worth 4 stars but knocked to 31/2 due to the sappy sex scenes.
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LibraryThing member Olivermagnus
Theresa Matthews met and married Jim Beckett thinking he was everything she'd ever dreamed of. But after becoming pregnant she learns that her perfect husband is hiding a horrific secret. Two years after Tess helps get Jim locked up for the serial murders of ten women, she thinks she and her child
I found the concept for this story to have a lot of potential but it's obvious this was one of the first books ever written by Lisa Gardner. Normally I like them much better than this one. I found the relationship between Tess and J.T. to be pretty shallow and awkwardly written. It didn't make sense to me that a woman with a background of violence in relationships would be attracted to a hot-headed, drunken, and seemingly violent man. The characters were not developed enough for me to care too much about them. To be fair, I'm not a huge fan of romantic suspense.....I like a grittier style of mystery. I think many people will enjoy it more than I did. Lisa Gardner does write some really good books and I've enjoyed her D.D. Warren series quite a bit. Like many early books, Gardner has gotten a lot better with time.
Show More
are safe. But Jim escapes from his maximum security prison and pledges revenge on his wife. Tess puts her daughter in police protection and then sets out on her own. She believes the time has come to stop running and start fighting for her life, so she turns to the burnt out ex-marine J.T. Dillon for fighting lessons. J.T. has his own demons, and he doesn't want the responsibility of protecting Tess. Battling his way through a horrible childhood, J.T. came out scarred. He knew that he didn't protect his younger sister, Marion, from their father and suffers extreme depression over the loss of his wife and child, the only people he cared for. Now, after two weeks training with Tess, J.T. knows that he cannot lose another woman he's come to care for.I found the concept for this story to have a lot of potential but it's obvious this was one of the first books ever written by Lisa Gardner. Normally I like them much better than this one. I found the relationship between Tess and J.T. to be pretty shallow and awkwardly written. It didn't make sense to me that a woman with a background of violence in relationships would be attracted to a hot-headed, drunken, and seemingly violent man. The characters were not developed enough for me to care too much about them. To be fair, I'm not a huge fan of romantic suspense.....I like a grittier style of mystery. I think many people will enjoy it more than I did. Lisa Gardner does write some really good books and I've enjoyed her D.D. Warren series quite a bit. Like many early books, Gardner has gotten a lot better with time.
Show Less
LibraryThing member NCDonnas
This was awful. Plastic and inconsistent characters, disjointed plot, and the most AWFUL audio narration. That audio narration was simply painful and made a poorly written story even worse. The narrators ridiculous attempt to speak with some kind of accent, I really hope it wasn't Boston, was
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torturous to listen to. I wanted to give this book a chance because I really like this authors other books but it seems like this one had all of the flaws of her other books with NONE of the positives. I can't think of one good thing to say about it except that it's over and I know NEVER to listen to another book read by Jennifer Wydra. Awful. Show Less
LibraryThing member NCDonnas
This was awful. Plastic and inconsistent characters, disjointed plot, and the most AWFUL audio narration. That audio narration was simply painful and made a poorly written story even worse. The narrators ridiculous attempt to speak with some kind of accent, I really hope it wasn't Boston, was
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torturous to listen to. I wanted to give this book a chance because I really like this authors other books but it seems like this one had all of the flaws of her other books with NONE of the positives. I can't think of one good thing to say about it except that it's over and I know NEVER to listen to another book read by Jennifer Wydra. Awful. Show Less
LibraryThing member Completely_Melanie
Lots of twists and turns that I wasn't expecting. :)
Awards
Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award (Winner — 1998)
Language
Original publication date
1997-12-01
Physical description
402 p.; 6.9 inches
ISBN
0553576801 / 9780553576801
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