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Nadia Stafford #3.5
Double Play
Life is good for lodge owner and sometime hitwoman Nadia Stafford — a couple of dogs, a job she takes satisfaction in and the man she loves at her side as they literally build a home together. It’s as close to normal as a pair of contract killers can get.
Jack knows that sometimes being very, very good at what you do can be very, very bad — for those around him. He’s gone to great lengths to keep his past from catching up with Nadia. He also knows it’s only a matter of time …
Jack is halfway around the world when the trap is triggered. They’re coming for Nadia. And he has no way to warn her.
Note: This is a novella, not a full-length novel.
Jack knows that sometimes being very, very good at what you do can be very, very bad — for those around him. He’s gone to great lengths to keep his past from catching up with Nadia. He also knows it’s only a matter of time …
Jack is halfway around the world when the trap is triggered. They’re coming for Nadia. And he has no way to warn her.
Note: This is a novella, not a full-length novel.
130 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 5, 2016
26 people are currently reading
829 people want to read
About the author
Kelley Armstrong
302 books33.5k followersKelley Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to her teachers' dismay. All efforts to make her produce "normal" stories failed.
Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.
Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
January 30, 2022
Note, Jan. 30, 2022: I just edited one sentence here, to make the meaning clearer.
Some years ago, my Goodreads friend Mary J.L. gave the original novel of the author's Nadia Stafford trilogy a favorable review, and that put it on my radar. As a rule, I don't read novels that are only published in electronic format (it does have a audio version, but I don't listen to audio books either), but I do read short e-stories; electronic publishing provides a forum for those works which no longer exists in print, what with the demise of general-circulation magazines. This tale, as a novella, occupies a middle ground, but commercially novellas are in much the same boat as short stories --a single one wouldn't sell very well in print format. So I felt it was fair to treat it the same way; and when Amazon recently gave me a $5.00 credit ear-marked for e-books, I snapped it up at $4.99, as a good way to check out the series for myself. (Since then, the price has raised to $7.99.) From reading the descriptions, and some reviews, of the novels in the original trilogy, I figured I would have enough knowledge of the characters and their situation so as not to have a problem understanding this one. That proved to be true. However, a significant caveat is that this continuation does contain spoilers in the romantic-triangle aspect of the novels and some of the denouement of the third novel, Wild Justice, so readers who would be very bothered by that should read the series in order. (And regarding the romantic triangle, probably shouldn't read either this review or the novella description!)
As well as classifying this book as crime fiction, I've placed it on my "action heroines" shelf. Some might challenge ex-cop turned guest lodge owner/manager Nadia ("Dee") Stafford's heroine qualifications since, as the Goodreads description makes clear, her unadvertised side occupation is as a hit woman. But Nadia's not your average amoral, anything-for-money hired killer; she's actually a lady with a very lively conscience, a concern for justice and the protection of the innocent, and a strict code of professional ethics to govern her extra-legal line of work. Though I haven't read much fiction with assassin protagonists, I think they can be interesting characters when they approach their work with a sense of right and wrong and ethical obligation; and Nadia qualifies in that respect. Of course, I don't endorse her career choice (and she'd actually agree that it's objectively wrong, even though she's not planning to quit). But I can still like and respect her, and wish her well; and when she's willingly putting her life on the line to help someone in trouble, as she is here, I'm not one to deny her a "heroine" accolade.
When our story opens, Nadia and her lover, fellow assassin Jack (who was introduced in the first novel) are in the process of building a house in the woods near her lodge. At the moment, though, Jack's in his native Ireland on business, and phone communication between the two is precarious because of their security concerns. In the first chapter, she's approached by an acquaintance from a shadowy vigilante organization she's had contact with before, who's looking for Quinn, one of the organization's operatives --and Nadia's ex-boyfriend (pre-Jack). He's dropped out of sight, and it's clearly not intentional; he's been kidnapped, by parties and for purposes unknown. In their milieu, just placing a missing persons report and letting the police do their job isn't a practical option; so Nadia's soon off to Virginia to help with the search and (hopefully) rescue, and the action takes off. (And don't forget Jack in Ireland....)
The 17 chapters alternate between Nadia's first-person narration and third-person narration, but from Jack's perspective and in his vocabulary. The latter pulls the rating down by a star, since he has a painful, wince-worthy predilection for the f-word as all-purpose adjective and adverb --he doesn't say it much, being notoriously laconic, but he thinks it repeatedly. No other character uses it to that extent, and Nadia, while she might occasionally let slip a cuss word or vulgarism, doesn't use it at all; it's strictly a feature Armstrong uses to distinguish his verbal style, but I disliked it intensely. A Byzantine plot lies behind the kidnapping, and I deducted another star for ultimately contradictory plotting: a number of details in the previous chapters, given the denouement, don't really make sense, IMO. (And, recalling the old TV show America's Dumbest Criminals, the villain here could qualify for star billing on a World's Dumbest Criminals show, if there were one.) For all that, though, the story is a page-turner, and the two lead characters are, for contract assassins, genuinely likable. Readers of the trilogy already are familiar with them; but I got to know them here in a way that's not possible just from book descriptions. (We also get glimpses of their psychological baggage --Jack's going back to Northern Ireland's bloody Troubles in his teens, and Nadia's as a survivor of a rape.) I didn't approve of their unmarried co-habitating; but I could also understand their psychology, and appreciate the sincerity of their bond, and its effect on their lives. While I hope the novels in the trilogy are better plotted, I still liked this literary appetizer enough to plan to give the series opener a try!
Some years ago, my Goodreads friend Mary J.L. gave the original novel of the author's Nadia Stafford trilogy a favorable review, and that put it on my radar. As a rule, I don't read novels that are only published in electronic format (it does have a audio version, but I don't listen to audio books either), but I do read short e-stories; electronic publishing provides a forum for those works which no longer exists in print, what with the demise of general-circulation magazines. This tale, as a novella, occupies a middle ground, but commercially novellas are in much the same boat as short stories --a single one wouldn't sell very well in print format. So I felt it was fair to treat it the same way; and when Amazon recently gave me a $5.00 credit ear-marked for e-books, I snapped it up at $4.99, as a good way to check out the series for myself. (Since then, the price has raised to $7.99.) From reading the descriptions, and some reviews, of the novels in the original trilogy, I figured I would have enough knowledge of the characters and their situation so as not to have a problem understanding this one. That proved to be true. However, a significant caveat is that this continuation does contain spoilers in the romantic-triangle aspect of the novels and some of the denouement of the third novel, Wild Justice, so readers who would be very bothered by that should read the series in order. (And regarding the romantic triangle, probably shouldn't read either this review or the novella description!)
As well as classifying this book as crime fiction, I've placed it on my "action heroines" shelf. Some might challenge ex-cop turned guest lodge owner/manager Nadia ("Dee") Stafford's heroine qualifications since, as the Goodreads description makes clear, her unadvertised side occupation is as a hit woman. But Nadia's not your average amoral, anything-for-money hired killer; she's actually a lady with a very lively conscience, a concern for justice and the protection of the innocent, and a strict code of professional ethics to govern her extra-legal line of work. Though I haven't read much fiction with assassin protagonists, I think they can be interesting characters when they approach their work with a sense of right and wrong and ethical obligation; and Nadia qualifies in that respect. Of course, I don't endorse her career choice (and she'd actually agree that it's objectively wrong, even though she's not planning to quit). But I can still like and respect her, and wish her well; and when she's willingly putting her life on the line to help someone in trouble, as she is here, I'm not one to deny her a "heroine" accolade.
When our story opens, Nadia and her lover, fellow assassin Jack (who was introduced in the first novel) are in the process of building a house in the woods near her lodge. At the moment, though, Jack's in his native Ireland on business, and phone communication between the two is precarious because of their security concerns. In the first chapter, she's approached by an acquaintance from a shadowy vigilante organization she's had contact with before, who's looking for Quinn, one of the organization's operatives --and Nadia's ex-boyfriend (pre-Jack). He's dropped out of sight, and it's clearly not intentional; he's been kidnapped, by parties and for purposes unknown. In their milieu, just placing a missing persons report and letting the police do their job isn't a practical option; so Nadia's soon off to Virginia to help with the search and (hopefully) rescue, and the action takes off. (And don't forget Jack in Ireland....)
The 17 chapters alternate between Nadia's first-person narration and third-person narration, but from Jack's perspective and in his vocabulary. The latter pulls the rating down by a star, since he has a painful, wince-worthy predilection for the f-word as all-purpose adjective and adverb --he doesn't say it much, being notoriously laconic, but he thinks it repeatedly. No other character uses it to that extent, and Nadia, while she might occasionally let slip a cuss word or vulgarism, doesn't use it at all; it's strictly a feature Armstrong uses to distinguish his verbal style, but I disliked it intensely. A Byzantine plot lies behind the kidnapping, and I deducted another star for ultimately contradictory plotting: a number of details in the previous chapters, given the denouement, don't really make sense, IMO. (And, recalling the old TV show America's Dumbest Criminals, the villain here could qualify for star billing on a World's Dumbest Criminals show, if there were one.) For all that, though, the story is a page-turner, and the two lead characters are, for contract assassins, genuinely likable. Readers of the trilogy already are familiar with them; but I got to know them here in a way that's not possible just from book descriptions. (We also get glimpses of their psychological baggage --Jack's going back to Northern Ireland's bloody Troubles in his teens, and Nadia's as a survivor of a rape.) I didn't approve of their unmarried co-habitating; but I could also understand their psychology, and appreciate the sincerity of their bond, and its effect on their lives. While I hope the novels in the trilogy are better plotted, I still liked this literary appetizer enough to plan to give the series opener a try!
October 19, 2023
This was really a great read again, dealing with Jack's past, and it was just so freaking good!
*Fourth Read June 5th, 2021*
Love this short story, loved getting Jack's perspective, and I need to reread the other novella now!
*Third Read August 8th 2018*
Yeah, I had to read it again! Such a great book, so many twists and turns, and I would still love to have more!
*Second Read August 4th, 2017*
Loved rereading this novella, great being with these characters, and again, I would love a 4th book and beyond in this series! It's just so fantastic!
*First Read June 4th, 2016*
Oh, man, it was so great to see Nadia and Jack again! Loved this adventure, and I really hope that there'll be more!
*Fourth Read June 5th, 2021*
Love this short story, loved getting Jack's perspective, and I need to reread the other novella now!
*Third Read August 8th 2018*
Yeah, I had to read it again! Such a great book, so many twists and turns, and I would still love to have more!
*Second Read August 4th, 2017*
Loved rereading this novella, great being with these characters, and again, I would love a 4th book and beyond in this series! It's just so fantastic!
*First Read June 4th, 2016*
Oh, man, it was so great to see Nadia and Jack again! Loved this adventure, and I really hope that there'll be more!
May 18, 2016
Loved it! It was too short, but made me want to read the series again!!!
February 21, 2017
Pretty good, liked catching up with Nadia/Jack and their lodge and semi-retirement of sorts. The secondary characters were better though, Quinn and Evelyn were far more entertaining and lively than Nadia/Jack.
August 30, 2016
4.5/5 stars
Double Play is a novella, #3.5 in the Nadia Stafford series. It is meant to be read after the three books in the series as it takes place after book 3.
This book has two narrators who alternate chapters. The narrators are Nadia (first person narration) and Jack (third person narration).
The basic premise of this series is that Nadia was a former cop turned hitwoman. But she was a hitwoman with a conscience. Something traumatic had happened in her childhood that put her on this path. Nadia runs a lodge.
I love this series and I loved this e-novella. Even though this is not a full length novel the story felt very complete. It wasn't just some little extra. It was a really well thought out and wonderful story. The book featured a lot of past favorites from the series (my favorites are Jack and Evelyn).
I really enjoyed this book so much. It was an exciting story, full of danger and intrigue. I do wish that some of the characters had more scenes together. But overall it was fantastic to revisit this amazing series.
December 25, 2019
Life is good for Nadia Stafford, lodge owner and part time professional killer. While her lover Jack has been called away for a job, Nadia is left to take care of the lodge...until a mysterious man shows up asking for her help. Jack is in Ireland to do a favor for his old mentor; but he quickly discovers that a trap has been laid for Nadia. Since it is impossible to get in touch with her, he must pull out all stops to warn her of the problem.
This novella picks up shortly after the third book in the series. This time is it told from both Nadia (first person) and Jack's (third person) perspective in alternating chapters. I'm not a big fan of novellas, but this one kept me interested till the end. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
This novella picks up shortly after the third book in the series. This time is it told from both Nadia (first person) and Jack's (third person) perspective in alternating chapters. I'm not a big fan of novellas, but this one kept me interested till the end. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
August 13, 2020
re-read
There seemed quite a bit of re-hash/catch-up in this, which doesn't seem entiredly necessary as I don't think it'll mean much unless you've read the previous books.
Nadia remains strong, Jack is adjusting, I like them together, it's a fast tricksy plot.
-- --
Discovered this late last night (early this morning) and stayed awake until I'd read it.
Loved revisiting Nadia and co. it's a novella which makes the action packed plot seem to move all the faster, a complex tangle for pragmatic Jack to cut through. Though the action leaves little downtime there was enough bonding to keep me happy.
Really enjoyed the re-visit.
There seemed quite a bit of re-hash/catch-up in this, which doesn't seem entiredly necessary as I don't think it'll mean much unless you've read the previous books.
Nadia remains strong, Jack is adjusting, I like them together, it's a fast tricksy plot.
-- --
Discovered this late last night (early this morning) and stayed awake until I'd read it.
Loved revisiting Nadia and co. it's a novella which makes the action packed plot seem to move all the faster, a complex tangle for pragmatic Jack to cut through. Though the action leaves little downtime there was enough bonding to keep me happy.
Really enjoyed the re-visit.
May 6, 2016
I love, love, love the Nadia Stafford series so I was super excited to stumble upon this new novella. And thrilled that it's told from both Nadia AND Jack's pov. It was so nice to be inside his head instead of interpreting his grunts lol
This was action packed and really shined a lot on their complicated relationship.
I hope we get more of these stories!
*There was one thing that bothered me though. Almost every single bad guy is and is described as Hispanic - with not much else in the way of descriptors...burly Hispanic etc. They had zero personalities or traits other than being Hispanic. Why bother at that point at even saying that? It just came off as lazy writing - even for novella length.
This was action packed and really shined a lot on their complicated relationship.
I hope we get more of these stories!
*There was one thing that bothered me though. Almost every single bad guy is and is described as Hispanic - with not much else in the way of descriptors...burly Hispanic etc. They had zero personalities or traits other than being Hispanic. Why bother at that point at even saying that? It just came off as lazy writing - even for novella length.
August 29, 2023
The Nadia Stafford trilogy 'Exit Strategy', 'Made To Be Broken' and 'Wild Justice' is one of my favourite female assassin series. I liked that the trilogy had a strong story arc in which the characters of the assassins, Nadia and Jack, and their relationship with one another developed into something with some depth. It also helped that the plots were clever and twisty and that they took the time to get inside the heads of people who kill for money but still themselves as having an ethical code.
I was surprised but pleased to see that Kelley Armstrong decided to revisit Nadia and Jack in two novellas, 'Double Play' and 'Perfect Victim'. 'Perfect Victim' is a crossover story with Kelley Armstrong's Rockton series, taking place after the events of the second book, 'A Darkness Absolute'.
I spent today reading 'Double Play'. It's only 130 pages long but it still packs a punch and it gave me an opportunity to see how Nadia and Jack are working through their new reality of being a couple.
I liked that the story was told in chapters that alternate between Nadia's and Jack's point of view. It worked well as a way of increasing the suspense while widening the view. Best of all, it finally allowed me to get inside Jack's head - not an easy thing to do with a man who seldom speaks and almost never uses complete sentences.
As usual with these books, the body count is moderately high, the action scenes are vivid and the motivations are murky. The plot had enough twists to keep me guessing. I didn't manage to figure out what was going on before the big reveal and even then, I wasn't sure what the consequences would be.
I enjoyed being back in Nadia's company and getting to know Jack a little more. The novella length was just enough to let me feel that I'd caught up with the characters and seen them react to a crisis, kill a few people and solve a puzzle, all of which was entertaining.
I was surprised but pleased to see that Kelley Armstrong decided to revisit Nadia and Jack in two novellas, 'Double Play' and 'Perfect Victim'. 'Perfect Victim' is a crossover story with Kelley Armstrong's Rockton series, taking place after the events of the second book, 'A Darkness Absolute'.
I spent today reading 'Double Play'. It's only 130 pages long but it still packs a punch and it gave me an opportunity to see how Nadia and Jack are working through their new reality of being a couple.
I liked that the story was told in chapters that alternate between Nadia's and Jack's point of view. It worked well as a way of increasing the suspense while widening the view. Best of all, it finally allowed me to get inside Jack's head - not an easy thing to do with a man who seldom speaks and almost never uses complete sentences.
As usual with these books, the body count is moderately high, the action scenes are vivid and the motivations are murky. The plot had enough twists to keep me guessing. I didn't manage to figure out what was going on before the big reveal and even then, I wasn't sure what the consequences would be.
I enjoyed being back in Nadia's company and getting to know Jack a little more. The novella length was just enough to let me feel that I'd caught up with the characters and seen them react to a crisis, kill a few people and solve a puzzle, all of which was entertaining.
October 2, 2017
Yay, more Nadia! I wish , but, overall, I was just happy to spend more time with these characters.
I love Kelley Armstrong a lot.
Re-read October 2017
I love Kelley Armstrong a lot.
Re-read October 2017
May 7, 2016
I'm a huge fan of the Nadia Stafford series. This is a great short story with lots of things you'll want to see if you've read the earlier books. This is not a stand alone, you must read the earlier books or you'll be lost.
February 20, 2022
I gave it four stars at first because there was a very James Bond level scene where everyone should have died but no one did.
But you know what? Yes, I give it five stars because I can. And because this novella showed how even badass hitmen can be fallible instead of telling.
But you know what? Yes, I give it five stars because I can. And because this novella showed how even badass hitmen can be fallible instead of telling.
December 29, 2017
I loved this audio book. Kelley Armstrong is one of my favorite authors and this was no exception. The Narration was great, and the story moves along quickly. I greatly enjoyed this book.
August 9, 2016
I liked this, although not as much as the previous books. I loved every bit we got between Jack and Nadia, but I also wanted much more of them as a couple, particularly since it was only novella-length, so there weren’t many opportunities to see them together. It was really great getting Jack’s POV, though! And what we did get between them was wonderful. Nadia got him a dog!!! And the scheduled phonecalls they had while he was away on a job!!! So yeah, while I didn’t love this as much as the previous books, it was still super enjoyable, and I would read a million books about Nadia and Jack.
May 18, 2016
I'm always up for more Nadia! And this novella didn't disappoint! I was mostly here for more Nadia and Nadia/Jack I also liked the story! I hope we eventually get more Nadia books down the road but if we don't, this wraps things up nicely for fans.
August 7, 2016
3.5 stars.
This was...fine? But it didn't really add a whole lot to the world of Nadia Stafford. I liked that we got Nadia's first person perspective as well as Jack's third person perspective, and that we got to be inside his head a bit, because let's be honest - Jack's not exactly the most eloquent of chaps, and it was great to see his feelings for Nadia from his perspective.
But at the same time, it felt like Armstrong was sick of being asked for a happy-ever-after for them, and so wrote a novella to tack an HEA onto. You know?
Aaaaand finally, this frustrated me because every villain in the story is Hispanic, and that's, like, their only descriptor. Sigh.
This was...fine? But it didn't really add a whole lot to the world of Nadia Stafford. I liked that we got Nadia's first person perspective as well as Jack's third person perspective, and that we got to be inside his head a bit, because let's be honest - Jack's not exactly the most eloquent of chaps, and it was great to see his feelings for Nadia from his perspective.
But at the same time, it felt like Armstrong was sick of being asked for a happy-ever-after for them, and so wrote a novella to tack an HEA onto. You know?
Aaaaand finally, this frustrated me because every villain in the story is Hispanic, and that's, like, their only descriptor. Sigh.
April 16, 2016
I was very happy to read more about Nadia and Jack! Nadia is one of my all time favourite book characters and to be able to see more of her was awesome. This was a short novella but packed a lot into a few pages, the story was gripping and I very much enjoyed it. I can only hope that there will be more...
January 13, 2021
I was so happy when I discovered this novella; I wasn't expecting more Nadia. It was such a pleasant surprise. I loved getting to read from Jack's POV, and learning how much Nadia means to him. This novella didn't make me super excited, just like the rest of the series, but overall I really enjoyed it.
January 6, 2021
4.5 stars
A fun novella, giving a glimpse into life after Wild Justice. Lots of double-crossing - in some instances falsely suspected, in some actually intended. I also enjoyed the dual POV, switching back and forth between Nadia and Jack.
A fun novella, giving a glimpse into life after Wild Justice. Lots of double-crossing - in some instances falsely suspected, in some actually intended. I also enjoyed the dual POV, switching back and forth between Nadia and Jack.
May 11, 2017
It was good to get back in with Nadia again, and I loved that we got part of the story from Jacks POV.
Seeing how it is a novella, its OK that it was so short, but I felt that it missed something.
Still a great and fast read, though!
Armstrongs writing is as good as ever!
Seeing how it is a novella, its OK that it was so short, but I felt that it missed something.
Still a great and fast read, though!
Armstrongs writing is as good as ever!
November 29, 2017
I only recently read Wild Justice, the final book in the Nadia Stafford series, and was sad to see the series finish. I started this series back in 2011/2012 so I’ve followed these characters and watched the story unfold for a long time so I was very excited to hear about the two novellas Kelley Armstrong was releasing which follow on from the final book. Although I was satisfied with the ending of the last book, it’s always nice to revisit characters and see what they are up to now.
The novella begins shortly after Wild Justice with Nadia and Jack together but currently in separate countries. This story continues with some themes from the final book with Jack worried about Nadia’s choice and what it really means to be with him. It has been touched on before but it is the main focus of this novella and it provides us with lots of action, suspense and character development. We also get updates on other characters from the series. I enjoyed reading more about Evelyn and learning more about her relationship with Jack. There really were so many little things to love in this novella, as well as, the whole story of course.
The novella is told from two points of view, Nadia and Jack. The previous books have been told from Nadia’s point of view so it was very interesting to see things from Jack’s perspective and it worked really well with the narrative of this story. My favourite parts were seeing Jack and Nadia’s relationship develop despite the obstacles that keep getting thrown at them. They became stronger and a milestone in their relationship took place in this novella which was satisfying and well worth the wait to long term readers of the series.
I received the audiobook in exchange for a review. I haven’t listened to many audiobooks so this was still new to me. I got through this so quickly though and always wanted to listen to more. It was addictive, fast paced and action packed. The narrator, Vivienne Leheny, did a great job reading the novella and voicing the different characters.
Overall, this was a brilliant novella, giving the readers a look at what happened next and allowing them to see the characters develop even further. It was fast-paced, full of suspense and unexpected twists, you really couldn’t ask for more. I was very happy and content with how the novella ended but there is another novella after this. I’m a bit worried as Double Play was so good, that it may not be possible to top but I am looking forward to reading what happens next and I’m sure I will enjoy it.
The novella begins shortly after Wild Justice with Nadia and Jack together but currently in separate countries. This story continues with some themes from the final book with Jack worried about Nadia’s choice and what it really means to be with him. It has been touched on before but it is the main focus of this novella and it provides us with lots of action, suspense and character development. We also get updates on other characters from the series. I enjoyed reading more about Evelyn and learning more about her relationship with Jack. There really were so many little things to love in this novella, as well as, the whole story of course.
The novella is told from two points of view, Nadia and Jack. The previous books have been told from Nadia’s point of view so it was very interesting to see things from Jack’s perspective and it worked really well with the narrative of this story. My favourite parts were seeing Jack and Nadia’s relationship develop despite the obstacles that keep getting thrown at them. They became stronger and a milestone in their relationship took place in this novella which was satisfying and well worth the wait to long term readers of the series.
I received the audiobook in exchange for a review. I haven’t listened to many audiobooks so this was still new to me. I got through this so quickly though and always wanted to listen to more. It was addictive, fast paced and action packed. The narrator, Vivienne Leheny, did a great job reading the novella and voicing the different characters.
Overall, this was a brilliant novella, giving the readers a look at what happened next and allowing them to see the characters develop even further. It was fast-paced, full of suspense and unexpected twists, you really couldn’t ask for more. I was very happy and content with how the novella ended but there is another novella after this. I’m a bit worried as Double Play was so good, that it may not be possible to top but I am looking forward to reading what happens next and I’m sure I will enjoy it.
May 3, 2021
Nadia Stafford is a grossly underrated series with so much untapped potential and it's a shame that there isn't more content for it outside of the trilogy and two novellas Kelley Armstrong has provided. It's a stretch to say that it's a perfect example of Kelley Armstrong's talent, but it does have it's own flare that sets it apart from her other adult series.
Nadia Staffard is a officer turned full time lodge owner, part time hit woman living in northern Ontario, taking hits for the mafia to pay the bills. A disgraced cop, Nadia hasn't had an easy life after witnessing the rape and murder of her cousin as a teenager to being kicked from the police force due to her own negligence on a case. The trilogy deals with some hard issues: rape, murder, child trafficking, cop brutality, exploitation of power, and mentions of suicide. For the most part, it's handled well enough, though lacking care in some parts and may be hard for some people to read. Justice is always served in the end and the main characters get their happy ending.
I also recognize that the Rockton series feels heavily inspired by the Nadia Stafford series. There's a lot of parallels between the characters and I couldn't really overlook them. A woman cop who was wronged in her past, carries trauma because of it, starts dating her aloof partner who she later unofficially marries, after he buys her a dog. Maybe it's because of the length of the Nadia Stafford series, but I feel like it was easier to digest in this series. Nadia's progression feels more evenly paced over the course of three books than Casey's progression felt over the course of 6 books.
On top of some of the harder issues addressed, the romance didn't really sit well with me and felt mediocre at best due to the characters inability to just TALK about their feelings. I wasn't particularly fond of the fact that one of the love interests who was painted as the 'better option' was 'nice guyed' and tore Nadia a new asshole when he found out she really wasn't interested in him anymore, resulting in him calling her some rather nasty things.
While it does get slow in some places, there's still plenty of action. Despite my gripes about the Nadia Stafford series, it's still worth a read if you're a fan of the Rockton series or Cainsville series or just a fan of Kelley Armstrong in general.
Nadia Staffard is a officer turned full time lodge owner, part time hit woman living in northern Ontario, taking hits for the mafia to pay the bills. A disgraced cop, Nadia hasn't had an easy life after witnessing the rape and murder of her cousin as a teenager to being kicked from the police force due to her own negligence on a case. The trilogy deals with some hard issues: rape, murder, child trafficking, cop brutality, exploitation of power, and mentions of suicide. For the most part, it's handled well enough, though lacking care in some parts and may be hard for some people to read. Justice is always served in the end and the main characters get their happy ending.
I also recognize that the Rockton series feels heavily inspired by the Nadia Stafford series. There's a lot of parallels between the characters and I couldn't really overlook them. A woman cop who was wronged in her past, carries trauma because of it, starts dating her aloof partner who she later unofficially marries, after he buys her a dog. Maybe it's because of the length of the Nadia Stafford series, but I feel like it was easier to digest in this series. Nadia's progression feels more evenly paced over the course of three books than Casey's progression felt over the course of 6 books.
On top of some of the harder issues addressed, the romance didn't really sit well with me and felt mediocre at best due to the characters inability to just TALK about their feelings. I wasn't particularly fond of the fact that one of the love interests who was painted as the 'better option' was 'nice guyed' and tore Nadia a new asshole when he found out she really wasn't interested in him anymore, resulting in him calling her some rather nasty things.
While it does get slow in some places, there's still plenty of action. Despite my gripes about the Nadia Stafford series, it's still worth a read if you're a fan of the Rockton series or Cainsville series or just a fan of Kelley Armstrong in general.
November 16, 2017
I enjoyed this short novella. It was great returning to this series for a little while and getting to spend some time with Jack and Nadia. And while you can easily skip this novella as the trilogy wraps things up nicely, I do think it's a great extra for the fans of this series and it does adds something and furthers a few things.
The story centers about a bit of a mystery, Jack is in Ireland for a mission and Nadia is still at home at the lodge. Then on both sides they land in an investigation. I liked how it was told from both their point of views and it was absolutely necessary for the story too. The title seemed to fit the story too. The mystery/ suspense part was well done and there was a nice twist at the end when everything fell on it's place.
I really liked the scene were we see Nadia and Jack together and I liked how we got a bit more insight in their relationship and how things advanced a bit more here. I liked seeing the life they build together and their dogs and the lodge.
To summarize: This is great little extra for fans of this series. The novella tells a mystery and wrap everything up by the end and gives us some extra tidbits about Nadia and Jack's relationship. The dual pov worked great for this story and I liked the twist at the end wee everything fell on it's place. If you were hoping for one more adventure starring Jack and Nadia, I recommend you pick this up.
The story centers about a bit of a mystery, Jack is in Ireland for a mission and Nadia is still at home at the lodge. Then on both sides they land in an investigation. I liked how it was told from both their point of views and it was absolutely necessary for the story too. The title seemed to fit the story too. The mystery/ suspense part was well done and there was a nice twist at the end when everything fell on it's place.
I really liked the scene were we see Nadia and Jack together and I liked how we got a bit more insight in their relationship and how things advanced a bit more here. I liked seeing the life they build together and their dogs and the lodge.
To summarize: This is great little extra for fans of this series. The novella tells a mystery and wrap everything up by the end and gives us some extra tidbits about Nadia and Jack's relationship. The dual pov worked great for this story and I liked the twist at the end wee everything fell on it's place. If you were hoping for one more adventure starring Jack and Nadia, I recommend you pick this up.
April 7, 2018
A follow up novella to the wildly different and much lamented Nadia Stafford series.
Nadia and Jack are finally together at last. But Jack is called back to Ireland by his old mentor to repay a favour, then Nadia gets a visit from a representative of a vigilante group to tell her than her ex, Quinn, has gone missing in mysterious circumstances.
What appear to be two totally unconnected events start to converge as the plot twists and turns and suddenly everyone's life is in danger.
Loved it, just loved it. I really don't know whether this wasn't a popular series or whether it was too difficult to write, or whether Kelley Armstrong just saw a finite story arc but I really miss this series. I especially love the fact that Jack is an older man (sadly, he's my age although I always picture him as an 'older' man), getting slower and greyer. It's a book written about adults. Oh and assassins.
I hope Kelley Armstrong keeps writing these novellas.
Nadia and Jack are finally together at last. But Jack is called back to Ireland by his old mentor to repay a favour, then Nadia gets a visit from a representative of a vigilante group to tell her than her ex, Quinn, has gone missing in mysterious circumstances.
What appear to be two totally unconnected events start to converge as the plot twists and turns and suddenly everyone's life is in danger.
Loved it, just loved it. I really don't know whether this wasn't a popular series or whether it was too difficult to write, or whether Kelley Armstrong just saw a finite story arc but I really miss this series. I especially love the fact that Jack is an older man (sadly, he's my age although I always picture him as an 'older' man), getting slower and greyer. It's a book written about adults. Oh and assassins.
I hope Kelley Armstrong keeps writing these novellas.
February 2, 2018
I love Kelley Armstrong, and I really enjoy the Nadia books. This is probably my favourite of all of the set ups in terms of the whole 'what's going on' side of things, probably because there was a lot of focus on Jack. Don't get me wrong, I really love Nadia, but after learning her story in book 3, her complexity is explained. Jack's was described too, but this gave a lot more on the ground info, and he is really interesting. after all! Not saying it was perfect (a bit on the schmaltzy side in some ways, and some areas were underdeveloped due to it being a novella), but a fun catch up with some great people.
December 21, 2017
Nadia Stafford Book 3.5
Nadia, Jack and the gang are back! When Jack receives the call from an old mentor to take a job out of the country, Nadia stays at the lodge to cater to her customers. However, she is recruited by the Contrapasso to find her friend, Quinn. On his job, Jack gets a bad feeling and is proven correct when Killian double-crosses him. Now, Jack is frantic to find Nadia to keep her safe.
If you're looking for a story with old friends, murder and intrigue, this is the book for you!
Nadia, Jack and the gang are back! When Jack receives the call from an old mentor to take a job out of the country, Nadia stays at the lodge to cater to her customers. However, she is recruited by the Contrapasso to find her friend, Quinn. On his job, Jack gets a bad feeling and is proven correct when Killian double-crosses him. Now, Jack is frantic to find Nadia to keep her safe.
If you're looking for a story with old friends, murder and intrigue, this is the book for you!
August 21, 2018
Listened on audiobook. I really enjoyed this. I like the Nadia stories, and while this is really a novella or short story, it is fairly complete as stories go. It includes the usual folk in a Nadia novel, and moves the Nadia/Jack ‘romance’ on a bit. Plenty of violence too of course. I like Armstrong’s adult fiction, both this and her fantasy series. They are tough adventures with great characterisation and absorbing exciting stories.
October 13, 2017
I loved the Nadia Stafford trilogy so was seriously excited to discover this book existed and from the very first page it did not disappoint.
Nadia and Jack. Quinn. Evelyn. And a last from Jack's past all combined in one awesome little novella.
Gripping and thrilling enough to knock over in one sitting. I want more!
Nadia and Jack. Quinn. Evelyn. And a last from Jack's past all combined in one awesome little novella.
Gripping and thrilling enough to knock over in one sitting. I want more!
November 25, 2017
Listened to it in audiobook format.
Amazing work by Kelley Armstrong as always. So nice to get more from Nadia and the narration by Vivienne Leheny just brought the story to life.
The storyline keeps you engaged, the characters we already knew are awesome and the narration was fantastic.
Hope to hear more soon.
Amazing work by Kelley Armstrong as always. So nice to get more from Nadia and the narration by Vivienne Leheny just brought the story to life.
The storyline keeps you engaged, the characters we already knew are awesome and the narration was fantastic.
Hope to hear more soon.
June 4, 2017
A well paced Nadia Stafford novella, told alternatively from Nadia and Jack's point of view. We get some bonus details about the characters from the original trilogy and we get to see what they're up t post-series. Mystery, tension, and dead bodies.
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