Tarantula

John Milton #0.6

by Mark Dawson

MEET JOHN MILTON.

He considers himself an artisan. A craftsman. His trade is murder.

Milton is the man the government sends after you when everything else has failed. Ruthless. Brilliant. Anonymous. Lethal. You wouldn't pick him out of a crowd but you wouldn't want to be on his list.

In this second dip into his case files (see 1000 Yards for a further free novella), Milton is sent to Italy to investigate the death of a colleague from Group 15, the secret assassination squad that liquidates those considered to be impediments to the furtherance of British interests.

Milton discovers that the agent was involved with the Camorra, the powerful Mafia clan that controls the territory from Naples to the tip of the Italian boot. He identifies the assassin as a man nicknamed Tarantula.

Now Tarantula, and his boss, are entries in Milton’s ledger. And all debts need to be paid.

Also included: the first chapter of the first full-length Milton novel, THE CLEANER.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Audiobook, Action, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Short Stories

90 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2014

About the author

For news and special offers join Mark's mailing list at:

http://eepurl.com/Cai5X

Mark Dawson was born in Lowestoft and grew up in Manchester and Chicago. He has worked as a lawyer and currently works in the London film industry. His first books, "The Art of Falling Apart" and "Subpoena Colada" have been published in multiple languages.

He is currently writing two series. Soho Noir is set in the West End of London between 1940 and 1970. The first book in the series, "The Black Mile", deals with the (real life but little known) serial killer who operated in the area during the Blitz. "The Imposter" traces the journey of a criminal family (think The Sopranos in austerity London and you'd be on the right track).

The John Milton series features a disgruntled special agent who aims to help people to make amends for the terrible things that he has done. Mark, as a child of the 80s, will freely admit that he watched a lot of The Equalizer in his youth.

Mark lives in Wiltshire with his family.

You can find him at www.markjdawson.com or www.facebook.com/markdawsonauthor.

Reviews

[Jennifer (Jaye) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thrilling*

John Milton is the type of man that when all fails Her Majesty’s Government send him in. Underestimate him at your cost.

This instalment sends him in assignment to Italy to investigate the death of a colleague. He quickly finds out who the culprit is a deadly assassin who they nickname “Tarantula”

I love how he puts the pieces together and never wastes time. The scary thing is even at one moment sitting a table with the one who gave the orders for the kill, John is sitting at a table with a gun pointed at him under the table, he does not flinch or show fear.

A novella that is pacy and certainly packs a punch, promising series

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining mystery listening 🎶🔰

This was a free novella e-book from Amazon. The balance of the series is available on kindle unlimited or for purchase.

This is a will written novella British 🏰👑 classic 007 mystery novella. The main character is 008 John Milton. He is sent to Naples, Italy to find answers to the death of 003 😀. He makes all the right contacts with the local mafia and they come to an agreement. The night 🌙 ends badly for the mafia and 008 is on his way back to England.

I would recommend this novella and author to 👍 readers of British 🏰👑 classic pulp fiction mystery novels 👍🔰. 2023 😀👒😡🏰

I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Mike French · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another John Milton novella ,this time set in Italy. Again it grabbed me at the beginning and never let go!

[ღ Carol jinx~☆~☔ʚϊɞ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm reading Mark Dawson's Books one right after another. I can't believe I just happened on this author. Every book so far has been an amazing thriller with a great story.

[Chrissie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable short read, with an upbeat narrator.

[The Cats’ Mother · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bonus novella at the end of the second John Milton 3-book box set, this serves mainly to illustrate the kind of work he did for Group Fifteen before his conscience got the better of him and he set off on his own path of atonement.
Sent to Naples to deal with a mafia assassin who has already taken out one of his colleagues, Milton beats up local thugs, charms a beautiful woman, rides a motorbike, and negotiates with the head honcho to take out a gang of drug dealers. It's very James Bond-y, only 15 short chapters, so rather like the opening scenes of the later movies where we see the hero in action, but there's no real relevance to the main plot.

[ElaineY · Rating 3 out of 5]

REVIEW OF AUDIOBOOK; JANUARY 23, 2018
Narrator: David Thorpe

I wouldn't have missed anything if I had skipped this and went straight into the series because it didn't give me much background on Milton other than that he used to be in a covert group called '15'. IIRC, Milton is Number 3 and he's sent to Italy to investigate Number 8's death.

Once he meets the Comorra head, it's been-there-done-that. IMO, you can pick any novel involving a conversation with a Mafia-type boss, copy, cut and paste it in any other. They all sound the same, use the same cliches and scenarios.

I'll have to try the first book in the series, The Cleaner, and see if Dawson's style appeals.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

An excellent earlier short story of hard drinking Milton doing want he does best, stepping in and cleaning up the mess that the British government has no other satisfactory solution at hand.
In this case an agent has already tried and been eliminated. Now Milton has to follow in his dead colleague's steps and avoid being killed.
His mission is to go into the very heart of the most feared mafia family in and around Naples and undermine their trade in drugs with a syndicate in Liverpool. Not forgetting to find Number 3's killer - Tarantula, and kill him to send a message ahead of taking down his boss / Capo.
As with all Mark's writing the sense of Italy is fresh from the page and the tension never slackens as Milton feels watched, while remaining alert to danger and ready to escape any threat to his life. To succeed however he must take risks; trust his senses and forge relationships in the heart of the enemy.
Excellent thriller but nothing we haven't met previously. Alot like a bond story even with a quartermaster on hand to supply weaponery and gadgets. Here Dawson has the last laugh as things are effective but unlike the 00 section not every goes to plan.

[Pierre Tassé (Enjoying Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short story packed with information and framing of the main character. Number 8 (as he is called) seems like the rest of us having a drink (or two) requires to decompress, thinks before he acts (well, maybe not all of us), and now to more on to Mark Dawson's first book, Let's see what he can do with a FULL novel.

[Trish R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, another short story about The Cleaner John Milton. This time he was sent to Italy to find out what happen to Agent Three and take care of business once he did find out, which he did.

I did start reading the book The Cleaner but I felt a little lost so after 6 chapters I quit and went on to other books BUT now think I understand John better and why he wanted to quit The Group. And I get why he feels the need to help people in need instead of just killing people because he was told to. He already had 50 kills so he wanted something more out of his life.

As to the narration: He was great. When the book called for a laugh by Ernesto David Thorpe let loose a nasty, evil laugh. His reading skills are simply wonderful.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5* rounded up

Although a couple of errors this is an excellent prequel novella.

Brilliantly described the locale and fast paced.

[Fiona Keates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple plot but engaging. realistic characters and story line if you like the james bond type plots
there's even a Q. wonder where M is....?

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Another short story featurung assassin John Milton - plenty of action & murder - what's not to like?!

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite this being a novella, it does complement the John Milton series, but it was one which I felt could have been made into a book in its own right. It comes from the time when Milton was №8 within Group 15, so it gives the reader an extra insight into his background before he became №1. As with the other books this has been well researched and thought out, with good solid characters.
Milton has been tasked by Control to investigate the disappearance of №3, whilst he was on assignment in Naples. Milton soon has to face a group known as the Camorra, a Mafiaesque type group.
For anyone not familiar with the John Milton series of books, this novella probably isn't a bad place to begin. It will give the reader a chance to get to 'know' the character, John milton, and also the author's writing style.

[Erth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another winner from Mark Dawson. This novella takes another look back into John Milton's violent past as an operative of the top secret government agency, Group 15. This time around, Milton travels to Naples, Italy to find out what happened to another member of the agency who disappeared while on assignment. Milton must get close to the Italian crime syndicate, the Camorra, gain their trust and pick up where his missing colleague left off. If you like mystery, suspense and action, all wrapped up in a tight little bundle, this book us for you. Highly recommended.

[Dimitra Muni · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Hadley Chasian.Fluent, unstoppable, unputdownable !!!

[Book Addict Shaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second John Milton novella and I have to say that I enjoyed this one more than 1000 Yards. Milton is sent to Italy with the intention of taking down the leader of one of Italy’s most fearsome criminal organisations.

Mark Dawson captures Italy brilliantly and it was very easy to visualise the setting that was being described to me. As with 1000 Yards it was exciting to read about an earlier Milton, one that still had his secret job as a Cleaner for the government. Having read the future books it’s clear how damaged Milton is by his past and that’s ever clearer when reading stories set in that actual past.

There’s real depth to the story here for a novella and the book moves at a brilliant pace because of that shorter word count. Knowing that Milton will succeed and survive doesn’t detract from the enjoyment of the story and how he manages to complete his mission was a lot of fun to read about. The comparisons to James Bond and Reacher are worthy but Milton is definitely his own character and I’m very much enjoying following him on these adventures.

As with 1000 Yards this serves as a good introduction to John Milton, in fact Tarantula is probably a better introduction, and I felt that this too had the potential to be a full-length story. I was a little disappointed one aspect of the story, concerning a female character that Milton met on his mission, wasn’t explored further at the end of the novel. I was expecting a final scene between them (had this been Lee Child and the obligatory sex scene would have made an appearance) however the ending only left me wanting to continue with the main series which as I’ve said previously is proving to be one of the best series of thrillers I’ve read.

[LaShana Claude]

The MAFIA in that part of ITALY called him Tarantula. A tattoo of a spider decorated his face. The abdomen of the insect was on his right cheek, covering it from the cheekbone to the line of his jaw. The eight legs spread up to his eye, his forehead, towards his ear and down to his throat and the corner of his lips. His head was shaved and the rest of his skin was decorated, too. There was a pistol and a grenade. A neat line of cursive script above his right ear declared, in Italian, "La vita `e dolore."

Life is pain.

Tarantula had become his nom de guerre. He was a hunter, just like the spider, and just as deadly.

The road followed the line of the cliff, bending in a slow and gentle curve. It was fenced for much of its length but this span of half a mile or so was unguarded, with a steep drop that terminated in deep waters fifty feet below. The unfenced part came at the apex of a sharp hairpin. It was necessary for drivers to slow right down to make the turn, to thirty or forty miles an hour maximum, before they could increase their speed again for the straight run ahead.
That was important.

[Sue Olexa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Milton at it again at the hands of acclaimed Author Mark Dawson, who does the book Tarantula so very well. Assassin John Milton becomes “Mr. Smith”, to go after the bad guys. Ordinary name for an UNordinary character. As Author Mark Dawson said, John Milton’s ‘ledger was dripping with blood’. Milton has all the necessary tools to perform his job down pat. Fast, easy deaths, done calmly and confidently by John Milton as he deals out the deaths. He knows his business very well. I particularly loved the grenade scene, and when...oops...NO SPOILERS. Fast actioned pace, flowed so freely. The John Milton Series is proving to be a great one!! The tattoo on his back, which is The Angel of Death, is definitely very appropriate. WINNER BOOK if you like fast precise action and I DO.
Acclaimed Author Mark Dawson and his character Assassin John Milton at their BEST in Tarantula!!
ENJOY this steadily fast actioned one folks!!!

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whether this is your first book in Mark Dawson’s John Milton series or you’re like me and come to it after many books deep into this phenomenal series, we learn more about John from when he was an active killer for the British government. I swear the active assassin John Milton is hard to juxtapose with the retired John Milton, even though he must often employ his skill set for one reason or another. This novella was a quick, yet entertaining read with all the action of a typical John Milton novel. The removal of care and concern for his drinking and killing was sad for me to hear because it’s his angst over these things that really draw me to Milton. I loved learning the origin story about his tattoo, even though it felt more like an afterthought. It was a true Milton move and made me laugh.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating between 3.5 & 4

A very strong 3.5 for this novella that for me at least acted as an introduction to the author and his characters.
Well drawn protagonists and settings, clear straightforward plot to follow, lots of action in very few pages. Reminded me of a modem take on the Matt Helm series from the 1960’s-1970’s.

After thinking on this it probably should have been a 4 for the enjoyment factor tbh

Am surprised that this series hasn’t been picked up by tv or movie in at least some form. It seems to fit right into the same space as modern Bond stories, as well as Jack Reacher and the impossible mission movies.

Will almost certainly pick up at least the first couple of novels to see where the series goes.

[David King · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good story, fills in some more background info about John Milton.
As a short novel or novella, it was about the right length, except when it came to Act 3 the climax was over too quickly. Milton dealt with the bad guys in a way that was too easy and quick, too much like a comic book, without much of a fight. There could have been a fight to death, man-to-man, at the end, between Milton and Tarantula or Milton and the mafia boss.
Also at times the descriptions were overly-wordy, too many adjectives. And there were a few minor typos. And why so much swearing? It would still be a good book without the swearing.
A good story overall and I enjoyed reading it.

[Steve Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a superbly narrated audiobook. That upped it a star.

The story had a simple action plot with a simple hero. John Milton, the protagonist, is perfect weapon. He’s smart, fearless, good looking, lethal. He’s about as deep a character as Lee Child’s Jack Reacher, but for more plausible and with way more scars.

Dawson crafts action well, but he hasn’t made Milton interesting. Like Reacher, there is no depth. No vulnerability.

The greatest flaw in the book is when Dawson had Milton riding north on a coastal road headed for Naples…and he puts the ocean to the right of Milton.

I’d say the author needs to learn how to read a map…or travel to Italy.

[Viva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoilers ahead. I didn't know ahead of time that it was a novella. Only found out when the book was ending that it was only a couple of hours ago I had started reading it.

Pretty much a pure action book. Milton is part of Group Fifteen, the UK government's sanctioned kill squad. He is being sent to Italy to avenge the killing of one of their own and to take care of business. And the business is to destroy a drug smuggling operation out of Italy.

Milton lands in Italy, finds the opposition, makes an appointment, kills them. That's pretty much it. The writing was easy to read, no twists, no side plots so to speak.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Tarantula a book in the John Milton series (Novella) by Mark Dawson.
John Milton works for the government and is sent on a mission to Italy to investigate the death of a colleague from Group 15. John Milton is part of the assassination squad who are sent in when the going gets tough.
John has to negotiate with the Italian mafia known as the Camorra who also have connections in Liverpool. John has to pit his wits against their trained assassin by the name of Tarantula who was responsbile for the killing of John's deceased colleague.
John also has exemplary skills and his mission is to always get his man.

[Jeannette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tijdens een poging de drugscriminaliteit in Engeland te verminderen wordt 003 vermoord door de Camorra in Zuid-Italië. John Milton -008- wordt er op uit gestuurd om de moordenaar -Tarantula- te elimineren. En tegelijkertijd de Engelse familie te stoppen die drugs koopt van de Camorra, en met deze drugs vervolgens de Noord-Engelse markt doordrenkt.
Aan het eind van deze novelle, op de terugvlucht naar GB, begint John Milton last te krijgen van gewetenswroeging.
Dit is de eerste glimp die je opvangt van het karakter van John Milton.

[Andy Davis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Blimey. Hard to imagine anything more deritive of James Bond that did not trigger lawsuits. He has a plain name, numeric code, gruff boss with an MI6 cover office (logistics not exports), he is sent of solo with a licence to kill to an exotic foreign local with cover being to look like a jack flash, hard drinking womaniser. He drives a fast vehicle- bike this time, the numeric dead fellow agent he is avenging had the sports car. His contact is an attractive foreign lady. He buys a vodka martini (your kidding me -- nope). And, drumroll is supplied in the field by the MI6 quatermaster known by the initial Q. At least I like Bond but Fleming writes it better.

[Brad Audiobibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having absolutely hated the first main book in the series, The Cleaner, I decided to try this prequel novella and was very pleasantly surprised to find it was really good and so much better than "The Cleaner".
So much so that I might even be tempted to try book no. 2 which I'd previously removed from my TBR list following the first book.
This one is short, well written and makes much more sense and much better reading than the main novel which follows.

[Mrs V · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great short read.

This novella shows who John Milton was when he was working for Group 15, a cold blooded killer for the government. The story is sharp, concise and thoroughly entertaining.

I've read all of the John Milton series where he forsakes his past and attempts to atone for the killings, but its nice to see how he once was.

Mark Dawson knows how keep a series fresh.

[Angela Davidson]

A second prequel to the John Milton series.

I actually liked this less than the first one, but still an ok listen. Start to learn a little more about John Milton.

I listed to the audio version of this book and found the narrator to be suited to the story.

Am I glad I read it - it was ok.
Was it a waste of my time - no.
Would I sit down and read it all over again - probably not.
Would I read more by this author based on this book - yes.