Death Echo by Elizabeth Lowell

ELowell-Death EchoDeath Echo was the first book by  Elizabeth Lowell that I’ve read. Despite the many rave reviews I’ve heard about her books, I just can’t say the same for Death Echo.

 With some arm-twisting, St. Kilda and Emma are tracking a yacht named Blackbird, a dead ringer for another ship that went missing somewhere between Vladivostok and Portland a year earlier. Emma knows the boat’s intended cargo is lethal. She’s only got seven days to uncover the truth . . . Fortunately, she’s working with a new partner as menacing and distrustful as the worst enemy she’s ever faced — and as deadly. A honed killer, MacKenzie Durand led a special ops team that was deployed to some of the world’s nastiest places. But five years ago everything went to hell in Afghanistan. The only survivor, Mac walked away and never looked back, preferring to make money sailing high-end boats like Blackbird.

Thrown together by an organization of enemies with global ties more dangerous than either of them realize, Mac and Emma must put aside their growing attraction for each other to save more than just their own lives. In a deadly game where the rules change without warning and the line between friend and foe is blurred, the pair must find answers fast — or watch as innocent civilians are sacrificed in a cold-blooded grab for power and supremacy. And even Mac and Emma aren’t sure just who will get to the finish line alive. . . .

Time and time again, I’ve heard that Elizabeth Lowell’s books are the type of books that keep you on the edge of your seat. Yet with Death Echo, the plot started out slow, focusing more on the boat and nonessential information before any real action started. And even once that action started, it barely held my attention.

Worst of all, there was absolutely no sexual tension between Emma and Mac. Yes, they were attracted to each other but there was none of the build up. It was just reading about two people who got along well enough then suddenly climbed into bed together. It did nothing to counter the action (or lack thereof) or add to the speed of the plot.

For those of you who are new to the St. Kilda series, I would recommend that you start with book one, Always Time To Die. Not only will you get a more in-depth understanding of what St. Kilda does (that Death Echo doesn’t really explain) but apparently the suspense/romance is much more intense.

Overall, I was seriously disappointed when I read Death Echo because it failed to meet my expectations.

Read Order:
Always Time to Die
The Wrong Hostage
Innocent as Sin
Blue Smoke and Murder
Death Echo

Other Reviews: A Book Blogger’s Diary, Authors & Appetizers, It’s My Genre, Baby, Inside of a Dog, I Read Good

 

About Casey 203 Articles
Casey is the founder of Heart Full of Ink, Director at Reading Until Dawn Con, and a full time cheese addict. She's been ranting and reviewing for Literary Escapism since 2010, and is part of the trio #3Bloggers1Series podcast. When she's not reading, looking for new books, or stalking authors online (waiting for more books), she can be found binge watching Netflix. But really, her life is all about DEM BOOKS!

3 Comments

  1. I have to say, I’m a little surprised. I stopped reading Elizabeth Lowell awhile back because I’m not a fan of suspense, but I’ve always thought she was a good writer and certainly has the romance chops.

    I guess when you have as many books under your belt as she does, you can’t help having an off day once in a while…

  2. Makes me want to go back and reread the series since I have all of them. Haven’t read Death Echo yet though. Did you read any of her Donovan series. I thought those were pretty good.

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