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Femme Fatale
A criminal enforcer disappears.
Lost in a foreign world.
His bosses need help.
And they’ve just found the right person.
PI Daniel Beckett takes on a new high-stakes case in Femme Fatale, a standalone detective thriller by bestselling author Dominic Piper.
★★★★★ "Dominic Piper is now a one-click author for me. This guy writes anything–I’m reading it."
★★★★★ "A tale of freemasonry and burlesque, perversion and violence, it is a rollercoaster ride from the beginning to the staggering climax at the end.”
★★★★★ "This is fast-paced, hard-boiled detective fiction with an edge. Dashiell Hammett meets Ian Fleming."
★★★★★ "Full to the brim with the sensual and provocative."
★★★★★ "This is a sharp, clever thriller that was a huge amount of fun to read. Five stars!"
When private investigator Daniel Beckett foils an assault on a young girl in London’s West End, he receives an unexpected job offer from a sinister source in Soho’s Chinatown.
What begins as a straightforward missing persons case quickly unravels into a web of blackmail, sadistic violence, conspiracy, and murder. Beckett uncovers an influential and toxic presence that reaches into every corner of society.
But the perpetrators aren’t ready for someone like Beckett—intelligent, fearless, and amoral, with a skill set that hints at a violent, covert past.
Joined by an entrancing and mysterious female associate, his investigation takes him deep into London’s electrifying burlesque scene, where secrets shimmer under the spotlight.
Yet no one is who they seem, and the truth is both unexpected and disturbing.
For readers seeking bold, thrilling crime fiction with a touch of sophistication and seduction, Dominic Piper offers a thrilling ride that’s impossible to resist and unforgettable to the end.
Get your copy!
ALL BOOKS by DOMINIC PIPER
PI Daniel Beckett Series
Standalone detective thrillers that can be enjoyed in any order.
★★★★★ " A perfect combination of mystery, sex and violence."
★★★★★ "Dominic Piper is an excellent author who writes razor-sharp, beautiful prose."
Like Bottled Fire (A Short Story ~ Prequel)
Kiss Me When I’m Dead
Death is the New Black
Femme Fatale
Bitter Almonds & Jasmine
Acid Yellow
Dominic Piper is an author living in London.
Lost in a foreign world.
His bosses need help.
And they’ve just found the right person.
PI Daniel Beckett takes on a new high-stakes case in Femme Fatale, a standalone detective thriller by bestselling author Dominic Piper.
★★★★★ "Dominic Piper is now a one-click author for me. This guy writes anything–I’m reading it."
★★★★★ "A tale of freemasonry and burlesque, perversion and violence, it is a rollercoaster ride from the beginning to the staggering climax at the end.”
★★★★★ "This is fast-paced, hard-boiled detective fiction with an edge. Dashiell Hammett meets Ian Fleming."
★★★★★ "Full to the brim with the sensual and provocative."
★★★★★ "This is a sharp, clever thriller that was a huge amount of fun to read. Five stars!"
When private investigator Daniel Beckett foils an assault on a young girl in London’s West End, he receives an unexpected job offer from a sinister source in Soho’s Chinatown.
What begins as a straightforward missing persons case quickly unravels into a web of blackmail, sadistic violence, conspiracy, and murder. Beckett uncovers an influential and toxic presence that reaches into every corner of society.
But the perpetrators aren’t ready for someone like Beckett—intelligent, fearless, and amoral, with a skill set that hints at a violent, covert past.
Joined by an entrancing and mysterious female associate, his investigation takes him deep into London’s electrifying burlesque scene, where secrets shimmer under the spotlight.
Yet no one is who they seem, and the truth is both unexpected and disturbing.
For readers seeking bold, thrilling crime fiction with a touch of sophistication and seduction, Dominic Piper offers a thrilling ride that’s impossible to resist and unforgettable to the end.
Get your copy!
ALL BOOKS by DOMINIC PIPER
PI Daniel Beckett Series
Standalone detective thrillers that can be enjoyed in any order.
★★★★★ " A perfect combination of mystery, sex and violence."
★★★★★ "Dominic Piper is an excellent author who writes razor-sharp, beautiful prose."
Like Bottled Fire (A Short Story ~ Prequel)
Kiss Me When I’m Dead
Death is the New Black
Femme Fatale
Bitter Almonds & Jasmine
Acid Yellow
Dominic Piper is an author living in London.
525 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 5, 2024
22 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
About the author
Dominic Piper
6 books63 followersDominic Piper is an author, film and television writer, journalist and script editor. He lives in London, UK. He is the author of the best-selling, critically acclaimed thrillers Kiss Me When I'm Dead, Death is the New Black, Femme Fatale, Bitter Almonds & Jasmine, and Acid Yellow, all featuring the enigmatic, London-based private investigator Daniel Beckett. All five novels are published by Opium Den Publishing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
March 1, 2018
Daniel Beckett is today’s answer to James Bond, without all the governmental trappings. He’s a lone wolf, a man with many talents, an appreciator of women of all makes and models. The feeling is highly reciprocal. He is also a magnet for trouble.
In Femme Fatale, the third book in the series, Daniel is drawn into the periphery of the Asian crime syndicate called the Triads after coming to the aid of a young women being attacked in a parking garage. His gallant disposal of the thugs earns him the gratitude of a very powerful man in London’s Chinatown. After plying Daniel with tokens of his appreciation for saving his niece, the mystery man enlists Daniel’s help in finding one of his key employees, a young man who—as it turns out—has the same unusual skillset as the protagonist. Knowing he’s entering an unsavory, parallel world, Daniel keeps his eyes open and his calendar full of the lovely young women he encounters on this assignment.
Filled with unusual exploits and cringe-worthy bad guys, adventurous sexual encounters and a foray into the glam world of modern burlesque, Femme Fatale is one of those true guilty pleasures that will keep you laughing and turning the pages.
In Femme Fatale, the third book in the series, Daniel is drawn into the periphery of the Asian crime syndicate called the Triads after coming to the aid of a young women being attacked in a parking garage. His gallant disposal of the thugs earns him the gratitude of a very powerful man in London’s Chinatown. After plying Daniel with tokens of his appreciation for saving his niece, the mystery man enlists Daniel’s help in finding one of his key employees, a young man who—as it turns out—has the same unusual skillset as the protagonist. Knowing he’s entering an unsavory, parallel world, Daniel keeps his eyes open and his calendar full of the lovely young women he encounters on this assignment.
Filled with unusual exploits and cringe-worthy bad guys, adventurous sexual encounters and a foray into the glam world of modern burlesque, Femme Fatale is one of those true guilty pleasures that will keep you laughing and turning the pages.
July 31, 2017
From the moment this pre-order hit my Kindle, I was glued to it! I simply couldn't put it down. I stayed up till almost 3 am two nights in a row so I can finish. I must say, this is my favorite of the three books and I absolutely LOVED the previous two!
Daniel Beckett is my new favorite male lead. I love his wit. I love his swagger. And I want more of him. ASAP!
Dominic Piper is brilliant with his ability to suck you into the story from the very first chapter. I know I said this before but his almost over-detailed way of telling a story would probably annoy me if it was any other book. But the fact that Daniel is a P.I. and it's his job to observe little details we, non-P.I. folks, would normally miss or wouldn't pay this much attention to almost makes you feel as if you are seeing the story through Daniel's eyes.
To call this author my new addiction would be an enormous understatement! Of all the new-to-me authors I read this year, he is, hands down, my favorite discovery!
Cheers!
November 17, 2020
Enjoyable read
Beckett is a man of many talents and it was enjoyable to read the way he went about things. His punchlines, his approach to women, his fights - they were all enjoyably explained. The plot was good and the way the other characters especially the assassin, was created and weaved around the story was enjoyable to read. Liked it
Beckett is a man of many talents and it was enjoyable to read the way he went about things. His punchlines, his approach to women, his fights - they were all enjoyably explained. The plot was good and the way the other characters especially the assassin, was created and weaved around the story was enjoyable to read. Liked it
February 7, 2018
It doesn’t matter if you’ve not read the two earlier encounters with Daniel Beckett, the Soho-based private investigator, raconteur, womaniser, fashionista, badass mofo and international man of mystery – you get the measure of the man in the opening chapters of Femme Fatale.
He flirts, fights, flirts some more, struts his peacock stuff, takes on a missing persons case for a triad, breaks a few bones and chases tail all over the sordid streets of Piper’s brilliantly-realised 21st century central London.
Daniel Beckett likes the right sort of champagne, the best brew of coffee, the finest cut to his suit and just about every shape of female form he can clap eyes on. The girls seem to like him pretty well, too. When he’s not involved in mutual seduction, Beckett is a go-to guy who showcases a range of talents which more than hint at a history with some kind of covert agency. He’s a dab hand at breaking and entering unobserved, and ten minutes later he’s more than happy breaking someone’s face in tightly-described, blood-and-bone brawling which bring tears to the eyes… of the other guys.
Things get really interesting when a female Triad assassin turns up, one who typically wears little more than designer lingerie. Descriptions of the female form in tight-fitting clothing are extensive, but any actual explicit action takes place between the chapters, off-stage. The dialogue may get risqué, but it’s all talk.
In fact, the continual eyelash fluttering does wear a bit thin, and the need to detail every single street, alley, restaurant, coffee bar and café hampers the pace of the plot. Piper builds a smart plot, writes crisp, punchy narrative, and has made Beckett into a man of many talents. If he returns for a fourth outing, it might be nice to see more of his tradecraft and cunning, and a bit less of the designer-label obsessed Lothario.
On the plus side, Femme Fatale constructs a credible view of post-Hong Kong Chinese London, of its gang culture and second-generation Chinese social structures. It captures the stink and the shrieks of the sidestreets of Soho and Covent Garden, the ones which tourists seldom see. And it tells a rollicking tale, stuffed with sassy observations, deadly altercations and just a smidgen of righteous retribution.
8/10
There are more reviews of crime / thrillers over at http://www.murdermayhemandmore.net
He flirts, fights, flirts some more, struts his peacock stuff, takes on a missing persons case for a triad, breaks a few bones and chases tail all over the sordid streets of Piper’s brilliantly-realised 21st century central London.
Daniel Beckett likes the right sort of champagne, the best brew of coffee, the finest cut to his suit and just about every shape of female form he can clap eyes on. The girls seem to like him pretty well, too. When he’s not involved in mutual seduction, Beckett is a go-to guy who showcases a range of talents which more than hint at a history with some kind of covert agency. He’s a dab hand at breaking and entering unobserved, and ten minutes later he’s more than happy breaking someone’s face in tightly-described, blood-and-bone brawling which bring tears to the eyes… of the other guys.
Things get really interesting when a female Triad assassin turns up, one who typically wears little more than designer lingerie. Descriptions of the female form in tight-fitting clothing are extensive, but any actual explicit action takes place between the chapters, off-stage. The dialogue may get risqué, but it’s all talk.
In fact, the continual eyelash fluttering does wear a bit thin, and the need to detail every single street, alley, restaurant, coffee bar and café hampers the pace of the plot. Piper builds a smart plot, writes crisp, punchy narrative, and has made Beckett into a man of many talents. If he returns for a fourth outing, it might be nice to see more of his tradecraft and cunning, and a bit less of the designer-label obsessed Lothario.
On the plus side, Femme Fatale constructs a credible view of post-Hong Kong Chinese London, of its gang culture and second-generation Chinese social structures. It captures the stink and the shrieks of the sidestreets of Soho and Covent Garden, the ones which tourists seldom see. And it tells a rollicking tale, stuffed with sassy observations, deadly altercations and just a smidgen of righteous retribution.
8/10
There are more reviews of crime / thrillers over at http://www.murdermayhemandmore.net
August 18, 2017
Recipe for NON STOP ENTERTAINMENT:
1 well written story line;
A group of perfect characters;
Dominic Piper's brilliant imagination; and
The unstoppable Daniel Beckett;
Mix together from cover to cover and the result is a phenomenal work of art.
I wish I had the power to make it into a movie.
1 well written story line;
A group of perfect characters;
Dominic Piper's brilliant imagination; and
The unstoppable Daniel Beckett;
Mix together from cover to cover and the result is a phenomenal work of art.
I wish I had the power to make it into a movie.
August 23, 2017
So I never get sick of Daniel Becket. He is my one of my favorite characters to read and has become one of my favorite book boyfriends. And Dominic Piper has managed each and every time to find a way to spin a new and exciting tale that leaves you guessing until the very end.
This time Piper pushes the envelope and brings you into the world of Asian mobs, creepy obsession and burlesque. And he's not afraid, thank goodness, to walk the line of almost erotic. I'm just hoping one day he pushes himself completely over the line lol.
Piper's books are not some quicky novella. He gives you a fully flushed out, detailed who done its. This guy is not banging out half assed books for a buck. When you read a Dominic Piper book you know you have read a book that is well thought out, well planned and you are going to get a story you can really sink your teeth into. This guy can write and write well. I just wish more people knew how great his books are. I said this in previous reviews and I will say it here and you may hear me say it in future reviews but these are the type of books that could and should get turned into tv series.
This time Piper pushes the envelope and brings you into the world of Asian mobs, creepy obsession and burlesque. And he's not afraid, thank goodness, to walk the line of almost erotic. I'm just hoping one day he pushes himself completely over the line lol.
Piper's books are not some quicky novella. He gives you a fully flushed out, detailed who done its. This guy is not banging out half assed books for a buck. When you read a Dominic Piper book you know you have read a book that is well thought out, well planned and you are going to get a story you can really sink your teeth into. This guy can write and write well. I just wish more people knew how great his books are. I said this in previous reviews and I will say it here and you may hear me say it in future reviews but these are the type of books that could and should get turned into tv series.
July 23, 2017
I admit that I have a prejudice against British crime novels. They tend to be too...effete and mannered. But not Femme Fatale! It is chock full of good old-fashioned sex and violence, along with edgy, witty dialogue, and has a classic noir feel to the whole book. This is one of the best efforts in crime fiction that I have ever read, and I expect even greater things from this author in the future!
Read
August 5, 2017"Femme Fatale" by Dominic Piper is a "Private Eye" detective thriller. It follows the classic formula: 1) PI is hired by weird patron; 2) PI must solve a difficult mystery; 2) In the process PI is captured and injured; 3) PI manages to survive and solve the case. I should add there are episodes of erotic romance and outbursts of ribald humor interwoven with the plot.
___Think of Sam Spade or Richard Diamond, the unforgettable archetypes of the genre. The author has given us another archetype — Daniel Becket who seconds as the story's 1st-person narrator. I've read three of the author's books, and Becket is deserving of a star in the PI hall of fame.
___Daniel has more women at his beck & call than Don Juan, Charles Mingus and James Bond all rolled together. Women are jumping on his bandwagon because he devotes his full attention to them. He picks up on their cues. He notices their hairstyles, their choices of attire. He's willing to play whatever games they're proposing. And it doesn't hurt that Daniel is a man of mystery. Daniel is also an alpha male, very capable and heroic. This becomes evident right from the start.
___Daniel is hired by an oriental restauranteur to find a missing man who's a kind of enforcer. The search leads to his girlfriend who happens to be a renowned burlesque dancer. Burlesque (unlike striptease) is the artful peeling away of seven veils. This metaphor is repeated in several guises throughout the narrative. The ramping up of erotic heat, the disrobing of fabrics and the unwrapping of new clues happen simultaneously in multilayered scenes, for which the author has a deft, masterly touch.
___The author evokes the most exciting pleasures and exposes the worst of human depravities. What more can you ask for? I recommend this book for adults and hedonists of all ages. Five Stars.
___Think of Sam Spade or Richard Diamond, the unforgettable archetypes of the genre. The author has given us another archetype — Daniel Becket who seconds as the story's 1st-person narrator. I've read three of the author's books, and Becket is deserving of a star in the PI hall of fame.
___Daniel has more women at his beck & call than Don Juan, Charles Mingus and James Bond all rolled together. Women are jumping on his bandwagon because he devotes his full attention to them. He picks up on their cues. He notices their hairstyles, their choices of attire. He's willing to play whatever games they're proposing. And it doesn't hurt that Daniel is a man of mystery. Daniel is also an alpha male, very capable and heroic. This becomes evident right from the start.
___Daniel is hired by an oriental restauranteur to find a missing man who's a kind of enforcer. The search leads to his girlfriend who happens to be a renowned burlesque dancer. Burlesque (unlike striptease) is the artful peeling away of seven veils. This metaphor is repeated in several guises throughout the narrative. The ramping up of erotic heat, the disrobing of fabrics and the unwrapping of new clues happen simultaneously in multilayered scenes, for which the author has a deft, masterly touch.
___The author evokes the most exciting pleasures and exposes the worst of human depravities. What more can you ask for? I recommend this book for adults and hedonists of all ages. Five Stars.
April 3, 2018
Femme Fatale by Dominic Piper has an interesting, eye-catching cover in the Kindle edition that I downloaded. Looking back on the reading experience, I believe that was the best part of the book. The second-best part is a lesson that I hope I learned; it is not necessary to finish every book I begin. When there are many indications that the novel is going nowhere, it is okay to abandon it. Usually, I continue with a novel I have started with the determination to find some good points that justify the story’s existence. This novel may have broken me of that habit.
As I look at the novel comprehensively, I have two impressions. First, it is like a soup with many ingredients. Some are good, appropriate, and delicious. Others are added to provide bulk to the dish; it is hard for me to determine their necessity to the overall concoction. It is as if this collection of ingredients were dumped into a bowl and left, never to be mixed or processed. Maybe the cook went home. Maybe the cook was fired never to return. With this dish, the cook is missing. My second impression comes from my long-ago youth when I began reading mysteries and crime novels. When my age was still counted in single digits, I read novels of hard-bitten self-centered detectives shouldering their way through society with no regard for anything other than their next drink or their next sex partner. The language was not explicit when used to describe sex or violence but reader minds (even young ones) could get an idea of dark mysteries to explore. As I read this novel, I got the impression I was reading a novel from long ago with updated language. I detected a formula.
When I looked closer for a detailed view of the story, I became quickly exhausted first be the private investigator protagonist, Daniel Beckett, and shortly thereafter by several other characters. The characters are clichés. To comment further that the characters were insufferably predictable would be some form of redundant cliché. Beckett is the character that offended me most. Given that he is the protagonist, this reading experience did not start off well. Of course, Beckett comes across as irresistible to all women. (Did I mention cliché?). Beckett makes even an ex-Army, ex-cop, macho fan of Marion Morrison such as I cringe at the hubris of this character. There is only one female in the novel (there are many, many females in the novel) that Beckett doesn’t want to sleep with. Not only does he fantasize about sleeping with every female he meets, he graciously accepts that they all want to sleep with him. The one exception is seventy years old and if she weren’t seriously deranged due to bad drugs Beckett would probably entertain thoughts of her as well.
Beckett has a mystery to solve. Rikki Tuan, a Chinese Triad enforcer has disappeared. Triad boss, Mr. Sheng, wants to hire Beckett to find Rikki. Sheng can’t use Chinese detectives because one of them may be involved in the disappearance. Informing the police is not an option. Mr. Sheng, as the leader of a Triad, is a mysterious omniscient figure who will always be in the background and will always be watching the progress of Beckett. That’s what Chinese do: always omniscient, always mysterious, and always in the background. Mr. Sheng introduces Beckett to a middle-person who Beckett will use to pass information to Sheng. She, of course, is jaw-droppingly beautiful although weirdly dressed in a sports bra, feathers, and bright colors. She is also omniscient and mysterious (because she is Chinese) and might be an assassin just like the missing Rikki. Beckett is instantly attracted to her as she is, naturally, to him. The two go off to play “fifty shades” games stopping only occasionally for Beckett to reflect on his job.
Beckett doesn’t have much of a support system to help him get information. The omniscient Chinese don’t seem to want to share whatever they may already know. However, Beckett has a computer expert he can call any time. This nerd works in a mysterious area outside the law and has skills of the caliber that made Snowden leave the US. He is expensive, but Beckett has no problem with this as Sheng has agreed to pay all expenses. No matter the time of day or night, Beckett can call on this computer fringe person and get answers to question such as “Where am I?” This figure is a staple in many mysteries when an author can’t figure out how to get information to a hero.
Burlesque plays a big part in this story. It is possible that the missing Rikki became enamored of a beautiful stripper, Paige (or Veronique) and came to a bad end. This is a reason for Beckett to haunt burlesque houses where he will meet scores of semi-nude to totally nude women. If any conversation takes place between them and Beckett, game over. They are his. All by mutual attraction of course. During Beckett’s investigation, he meets several minor characters; secretaries, cashiers, women who accompany some of Beckett’s friends in happenstance meetings. Beckett fantasizes about all of them as they do of him. We have evidence of this by a continually recurring phrase. As (any female character) leaves Beckett’s presence, they depart with “possibly an exaggerated sway of the hips.” (loc 4842-4844). This phrase, many times used with the word “sashay,” is maddening. I have never seen “sashay” used so many times outside of a square dance.
There are crooked ex-cops, psychopath ex-cops, and American Royalty. Beckett, in addition to being annoying regarding females, is also a connoisseur of food, drink, perfume, fashion, languages, architecture, and art. His skills in martial arts are prodigious. With such near perfection in so many things, perhaps we can believe that he is a “chick magnet.”
I could go on to comment on logical inconsistencies such as how a character is deemed omniscient (and Chinese) but is unable to find a street address that can be knowable to anyone with the most rudimentary computer skills, but I try to keep these reviews short. I have already failed to do that. This 565-page novel sells for USD 3.85 on Kindle. Luckily for me, I read it for free on Kindle Unlimited. I gave it two stars because there are intriguing and good elements in the story. They are far outweighed by the negative elements.
As I look at the novel comprehensively, I have two impressions. First, it is like a soup with many ingredients. Some are good, appropriate, and delicious. Others are added to provide bulk to the dish; it is hard for me to determine their necessity to the overall concoction. It is as if this collection of ingredients were dumped into a bowl and left, never to be mixed or processed. Maybe the cook went home. Maybe the cook was fired never to return. With this dish, the cook is missing. My second impression comes from my long-ago youth when I began reading mysteries and crime novels. When my age was still counted in single digits, I read novels of hard-bitten self-centered detectives shouldering their way through society with no regard for anything other than their next drink or their next sex partner. The language was not explicit when used to describe sex or violence but reader minds (even young ones) could get an idea of dark mysteries to explore. As I read this novel, I got the impression I was reading a novel from long ago with updated language. I detected a formula.
When I looked closer for a detailed view of the story, I became quickly exhausted first be the private investigator protagonist, Daniel Beckett, and shortly thereafter by several other characters. The characters are clichés. To comment further that the characters were insufferably predictable would be some form of redundant cliché. Beckett is the character that offended me most. Given that he is the protagonist, this reading experience did not start off well. Of course, Beckett comes across as irresistible to all women. (Did I mention cliché?). Beckett makes even an ex-Army, ex-cop, macho fan of Marion Morrison such as I cringe at the hubris of this character. There is only one female in the novel (there are many, many females in the novel) that Beckett doesn’t want to sleep with. Not only does he fantasize about sleeping with every female he meets, he graciously accepts that they all want to sleep with him. The one exception is seventy years old and if she weren’t seriously deranged due to bad drugs Beckett would probably entertain thoughts of her as well.
Beckett has a mystery to solve. Rikki Tuan, a Chinese Triad enforcer has disappeared. Triad boss, Mr. Sheng, wants to hire Beckett to find Rikki. Sheng can’t use Chinese detectives because one of them may be involved in the disappearance. Informing the police is not an option. Mr. Sheng, as the leader of a Triad, is a mysterious omniscient figure who will always be in the background and will always be watching the progress of Beckett. That’s what Chinese do: always omniscient, always mysterious, and always in the background. Mr. Sheng introduces Beckett to a middle-person who Beckett will use to pass information to Sheng. She, of course, is jaw-droppingly beautiful although weirdly dressed in a sports bra, feathers, and bright colors. She is also omniscient and mysterious (because she is Chinese) and might be an assassin just like the missing Rikki. Beckett is instantly attracted to her as she is, naturally, to him. The two go off to play “fifty shades” games stopping only occasionally for Beckett to reflect on his job.
Beckett doesn’t have much of a support system to help him get information. The omniscient Chinese don’t seem to want to share whatever they may already know. However, Beckett has a computer expert he can call any time. This nerd works in a mysterious area outside the law and has skills of the caliber that made Snowden leave the US. He is expensive, but Beckett has no problem with this as Sheng has agreed to pay all expenses. No matter the time of day or night, Beckett can call on this computer fringe person and get answers to question such as “Where am I?” This figure is a staple in many mysteries when an author can’t figure out how to get information to a hero.
Burlesque plays a big part in this story. It is possible that the missing Rikki became enamored of a beautiful stripper, Paige (or Veronique) and came to a bad end. This is a reason for Beckett to haunt burlesque houses where he will meet scores of semi-nude to totally nude women. If any conversation takes place between them and Beckett, game over. They are his. All by mutual attraction of course. During Beckett’s investigation, he meets several minor characters; secretaries, cashiers, women who accompany some of Beckett’s friends in happenstance meetings. Beckett fantasizes about all of them as they do of him. We have evidence of this by a continually recurring phrase. As (any female character) leaves Beckett’s presence, they depart with “possibly an exaggerated sway of the hips.” (loc 4842-4844). This phrase, many times used with the word “sashay,” is maddening. I have never seen “sashay” used so many times outside of a square dance.
There are crooked ex-cops, psychopath ex-cops, and American Royalty. Beckett, in addition to being annoying regarding females, is also a connoisseur of food, drink, perfume, fashion, languages, architecture, and art. His skills in martial arts are prodigious. With such near perfection in so many things, perhaps we can believe that he is a “chick magnet.”
I could go on to comment on logical inconsistencies such as how a character is deemed omniscient (and Chinese) but is unable to find a street address that can be knowable to anyone with the most rudimentary computer skills, but I try to keep these reviews short. I have already failed to do that. This 565-page novel sells for USD 3.85 on Kindle. Luckily for me, I read it for free on Kindle Unlimited. I gave it two stars because there are intriguing and good elements in the story. They are far outweighed by the negative elements.
June 11, 2018
This is my third book by Dominic Piper and was as good as the first two. Over the top, but always entertaining. This time Daniel Beckett, P.I. is out on a date and comes to the rescue of a Chinese teenage girl being jumped by three men. He does his thing, taking down three grown, burly men in minutes. The girl runs away and Daniel finishes his date with his newest female interest. The next morning he receives a call from the uncle of the girl he'd saved and they meet. The uncle wants Daniel to find one of his employees who has gone missing. This now begins a very intriguing investigation as to why the young man, someone very able to take care of himself, is missing. Why? The more Daniel uncovers, the more he wonders how this can be related to the missing man. This leads to a variety of people, mostly women Daniel finds interesting, and ends in a surprising finale. Very satisfying. Loved the ending. Loved the book.
September 27, 2017
In Femme Fatale by Dominic Piper, Daniel Beckett is the super-human, woman-loving private detective who saves a young teenager from a gang rape. As a result of this rescue, Daniel gets hired by the girl’s “uncle” to find a missing person. The story becomes more intriguing and convoluted with each little discovery. Beckett’s prowess in sleuthing and combat also extends to sexual liaisons.
I loved the first person narration which pulled the story together and made Beckett seem more human than the stereotypical superhero. The pace is steady and the story seems to unravel in real-time.
I found Femme Fatale an enjoyable read and recommend it especially to people who enjoy Ian Fleming’s books.
I loved the first person narration which pulled the story together and made Beckett seem more human than the stereotypical superhero. The pace is steady and the story seems to unravel in real-time.
I found Femme Fatale an enjoyable read and recommend it especially to people who enjoy Ian Fleming’s books.
November 30, 2017
Having read Dominic Piper's other two Daniel Beckett novels, I was curious to see how Femme Fatale would compare. Again, this one knocks it out of the park. Smart and sexy, Femme Fatale takes the reader into the world of Asian triads and burlesque. As always, Daniel Beckett has a (supernatural) way with (countless) ladies. Well-written and with excellent pacing, Femme Fatale is a must-read for fans of detective fiction.
October 28, 2018
There was an image posted on social media of a gorgeous woman sitting in bed, smoking a cigarette and sporting the sexiest bed hair ever. Here it is:
Author, Dominic Piper, said, “Read Femme Fatale and wake up looking like this.”
Sure, I thought, I’ll give it a go.
I did not wake up looking like this woman.
Because I didn’t wake up.
Because I didn’t go to sleep.
Because I could not put the book down for one single moment.
Instead, there I was at the crack of dawn, feeling as though someone had sandpapered my eyeballs, looking as if birds had made a nest in my hair…then had a bit of domestic argy-bargy in their new abode and set the whole thing on fire.
Post Femme Fatale thoughts.
Smoking cigarette lady: “A calming cigarette is the only way I can relax after a stimulating, satisfying, vigorous workout with a Dominic Piper thriller.”
Smoking hair lady: “Holy crap, I look and feel like hell. But goddamn did I have a good time!”
If you’d like to have a goddamn good time, I suggest you read this book. Dominic Piper is an incredibly talented author. His writing is intelligent, witty, suspenseful–just brilliant. I cannot wait for the next installment of the Daniel Beckett PI series.
NB: There are plenty of numbers coming up. Please refer to footnotes below.
I won’t talk about the plot of the novel since that’s easily found in the book’s description on Amazon. I won’t include spoilers because spoilers are evil, and I despise them. (1) But I will tell you a little something that happened while reading Femme Fatale. Firstly, I need to explain that I am one of those helpful (2) people who, when watching a movie, will yell out early in the proceedings, “That’s the bad guy right there!” And not long after, will predict the plot &/ending. (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)
When I read Dominic Piper’s first book, Kiss Me When I’m Dead, I predicted something that was going on even though it was pretty out-there. (5 + 7) The fact that my brain went to that scary place may have something to do with one of the fields I worked in previously. Which of course I can’t tell you because…no spoilers. If you’ve already read Kiss Me When I’m Dead, you’ll be wondering what sort of nefarious business I’ve been up to. You’ll just have to trust me that it wasn’t bad stuff. Or you could go on believing I’m nefarious. I still won't tell you. (1)
While reading the second novel, Death Is The New Black, I identified the bad person as soon as they entered the scene. (6 + 7)
So, I was reading Femme Fatale, anticipating the moment when I would figure it all out. I kept reading and reading. Nothing was coming to me. I felt inclined to whack myself in the head in case my spidey sense was on the fritz and needed a reboot. Instead of making early predictions and smugly waiting to confirm I was correct, I began asking questions. Who is that little old guy? How is he connected to that badass chick? What the dickens is that person doing in that room in that particular state?
The percentage of the book completed crept higher and higher and I was no closer to answers. (6) (6) (6) (6) (6) Damn it! And by the way, WHERE THE FREAKING HELL IS RIKKI?! I was agitated—frustrated at this new feeling of not having even a tiny clue as to what was going on. Dominic Piper totally stumped me. And even though I was going crazy over it, I’ll admit to you that I kinda liked it.
Actually, to be perfectly honest, I liked it a lot.
I have loved every one of the books in the Daniel Beckett series. Femme Fatale is my favourite so far. Dominic Piper is now a one-click author for me. This guy writes anything–I’m reading it.
Footnotes
1) If spoilers had faces, I'd punch 'em. Right between their little evil spoiler eyes.
2) Some may use the term annoying in place of helpful. But those people don't know what on earth they’re talking about.
3) The prediction is made aloud of course. There’s no point keeping it to yourself. No one ever believes early predictions when they’re announced as the credits are rolling.
4) It’s okay to do this in your own home. In a movie theatre, not so much. Although, in public, bad guys can be pointed out by elbowing your seating partners and pointing vigorously at the screen. Chin tips, wide eyes, nods, and eyebrow waggling are more discreet. None of which are suggested if your seating partners are strangers. Strangers are weird and always interpret there’s-the-bad-guy body language as “Yes, you may touch my popcorn.” (Popcorn being code for private parts, obviously.)
5) I have a well-developed spidey sense when it comes to plot lines.
6) I enjoy figuring everything out early.
7) I also enjoy being right.
8) You must trust me because I'm always right.
You're going to need to click on that purchase link up there. Because the book is fabulous and you have to buy it immediately. (8)
Brilliant writing. Five stars.
Author, Dominic Piper, said, “Read Femme Fatale and wake up looking like this.”
Sure, I thought, I’ll give it a go.
I did not wake up looking like this woman.
Because I didn’t wake up.
Because I didn’t go to sleep.
Because I could not put the book down for one single moment.
Instead, there I was at the crack of dawn, feeling as though someone had sandpapered my eyeballs, looking as if birds had made a nest in my hair…then had a bit of domestic argy-bargy in their new abode and set the whole thing on fire.
Post Femme Fatale thoughts.
Smoking cigarette lady: “A calming cigarette is the only way I can relax after a stimulating, satisfying, vigorous workout with a Dominic Piper thriller.”
Smoking hair lady: “Holy crap, I look and feel like hell. But goddamn did I have a good time!”
If you’d like to have a goddamn good time, I suggest you read this book. Dominic Piper is an incredibly talented author. His writing is intelligent, witty, suspenseful–just brilliant. I cannot wait for the next installment of the Daniel Beckett PI series.
NB: There are plenty of numbers coming up. Please refer to footnotes below.
I won’t talk about the plot of the novel since that’s easily found in the book’s description on Amazon. I won’t include spoilers because spoilers are evil, and I despise them. (1) But I will tell you a little something that happened while reading Femme Fatale. Firstly, I need to explain that I am one of those helpful (2) people who, when watching a movie, will yell out early in the proceedings, “That’s the bad guy right there!” And not long after, will predict the plot &/ending. (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)
When I read Dominic Piper’s first book, Kiss Me When I’m Dead, I predicted something that was going on even though it was pretty out-there. (5 + 7) The fact that my brain went to that scary place may have something to do with one of the fields I worked in previously. Which of course I can’t tell you because…no spoilers. If you’ve already read Kiss Me When I’m Dead, you’ll be wondering what sort of nefarious business I’ve been up to. You’ll just have to trust me that it wasn’t bad stuff. Or you could go on believing I’m nefarious. I still won't tell you. (1)
While reading the second novel, Death Is The New Black, I identified the bad person as soon as they entered the scene. (6 + 7)
So, I was reading Femme Fatale, anticipating the moment when I would figure it all out. I kept reading and reading. Nothing was coming to me. I felt inclined to whack myself in the head in case my spidey sense was on the fritz and needed a reboot. Instead of making early predictions and smugly waiting to confirm I was correct, I began asking questions. Who is that little old guy? How is he connected to that badass chick? What the dickens is that person doing in that room in that particular state?
The percentage of the book completed crept higher and higher and I was no closer to answers. (6) (6) (6) (6) (6) Damn it! And by the way, WHERE THE FREAKING HELL IS RIKKI?! I was agitated—frustrated at this new feeling of not having even a tiny clue as to what was going on. Dominic Piper totally stumped me. And even though I was going crazy over it, I’ll admit to you that I kinda liked it.
Actually, to be perfectly honest, I liked it a lot.
I have loved every one of the books in the Daniel Beckett series. Femme Fatale is my favourite so far. Dominic Piper is now a one-click author for me. This guy writes anything–I’m reading it.
Footnotes
1) If spoilers had faces, I'd punch 'em. Right between their little evil spoiler eyes.
2) Some may use the term annoying in place of helpful. But those people don't know what on earth they’re talking about.
3) The prediction is made aloud of course. There’s no point keeping it to yourself. No one ever believes early predictions when they’re announced as the credits are rolling.
4) It’s okay to do this in your own home. In a movie theatre, not so much. Although, in public, bad guys can be pointed out by elbowing your seating partners and pointing vigorously at the screen. Chin tips, wide eyes, nods, and eyebrow waggling are more discreet. None of which are suggested if your seating partners are strangers. Strangers are weird and always interpret there’s-the-bad-guy body language as “Yes, you may touch my popcorn.” (Popcorn being code for private parts, obviously.)
5) I have a well-developed spidey sense when it comes to plot lines.
6) I enjoy figuring everything out early.
7) I also enjoy being right.
8) You must trust me because I'm always right.
You're going to need to click on that purchase link up there. Because the book is fabulous and you have to buy it immediately. (8)
Brilliant writing. Five stars.
March 17, 2018
This was the first novel I've read by Dominic Piper and I'm just about to order the others. Femme Fatale was a great read. Daniel Beckett is a very engaging protagonist, full of wit, brains and sex appeal. A detailed look into the exotic world of burlesque and Chinese triads on the streets of Central London.
July 2, 2023
Another roller-coaster ride from Dominic Piper featuring his unstoppable, mysterious and libidinous private investigator Daniel Beckett. This time his client is someone know only as Mr Cheng, a mysterious and cagey old guy in London's Chinatown. One of his employees, who he'll only describe as being a 'facilitator' or 'someone who brings about outcomes' has gone missing and it seems that only someone, for various reasons, from outside the Chinatown milieu will be able is to track him down. You know this is going to be a great read as soon as you're introduced to the equally mysterious and cagey Caroline Chow, another of the tough, sexy, self-reliant females that these books are packed with. She's one of my favourites so far - a fully drawn, capable, complex young woman with some, er, interesting tastes! Equally appealing is Paige McBride (aka Véronique D'Erotique, a burlesque artiste of some note) who becomes central to the mystery of what happened to the 'facilitator'. The story gets darker and deeper as you go on, and is filled with some great, creepy bad guys. These books are a genre on their own, and are well worth investigating if you want some state-of-the-art crime fiction. Five stars without a doubt.
October 10, 2017
FEMME FATALE
DOMINIC PIPER
Reviewed by Author Roy Murry
Classy good-looking bastard would be one way a woman would describe Piper's protagonist London's, PI Daniel Beckett. He is a charmer, using his wit to get the point across.
Beckett is out on a date and hears a sound that sends him into action. The result is a non-stop world wind of investigative intrigue. His physical abilities and exceptional aptitude get him in and out of trouble.
A burlesque irresistible attractive woman is the center of his investigation into a missing person case, and a Chinese Femme Fatale is the liaison between Beckett and his Soho client. Throughout the novel, there are many erotic women, but only one has him baffled to the end.
Mr. Piper has written a novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat. At the end of each chapter, you'll be wondering what will come next to the point of thinking - WTF.
What you think will come next, will not. The story and the prose keep you attentive, written at a good pace. I read it in two sittings and will look forward to reading another shortly.
DOMINIC PIPER
Reviewed by Author Roy Murry
Classy good-looking bastard would be one way a woman would describe Piper's protagonist London's, PI Daniel Beckett. He is a charmer, using his wit to get the point across.
Beckett is out on a date and hears a sound that sends him into action. The result is a non-stop world wind of investigative intrigue. His physical abilities and exceptional aptitude get him in and out of trouble.
A burlesque irresistible attractive woman is the center of his investigation into a missing person case, and a Chinese Femme Fatale is the liaison between Beckett and his Soho client. Throughout the novel, there are many erotic women, but only one has him baffled to the end.
Mr. Piper has written a novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat. At the end of each chapter, you'll be wondering what will come next to the point of thinking - WTF.
What you think will come next, will not. The story and the prose keep you attentive, written at a good pace. I read it in two sittings and will look forward to reading another shortly.
March 24, 2020
Femme Fatale is a fun romp that's full of thrills, sex, clever detective work, sex, beautiful women, and sex. Daniel Beckett is exactly what you want in a detective/hero/inveterate ladies man--he's better at all of that that you'll ever be. We want our heroes, especially in this genre, to be bigger than life, and Beckett is certainly that. Full of James Bondian skills and clever comebacks, Beckett does exactly what you expect and what you are pulling for him to do; he solves the crime, saves both the damsel and the day. But Beckett transcends the cliche enough for him to retain his unique identity. His constant fantasizing about nearly every woman he encounters may make him seem a bit shallow perhaps, but it's not long before you might start to interpret this constant lusting and possibly a bit satirical. You may wonder, if he is actually as horny and irresistible as he seems, or is some of it wishful, almost playful, thinking. The conclusion is full of surprises and the plot takes an unexpected twist that you would never see coming. Femme Fatale is a good read that leaves the you wishing, at least a little, that your life was as exciting as Beckett's.
September 18, 2017
I have been a fan of Dominic Piper and his MC, Daniel Beckett, since I read the first story, Kiss Me When I’m Dead. There is a raw edginess that is missing in many stories these days, Beckett is not a gentleman of careful and refined breeding, but a man you can count on when the situation is dire. Modern London is a gray and shadowy place where the men are dangerous and the women deadly. Crime is rampant but hidden from the regular people. In this world lives Daniel Beckett, and he does more than just live, he lives a life rampant.
Femme Fatale, like the two prior books is full to the brim with the sensual and provocative.
As a detective story, there is a mystery to be solved, but not just a who dunnit, but a conspiracy, involving secret societies, Chinese Triads, corrupt ex-cops, and burlesque.
This is the kind of book you can read again and again.
I have.
Femme Fatale, like the two prior books is full to the brim with the sensual and provocative.
As a detective story, there is a mystery to be solved, but not just a who dunnit, but a conspiracy, involving secret societies, Chinese Triads, corrupt ex-cops, and burlesque.
This is the kind of book you can read again and again.
I have.
August 23, 2017
What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon
Third book in the brilliant series,what's not to love about these book's,you've got a storyline that keeps you guessing until very end and then we have the man that is Daniel Beckett,sexy ,witty and definitely attracts the opposite sex like bee's round honey,it's so refreshing to read book that gets the brain cells working,looking forward to the next instalment and wondering what trouble Mr Beckett is going to find himself in and will we ever find out about his past life and where he learnt all his skills?
Third book in the brilliant series,what's not to love about these book's,you've got a storyline that keeps you guessing until very end and then we have the man that is Daniel Beckett,sexy ,witty and definitely attracts the opposite sex like bee's round honey,it's so refreshing to read book that gets the brain cells working,looking forward to the next instalment and wondering what trouble Mr Beckett is going to find himself in and will we ever find out about his past life and where he learnt all his skills?
June 7, 2018
Seriously, you have to read this one! A fantastic intensely provocative novel about a private investigator on a case about a questionable missing person. As the story unfolds, a series of unusual leads takes the PI into another sinister directions. Being set in London, Piper’s writing, descriptions & brilliant protagonist makes the novel credible and beautifully realistic. Can’t wait to read more books by Piper...excellent job!
April 18, 2022
Second Time Through
This reading was even better than my first reading. Some great and weird and funny characters in this one -- just like in all of Dominic's other ones. I'm still hoping for Book Number Five. Maybe a film series. Wouldn't that be fun binge-watching about 30 or 40 episodes?
Cheers and Happy Reading!
Adam James
This reading was even better than my first reading. Some great and weird and funny characters in this one -- just like in all of Dominic's other ones. I'm still hoping for Book Number Five. Maybe a film series. Wouldn't that be fun binge-watching about 30 or 40 episodes?
Cheers and Happy Reading!
Adam James
April 18, 2018
This was a good read. A little longer than I think was necessary, and some of the occurrences in the plot mirrored what the author has previously brought to the table in other books, but I still enjoyed it. The witty, detailed perspective of Becket makes for an interesting roller coaster of a ride.
April 16, 2019
Gripping
I think I'll make this a short review which does not take away from the author. If anything, it should strengthen him. It is guaranteed that I will be purchasing his other books in the near future.
I think I'll make this a short review which does not take away from the author. If anything, it should strengthen him. It is guaranteed that I will be purchasing his other books in the near future.
May 5, 2018
Having read and enjoyed the previous two novels by this author (Kiss Me When I'm Dead and Death is the New Black), I had absolutely no choice but to read this new one. I'd read other reviews saying that Dominic Piper's work was addictive and, believe me, that's putting it mildly. Reading Femme Fatale made me feel as if I was a pinball, being hammered from one jaw-dropping scene to the next. It’s certainly a thriller, but it’s not in any way similar to anything I’ve read before. The hero, Daniel Beckett, is an upmarket, London-based private investigator who seems to be on the run from a past life in espionage or worse. He takes on a case which puts him in considerable danger on many levels. It also puts him in the path of a large number of exotic and beautiful women. It’s a story of lust, sexual obsession, perversion, corruption and violence and is filled with plenty of OMG moments, not all of them necessarily connected to the case. Action-packed, breathtakingly sexy and a smart, challenging read. Don’t miss out on this one.
April 20, 2025
This was a decent book. It took a long time in getting to the main story and I felt like it dragged on a bit.
The main character Daniel, the PI. Was a good character who was very much a ladies man. He seemed like a good detective and was always on the ball. He had a sarcastic sense of humour which I liked.
What seemed like a simple case of a missing triad turned out to be one woman's dangerous infatuation of another that lead to this triad going missing and later found dead by Daniel.
The start was okay, the middle took too long but the ending was good.
The main character Daniel, the PI. Was a good character who was very much a ladies man. He seemed like a good detective and was always on the ball. He had a sarcastic sense of humour which I liked.
What seemed like a simple case of a missing triad turned out to be one woman's dangerous infatuation of another that lead to this triad going missing and later found dead by Daniel.
The start was okay, the middle took too long but the ending was good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 9, 2020
Beckett is a strong character, one of those fearless Private Investigators who constantly cheat death and keep their witty humor about them. The reader is taken through a sexy labyrinth of London nightclubs filled with surprises and seduction. I got a little impatient wanting to know when the discovery would happen but the ending made the wait quite worthwhile. I look forward to reading more books by Dominic Piper.
November 12, 2022
Really enjoyable read. Becket is like a British version of Reacher, but more real.
Keep up the great work- less of the Americanisms though, I’ve no idea how much 240 or 280 lbs is, stick with good old stones.
And can we have at least one plain old average looking woman. I’m from a little town called Loftus, I honestly don’t think I’ve seen a “10” here in my life. Just not used to it.
Cheers
Keep up the great work- less of the Americanisms though, I’ve no idea how much 240 or 280 lbs is, stick with good old stones.
And can we have at least one plain old average looking woman. I’m from a little town called Loftus, I honestly don’t think I’ve seen a “10” here in my life. Just not used to it.
Cheers
February 14, 2025
Another fast paced and intriguing novel featuring PI Daniel Beckett. Our hero stumbles into a case that turns out to be more than it seems. Following the trail of a missing Chinese man leads him into the world of burlesque and a whole heap of trouble with some extremely powerful men. Another page turner that kept me reading late into the night.
December 27, 2025
Classic PI Beckett
Follow Daniel Beckett into secret societies and the Chinese underworld as he solves the case of a missing criminal enforcer. This is classic PI Beckett - sexy women, clever plot twists, fast pace, witty dialogue, and a very surprising ending! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next one!
Follow Daniel Beckett into secret societies and the Chinese underworld as he solves the case of a missing criminal enforcer. This is classic PI Beckett - sexy women, clever plot twists, fast pace, witty dialogue, and a very surprising ending! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next one!
April 3, 2021
This novel held many twists and turns. You have to love sexy Daniel Beckett-- a surprisingly moral man even though his lustiness knows no bounds. A string of beautiful women and sinister intrigue fill these pages.
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