The Night Trade

Livia Lone #2

by Barry Eisler

From New York Times bestselling author Barry Eisler…Livia Lone is back.

For sex-crimes detective Livia Lone, a position with a government anti-trafficking task force is a chance to return to Thailand to ferret out Rithisak Sorm, the kingpin behind her own childhood ordeal.

But after a planned takedown in a nightclub goes violently awry, Livia discovers that she’s not the only one hunting Sorm. Former marine sniper Dox has a score to settle, too, and working together is the only way to take Sorm out.

Livia and Dox couldn’t be less alike. But they share a single-minded creed: the law has to serve justice. And if it doesn’t, justice has to be served another way.

What they don’t know is that in threatening Sorm, they’re also threatening a far-reaching conspiracy—one involving the highest levels of America’s own intelligence apparatus. It turns out that killing Sorm just might be the easy part. The real challenge will be payback from his protectors.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Crime, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook

316 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 23, 2018

About the author

Barry Eisler spent three years in a covert position with the CIA’s Directorate of Operations, then worked as a technology lawyer and startup executive in Silicon Valley and Japan, earning his black belt at the Kodokan Judo Institute along the way. Eisler’s award-winning thrillers have been included in numerous “Best Of” lists, have been translated into nearly twenty languages, and include the #1 bestsellers Livia Lone, The Night Trade, and The Killer Collective. Eisler lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and, when he's not writing novels, blogs about national security and the media. www.barryeisler.com

Series:
* John Rain

Reviews

[Larry H · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster."

After introducing Seattle sex crimes detective Livia Lone in a sizzling, eponymous novel last year, Barry Eisler drops her into another sensational story of revenge and trying to put your demons to rest.

For most of her life, Livia has been haunted by the events of her childhood and teenage years, when she and her younger sister Nason were sold by their parents and forcibly taken to America, and horribly abused both by the men who trafficked them and then others. What they endured was beyond anything imaginable, and those incidents are what led Livia to pursue a career in law enforcement, particularly sex crimes, so she can right some of the wrongs she and Nason experienced.

When she is offered a position on a government task force combating sex trafficking in Thailand, she jumps at the chance to return home and exact revenge on the men who took her and her sister from the only life they had known. The government is trying to hunt down Rithisak Sorm, a notorious criminal kingpin and trafficker, whom Livia has learned was behind her own ordeal as well. It is an opportunity that seems almost too good to be true for her.

Returning to Thailand proves to be emotionally challenging, but she focuses on the overall objective of the mission. One night, when she has tracked Sorm to an exclusive nightclub in a Thai resort town, she discovers she's not the only one hunting Sorm. In the midst of a gunfight that goes spectacularly awry, Livia meets Dox, a former Marine sniper and mercenary-for-hire, who is consulting with U.S. intelligence to take Sorm down.

While the last thing Livia wants is a connection of any kind, she starts to realize that perhaps two hunters are better than one. And as reluctant as she is to open up to anyone, Dox's simple kindness and empathy helps her make him understand just how important meting out her own form of justice for Sorm truly is for her. He doesn't question her motives or her intent—he too understands that sometimes the only resort you have is killing someone.

But the deeper Livia and Dox dig into tracking Sorm down again, the more they realize they are up against forces more nefarious than they could have imagined. It seems that Sorm is a key component of a massive conspiracy which involves branches of U.S. intelligence, and not only do they want to keep Sorm alive, but they're willing to protect him no matter what the cost—and no matter how many people need to be harmed in the process.

The Night Trade is an action-packed yet emotional thrill ride by one of the best crime and thriller writers out there. Eisler's John Rain novels are among some of my absolute favorites, and now with two Livia Lone books under his belt, he proves he can write thrillers with equally kick-ass women as well. It was so terrific to see Dox (a character from the Rain novels) and Livia team up, so I hope a John Rain/Livia Lone pairing won't be far behind!

Livia is an absolutely electrifying protagonist, and while you worry that her demons may lead her too far down a path of retribution, the fine line she walks is so poignant and compelling. She reminds me a bit of Lisbeth Salander, in that they're equally badass and sadly, equally damaged, but still vulnerable.

Eisler's John Rain series is absolutely amazing, and so are his Livia Lone books. But there's a downside to his prolificness: the more he writes, the more impatient I get when I finish his latest book. Don't let these books, or these characters, pass you by!

NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!

See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....

[Meredith (Trying to catch up!) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

“Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster.”

Kick-ass Livia Lone is back in The Night Trade to seek revenge on the men who were responsible for trafficking her and sister into sex slavery. This is an action packed thriller brimming with emotion.

*I highly recommend reading Livia Lone before reading The Night Trade to gain a full understanding of Livia’s character*

An opportunity to assist a Homeland Security agent takes Livia to Thailand. She uses this time to track the men who tortured and tormented her and her sister, Nason. Her investigation leads her to a notorious trafficker named Sorm. Also on a mission to find Sorm is Dox, a former Marine Sniper. Circumstances bring Dox and Livia together, and they decide to pair up to find Sorm. The two develop an intense relationship, resulting in a genuine friendship--a rarity for Livia.

It took a bit for The Night Trade to get going. I was a little bored in the beginning, especially when it came to Dox’s POV, but his character grew on me. I liked the dynamics of Dox and Livia’s relationship. Some of the technical details of their missions went way over my head, once again boring me. However, Livia’s complex character salvaged the boredom and made this into a worthwhile read.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review

[Sunflowerbooklover · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok... seriously you guys I waited a year for this book after reading Livia Lone (first in the series). I absolutely LOVED that book. But, sadly this one fell flat for me :(.

The Night Trade by Barry Eisler is the second in this series. I strongly recommend you read the first in the series because you will be a little lost trying to understand characters and Livia's story if you don't :).

First off, Livia is of course back in action and bad ass as ever! :). Livia Lone is a sex-crimes detective in Seattle that is given the chance to go back to Thailand to track down the remaining men that were involved in her horrible childhood. Along the way, she stumbles across former sniper marine Dox and ironically he is somehow hunting the same man that she is.

Dox and Livia team up..... (ok not sure how I felt about this in the book)... But, I ended up really liking Dox so Barry Eisler I give you a pass on this one ;).

I wasn't that thoroughly engaged in this novel as the first in the series. Honestly, I didn't love it nearly as much as the first. I have come to the conclusion that I really don't like mobishhhy/ thrillers. I don't even know how to categorize them? But, I found myself getting lost with the background about leads and CIA/DIA blah blah blah. It unfortunately went over my head and I felt like screaming at times to try to understand the story. I was NOT a fan of this at all.

Additionally, the chase went on way TOO long in my opinion. The last 20 percent of the book... I was just thinking come on already can't we just find the damn guy?!!

So, if you are into mob type thrillers this definitely is for you... :).

Overall, 3 stars for this one. Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced arc in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: 1/23/18.

[Debra - can't post any comments on site today grrr · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

The Night Trade is the second book in the Livia Lone series. I strongly suggest reading Livia Lone first, so you have the entire back story on Livia's character and her need for vengeance and revenge for what happened to her and her sister.

Detective Livia Lone works is a sex-crimes detective who has been given a position with a government anti-trafficking case. She jumps at the chance to return to Thailand so that she can seek out Rithisak Sorm, the man who was responsible for what happened to her and her sister (and hundreds of other kids as well). When a takedown goes wrong, she learns that she is not alone on the hunt for Sorm. A man by the name of Dox is also hunting him. Dox and Livia are nothing alike and it takes them some time to trust each other and realize that they have the same goal in mind - justice.

Those that have read Eisler's John Rain books know Dox well. He is my favorite character in the series, so I was extremely happy to see his aww-shucks good ole boy Texas persona once again! Dox is a sniper with a witty personality and for a big guy he can hide in plain sight due to his ability to blend in and looks like a harmless tourist.

I thought Livia Lone was a great book. I had high hopes for this book but there were parts that just felt flat for me. Dox is what really saved this book for me and pushed it to a 3.5-star rating, again mainly because I loved his character so much from the John Rain series. Some readers may not be familiar with him, so I don't know how they will embrace Dox. Again, reading the John Rain series will help readers know and love Dox. Livia is a tough chick, but she has her issues and while reading this book, I kept thinking how she passed any psychological background checks. She had to have undergone them to do what she did for a living. But I digress....

It's not a secret that Eisler once worked for the CIA and has a huge martial arts background. I have always loved his fight scenes and tales of international intrigue, inter-workings of the government, spies, etc. but for some reason they did not work for me in this book. I also did not care for Livia as much in this book. I found her to be more likable in the first book.

Thank you to Thomas Mercer and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com

[donna backshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

The day this book was released, Goodreads and Audible both notified me, and I was like, "Is it my birthday already? Yes, yes, yes!" Forget that I'm middle aged, because I am oh-so-much the giddy fangirl for author Barry Eisler, I couldn't wait even a minute to buy both the Kindle and Audible versions of The Night Trade.

And now I can tell you, it was absolutely money WELL SPENT. Eisler proves yet again he is a true master of characterization, action and dialogue.

In keeping with the tone of the first in the series, Livia Lone, The Night Trade is a powerful and truly dark action thriller. Emotionally flawed BADASS Livia Lone is back to continue her life-long commitment to righting the wrongs of her childhood. Oh how we love to see this vigilante in action!

Especially thrilling in this entry into the Livia Lone series was the world-merging with Eisler's John Rain novels. (If Stephen King can do it with Castle Rock, why not Barry Eisler?) Who doesn't love John Rain's Marine sniper buddy, good old boy Dox (short for Unorthodox)? His jaunty Texan personality always makes my day, so I was thrilled to see him teamed up with Livia to kick ass in some fairly brutal and intense action together. Dox may radiate country charm when he needs to, but he has a side almost as dark and skilled as Livia. They make a solid pair, and I hope he makes at least an appearance in Livia #3.

Oh please, let there be a #3, a #4, and more!

Despite my obvious exuberance over this book, The Night Trade was a deeply serious novel and the story revealed, yet again, the sickening reality of human trafficking in our world, but it did offer up a bit of tension-releasing humor. Dox's words of wisdom were always just a bit quirky, but still right on the money. I laughed the hardest at "a turtle doesn't get up on a bookshelf by itself."

My favorite Doxism, however, was actually the theme of the book: "Some people just need killing." And oh, how they got what they needed.

[Andrew Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a big fan of the author’s John Rain series and I also really enjoyed the first Livia Lone book, in which we were introduced to this new, intriguing character. I must point out that it’s necessary to read the first book prior to picking this one up as it’s a direct follow-on and an understanding of previous events is a prerequisite. So what of this book? Well, the plot sees Livia, now a sex crimes detective in Seattle, approached by a government agent with a view to joining an initiative to combat sex trafficking in Thailand. Without giving too much away, Livia has some personal history of this particular trade involving not only herself but also her younger sister. She’s reluctant to go all in on the back of this offer but does decide to dip her toe in the water. In truth, she’s on her own agenda here.

In the first book I really warmed to Livia - she’d survived an appalling ordeal which had shaped who she became thereafter. She is strong, determined and (now) skilled at looking after herself. In this book her character is developed further as she meets up with a man readers of the Rain series will certainly recognise – ex-military sniper Dox. It’s fascinating to see how the extravagantly outgoing Texan forges a relationship with the introverted and ultra-careful (at least when it comes to relationships) Livia.

Once we’re passed the set-up the action is pretty relentless. Livia and Dox take no prisoners as they search out their prey, but they have to be careful. They are being fed information from their government sources and it seems that things don’t quite line up. As a result, problems occur – could it be one of them (or maybe both of them) is being played?

My only issue with this book is that to swallow the plot the reader is called upon to accept a ridiculous coincidence that occurs early on. I just couldn’t get past this, it felt clumsy and so obviously unrealistic. Thereafter, the story just lost credibility for me. There is also a good deal of reliance on technology in the pair’s quest to track down the key players in the sex trafficking ring. Although the author goes to great length in his ‘notes’ to explain how use of the devices used may be theoretically possible (if not now then certainly in the future), I didn’t really buy it.

In summary, I don’t think this second outing is as strong as the first Livia Lone book – though I know that some others will strongly disagree with this view. It’s certainly got the pace and action that Eisler fans will appreciate and in Livia he’s developed another complex character to rival that of John Rain. And Eisler has left a loose end or two open to allow further development of the Livia Lone story. Will she, at some point meet up with John Rain? Now that would be interesting! We’ll have to see, but I do know there’s enough in these first two books to bring me back again.

My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for providing an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Livia Lone has a reputation as the best closer in the Seattle P.D.’s sex crimes unit. Other than that, few know much about her or her past. Readers of the eponymously titled first book are all too familiar with the story of her journey from Thailand to America as a trafficked child. Her sister wasn’t so lucky & in this outing, Livia gets a chance to return & exact a little payback on those responsible.

Special agent B.D. Little from Homeland Security is hoping Livia will add her expertise to his investigation into a major trafficking ring. Oh, did he mention it was based in Thailand? What are the odds? Livia immediately begins to wonder how much he knows about her & if he just might have a hidden agenda. Either way, it’s too good to pass up & she’s agrees to go on a fact finding mission.

Meanwhile in Bangkok, a familiar face from this author’s John Rain series reappears. Dox is an ex-military sniper who uses his talents as a covert “problem solver” for a branch of American intelligence. He comes across as an affable good ol’ boy unless you’re in his crosshairs. He’s currently in a bit of a pickle. After an attempted double-cross, the good news is he’s still breathing. The bad news…a bunch of other guys aren’t. With his cover blown, Dox is pissed & sets out to find the guy behind it all. What he doesn’t know is there’s a cop from Seattle in town who is hunting for the same man.

What follows is an action packed & intricate chase story full of corruption, political intrigue & hidden alliances. Half the fun is trying to figure out who is on the same team & why. Even the good guys are capable of acts of extreme violence but when their prey are those who profit from the sale of trafficked children, it’s hard not to cheer them on.

The biggest revelation (if you read book #1) is Livia herself. She’s been waiting a long time for revenge but perhaps underestimated how being back in country would affect her. The sights & smells of Thailand bring old memories bubbling to the surface. Her cool, distant veneer develops some major cracks & her emotions lead her to acting impulsively instead of strategically. This took some getting used to as she’s very different from the character I met in the first book.

The pace drops in the middle as the MC’s spend time doing the mental gymnastics required to figure out the whole snarly mess before amping up for an explosive finale. In the end, Livia is a changed woman & it will be interesting to see where the author takes this character next.

[✰ Liz ✰ · Rating 4 out of 5]

★3.5★

“Some people just need killing.”

The Night Trade is the second book in the Livia Lone Series. Although this is the second book in the series, I was able to read this as a stand-alone and I didn't feel lost or confused while reading. Livia Lone is a woman on a mission. After suffering great losses, she has been given the opportunity to seek revenge on those that have wronged her. Through a twisted tale of sex trafficking, action, and suspense, Livia lives and breathes to take down her enemies and will stop at nothing until they are all dead and underground. Livia teams up with another "hunter" named Dox. The two gather their forces in order to take down their enemies.

“Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster.”

Overall, The Night Trade offers a twisted plot with action, suspense, and revenge. Despite the non-stop action, I found the pacing of the read to be a bit slow for me as I wanted more of a connection between Livia and Dox. Although there was some physical intimacy shared between the two, I would have liked more development of their relationship. Livia is a strong heroine and her mission for revenge will certainly appeal to readers who enjoy action and suspense. One thing is for certain, Livia Lone's journey is certain to continue. With all of the evil in the world, someone must fight to wipe out the evil of this world.

***Livia Lone***


*ARC graciously provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:

[Nadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't like this one as much as I liked the first Livia one book, but it was still a solid heart-racing thriller.

[Alex ♈ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delicious!

Badass heroine, who killed abhorrent paedophiles. I floved those scenes - bloody amazing!

Well-written, the author knows the topic he is writing about.

There was even a bit of romance, which may be continued in the next book.

I wish she found the girl! 😢

Anticipating the next book already 😈

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gee, my fourth thriller already this year. Maybe I am getting jaded, but this one didn’t engage me as much as the competition. This includes last year’s great entry from Eisler, "Zero Sum", which featured his fascinating hero of nine books, John Rain, usually set in Japan. Here we get the second entry with new lead character, Livia, a kickass Seattle investigator particularly effective against human trafficking. Like Salander and so many other sexy but tough heroines these days, she has a particular obsession with retribution against personal traumas from the past and similar perpetrators in the present. In her case, she was sold as a young teen with her sister by her rural Thai parents into a sexual slavery network in Bangkok; she escaped and got adopted in America but failed to protect her sister. The reader is egged on the mentally cross the line with her into vigilante justice. When the Department of Homeland Security asks to borrow her for operations against a trafficker in Thailand, she jumps at the opportunity to track down and dispose of her old nemeses.

In parallel and soon merging with her story, we get the perspective of an associate of John Rain, Vox, who is an operative for the CIA working a case in Thailand. His case officer puts him on the wrong target for a hit, and he ends up having to avert an attempt on his own life . Given this disastrous sign of corruption up the command chain, he must take matters into his own hands, tapping into a secret channel of intelligence from an old partner of his and Rain’s over the years named Kanesaki. They begin to suspect machinations of the DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency) in order to protect a Thai military strongman employed by them as a spy named Sorm. In attempting a personal raid to breach his lair and capture him, Vox finds himself in a trap. Fortunately, for him Livia is at hand to help save him. By extreme coincidence she is after Sorm at exactly the same time because his likely role in her trafficking long ago and key position in a current network. This makes for an entertaining beginning of their alignment, but too implausible to imbibe without a groan.

Vox and Livia make for a colorful duo with scintillating sexual chemistry, he with his folksy Texas persona and she with her terse, impulsive coolness and damaged soul. I suppose it’s all well and good to educate the public about human traffickers and the evils behind child abuse networks, but the plot made the enemies too monstrous and thrived on unleashing atavistic thrills over violent retribution. I’d say Vachss does a better service with his Burke avenger taking action against individual child abusers explored in their depths.

This book was provided by the publisher for review through the Netgalley program.

[Brooke · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I LOVED "LIVIA LONE" & was eagerly looking forward to the continuation of her story. Sadly, NIGHT TRADE just didn't do anything for me. This book takes place just a couple months after the events in LL so I'd highly recommend starting with book one.

It was very slow in the beginning & took way too long for Livia's journey to Thailand to start. From there, the plot dragged on before eventually tracking down Sorm. Honestly I was bored for most of it & felt this book didn't have as much introspection as the first one, mostly just focusing on the takedown. Usually I don't mind mysteries/thrillers with lots of governmental jargon, but I read this book specifically because I enjoy Livia's character arc & wanted to see how she would evolve. I was disappointed to see the mission overshadow this.

I also couldn't stand Livia & Dox's relationship. Dox got on my nerves & it was a bit frustrating to see things from his POV (because really, I'd rather only have Livia's perspective as in LL). I understand it takes Livia a long time to trust & open up to someone; it seemed like that part was rushed & out of character when she's only known Dox for a few days. I dunno, it felt...cheap, a cop-out. The ending also felt like a slap in the face when the entire book was about the Thailand trip. I wanted more- more of Livia's fierce character, & I just turned the last page thinking "That's it?"

Like I said, I absolutely adored LL. So much in fact I gave it the full 5 stars. But this was nowhere near as exciting as that. I guess I'll have to stick a 'sophomore slump' on NIGHT TRADE; hopefully, if Eisler continues with the series, he'll focus more on Livia herself more so than the missions. After all, I read these books because I care for the person- I can find thrillers by the dozen if I was interested in purely the adventure aspect. However, I would be open to reading his other works because he does know how to pen a tale. Just more focus on Livia next time, please?

[Chandra Claypool (WhereTheReaderGrows) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Livia Lone, book one in this series, last year and fell in LOVE with the book. Livia Lone is a bad ass character who is deeply flawed and set on a path of vengeance for what has happened to her, her sister and many other young girls out there.

I was beyond thrilled to get a copy this book to see what Livia has been up to and she certainly is a busy busy woman! Still dealing with vengeance on the rest of the group who had abused and tortured her and her sister, she's awarded an opportunity to go back to Thailand. In doing so, she ends up working with Dox, who has his own motivation to go over these men. Particularly, Sorm, the baddest of them all.

I loved the interactions with Dox and Livia. She is not an easy one to deal with and he fits in quite perfectly. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about a pairing, but Dox is a character I grew to love. Livia is still as bad ass as ever and her thirst for vengeance will NOT be sated until she gets each and every one of the bad guys. She realizes that this is a continuous battle - because when she's done with the immediate group she's honing in on, there are (sadly) many more like them still out there. It KILLS her to not be able to save each and every little girl out there being exploited.

This book is action packed and keeps you turning the pages. For me, it felt very similar to book one, without the past and present back and forth. Instead we get a more linear story line. I DO recommend reading book one before this one so you get a full background on Livia and can understand her character more for this one.

Book two in a series is always a tough one. It's a continuation of book one and then setting up for more in the series. When book one is such a HIT (for me anyways), then book two is hard to follow sometimes. I think that's a bit of what happened here. Still a solid thriller and I absolutely plan to continue this series. Livia, I'm not done with you yet!

Thank you to Amazon Publishing and Thomas & Mercer for this copy in return for my honest review.

3.5 stars rounding to 4 for GR.

[John Paxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carried over the action and suspense from the first Livia Lone although not as good as the Rain series.

[The Cats’ Mother · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Night Trade is the second book in the Livia Lone series, and I strongly recommend reading the previous instalment first, as the plot of this book won’t make much sense if you don’t know her backstory, and her actions would seem OTT if you don’t know what she’s gone through.

It also features Dox, from the John Rain series, as a major character - I haven’t read those (although plan to rectify that situation once my TBR is less daunting) - but there is a short story called The Khmer Kill, which I only discovered half way through - and paused this so I could read that. It’s a shame there’s not a foreword to this one, suggesting reading that first, as I spent half the book feeling I’d missed out on crucial information about Dox’s history and personality.

Back at work with the Sex Crimes unit in Seattle, Thai child sex trafficking victim turned martial arts expert turned vigilante killer Detective Livia Lone is approached by Special Agent DB Little about working on an anti-trafficking Task Force based out of Bangkok for six months. Seeing this as an opportunity to continue her secret mission of vengeance against the gang who took her and killed her sister, Livia agrees to make an exploratory visit, with her main aim being to track down the shadowy leader of the network, Rithisak Sorm, who is being protected by US agencies for mysterious reasons. Meanwhile ex-Marine turned private sniper Dox is also after Sorm, after almost being tricked into killing the UN diplomat charged with bringing Sorm to justice, and then attacked himself. Thrown together when their missions collide, Livia and Dox will have to trust each other to survive.

While I thought Livia Lone (the first book) was a great book, it was a tough read because of the repeated descriptions of horrific child abuse endured by the heroine in the past. This one was a much more enjoyable read, as it’s all set in the present where Livia is a powerful and almost infallible avenging angel, and the account of her finally achieving vengeance was deeply satisfying. I loved the relationship with Dox - while I initially had reservations about him being a lecherous man-whore, discovering his thoughtful side from both The Khmer Kill and in the way he treats Livia, turned my impressions of him around and I thought he made a superb hero.

The writing is brilliant - both the exotic scene descriptions in Cambodia and Thailand, and the fast paced action sequences had a very cinematic quality and these stories would certainly make great movies. (A quick google search reveals no sign of this, but a mini-series of the Rain series starring Keanu is in development, so we can hope!) Livia is a fascinating character and this one dialled back her more psychopathic “dragon” side and revealed her strong but sensitive character - in one scene in particular, I was mentally yelling at her “no, you can’t do that” just as she realises this herself and works out a solution that doesn’t hurt the innocent. I did also like the very realistic ending, as anything too sappy would not have been credible.

I started this series because I received an ARC of Book 4 from NetGalley, with the review due late September, which gave me the excuse I needed to buy the earlier books (when I really should be reading the ones I already have). I had thought I would skip Book 3 - The Killer Collective - but now can’t wait to follow the further adventures of Dox & Livia, so have already bought and downloaded it. What’s one more on the TBR...?
9.5 rounded up for excellent storytelling and a unique protagonist.

[Terence M [on a brief semi-hiatus] · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worth 3.0 stars, maybe 0.5 more, I’ll think about it overnight.
Review to follow

[kartik narayanan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Night Trade is a great action thriller and that is its problem.

Unlike the first book, 'Livia Lone', 'The Night Trade' focuses so much on the actual action and much less on character. At times, it felt like I was reading a John Rain book rather than a Livia Lone. Don't get me wrong - I love John Rain and I liked this book for its pulse pounding scenes. But, if I wanted to read a John Rain book, I will read a John Rain book. But, I don't want to read a John Rain book under the guise of a Livia Lone.

This book is much less brutal than the first. And it stars Dox too, which is always a plus.

In conclusion, The Night Trade has tons of action; you will enjoy it but it is not in the same vein as 'Livia Lone'.

[Yellagirlgc · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Night Trade is about Livia Lone attempting to exercise her demons due to human trafficking. She's on a mission to find everyone connected with what happened to her and her eleven year old sister. This is a popular subject that's not easy to deal with but Barry Eisler deal a great job making this very entertaining.

[Michael Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Immediately after finishing 2016's Livia Lone, I immediately wanted, no, needed, more of this character. Thankfully, Livia is back for a second round, and The Night Trade proves to be just as rich and compulsively readable as Lone's debut. And much like the first entry, I'm immediately left wanting more.

Picking up a few months after the prior novel's finale, Livia is offered a spot on an anti-trafficking taskforce. She uses this position to ferret out leads on the men who abducted her, and her sister, Nason, as children for use in sex trafficking. Armed with the names of these men, she returns to Thailand, intent on dismantling the trafficking ring responsible for her and Nason's abuse.

Operating his own leads in Thailand is Dox, short for unorthodox, which speaks to his methods as an operator, and a recurring fan-favorite in Eisler's long-running John Rain series. Dox is on the hunt for Rithisak Sorm, a former Khmer Rouge soldier renowned for his torture tactics of sexual abuse, as well as human trafficking.

Needless to say, Dox's and Livia's parallel investigations eventually converge, and while sparks fly the relationship that emerges between these two killers is remarkably tender and fascinating. Dox and Livia are polar opposites, and their differences highlight their commonalities, while also giving us some fresh insight into Livia's nature. Through Dox's point of view, we get to see certain facets of Livia that we've been previously denied, and her characterization grows all the deeper because of it. She's a tough, no-holds-barred, tragically flawed heroine, but we get a better sense of just how fragile she is through her interactions with the boisterous, loud-mouthed Texan. Eisler does a wonderful job bringing them together, and opening up Livia's world a bit more with the angles of international intrigue and governmental subterfuge that have been the hallmarks of his John Rain series.

In only two novels, Livia Lone has become my favorite character in the entirety of Eisler's body of work, and, mind you, he has created some fantastic characters. So much of her is broken, some hastily glued back together, and she never stops fighting, against either her own personal inner demons and the demons that would seek to shatter and destroy others like her. She's a remarkable vigilante, and I'm eager to see what other aspects of her character Eisler is able to uncover for us in future novels.

[Ari Reavis · Rating 4 out of 5]

*ARC received from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review*

This was full of action, conspiracies, and suspense. I loved diving back into Livia's world and seeing her plot her revenge against the ones who'd wronged her and her sister. She meets Dox, who has a very similar goal as her in hunting down Sorm. Dox was funny and sweet, but lethal when he needed to be. It was interesting to see just how deep the roots went in the trafficking business and how corrupt the 'righteous' people were. Looking forward to the next book.

[Laura Noggle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast and furious, Bangkok sex trade/American sniper version.

Almost as good as the first Livia Lone book, The Night Trade continues Lone's hunt for the men who trafficked her as a young child. Dox, a lovable former Marine sniper, is a welcome addition.

This series is officially my new obsession, and I'm currently reading the third book, The Killer Collective.

At this rate, I feel like I may have to read every single one of Barry Eisler's books. After reading his Wikipedia page, I can see how his personal character and life experiences bleed through into his books. This snippet alone reminds me of several elements in the Livia Lone series:

"After completing law school, Eisler joined the CIA, where he trained for three years afterward and held a covert position with the Directorate of Operations. In 1992, he resigned after becoming disillusioned with the bureaucracy and joined the law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges. In 1994, he moved to the San Francisco Bay Area to work for the firm's technology licensing division, then left to work in Japan for Matsushita."

[John Biddle · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first book by Barry Eisler and it was a doozy. So much action I could hardly keep up. It's about Livia Lone, a sex crimes detective out to avenge the men who sol her sister and r into sex slavery long ago. Livia is quite dangerous and more than a little resourceful a she works to find and then kill these trafficers. Along the way she meets up Dox, someone who has his own reasons to find and kill Sorm, the seeming mastermind of the trafficers.

A cross between a thriller and an espionage novel there's no end to the twists and turns our heroes take on their mission. It's a literal page turner, though it does get a little confusing at times.

[Skip · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you haven't read Livia Lone, don't read this book. You need Livia's backstory to understand her personality and need for vengeance, which is spooled out over the course of the book as she joins forces with another Barry Eisler creation, Dox (short for unorthodox), from his better John Rain series. Both are after a Thai human smuggler named Sorm, albeit for different reasons. The similarity and singularity in mission is contrasted by Livia's and Dox's vastly different personalities. Each has a handler back in the U.S. and when things go wrong at a nightclub, neither knows whom to trust. As Dox might say, "Not for the faint-hearted, darling."

[Todd Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly Entertaining. I really enjoyed the first book in this series ‘Livia Lone’, and this second book was even better. Especially since ‘Dox’, one of my favourite characters from other novels written by Barry Eisler, makes an appearance in this story. The plot is quite tense, and it’s full of interesting and diverse characters. I also quite enjoyed that this story is based in a couple of different countries, and the lighter moments that Dox always provides.
Livia Lone would do anything to seek revenge on the last men alive, who were responsible for the abduction and rape, of her and her sister. The three men that sold Livia and her sister when they were only 10 and 13 years of age, were still involved in Child Trafficking all these years later. Now she has been given the chance by a Homeland Security Agent, to investigate the ring leaders in Thailand, and bring them to Justice. Dox manages to survive a hit in Phnom Penh, and he soon finds out that Rithisak Sorm is responsible. Of course if it was up to Dox he would kill Sorm without a second thought, but Vann wants him brought in alive to face justice. Of course Dox has no idea that Livia is currently also trying to track Sorm down for her own reasons, and that she has no intention of letting him live. I really hope the Author continues on with Livia Lone as a character, as she will certainly be worth following in the future. Hands down this is a brilliant story, and well worth a read.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Night Trade refers to the dirty business of trading young children, human trafficking if you will. In this second book in the Livia Lone series, Eisler pits a dedicated Seattle police detective with a tormented past against an array of sex traffickers in Cambodia and Thailand. It is an action-packed extravaganza with Livia acting as an assertive one -woman army to wreak vengeance - until she joins forces with someone else. It is similar in many ways to Eisler’s John Rain novels particularly the exotic locales, the spies and assassins operating in a secret netherworld, and the advanced technologies used. If you are looking for action and adventure, you can’t go wrong with this. I would have liked the background to develop a bit more slowly without Livia being suddenly whisked to Southeast Asia, but it generally worked otherwise.

[CD {Boulder Blvd} · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up...almost went with 2 stars

I liked book #1 better than #2 in this series. In this one there are more references to character(s) in a previous series which I hadn't read.

This book follows up on more vigilante justice that Labee gets against those who sold her and her sister into the sex trade when they were children. This time she goes after the ones she didn't get in book #1.

There's more involvement with alphabet soup types, but it lost something between the two books. There was enough action but again it felt more like a basic assassin style read.

[Maranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Livia Lone is an emotionally damaged wonder women with her sole focus on the annihilation of traffickers who murdered her sister! Eisler is an intense driver of prose and characters that rivet the reader to experience a roller coaster ride. This is the 2nd in this series and I would advise starting with the first as an abundance of history would be missed if you don't. Too much action to give an in-depth review that would not be a spoiler. Basically Young Livia and her sister were sold to traffickers by their parents from a village in Thailand. Many years later; to achieve justice Livia has made herself into a female 007 with a law enforcement job and a self-defense force to be feared. Action takes place in Thailand and Cambodia with gruesome maneuvers that may bother some readers so be warned. Always a loner the introduction of Dox into Livia' life is my favorite part of the book. Dox a sniper being on a parallel path partners with Livia. "A copy of this book was provided by Thomas & Mercer via Netgalley with no requirements for a review. Comments here are my honest opinion." Would make for a great movie!

[Ivy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Livia Lone soll für Homeland gegen einen Menschenhändlerring vorgehen, der von der thailändischen Regierung geschützt wird.
Drahtzieher Sorm ist auch für ihr Leid und das Schicksal ihrer kleinen Schwester verantwortlich. Nachdem die beiden Mädchen von ihren verarmten Eltern verkauft, in die USA verschleppt, unterwegs misshandelt und missbraucht wurden, wurde Livia von Industriemagnat Fred Lone adoptiert, der sie systematisch missbrauchte.
Sie ist aus seinem Haus entkommen, Polizistin geworden und nutzt den Auftrag für ihre persönlichen Rachepläne, spürt die Mittelsmänner auf, die alle zur Royal Thai Police gehörten.
Der Ex-Marine Dox hat dieselbe Mission. Nachdem die beiden sich gegenseitig retten, beschließen sie sich zusammen zu tun, denn Sorm ist schlimmer als gedacht, selbst nach jahrelangem Völkermord, fällt er durch
außergewöhnliche Grausamkeit auf. Und ein amerikanischer Geheimdienst schützt ihn, um nicht erklären zu müssen, warum sie mit dem Menschenhändler zusammenarbeiten...

Insgesamt konnte es mich nicht so überzeugen wie das erste Livia-Lone-Buch. Es ist nicht schlecht, durchaus interessant aber es erinnert mehr an Agenten-Thriller, die eher nicht Meins sind.

Die beiden kennen sich nicht, sie kann sich nicht öffnen, trotzdem erzählt er ihr erstaunlich viel und versteht sie. Klar das gegenseitige Vertrauen ist nachvollziehbar, die Anziehung ist da, die Sache zwischen ihnen ist intensiv. Aber irgendwie auch seltsam. Vor allem ihre Gefühle kommen nicht rüber.

Dox Vorgeschichte habe ich nicht gelesen aber Livia war schon im ersten Teil der Reihe ein unglaublich interessanter Charakter. Ihr Schicksal, das Drama, das Emotionale. Sie war mir schnell sympathisch und man konnte Verständnis für ihre Selbstjustiz aufbringen.
In diesem Buch konnte sie mich aber nicht wirklich mitnehmen, irgendwie hat von Allem etwas gefehlt.

Hier geht es allein um die Rache. Obwohl das Thema noch immer Menschenhandel und strukturierter Missbrauch ist, die Kampfszenen, die Spionage, Auftragsmorde, internationale Verschwörung und daraus resultierende Intrigen von Eisler authentisch dargestellt werden, war mir das zu Action-geladen.
Die sehr detaillierten Darstellungen der Kämpfe, Waffen, technischen Details und Orten hemmen den Lesefluss.

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strong sequel about Livia Lone, a Seattle PD detective and Thai native driven to exact revenge on the men responsible the brutalization of herself and her young sister kidnapped into sex slavery as children. Livia returns to Thailand where she inadvertently meets Dox, a John Rain associate who has targeted the same sex trafficker for different reasons. Together, they work to complete their missions without getting themselves killed in the process. Both are extraordinarily good characters that I hope to read more of in future books by Barry Eisler. Both books in this series are very highly recommended but suggest you read them in order for context.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Livia Lone, a complex and driven character seeks justice and human traffickers in Thailand. Fast paced action in violent situations but still tinged with humor. Read by the author with intense emotion.