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Anna Smith & Nick Dade Thrillers #1
Play Dead
From #1 Kindle, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Gemma Halliday, whose books have been downloaded over a million times, comes a novel with the physiological thrill of Gone Girl and the suspenseful twists of Big Little Lies...
She faked her death to escape life in a war torn country. But now her enemies have tracked her down, and this time they want her to stay dead.
Anya Danielovich lives with the guilt of what she had to do to survive when her native country divided against itself. But that was a long time ago. Today she’s become Anna Smith, a single, thirtysomething woman living in San Francisco with a simple desire to lead a better life. Even if she is still haunted by her past—the enemies she made, the mentor she betrayed, the woman she was. She’s taken care to cover her tracks over the years, but she’s beginning to feel like she’s being watched…
Nick Dade is a hired gunman, the best of the best. He’s read Anya’s file, knows the unspeakable acts she committed, and after weeks of surveillance, he’s ready to pull the trigger on his latest target. That is until someone else beats him to the punch. With his agenda shattered, Dade is suddenly thrown together with the woman he’s been sent to eliminate. Who is she really? Who hired the second hit? And who can he trust?
She faked her death to escape life in a war torn country. But now her enemies have tracked her down, and this time they want her to stay dead.
Anya Danielovich lives with the guilt of what she had to do to survive when her native country divided against itself. But that was a long time ago. Today she’s become Anna Smith, a single, thirtysomething woman living in San Francisco with a simple desire to lead a better life. Even if she is still haunted by her past—the enemies she made, the mentor she betrayed, the woman she was. She’s taken care to cover her tracks over the years, but she’s beginning to feel like she’s being watched…
Nick Dade is a hired gunman, the best of the best. He’s read Anya’s file, knows the unspeakable acts she committed, and after weeks of surveillance, he’s ready to pull the trigger on his latest target. That is until someone else beats him to the punch. With his agenda shattered, Dade is suddenly thrown together with the woman he’s been sent to eliminate. Who is she really? Who hired the second hit? And who can he trust?
269 pages, Paperback
First published May 3, 2012
54 people are currently reading
898 people want to read
About the author
Gemma Halliday
95 books1,893 followersGemma had a hard time figuring out what she wanted to be when she grew up. She worked as a film and television actress, a teddy bear importer, a department store administrator, a preschool teacher, a temporary tattoo artist, and a 900 number psychic, before finally selling her first book, Spying in High Heels, in 2005 and deciding to be a writer.
Since then, Gemma has written several mystery novels and been the recipient of numerous awards, including a National Reader's Choice award and three RITA nominations. Her books have hit both the USA Today and the New York Times Bestseller lists.
Gemma now makes her home in the San Francisco Bay area where she is hard at work on her next book.
Since then, Gemma has written several mystery novels and been the recipient of numerous awards, including a National Reader's Choice award and three RITA nominations. Her books have hit both the USA Today and the New York Times Bestseller lists.
Gemma now makes her home in the San Francisco Bay area where she is hard at work on her next book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
January 21, 2015
Play Nice by Gemma Halliday is a first reads win and I'm giving my honest opinion. Anya was a trained assassin for KOS of the Kosovo Secret Police. Her handler, Petrovich, was her only father figure. He taught her everything. Anya was his star pupil. Anya faked her own death after her last mission. She was months in a private hospital recovering from her injuries. She changed her name to Anna Smith and moved around a lot, never staying in any place too long to put down roots or make friends. She's currently in San Francisco working at an animal shelter. she even took a boxer home for protection but Lenny is big and he's a baby. A real pushover. One day at work with Shellie, a marksman takes aim and just misses Anna. She jumps behind the counter and grabs her gun from out her purse. Damn how did they find her? Unbeknown to her Nick Dade was hired to take Ann out. There were two sets of people out to get her. he is puzzled. Dade works his way around back of the shelter and captures Anna as she makes her escape. Dade tie wraps her hands together behind her back. Then he pulls her along evading the other hitman. police sirens end the pursuit. he takes Anna back to his car. They head back to her apartment. The old lady next door was murdered. Ann's door was open, the alarm system ripped from the wall. They took Anna's laptop, all her drawers were emptied onto the floor. Every dish and cup was smashed. Then they found Benny in a closet. Anna felt such relief in finding him alive.
July 15, 2016
She faked her death to escape life as an assassin. But now her enemies have tracked her down, and this time they want her to stay dead.
Anya Danielovich was a highly-trained killing machine in her former life. But that was a long time ago. Today she's just Anna Smith - a single, thirtysomething woman living in San Francisco with an undemanding day job, a loving, if dim-witted, dog, and a simple desire to lead a simple better life. But she's still haunted by her past - the people she killed, the mentor she betrayed, the woman she was. She's taken care to cover her tracks, but she's beginning to feel like she's being watched...
Nick Dade is a hired gunman, the best of the best. He's read Anya's file inside-out and, after weeks of surveillance, he's ready to pull the trigger...until someone else beats him to the punch. With his agenda shattered, Nick suddenly finds himself thrown together with the woman he's been sent to eliminate. Who is she really? Who hired the second hit? And who can he trust? Together Nick and Anna find themselves embroiled in a web of deceit and desire as an unknown enemy - one with dangerous ties to Anna's former life, and a present-day political assassination - closes in. To unravel the truth, Anna must face her past even if that means risking both Dade's life and her own...for good this time.
I got an advance copy of this story to review and boy am I ever glad! I have been a huge Gemma Halliday fan since I picked up the very first book in the High Heels Mystery series. So when I had the chance to read her latest, I jumped at it.
A total departure from the zany, friend-centric stories in the High Heels series, Play Nice is a non-stop thrill ride from page one. The story of an assasin trying to leave her former life behind is full of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. This book was really high voltage and I found myself reading faster and faster, both in an effort to keep up with the super fast action and to find out what was going to happen next.
Of course, you can not write a review about this book and not mention the explosive chemistry between Anna and Nick. The sparks fly fast and furious with these two. All this despite the fact that he was sent to kill her and she will do anything to get away.I am trying really hard to be careful what I say so as not to give anything away.
When I got done reading this story, I felt as though I had run a marathon. The fast pace and plot twists left me feeling mentally exhausted and satisfied all at the same time. This story was fantastic and I can not wait to see what happens next in this series! I can't say it any stronger than this: Go buy the book. Now. I see you still sitting there. Get going! It is seriously worth it.
Anya Danielovich was a highly-trained killing machine in her former life. But that was a long time ago. Today she's just Anna Smith - a single, thirtysomething woman living in San Francisco with an undemanding day job, a loving, if dim-witted, dog, and a simple desire to lead a simple better life. But she's still haunted by her past - the people she killed, the mentor she betrayed, the woman she was. She's taken care to cover her tracks, but she's beginning to feel like she's being watched...
Nick Dade is a hired gunman, the best of the best. He's read Anya's file inside-out and, after weeks of surveillance, he's ready to pull the trigger...until someone else beats him to the punch. With his agenda shattered, Nick suddenly finds himself thrown together with the woman he's been sent to eliminate. Who is she really? Who hired the second hit? And who can he trust? Together Nick and Anna find themselves embroiled in a web of deceit and desire as an unknown enemy - one with dangerous ties to Anna's former life, and a present-day political assassination - closes in. To unravel the truth, Anna must face her past even if that means risking both Dade's life and her own...for good this time.
I got an advance copy of this story to review and boy am I ever glad! I have been a huge Gemma Halliday fan since I picked up the very first book in the High Heels Mystery series. So when I had the chance to read her latest, I jumped at it.
A total departure from the zany, friend-centric stories in the High Heels series, Play Nice is a non-stop thrill ride from page one. The story of an assasin trying to leave her former life behind is full of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. This book was really high voltage and I found myself reading faster and faster, both in an effort to keep up with the super fast action and to find out what was going to happen next.
Of course, you can not write a review about this book and not mention the explosive chemistry between Anna and Nick. The sparks fly fast and furious with these two. All this despite the fact that he was sent to kill her and she will do anything to get away.I am trying really hard to be careful what I say so as not to give anything away.
When I got done reading this story, I felt as though I had run a marathon. The fast pace and plot twists left me feeling mentally exhausted and satisfied all at the same time. This story was fantastic and I can not wait to see what happens next in this series! I can't say it any stronger than this: Go buy the book. Now. I see you still sitting there. Get going! It is seriously worth it.
December 14, 2014
If there was a 6 rating, this book deserves it! Gemma Halliday is one of my favorite writers, barr none. And she has scored another winner in a completely new series--it is unlike anything series she has written before. She has set the stage for hopefully many more books with Nick Dale and Anna Smith (or Anna Jones, or Anya Danielovich--her real name in her former life as a highly trained assassin). She had abandoned that life 15 years earlier in her early 20's (after killing over 20 men as a trained assassin), and has been on the run for those 15 years. Nick is hired by an unknown person to kill Anna, but before he can count to 3 to pull the trigger, another group of assassins starts shooting at her--EXACTLY at the moment he is set to kill her.
I do not want to give many more details about the story per se. Play Nice is an action packed, fast moving
thriller from the first chapter. I read most of it the day I downloaded it. I could not find a place to stop, until my eyes could no longer stay open at 2 am. When I got up the next morning. I finished it first thing!
Gemma has set the groundwork for the new series--while telling the story in a very fast-paced, thrilling way. The story NEVER lags. This departure from her earlier style proves what a fantastically talented story teller she is. Play Nice propells her into the top rung of writers anywhere ( she was only one rung down from the top already)
Of course, her High Heels mysteries series, the Hollywood Headlines mysteries, and numerous novellas and short stories displays her talent for comedic mysteries, if you have not read these wonderful books, get them and read them now. The first 5 books in the High Heels series is sold in a bundle on Amazon for $9.99 and the Hollywood Headlines trilogy is selling right now as a set for $.99, get them before the price changes!
I cannot wait for the next book with Nick and Anna as they become crime fighters partners of a sort, rather than assassins on the run with targets on their backs from more than one group. Anna grabs your heart from the first scene. You want to really feel sorry for the way she was trained to be a killer, starting at the age of 14--but Anna does not want any pity from anyone. And Nick grows in statue and integrity throughout the book. I am excited to see how they regain their humanity in coming books in the series (as well as becoming lover partners, hopefully!)
I do not want to give many more details about the story per se. Play Nice is an action packed, fast moving
thriller from the first chapter. I read most of it the day I downloaded it. I could not find a place to stop, until my eyes could no longer stay open at 2 am. When I got up the next morning. I finished it first thing!
Gemma has set the groundwork for the new series--while telling the story in a very fast-paced, thrilling way. The story NEVER lags. This departure from her earlier style proves what a fantastically talented story teller she is. Play Nice propells her into the top rung of writers anywhere ( she was only one rung down from the top already)
Of course, her High Heels mysteries series, the Hollywood Headlines mysteries, and numerous novellas and short stories displays her talent for comedic mysteries, if you have not read these wonderful books, get them and read them now. The first 5 books in the High Heels series is sold in a bundle on Amazon for $9.99 and the Hollywood Headlines trilogy is selling right now as a set for $.99, get them before the price changes!
I cannot wait for the next book with Nick and Anna as they become crime fighters partners of a sort, rather than assassins on the run with targets on their backs from more than one group. Anna grabs your heart from the first scene. You want to really feel sorry for the way she was trained to be a killer, starting at the age of 14--but Anna does not want any pity from anyone. And Nick grows in statue and integrity throughout the book. I am excited to see how they regain their humanity in coming books in the series (as well as becoming lover partners, hopefully!)
March 19, 2012
Anya Danielovich used to work for the KOS. A Yugoslavian intelligence agency. Now, Ayna is just plain, old Anna Smith.
Nick Dade is not fooled by Anya or Anna as she goes by these days. Nick has read Anya’s file and he knows what she is capable of. Nick usually does not take on cases that involve women as the target but for Anya he made an exception. Nick soon realizes that he is not the only one after Anya. Before he knows it, Nick is protecting Anya but only until he can take out the competition.
I have seen Ms. Halliday’s books around. I keep telling myself that I have to check her out but than another year goes by and I realize that I haven’t done so. That changed, when I picked up Play Nice.
This book helped me out of my reading slump. I found myself drawn into the story and the characters. Anya or I should say “Anna” was a spit fire. She not only had the looks but she could kick some serious butt too. If, I did not think that Nick could take card of himself, I almost would have felt sorry for him having to put up with Anya. Of course, I did say “almost” Anya and Nick are like Turner and Hooch. They don’t belong together but they really are the perfect match and they compliment each other. Also, I like that there was little romance between Anya and Nick. For this book, if there had between something going on, than it would have been unbelievable to me. The way this book ended has me excited. It hints that I will get to see Anya and Nick again real soon. Maybe it will be the next book that I might see some sparks form with Anya and Nick. Play Nice is an oxymoron. Ms. Halliday is playing anything but nice. She serves up a warm, plate of action, intrigue and strong characters!
Nick Dade is not fooled by Anya or Anna as she goes by these days. Nick has read Anya’s file and he knows what she is capable of. Nick usually does not take on cases that involve women as the target but for Anya he made an exception. Nick soon realizes that he is not the only one after Anya. Before he knows it, Nick is protecting Anya but only until he can take out the competition.
I have seen Ms. Halliday’s books around. I keep telling myself that I have to check her out but than another year goes by and I realize that I haven’t done so. That changed, when I picked up Play Nice.
This book helped me out of my reading slump. I found myself drawn into the story and the characters. Anya or I should say “Anna” was a spit fire. She not only had the looks but she could kick some serious butt too. If, I did not think that Nick could take card of himself, I almost would have felt sorry for him having to put up with Anya. Of course, I did say “almost” Anya and Nick are like Turner and Hooch. They don’t belong together but they really are the perfect match and they compliment each other. Also, I like that there was little romance between Anya and Nick. For this book, if there had between something going on, than it would have been unbelievable to me. The way this book ended has me excited. It hints that I will get to see Anya and Nick again real soon. Maybe it will be the next book that I might see some sparks form with Anya and Nick. Play Nice is an oxymoron. Ms. Halliday is playing anything but nice. She serves up a warm, plate of action, intrigue and strong characters!
May 21, 2012
What I like about the book:
1) The mystery, the non-stop actions that kept me glued to the book from start to finish
2) The pretty awesome & kick-ass heroine
3) The still not-so-obvious intention of
4) The chemistry between Nick & Anna, but I really love it that the author didn't rush their relationship.
What I don't really like the book:
1) It doesn't make sense that Anna didn't even get hurt the whole time in the book. I mean, come on, she got shot at like bajillion of times throughout the book. No matter how awesome she is, she should at least get one kick-ass injury.
Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will definitely be looking forward to the next installment in the series.
1) The mystery, the non-stop actions that kept me glued to the book from start to finish
2) The pretty awesome & kick-ass heroine
3) The still not-so-obvious intention of
4) The chemistry between Nick & Anna, but I really love it that the author didn't rush their relationship.
What I don't really like the book:
1) It doesn't make sense that Anna didn't even get hurt the whole time in the book. I mean, come on, she got shot at like bajillion of times throughout the book. No matter how awesome she is, she should at least get one kick-ass injury.
Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will definitely be looking forward to the next installment in the series.
November 28, 2017
I've never been the type that was into spy thrillers. Well I haven't read very many of them so maybe it’s something up my alley after all.
Because of my lack of experience with spy novels I wasn't sure this book would hook me but I am a Gemma Halliday fan so I was open to it. I was hooked right away and it left me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book.
There were so many twists and turns and I couldn't wait to see everything unfold. Anna has some darkness dangerous way about her but I liked that. There was a lot of heart and some romance thrown in that made this book even more up my alley.
Anna is dealing with a lot and she's grappling with her past and I found myself feeling for her. She's not the sweet innocent type of character. She can be harsh and violent and has a dark past that still haunts her. I liked the glimpses of humanity that we got to see.
I originally thought this was going to be a standalone but now it looks like this is the beginning of a series and I can't wait to see what happens next with Anna and Nick.
Because of my lack of experience with spy novels I wasn't sure this book would hook me but I am a Gemma Halliday fan so I was open to it. I was hooked right away and it left me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book.
There were so many twists and turns and I couldn't wait to see everything unfold. Anna has some darkness dangerous way about her but I liked that. There was a lot of heart and some romance thrown in that made this book even more up my alley.
Anna is dealing with a lot and she's grappling with her past and I found myself feeling for her. She's not the sweet innocent type of character. She can be harsh and violent and has a dark past that still haunts her. I liked the glimpses of humanity that we got to see.
I originally thought this was going to be a standalone but now it looks like this is the beginning of a series and I can't wait to see what happens next with Anna and Nick.
January 1, 2022
Anna is trying to live her best life after escaping from her past as an assassin. She is constantly looking over her shoulder and moving around to stay hidden. One day she is at work at the dog shelter and bullets come through the window. She is saved by Dade who was also hired to kill her. Dade wants to know who else was hired to kill Anna and why. They are on the run together, learning to trust one another and stay alive. I loved the chemistry between Dade and Anna and how Lenny the dog was never abandoned. I just realized this is part of a series and I can't wait to read the next book.
January 29, 2018
I believe this book has been reintroduced in 2017 at Playing Dead.
Good series with darker characters. Definitely a thriller
Anna Smith, dog washer, is Anya Danielvoski, trained assassin. Nick Dade, sole survivor of his US military unit is now a hired assassin. Nick's target - Anya.
When Nick decides he doesn't want Anna dead, both of their lives are in danger.
The race to save themselves has them in the midst of a Senator's election campaign and puts this into the thriller category.
Interesting characters and I am looking forward to more Anna Smith & Nick Dade thrillers.
Good series with darker characters. Definitely a thriller
Anna Smith, dog washer, is Anya Danielvoski, trained assassin. Nick Dade, sole survivor of his US military unit is now a hired assassin. Nick's target - Anya.
When Nick decides he doesn't want Anna dead, both of their lives are in danger.
The race to save themselves has them in the midst of a Senator's election campaign and puts this into the thriller category.
Interesting characters and I am looking forward to more Anna Smith & Nick Dade thrillers.
October 18, 2017
This is a very exciting book about two q assassins, Nick Dade and Anna Smith. Nick was hired to take out Anna, aka Anya, but didn't follow through as he felt the need to find out who tried to kill her before he could. I never knew what was going to happen next in this fast-paced story. They were kept moving, searching, and the fun part was they did all this while taking Lenny, Anna's dog, along for the ride. I fell in love with this book and it looks like the excitement might only be beginning for Nick and Anna.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
October 17, 2017
This is undoubtedly the very best book written by Gemma Halliday! The characters come to life as you read the thrilling dialogue. Anna Smith realizes that her years of endeavoring to stay hidden have been wasted, the people she escaped want her dead. And when they want someone dead, there isn't much chance of staying alive! Will Nick Dade help Anna or her handler?
October 27, 2017
Couldn't put it down!
Great new series I take it. Twists, turns, adventure, never stopped. Couldn't put it down, read it in one sitting, dosent dissapoint. Anna and Dade make a great team, and the common thread, well you just have to play dead to end up not being dead. Easy if someone's not trying to kill you.
Great new series I take it. Twists, turns, adventure, never stopped. Couldn't put it down, read it in one sitting, dosent dissapoint. Anna and Dade make a great team, and the common thread, well you just have to play dead to end up not being dead. Easy if someone's not trying to kill you.
November 5, 2017
Catch 22
Brilliantly clever. Play Dead is a total change up for Gemma Halliday and not a bad one. Anna, Dade and Lenny certainly find themselves in the thick of it when one is hired to kill the other, one wants a new life and the third just wants a full belly.
Brilliantly clever. Play Dead is a total change up for Gemma Halliday and not a bad one. Anna, Dade and Lenny certainly find themselves in the thick of it when one is hired to kill the other, one wants a new life and the third just wants a full belly.
December 29, 2017
Edge of your seat thriller
Anna, retired assassin, has been found and is being followed by not one but two assassins to kill her. One tries and one teams up with her to figure out who else is trying to kill her. Keeps you hopping.
Anna, retired assassin, has been found and is being followed by not one but two assassins to kill her. One tries and one teams up with her to figure out who else is trying to kill her. Keeps you hopping.
June 22, 2022
Good story with several twists and turns as the two protagonists are slowly drawn together after being hit man and his target, a former assassin for the Yugoslavian secret police. The ending does set itself does sequel, but it doesn't appear there is a second book, which is disappointing.
October 6, 2023
This was better than I expected, and less comedic and more thrillery - will admit though, that Anna has some great lines.
Is there a second book to this? I would totally read a second book, especially with that open (but also satisfactorily complete) ending.
Is there a second book to this? I would totally read a second book, especially with that open (but also satisfactorily complete) ending.
October 18, 2017
Play Dead is one of those books you just can't put down. From the first page to the last, you are glued to the page. This is a fast-paced, must-read book!
November 2, 2017
A little predictable (still some good twists) but that's because I've read most all of her books. I will definitely buy the sequel
October 27, 2024
This is a fast paced action packed novel that is not overly believable, assassins with heart.
December 21, 2024
This has a good plot. It's action packed and interesting. I found several grammatical errors, which are not typical of Gemma Halliday. Otherwise, it's a good read.
January 12, 2020
3/10
The beginning wasn't so bad, but once the two main characters meet, I found the story to be teetering on boring. For a former assassin, there were some plot points that didn't make sense.
Why is there so many misspellings? Did no one proofread this story before it printed?
The beginning wasn't so bad, but once the two main characters meet, I found the story to be teetering on boring. For a former assassin, there were some plot points that didn't make sense.
Why is there so many misspellings? Did no one proofread this story before it printed?
July 7, 2013
Anya Danielovich has been trained as an elite assassin for the Yugoslavian Kontraobavestajna Sluzba, a counterintelligence agency known as KOS. She knows that the only way to get out of the business is to die, but she doesn't want anyone or anything to take that choice from her so she takes her life into her own hands. She kills a general, fakes her own death and runs for her life, knowing that his bodyguards are probably hot on her trail.
Anya manages to make it to San Francisco and changes her name to Anna Smith. She takes a job at a local animal shelter and leads a quiet life, but is always looking over her shoulder. She knows that she has to be very careful, she can almost feel the eyes of others on her...watching. When someone starts shooting at her, Anna knows she's been found. Running, she is soon caught up with her would-be assassin, Nick Dade.
Nick's been hired to kill Anna, and he's very thorough at what he does. He's had surveillance on Anna for awhile now and just when he is about to pull the trigger, having her in his line of sight, someone beats him to it. He doesn't know who else would want Anna dead, but he is aiming to find out. He teams up with Anna, who doesn't trust him but could use his help in determining who else wants to kill her. Although they begin a romantic relationship, Anna is always looking for a means to escape, from Nick and the unknown third party. Will Nick be able to disregard his contract in order to keep Anna safe? Will she learn to trust him to have a future with him? With the unknown third party right behind them, they will have to run fast and be very clever to outwit them.
PLAY NICE is a fast-paced thriller with two very diverse and unlikely characters. With spies, assassins, romance, lots of action and flying bullets, there is something for everyone in this new mystery by best-selling author Gemma Halliday. I couldn't put it down, the pages just flew by as I was captivated as the story developed. I hope this is a first in a series. I'd love to see another assassin thriller by Ms. Halliday. Her writing and characters are entertaining. A very satisfying novel!
Anya manages to make it to San Francisco and changes her name to Anna Smith. She takes a job at a local animal shelter and leads a quiet life, but is always looking over her shoulder. She knows that she has to be very careful, she can almost feel the eyes of others on her...watching. When someone starts shooting at her, Anna knows she's been found. Running, she is soon caught up with her would-be assassin, Nick Dade.
Nick's been hired to kill Anna, and he's very thorough at what he does. He's had surveillance on Anna for awhile now and just when he is about to pull the trigger, having her in his line of sight, someone beats him to it. He doesn't know who else would want Anna dead, but he is aiming to find out. He teams up with Anna, who doesn't trust him but could use his help in determining who else wants to kill her. Although they begin a romantic relationship, Anna is always looking for a means to escape, from Nick and the unknown third party. Will Nick be able to disregard his contract in order to keep Anna safe? Will she learn to trust him to have a future with him? With the unknown third party right behind them, they will have to run fast and be very clever to outwit them.
PLAY NICE is a fast-paced thriller with two very diverse and unlikely characters. With spies, assassins, romance, lots of action and flying bullets, there is something for everyone in this new mystery by best-selling author Gemma Halliday. I couldn't put it down, the pages just flew by as I was captivated as the story developed. I hope this is a first in a series. I'd love to see another assassin thriller by Ms. Halliday. Her writing and characters are entertaining. A very satisfying novel!
March 10, 2012
“Play Nice” by Gemma Halliday is an action-packed tale that starts with a bang and never stops moving. Anna Smith is semi-content to live in a small apartment in San Francisco with her Boxer Lenny (named after a famous pugilist). She spends her time working as a groomer at the local animal shelter. One day a hail of bullets abruptly terminates her employment and sends her on the run with Nick Dade. Anya Danielovich was an assassin trained from her early teen years to be an efficient killing machine for the KOS, the Yugoslav Intelligence Agency, before it was disbanded. At the age of 20 she decides to get out before someone else makes the decision for her. Nick has been hired to kill her but his attempt is foiled by someone else shooting at her just as he is ready to pull the trigger himself. His decision to keep Anna alive and in his company until he finds out exactly what is going on is hampered by Anna’s resourcefulness in attempting to escape until she discovers an insidious plan that may have national repercussions. The two of them grudgingly work together to try to foil the plot and remain alive long enough to determine whether a bullet will end their relationship before it even begins.
A thrilling tale giving a glimpse of the potential fallout when highly skilled operatives decide to choose a different path for their lives. Intriguing descriptions of an elegant game of cat and mouse juxtaposed with vivid descriptions of San Francisco and other regions of Northern California provide an entertaining and enthralling read. There is a lot of creative license employed but it was fascinating to read about some of the atypical solutions employed to obtain funds, perform minor surgery and circumvent unexpected obstacles. Hopefully this is just the start of an engaging series.
© Night Owl Reviews
Thank you to the author/publisher for providing a copy for review
A thrilling tale giving a glimpse of the potential fallout when highly skilled operatives decide to choose a different path for their lives. Intriguing descriptions of an elegant game of cat and mouse juxtaposed with vivid descriptions of San Francisco and other regions of Northern California provide an entertaining and enthralling read. There is a lot of creative license employed but it was fascinating to read about some of the atypical solutions employed to obtain funds, perform minor surgery and circumvent unexpected obstacles. Hopefully this is just the start of an engaging series.
© Night Owl Reviews
Thank you to the author/publisher for providing a copy for review
January 7, 2014
When I first picked up this book, it looked like the last thing I wanted to read, and this is where “don’t judge a book by its cover” comes into play. Although the cover looked utterly boring, the story seemed interesting, so I thought I’d give it a try. After I started reading it, I realized that this was one of the best books I have ever read. This encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone because I never thought I’d like suspense/thriller books.
Anya Danielovich was a trained assassin of the KOS(the former Yugoslavian intelligence agency). In total she killed twenty-four men, all before her 21st birthday. She quickly realized how dangerous her life would be if she stayed as Anya, therefore she faked her own death to escape her life of an assassin.
Today she's Anna Smith: a single, thirtysomething woman leading a perfectly normal life, working at a non-profit animal shelter. Living in San Francisco, Anna thinks she has covered all her tracks without leaving a trace, until she feels like she is being watched.
Here enters Nick Dade, a hired gunman---the best of the best---who is hired to eliminate Anya, or whatever's left of her. After a lot of surveillance Dade was ready to pull the trigger.
Anna had been shot at, and she couldn't believe it, after all she had done to hide her past, she had never been able to outrun Anya. Dade was as shocked as Anna because the bullet fired hadn't been shot from his gun, but from somewhere else. Someone else is trying to kill Anya.
This leads to an awkward partnership between Dade and Anna as they set out on a dangerous mission to find out who is after them. And, they don't trust each other, because neither of them have ever learned how to trust someone else. But, Dade and Anna realize that they have to team up if either of them hope to survive. Along the way,they also learn it's hard to escape the past.
Anya Danielovich was a trained assassin of the KOS(the former Yugoslavian intelligence agency). In total she killed twenty-four men, all before her 21st birthday. She quickly realized how dangerous her life would be if she stayed as Anya, therefore she faked her own death to escape her life of an assassin.
Today she's Anna Smith: a single, thirtysomething woman leading a perfectly normal life, working at a non-profit animal shelter. Living in San Francisco, Anna thinks she has covered all her tracks without leaving a trace, until she feels like she is being watched.
Here enters Nick Dade, a hired gunman---the best of the best---who is hired to eliminate Anya, or whatever's left of her. After a lot of surveillance Dade was ready to pull the trigger.
Anna had been shot at, and she couldn't believe it, after all she had done to hide her past, she had never been able to outrun Anya. Dade was as shocked as Anna because the bullet fired hadn't been shot from his gun, but from somewhere else. Someone else is trying to kill Anya.
This leads to an awkward partnership between Dade and Anna as they set out on a dangerous mission to find out who is after them. And, they don't trust each other, because neither of them have ever learned how to trust someone else. But, Dade and Anna realize that they have to team up if either of them hope to survive. Along the way,they also learn it's hard to escape the past.
March 8, 2012
I found myself drawn into this book right from the start. The description of Anya's last job as an assasin was full of suspense.
I really liked the two main characters -- Anna (Anya's new name for herself) and Nick. Their interaction always has a level of distrust through it but you can see how they begin to accept all aspects of their personalities and develop an ability to trust someone else. This aspect is not cleared up by the end of the book which is a nice change.
I tend to read books that have a romance focus with a suspense or mystery component. There was almost no romance in this book but I still found myself really enjoying the story. There was so much action in the story that I think more romance would have resulted in me enjoying the book less.
I try not to guess "who done it?" while I am reading a story. I find do not enjoy a book as much when the ending is projected fairly early on in a story. This book had a logical progression of events in terms of the secondary characters and the ending. Not everything is nicely tied up for Anna and Nick at the end of the book but the main story involving the secondary characters ends nicely.
Once I started reading this book I did not want to put it down and was quite sorry to finish it. I look forward to reading about Anna and Nick again in the future.
I received this book via NetGalley for review.
I really liked the two main characters -- Anna (Anya's new name for herself) and Nick. Their interaction always has a level of distrust through it but you can see how they begin to accept all aspects of their personalities and develop an ability to trust someone else. This aspect is not cleared up by the end of the book which is a nice change.
I tend to read books that have a romance focus with a suspense or mystery component. There was almost no romance in this book but I still found myself really enjoying the story. There was so much action in the story that I think more romance would have resulted in me enjoying the book less.
I try not to guess "who done it?" while I am reading a story. I find do not enjoy a book as much when the ending is projected fairly early on in a story. This book had a logical progression of events in terms of the secondary characters and the ending. Not everything is nicely tied up for Anna and Nick at the end of the book but the main story involving the secondary characters ends nicely.
Once I started reading this book I did not want to put it down and was quite sorry to finish it. I look forward to reading about Anna and Nick again in the future.
I received this book via NetGalley for review.
September 4, 2012
Anna (Anya) was a trained assassin in Europe/Russia when she was a teenager/young woman but she faked her own death and escaped to the United States. Now she is in her early 30's and works at animal shelters, moving frequently, never letting her guard down as she believes her past will some day catch up with her. Suddenly it seems, two different groups have figured out who she is. The trained killer, Dade is poised to make his mark when gunfire erupts seconds before he pulls the trigger. He is upset to find there is another party who is in the game. We are then taken on a wild ride as Dade partners with Anna as he tries to figure out who the other killers might be. I found this quite unbelievable, why on earth would someone suddenly come out of Anna's past after all these years to uncover her identity? I found numerous spelling/grammar errors that are unacceptable throughout the book. I find it unbelieveable that these two individuals were trained assassins and couldn't figure out why the killers seemed to be able to constantly track them down. Even I could figure it out and Anna is so enthralled with her dog, she simply refuses to ever leave him behind constantly putting her life at risk!!!!! Maybe this book is aimed more for the young adult reader as opposed to adults. They might be more gullible.
August 1, 2013
You know those really bad B-grade movies that are so bad they're almost good? That's what this book was. There are holes that you could drive a Mack truck through. For example:
These are just a few. I can't tell you how many times I wanted to yell at the characters because of their stupidity. However, like those bad B-grade movies, this was still amusing. Based on plot alone, it would have received 2 stars. But since I was entertained, it gets a 3.
These are just a few. I can't tell you how many times I wanted to yell at the characters because of their stupidity. However, like those bad B-grade movies, this was still amusing. Based on plot alone, it would have received 2 stars. But since I was entertained, it gets a 3.
April 10, 2012
I won this book from the Heroes and Heartbreakers webpage, and it was a lovely surprise. I probably wouldn't have picked it up on my own, and that would have been a shame, because it's excellent. It felt like a female version of The Bourne Ultimatum, because Anya/Anna is a retired assassin who's been on the run for years after faking her death. Just when she thinks she's in the clear, Nick Dade is sent to take her out, but someone else tries to kill her first. Anna and Nick pair up to find out who's trying to kill her and end up connecting. Plus, there's a lovable, smelly dog named Lenny. Who could resist a rescue dog?
The romance element in this book isn't in the forefront, but the action will keep you turning the pages! I love the ending and can't wait to read more in this series and more by this author. I'll definitely be sharing this with my MIL, as she loves thrillers. Highly recommend.
The romance element in this book isn't in the forefront, but the action will keep you turning the pages! I love the ending and can't wait to read more in this series and more by this author. I'll definitely be sharing this with my MIL, as she loves thrillers. Highly recommend.
July 12, 2012
It was very interesting. Light in the romance department. Anya was a little bit too naive for a seasoned assassin. My main complaint were some inaccurances in Anya's background: she's supposed to be from ex-Jugoslavia, but she has problems understanding the language. About the language: to my understanding there's no "bosnian" language! Also the name: Anya is not a jugoslavian name. If that was the case it should be Anja! The Main vilain is calling her "dragi"... Mmmm... "Dragi" is a male endearment and she's a female! Beasides all the supposed jugoslavian people have more russian flavoured names!
I noticed that many writers use in a very inappropriate way foreign languages: if you want to use a language you're not familiar with, please do your reaserch before publishing - it's very annoying to people who are familiar with the language!
Another thing is that the end is leaft pending: will there be a next installement?
I noticed that many writers use in a very inappropriate way foreign languages: if you want to use a language you're not familiar with, please do your reaserch before publishing - it's very annoying to people who are familiar with the language!
Another thing is that the end is leaft pending: will there be a next installement?
April 12, 2012
This is a thriller by new to me author Gemma Halliday.
Former assassin Anya faked her death to escape her past. Fifteen years later she is living in San Francisco as Anna Smith.
Nick Dade is a gun for hire and he was hired to take out Anya. But he isn’t the only one and he is less than pleased by that.
Nick is ready to take out his target, Anna, when someone else takes a shot at her. He is pissed and saves her from the other assassin. At least until he can find out who his competition is.
I liked Anna. A strong woman trying to overcome her past and her training doing the best she can while on the run. I’m afraid I didn’t get Nick’s motivations but I hope it will become clearer in the next book.
Former assassin Anya faked her death to escape her past. Fifteen years later she is living in San Francisco as Anna Smith.
Nick Dade is a gun for hire and he was hired to take out Anya. But he isn’t the only one and he is less than pleased by that.
Nick is ready to take out his target, Anna, when someone else takes a shot at her. He is pissed and saves her from the other assassin. At least until he can find out who his competition is.
I liked Anna. A strong woman trying to overcome her past and her training doing the best she can while on the run. I’m afraid I didn’t get Nick’s motivations but I hope it will become clearer in the next book.
May 5, 2012
A new author for me and a book with all of the elements that hit all of my personal likes ... animals, spy, assassins, lots of action.
Good, if somewhat predictable, plot, reasonably good characterization but didn't get a clear sense of individuality from the main characters at times. I anticipated liking this better than I did but it never quite got from the status of entertaining rainy-afternoon read to "can't put this one down", seemed as though the action was there but tension was somehow lacking.
I liked it, never considered putting it down unfinished, but it wasn't one of the 'grab and won't let go' reads for me.
Good, if somewhat predictable, plot, reasonably good characterization but didn't get a clear sense of individuality from the main characters at times. I anticipated liking this better than I did but it never quite got from the status of entertaining rainy-afternoon read to "can't put this one down", seemed as though the action was there but tension was somehow lacking.
I liked it, never considered putting it down unfinished, but it wasn't one of the 'grab and won't let go' reads for me.
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