All the Queen's Men (CIA Spies Series Book 2)

Romance Suspense is a category in romance writing that is becoming more and more popular. I have been a reluctant reader of romance suspense because the action pages usually surpass the romance pages. I often find that this romance suspense writing lacks over true suspense writing outside of the romance arena and have therefore been critical of it. But I also decided to look at this increasingly popular category and read these books expecting the romance to be secondary to the action and determine if I could see the book in a better light. And I picked All the Queen's Men with this new attitude. This book has little romance and the leads spend at most one-third of the book alone together. But it was a very good CIA type story regardless, full of dangerous thrills and tension, and I did not find it at all boring or lacking. I knew from reviews that it was not as sensual a book as most Howard books. I also had been introduced to the hero in the book Kill and Tell. This is its sequel. I knew I would like a story about John Medina. Plus, after reading this book, I can safely say that this is the best Howard suspense book yet. In my mind, All the Queen's Men is superior to Dying to Please and Mr. Perfect, two of Howard's other romance suspense books. There have been many Howard books that I loved more than All the Queen's Men but those were considered contemporary romance and were primarily romance stories.
John Medina and Niemi Burdock first meet when they begin a joint mission five years earlier that included Niemi's husband, Dallas. Dallas was killed on that mission and John was the one that got Niemi out of Iran safely and soothed her through the rough days that followed her husband's death. For the past five years, Niemi has lived a secluded life and works at a technical job with the CIA. She has not seen John during those five years but John has kept track of her - his CIA boss makes sure that all goes well for her at John's request. He has always cared for her and finally decides she has had five years to find someone else to marry and since she hasn't, he is going to be the only man in her life from now on. He believes she blames him for her husband's death and is greatly relieved when he finds out during their first visit after all these years that she does not blame him at all. She actually blames herself.
John Medina does everything well - he is so well trained and is just so cool. But he doesn't know much about personal relationships. He has operated in the black for so many years with so many identities that he is unable to form long-term relationships. Niemi has given up her sense of adventure after losing her husband and is a very sensible and serious person now. She has kept physically fit and is a very capable woman. She was always intimidated by John and doesn't believe he thinks all that much of her. Both Niemi and John are very likable characters - possibly some of my favorites - especially Niemi. She is a great heroine. Of course, as usual, they are both very attractive people and that is important in this story since part of their future mission will rely on others noticing this attraction as well.
The first days that John and Niemi spend together when he is training her for their mission are precious but there is nothing overtly romantic between them. I state that as a complaint. The romantic possibilities were so great and the chemistry could have rocked the pages had the romance been given more exposure. We are given so little time with just the two of them and even most of that time is concentrated within the pages prior to their realization of their mutual caring. There are two or three sensual scenes that come close to the end and they rate about a 3.0 out of 5.0 (see More About Me for rating guidelines). See - I still had to mourn to loss of the romance for the suspense.
The villain is certainly the most different one I have ever read. No wonder it got the AAR's Favorite Villain Award the year it was published. You actually like this villain and don't want him to get hurt. Most of the villain's scenes show a man that is kind, respectful, and at times extremely touching when those scenes are about or include his daughter. The villain is actually a reason that I enjoyed this story as much as I did.
I really did enjoy All the Queen's Men despite its lack of romance. What romance there is - is very powerful! The story never dragged and I really liked all of the characters. Howard was able to create some sort of magical element that made it a really good read just as it is.

This was packed with action and spy intrique! It was literally like watching a James Bond movie, except much better if I do say so myself ;)
This 'James Bond' was none other than mysterious John Medina from Ms Howard's previous title 'Kill and Tell', the CIA agent and computer wizard. Never knowing what to expect next was all the fun! It was edge of your seat excitement that I haven't read in a long, long time, expecially of this genre!
Chases scenes that will leave your heart hammering, gunplay that will leave you gasping and the neverending disguises that will make you smirk when the badguys are fooled. And last but definately not least, a female lead that kicks butt!
John Medina is a CIA agent, Black Ops specialist. He works in the shadows of the government's deadliest missions. This time John is up against a diabolical terrorist and needs the help of communications expert Niema Burdock.
Only five years ago, Niema and her husband Dallas worked with John on a mission in Iran that got him killed. She has healed slowly, but hasn't seen Medina since that time and never plans to see him again until he shows up and wants her to help him, this time in Paris.
Stopping a French arms dealer will be tricky, but all Niema has to do is plant undetectable bugs (that she invented) needed to crack the ring. Against what her head is telling her, she infiltrates the ring by helping John and staying under cover. When their strategy begins to crack, they run for their lives into a maze of trouble and a strange land. They also find themselves powerfully attracted to one another. Can he heal the wounds around her heart for good? Can she trust him enough to let him? Does she have the strength to anymore?
In the tricky and deceptive world of spy games and terrorism, John Medina must keep Niema this time or he will lose his heart...
EXCELLENT!!!! Definately worth the money and time!!!! Don't miss this wild ride!!!
Tracy Talley~@

This one is definitely a keeper. Excellent romance, suspense, and total action & adventure. LH has done some excellent writing in this one. (Just a note to those it matters to: The romance is somewhat 2nd place in this one.) All of the characters are somewhat complex - but she doesn't take it so far that I couldn't get to know them.
When I read about John Medina in 'Kill And Tell', I just knew that his would be an excellent story..... it is! Although some of his decisions seemed quite cold, I just couldn't help but be glad that there is 'someone' out there to make those kinds of decisions. Although John doesn't really have a clue how to handle personal relationships, he does know how to act towards people with respect.... that's a real biggy in my opinion.
I really, really enjoyed Niema, our heroine... she is definitely heroine material. This was one of those scarce books that gives me a good reason for the changes that Niema made in her life 5 yrs ago.... & justifies the fear she has of falling for John..... didn't blame her a bit on either one. She was incredibly smart, had loads of common sense, & Did Not allow her past to be an excuse for blaming others nor for acting like a royal witch.... inspite of everything she was a very likable person.
The villian in this book, Louis Rosnard, is unlike any other I have read about. His is a very interesting twist. Yes, I had to condemn him for his actions...... however...... hmmm... can't go there or I'll give anyway part of the story. Anyway, it's a very interesting twist on a villan & I really wonder if we'll see him again in future books.
Really enjoyed it, if you like action & suspense with your romance, I think you will also.

I enjoyed this book as an abridged audiocassette. This was quite good - and the reading voice of Megan Gallagher certainly did it justice. The storyline is pretty straightforward at first: a bug electronics expert, Niema Burdock, loses her husband on assignment as a field agent specialist during a mission that goes horribly wrong.

Now, much later, the man in charge of the mission which killed her husband needs her again - to plant a bug into the home of an arms dealer who has a new explosive on the market that can go undiscovered until the target exploded, a sort of stealth explosive.

So, partnered with this man, whom she suddenly feels a terrible attraction to, Niema goes undercover, and finds the man she is trying to bug just as interesting (and with more secrets, and sides, than she had thought).

The entanglements get more and more twisted, and Gallagher lends enough of her voice to the performance that the tension moves upward at a solid pace.

The frenetic pace sure didn't slack off in the last tape, and the story didn't quite end where I thought it would. Well done on all fronts - though some day I want to learn the secret of these heros from romance novels: How does a man fight a bodyguard, cold-clock a guy unconscious, run for an hour, hotwire a car, drive all night, and sometime the next afternoon proceed to win a gold medal in the lovemaking competition on a yacht, all, of course, with no sleep?

Better yet, where can I find me a man like that?

'Nathan

This might just be Linda Howard's best work yet. I wanted to reread it as soon as I reached the last page!
All the Queen's Men plunges the reader into the world of CIA secret missions. In a refreshing turn, the heroine Niema Burdock is as adventurous as her male agent counterparts. No reluctant heroine proclaiming her inexperience and shying from challenges here. If you like strong, unapologetic - and believable characters - you will love Niema.
And Howard outdoes herself creating the hero, John Medina. He is one of the CIA's most legendary agents (was a character in Kill and Tell), yet Howard creates a superb balance of the self-confidence and coolheadedness required of an agent, with the vulnerability that is a logical result of living a solitary and hidden life.
Niema and Medina are well-matched in their spy competencies, and in their intense sensuality. The plot is one of the best Howard has created, with in-depth and complex characters. The love scenes are incredibly intense without being cloying. No annoying euphamisms or "falling back to earth" - Howard doesn't need them.
This is an amazing, intense, and exciting read. The cool assurance and attitude of taking initiatives that the characters exude (without being superhuman) rubs off on the reader. Reading the book made me want to get out and get started with several projects, sports, and/or other activities. Which created a conflict with my great desire to sit down and start the book over!
A quality of a good book is that when you finish it you wish for just a few more pages. This is one of those books.

Linda Howard remains one of my favorite authors, not only because she tells a great story, but because she mixes sensual romance into the mix without being too obvious.
The plot is well-developed, and the characters are compelling. My only beef is with Ms. Howard's almost cartoonish portrayal of "black ops" spies. I actually happen to be related to many Force Recon (USMC)and other assorted marines who work in recon/intelligence... I can assure you that, while I of course don't know particulars of their missions, they don't have unlimited expense accounts and most certainly are not James Bond-type spies (despite what they tell the girls at the bars). But this is fiction, and romantic fiction at that, so you allow some "poetic license."
Actually, this book is one of the only that manages to bridge the gap between "erotic romance" and "spy thriller" without giving the reader giggle fits. I read Clancy, for example, and always squirm uncomfortably at the occasional sex scene. I also read the "super-erotic" writers such as Susan Johnson and Robin Schone, and squirm uncomfortably at their attemtps at intrigue.
Linda Howard has managed to combine the two genres in an intriguing way. Her gradual blend towards Romantic Suspense seemed to manifest in "Son of the Morning" (an excellent read, BTW), and continues up to this book. The plot and ending of this book are solid (not inspiring, but worth reading), although she's written better.
Bottom line: If you're a romance reader, read this book. If you're a suspense reader, read this book.

From the dawn of her acclaimed thrillers such as DREAM MAN and NOW YOU SEE HER, she has consistently stretched herself with more textured plots and mesmerizing characters. WITH ALL THE QUEEN'S MEN, she has sculpted with finesse two stoic characters of passion and intrigue.
Niema Burdock is scarred by the loss of her husband Dallas in a fateful mission with the deadly veteran from CIA, John Medina (from her previous KIll and TELL). After 5 years since that emotional breakdown, they are reunited when Medina enlisted her assistance in a mission to stop Louis Ronsard, an arms dealer.
The web of passion stirs between them and it takes on a more subtler form in this novel. Their sizzling chemistry simmers and then erupts when they are caught in situations with their incognito when they infiltrate Ronsard's base.
The characters are 3-dimensional with heart-felt passion; even villains like Ronsard are shown nuanced treatment towards his daughter, Laure. No less embittered souls are Niema and John, when both of them are entrenched in holding their affections at bay. John killed his wife when the latter was involved in espionage; Niema is afraid of letting her heart exposed to this hardened man.
It is by no means easy for an author to blend contemporary romance with gritty suspense. LINDA HOWARD does that with deft ease in her focused characterization and tight plot - and with this beautiful read - her acclaim as a QUEEN OF romantic suspense is justified.

I must say, that I totally enjoyed this novel. It was a great escape. I actually could not put it down!
I have never read a Linda Howard novel before, and I am pleasantly surprised. This book has it all. Romance, action, suspense and adventure. The characters are totally believable, and their chemistry together sizzled.
The novel was extremely fast paced. There were no boring scenic descriptions or mundane musings that make a person want to skip the whole thing and say to "heck" with it.
I found the heroine, Neima, to be bright and funny. You find yourself feeling for her. And what can we say about the hero, John Medina, except - Love Him! He is the perfect guy. Strong, yet sensitive, tough, yet gentle, hard, yet vunerable. Plus, his looks are not too bad either.
I found the CIA field agent angle to be refreshing in a romantic novel. It was interesting, not to read the same old story once again. The so called "bad" guy, was no such thing. I wonder if there will be a story involving him in the near future.
The only thing I did not enjoy about this book was the ending. It was left too open. We do not know what is the outcome for the future of Neima and John. What role will they continue to play for the CIA? There are some steamy parts to the end, (which were a little to "high octane" for me) but what do you expect in a romance novel? All in all, I truly recommend this book. It was an extremely well written, fast paced read.

I enjoyed the tension and chemistry between John and Niema right from the beginning. There is something very tender about a man holding back, wishing the best for the woman he loves and finally any restraint is just too much for the intense feelings.
John unhurriedly proceeded to make Niema aware of him but still exercised extreme control of himself. So when he was touched to the extent to express his feelings for her, it became so intense and powerful that just took my breath away: when he allowed himself to look at her with all the love in his eyes, when he impulsively wished to kiss her when she sweetly felt sorry about him needing to kill his wife, when he eventually told her of his pent-up love for her, and the need to abstain from seeing her at the hospital. All these just touched something in you and contrasted much with the man the author tried to portray as in total control of himself with punishing discipline.
The story is more of a romance set in a thriller setting than a thriller with a romantic twist. But I'm not complaining about it, in fact, rather pleasantly surprised by it.

This book is a followup (not a true sequel, however) to Kill and Tell, which I thoroughly enjoyed. You don't have to read Kill and Tell in order to follow the flow of this book. But, K&T introduces the main character of this book, John Medina. I loved the characters in this book. Naima is gutsy but not to the point of emasculation. John is a man's man to the nth degree, but lets his guard down for Naima. But, he doesn't become some poor love smitten sap in the process, which I love. Story flows well, with good action sequences. As some have said, the love scenes are well crafted. Actually, Howard does love scenes with such great finesse, I think her books are worth picking up for that reason alone! I too was a little put off by the ending. I suppose I was expecting something more romantic. But, I suppose the actions suited these particular characters. When it comes to romantic suspense, Linda Howar is one of the best and this book is another example of that.

I have read some truly great romantic books by Linda Howard. This was not one of them. I was very disappointed. Some of her books that I thoroughly enjoyed were the Mackenzie series, Blair Mallory series, Mr Perfect, Dream Man, Heart of Fire. All those books have heroes that are tough alpha men but who have a softness for the heroine. John Medina was a hard tough man but seemed only in lust with Niema. The love scenes were off putting bc he had no self control and it didn't seem like a fun experience for Niema. I actually cringed and skimmed through those scenes. They were not hot and made John Medina seem selfish and only concerned w himself... Not sexy in any way. I thought the plot was boring ... And not very exciting w all the espionage lingo etc. It took me a while to finish this book bc I could put it down and had to make myself finish it. If you haven't read Linda Howard don't start w this book. It was not one of her best. I did like the prequel Kill and Tell much better. John Medina first appears in that book and I enjoyed the plot and romance much more.

In a covert operation in the mountains of Iran, mission leader "Tucker" gives Dallas the go ahead to detonate explosives that will result in Dallas' death. Dallas' new wife, Niema Burdock, is an electronics expert on the same mission, and tearfully assumes the guilt over his death for the next five years, living a quiet and solitary existence in an unassuming position at the CIA. When Tucker is re-introduced into her life, she discovers that he is actually John Medina - an elusive black ops agent (first introduced in the novel "Kill & Tell"). Niema doesn't know that over the last five years, John has silently watched her life from afar, hoping that she can move on with her life and find someone new to love. Since she hasn't, John decides it's time to make his move. But John, who has spent his life in the shadows, assuming one identity after another, has no idea to go about getting close to her. He resorts to what he knows, and convinces her to join his latest mission to capture a French arms dealer. She goes undercover to befriend Louis Ronsard. When introduced into Louis' life, she finds that he's not what she expected at all.

The characters are charismatic, but there are so many unexplored chances that could have been fleshed out to make the story more interesting (like the tension between them as they trained for the mission, and the unexplored relationship between Niema and Louis). Overall a good read, despite a love scene that borders on rape and might bother some readers.

I have read some truly great romantic books by Linda Howard. This was not one of them. I was very disappointed. Some of her books that I thoroughly enjoyed were the Mackenzie series, Blair Mallory series, Mr Perfect, Dream Man, Heart of Fire. All those books have heroes that are tough alpha men but who have a softness for the heroine. John Medina was a hard tough man but seemed only in lust with Niema. The love scenes were off putting bc he had no self control and it didn't seem like a fun experience for Niema. I actually cringed and skimmed through those scenes. They were not hot and made John Medina seem selfish and only concerned w himself... Not sexy in any way. I thought the plot was boring ... And not very exciting w all the espionage lingo etc. It took me a while to finish this book bc I could put it down and had to make myself finish it. If you haven't read Linda Howard don't start w this book. It was not one of her best. I did like the prequel Kill and Tell much better. John Medina first appears in that book and I enjoyed the plot and romance much more.

In a covert operation in the mountains of Iran, mission leader "Tucker" gives Dallas the go ahead to detonate explosives that will result in Dallas' death. Dallas' new wife, Niema Burdock, is an electronics expert on the same mission, and tearfully assumes the guilt over his death for the next five years, living a quiet and solitary existence in an unassuming position at the CIA. When Tucker is re-introduced into her life, she discovers that he is actually John Medina - an elusive black ops agent (first introduced in the novel "Kill & Tell"). Niema doesn't know that over the last five years, John has silently watched her life from afar, hoping that she can move on with her life and find someone new to love. Since she hasn't, John decides it's time to make his move. But John, who has spent his life in the shadows, assuming one identity after another, has no idea to go about getting close to her. He resorts to what he knows, and convinces her to join his latest mission to capture a French arms dealer. She goes undercover to befriend Louis Ronsard. When introduced into Louis' life, she finds that he's not what she expected at all.

The characters are charismatic, but there are so many unexplored chances that could have been fleshed out to make the story more interesting (like the tension between them as they trained for the mission, and the unexplored relationship between Niema and Louis). Overall a good read, despite a love scene that borders on rape and might bother some readers.

John Medina is the CIA's legendary Black Ops specialist, Niema Burdock is a communications expert.
Five years ago, Niema and her husband, Dallas, worked with Medina on a mission in Iran that resulted in Niema's husband's death.
The bombing of an airplane brings Medina and Niema back together. Now Niema must go undercover, and enter arms dealer Louis Ronsard's life to plant the undetectable bugs that are needed to stop his deadly ring.
The story moves along at a brisk pace, with enough action, and plot twists to keep the reader turning the pages.
"All The Queen's Men" is well written, with interesting characters. This is a good read for the beach, or the backyard...Enjoy!
Nick Gonnella

At the moment i'm really into romance action books, the cop/SEAL/CIA/FBI hero type of stories but more of romance than suspense & this one from Linda Howard lived up to all my expectations. All the adventure drama were there with a great alpha hero & gutsy heroine, but also a very "likeable" baddie in the name of Louis Ronsard - i too hope he'll get his own story one day. The other reason that i love this book is the second chance storyline where Medina has been in love with Niema for 5 years. I love the sex scenes and didn't feel they were violent in any way...more so a testament of Medina's intense feelings for Niema that he couldn't control his response to her hence the exciting hard, fast sex. The book length was just right for me not too long that it'd get boring but enough so that you feel immensely satisfied with the ending.

I have just recently discovered Linda Howard and now find myself on a mad hunt for everything she has written. This is the third novel I have read of hers and would have to say it is probably my favorite so far. There are several reasons for this...the heroine, Niema, is smart, capable and, in no way shape or form, a shrinking violet. That being in mind, she is still a likeable character. The same goes for John Medina. Many romance novels characterize the male antagonist as the stereotypical macho man: cold, sexist, insenstive, and willing to drop his pants at the drop of a hat. Or, when he shows more of his sensitive side, it is just too sweet, bordering on cheesy. This is NOT true of John Medina. Linda Howard has hit the target with this hero--he is just the right mix of sensuality, masculinity, and sensitivity.
Additionally, this novel is a very quick and exciting read--a good thing, except that you wish that you could see even more of the chemistry between Niema and john because they are such interesting characters.
This one is definitely worth reading over and over again!

Linda Howard once again manages to facinate me with the kind of man she creates. Her heroes are strong and controlling, but never come off as jerks, but rather some larger than life HERO. That's what it is. Linda Howards hero's are HERO's not just in the sense that they are the male lead. And of course, her heroines are quite likeable. Strong, not sissy-ish and they never do the stupid thing or try to delude themselves into thinking that they are not falling (quickly) for the hero. Neither do they try to pretend that they're not sexually attracted to the male and behave as if they're in high school. They are honest with themselves and the hero and in Linda Howard's books it never takes away from the relationship that they admit what they're feeling. I like that. But can you believe that scene in the office? Talk about BOLD! I can't get over it. Whew! Bring me a glass of cold water.

I loved this book! No great mystery or suspense, more of a romantic adventure, but it was very enjoyable to read. The the writer gave the main characters terrific interaction and chemistry. And we even got a tantalizing glimpse into some wonderful supporting characters. The only reason I didn't give the book 5 stars was 3 complaints I have about the ending:
1. The villian was too nice. I don't personally know any gun-runners, but I sincerely doubt they're as easy-going and sympathetic as the writer made this one.
2. The 2 heroes do something totally stupid near the end of the book. I won't tell you what it is, you'll have to read it, but even an amateur wouldn't have been this dumb. They're supposed to be professional spies, so I think the writer could have found another way to accomplish the ending.
3. If there's a sequel then I don't have a third complaint, but if this is it... The male hero is a worn-out agent who's already taken too many risks and is being urged to retire - the female hero is a desk agent who saw her husband killed in the field - so why would they chose the ending that Ms. Howard wrote?
Have I aroused your curiosity? Read the book, whether you agree with me on any of my 3 complaints or not, you'll love the story just the same!

This book is exactly what you would expect of Linda Howard's move into the suspense genre and it has not, in any way, affected the quality of her writing.
Don't pay any attention to people who say it's different in style, too sensual, too boring, too whatever... Any avid Linda Howard reader would recognise her style under any pseudonym. Too sensual? Not if you've ever read any existing Linda Howard novel, and boring - don't make me laugh.
The story grabs you from the very beginning and never lets go - not for a bit. I was ecstatic to witness the return of John Medina - he was one of those cleverly hinted at characters in one of her earlier novels. Niema is heartbreakingly feisty and vulnerable at the same time, like most of Linda Howard's heroines. John is the strong, silent loner who, in any other book, would be called a stereotype, but in this one just... fits.
The plot is strong and moves at a fast, suspense-filled pace. Surprisingly, one of the secondary characters strikes a bitter-sweet cord in your heart. Just when you thought you'd sifted out the good guys from the bad.
I too, can't wait for Chance McKenzie's story (please don't let it be too far away). In the meantime, I'll make do with anything Linda Howard has to offer. She hasn't disappointed me yet - and that is something I can say about very few authors in all my years of reading.

Anyone who steps into reading this book will be consumed by the fact its a adventure story but later realize a love story develops along the way as well. That was an interesting aspect of the book, as a operation unfolds so does the main charcter Neima's love for John Medina (who also goes by Tucker). The book just did not appeal to me as much in the beginning; little did I know it would turn out to be an adventurous ride. The book is really good with developing the story/tricking the reader but has its flaws as well with the charcters.

I enjoyed reading how the story develops. Take for instance, the book is separated into three sections, each concentrating on a diffrent part of their lives. The first one is the failure of Neima and Tucker operation in Iran in which Neima lost Dulles. The second section is about life afterwards and the third circles around Neima and John working on an operation. The book was also good at developing their plan, for example, Neima pretends to turn against John because Ronsard has a gun to his head. The reader knows she is pretends to turn against John only to save him.

Like many other books, this one has its flaws as well. It fails to captivate the reader towards the beginnig of the book. Such as describing Neima's life after Dulles, sounds so dull and boring. I could not stand it. In the beginning I was unsure of what was really going on, this because the book flip flops and its hard to understand the charcter well with out digging deeper into them.

Overall this book was amazing, I recommend it to any one who enjoys adventure with some romance. That's what was to good about this book; you never know what will happen next. The author tries to show Medina as a woman who is unsure of her feelings, who wants John but at the same time does not trust him. Its interesting to see the diffrent sides of John. After a while it becomes hard to put down, I just kept reading and reading! Of course their is no Queen in the book!

As always with a Linda Howard novel, this one grabs you on the first page and doesn't let you go to the last one...makes me want to go back and search out her books I've yet to read.
John Medina and Niema Burdock are hot from the first moment they are thrown together and the chemistry is still there five years later...where does Linda find these guys?!
I promise you, this is a good fast read and you will not be sorry you picked it up and read it, you will only be sorry that the story had to end!

This book was great! Like previous reviews said it's a page turner for sure. The title didn't make sense to me, still trying to figure it out but the characters and events are awesome! John and Niema know each other from 5 years ago when her husband Dallas dies, and John promises to take care of Niema. They meet again 5 years later, where John asks her to help him with an assignment. She is hesitant at first, but then comes to the realization that she enjoys the thrill and excitment behind the danger of the job.

John and Niema's relationship evolves through the story and builds up pretty good. Towards the end of the the book otehr reviewers said the sex scene was border line rape. I disagree. That really discouraged me, but when I read it it wasn't what you'd think. It's all part of the plan, thats all I can say.

So after that scene there relationship is evolved, and the end of the book is suspenseful and really good, and then all of a sudden you hit the last page and are like "what?" The ending was not my favorite. Nothing was really answered (when Niema starts to question her feelings for John). I was disappointed with the ending and think Linda Howard could have done a better job.

If you want a really good page turner book, romance, and suspense then this is the book for you. Just don't be disappointed with the ending, its not horrible, but could have been better.

I enjoyed this book very much. Once I started reading, I could not put it down. It was filled with supense and action as well as romance. I'm not quite sure why it is called "All the Queen's Men" because it has no reference to the Queen or her secret service. I was rather thinking the story line would have a twist or two, but no such luck. That is the only reason I am not rating this at a five. No surprise ending, no unknown killer, just romantic suspense. All in all, a good read.

I love Linda Howard's characters. If you can, read Kill & Tell first so that you get introduced to John Medina when he pursue's his fathers killer. Linda does a great job creating yet another strong and interesting woman in Niema (Nye-ema). The attraction was palpable and I love how the sexual tension built throughout the story. I know some people are disappointed if they have to wait this long for the intimacy, but it's also hotter that way. I made me wish for a sequel because I'd love to read about more of their adventures together.

This book is boring! And, after buying both Ms. Howard's last books in hardback, I can tell you it WON'T happen again! Her last book, Now You See Her was stupid, with it's hurried-up ending, and dragged out sensuality. This one is just plain boring. Where was the romance? Pray tell me, what was the mystery, that made this a romantic supsense? And why bother with those stupid love scenes? They were just thrown in to add spice. This is definitely an author who's talents are depleting with each book. Read her old ones for the first time, or reread them! Skip her last two books!

I absolutely love this book. Niema Jamison loses her CIA operative husband, Dallas, on a mission in Iran. She's shattered and has to rely on an operative named Tucker to get her home safely. Tucker who is really John Medina, is a high level offical and agent for the company. For the next five years John keeps an eye on Niema albeit from a distance. She continues working for the company in electronics and one day Medina decides the time has come to reintroduce Niema to field work. He convinces a reluctant Niema to go undercover in France to help capture an arms dealer. Everything is going well until Medina comes on the scene to play Niema's lover. Things get a little too believable after an incident in the office of the arms dealer. The arms dealer discovers their true identities and Niema and John must run for their lives.

This is really rather an ill constructed romance, and though it tries to do double duty as an espionage, it falls down on both fronts.

Fair enough that the male lead, John Medina, is obsessed with the female lead, Niema Burdock; such is romantic escapism. But it is a little unbelieveable that a psychologically healthy, adult male had no other relationships for 5 years because he is obsessing over one woman. I thought that was pushing it, even in this genre.

Where the plot really breaks down, though, is when he admits to taking her on a dangerous mission simply because he wants her around. When he further delays their rescue because he does not want to give her a chance to leave him without talking - well, it goes beyond absurd. You simply cannot take such a character seriously as a professional spy, agent, or whatever he is.

I also had problems with the physical component of the relationship, which starts off with a scene in the office of an enemy, where they pretend to have sex in order to avoid suspicion. Problem is, their pretend sex turns into real sex, and even though Niema is portrayed as climaxing, the undertone is a little too close to rape for me. She is horrified by what is happening and does fight it, but is hampered, basically out of shock it was happening, and fear of blowing their cover.

There is also a secondary sex scene involving supporting characters where a woman's ex-boyfriend ties her up, strips her and begins having sex with her against her will. When she climaxes, she is portrayed as becoming consenting. It's the same theme replayed, and it's really not romantic.

None of the couples seems to care about safe sex or its repercussions, which I also found a little unbelieveable.

Beyond that, I was disappointed with the villain; he is ulitmately portrayed as having a noble reason for all his actions. I just don't buy this; it seems hopelessly naive and unbelieveable. The heroine ends up charming him and eventually saving the day with a self sacrificing gesture, which I also found disappointing. I thought it was a cliche to have her do so, and I didn't like her frame of mind when she did. I want a strong, intelligent woman, not someone panicked into mindless action and bellowing in fear for her lover.

The writing is decent and if you are okay with the sexual tone and just don't care about the rest, this may be entertaining for you. The intensity of the characters and the spy angle makes it more interesting than a standard romance. If you're looking for a distraction, it serves the purpose.

All the Queen's Men (somebody explain the title, I still don't get where it came from) is not the best of Linda Howard in terms of emotional intensity or even plot development. The reader is granted only a small view of John Medina, but this was really appropriate for his character who until the second chapter of the book was known by his real name by only two people. There were also a couple of plot twists (John and Niema going shopping) that seemed really contrived. Overall, this book was an interesting read and still better than 90% of the other books available now. The bottom line is if you want a new Linda Howard, buy it and enjoy; if you want an intense Linda Howard, reread Sarah's Child or Duncan's Bride

[...] Evelyn Anthony's classic novel about Queen Elizabeth and her courtiers. Anthony is a well established name in historical fiction, and this book is one I read many years ago. I was fascinated by the richness of the story of Elizabeth as Queen and as woman, and her relationships with the great names of her day,who loved, hated, supported, and conspired against her. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a good Elizabeth I novel.

Agent John Medina (introduced in Kill and Tell) finally meets his match in Niema Burdock, a former agent trying to get on with life after losing her husband in a secret mission gone wrong. The chemistry between Niema and John builds right away, making it almost impossible to put the book down. The main story line of John and Niema infiltrating the home and life of bad guy Louis Ronsard is a little hard to swallow at first but moves along nicely thanks to the fast-paced action and interesting supporting characters. I was somewhat disappointed by the "convenient" wrap up with Ronsard at the end. All in all, however, I did enjoy this book. Not as fantastic as Kill and Tell, but definitely worth a read.

Expected much much better from a book on John Medina. Have been looking forward to it, but found it a letdown. Firstly, we have John, who is a superman who can do everything, maybe even sew a dress. In his line of work, he's constantly surrounded by murder, mayhem and worse, yet he manages to keep his humour and optimism intact without even a hint of cynicism. What does that make him? Ok, superman. Other than this, the lack of suspense in this romantic suspense story really irks. If one wants to know what is truly a romantic thriller, one should check out Anne Stuart's books. Now that's the real stuff.

The book was a good read but the relationship with Niema and John wasn't that full blown. Of her recent books, that seems to be missing. I agree, the Rosard character would be interesting to read about in the future.
I think Howard's older books (5+ years ago were better and I could re-read those again and again.

This book is absolutely wonderful. I started reading this 332 page book yesterday and I had to get up very early this morning. You guessed it, I did not go to sleep until 1:30 this morning. I had to finish the book first. It is very intriguing, romantic---just a very good overall book. I cannot recommend this book enough.

I loved the story from the beginning. And what can I say about John Medina except that he is my kind of man. Calm, cool and sexy. WOW! I was a little disappointed that there weren't more intimate moments, but I loved the story, the build up and of course John.

I loved the story from the beginning. And what can I say about John Medina except that he is my kind of man. Calm, cool and sexy. WOW! I was a little disappointed that there weren't more intimate moments, but I loved the story, the build up and of course John.

The answer is no! Howard is possibly my favorite all time author, with characters you always care about and root for, hot romances, great suspense, what more could anyone want? In this story I never thought I'd go for this kind of international goverment spy type of setting and yet it sucked me in 100%. John and Niema were HOT! This is a great book and I highly recommend anything by this author.

This book was published in 1999. Therefore,many reviews have been written about the book.I will not attempt to add to what has already been said about this book or the author, except to say that I loved it.It has humor,anger,sadness,love and,DEFFINITELY,SEX!

What a fantastic book! Suspenseful, fast-paced and sooooooo romantic. Niema is one of Howard's best creations...A smart, savvy heroine who is a nice change from the shivering Paris Sweeney and deer-in-the-headlights Karen Whitlaw. John Medina is a dream. If only there really were such a man...

I picked this up as a airplane read several years ago, and was pleasantly surprised. I have since read most of Linda Howards books, (a guilty pleasure), and this is the one I keep returning to. Charismatic characters, a real alpha male who is a good judge of character, Good plot, thrills, sexy scenes and a memorable read. It is my favourite of this author and her novels since havn't done much for me (besides Mr. Perfect which is fun). Hope she returns to this style and creativity again in the future.

First ten pages holds you spellbound and it keeps getting better. Fast read, full of excitment with interesting characters and sub-plots within the main plot. Makes you feel like your traveling to other countries with the hero and heroine, in pursuit of the terrorists. A must read for suspense readers!

She just gets better and better. I just loved John Medina. I really like the fact that he is so manly. Niema was great.The plot was so good, I read this book in one day. I just could not put this book down.(WAY TO GO LINDA) I've read every book Linda Howard has written. The plot, the characters and the passion that she writes is the best. Looking forward to her next book........

Definitely a book you should pass on

The thing I did not like about the book is the slowness of how they hook up and plus, I did not enjoy the "mission" plotline. To me, the mission they went on did not capture my interest. It was boring for me that I had to skim and skip pages