The Killer Collective by Barry Eisler
Product description:
An Amazon Charts, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal bestseller.
A fast-paced, page-turning novel of betrayal, vengeance, and depraved secrets in high places from the New York Times bestselling author of the John Rain and Livia Lone series.
When a joint FBI–Seattle Police investigation of an international child pornography ring gets too close to certain powerful people, sex-crimes detective Livia Lone becomes the target of a hit that barely goes awry—a hit that had been offered to John Rain, a retired specialist in “natural causes.”
Suspecting the FBI itself was behind the attack, Livia reaches out to former Marine sniper Dox. Together, they assemble an ad hoc group to identify and neutralize the threat. There’s Rain. Rain’s estranged lover, Mossad agent and honeytrap specialist Delilah. And black ops soldiers Ben Treven and Daniel Larison, along with their former commander, SpecOps legend Colonel Scot “Hort” Horton.
Moving from Japan to Seattle to DC to Paris, the group fights a series of interlocking conspiracies, each edging closer and closer to the highest levels of the US government.
With uncertain loyalties, conflicting agendas, and smoldering romantic entanglements, these operators will have a hard time forming a team. But in a match as uneven as this one, a collective of killers might be even better.
My Review
Livia goes to great lengths helping people that the system is failing, victims of child pornography, rape, and assault, even stepping outside her police remit.
The writing was superb, especially for the action scenes and the planning that went into them.
I was fascinated by the plot from the beginning, as a police procedural, then even more so as other players were introduced. Mercenaries, government departments, freelance and contractors, all stirring up the mix, and increasing the tension.
Livia was my favourite character, tough, skilled, and determined to get justice. I particularly liked the way she was involved with Dox and we got to see another side of her character.
I would highly recommend The Killer Collective to people who enjoy police procedurals and action thrillers.
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