D V Berkom draws me into the danger and intrigue of Terminal Threat from the opening pages. She is recovering, mentally and physically, after her last SHEN mission, so she retired for a quiet life. All Leine Basso wanted was a fresh start in a small town. She loved Italy and was in the process of opening a bookstore. Santa will be visiting her in a month.
Gabriela is running for her life. She comes upon the closed bookstore. In desperation, a delicate knock, so as not to be heard from her pursuers, a woman draws her in with gun in hand. Leine is always quick to help. She can’t turn her back when confronted by evil. The assassin in her rises to the surface. The townspeople need her help and she has the skills…and connections to do just that.
“Evidently, you could take the girl out of the assassin, but you can’t take the assassin out of the girl.”
She is…or was… The Leopard and she is ready to roar. She knew she had many enemies, and now they had found her.
Threats, gunfire, bombs…an all out war has been mounted.
Santa is her hunkalicious honey, finishing out his time on the police force before retiring in a year. He isn’t privy to what is happening until it’s all over. Will he stick with her considering…
“Yeah, yeah. I know. Your life is a series of Terminal Threats.”
Action packed from the first page to the last, D V Berkom knows how to keep the suspense and pacing racing at a breakneck speed. White knuckled, edge of the seat reading. Terminal Threat is a finely tuned, suspenseful thriller that achieves excellence in writing. I cannot think of one thing that could be improved upon…and that is the wonder of D V Berkom’s ‘pen’.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Terminal Threat by D V Berkom.
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
A former assassin makes a new start in a small town on the coast of Italy, but puts herself squarely in the sights of an old enemy when she helps the townspeople fight back against the local crime boss.
Leine Basso is settling into her new life in a quiet village in Italy when a small-time crook threatens the town. Leine steps in to help, drawing the attention of an old adversary who she thought was long gone.
When her enemy learns that Leine is still alive, he orders her assassination. But Leine is not an easy target, and she eliminates the hired guns sent to kill her. Frustrated by his failed attempts, her adversary vows to take vengeance and kill her himself.
As tension builds and the threat escalates, Leine’s past collides with her present, blurring the line between friend and foe. In a breathtaking showdown, Leine unleashes her deadly skills to protect not only herself but the tight-knit community she has grown to love. Will she succeed–or will her enemy destroy everything she holds dear?
With adrenaline-pumping action and a formidable female lead, D.V. Berkom takes readers on a thrilling ride as Leine fights to protect her new home and herself from the ultimate terminal threat.
Genre: Fiction, Suspense, Thriller
292 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 12, 2023 by Duct Tape Press
Series: A Leine Basso Thriller
ABOUT D V BERKOM
DV Berkom is a slave to the voices in her head. As the author of two popular thriller series (Leine Basso and Kate Jones), her love of creating resilient, kick-*ss female characters stems from a lifelong addiction to reading spy novels, mysteries, and thrillers, and longing to find the female equivalent within those pages.
Raised in the Midwest, she received her BA in political science from the University of Minnesota and promptly moved to Mexico to live on a sailboat. Many, many cross-country moves (and several years) later, she now lives just outside of Seattle, Washington with the love of her life, Mark, an ex-chef-turned contractor, and writes every chance she gets.
For more information, please visit her website at www.dvberkom.com.
I received an email from Jack Erickson, asking me if I would like to read and review his latest thriller. After finishing it, I am even more glad that I read it…and that ending…
The Lonely Assassin by Jack Erickson was a frightening look at Putin, Russia, Assassins, and those who end up being the target. The Prologue was a recap of past assassinations ordered by Russian leaders. I was familiar with most of them and believe it is not beyond possibility today.
Komarov had been away from work at the bank for some time. When he returned, he found some discrepancies in the work load that his friend, Dimitri, had been covering while he was out for surgery.
Dimitri had been working at their Bern branch, where he was laundering money for the Russian oligarchs. What happens when you steal from them?
So much of The Lonely Assassin rings true, showing Jack Erickson’s research and drawing from his real life experiences. The details of both cultures, Russia and Italy, clash. Russia: cold, brutal. Italy: calm, relaxing.
At times, I felt empathetic with Egorov, but then his true personality would win out and I wished for his failure. He had been to Italy before. He had immersed himself into everything Italy to prepare for the assignment. He would take his time and enjoy not being in some place like Russia, or Syria, where he had been before. He felt free, at least for a little while. He would make the most of his time, eating, drinking, seeing the sights, while hunting Dimitri.
Simona and Dario work for DIGOS and are assigned with keeping Dimitri and his family safe. It will not do for them to be assassinated in their country.
I wonder…how will it end? Well, I will tell you this…the ending certainly wasn’t what I anticipated and I loved it. It’s hard for an author to surprise me but Jack Erickson did a fantastic job of it. My emotions covered the gamut. I twisted and turned with the characters.
I cannot think of one thing Jack Erickson missed, when writing The Lonely Assassin. I found it surprising that I have never read any of his many novels before this one.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Lonely Assassin by Jack Erickson.
5 Stars
AMAZON SYNOPSIS
A
Russian banker embezzles millions laundering money in Switzerland for
Russian oligarchs. He flees with his Italian wife to a remote location
on Lake Como near Milan, where their daughter lives.
Putin wants him dead and sends a GRU assassin to Milan to find and poison the banker.
But
Milan’s antiterrorism police, DIGOS, cannot locate the assassin, Vasily
Egorov, who is traveling with phony documents, carrying a vial of
poison, and speaking Italian. Unexpectedly, Egorov meets an intriguing
Italian woman who probes into his emotional life. On a dangerous
assignment, Egorov realizes he’s an assassin in a deep personal crisis.
ABOUT JACK ERICKSON
My interest in fiction, especially mysteries, started when I was about ten years old and read my first Hardy Boys books, “Secret of the Old Clock,” I think the title was. I saved up from mowing lawns and running errands to buy every title I could. They were only $1.00 each, but when you’re only making 25 cents an hour, it takes time to save those nickels and dimes.
And then I discovered shelves of exciting books at my hometown Andrew Carnegie Memorial library just two blocks away from our middle class home in the Midwest. By that time I was reading “The Saturday Evening Post,” “Collier’s,” “Life,” “Look,” “Time,” “Argosy,” “True,” “Photoplay,” that my parents subscribed to and others I can’t remember. Needless to say, I skimmed through them all, and devoured short stories by John O’Hara, John Steinbeck, Ernest Hemingway, Herman Wouk, and Earl Stanley Gardner.
I believe my early interest in reading was a major factor in liking school. Writing term papers was no big deal, and we all know how important that is at university. I enjoyed the many choices available with a liberal arts education and sampled liberally from science, history, languages, art history, literature, and political science.
Those wide ranging interests are probably a factor in the careers I chose, including Russian specialist in U.S. government, legislative aide and speechwriter in U.S. Senate, free-lance writer, former publisher (Red Brick Press) and author of several craft brewing books in the early days of the industry. My most recent career was in financial services from which I recently retired to travel and write.
I’ve been writing fiction, mostly mysteries and romantic suspense, and have several projects that will be published in the next few months.
I’m always fascinated how people become readers and writers. I’d love to hear your stories how writing chose you.
Almost Perfect Delaney Diamond (The Cordoba Agency, #4) Publication date: May 20th 2022 Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense
A cat burglar and an assassin run for their lives across Paris—and try not to get distracted by the sizzling attraction between them.
Assistant antique dealer by day, cat burglar by night, Sable Devereaux has lived in the shadows for years. With one final heist, she can walk away from a life of crime and open her own antique store, retiring to the quiet existence she has always dreamed of. But during her last theft, she witnesses a murder and goes on the run to escape the cross-hairs of some very powerful people.
Agent and master-of-disguise, Hunter Mitchell is intrigued when he has to subdue the sexy thief after she breaks into his Parisian apartment. Then he quickly learns he must protect her—and himself—from an organization hiding much more than a murder.
The couple races across Paris in a fight to stay alive and stop one of the most powerful organizations in the world—and discover what they’ve been looking for all along… is each other.
“I got it. I’ve been shot before. I have nine lives.” Hunter flashed a grin.
Her hand grasped his undamaged arm. “Please.”
He paused. “All right.” He turned down the lid on the commode and sat down.
“Take off your shirt,” Sable instructed as she doused a washcloth with warm water.
Hunter pulled the shirt over his head and revealed his firm chest. Blood stained his sandy-colored skin and the blond hairs on his forearm.
Sable started cleaning his arm and around the cut. “Why do you do this?”
“Do what?” So close to him in the small bathroom, his voice rumbled in her ears.
“You’re good at what you do, but you risk your life to protect people all the time, right? How can you constantly jeopardize your own safety?”
“You’re one to talk.”
She looked up at him briefly before setting the bloody rag on the counter and picking up a cotton swab. “Normally, being a thief isn’t so dangerous.”
He watched her work for a bit. “It’s exciting. It’s in my blood. I’ve been this way since I was sixteen. I got into trouble and an organization helped me get on the right path.”
“Men like you…” Sable shook her head, tossing the bloody cotton in the trash. “Never mind.”
“Men like me? Daredevils?” he prodded.
“Yes, daredevils. And players.”
“What’s wrong with us? Daredevils are fun. Players make the best lovers.” Amusement filled his voice.
She wrapped his arm with gauze, keeping her eyes trained on the task and avoiding his eyes. “Players also break hearts.”
“Only if you give them your heart,” Hunter said in a low voice.
That was a warning if she ever heard one. Sable smoothed a hand over the bandage. “There.” She briefly washed her hands while he continued to watch her.
When she finished, she stepped back, but Hunter caught her shirt and held her in place. She didn’t want to look at him but couldn’t resist lifting her gaze.
“You want to give me your heart, Sable?”
The thinning of the air made breathing difficult. “I’m not that foolish.”
Hunter’s light-colored eyes scoured her face. Then he stood, fisting her shirt in his hand and hauling her closer. Sable let out a soft gasp. The breath leaving her nostrils trembled and stuttered as much as her beating heart.
“Thank you for taking such good care of me.”
She swallowed. “You’re welcome.”
He cocked his head, gaze dropping to her parted lips. “I’ve been wanting to kiss you for the longest. You gonna let me kiss you, Sable?” he asked huskily.
He didn’t wait for an answer.
He dipped his head, and her lips fell open wider before his mouth touched hers. Their mouths crashed together, guttural moans leaping from their throats and filling the small bathroom.
Author Bio:
Delaney Diamond is the USA Today Bestselling Author of sensual, passionate romance novels, and was born and raised in the U.S. Virgin Islands. She reads romance novels, mysteries, thrillers, and a fair amount of nonfiction. When she’s not busy reading or writing, she’s in the kitchen trying out new recipes, dining at one of her favorite restaurants, or traveling to an interesting locale. To get sneak peeks, notices of sale prices, and find out about new releases, visit her website and join her mailing list. Enjoy free stories on her website at www.delaneydiamond.com.
Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those
neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything
like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in
your stacks.
A mysterious letter hidden in an old manuscript… Merciless assassins determined to recover it… An ordinary family fighting to survive…
When history professor Ian O’Brien purchases an old collection of letters and books, he unknowingly steps into the world of a shadowy organization. His family is soon caught up in a web of intrigue and deceit spun out of a 16th century Muslim conspiracy that somebody still wants to keep secret. This powerful and ruthless group will stop at nothing to recover the document. Events spin out of control, tragedy strikes and the quest for answers begins. Facing impossible odds, they race against time to discover the truth and save their loved ones. In the process, they learn just how powerful and enduring a lie can be.
Meticulously researched and drawing on historical facts, Luke Montgomery’s fast-paced, thought-provoking thriller exposes the dark history behind the cultural and religious challenges we face today. This explosive and courageous debut novel forces us to grapple with issues of identity and faith. In the words of one reviewer, “Never again will you utter the words ‘gospel truth’ without thinking of this book.”
“Luke Montgomery’s fast-paced novel is a political and religious tour de force. This book puts a face on the clash of civilizations unfolding in our day. Too true to call fiction, too gripping to put down. Well-researched, brilliantly executed!” –Joel Richardson, New York Times Bestselling author
“It was about time someone created a skillful and intelligent page turner using Turkey and its politics as the base.” -Yesim Erez, Cumhuriyet
“An EXPLOSIVE novel.” -B.Johnson, High Tide Journal and Washington Times communities.
I added A Deceit To Die For by Luke Montgomery to my TBR on 9.28.12. Sounds great to me. This past year I have been reading more historical fiction and though religious stories aren’t at the top of my list, a manuscript and assassins have me curious. It is Luke’s debut novel and I love to discover new to me authors.
Any book by Britney King is high on my reading list, so as soon as Kill Sleep Repeat hit my Kindle, I was all over it. Britney has never disappointed me and this one was so much more than I expected.
As soon as Kill Sleep Repeat hit my Kindle, I began reading. I cannot let one of her thrillers sit on my virtual bookshelf. I must know who will be put through hell this time.
Stay focused. Remain in character. Don’t get murdered. For Charlotte, they are rules to live by.
Charlotte is a flight attendant and an assassin, which makes it easy to travel to her marks. Her victims pay the ultimate price. She’s married to Michael, with two daughters, but no one knows her secret. She is a sociopath, no conscience, no remorse and revels in wrapping her hands around her marks neck until no sign of life is left, but they are all villains in their own right. Her father was a sheriff, so maybe that’s where she comes by her need for justice.
She killed for the first time when she was in college, but Britney King doesn’t let it be just a murder. This the first twist that caught me offguard and I am loving it.
Do we ever really know someone? Their true thoughts and feelings? What they are doing when we are not with them? How long can someone hide the truth from their spouse, their family, their friends? How long before they all figure out who you really are…a sociopath.
Henry…is a good or bad? Can she trust him?
JC…well, I see him being a big problem and I’m not sure who he really is…until…
The website. I love how she handled that. Adds a little something extra, which is something Britney King manages to do in each and every story. It’s the little details that make a story something special.
Britney King is excellent with book surprises and I was hit with one after another, each larger than the first. I never saw the direction we would go, the danger and intrigue. I want to say more, but I want you to experience this for yourself, so mum’s the word.
As I read Kill Sleep Repeat, I was totally in Charlotte’s corner. She may be a vigilante, taking the law into her own hands, but I want her to succeed and survive. I want her to get her revenge when she is faced with the ultimate betrayal. Kill or be killed.
I bounced between 4 and 5 stars, but because it is an ARC, I will overlook the tiny issues I had because it is just that good!
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Kill Sleep Repeat by Britney King.
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
From the bestselling author of The Social Affair and HER comes an intense and deadly provocative thriller which follows a woman who, in a fight for survival, realizes her job may cost more than it pays.
Several times a week, Charlotte Jones leaves suburbia behind and boards a chartered flight to parts unknown, where she wraps her hands around the necks of marks for just as long as she has to.
Then she goes back to domestic life with a paycheck, defense wounds, and the sense that she can handle anything.
Which is good, because being a wife, mother, and sociopath, with an insatiable taste for murder, gives the term work-life balance new meaning. When one life unexpectedly bleeds into the other, leading to a secret admirer and borderline insta-fame, Charlotte is forced to ask herself if she really can have it all.
Slick and unsettling, Kill, Sleep, Repeat is a cunning tale of deception and desire that begs the question: Do we ever really know people the way we think we do?
ABOUT BRITNEY KING
Britney King lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, children, two dogs, one ridiculous cat, and a partridge in a pear tree.
When she’s not wrangling the things mentioned above, she writes
psychological, domestic and romantic thrillers set in suburbia.
Currently, she’s writing three series and several standalone
novels.
The Bedrock Series features an unlikely heroine who should have
known better. Turns out, she didn’t. Thus she finds herself tangled in a messy,
dangerous, forbidden love story and face-to-face with a madman hell-bent on
revenge. The series has been compared to Fatal Attraction, Single White Female,
and Basic Instinct.
The Water Series follows the shady love story of an
unconventional married couple—he’s an assassin—she kills for fun. It has been
compared to a crazier book version of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Also, Dexter.
Around The Bend is a heart-pounding standalone, which traces the
journey of a well-to-do suburban housewife, and her life as it unravels, thanks
to the secrets she keeps. If she were the only one with things she wanted to
keep hidden, then maybe it wouldn’t have turned out so bad. But she wasn’t.
The With You Series at its core is a deep love story about
unlikely friends who travel the world; trying to find themselves, together and
apart. Packed with drama and adventure along with a heavy dose of suspense, it
has been compared to The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and Love, Rosie.
The Social Affair is an intense standalone about a timeless
couple who find themselves with a secret admirer they hadn’t bargained for. For
fans of the anti-heroine and stories told in unorthodox ways, the novel
explores what can happen when privacy is traded for convenience. It is
reminiscent of films such as One Hour Photo and Play Misty For Me.
Without a doubt, connecting with readers is the best part of this
gig. You can find Britney online here:
To get more– grab two books for free, by subscribing to her
mailing list at britneyking.com or just copy and paste bit.ly/britneykingweb
into your browser.
I am a super fan of Leine Basso and DV Berkom, since I read the first book, A Killing Truth. The character is a strong female and all I could ask for in a heroine that travels the world to take out the bad guys and save the innocents.
I have read all DV Berkom’s books and am super excited to see we have a new one coming out, Dakota Burn. GIMME! GIMME!
A Killing Truth
Leine Basso Thrillers Book 1
by DV Berkom
Genre: Thriller
Now available: the chilling start to the high-octane, can’t-put-it-down
Leine Basso thriller series.
A deadly assassin. A perpetual target. A double-cross she never saw coming…
They say the truth will set you free, but what if it kills you first?
Leine eliminates terrorists for a living. After a routine assassination
almost gets her killed, she chalks it up to a fluke. Her lover and
fellow assassin, Carlos, has another idea altogether. He thinks their
boss is setting them up for a fall.
When Carlos goes missing and a bombing thwarts another mission, Leine
suspects the stakes are far higher than she could ever imagine, and
wonders if the man in charge might have it in for her after all.
If you like no-nonsense heroines, page-turning plots, and twists you
won’t see coming, then you’ll love D.V. Berkom’s tension-filled
series.
Download A Killing Truth to find out how the story began…
“[Leine Basso] is a sassy, kick-arse, no-nonsense,
I’ll-eat-your-balls-for-breakfast type of woman. She simply rocks.
Berkom’s books are ones when you almost forget to breathe. They’re
fast-paced, taut with tension and sheer joy from start to
finish.” ~Cath’n’Kindle Book Reviews
“[A Killing Truth] introduces one of modern fiction’s deadliest
heroes…”~Reviewer Charles A. Ray
“This is my third Leine Basso, and like the others, the action never lets
up. Leine is the female Jack Reacher only she does it all without
being 6’5″ and weighing 265 pounds, so that makes her more
incredible. If you like page-turners, you’ll love this book.”~
Polly Iyer, bestselling suspense author
“A Killing Truth would make an excellent introduction to D.V. Berkom’s
writing…she’s one of my favorites… love how she just puts you
right in the pages and you just don’t want to end.”~Hornfan2
“The Leine Basso series by DV Berkom is jam-packed with action and
adventure and Leine Basso is one bad*** protagonist…”
Fundinmental Book Reviews
“As someone who has read all of the other current Leine Basso books
first, I can say that A Killing Truth had me in suspense the entire
time.” Maranda, Amazon Reviewer
“Non-stop twists and turns. An excellent thriller that pits Leine
against not only international criminals but her own boss.”
~USMC-Mike
“What the world needs now is more female characters like bad ass Leine
Basso. Bought the trio of books that follow this one because of how
much I enjoyed the plot and twists along the way.” ~shzann
A former assassin is drawn into the twisted game of a serial killer who
may be a grisly remnant from her past.
What happens when a reality show turns deadly?
Determined to leave her old life behind, retired assassin Leine Basso accepts
a job working security at one of television’s most popular reality
shows, Serial Date. When a contestant is found dead in the prop
closet, it appears the killer is one of the ‘bachelors’ on the show-
an ex-con billed as a serial killer- but the detective in charge of
the case isn’t so sure.
When Leine’s estranged daughter is abducted by a man claiming to be the
real killer, she’s forced to rely on old skills to find her. She soon
realizes the murderer may be a grisly remnant from her past and
she’ll need to use all of her cunning to stop him…
…and rescue her daughter.
If you like black humor, no-nonsense heroines, and heart-stopping
action, you’ll love Serial Date. Download it today!
“If you like fast-paced action, great lead characters, and don’t mind a
few F-bombs and the occasional gore, DV Berkom is the author for you.” ~
BloodWrites
“Serial Date has everything a mystery/thriller needs to be successful,
fast-paced and action packed, strong and memorable characters and a
story that will grab you from beginning to end…” ~ Confessions of a Reader
“Why should you read it? In a nutshell it’s a fast-paced, non-linear story
with some creepy elements mashed together with a splash of romance
and dark humour. What’s not to like?” ~Indie eBooks
Dangerous obsessions take center stage when a former assassin and a homicide
detective race against the clock to find a missing girl before she’s
sold to the highest bidder.
Identified as a person of interest in three cold case murders she didn’t commit,
and required to stay in L.A., retired assassin Leine Basso accepts a
temporary position as a security specialist for A-list actor Miles
Fournier. Soon, a woman contacts Miles, claiming to be his long-lost
sister. Her twelve-year-old daughter, Mara, has been abducted and
she’s desperate to get her back.
Leine learns from a contact that Mara escaped, but the traffickers are
determined to track her down and deliver her to their powerful
client. Running out of time, Leine must find Mara before they do, or
she will be lost forever.
“…I was thrilled with this book. I did not want it to end. I was on the
edge of my seat at the end! Seriously a nail-bitter!”
~ April Holgate, Amazon Top 50 Reviewer
“Tight dialogue and nonstop action marks a novel that establishes new
benchmarks for action thrillers. This is a solid five-star novel that
you won’t want to miss.” ~Ray’s Ramblings
“An intelligent thriller worthy of the Big Screen…” ~ BloodWrites
A retired assassin is called in when a celebration south of the border
turns into a nightmare.
Everything’s for sale…
Former assassin Leine Basso is
hired by a wealthy Beverly Hills power couple to find their missing
daughter, Elise, last seen partying with her boyfriend at a club in
Tijuana. At first, police believe the two teenagers are the victims
of a carjacking. But when Leine finds their missing vehicle with a
mutilated body inside, and the local cartel warns her away, she knows
if Elise isn’t already dead, she will be soon, or worse.
In the lethal world of organized crime, there’s always a worse.
As Leine races to uncover the reason behind Elise Bennett’s
disappearance, she must also battle the powerful interests fighting
to keep her from the truth.
Praise for the Leine Basso Thriller series:
“Now this, this is what thrillers are made of: grit, spunk, and
no-nonsense unputdownability…Quite simply: Brilliant ” ~
Cath ‘n Kindle Book Reviews
“…Ms. Berkom gives us a badass heroine that’s fun to root for. Once Leine
discovers what is happening, there is no stopping her…an edge of
your seat thriller that delivers!” ~ Night Owl Reviews
“Without a doubt one of the most engaging, complex and enthralling mysteries
that had me totally in its grip…” ~
Confessions of a Reader
“Taken fans will be overjoyed with this gritty thriller…following Basso as she
works her tradecraft is a pleasure…” ~ BestThrillers.com
“A really exciting heroine for action thriller fans everywhere, but a
long overdue tough and plausible literary role-model for women.”~
Ajoobacats Book Reviews
An adventurous young backpacker, captured and sold. A black market
merchant who will stop at nothing to amass the power he craves. The
one woman who can stop him before he destroys everything…
Haunted by memories of an op gone bad, former assassin Leine Basso
travels to Bangkok in search of a missing backpacker. With help from an old
contact, she discovers the man responsible for the girl’s
disappearance is connected to a violent Hong Kong triad and is the
linchpin of an extensive trafficking network—both animal and human.
Making enemies isn’t new for Leine, but making one in the triad is—she
soon finds herself a prisoner on board a cargo ship headed for
sub-Saharan Africa. To ensure her survival and to continue her hunt for the missing girl,
she must join forces with Derek, an ivory poacher who promises to
help her.
Ready to stay up all night? Everybody’s favorite assassin is back with a
vengeance in this high-octane, can’t-put-it-down espionage thriller.
Espionage.
Deception. A nation on the brink of war…
Just when former assassin Leine Basso thinks she’s free from the
business of death, a desperate call from a friend drags her back into
the dark world of espionage and arms dealers.
“Sucks you in on page one and doesn’t set you free until the end. Another
sure-fire winner in a spectacular series.”
~Tim Tigner, International Bestselling Author of the Kyle Achilles series
“D.V. Berkom has created one kick-ass heroine in Leine Basso–a woman who
can do it all in the dog-kill-dog world of international espionage.”
~ J. Carson Black, New York Times Bestselling Author
“Warning:
once started, The Last Deception is difficult to put down…[T]he
globe-trotting Leine uncovers acts of international espionage that
lead her on a desperate hunt for an elusive spy that could bring down
the world.” Midwest Book Review
A former assassin, battling her demons. A sinister enemy, determined to
destroy her. A wily street kid caught in the middle.
Former assassin Leine Basso is fresh off an assignment rescuing an American
teenager from a terrorist group in Libya when she thwarts the murder
of a street kid in Tripoli. Leine agrees to help the girl, but must
first visit a refugee camp to uncover the reason behind a rash of
mysterious abductions.
Leaving the camp, Leine comes under a surprise attack–but only a handful of
people knew her true mission. The more she discovers about the
abductions, the more of a target she becomes, forcing her to revisit
a dark and violent past she thought she’d left behind. But it’s
easy–too easy to fall back into her old ways.
And that could get her killed.
Will Leine be able to survive a dark return?
If you like gritty, fast-paced, can’t-put-it-down thrillers with an
action-packed story ripped from the headlines, then you’ll love Dark
Return. Download your copy today!
Praise for Dark Return:
“I couldn’t put it down. My entire Saturday has been spent reading
Dark Return.” ~Sharon Simms
“One of the best reads to come out in this genre in quite awhile. You
won’t want to put this book down.” ~Yvonne Reddy
“Excellent.
There is no other way to describe it. I read it in one go it was that
good. Leine is one hell of a badass.” ~Silver Surfer
“Dark Return was a thrill-a-minute, page-turning suspense that never lets
up with action and intrigue. The author, DV Berkom, is a master when
it comes to character development and the story line.” ~ Paula Lopez
“DV Berkom has honed her skills as writer to such a fine art that it is
indeed very difficult to tear yourself away from any of her books.”
~Manie Killian
“Fast paced and full of action, this book will keep you both entertained
and intrigued from start to finish. Highly recommended!!” ~Derek Williams
“This book will captivate you from the first paragraph to the last. It is
full of action and non-stop adventure…” ~txdoc
“Best book in the series, they just keep getting better and better!! Read
them from the first in the series or just jump in here. Brilliant
read.” ~ Sally Sanders
“Berkom has matured as a solid writer with similarities to Mark Greaney, Mark
Dawson (John Milton series), and a whisper of Barry Eisler.”
~Library Champion
Former assassin Leine Basso has severed ties with everyone she loves to keep
them safe while she hunts for the ruthless terrorist, Salome. There
are rumblings that the French-born assassin is planning another
attack and Leine’s determined to stop her before it’s too late.
Can Leine thwart her plans, or will Salome’s own twisted vengeance mean
the end for Leine and everyone she loves?
From London to Edinburgh to the City of Angels, Salome’s making a
comeback—and that comeback includes killing Leine.
A kidnapped girl. A ruthless criminal who preys on the innocent. Two
killers who will stop at nothing to bring him down.
Former assassin Leine Basso was supposed to be in sunny LA, watching the
first class of operatives graduate from the new anti-trafficking
academy. Instead, she’s in North Dakota in the middle of a brutal
winter, helping old friend Derek van der Haar track down and
eliminate a deadly group of criminals hell-bent on providing young
girls to the highest bidder.
The closer Leine and Derek get to the organization, the more dangerous
the mission becomes. Soon, it’s evident that the traffickers are
playing for keeps—and don’t care who they kill.
In a story ripped from the headlines, Dakota Burn reveals the dark
underbelly of the Bakken oil fields, where human life is a commodity
and outlaws still rule.
If you enjoy books by Mark Dawson, Barry Eisler, and Mark Greaney,
you’ll love D.V. Berkom. Download this gritty, action-packed
thriller today!
DV Berkom is the USA Today bestselling author of two action-packed
thriller series featuring strong female leads (Leine Basso and Kate
Jones). Her love of creating resilient, kick-ass women characters
stems from a lifelong addiction to reading spy novels, mysteries, and
thrillers, and longing to find the female equivalent within those pages.
Raised in the Midwest, she earned a BA in political science and promptly
moved to Mexico to live on a sailboat. Several years and many
adventures later, she wrote her first novel and was hooked. The Kate
Jones adventure thriller, Bad Spirits, was first published in 2010 as
an online serial, and was immediately popular with Kindle and Nook
fans. Dead of Winter, Death Rites, and Touring for Death soon
followed before she began the far grittier Leine Basso thriller
series in early 2012 with Serial Date.
DV currently lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, Mark, and
several imaginary characters who like to tell her what to do.
International, super-model Sadie Stewart meets her Dutch lover, Sebastian Wilde, in Venice to celebrate their six month anniversary. But having lived a double life as a CIA operative for ten years, her life is never simple.
During a costume ball in an ancient Venetian palace, an assassin tries to kill her. As a result Sebastian gets ridiculously, over-protective, which drives her crazy. Her old boss offers to help her, but wants something in return.
Bakari al-Sharif, an arms-dealer with an insatiable thirst for power, is planning to steal King Tutankhamen’s scarab from Highclere castle near London. Sadie is the only person who has ever gotten close to al-Sharif and lived. The CIA wants her to stop him.
Or at least that’s what they say. When it comes to the world of espionage, the true motivation of the players is never clear.
Can Sadie return to the life of a spook and maintain a relationship with Sebastian? Can she nail the arms-dealer? And why did the masked man try to kill her?
Life is complicated for Sadie Stewart.
A cross between Indiana Jones and Covert Affairs
Sadie is a model by day and a spy by night. Today she’s talking about modeling.
The top five things about my modelling career? I get to:
Travel all over the world.
Wear great clothes.
Meet interesting people.
Make some good money, which I’ve mostly spent, but that’s another story.
All of these things make a great cover for a spy.
But being a model isn’t easy. My Top 5 Pet Peeves are:
1. Stilettoes
…kill my feet. I know, they look sexy, and give me a special kind of control over men, but I’ll be honest standing for hours in them while I pout gives me blisters and an aching back. Having to run in them is pure hell. I’d like to see James Bond try an escape in a four inch heel.
2. People think I’m stupid
Okay folks. Let’s get this straight. Having a symmetrical face does not mean I’ve had a lobotomy. Sheesh. Some people think my IQ is in the range of my shoe size. Of course that does come in handy…
3. I feel like I’m never “enough”
In the modelling business I’m never young enough, skinny enough, stylish enough… You get the idea. I hear the whispers and feel, I’m not enough. Many models self-medicate to deal with the negative side of the beauty industry. I say to hell with that, and carry a gun.
4. It’s a ruthless profession
One day you’re in the top five, the next morning you wake up and no one knows your name. Modelling is a highly competitive, short-term gig. You need to have a strong sense of self to survive. And a good lover helps.
5. It takes me away from Sebastian
He is the love of my life and I don’t like to be away from him.
Interview with Casanova, Sadie’s Labradoodle
1. What’s it like living with a model/spy?
Weird man. Sadie comes and goes at all hours of the day and night and she’s often hyper-excited. She really needs to chill. I try to let her know that. I lick her face whenever I get the chance. She’s a hard lady to slow down.
I wish she would take me on her adventures. When she flies out of town, she leaves me with her neighbour or her best friend. But that’s not all bad. Beatrice, the neighbour, feeds me cat food on crackers, and lets me sleep in her bed. Mitch, her guy friend, throws sticks for me and lets me sleep on his couch which is really comfy and has the smells of hundreds of people.
But I miss Sadie. There is no one in the world like Sadie.
2. What do you think of Sebastian?
Competition. Major competition. When he’s around I get less… But he loves Sadie, so I let him stay in the apartment. Sooner or later they’ll notice I’m here too.
3. If you could talk to Sadie what would you say?
What do you mean talk? I talk to her, dog talk you know. I give her meaningful looks. My tail wags. I let her know how I feel every minute of every day. But I sorta get what you’re asking. If I could use words I would say: “Let someone else save the world, baby. Hang with me.”
Introduction to the heroine:
Stifling the desire to scream, Sadie stood on top of the fourteenth-century Venetian palazzo looking out over the lagoon and its islands. No point risking the lives of others. She took a deep breath of the salty air blowing in off the Adriatic Sea. The red-tiled rooftops, round domes and cathedral spires of the ancient city spread to the west. For hundreds of years noblemen had used this perch to watch the arrival of merchant ships from the Orient with their exotic wares. Now it had become her trap.
Below, an opera singer in the bow of a gondola serenaded young lovers nestled inside, while the gondolier at the stern in his blue and white striped shirt navigated the still night waters. Venice, a city steeped in history and secrets, a place where anything could happen in a heartbeat and did; a sanctuary for people like her who wanted to disappear…
* * * * * * * * * *
Introduction to the two bad guys:Bakari assessed people with speed and precision. In his business an accurate understanding of people was a matter of life and death. Khalid had a Frankenstein look about him, like a man not fully grown into himself, a man who could be dangerous, a shell waiting for its heart. Daring, possibly unstable, but surely not as dangerous as Djeserit had claimed.
Suspicion played across the light in the young man’s eyes and he leaned his lanky body back in his chair. “My name is Khalid Badru. Do I know you?”
The words hit Bakari like a thousand grenades, unleashing a toxic mixture of regret and anger within. “Not yet.”
Maybe he should have just had him killed, as his brother had suggested. No. That wouldn’t be right. If anyone killed this man, it would have to be him. But the man was barely more than a boy. A boy with his blood. Bakari wanted to give him a chance.
Book 1 :Covert Danger
Book 2: Born of Magic
Jo-Ann Carson has lived most of her life on islands off the west coast of Canada, surrounded by snow covered mountains, lush rain forests and pristine beaches.
Growing up, she dreamed of traveling the world like James Bond, finding archeological treasures like Indiana Jones, and finding true love. In her Mata Hari Series she combines elements of adventure, danger and steamy romance.
I have read several novels by DV Berkom and find her ability to tell a story amazing. If you are a lover of the mysterious, thrilling, suspenseful world of murder, step inside.
Serial Date is a fast paced, tension filled suspense thriller that had me engrossed from cover to cover. The quirky and twisted characters made me wonder who was running the asylum. I love her covers. The colors are vibrant and they foretell the story inside.
A brutal, heinous murder on a reality TV show brings in Leine Basso, an ex Agency assassin, to watch over the contestants. The show consists of ex cons dating hot women and pretending they are serial killers. There are plenty of suspects, but what happens when everyone is targeted by a real serial killer?
It’s pretty bad when the cons are better people than the ones running the circus. So, let’s meet the main characters, even though the peripheral characters are important and have their own impact on the story.
Leine Basso – she may be an assassin, but she is no psychopath. She does have feelings and desires, just like the rest of us. It pains her that her daughter, April, holds the past against her and wants nothing to do with her. She cannot escape the past, no matter how far or fast she runs, but maybe she can kill it. Evil and danger come at her from more than one direction.
Deliciously hot and sexy Los Angeles Homicide Detective Santiago Jensen is assigned the case and the sparks fly when he and Leine meet. Would he risk his job to be with her? The heart wants what the heart wants and no matter how hard he tries, he can’t stop thinking of her.
Peter Bronkowski is a sick and twisted individual. It had been his idea for the show and he is more interested in the ratings than the deaths mounting up around him. He has fears and problems of of his own that do no include Serial Date.
Senator Buzz Runyon is a corrupt, arrogant and pathetic politician that visits the pages. He is controlled by his ‘little head” and in a very sick way. The only things he cares about is reelection and his sex games.
Leine has no idea what is coming her way, until April is abducted by the serial killer. But that can be said for Azazel. He has no idea of the storm that will be unleashed on him. Revenge is his motivation and he will not stop, until he gets it. Leine will not stop, until she gets her daughter back.
Serial Date is the first in a series of suspense thrillers that stand alone. It is easy reading, action packed, loaded with tension and sizzling romance. There are as many weak and twisted men as there are strong and determined women. DV shows the ugliness of human nature, but also the beauty and goodness. I love the taste of humor with my evil and DV deals with this in a way that seems real. After all, the police, medical examiners and others in awkward situations use laughter to get through the badness or discomfort.
I read, but didn’t review Serial Date right away, so I reread it. I thought I would just skim it and refresh my memory, but I ended up reading it word for word. I think I enjoyed it better the second time around, because I wasn’t in as big a hurry to find out how everything ended.
I would love to have a margarita at the Happy Mermaid with Leine. Gimme a call! 🙂
I received Serial Date from DV Berkom in return for an honest review. Thank you DV. It has been my pleasure! I LOVED it!
5 Stars
SYNOPSIS
When former assassin Leine Basso’s daughter is abducted, she’s drawn into the twisted game of a serial killer who may be a grisly remnant from her past.
Determined to leave her old life behind, retired assassin Leine Basso accepts a job working security at one of television’s most popular reality shows, Serial Date. When a contestant is found dead in the prop closet, it appears the killer is one of the ‘bachelors’ on the show- an ex-con billed as a serial killer- but the detective in charge of the case isn’t so sure.
When Leine’s estranged daughter is abducted by a man claiming to be the real killer, she’s forced to rely on old skills to find her and must come to terms with who she really is. She soon realizes the murderer may be a grisly remnant from her past and she’ll need to use all of her cunning to stop him….
and rescue her daughter.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
DV Berkom is a slave to the voices in her head. As the author of two popular thriller series (Leine Basso and Kate Jones), her love of creating resilient, kick-*ss female characters stems from a lifelong addiction to reading spy novels, mysteries, and thrillers, and longing to find the female equivalent within those pages.
Raised in the Midwest, she received her BA in political science from the University of Minnesota and promptly moved to Mexico to live on a sailboat. Many, many cross-country moves (and several years) later, she now lives just outside of Seattle, Washington with the love of her life, Mark, an ex-chef-turned contractor, and writes every chance she gets.
For more information, please visit her website at www.dvberkom.com.
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read. Open to a random page. Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
PERSONAL by Lee Child
A Jack Reacher Novel
MY TEASE
“Which is where, exactly?
In a house with four remaining guards and two world-class killers?”
(74% on Kindle)
SYNOPSIS
Jack Reacher walks alone. Once a go-to hard man in the US military police, now he’s a drifter of no fixed abode. But the army tracks him down. Because someone has taken a long-range shot at the French president.. Only one man could have done it. And Reacher is the one man who can find him. This new heartstopping, nailbiting book in Lee Child’s number-one bestselling series takes Reacher across the Atlantic to Paris – and then to London. The stakes have never been higher – because this time, it’s personal.
I love suspense and intrigue. To follow a character through numerous stories makes me able to relate to him/her as if they are family or friends. Do you feel the same?
DV Berkom has a new novel available, Body Market, A Leine Basso thriller.
If you like a strong female protagonist, this series is for you.
Leine Basso kicks ass and takes names.
Will yours be one of them?
Check out the awesome cover!!
SYNOPSIS
A retired assassin is called in when a celebration south of the border turns into a nightmare.
Former assassin Leine Basso is hired by a wealthy Beverly Hills power couple to find their missing daughter, Elise, last seen partying with her boyfriend at a club in Tijuana. At first, police believe the two teenagers are the victims of a carjacking. But when Leine finds their missing vehicle with the boyfriend’s mutilated body inside, and the local cartel warns her away, she knows if Elise isn’t already dead, she will be soon, or worse.
In the lethal world of organized crime, there’s always a worse.
As Leine races to uncover the reason behind Elise Bennett’s disappearance, she must also battle the powerful interests fighting to keep her from the truth.
CHECK OUT THIS AWESOME BOOK TRAILER
I love hot, fast cars and this one is talking loud and clear to me.
EXCERPT
CHAPTER 1
LEINE BASSO CROUCHED in the shadows next to the hulking metal shipping container. The odor of oil mixed with hydraulic fluid and diesel clashed with the briny sea air. Bright spotlights pierced the darkness casting a harsh yellow hue over the container yard. Leine checked her watch: eleven o’clock. Only three hours before the China Blue Star was scheduled to leave port for Hong Kong.
Three hours to find one shipping container in a massive sea of identical containers.
Lou paid off the security guard, which gave Leine only a short window to find the container before he released the dogs.
She adjusted the fit of the pack, tightening the straps so it molded to her body. She’d pared down the equipment as much as she could, but it was never enough.
C’mon, Lou. Give me some good news.
She closed her eyes and imagined the young face in the photograph. A lead from the trafficker’s hard drive had led her to a seaport currently run by cartel thugs on the west coast of Mexico. She hoped she wasn’t too late.
Three hours.
“Leine.” Lou’s voice came over the wireless earpiece.
“I’m here,” she replied.
“Left, three aisles, number fourteen-thirty-four-twelve.”
“Got it.” Gun drawn and keeping to the shadows, Leine moved along first one aisle, then another, searching for shipping container 143412.
There it is.
Stacked three high, the 40 foot-long steel boxes loomed above her. The one she was looking for was stacked 40 feet in the air on top of two other boxes. She moved to the end of the bottom container and reached for a handhold. Before she could grab the next one, someone seized her pack and yanked her off, slamming her back-first into the pavement. Her nine millimeter skittered across the asphalt, disappearing in the darkness between two containers. The impact took her breath away, the pain from a recent rib injury spiking through her like a spear.
Leine rolled, narrowly missing a kick to the face. She grabbed her attacker’s foot and gave it a vicious twist. The assailant corkscrewed and landed on his side with a grunt.
Ignoring the deep ache in her side and with adrenaline fueling her, she sprang to her feet and kicked the gun from his hand.
The weapon pinged off the side of the container and bounced into the shadows, out of sight. Before she could get clear, he scissored his legs and caught her at the knees. She sprawled forward.
This time she couldn’t ignore the pain.
Winded, she slid a knife free from the sheath attached to her leg. She pushed off the ground, rolling to a crouch as her opponent climbed to his feet, a knife in his hand. He lunged forward. Leine parried with a thrust to his throat. At the last second, he ducked.
They circled each other like roosters in a cockfight, both acutely aware of the weapon in their opponent’s grip. Leine feinted left and rushed forward, scoring a direct hit on the man’s shoulder, slicing through the black fabric of his shirt and drawing blood. He pivoted and came at her from the side but she rotated her torso, narrowly missing a slash to her kidney. She turned to face him as he came at her again. At the last second she stepped wide, allowing him to slip past her. Using his own momentum, she shoved him forward. He stumbled a few steps, recovered, and spun to face her.
Leine swept her arm forward in an arc and released the knife. The blade buried itself in his eye socket, a scream dying in his throat as his hand flew reflexively to his face. He collapsed to the ground as he exhaled his last breath.
“Leine. What’s going on? Are you okay?” Usually unflappable, the sharpness in Lou’s voice betrayed his concern, even over the radio.
“I’m fine.” Her hand supporting her now-throbbing rib, she leaned over the body with a grimace and extracted the knife, wiping the blade on the dead man’s shirt. The tattoos on his forearm suggested cartel affiliation. Leine doubted he was working alone. “Just some unexpected company.”
“Did you find the container?”
Leine scanned the metal boxes above her.
“Got it.”
“I don’t have to tell you to be careful, right?”
“No, but it’s nice to know you care.”
Leine grabbed the man’s legs and gritted her teeth as she dragged the body into the dark gap between containers. She removed his transmitter, turned off the voice activation, and slid on the earpiece. She didn’t want the next gunman to come along and sound the alarm before she had a chance to subdue him. After she retrieved the weapons she checked to see that the body couldn’t be observed from the aisle. Satisfied, she walked back to container 143412.
With a quick glance to be sure the fight hadn’t attracted company, she latched onto a vertical handle at the end of the first container, wedged her toe onto a hinge, and began to climb.
As she was preparing to hoist herself up and over the top of the container, she heard movement below her and froze.
“Where are you?” the voice muttered in Spanish, clear enough for Leine to hear through the transmitter.
She craned her neck, trying to catch a glimpse of the man below her. Compact in bearing and dressed in black like the man she’d just killed, instead of a knife he carried a modified sub machine gun.
“Answer me,” he snapped into his earpiece. When he received no reply, the man stepped over the smear of blood left by his compatriot. It looked like he might continue on when he abruptly stopped. Leine held her breath. If he glanced down, he’d notice the blood. With her left foot wedged onto the barest of toeholds and gripping the top of the container with her left hand, Leine slid her gun out of its holster, ready to fire—something she was loath to do since the sound would bring others.
The man pivoted 180 degrees, scanning the area, his gun in front of him. Leine ignored the muscles screaming in her left hand as the metal cut into her flesh.
He stood still for another moment, observing his surroundings. After a few seconds, he touched his earpiece.
“He’s not here.” The person at the other end acknowledged the transmission. “I’ll keep looking,” the gunman said as he moved out of Leine’s line of sight.
She released her breath in a quiet sigh and slid the gun back into her shoulder holster. With her right hand now free, she grabbed onto the top of the container, relieving her left hand. She waited a couple of beats to make sure the gunman was clear and then pulled herself up and over.
The higher vantage point worked well to monitor the yard. When the other gunman had traveled far enough that he wouldn’t hear her, Leine shrugged out of her pack and set it aside. She stretched flat onto her belly and put her ear to the container. There was no discernible movement inside.
That didn’t mean much.
“I’m on the roof,” she said in a low voice.
“Hear anything?” Lou asked.
“No.”
Leine unzipped the main compartment of the bag and pulled out a battery pack and a mini plasma cutter and placed them on the roof beside her. Next, she reached into another compartment for a fiber optic night vision camera and a collapsible light hood.
She deployed the hood and marked the area to be cut, then flipped the plasma cutter’s switch to on and adjusted the amps. Angling the tip as she cut, the small hole took only a few minutes. Turning off the cutter, she stowed it back inside the pack along with the hood.
Alert for movement on the ground below her, she activated the camera and fed the probe through the hole, watching the video feed on the small LCD monitor as she did. At first, all she could make out were the metal ribs of the container. She fed the line further into the dark interior and a moment later the camera swept past an object. Leine pulled up on the scope to get a better look. The object moved. Two tiny light circles appeared and blinked off and on.
As she angled the camera for a better view, she realized she was looking at a dark-haired girl huddled in the corner, her eyes glowing dots in the camera’s lens. Leine pulled back for a wider shot. Dozens of bodies came into focus, placed side by side on the floor of the container with no room between them. Most were lying prone—except for the young girl.
“I’ve got something,” Leine said into the mic.
Lou let out a sigh as though he’d been holding his breath.
Another girl, this one with light-colored hair, sat up and looked first at the girl in the corner and then at the camera.
Leine’s heart beat faster. From what she could tell, she matched the picture.
Amy.
“Is she there?” Lou’s clipped tone gave away his anxiety.
“Yeah. I think so. And she’s not alone.”
Leine relaxed her shoulders, relief flooding through her.
“Let’s get them out of here, Lou.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
DV Berkom is a slave to the voices in her head. As the author of two popular thriller series (Leine Basso and Kate Jones), her love of creating resilient, kick-*ss female characters stems from a lifelong addiction to reading spy novels, mysteries, and thrillers, and longing to find the female equivalent within those pages.
Raised in the Midwest, she received her BA in political science from the University of Minnesota and promptly moved to Mexico to live on a sailboat. Many, many cross-country moves (and several years) later, she now lives just outside of Seattle, Washington with the love of her life, Mark, an ex-chef-turned contractor, and writes every chance she gets.
For more information, please visit her website at www.dvberkom.com.
The Kate Jones Thriller Series, Vol. 1 box set (includes the 1st four novellas in the series) is now available for $3.99,
(The Kate Jones Thriller Series, Vol. 2 includes Cruising for Death (#5), Yucatan Dead, and A One Way Ticket To Dead, is now available for $8.99 (bought separately they would be 12.99)
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Check out all these beautiful covers for the Kate Jones thrillers by DV Berkom.
![Kill Sleep Repeat: A Psychological Thriller by [King, Britney]](https://i0.wp.com/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41etuaYp57L.jpg?w=584&ssl=1)
5 Stars
DV Berkom is a slave to the voices in her head. As the author of two popular thriller series (Leine Basso and Kate Jones), her love of creating resilient, kick-*ss female characters stems from a lifelong addiction to reading spy novels, mysteries, and thrillers, and longing to find the female equivalent within those pages.
