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David Slaton #1
The Perfect Assassin
A young woman sailing solo across the Atlantic makes an incredible discovery. In the open ocean is a man narrowly clinging to life. But David Slaton is more than he appears. He is a Kidon, an Israeli assassin who soon hijacks her boat with a new destination in mind - England. There the two are targeted by a secretive and lethal organization. Christine Palmer finds herself forced into a tenuous partnership with a killer, and the two become pawns in a high-stakes struggle for power in the Middle East.
The key is a mysterious ship and its deadly cargo that have disappeared without a trace. Or have they? The Perfect Assassin opens the world of the Kidon. He evades Scotland Yard and a traitorous cell high in his own government. Soon, however, the tables turn. With calm precision Slaton hunts down the one man who would drive the world to monumental disaster.
345 pages, Hardcover
First published April 28, 2004
1097 people are currently reading
3321 people want to read
About the author
Ward Larsen
30 books583 followersWard Larsen is the USA Today bestselling author of espionage thrillers. A seven-time winner of the Florida Book Award, his first novel, The Perfect Assassin, has been optioned for film by Amber Entertainment.
A former Air Force fighter pilot, he has also served as an airline captain, and is a trained aircraft accident investigator.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
A former Air Force fighter pilot, he has also served as an airline captain, and is a trained aircraft accident investigator.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 348 reviews
April 25, 2025
Ich habe hier das Hörbuch gehört; die Vertonung und der Sprecher waren gut. Die Geschichte war für mich anfangs auch noch vielversprechend und spannend, aber dann hat sie mich immer mehr verloren. Es gab irgendwann zu viele Szenen, die für mich uninteressant waren, zu sehr in die Länge gezogen und nur noch wenige, die mich fesseln konnten.
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January 31, 2023
"David Slaton #1, The Perfect Assassin"
Audiobook - 13:31 Hours - Narrator: Amy McFadden
Rating: "4.0Stars - I Really Liked It"
Edit:3.5Stars, but not quite enough to round up to 4.0 Stars.
I was not disappointed with "#1, The Perfect Assassin", but my expectations were possibly a little unrealistic, given that it was Ward Larsen's debut publication and thus the first book in the "David Slaton - Assassin" series. I had recently really enjoyed listening to "#4, The Assassin's Code" (4.0Stars) and decided to commence the series from #1.
The first four or five hours were pretty good from a content point of view, but whoever chose Amy McFadden as the narrator for this book deserved to have their arse kicked from here to ... wherever! Amy McFadden’s CV shows clearly that she is obviously a very competent and popular narrator, but she was a totally unsuitable choice to narrate this book.
To those reading this review, please take into account that it is extremely difficult for me, for physical health reasons, to read a ‘proper’ book, whether paper-printed, or presented electronically. Thus I ‘read’ by listening to audiobooks, usually about two of them a week, on average. Electronic production, creative direction and especially narration, are very important to my enjoyment or otherwise of any audiobook.
I have absolutely nothing against female narrators. Many of my favourite authors are female and almost inevitably their books are read by female narrators and I enjoy them immensely. Whether a narrator is male or female is usually irrelevant to me, provided the narrator chosen can create the vocal characterisations needed to tell the story.
In "The Perfect Assassin", all but one of the main characters were males and the main protagonist, David Slaton, a "Kidon", or highly skilled assassin from Mossad’s special ops unit, needed a fairly tough-sounding and competent/impressive characterisation, but try as she might, Amy McFadden simply didn’t have the vocal range or accents to handle his voice. Those of his collaborators from Mossad or the various bad guys, most of whom she tried to depict, unsuccessfully, as “European Jewish”, “Eastern European" or "Middle-Eastern", were equally unsatisfactory. Interestingly enough, for the Scotland Yard characters, McFadden produced a competent variety of male and female British accents and characterisations, particularly for the Detective Inspector in charge of catching and/or eliminating the Kidon, which was compensation, somewhat, for my annoyance at her overall narration.
Upon quite a few days reflection, (I finished this audiobook a week ago and I have increased my 3.5Stars to 4.0Stars in that time), I enjoyed “The Perfect Assassin” and I am looking forward listening to "#2, Assassin's Game" which is narrated by Luke Daniels. I note that David Slaton #3 to #7 are all narrated by P. J. Ochlan, so author Ward Larsen has obviously found his narrator-of-choice for the "David Slaton" series of audiobooks. P. J. Ochlan's narration of "#4, The Assassin's Code", was excellent.
Audiobook - 13:31 Hours - Narrator: Amy McFadden
Rating: "4.0Stars - I Really Liked It"
Edit:
I was not disappointed with "#1, The Perfect Assassin", but my expectations were possibly a little unrealistic, given that it was Ward Larsen's debut publication and thus the first book in the "David Slaton - Assassin" series. I had recently really enjoyed listening to "#4, The Assassin's Code" (4.0Stars) and decided to commence the series from #1.
The first four or five hours were pretty good from a content point of view, but whoever chose Amy McFadden as the narrator for this book deserved to have their arse kicked from here to ... wherever! Amy McFadden’s CV shows clearly that she is obviously a very competent and popular narrator, but she was a totally unsuitable choice to narrate this book.
To those reading this review, please take into account that it is extremely difficult for me, for physical health reasons, to read a ‘proper’ book, whether paper-printed, or presented electronically. Thus I ‘read’ by listening to audiobooks, usually about two of them a week, on average. Electronic production, creative direction and especially narration, are very important to my enjoyment or otherwise of any audiobook.
I have absolutely nothing against female narrators. Many of my favourite authors are female and almost inevitably their books are read by female narrators and I enjoy them immensely. Whether a narrator is male or female is usually irrelevant to me, provided the narrator chosen can create the vocal characterisations needed to tell the story.
In "The Perfect Assassin", all but one of the main characters were males and the main protagonist, David Slaton, a "Kidon", or highly skilled assassin from Mossad’s special ops unit, needed a fairly tough-sounding and competent/impressive characterisation, but try as she might, Amy McFadden simply didn’t have the vocal range or accents to handle his voice. Those of his collaborators from Mossad or the various bad guys, most of whom she tried to depict, unsuccessfully, as “European Jewish”, “Eastern European" or "Middle-Eastern", were equally unsatisfactory. Interestingly enough, for the Scotland Yard characters, McFadden produced a competent variety of male and female British accents and characterisations, particularly for the Detective Inspector in charge of catching and/or eliminating the Kidon, which was compensation, somewhat, for my annoyance at her overall narration.
Upon quite a few days reflection, (I finished this audiobook a week ago and I have increased my 3.5Stars to 4.0Stars in that time), I enjoyed “The Perfect Assassin” and I am looking forward listening to "#2, Assassin's Game" which is narrated by Luke Daniels. I note that David Slaton #3 to #7 are all narrated by P. J. Ochlan, so author Ward Larsen has obviously found his narrator-of-choice for the "David Slaton" series of audiobooks. P. J. Ochlan's narration of "#4, The Assassin's Code", was excellent.
July 31, 2015
How does stuff like this get published? The Perfect Assassin is anything but: This book is beyond unbelievable in these and so many other ways -
Finally, The Perfect Assassin is written as if by a barely-literate 4-th grader - it's truly degenerate in its use of language, in its characterizations, etc. The story has a lot of potential, but the execution is just beyond awful.
If you want a solid Mossad spy thriller, I recommend the Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon series instead. They're still pulpy and not brilliantly written, but plot-wise, they are coherent, and Allon as a Mossad agent makes much more sense.
Finally, The Perfect Assassin is written as if by a barely-literate 4-th grader - it's truly degenerate in its use of language, in its characterizations, etc. The story has a lot of potential, but the execution is just beyond awful.
If you want a solid Mossad spy thriller, I recommend the Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon series instead. They're still pulpy and not brilliantly written, but plot-wise, they are coherent, and Allon as a Mossad agent makes much more sense.
May 22, 2017
Excellent adventure of a Mossad assassin
This is the first book I have read by this author, and I plan to read others in this series. A very good criminal chase with many twists and turns. We come to know a kidon, Mossad assassin, as a human with feelings and needs as any other. An interesting twist to find his wife and child, killed in one way as told by his superiors years ago,may have been a quite different story. Nice story as Israeli people, those in Mossad, seem to have many working against their true professions, by targeting fellow workers. Americans are only one group trying to straighten out the story, while a peace signing is set up . Good if you like Tom Clancy, Mark Dawson etc.
This is the first book I have read by this author, and I plan to read others in this series. A very good criminal chase with many twists and turns. We come to know a kidon, Mossad assassin, as a human with feelings and needs as any other. An interesting twist to find his wife and child, killed in one way as told by his superiors years ago,may have been a quite different story. Nice story as Israeli people, those in Mossad, seem to have many working against their true professions, by targeting fellow workers. Americans are only one group trying to straighten out the story, while a peace signing is set up . Good if you like Tom Clancy, Mark Dawson etc.
December 27, 2016
The Perfect Assassin is a story about an unlikely adventure involving an Israeli assassin and a young American physician. The physician is sailing her late father's boat from Europe to the US when she inexplicably encounters a man clinging to a small container in the water. Adventure ensues.
The plot is a bit far fetched but on the cusp of believable and it moves along at quite a nice pace with killings scattered here and there. The relationship between the two primary characters begins as chilly as the North Atlantic waters from which he was plucked and then predictably warms until, well, you can imagine the climax (pun intended).
The ending of the book is simply beyond the believable, even for someone like me who tends to become immersed in plots and is very charitable as to what is and is not possible. My reaction to it was not "Wow" but rather, "That was pretty silly." Although I enjoyed the main character, the Israeli assassin, and God knows that we can all use an additional assassin in our lives, I shall not read another in the series.
The plot is a bit far fetched but on the cusp of believable and it moves along at quite a nice pace with killings scattered here and there. The relationship between the two primary characters begins as chilly as the North Atlantic waters from which he was plucked and then predictably warms until, well, you can imagine the climax (pun intended).
The ending of the book is simply beyond the believable, even for someone like me who tends to become immersed in plots and is very charitable as to what is and is not possible. My reaction to it was not "Wow" but rather, "That was pretty silly." Although I enjoyed the main character, the Israeli assassin, and God knows that we can all use an additional assassin in our lives, I shall not read another in the series.
June 25, 2023
An excellent book that took us on an adventure with some extra story lines that may confuse but added “words”. It allowed me to finally read the first book of this series. A series, I might add, that I find enjoyable, hopefully you will also.
August 19, 2020
Well, I guess you can say that my thoughts on this book can best be summed up in the form of a double limerick:
David Slaton, a sailboat, and a doctor.
He was so strong that it shocked her.
Nuclear weapons are lost,
Locating them at a cost,
Our heros run from a concoctor.
A fantastic introduction,
To the mossad agent we can trust in.
A kidon to keep up with,
An assassin not to f*c$ with.
Amazing, Ward’s work has thus been.
Seriously, the assassin series by Ward Larsen is quickly becoming one of my top favorites. His new book, Assassin’s Strike is OUT OF CONTROL good!
David Slaton, a sailboat, and a doctor.
He was so strong that it shocked her.
Nuclear weapons are lost,
Locating them at a cost,
Our heros run from a concoctor.
A fantastic introduction,
To the mossad agent we can trust in.
A kidon to keep up with,
An assassin not to f*c$ with.
Amazing, Ward’s work has thus been.
Seriously, the assassin series by Ward Larsen is quickly becoming one of my top favorites. His new book, Assassin’s Strike is OUT OF CONTROL good!
December 20, 2024
A woman sailing across the Atlantic picks up a guy floating in the ocean. He's an Israeli assassin on a mission...
Not quite there, I think.
Not quite there, I think.
August 7, 2011
If you are a lover of international intrigue, as I am, this one has all the ingredients, i.e. Scotland Yard inspectors, Mossad agents, stolen nuclear weapons, etc. A female American doctor is sailing her recently departed father's sail boat across the Atlantic to America when her boat bangs through some floating debris including a man hanging on to a cooler. She manages to pull him aboard and off we go. This is Mr. Larsen's debut effort and I will be looking for his more recent renderings.
February 25, 2013
Christine Palmer, a young American doctor sailing solo across the Atlantic, finds a man clinging to a cooler in the freezing ocean. narrowly clinging to his life in the frigid waters. David Slaton was on a sabotaged ship secretly conveying weapons; he is a highly-trained Mossad assassin, and has to unravel the treachery and bring its perpetrators to justice, while evading capture or his termination. Similar to, but not as good as, Daniel Silva's protagonist, Gabriel Allon.
June 11, 2020
This was a thrilling introduction to David Slaton! I really enjoyed how it was set up like a cat and mouse story arc. Can Slaton complete his objective before being caught?
The key about writing as assassin character that people can root for, is building a back story that the reader can connect to. This was perfectly done here. The amount of technical detail was perfect to let the general reader understand, without being overwhelming. A perfect start to the David Slaton series!!
The key about writing as assassin character that people can root for, is building a back story that the reader can connect to. This was perfectly done here. The amount of technical detail was perfect to let the general reader understand, without being overwhelming. A perfect start to the David Slaton series!!
June 14, 2012
Decent spy/special-ops-guy-goes-rogue fiction -- sort of in the Bourne mold. Set in Europe and Israel, and felt like the geography of things was sort of interesting. I found the plot to be pretty predictable though.
September 21, 2021
I first read the prequel and thought it was good, so maybe I'll try and read the complete series as well. The Perfect Assassin by Ward Larsen is book one about Israeli Kidon David Slaton. It is not like many other books out there and rather entertaining to read. Lots of action, betrayal and espionage going on. I can recommend this book and will shortly read number two.
October 1, 2023
A good thriller. It lays the groundwork for what I imagine is an amazing rest of the series. Not only did I find the main story interesting, with a years-long conspiracy revolving false flag operations, but it introduced a pretty badass main character, Israeli Mossad Kidon David Slaton.
I definitely want to check the rest of the series out.
I definitely want to check the rest of the series out.
September 17, 2020
A few months back I won an ARC for Ward Larsen's book Assassin's Strike. This book was amazing and I was hooked. I went back and started from the beginning with The Perfect Assassin. The 1st book in the David Slaton Series. And wow, what a first book and introduction to David Slaton. The book starts off with a woman on a sailboat finding a man clinging to life floating in the ocean. This man is David Slaton, an Israeli Assassin. Unknown to him 2 nuclear bombs are missing from the boat he was on and he must find them and the people responsible. A race against time and a cat and mouse game starts as Slaton does not know who he can trust!!
August 1, 2011
This book got off to a slooooow start. Tons of characters and took too long to find out what was going on, at least for me. It picked up the second half of the book and I'm glad I stuck with it. I wish I knew more about Israel/Palestine/Arabian countries so I could follow more closely what was going on.
October 28, 2020
I’m a huge fan of David Slaton from the recently released top-notch action thrillers by Ward Larsen. It was only a matter of time before I went back in time to read the debut of The Kidon, the lethal Ex-Mossad assassin we know as David Slaton. It is magnificent!
The Perfect Assassin debuts David Slaton as an assassin who is left for dead by traitors in the Mossad who have a sinister plan to derail peace talks between Arab nations and Israel through the theft of nuclear weapons with unknown targets. The only hitch in the plan? Slaton survives the treachery. David Slaton teams up with Dr. Christine Palmer who crosses paths with Slaton and gets involved when the nefarious group responsible for the theft of the nuclear weapons come after both Slaton and Palmer to take care of all loose ends. This makes for an extremely engaging and fast paced action thriller narrative, where Slaton’s prowess in combat and tactics is displayed as worthy of the title, “ The Perfect Assassin”.
The action sequences are written with accurate and to-the-point details of weaponry and equipment that adds to the gritty and grounded vibe of the story. There is no doubt just from this book that David Slaton is one of the most badass characters ever written. Kicking a guy so hard that his neck snaps, is just one example of Slaton’s lethality.
Another excellent aspect of The Perfect Assassin is the emphasis on the meticulous nature of David Slaton as he evades the authorities who are after him wrongfully. His tactical hindsight is praiseworthy as he sets intricate and complex plans in motions to send his chasers off his trail and execute his revenge on those who wronged him. I’ve only come across this level of sheer brilliance in a handful of characters, including Tom Wood’s Victor, and Jackal from Day of The Jackal.
The narrative also makes things personal for David Slaton as we come to hear about how the tragedy that led him to becoming a calculated killer, and it’s a thread that unravels throughout this book with a shocking twist at the end. I also enjoyed Slaton and Palmer’s chemistry together. Both characters are written with characteristics and charms that make it natural for readers to root for them to be together. Palmer is the anchor for Slaton to stay tethered to the light in a world of darkness and this is portrayed beautifully by the author.
There are a variety of characters involved directly with the narrative, be it politicians, spymasters, detectives and police officials, all of whom shape the stage for Slaton to make his stand. It’s a gripping thriller and it’s the beginning of a series that rivals the best in the genre. I highly recommend this book to be read as soon as possible and be introduced to the excellent David Slaton.
The Perfect Assassin debuts David Slaton as an assassin who is left for dead by traitors in the Mossad who have a sinister plan to derail peace talks between Arab nations and Israel through the theft of nuclear weapons with unknown targets. The only hitch in the plan? Slaton survives the treachery. David Slaton teams up with Dr. Christine Palmer who crosses paths with Slaton and gets involved when the nefarious group responsible for the theft of the nuclear weapons come after both Slaton and Palmer to take care of all loose ends. This makes for an extremely engaging and fast paced action thriller narrative, where Slaton’s prowess in combat and tactics is displayed as worthy of the title, “ The Perfect Assassin”.
The action sequences are written with accurate and to-the-point details of weaponry and equipment that adds to the gritty and grounded vibe of the story. There is no doubt just from this book that David Slaton is one of the most badass characters ever written. Kicking a guy so hard that his neck snaps, is just one example of Slaton’s lethality.
Another excellent aspect of The Perfect Assassin is the emphasis on the meticulous nature of David Slaton as he evades the authorities who are after him wrongfully. His tactical hindsight is praiseworthy as he sets intricate and complex plans in motions to send his chasers off his trail and execute his revenge on those who wronged him. I’ve only come across this level of sheer brilliance in a handful of characters, including Tom Wood’s Victor, and Jackal from Day of The Jackal.
The narrative also makes things personal for David Slaton as we come to hear about how the tragedy that led him to becoming a calculated killer, and it’s a thread that unravels throughout this book with a shocking twist at the end. I also enjoyed Slaton and Palmer’s chemistry together. Both characters are written with characteristics and charms that make it natural for readers to root for them to be together. Palmer is the anchor for Slaton to stay tethered to the light in a world of darkness and this is portrayed beautifully by the author.
There are a variety of characters involved directly with the narrative, be it politicians, spymasters, detectives and police officials, all of whom shape the stage for Slaton to make his stand. It’s a gripping thriller and it’s the beginning of a series that rivals the best in the genre. I highly recommend this book to be read as soon as possible and be introduced to the excellent David Slaton.
August 20, 2020
This book seemed to have promise from the synopsis. Nonetheless, after six chapters of tiresome and mediocre writing, I gave up with the book.
Christine Palmer is a doctor traveling the Atlantic Ocean on a sailboat to take a break. She ends up saving a man—Mossad's top assassin; David Slaton—from drowning in the sea. David Slaton was on a mission for Mossad aboard the Polaris Venture, however the mission was compromised. David then forces Christine to take him to England, which she does despite her fears. The story is then setup for David Slaton to figure out what went down on the Polaris Venture. It sounded good but....
The writing was low quality and the phrasing/wording of the novel was awkward and did not flow naturally. Example “it was the only thing that could fit so he had no problem commandeering it”. What a poor choice of words.
Christine the woman introduced in the first chapter was not even physically described until midway through chapter five. The only description given, was that she had shoulder length hair🤦♀️. How vague. Larsen rambled on about the surrounding and yet he never told readers what his characters looked like.
Larsen jumps from one person's perspective to another with no clear transition. David Slaton the “perfect assassin” has absolutely no character. He just threatens with stereotypical speech and Christine is constantly afraid and wants to be rid of him. This concept is characteristic to YA. Seriously why🤨 was he threatening her so much? If that was to show how fierce and stupid he was it worked, good job Larsen. The few words spoken between the two characters is unbearable and pointless, it adds nothing to their characters or the plot. Slaton's brutish behaviour was so forced and didn’t convince me that he was an expert in the field.
I have read the Mitch Rapp books by Vince Flynn/Kyle Mills and I have enjoyed the way Vince/Mills wrote Rapp's unrestrained, no nonsense personality. However, unlike Slaton, Mitch's Behavior was not unsolicited and pointless. His agression added to the plot and his proficiency in espionage. Slaton's agression and rude behavior towards Christine Palmer; an innocent woman who saved his life is unnecessary. You would think he would be kinder to her so that she would trust him and not—I don’t know—report him to the authorities! It’s infuriating that “the perfect assassin”—David Slaton—appears to be an amateur rather than an expert in the field. Pathetic. This character is outwardly stupid.
This book had so much potential, however Larsen's inept writing skills ruined the plot and the characters.
Christine Palmer is a doctor traveling the Atlantic Ocean on a sailboat to take a break. She ends up saving a man—Mossad's top assassin; David Slaton—from drowning in the sea. David Slaton was on a mission for Mossad aboard the Polaris Venture, however the mission was compromised. David then forces Christine to take him to England, which she does despite her fears. The story is then setup for David Slaton to figure out what went down on the Polaris Venture. It sounded good but....
The writing was low quality and the phrasing/wording of the novel was awkward and did not flow naturally. Example “it was the only thing that could fit so he had no problem commandeering it”. What a poor choice of words.
Christine the woman introduced in the first chapter was not even physically described until midway through chapter five. The only description given, was that she had shoulder length hair🤦♀️. How vague. Larsen rambled on about the surrounding and yet he never told readers what his characters looked like.
Larsen jumps from one person's perspective to another with no clear transition. David Slaton the “perfect assassin” has absolutely no character. He just threatens with stereotypical speech and Christine is constantly afraid and wants to be rid of him. This concept is characteristic to YA. Seriously why🤨 was he threatening her so much? If that was to show how fierce and stupid he was it worked, good job Larsen. The few words spoken between the two characters is unbearable and pointless, it adds nothing to their characters or the plot. Slaton's brutish behaviour was so forced and didn’t convince me that he was an expert in the field.
I have read the Mitch Rapp books by Vince Flynn/Kyle Mills and I have enjoyed the way Vince/Mills wrote Rapp's unrestrained, no nonsense personality. However, unlike Slaton, Mitch's Behavior was not unsolicited and pointless. His agression added to the plot and his proficiency in espionage. Slaton's agression and rude behavior towards Christine Palmer; an innocent woman who saved his life is unnecessary. You would think he would be kinder to her so that she would trust him and not—I don’t know—report him to the authorities! It’s infuriating that “the perfect assassin”—David Slaton—appears to be an amateur rather than an expert in the field. Pathetic. This character is outwardly stupid.
This book had so much potential, however Larsen's inept writing skills ruined the plot and the characters.
January 28, 2024
Interesting and a good start to the series.
October 25, 2015
This book “The Perfect Assassin" wouldn’t have been my chosen book to read because of the espionage and political undertones are not of my interest but the way Ward Larsen brought in a female character Christine to capture the heart of a hardened assassin kept my interest throughout the book….couldn’t wait to see how it ended!
August 11, 2020
Apart from being somewhat slow at times (and that one has to suspend judgement a bit to accept the ending) this is a well-written, highly satisfying cracker of a spy novel. This, from a reader who is generally disappointed by the genre.
October 4, 2020
I see this as the beginning of a great series.
May 10, 2024
It’s been a while since I read a good spy novel. All my favourite spy masters don’t seem to be writing as frequently as they used to. Fun to discover a new author then.
Dr. Christine Palmer is a sailor, taking her late father’s boat back across the Atlantic on a solo voyage. All is well, then she comes upon a man clinging on to debris in the middle of the ocean. She rescues him and nurses him back to health.
David Slaton, unknown to her is a Kidon - a high trained spy and assassin of the Mossad. And he is being hunted. Unfortunately, this means so is Christine.
Together they try and stay one step ahead of their would be killers while trying to find out what is going on and how they can stop it in time.
Much is at stake and there is no time for mistakes.
A quick paced intrigue laced book with interesting main and side characters.
Fun reading!
Dr. Christine Palmer is a sailor, taking her late father’s boat back across the Atlantic on a solo voyage. All is well, then she comes upon a man clinging on to debris in the middle of the ocean. She rescues him and nurses him back to health.
David Slaton, unknown to her is a Kidon - a high trained spy and assassin of the Mossad. And he is being hunted. Unfortunately, this means so is Christine.
Together they try and stay one step ahead of their would be killers while trying to find out what is going on and how they can stop it in time.
Much is at stake and there is no time for mistakes.
A quick paced intrigue laced book with interesting main and side characters.
Fun reading!
May 14, 2020
a good fast-moving thriller about a conspiracy in the Israeli intelligence service which spils over into a manhunt in England
August 15, 2021
3.75 stars
October 28, 2017
Fair thriller with Israeli assassin, related to Bourne themes.
March 31, 2023
One of the best books of this genre I have ever read. Great story, excellent writing.
May 29, 2019
It was good read lost one star too over discription and too much unnecessary information. I will read his next book.
November 20, 2022
I wasn't looking to start yet another assassin-oriented thriller series but sort of accidentally backed into this one. I feel like I've read so many of these that there just wasn't much new ground to cover...so I was not expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. Perhaps what helped this time around was the fact that the assassin is not American but rather, Israeli. But of greater importance is the presence of a co-lead character in the form of Doctor Christine Palmer, a thoroughly competent person caught up in extraordinary events. She is the perfect foil for the reader as well as a great character in her own right.
I'm not sure if the series can uphold the high standards from this first novel, but I plan to give it every opportunity and will shortly move on to book number two.
I'm not sure if the series can uphold the high standards from this first novel, but I plan to give it every opportunity and will shortly move on to book number two.
October 24, 2019
I am always seeking spy / assassin novels. I’ve found it difficult to separate the great from the merely average. So I try authors to see if they can rise above the mundane and provide something gripping to read (see Tom Wood’s Victor as an example of awesome).
I hadn’t read anything from this author, so I started at the beginning of his assassin series. The premise sounded interesting. What I discovered is recycled plot points and dull characters.
First, which famous assassin series started out with the hero floating in the ocean, picked up by a boat that just happened by? Yeah, that is what we have here. It also just happens that the person who picks up the assassin is a young lady, who is also a doctor. Oh, and pretty too. She was sailing solo from Europe to America. He isn’t very nice to her after recovering, taking over her boat like a pirate. But she ends up liking the guy, of course. Ugh. Nothing really happens, action-wise, for the first third of the book. Instead I learned about sailboats.
It isn’t good when I can figure things out a chapter or two before the characters do. Twists and turns? Not really. It also isn’t a good sign that the author is deploying the reveal the truth around a serious twist in the assassin’s history about half way through the book. Other series would use it in later books, not later chapters. Somehow it is supposed to make me feel for this character, but its more groan worthy than anything else.
But this is a stock story of “our best assassin ever” who now finds himself at odds with his employers, with them thinking he has gone off the deep end. So he hunts down the rogue element within Mossad, the super elite of intelligence agencies. But in England. The prime hunter of mister assassin? A Scotland Yard detective. Not another assassin or hit team. Nope, a gruff police detective that could support his own series of books.
In the end I couldn’t really care about the characters or what they were doing. Go ahead and let the rogue element do its thing. The outcome may be more interesting than following the tour of England by the unlikely couple. When I’m finding myself skimming ahead, that isn’t a good sign.
I hadn’t read anything from this author, so I started at the beginning of his assassin series. The premise sounded interesting. What I discovered is recycled plot points and dull characters.
First, which famous assassin series started out with the hero floating in the ocean, picked up by a boat that just happened by? Yeah, that is what we have here. It also just happens that the person who picks up the assassin is a young lady, who is also a doctor. Oh, and pretty too. She was sailing solo from Europe to America. He isn’t very nice to her after recovering, taking over her boat like a pirate. But she ends up liking the guy, of course. Ugh. Nothing really happens, action-wise, for the first third of the book. Instead I learned about sailboats.
It isn’t good when I can figure things out a chapter or two before the characters do. Twists and turns? Not really. It also isn’t a good sign that the author is deploying the reveal the truth around a serious twist in the assassin’s history about half way through the book. Other series would use it in later books, not later chapters. Somehow it is supposed to make me feel for this character, but its more groan worthy than anything else.
But this is a stock story of “our best assassin ever” who now finds himself at odds with his employers, with them thinking he has gone off the deep end. So he hunts down the rogue element within Mossad, the super elite of intelligence agencies. But in England. The prime hunter of mister assassin? A Scotland Yard detective. Not another assassin or hit team. Nope, a gruff police detective that could support his own series of books.
In the end I couldn’t really care about the characters or what they were doing. Go ahead and let the rogue element do its thing. The outcome may be more interesting than following the tour of England by the unlikely couple. When I’m finding myself skimming ahead, that isn’t a good sign.
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