Cover of Night: A Novel

This story is interesting and keeps you glued to the pages. I loved the main characters and their relationship that was growing very slowly. The suspense keeps you turning the pages...will they survive? Will they save the town? What happens if they fail? This is a fabulous romance/thriller that romance and mystery fans will enjoy. I've read most of the books from this author and this is still my number one choice. Great action and when they get together....BOOM! 4 1/2 stars because romance is not for everyone.

There were things I really liked about Cover of Night. The characterization was sharp, the pacing was excellent, the motivations were logical, but somehow it failed to come together and engage me. It read like a book adaptation of a movie. I never invested in the emotional life of the characters, even as I respected their situation and the reactions they had to events. The major plot point required a massive suspension of disbelief. One thing I greatly appreciated was that the suspense was without horror elements. Too many romantic suspense books of late have relied heavily on graphic and almost sexual descriptions of violence, especially violence against children. Early in the book you learn the heroine has twin boys. Right away I'm bracing myself for yet another 'children in extreme peril' storyline. I should have trusted the author more. Worth a paperback purchase, certainly. As a hardcover I'd think twice.

If I could have given this 3 1/2 I might have, just to keep it the proper distance from "Killing Time," which I think is probably the Howard novel that most fans rank last. That said it seems Howard is still trying new things--like her foray into first-person narration in "To Die For"--which doesn't always sit so well with old-time fans who came to her from traditional romance.

I don't mind Howard going off in different directions. After all, we've got to keep her happy and if she got bored she doesn't seem like the type to keep writing (in contrast to other best-selling authors who continue to dish up the same plots and techniques). But I am only mildly more interested in psycho gangs holding Mayberry hostage than I am in time travel ('Killing Time'). The heroine is fun, her kids and mom are like so many we all know in 'real' life, the townspeople are cute and spunky. But the hero is disappointingly taciturn (at least in scenes with the heroine). He makes Gary Cooper look like Chatty Cathy. Mostly I miss the snappy dialogue and humor of such faves as "Open Season" and "Mr. Perfect."

But probably my biggest objection is the way we spend so very much time in the minds of the bad guys. That's not why I read women's fiction. And yes, I could have used a little more explicit passion between our protagonists.

The question is what does Howard have in mind for the next book? After the last three novels I'm a little worried. Bottom line: If you didn't like those this one may not be worth the hardback price.

If you are looking for light reading this novel by Linda Howard is entertaining. If you delve deeply into characters and plots this might not be your cup of tea. As the story develops the "bad guys" want to recover a flash drive full of financial information that they believe was left in a B&B run by Cate Nightingale. After a failed attempt to get the information when two of the "bad guys" visit the B&B they decide their ONLY alternative is to hold an entire town hostage and shoot anyone that moves??? Cate is saved by Calvin, the handyman, which develops into the romantic interest. Be prepared for a bit of an abrupt ending. Think light reading and be entertained while the car is being fixed or just something for a late night.

A well plotted book with a small town full of memorable characters. Cate Nightingale, a widow with young twin sons, is trying to make a living as a bed and breakfast owner in a remote corner of Idaho. Cal, the local handyman, has been in love with Cate for 3 years but only conditions created by inept villains staging a terrorist attack on the area shock Cate into noticing Cal as a man. Was their romance created by extreme conditions, or would it have happened anyway? (Note Cate starting to notice Cal's strong hands in the beginning of the book, and her repeated attempts to make conversation with him.) The villains' reasoning which led to their attack on the area was so ludicrous, I wouldn't be surprised it it were based on a real news event. A great book- I would love a sequel.

My advice, don't expect too much from it and it won't be such a let down. I felt it was worth reading just because it's a Linda Howard but I wish that I hadn't spent the money to get it in audiobook format. It's not the worst book I've ever read but it doesn't deserve the Linda Howard name.

Linda Howard is one of only three authors that are on my "must own everything by her" list but Cover of Night disappointed me. The characters had SUCH potential but it was never fully explored. I didn' feel connected to either of them. I almost felt like I knew the BAD GUYS better the the hero/heroine because of the time spent in their perspective. I really liked the idea of Calvin's character because he was so out of the ordinary but then he fell flat.
The plot also had great potential but the set-up was skewed somehow. The premise of taking a town hostage was a great idea but was absurd in the setup and execution.
My final problem with this book is that there was no real connection or spark between the characters. They both seem to lack wit or charm and they lack a discernable attraction to each other.
Not Linda Howard's best effort. Maybe she rushed or had a lot going on at the time she wrote it and didn't get time to reread what she had written?

I bought this book in softback years ago, tried to get past the first chapter and failed. I set it aside until I literally had nothing else to read, and yup, those first few chapters were just as bad as I remembered. I get the feeling that Howard's trying to court the mommy brigade hard and heavy, given the ginormous emphasis given to the female protagonist's mom status and the painfully detailed minutiae that involves child-raising. Because of this constant iteration, coupled with TMI about Cate's dead husband, the character immediately lost all "sexy" points in my book from the start, and I'm hard-pressed to see what Cal saw in her (other than she seems to make really good muffins). Cate is a MOM, and that's pretty much what she dwells on throughout the entire book.

Like other readers, I've taken Howard off my auto-read list. A lot of her earlier books were pretty amazing, barring those with the wimpy throw-back-to-the-early-60s heroines. The dynamic between the protagonists sizzles in books like "After the Night" and "Dream Man." She packed just enough suspense into the novels without letting that aspect of the plot shoulder the weight. In the past five years or so, Howard seems to not really know what she wants to write, suspense or romance. The two genres don't come together as fluidly as they did in her previous novels, so her newer books are a mixed bag. Maybe Ms. Howard should take a breather for a few years and then come back to writing when she has some fresh ideas.

Hopefully, they won't involve any "mommy" characters.

I won't lie and say I didn't like this book, because I did. There was a little crush going on for me with Cal. I wish he could be picked out of this novel and given a new story from a different author. Linda Howard seems to be a good writer, although I've yet to read one to compare to all the hype, but I'm working on that. "Cover of Night" seemed to start slow and end way to fast. I mean seriously, the day before Cate wasn't even sure about him and the next she said yes to marriage? Not even in a book does that work.

Loved this book, as I have all of the books by Linda Howard that I've read. The main characters were strong and well developed. I laughed out loud at several of Cate's twins' shenanigans! I found the story to be unique and enjoyable, even if a little unrealistic. I thought the amount of story development in the first half of the book prepared the reader for more of a story than we ended up getting as the conflict resolved itself pretty quickly. It I definitely enjoyed the read and would recommend it!

Cate Nightingale is a widow with two four year old boys. She runs a bed and breakfast in Trail Stop, Idaho. She left Seattle because she could not take the memories of her beloved husband Derek, who died three years ago. Calvin Harris is the only local handyman in Trail Stop who Cate has to call for leaks and other repairs. Unbeknownst to her, the locals were deliberately sabotaging things to try to get her and Calvin together. One of her guests Jeffrey Layton mysteriously climbs out the window of his room not to return. Two men pretending to be guests, threatened to harm Cate and her friend Neenah if they don't get what they want from Mr. Layton's belongings. The men proceed to take the town hostage. There is a 180 degree turn in the character of Calvin Harris, from stuttering and shy, to gun-toting militia man. The awkward romance of Calvin and Cate just did not work for me. The entire siege of Trail Stop unfolded clumsily. Not the worse effort but I have read better novels from this author.

I listen to at least 2 books per week and I like Linda Howard. It is not an Eve Dallas book - however Cover of Night was very well done. The romance was not too sappy, the thrill affect was good and the story was believable. While I scratch my head as to who in their right mind would ever move to Idaho, I suppose one goes where God wants one to go, even if it is Idaho. I have been to Idaho - the only part of this story that is unbelievable is that it happened in Idaho - nothing happens in Idaho.

Linda Howard is one of my favorite romance writers. But this is the first one i didn't buy -- i got it from the library.

The story line is entertaining, but i had a hard time believing that professional killers would be so stupid as to attack a whole town in this day and age -- 100 years ago, okay, i could believe it. But now? Nah.

So i mentally said "OK, pretend this is a Louis L'Amour" and then it was believeable.

Very little sex, if that's what you are looking for, but i still think she did a great job with the story idea and set up. I liked the theme of Kate not "seeing" Cal for a long time -- very real-to-life. Sometimes the best things are sitting under our noses.

I felt that the drama/horror of the attack went on entirely too long. However, she wrapped the story up too quickly and easily -- something that's been happening a lot in her latest novels. It kind of went on and on, then "okay, quick, we need to end it."

It feels like Linda H is came up with the story, but let someone (an underling?) fill in the details of the plot.

Try "Heart of Fire" or "After the Night" or the first & second in the MacKenzie series for a truer Howard book.

For some reason, I never seem to be in agreement with the majority in Linda Howard reviews. My least favorites of hers always get five stars on the store, and my favorites of hers get mediocre reviews.

Personally I loved Cover of Night. I couldn't put it down. And oddly, although the romance didn't develop until mid-book and didn't get a lot of page-time when compared to the mystery aspect of the plot, I LOVED the romance between these two characters. Unrealistic? Sure. But I thought it was so sweet, and loved the interaction between hero/heroine.

I didn't give it five stars because the mystery premise of the plot was a little odd. It had a lot of suspsense, but when I finished the book and thought back on it, it seemed needlessy complicated. I liked the idea of the town being held hostage, but the motivations for doing it seemed weak, despite all the time she spent desribing the bad guys and their reasonings.

Still, as I said - it was a page turner, and I thoroughly enjoyed the romance.

I definitely agree with the other reviewers that commented that this book seemed rushed and the plot unbelievable.

The inconsistencies were glaring and any reader who paid attention to detail would have caught them. I'm surprised Linda Howard let this book go to print.

On page 11 (this is the large print edition) she writes "Calvin Harris didn't have a phone, but he customarily stopped by the hardware store....." "When she had first moved here, Cate had been taken aback that someone wouldn't have a phone in this day and age..." On page 254-255 "He (that would be Calvin Harris) then went back to his place over the feed store to check his answering machine, but Creed still hadn't returned his call."

Yoohooo - Calvin Harris doesn't have a phone, right? How did he call Creed and why does he have an answering machine at his place?

Right after the shooting starts Cate grabs jeans, a sweatshirt and sneakers, yet for the rest of the scenes she is wearing a flannel nightgown.

Come on, doesn't anyone proofread these books anymore?

The author herself admits the entire premise for the book is silly by inserting a comment by one of the bad guys who says taking the town hostage is ridiculous and they should just go get the jump drive from Cate.

Silly story, glaring inconsistencies and unbelievable romance story. Do NOT waste money on this book.

I almost didn't buy this book based on some of the negative reviews here, but I did and I will add that some of the criticism is valid, but by and large it was still a good read and worth my time. The plot is contrived. The bad guys hold an entire town siege. Several of the characters in the book agree with this. But every day we read of real life stories that are just as far fetched, so I could suspend disbelief to make the plot work for me. Ms. Howard is a talented author who consistently creates a good story worthy of reading. Her characters are not carbon copies of previous characters and she doesn't use a "formula" like other successful authors. Not a keeper for me (and most of hers are) but worth the time and money.

Worth the read but not worth the price for what you get. Very little passion and very little character building of the hero. The heroine was fleshed out wonderfully, even her children were better written than the hero. We knew nothing about him at the beginning of the book and very little more by the end. Also, I found the book passionless. When I got through reading the book I wondered why I was dissatisfied an I think it is because there was just no strong emotion in this book. I couldn't connect with the main characters and didn't care very much about them. I will say though that I absolutely loved the scenes with the twins, but won't give anymore information away so as not to spoil it for the people who have not read the book yet. I also found the ending very hurried. All the loose ends were tied up, but again it was just kind of emotionless and told to the reader. I would recommend that the readers get this from the library or a used bookstore and not spent the 25.00 for such anemic work or if you have to have a copy for your bookshelves wait until it comes out in paperback.

Cate Nightingale is a widow trying to run a B&B in Trail Stop Idaho. She is working at keeping her little family together while keeping her bills paid. Nothing exciting ever happens there so when one of her guest goes to the trouble of climbing out of his bedroom window and doesn't return...Cate is obviously upset and a little confused. Why did he leave without taking his things. When she starts receiving odd phone calls and when bad guys show up demanding she answer their questions, Cate does what she can to protect her twin boys before something bad really happens. When her town is held hostage and the handy man she thought was a little strange turns out to be the one man that will be able to keep her safe makes Cate wonder exactly who he is and why her heart speaks to her about him? Will they be able to find a happy ending and stay alive?

Ms. Howard who got her start penning page turning romance has taken a step away from her roots to pen suspense reads light on romance. Very light. This is a good read but if you are looking to be swept away by the romance of it all you might want to look elsewhere.

I am a Linda Howard fan so it pains me to write a negative review but I do so in hopes that Howard or her editors read these boards and take note of some of the comments written here. (WARNING: ending discussed ahead)

While the suspense plot is alternately confusing and silly, the book fails mainly because of the 'romance' between the main characters, Cate and Cal. As many other reviewers noted the chemistry between Cate and Cal was nonexistent and their one sex scene seemed clinical. I think that's because Cate didn't even begin to think of Cal as a love interest until halfway through the book. Then in short order, Cate is interested, sleeps with him, and agrees to marry him. And when I say short order, I mean 1-3 days. And while falling deeply in love very quickly is standard for romance novels it's hard to believe here because even though everyone else in town knows Cal loves Cate, Cate remains pretty clueless up until halfway through the book. At one point, she even thinks Cal has a thing for her cook.

Even more preposterous is the revelation that Cal has been 'in love' with Cate for the entire three years he's lived in the town and has basically been stalking her all that time. The explanation is being that he was waiting for Cate to get over grieving for her dead husband, and he wanted to insert himself into her life and her twin sons' life, becoming a constant presence. Cal's consideration in giving Cate time and space is negated by the creepiness of his waiting three years to make a move. Cal's helped in his love quest by some of Cate's employees who sabotage her B&B so that Cal will have an excuse to come over and fix whatever is wrong. It's not clear why the employees think this will help the romance progress since all Cal does whenever he's in Cate's presence is blush and mumble. But he stops blushing and mumbling once Cate realizes she likes him too and she starts to blush. It's weird. However, Howard makes sure to point out that Cal never charged Cate for any of the fake jobs she called him for, only the real repairs because 'he had to live too.' What a guy, only charging the woman he loves for legitimate repair jobs.

Why couldn't Howard have let the romance develop as the two main characters were drawn together through the threat of danger? I know that's a standard, predictable romance formula but it make a lot more sense that the story that Howard tells here. Like others here said, the book starts out with great promise but ultimately Cate and Cal's romance strains credulity and it dooms the rest of the story.

This book was alright. It didn't seem to be as in depth or enjoyable as Howard's other books. I would have like to see more happen between the 2 main characters. There was WAY to much time spent on gun talk. I really didn't need to know about every weapon, its capabilities, etc. etc.

The story seemed a little far fetched to me. The idea of 5 men holding an entire town hostage in their own homes, is ridiculous. I felt like I was reading a military suspense novel.

Not worth buying, but worthing reading for FREE at the library.

OK, this is it. No more auto-buy books from this author. I have read-- or tried to read--every book she's written. So out of desperation I finally broke down and spent hard-earned $$$ on this one and I swear if I could find the receipt I'd return it in an instant. I HATED the tension to innocent children, I didn't believe the chemistry between the lead characters for one minute. You think I would have looked at the 105 reviews before me, but I TRUSTED this author. No more--now I'm out $$$, have to re-read a keeper and am not very happy at all.

OK, I tried another novel after the Inferno. What was I thinking? There were so many frustrating, or nonsense things about this book I won't name them all or we will be here a while! Way, way too much time was spent exploring the lives and plots of the bad guys. I think Ms. Howard spent more time writing one of the criminals headaches than developing Cal and Cate as characters and love interest. Also she spent some time to make sure the reader would know how professional the hired killer's were. So, they decide, because one of them was miffed, to hold a whole town hostage after blowing and shooting it up. Are you kidding me?? I know that she was trying to make it work for a sub plot, but it didn't jive. These guys were pros, they can't just come, oh, I don't know, in the "cover of night" and search the place? And why weren't they smart enough to figure the disc would be with the guy they were looking for? Or that he did a ditch and switch? Come on, guys on the lamb, fleeing for their lives don't come back for a suitcase and toiletries! 2 stars because I liked some of the sub characters and sub plot. I really am beginning to think Ms. Howard has started to drink. Heavily.

Unlike another reviewer who said they enjoyed the second half more than the first half, I saw more promise in the first half of the story, at least in terms of relationships. This author is known for writing highly-charged romantic tension with lots of emotion included. In this one, however, the relationship issues are dropped (literally!) for some really pitiful criminal activities that bordered on stupid.

Had there been high drama during the taking of the town, that would have made-up for the lack of relationships/romance. I never felt the REASON behind committing a crime of this magnitude nor did I feel any real suspense for the "hostages." The killers never even confronted them during the ordeal. It made no sense. I just did not feel the fear, if that was the goal.

Linda Howard has written some good, strong romantic suspense books with believable plot lines, but this one ain't it. Almost all of her others (except Killing Time, also tepid) are better plotted and developed than Cover of Night. Try KILL AND TELL, KISS ME WHILE I SLEEP, or NOW YOU SEE HER for a much better sample of her writing.

What has happened with Linda Howard's writing? Where has she gone? This book was just bad all around. I cannot recommend wasting time with it. It amazes me that such a talented author such as Linda Howard, who has written such consistently great books with romance, suspense and humor could produce two stinkers in a row (The Killing Time was the 1st). This one beats Killing Time for greatest stinker. The plot was stupid. Cate was flat. The 1st 180 pages were boring. The action picked up then, but then too much was devoted to the villains. So much so, that I just skipped thoses sections altogether after the 1st half of the book. The romance was lifeless. The one love scene between Cate and Cal was passionless and almost clinical. The only promising things to mention were the twins and they were shipped off with Grandma, never to be heard from again and Cal who wasn't fleshed out enough to merit. SKIP THIS ONE. Read any other Linda Howard (with the exception of All That Glitters - one of the worst books I have ever attempted to read, before I threw it out) for great reading. Or, if you're looking for new authors who write great romantic suspense, try Karen Rose or Allison Brennan.

This book was "wrong" on so many levels!!!!!

The premise: A group of "hit men" hold a town hostage on the belief that one person in the town (Cate) may hold a secret disk drive. This disk drive holds the secret books of the hit men's boss. If it gets into FBI's hands, the boss could get into a lot of trouble, ie: go to jail. The plot was plain and simple ridiculous. These are (or supposedly) hard-core, experienced, hit-men. They would not have held the whole town hostage. They would have gone after the person, (in this case, the heroine Cate)who they thought had the item they wanted. Going after just about everyone in the town seems so silly, I can't imagine even an insane person doing it. Plus, they didn't know for sure if she had the disk drive or not!

In my opinion, a Linda Howard book is equivalent to a good read and just plain passion. There was little to none in this book. Cate and Calvin didn't even so much as share a kiss until midway through the book. 37 pages before the book ended, they shared the dryest love scene ever!! Or at least the worst one Linda Howard has ever written. While I don't necessarily read a Linda Howard for her passionate scenes, I must admit, they make the book just a tad more exciting. Linda Howard is my favorite author and has been so since I discovered her books about seven years ago.

She will remain so, because with books like After the Night and Cry no More, her next one has to be a true "STUNNER." However, Cover of Night will NOT remain in my Linda Howard section of the bookcase. I think I'll donate it to the small library in my town so no one else will make the mistake of paying $25.00 for a book this bad.

Well I actually didn't finish reading it. After NOTHING but whining about her hard decisions as a widow happened by page 50 I stopped flagilating myself trying to make myself read this uninteresting book and gave up. The main character isn't interesting, her kids aren't interesting, by page 50 the plot wasn't interesting, the small town isn't interesting....you don't even need to pick this one up it's boring.

You never go wrong with aLinda Howard Novel. Her characters are so believeable .It starts out with a simple story of a young widow and her two sons trying to make it after the sudden death of her husband and how she goes on to make a living for her and her children. The suspence then builds as the story progresses. Loved it will read it again and again.

The reason I enjoy LH so much is her willingness to experiment with many different styles of the romance genre. Time travel, historical, bubbly, emotionally wrenching, spy novels, etc. Like the Nora Roberts, you haven't read one then read them all with LH. Ok, straight suspense isn't her best, but still this is way better than most suspense novels, because at least I care whether the characters live or die. The last suspense novel I read before this was called Kill the Messenger and I was hoping the kid would get hit by a semi and put me out of the misery. Can't wait to see what LH will try next.

I AM SORRY, BUT I HAVE TO SAY THIS BOOK WAS A BIG LET DOWN. I AM A BIG FAN OF LINDA HOWARDS. I LOVED HER BOOKS LIKE "DREAM MAN" AND "AFTER THE NIGHT". THIS BOOK REALLY LACKED A GOOD STORY LINE. I MEAN HOLDING A WHOLE TOWN HOSTAGE???? I LOVED CATE AND CALVIN, BUT THEY REALLY SHOULD HAVE STARTED A ROMANCE WAY BEFORE THE BOOK WAS ALMOST OVER. AND THE END OF THE BOOK???? COME ON. LINDA CAN DO MUCH BETTER THAT THAT. I WILL CONTINUE TO TRY HER BOOKS HERE AND THERE EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T LIKE THIS ONE, BECAUSE I DO KNOW FROM PRIOR READING, THAT SHE CAN DO MUCH BETTER.

Linda Howard, what happened????

I've noticed a strange trend in the last few years, where romance plots are getting heavier on thriller/mystery content and the romance part is becoming an afterthought. I wish authors would remember that if we didn't want 300+ pages of a love story, we wouldn't be shopping in the romance section to begin with.

This book was horrible. I guess it would have been okay if I had never heard of Linda Howard and didn't know what compelling love stories she could write. And if I had picked this up in a bargain bin somewhere, I guess...

I'm taking Linda off my "buy as soon as it hits the shelves" list, although I still highly recommend Drop Dead Gorgeous and To Die For. The fact that those are the two most recent LH books after this one make the mediocrity of this last effort even more perplexing.

First I'm going to write about the thrilling part - If it's one written in the book. This story is about a hit man. The hit man knew - because he said so at the beginning of the book- what was the trap his prey was doing, and guess what, the hit man was right and he was caught in his own snare. Give me a break.

On the other hand you'll have to read pages and pages of twaddle writing to get to the book's end. LH knows how to write better than this.

Cate spends more time thinking about her dead husband than she does about Cal. It's hard to buy that A) he turns from a bumbling fool into a tough guy and B) she suddenly has a change of heart and falls for him. No chemistry between the two, and while you can develop some empathy for Cate, there's not any romance happening. Cal's personality is undeveloped and I certainly wasn't left with the feeling that I'd like to know more about these characters or that I got to know them at all. They could have been two people in a boring commercial.

Story line was promising, but skip this one. I read many of Linda Howard's books over and over. This one will hit the donation box.

Where is Linda Howard? This book was disjointed and incomplete. Had to read through 40 pages of domestic child bliss before anything took shape. Then the shape switched back and forth. He blushed; she blushed. Again and again. What is this?

Trying to keep track of where the story was going and then when it appeared it was like the bad guys made such a war over a little thing - it was a farce.

This book never should have been a hardcover. Get it from the library. Even the lovely cover did not make any sense.

This book is yet another disappointment from Linda Howard, who seems to have lost her ability to write either mystery or romance. Cover of Night is slow starting, repetitive,--Howard tells us again and again what a good, responsible person and mother Cate is, which, since she's our plucky heroine, we assume is a given--and overwritten, an ongoing problem with Howard. In attempting to establish character, she consistently tells the reader too much, as though she doesn't trust her audience to "get" it. Here's an example: Describing Cate's self-sacrifice and unselfishness, Howard writes: "Just about the only extra grooming she had time for these days was keeping her legs and underarms shaved, which she did because--well, just because. Besides, all it took was an [the edition I bought has a typo of two "ans"]--extra three minutes in the shower." Judicious editing would have reduced this description to: "Just about the only extra grooming she had time for these days was keeping her legs and underarms shaved," which is more than enough to let us sympathize with this busy mother of twins and owner of a Bed and Breakfast, who doesn't take enough time for herself. To tell more is the mark of a bad writer, and makes the reader (at least this reader) impatient. Perhaps Howard is not to blame as much as her editors for passages like this, but the book is full of them. It is also uneven. The action sequences are marginally better, crisper, without all the interior monologues or descriptions of motivation that slow the first part of the book down and make it--and its heroine-- dull. Are these sequences better edited or is Howard just better at describing action than she is in creating characters? Hard to know; neither work all that well here.

There are other problems, too, but the most serious is its incredible plot. WARNING: plot revelations follow. Howard's own characters say it best: "Toxtel's plan was one of the most idiotic things he'd ever heard in his life....." and later, "This whole thing was so over the top it didn't make sense." The "plan," so to speak, is to blow up bridges, put an entire town under seige, take the inhabitants hostage, and kill innocent citizens--all in order to recover an item which the protagonists ONLY ASSUME IS HIDDEN IN THE TOWN! The expense of such an operation alone makes it unbelievable, never mind the impracticality or logistics of it. The plan's mastermind is not even portrayed as an out-of-control, power-hungry madman, who might conceivably come up with such a deranged idea, but simply as a rather plodding hitman, angry because his first attempt to recover the object failed. Almost as incredible is our hero's action in allowing these bad guys to leave town in the first place, when any thinking, sane person would have turned them over to authorities. But of course they had to leave town so that the remainder of the plot--and I use the term lightly--could unfold.

CofN is also highly predictable; I knew our hero and heroine would have reason to climb a mountain from the first moment we learn they have climbing experience. But even then, the climb is aborted, as though Howard herself grew bored with it. And then there is the relationship between Cate and our hero, which other reviewers have commented on and which I agree only adds to our disbelief. In this, as well as in other aspects of the story, Cate comes off as slightly stupid, while our hero challenges our believability by doing a sudden about-face (no pun intended) from blushing, stammering handyman to Super Marine. Precocious, baby-talking four-year olds and assorted other good and bad characters with mysterious pasts help clutter the landscape but do little to enrich the story.

Again, I cannot help but suspect that Cover of Night is an earlier unpublished Howard manuscript which has been updated and offered to an audience eager for her next best seller. If I'm wrong and this is the level of her current writing, then I also can't help anticipating future Howard offerings with a certain amount of trepidation.

Reading other people's reviews drives home how different everyone's taste. This is one of my favorite books. It is all about what sort of men you find attractive. I love Linda Howard but this is a really great book in my opinion. I love the characters and it was a sweet romance with action. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and I was so sorry when it ended. It reminded me of a movie. But not a lot of hot sex if that is what you are looking for... hummmmm but in my opinion it's lovely sexy romance. The kind you do see at the movies.

I love Linda Howard...usually. Lately her work has not been up to par. Most of her recent books have seemed rushed and not well thought out. The stories are good but they are just lacking depth or something. I have a hard time conecting with the characters. Howard's older works (mostly written in the 80's) like the Mackenzie books and Angel Creek and Lady of the West were so passionate and I really connected with the characters. If this is your first Linda Howard book you might be dissapointed. Go back and read her earlier works. You will enjoy them more. Sarah's Child is a real tear jerker and I love that style. I wish she would go back to it. I would also love to see another western. Howard is a good author but she needs to revisit what works best and not this new stuff she has been experimenting with.

Vamos a ver...

partiendo de la base de que la mitad del libro es un viaje interior de Cate, la cosa se tuerce.

La señora Howard nos tiene acostumbradas - para bien o para mal - a toda una serie de libros berrakos, en los cuales la pasión se desborda en cada una de sus páginas.

En cambio en este libro nos muestra un personaje atipico. El único protagonista de la novela es Cate.. es ella !! en ningun momento sabes cómo piensa Calvin.. nada. Hay unos 3 o 4 besos en todo el libro, cosa que a mí personalmente me ha afectado.

Cierto es que la trama de suspense está perfectamente llevada pero cojea en los personajes principales para luego dejar caer un final demasiado acelerado para mi gusto.

Además, Calvin es un hombre del cual no sabes nada ni cuando empieza el libro ni cuando lo acabas. Como es ?? qué piensa ?? qué hace ?? sin información. y ella se enamora de él por verle sostener una escopeta de caza cuando nunca le había echado dos miradas ?!?!?!? VAMOS !!!!! eso es poco creíble.. y pasa a mitad del libro

Reitero que es una novela de misterio y no de romance. Si la compras pensando que es de romantica pues creo que no has acertado, si la compras pensando que es de intriga... te felicito, disfrutarás.

Donde está la Howard de toda la vida ??

Tedious--too much "telling" and not much "showing" about pretty much everything, and big plot holes. A lot less exposition about Cate's worries about being a single mom and more about some of the other characters and plot developments would have gone a long way to making this a really good read. This isn't new for Linda Howard books, but strong leads (Diaz and Milla, "Cry No More") made up for it; not so this time.

This book starts out like some of the best Linda Howard has written. My favories are All the Queen's Men, Son of the Morning and Diamond Bay. In Cover of Night, the resolution at the end seemed rushed and our hero did not get a chance to be heroic. I was expecting so much more from the ending and as a result was disappointed. Still worth reading but not her best.

This was my first Linda Howard read. By the end of the book I was thinking she is a boring author. After reading other reviews I might give her another chance since most agree this was not up to par. The plot was so unbelievable and the romance dry. The sex scene didn't add anything, it felt rushed. One minute she doesn't know he exits and then she willing to marry him??? Check it from the library if you need a quick read.Unfortantly nothing really stands out.

I bought the abridged audio version of Cover Of Night. It has a very light romance mixed in with some murder & mystery. It didn't really sway me one way or the other as it was kind of mediocre, but it is definitely good to listen to while on a long drive.

Based on many of the reviews, I've quit on this book after 85 pages. It was seeming to me to be a short story to which LH added many superfluous details. It was also getting irritating in the unrelated details:

1. The "naughty" chair for her twins--plus, why didn't she have two?? The poor kids had to wait their turn.

2. One hit man in a ridiculous sex scene with a pick-up named Kami that gets absurd in their threats to each other. What's the point in relation to the storyline??

3. A multiple-paragraph description of the lighting in the B&B hallway and two-sentence details about the strong flashlite Cal had (though this may be pertinent later, but still overly detailed).

Plus, it's been so boring. My usual rule is that after 25-50 pages, if the book has nothing of interest, I'm done. I've persevered a bit longer because of being a big LH fan, but am grateful for the reviews here. Big relief that I have a library copy this time.

I have read a lot of Linda Howard's book. Some are keepers and can be read again. This one is not. The opening chapters of the story dragged. The characters were likeable. It should have taken one chapter to tell the story about the bed and breakfast and its everyday operation. I found myself wanting to know more about the two heroes in the story. The last several chapters were rushed through. It is a okay read but you will not want to keep the book, or read it again.

Like others, I am a long time fan of LH, ever since "After the Night". Im not gonna rehash the plot of this story but I give it a 3. Because the story was outlandish and totally off the wall from the hitmen's angle. I think Linda could have sold if she had made Mellor a little bit more mentally unstable and show Goss feeding Mellor's fire more. Knowing that one of he hitmen was crazy wouldve made the plot believable.Because he's crazy! But aside from that. I loved that Linda took a step back from developing the average alpha male hero. Before this, I was getting so tired of the traditional hero, smooth talking extremely handy with the ladies guy. Cal was a total opposite, a Beta hero, even though he had great killer instinct. I do believe there could have been more development of Cal's and Cate's relationship. After one romp they decide to get married, doesnt make sense to me. Not one bit.

But hey what can I say, I will remain a Linda Howard fan because of all her previous great work and because to me, some other authors still cant touch her.

First let me say that I am a huge Linda Howard fan. I've also met her and became even more of a fan as she is one of the nicest, friendliest authors. But, this is just an awful book, on so many levels. It lacks the depth and character dimensions of previous books but the worst part is that this plot is laugh out loud ridiculous. And ironically, she even has one of the criminals say "The most obvious thing would be to simply go after the woman directly and take the flash drive from her."

Well, yeah. That was so obvious, especially if these are professional hitmen who did not want to draw attention to themselves. Thus, I wanted to throw the book across the room when I got to the scene where they decided to take the town hostage...and yet they never even made any demands. It made no sense, and was dumb beyond belief. If it wasn't for the fact that I dropped red spaghetti sauce on the book as I read it, I would have returned it. It was that bad.

Mostly, I was just disappointed, as I love her writing, and the book got off to a promising start with a widowed mother and a mysterious handyman. I wish we'd spent more quality time with them.

This was such a departure for Linda Howard, I hope it is just an exception and not a new direction for her books.

This is a good book, I started it today and just finished it, one of those you can't put down. I did eat dinner but that is all I did other than read. It came in the mail this morning and I was so excited about getting a new book. And for it to turn out to be so good made it even more exciting for me. Ms Howard is a really good writer, I think I have read every thing she has written. If you have not read any of her work, I would strongly suggest you try one of her books. I don't think you will be disappointed at all.

Because I have been disappointed in Linda Howard's last few novels, I waited for this one to come out in paperback. Now I wish I would've waited to pick it up at a used book sale. Though I may be repeating what many of the other reviews here state, the plot was unbelievable, the characters not easy to relate to, and the ending much too abrupt. I miss the "old" Linda Howard stuff. Whatever happened to characters like the Mackenzies in A Game of Chance and Mackenzie's Mountain, and plots like those of Mr. Perfect and After the Night. Maybe it's time for some sequels of these well-established characters and interesting plot lines!!

First of all - how are we supposed to be attracted to a hero who blushes everytime he is around the women he likes? This makes him seem very shy and small - and yet when the bad guys come he's fully capable of wielding force as well as guns? Yeah, sure. The romance was stale, boring and seemed contrived. The twins kind of steal the show. And the 'attack' was way overdone & unbelievable.

Love Linda Howard, but I have to agree with others who found this plot not up to par. It makes absolutely no sense that the two "best" guys in this crime group, the two who always get the job done, would come to the decision to take a whole town hostage to accomplish their goal. Linda's had some weak plot elements in previous books, but they were wrapped up so well in other compelling story aspects that you could ignore it. Can't do it here. Very glad that I got this book from the library.

After reading the reveiws prior to listening to the book, I wasn't sure what to expect; however, overall, I enjoyed the book. There was alot of character development in the beginning of the book (although mostly about Kate). The plot was over the top and I don't know why professional killers would go through all that effort.

I agree with others that the last few chapters felt rushed (I was halfway through 9 of 10 CD's and still felt that there was so much more to be covered and explained). The ends seemed to be tied up too quickly.

This, to me, is a new Linda Howard direction. I enjoy her books with a passion and ever since 'To Die For' came out in 2003, her characters have changed for better or worse. I was thrown for a loop at the narration change, especially with the main character. Apply that technique in 'Cover of Night' and you have charaters you either love or intensely dislike for rubbing you the wrong way. I like it, it gets the job done but I would have liked more one on one's between Cate and Calvin. His shyness was also something different for Howard and that I extremenly found appealing for the fact that its a complete 180 from her alpha males. I love alpha males but a shy one for good measure is great. Lastly, sex, only one scene! Fine and it worked with the book but that's Linda Howard-- they fluctuate from book to book and helps keep fans on their toes.

I want to start by saying I am a HUGE Linda Howard fan and have read all of her books. I can't believe that this was written by her. I agree with the previous reviewer about how stupid the plot was. I was not interested to see how the plot unfolded. The romance here was barely explored. These tough guys in a dead end town secretly loving two women and waiting YEARS to even express any interest. Come on! This one needs a redo. Get it from the library if you have to read it, but this is not worth the shelf space to keep.

At first I couldn't believe I was reading a Linda Howard book. I kept checking the title page to be certain. The plot and characters were simply absurd. I really struggled to finish reading it. I kept hoping she would redeem herself somehow, but it was impossible once the silly plot by the bad guys was set in place. What was she thinking?

When I first discovered Linda Howard, I purchased every book I could and loved them all, but her last few publications have been lackluster. This latest one has put me off so much, I may not purchase her work again. My favorite authors aren't brilliant every time, but this one is so bad I don't even want to donate it to anyone.

Where are the romance and thrills? The romance was not sizzling and the thriller part was not very believable. I'm not sure what exactly it is that is wrong here but this one just doesnt have that special something that other books by Linda Howard do have, like All The King's Men, which was in my opinion one of her most memorable. If you have not read that one yet, skip this one and buy that one. Some other favorites that i have read so far this year come from Catherine Coulter (exceptional story teller), Nancy Madore (super spicy stuff that is very nicely written), and Julie Garwood (fluffy romance that sizzles).

I too am an avid Linda Howard fan. This book has gotten the worst reviews of any book I have looked at and I put off buying it for days because of them. I normally buy the day of release and I actually waited over a week. I eventually couldn't help but see what everyone hated so much and bought the ebook.

Yes the action was slow and descriptions of things I didn't care about lengthy. Like the making of the snow shoes. Endless details about how Cate cleaned, where furniture was positioned etc.

However I did like the book. I am glad I bought it, it is not as bad as lots of books out there, trust me. Compared with other Linda Howard books it was the worst but compared with other authors it was definately worth a 3. As for the speed of the change in Cate's feelings and Cal changing radically, these things are no different from most of Linda Howard's other couples. Most of them instantly become aware of each other and most of them have sex not long after. Look at Zane, Chance, Dane, Joe. Cry No More had the most prolonged courtship of any of them.

Yes I would have hoped for more intimate details but Linda Howard's books are getting less and less explicit.

Also Linda Howard frequently writes sympathetic villains, Out of Season, All the Queen's Men, Angel Creek

Read the book instead of the reviews and enjoy it!

I used to automatically buy the newest Linda Howard book, but since I've been very disappointed with her last several books, I read the the store customer reviews for this one first. I'm so glad I did. The reviews were so awful, I decided to get the book from the library instead of buying it. Good move on my part and a heartfelt thanks to the reviewers. 'Cover of Night' was so bad I had no interest in finishing it. I saved myself about $25 and that feeling of being ripped off by a former favorite writer.

When I saw the reviews for this book I had to really think before I read it. Well...I read it and I liked it! It kept my interest and had some funny moments. Yes, it wasn't as good as some of her others but it is well worth reading.

I have never been so disappointed in one of Linda Howard's books. The plot sounded like a good idea that she didn't quite know how to bring to life, and the ending was dry and completely without tension. The characters were lacking her usual vividness and I didn't really care about them; they were for the most part flat and undeveloped. The "kidnapping" of the town was contrived and unbelievable, the death of one of the protagonists went unexplained, and the romance was all but passionless. All in all it read like a contractual obligation rather than a storyline she really cared about.

Ms Howard is usually a dependable author but she really let her readers down with this one. It's OK to expect a reader to suspend disbelief every now & again but one would have to have a frontal lobotomy to buy what she is selling in this one. So disappointing, especially after her wonderful & hilarious "To Die For." The trees (for paper) that gave up their lives for this book die for nothing this time.

I thoroughly enjoy Ms. Howard's books and have purchased them without checking the reviews. While I enjoyed the book, I was disappointed that the end seemed rushed and it was not properly explained. While the idea of holding an entire town hostage to obtain information was a little unbelievable I still enjoyed the story. I was disappointed in the outcome of the situation since it left me feeling that the end was rushed and the book did not come to a proper conclusion.

This book was boring. I'm a big fan of her earlier books, but the last two I have read by her have been total flops in my opinion. Killing Time was so stupid, that I threw the book across the room when I was done with it and this one, I had to force myself to finish.

The entire first few chapters in the book were nothing but a pity party for the main character. There is no real character developement in this book, it makes you kind of feel cheated in someway.

I won't be buying another Linda Howard book.

I found this book to be very boring. I kept telling myself that the two characters would start to interact with each other but I felt nothing for them. Too much time was spent dwelling on Cate's past and thoughts. There wasn't any tension(sexual or otherwise) between Calvin or Cate. The plot was silly and unbelievalbe. I am giving this 2 stars because it is Linda Howard but she definitely needs to go back to her roots. Remember "After the Night", that's all I have to say.

After being widowed, Cate Nightingale and her twin boys move to the isolated Idaho town of Trail Stop where cell phones don't work and there is only one road in and out of the place. She opens up a bed and breakfast which is moderately successful and for three years relies on the town handyman Calvin Harris to do the repairs that always arises at the worst times. She believes Cal is a shy man because he always blushes when he has to talk to her.

Her opinion of him changes when thugs arrive at the B&B demanding the luggage of a guest who snuck out the widow and disappeared. Cal somehow sneaks up behind them and gets them out of the inn after giving them the guest's luggage. They are looking for a flash drive with files from a crime lord's computer but it isn't in the suitcase. They believe that it is still on the premises. They cut off the town trying to terrorize people into giving them what they want. Cal organizes the townsfolk so that they can survive the ordeal while Cate realizes that she has fallen for him and prays he doesn't try to be a hero and get himself killed.

COVER OF NIGHT is Linda Howard at her very best. The storyline is filled with action, romance and family drama as a town bands together to fight the enemy. Ms. Howard has the magic touch when it comes to creating protagonists readers will care about. As the town plays matchmaker, the hero and heroine know what the other is feeling and respond in a manner that is so hot readers will feel the sparks flying

Harriet Klausner

I love anything written by Linda Howard. But I tend to agree with some of the reviews. Some of her novels tend to get overly sensuous (even smutty). This one is a little less. I want to read more about Cal, the silent but deadly hero, and what happens after. This definitely screams SEQUEL ! Still, I enjoyed reading the book.

I love Linda Howard books and I can't get enough of them. However having read so many of them I am not convinced she wrote this as the style is so different and much more basic - not nearly the same class of read as her other novels. So all in all a disappointment.

Terrible, terrible writing. I am a big Linda Howard fan and this is nothing like her other books. This is like something she might've written in high school before she was published. Very disappointing.

Great suspense novel. Loved the twins! And, although the plot seemed a little far-fetched, the characters acted and talked like real people which was a nice change from the stupid novels I've been reading lately.

I was so excited to get this book. The storyline was so promising, but I didn't think it went deep enough. As a previous reviewer remarked, Cate didn't notice Calvin until half way into the book. We got Cate's take on things, but rarely a glimpse at what Calvin was thinking, feeling, ect. That is the element that was missing in her story. It seemed like it was rushed or something. I love Linda Howard, but this one is not her best work. Wait until it comes out in paperback.

Some of her best works are: Mr. Perfect, Kill and Tell, and Now You See Her.

This, Linda Howard's 19th novel, is my introduction to her wonderful and compelling storytelling.

Cover of Night is placed in an isolated village in Utah. Innocent people become involved in the ruthless dealings of powerful men who can hire killers--men without consciences but with the ability to use guns and create terror. Trail Stop, Idaho is a sleepy stopover for hunters, hikers and rock climbers--until that fateful day when Mr. Layton comes to town.

Cate Nightingale is the widowed mother of four-year-old twins. After the sudden death of her husband three years earlier, she bought the B&B in the village where they stayed and had enjoyed rock climbing.

Far from family she becomes part of a small community of people who watch over and befriend her and her boys--people who Cate thought had lived there forever.

Guest Mr. Layton "checks out" through the second-story window, leaving behind a suitcase, shoes and shaving kit. This guest has something someone wants--and wants it badly enough to terrorize Cate, the B&B owner. When she and a friend are accosted by two goons, they are rescued by the town's shy handyman who guesses that she is in trouble when she meets him at the door.

The town is energized that one of their own was assaulted in this quick-moving story, filled with people so real you think you know them. The relationships grow during this crisis when everyone takes the brakes off their feelings. Love shows itself to two couples as the message becomes clear: "If I care about her and never tell her, what if something happens and I can NEVER tell her?"

When the bad guys want something, they will do whatever it takes to get it, especially if they are paid very well for the job. Revenge, self-serving justice, and especially ego, turn the bad guys against each other. The men who order the job show no mercy to those who take a job from them--and fail!

My mother used to say: Work first; then read--but she never picked up a Linda Howard novel!

Armchair Interviews says: This is a book you will want to set aside some time for because you will not want to put it down.

Set in a small one horse town somewhere in the mountains of Idaho, a widow opens a B&B and bonds with the small community. This book is sprinkled with lite mystery, a dash of thrills, laced with some sex and is easily read in one sitting. A no-brainer mystery.

Linda Howard is usually better than providing both unbelievable plots and one-dimensional characters, but not this time. While I can buy the remoteness of Trail Stop, the idea that not one person owns a satellite phone? Two super-skilled military heroes, one of whom the heroine doesn't recognize as even really being masculine until mid-way through the book? But less believable than anything, hit men who conceive of and try to carry out such a high-profile act against an entire town? And throwing in a sympathetic hit man along they way? Nonsensical and predictable plot and characters with no credibility. Wooden dialogue and no sizzle between the characters we're supposed to care about. What a waste.

I'm usually never disappointed with a Linda Howard's books. I usually love both the female and male characters, but the heroin in this book is so annoying, she keeps going on and on about her late husband enough already we get it you miss him. No matter how much I read on I just never liked her.

On the other hand the hero of this novel was wondeful strong silent type quick witted, smart, brave and down to earth I like that. when I finished it I felt sorry for him he was stuck with her.

I have been reading Linda Howard Novels for years. I always looked forward to a new release by Ms. Howard and would gladly shell out the price for a hard cover. The last two releases left me disappointed to say the least. Cover of Night was just awful, the plot was way beyond realistic. Ms. Howard must have had enough typed to satisfy her editor or to fill up a specific number of pages because the book just ends with a very hurried explanation. The same can be said for her two books prior to this one. Needless to say Ms. Howard has lost a fan. Don't waste your money wait for your local library to obtain it if you have to read it at all.

I was greatly dissapointed by this book. Although not as bad as her last book "Killing Time" it ranks a close second. The plot is truly ridiculous with the killers having about as much book time as the main characters. Although the first 150 pages are actionless and boring I would say this is more of an action novel than a romance. Cate doesn't even "think" about Calvin romantically until about page 180.

Neither character is charismatic or interesting, nor apparently attractive as the author describes Cate as having a "duck" mouth (large upper lip), sinewy skinny arms, large bottom and muscular legs. Calvin is described by one of the killers as 5'10" to 6 foot, skinny, longish hair with spooky eyes made of glass. Calvin also speaks coherently and pleasantly to everyone in town, advising them of his crush on Cate, yet has been monosyllabic with Cate for the last 3 years. His speaking condition is quickly remedied when Calvin starts carrying a gun and becomes amazing articulate. The couple doesn't come together romantically until approximately page 300 and the book thankfully ends on page 338. You know it has to be bad when you keep wondering what page you're on and why nothing is happening!

I love Linda Howard books. I always look forward to her releases and this book was a gross disappointment to say the least. I think the characters are not developed well, and the relationship between Cal and Cate occurred too fast. The story was rushed and I'm sure Linda could have done much better writing on this book.

I am a huge fan of Linda Howard's books. I have purchased each and every one of them. I live in Israel so getting her books in English from the U.S.A. isn't cheap Cover of Night was the most disappointing book of Linda Howard's I have ever read. It was boring and I foung myself turning the pages and looking for something interesting to read in that particular book. I hope the next one is more interesting. I will keep looking forward to her books since I have enjoyed and re-read many of the ones I have.

Ugh...found hardback on my bookcase and wondered why I couldnt recall reading this book. After struggling thru a few chapters I knew why. I never got past those 3 chapters...This is the end of my being a Linda Howard fan. You have to convince me that Miss Howard even wrote this book.

I don't understand all the negative reviews. I thought it was a very good suspence story. I liked Cal and Cate and would have enjoyed more of Creed and Neemah. All in all I enjoyed the story very much.

Remembering that Linda Howard at OK is still better than so many writers, I can only say the book is so so. I wish I had waited for it in paperback. From the woman that wrote Dream Man, Mr Perfect, and Kill and Tell this was a disappointment

But when Drop Dead Georgeous comes along I'll be there, no doubt.

Although I agree with several of the reviews regarding the absurd actions of the hitman and his reasoning for taking the entire town hostage (mostly ego), Linda Howard's style of writing kept me reading this book. Maybe all that was needed to 'flesh' out the ding-dong factor were a couple more conversations between the two hitmen, one of whom wanted everything to go wrong anyway. The other hired expert just wanted the money and thought he was so good at what he did (only worried about one resident) that the town had no chance to win.

Linda Howard is still on my must-have list.

I think the Linda Howard who wrote White Lies, Sarah's Child, Duncan's Bride, MacKenzies Mountain, Diamond Bay,etc. is one of the most talented current romance writers.

Unfortunately, when she gave up the genre romances and turned to the "big Time", her writing started to decline. She is clearly in over her head now. What a shame she couldn't stick to a format in which she excelled and warmed the hearts of millions of readers.

This just goes to show that one should figure out where one excels and stick to it. This is pure "Peter Principle" in action.

Too bad/

I've been with Linda Howard since Sarah's Child and the MacKenzies. Even as she branched out and eventually switched over to suspense, I followed through Kill and Tell and All the Queen's Men. But here she seems to be faltering on the dividing line between fiction, suspense, and romance. The result? A boring tale of predictable mobsterish drama. You don't get attached to the heroine, and the hero seems to be a repeat of her last 7 archetypes. Though Cry No More moved me to tears with it's power and depth, Cover of Night had me yawning before page 20. For the first time, I skipped ahead to the middle and end of a Linda Howard--never finished the whole thing.

I enjoyed this book and was surprised at how harshly it has been rated. Yes - I wish the characters and subplots were more thoroughly developed. But I feel that way about almost all of the authors I like who become "popular". The publishing industry seems to push for faster, less well-developed books... quantity vs. quality. I enjoy Linda Howard. She has an amazing array of voices she uses as an author. COVER OF NIGHT is a fun, fast read with some great scenes. If you don't want to pay for a hardcover, then enjoy it as a paperback.

This book is a disappointment. Who is the handyman, the guide (why are they so good) Why did the mark leave the B& B through the window? Why did so many people have to die? Why block off the town? This book withheld common sense and sunk into action-action-action. I usually love this author but I want my money back.

I have loved all of Howard's books except this one. Even her early stuff was entertaining. Cry No More her best.

I'm willing to swallow a far-fetched plot if the characters are good. The male lead's transformation from blushing handyman to love of her life just didn't work.

I'm eager to donate this one to the library.

This is a dull read. I was really disappointed. It has a lot of suspense but in order to get to it. You have to read halfway into the book. I mean towards the end. Which truly is the most suspenseful part of the book. I have read great Linda Howard novels in the past but this isn't it. I'll wait for the next novel.

As promised the last time, I didn't buy this one - I got it from the library. And I'm glad I didn't waste my money. If I could have rated this under a 1 star, I would have.

I'll be glad when Linda gets over whatever is making her write such dreadful books and goes back to the style that made me count the days until her next release.

Few people visit Trail Stop, Idaho. Usually only rock climbers or people wanting to get away from big city life for awhile. This is where young Cate Nightingale settled down with her twin four-year-old boys and runs a very small B&B. There are not many rooms, but since Trail Stop is like a dead end (there is nothing beyond the city but road-less mountains) the rooms are never all filled. Everybody knows everybody in the area, mostly by necessity since the closest mailbox is ten miles away and a trip to the grocery store is an hour, each way. The cost of living is low. Neighbors help out neighbors. Everyone feels safe and secure. Danger oozes into town when Mr. Layton checks into the B&B. Nothing seems out of whack until the man disappears one morning via his window, leaving his personal items behind. Cate gets worried and reports the disappearance to the nearest law enforcement agency; however, since he did not skip out on his bill, there has not been a crime committed. Only a few days later, two strangers invade Cate's B&B, demanding that Mr. Layton's possessions be turned over. To Cate's shock, Calvin Harris, a local handyman, saves the day. But the strangers only leave to enlist the aid of mercs-for-hire. Soon Trail Stop is cut off from the rest of the world and the entire community is held hostage. No one outside town has any idea that anything is wrong. There is no cellular service, no land lines working, and the bridge has been blown up. It would be a week or more before the outside world can reach them. The invaders are confident that the locals will hand over what they want long before then.

Calvin Harris may be known as the local handyman in Trail Stop, but he is a retired Marine. The local guide for rock climbers and hikers is Joshua Creed, who is Cal's former commander. Even eight years out of the Corps, these Force Recon men know how to deal with terrorists. And unknown to the invaders, the locals are used to taking care of matters themselves since law enforcement is so far away. Everyone has weapons and knows how to use them. The strangers want Cate, believing she has something they want. But Cate is part of Trail Stop, and they protect their own!

***** A modern day thriller that only Linda Howard has the talent to create! There is romance, but only one or two small love scenes (just as any good book or movie has). The story is filled with action and drama. I refused to stop reading for anything, even dinner. Highly recommended! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

I enjoyed this summer's outing with Linda Howard as I do with all of her books. I go into the books I read hoping for a good tale vs thinking this is going to be The best book I have ever read. Reading is entertainment and all I ask is for a good tale and a few hours of good reading. Linda Howard gave me that in her latest book and Thanks for that !!

What happened to Linda Howard??? This book is the last that I will read from her. She was my favorite writer until she wrote Cry No More. I thought she was having a bad book day so I forgave her for that garbage but each subsequent book has gotten WORST (which is hard to do). I am at the stage where I refuse to buy her books anymore. My advice to her is to take some time off before churning out any more garbage!!!

I enjoyed this book...loved the locals outsmarting the bad guys. Wanted more romance with Neenah and the Major...ditto with Cate and Cal. Man, he was a patient guy!! Liked the intermingling threads of the story that included Goss and a possible serial killer.

I used to buy every book she wrote. Unfortunately, both this one and the previous one (Cry No More) are losing steam. You will get a lot more from the authors such as Anne Stuart, Susan Elizabeth Phillps, Merline Lovelace (the longer stories), and Katherine Sutcliffe (the more recently written ones); their stories have all the components of sensuality and excitment.

I am a HUGE Linda Howard fan, but I did not like this book at ALL! It went into WHY too many details about really stupid stuff and the plot made no sense what so ever. The book spends more time with the Villians than the main Charachters. The writing standard was WAY BELOW what Linda Howard is capable of writing. Very disappointed....................... :(

I'm not sure Linda Howard even wrote this book. I'm a huge Linda Howard fan and usually get her novels on the release date. Cover of night has a ridiculous plot, but that's not as offensive as the boring characters that go along with it. I'm so disappointed with this Linda Howard I'm actually returning it.

Not your run of the mill Howard novel but I didn't think it was as bad as the knocks it has been getting. The two main characters weren't chrismatic or jump off the page gorgeous but they were filled out nicely and performed their roles well. It was a nice read.