Open Season

By: Linda Howard

Narrated by: Kate Forbes

Length: 4 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

She's hunting for a mate
and there's no more playing it safe.

Daisy Minor is bored. Worse than that, she's boring. A plain, small-town librarian, she's got a wardrobe as sexy as a dictionary and hasn't been on a date in years. She's never even had a lukewarm love affair, let alone a hot one. So when she wakes up on her 34th birthday and wonders how it is that she still lives with her widowed mom and spinster aunt while her friends have all gotten married and started families, she decides it's time to get a life - and a sex life. And as far as she can tell, good girls don't attract nearly as many men as bad ones.

One makeover later, Daisy has transformed herself into a party girl extraordinaire. She's dancing the night away at clubs, and laughing and flirting with men for the first time in, well, forever. With a new lease on her own place, it's open season for manhunting.

But on her way home late one night, Daisy sees something she's not supposed to see. Suddenly the target of a killer, she's forced to put her manhunt on hold.

But the very moment she stops looking might be the moment she finds what she's wanted all along.

©2001 Linda Howington. All rights reserved (P)2001 Simon and Schuster Inc. All rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"An enjoyable romantic thriller. Kate Forbes' narration is relaxed and sensual, her Southern accents believable. Male voices are effective, and Forbes easily handles both the bantering and the suspense." (AudioFile)

the book is better.

the book is better. there were several parts that were taken out. if you have time read the book. if you are trying to get chores done and want to have something to listen to, this copy works.

"Driving Ms Daisy"

Would you consider the audio edition of Open Season to be better than the print version?

I have read the hard copy a few times, when it came out on audible, it was an immediate download.

What other book might you compare Open Season to and why?

Karen Robards One Summer has similar, but a bit darker story.

This story has classic lines from the author's earlier works. Lots of understated humor that you must like. Our hero has great lines! This story is nothing like her current work, but if you are a fan, then this is a must buy.

Which character – as performed by Kate Forbes – was your favorite?

great job. Note: must listen at 1.25x speed to enjoy this story at it's best. Not the best deep voice, but her interpretation of author work is divine.
See this reader, Linda Howard's All The Queens Men, my all time fave story.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes, as this takes out all the slower scenes. This is one of the better edited short that keeps all the good parts in the story.

Any additional comments?

I own this story in both abridged and full length as it is an old classic

A real treat for LH fans :)

God I love Linda Howard! She has written many of my all time favorite books. Unfortunately she's written some duds as well.

Luckily, this is a satisfying story with a fantastic performance by narrator Kate Forbes.

Daisy lives in a small town. She is a 34 year-old librarian, in need of a total life make-over. She has few friends, no men in her life, no style, and she still lives with her mother. With the help of her mother, her aunt and a gay friend named Todd, Daisy moves into her own place and invests her time and money into a full makeover.

Now she's ready to meet new people. For Daisy, meeting new people is code for "husband-hunting". I'm not into books involving desperate women searching for husbands, but LH works her magic and the story is well-written. You'll be sucked in by the 2nd chapter.

So fear of being an "old maid" pushes Daisy to find her inner beauty and bring it out, while also becoming more social. Meanwhile, surrounding towns are having trouble with GHB- a date rape drug that can be lethal in one dose. The new Chief of Police- Jack Russo is asked to assist the nearby city with its GHB problem. So while Daisy is trying to catch a husband at bars, Chief Russo is trying to find clues and info about GHB. Needless to say, worrying for her safety, he watches out for her.
That's as much as I can say without spoilers.

The story is very fun, sexy, and entertaining. The romance is wonderfully written. At times it's funny (there's a hysterically funny condom-buying scene that is unforgettable), then all of a sudden LH takes your breath away. Linda Howard can make more magic with a simple kiss and a slight caress than many authors achieve with a full-out sex scene. The characters are likeable and drive the book a great deal. The suspense plot is not forced, instead LH has woven it into the story perfectly.

**** The downside : My issue in recommending this book is the somewhat degrading, possibly-offensive tone of the book at times. I assume this is a older book. I can't imagine she'd say such things today. But be prepared for condescending "jokes" about homosexuals, women and the south. Also a bit annoying: Daisy, the heroine, was explained as extremely intelligent. However, she acts without common sense and is ridiculously naive. Im sure the author intended her behavior to show her "innocence", but what it demonstrates to me is an obvious unintended contradiction in the character's personality. Daisy seems far more like an airhead, than a bright woman of 34. She is still very likeable; I'm only dissapointed LH didn't realize her mistake.

That being said, this is still such a good listen. Howard fans will like it. If you've yet to read Linda Howard, download Dreamman, Mr Perfect and/or After the Night. They give a better example of her work.

For Howard fans, this won't disappoint, bearing in mind it's dated tone. Also narrator deserves kudos for her performance. Very well done.

Cute Book

This book really had cute and funny people in it. I got a kick out of the story line. The narration was good as well.

Open Season

Good Book...I love Linda Howard, she does such a wonderful job. Hoping to see more of her books soon.

A Rare Gem

Book Review: This book was my first Linda Howard experience years back, and is still a beloved read today. The dynamics between the two main characters is treated with a gentle whimsy and good humor that always makes me smile. The same goes for its depiction of some of the trials of life in a small town. Daisy is a classic 'good girl' who I identified with, perhaps too closely for comfort, finally reaching for what she really wants in life. She's more ignorant than naive, a result of her quiet lifestyle. Her steps into the dating scene, however stumbling, are taken without sacrificing her innate goodness. I especially liked that 'nice' was not equated with 'doormat'.

The book does suffer from what I call "villain's disease" - too much seen from the perspective of the bad guys - but even that isn't as bad as it could have been, since Linda Howard tends to write her villains as rounded people rather than cardboard cut-outs. If you're looking for a good, sit-back-and-enjoy book, this is it. If you're looking for heart-stopping suspense...look somewhere else.

Audio Review: This audible marks another first for me. You see, I had borrowed this abridged presentation sometime back from the local library, and enjoyed it very much. But when it comes too my private collection I always, ALWAYS, get the unabridged version. When I saw the full story here on audible I snatched it up - realizing too late that it had a different narrator. Oh well, no big deal, right? Sigh. Big deal. Don't get me wrong here, the unabridged narrator does a decent enough job, I even got a couple hours in. But as it went on I found that I had been spoiled. Kate Forbes had done such a perfect dramatization that a simply decent reading couldn't hack it. So, for the first time, I bought the abridged version on top of the unabridged. And it's worth every cent.

I Love Linda Howard

Would you listen to Open Season again? Why?

I have listened to it several times and will read it again.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

I read the book years ago and would like to have hear the unabriged version. I like Linda Howard's lighter books that are entertaining.

Which character ??? as performed by Kate Forbes ??? was your favorite?

The narrator did a good job, especially with the prim and proper Daisy.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I enjoyed it and didn't want to stop listening.

Any additional comments?

I like all Linda Howard books, but this one was good for a light, entertaining listen!

Fun story

I've always loved Linda Howard's books and this one has been no exception in written form. However, I didn't care for this abridgement and the narrator wasn't good at all. You couldn't distinguish between the characters and her voice lacked emotion. Sadly, though I really liked this book when I read it myself, I did not like this version.