4.25stars- LETHAL TORTURE is the fourth instalment in Paula Walshe’s contemporary, adult LETHAL LEGACY dark, erotic, Mafia romance series. This is thirty-nine year old, former British SAS (Special Forces) agent turned private contractor Luke Macarthur, and business woman Zinaida Melikov’s story line. LETHALTORTURE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.
NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers.
Told from dual first person perspectives (Luke and Zinaida) using present day and memories from the past, LETHAL TORTURE follows in the wake of several assassination attempts against our story line heroine. Zinaida Melikov’s life has been anything but easy, and she fights to save those unable to save themselves but the latest attempt on her life forces Zinaida, a stubbornly independent and dangerous woman in her own right, to seek outside help, eventually and reluctantly contracting with former SAS agent Luke Macarthur. Luke is a man on a mission, determined to protect the woman with whom he will fall in love but an internal review reveals both a professional and personal betrayal.
The world building is, once again, dark, detailed and multi-layered as our couple, along with several members of Luke’s business partners and board members on the Mercura Crypto Platform, most of whom of are connected to the Russian Bratva or former Special Forces operatives, begin a deep dive into people associated with our story line heroine.
The relationship between Zinaida and Luke begins as a professional arrangement but from the outset Zinaida is determined to unbalance our story line hero. Zinaida owns several high end, private $ex clubs, and the elite of society depend upon our heroine to keep their secrets. Luke refuses to cross the invisible line with his client but their attraction is immediate and strong. The $ex scenes are erotic, provocative and intense.
There is a large ensemble cast of thought provoking, questionable, dangerous and twisted secondary and supporting characters including the return of Roman Borovsky, and his wife Darya, Ofelia, Alexei, and Dimitry Stevanovsky. We are introduced to Makari ‘Mak’ Tereschenko; specialist Paddy; Luke’s sister Liana; as well as Zinaida’s security team(Charlie, Anatoly, Enzo), employees, survivors, and several business acquaintance, competitors, and political powers. The requisite evil has many faces.
LETHAL TORTURE is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, jealousy and obsession, family and friendships, relationships and love. The character driven premise is dark, edgy and dramatic-heed the trigger warnings. The characters are desperate, charismatic, determined and often tragic; the romance is spicy and passionate.
copy supplied for review