McKnight in Shining Armor
Read McKnight in Shining Armor Online
Authors: Tami Hoag
Dear Reader,
People often ask how I got my start as a writer.
My first books were romance novels
for Bantam’s Loveswept line. Although the romance
genre might seem quite different from the
suspense I write now, I’ve found that the two
genres actually have many similarities.
For me, every good story has two important
ingredients: characters to root for and a mystery
to unravel—whether it’s an unsolved crime or
that bewildering emotion that perplexes us most
of all—love. Even the most intricate murder plot
can’t compare to the complex inner workings of
the human heart.
One of my very first books was
McKnight in
Shining Armor
. Heroine Kelsie Connors is
struggling to keep it all together. She has two
“high-energy” kids, a house filled with animals,
and several jobs as she tries to provide for
everyone. One day, there’s an embarrassing (I
don’t want to give it away!) mix-up at her
meeting with advertising executive Alec
McKnight. He can barely keep the smirk off his
exceedingly handsome face, flustering Kelsie. Just
when she’s sure she’s lost both the account and a
chance for a date with Alex, he shows up on her
doorstep, hoping to help this woman who’s
obviously in need of assistance. Kelsie’s already
smitten with his deep blue eyes and chivalrous
demeanor, but can she possibly add one more
complication to her already chaotic life?
I loved writing about Kelsie and Alec all those
years ago, and I hope that you’ll find them as
enjoyable now as I did at the start of my writing
career.
All my best,
Tami Hoag
Praise for the Bestsellers of Tami Hoag
THE ALIBI MAN
“Captivating thriller… [Elena] is a heroine readers will want to see more of.”
—
Publishers Weekly
“Hard to put down.”
—
The Washington Post
“A superbly taut thriller. Written in a staccato style that will have readers racing through the pages… Will leave readers breathless and satisfied.”
—
Booklist
“A suspenseful tale, with a surprising ending; the author once again has constructed a hard-hitting story with interesting characters and a thrilling plot.”
—
Midwest Book Review
“Elena Estes [is] one of Hoag’s most complicated, difficult and intriguing characters…. Hoag enhances a tight mystery plot with an over-the-shoulder view of the Palm Beach polo scene, giving her readers an up-close-and-personal look at the rich and famous….
The Alibi Man
is her best work to date.”
“An engrossing story and a cast of well-drawn characters.”
—Minneapolis
Star Tribune
“[Hoag] gets better with every book. One of the tautest thrillers I have read for a long while.”
—
Bookseller
(U.K.)
“Hoag certainly knows how to build a plot and her skill has deservedly landed her on bestseller lists numerous times.”
—
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
“Hoag has a winner in this novel where she brings back Elena Estes…. Hoag is the consummate storyteller and creator of suspense.”
—
Mystery News
“Tami Hoag weaves an intricate tale of murder and deception…. A very well-written and thought-out murder/mystery. Hoag is able to keep you guessing and you’ll be left breathless until all the threads are unwoven and the killer is revealed.”
PRIOR BAD ACTS
“A snappy, scary thriller.”
—
Entertainment Weekly
“Stunning… Here [Hoag] stands above the competition, creating complex characters who evolve more than those in most thrillers. The breathtaking plot twists are perfectly paced in this compulsive page-turner.”
—
Publishers Weekly
(starred review)
“A chilling thriller with a romantic chaser.”
—New York
Daily News
“A first-rate thriller with an ending that will knock your socks off.”
—
Booklist
“An engrossing thriller with plenty of plot twists and a surprise ending.”
—
OK!
magazine
“A chilling tale of murder and mayhem.”
—
BookPage
“The in-depth characterization and the unrelenting suspense are what makes
Prior Bad Acts
an outstanding read. Gritty and brutal at times,
Prior Bad Acts
delivers a stunning novel of murder, vengeance and retribution…. Riveting and chilling suspense.”
—
Romance Reviews Today
KILL THE MESSENGER
“Excellent pacing and an energetic plot heighten the suspense…. Enjoyable.”
—
Chicago Tribune
“Everything rings true, from the zippy cop-shop banter, to the rebellious bike messenger subculture, to the ultimate, heady collision of Hollywood money, politics, and power.”
—Minneapolis
Star Tribune
“Hoag’s usual crisp, uncluttered storytelling and her ability to make us care about her characters triumph in
Kill the Messenger
.”
—Fort Lauderdale
Sun-Sentinel
“A perfect book. It is well written, and it has everything a reader could hope for…. It cannot be put down…. Please don’t miss this one.”
—
Kingston Observer
“[A] brisk read… it demonstrates once again why [Hoag’s] so good at what she does.”
—
San Francisco Chronicle
“Action-filled ride… a colorful, fast-paced novel that will keep you guessing.”
—
Commercial Appeal
“High-octane suspense… Nonstop action moves the story forward at a breath-stealing pace, and the tension remains high from beginning to end…. Suspense at its very best.”
—
Romance Reviews Today
“Hoag’s loyal readers and fans of police procedural suspense novels will definitely love it.”
—
Booklist
“
Kill the Messenger
will add to [Hoag’s] list of winners…. This is a fast-moving thriller with a great plot and wonderful characters. The identity of the killer is a real surprise.”
—
Daily American
“Engaging… the triumph of substance over style… character-driven, solidly constructed thriller.”
—
Publishers Weekly
“Hoag upholds her reputation as one of the hottest writers in the suspense genre with this book, which not only has a highly complex mystery, multilayered suspense and serpentine plot, but also great characterizations … an entertaining and expertly crafted novel not to be missed.”
DARK HORSE
“A thriller as tightly wound as its heroine… Hoag has created a winning central figure in Elena…. Bottom line: Great ride.”
—
People
“This is her best to date…. [A] tautly told thriller.”
—Minneapolis
Star Tribune
“Hoag proves once again why she is considered a queen of the crime thriller.”
—Charleston
Post and Courier
“A tangled web of deceit and double-dealing makes for a fascinating look into the wealthy world of horses juxtaposed with the realistic introspection of one very troubled ex-cop. A definite winner.”
—
Booklist
“Anyone who reads suspense novels regularly is acquainted with Hoag’s work—or certainly should be. She’s one of the most consistently superior suspense and romantic suspense writers on today’s bestseller lists. A word of warning to readers: don’t think you know whodunit ’til the very end.”
—Clute
Facts
“Suspense, shocking violence, and a rip-roaring conclusion—this novel has all the pulse-racing touches that put Tami Hoag books on bestseller lists and crime fans’ reading lists.”
—Baton Rouge
Advocate Magazine
“Full of intrigue, glitter, and skullduggery… [Hoag] is a master of suspense.”
—
Publishers Weekly
“Her best to date, an enjoyable read, and a portent of even better things to come.”
—
Grand Rapids Press
“A complex cerebral puzzle that will keep readers on the edge until all the answers are revealed.”
—
Midwest Book Review
“To say that Tami Hoag is the absolute best at what she does is a bit easy since she is really the only person who does what she does…. It is a testament to Hoag’s skill that she is able to go beyond being skillful and find the battered hearts in her characters, and capture their beating on the page…. A superb read.”
—
Detroit Free Press
The Alibi Man
Prior Bad Acts
Kill the Messenger
Dark Horse
Dust to Dust
Ashes to Ashes
A Thin Dark Line
Guilty as Sin
Night Sins
Dark Paradise
Cry Wolf
Still Waters
Lucky’s Lady
The Last White Knight
Straight from the Heart
Tempestuous/The Restless Heart
Taken by Storm
Heart of Dixie
Mismatch
Man of Her Dreams
“D
AMN!”
“Jeffrey Connors, I do
not
want to hear that kind of language in this house,” Kelsie Connors said, admonishing her nine-year-old son while trying to dry the fingernail polish on her right hand as she attempted to butter a slice of toast with the left.
“But, Mom!” Jeffrey whined, peering at his mother over the myraid cereal boxes on the kitchen table. “My pencil broke and I have four
math problems to finish and the bus is gonna be here in five minutes!”
Kelsie’s toast fell from her plate to the floor, landing facedown. An orange tiger-striped cat darted out from beneath the table and ran off with it. Kelsie dropped her knife and heaved a sigh. Murphy’s Law would have to strike full force today of all days, she thought.
An enormous dog with shaggy black and brown hair pushed open the basement door and bounded into the kitchen, his nails clicking on the linoleum floor. He gave two enthusiastic barks, reared up, and plopped his massive paws on the table, toppling the milk carton, which spewed its contents over five cereal boxes and two hand-quilted place mats that belonged in the dining room.
“Damn!” Kelsie bolted out of her chair, grabbed a dishtowel, and began sopping up the mess.
“Damn!” echoed the parrot from its cage in the dining room.
“Mom, you swore!” Jeffrey said, smiling.
“Who let Bronco in the house?” Kelsie asked in
a tone of voice that did not invite confession. The towel she had grabbed had stuck to her nail polish, and now the fingernails of her right hand were coated with fuzz.