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Angel of Darkness #1
Kill Switch
A deadly gang. A kidnapped woman. An edge-of-your-seat rescue mission.
★★★★★ “Reacher fans should enjoy this … a thrill-packed adrenaline rush.” AJ Norton
Tess Williams has seen a lot of dead bodies. Not surprising – she’s responsible for most of them being in that state.
However, Tess isn’t just a killer, but a rogue assassin with a passion for meting out justice to those who harm others – murderers, rapists, gangbangers, pimps – so when a young woman is abducted in Krakow, Poland, Tess dives into the city’s sleazy underworld to save her.
And that’s when the bodies start piling up.
Tess finds out the hard way that she’s taken on way more than just some local street thugs and plunges into a life-or-death struggle to rescue the woman. But she has only 24 hours to do it. And the clock is ticking…
Outgunned, outnumbered, and out of options, Tess is about to discover that victory sometimes comes at a price too terrifying to pay.
From Amazon #1 bestselling author Steve N. Lee comes a series that will see you turning pages quicker than you ever thought possible. A smart blend of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher and TV’s Nikita, Tess Williams is a hero you’ll love rooting for.
Praise for Kill Switch:
★★★★★ “Fast-paced and action-packed, it takes you on a ride you don't want to stop!” J. Alexander
★★★★★ "Great Read… like a female Jack Reacher but with a twist. Highly recommended.” Brandon Williams
★★★★★ "Great non-stop action. Why does it always feel good when the bad guy gets what's coming to him?" C. A. Gisone
★★★★★ “An action packed thriller from beginning to end!” Dawn Raker
★★★★★ “A great intro to a great character. There's action a plenty as well as beautifully described scenes that really 'take you' to the places described.” Mr. Christopher A. Wells
★★★★★ “Fast paced thriller with suspense packed onto every page. Loved it.” Michael Miller
★★★★★ Over 1,000 5-star reviews across the series! ★★★★★
Do you really want to miss this edge-of-your-seat thriller that so many other readers are raving about?
If you love pulse-pounding action and a troubled hero with a dark past, you MUST READ this series.
Amazon Bestselling Thriller
Kill Switch has been:
#1 Bestseller Crime Fiction (Apr 2016)
#1 Bestseller Assassination Thrillers
#1 Bestseller Vigilante Justice
#1 Bestseller Noir
#1 Bestseller Hard-boiled
#1 Bestseller Mystery Series
#1 Bestseller Pulp
#1 Bestseller Serial Killers
Absolutely FREE!
You get Black File 01 free with this book (see Contents).
Dark Crime Thrillers
This series is gritty, action-packed crime fiction, not Miss Marple, so expect some violence, occasional strong language, and every so often, a scene of a sexual nature.
The paperback edition is 220 pages long.
★★★★★ “Developing an emotional connection with the characters, and especially the protagonist is unavoidable. … prepare yourself for a wild ride, and while you're at it, take the day off, or have a good excuse for missing your deadlines.” Titia Matti
★★★★★ “Reacher fans should enjoy this … a thrill-packed adrenaline rush.” AJ Norton
Tess Williams has seen a lot of dead bodies. Not surprising – she’s responsible for most of them being in that state.
However, Tess isn’t just a killer, but a rogue assassin with a passion for meting out justice to those who harm others – murderers, rapists, gangbangers, pimps – so when a young woman is abducted in Krakow, Poland, Tess dives into the city’s sleazy underworld to save her.
And that’s when the bodies start piling up.
Tess finds out the hard way that she’s taken on way more than just some local street thugs and plunges into a life-or-death struggle to rescue the woman. But she has only 24 hours to do it. And the clock is ticking…
Outgunned, outnumbered, and out of options, Tess is about to discover that victory sometimes comes at a price too terrifying to pay.
From Amazon #1 bestselling author Steve N. Lee comes a series that will see you turning pages quicker than you ever thought possible. A smart blend of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher and TV’s Nikita, Tess Williams is a hero you’ll love rooting for.
Praise for Kill Switch:
★★★★★ “Fast-paced and action-packed, it takes you on a ride you don't want to stop!” J. Alexander
★★★★★ "Great Read… like a female Jack Reacher but with a twist. Highly recommended.” Brandon Williams
★★★★★ "Great non-stop action. Why does it always feel good when the bad guy gets what's coming to him?" C. A. Gisone
★★★★★ “An action packed thriller from beginning to end!” Dawn Raker
★★★★★ “A great intro to a great character. There's action a plenty as well as beautifully described scenes that really 'take you' to the places described.” Mr. Christopher A. Wells
★★★★★ “Fast paced thriller with suspense packed onto every page. Loved it.” Michael Miller
★★★★★ Over 1,000 5-star reviews across the series! ★★★★★
Do you really want to miss this edge-of-your-seat thriller that so many other readers are raving about?
If you love pulse-pounding action and a troubled hero with a dark past, you MUST READ this series.
Amazon Bestselling Thriller
Kill Switch has been:
#1 Bestseller Crime Fiction (Apr 2016)
#1 Bestseller Assassination Thrillers
#1 Bestseller Vigilante Justice
#1 Bestseller Noir
#1 Bestseller Hard-boiled
#1 Bestseller Mystery Series
#1 Bestseller Pulp
#1 Bestseller Serial Killers
Absolutely FREE!
You get Black File 01 free with this book (see Contents).
Dark Crime Thrillers
This series is gritty, action-packed crime fiction, not Miss Marple, so expect some violence, occasional strong language, and every so often, a scene of a sexual nature.
The paperback edition is 220 pages long.
★★★★★ “Developing an emotional connection with the characters, and especially the protagonist is unavoidable. … prepare yourself for a wild ride, and while you're at it, take the day off, or have a good excuse for missing your deadlines.” Titia Matti
222 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 6, 2015
607 people are currently reading
518 people want to read
About the author
Steve N. Lee
26 books108 followersSteve has three passions: anti-heroes, animals, and travel. To date, he's visited 60 countries and has adopted five homeless cats, but he's yet to prowl the streets in the dead of night to beat up bad guys (though he still daydreams about doing so, but who doesn't?).
In pursuit of adventure, he's cage-dived with great white sharks, sparred with a monk at a Shaolin temple, and explored exotic locales such as Machu Picchu, Pompeii, and the Great Wall of China.
Fortunately, his passions fuel his fiction. He loves to pepper his action-packed thrillers with the exotic places he's explored and the unusual encounters he's experienced, while his dog stories glow with the love and companionship that will warm the heart of any animal lover.
More recently, while on his travels, Steve came across two true stories from the Holocaust which moved him so deeply, he has based two novels on them.
He lives in the North of England with his partner, Ania, the great-great-great niece of the 1924 winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, and two stray black cats who visited their garden one day and liked it so much, they moved into the house. Luckily, they graciously allowed Steve and Ania to carry on living there, even allowing Steve to continue paying the mortgage to give him a sense of purpose.
If you love stories of four-legged heroes, tales from histories darkest hour, or books with pulse-pounding action, you'll love Steve's three series. He wrote them for book lovers just like you!
Visit Steve's website: http://stevenleebooks.com/
Follow Steve on Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/steve...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
February 10, 2017
My first novel by this author.
The best way of explaining this book, and this is meant in the best way.
You know when you sit down and watch a film that you know is not going to be a Academy Award winning film, but it will be action packed, with an easy going story, no brilliant acting.
This is the book version. Easy story to follow, easy characters to follow, get's right into the action.
A good leading character in Tess, an easy short book to read.
No amazing twists, shocks, cliff hangers, just easy action book.
Seven in the series.
Enjoyed enough to be keen to read more, maybe in between some more challenging books.
The best way of explaining this book, and this is meant in the best way.
You know when you sit down and watch a film that you know is not going to be a Academy Award winning film, but it will be action packed, with an easy going story, no brilliant acting.
This is the book version. Easy story to follow, easy characters to follow, get's right into the action.
A good leading character in Tess, an easy short book to read.
No amazing twists, shocks, cliff hangers, just easy action book.
Seven in the series.
Enjoyed enough to be keen to read more, maybe in between some more challenging books.
November 19, 2017
“Kill Switch” by Steve N Lee is a quick read. It definitely fulfills the promises on the jacket: Action-Packed Revenge and Gripping Vigilante Justice. This book is all about action, and the author takes advantage of every possibility to throw heroine Tess into another battle.
I did like that the fight scenes came off as realistic. While a smaller woman may have a challenge taking down multiple attackers who are larger than her, the descriptions are close enough to reality that I wasn’t shutting the book in disgust or rolling on the floor laughing. The same could be said for the basic police work Tess follows in her search for a missing woman. Basic in-the-trenches-type procedures were used, and there weren’t any incredible moments where the author had to insert an impossibility in order to save the plot.
If there was anything that bothered me, it was Tess examining her motives on a regular basis. While I understand why the author did it, the numerous soul-searching didn’t ring true to me and these instances were probably the most unrealistic parts of the book.
Bottom line, if you like the adrenaline boost from a book loaded with action scenes, “Kill Switch” should be added to your list of To-Reads. I am giving this book three-and-a-half stars and rounding it up to four because, as I stated above, the author fulfilled the jacket promises and never promised anything else.
I did like that the fight scenes came off as realistic. While a smaller woman may have a challenge taking down multiple attackers who are larger than her, the descriptions are close enough to reality that I wasn’t shutting the book in disgust or rolling on the floor laughing. The same could be said for the basic police work Tess follows in her search for a missing woman. Basic in-the-trenches-type procedures were used, and there weren’t any incredible moments where the author had to insert an impossibility in order to save the plot.
If there was anything that bothered me, it was Tess examining her motives on a regular basis. While I understand why the author did it, the numerous soul-searching didn’t ring true to me and these instances were probably the most unrealistic parts of the book.
Bottom line, if you like the adrenaline boost from a book loaded with action scenes, “Kill Switch” should be added to your list of To-Reads. I am giving this book three-and-a-half stars and rounding it up to four because, as I stated above, the author fulfilled the jacket promises and never promised anything else.
October 10, 2015
I liked the concept and ideas, but it wasn't developed well. But I was curious enough to read the whole thing.
Not enough character development. No details about why Tess became a tough guy. It just says she spent 10 years learning to fight. No development of the bad guys. It reminds me of something for an action film - investigate, ask questions, and fight scenes.
I was annoyed with an overused cliche for the victim. In the beginning of the story, Cat is down on her luck looking for work. She doesn’t speak the language, so about all she can do is cleaning or dish washing. Her car was stolen which had her clothes and things. She has no money. That is a good enough reason for me. But the author added “Cat needs to earn money to get medical treatment for her sick mother.” That was overdone. The story didn’t need that. It would have been better to open the story with theft of her car and her things. I wanted to know more about that and maybe more about why she was in Poland - more story about her. I also wanted to know what happened with Cat later in the story.
I was annoyed with stupidity in a fight scene. I was disappointed with the ending - unfinished and unsatisfying - both of these are in Spoiler below.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 157 pages. Swearing language: strong including religious swear words. Sexual content: one violent rape. Setting: current day mostly Poland with a little New York. Copyright: 2015. Genre: mystery suspense.
Not enough character development. No details about why Tess became a tough guy. It just says she spent 10 years learning to fight. No development of the bad guys. It reminds me of something for an action film - investigate, ask questions, and fight scenes.
I was annoyed with an overused cliche for the victim. In the beginning of the story, Cat is down on her luck looking for work. She doesn’t speak the language, so about all she can do is cleaning or dish washing. Her car was stolen which had her clothes and things. She has no money. That is a good enough reason for me. But the author added “Cat needs to earn money to get medical treatment for her sick mother.” That was overdone. The story didn’t need that. It would have been better to open the story with theft of her car and her things. I wanted to know more about that and maybe more about why she was in Poland - more story about her. I also wanted to know what happened with Cat later in the story.
I was annoyed with stupidity in a fight scene. I was disappointed with the ending - unfinished and unsatisfying - both of these are in Spoiler below.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 157 pages. Swearing language: strong including religious swear words. Sexual content: one violent rape. Setting: current day mostly Poland with a little New York. Copyright: 2015. Genre: mystery suspense.
January 17, 2020
This is a 4.5 star read.
March 24, 2018
What an outstanding book. Tess is not your average citizen. Cat and her Mom are on vacation when she gets kidnaped. Poland is not the ideal country for this, especially when you’re alone. Tess does her best to find her. Definitely have to read more of this fantastic series.
November 11, 2015
This was an amazing read. I thoroughly enjoyed every page. Great characters, great plot and lots of action. An avenging angel read if you will.
June 5, 2017
Her daughter kidnapped by human traffickers, elderly Elena has lost all hope, until she spies a petite, athletic young woman demolishing 2 bullies who'd been harassing a tourist couple in a park. Her attentiveness, capability, and effectiveness convince Elena that this is the woman who can help her find and rescue her daughter. Approaching her, she finds Tess is indeed a justice warrior, a private vigilante as it were, and more than willing to help. Tess is indomitable, planning and improvising as needed. Scouring the streets of Poland, asking questions, hunting a hunter of young ladies, setting traps, turning tables, beating up baddies. Nothing's too big of a challenge for Tess and her sleek hidden body armor, thin metal strips worn along her knuckles, forearms, legs, and ribs.
"Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." Declares James 4:17. Tess has definitely taken that to heart. Armed with the mental acuity and fighting skills of professional training, and assisted by her body armor, she knows she's able to help those whom the law can't, or won't. Awareness and preparedness are big parts of her technique; she doesn't rush into things half-cocked. She calls it a "kill switch," the way she's able to snap into lethal mode when it's called for, only against evil people and only to protect the innocent. It's a conscious sacrifice she's made, this nomadic vigilante life. The world is better for it, and they don't even know it.
What do you do when you come up against evil in the world, and know you can do something? There's a tugging of the conscience that, often, is ignored, walked by, or brushed off with a quick half-hearted prayer or measly charitable donation. While we may not possess honed instincts and professional combat skills, we can do other things: fervent prayer, substantial meaningful giving, political or charitable action, and answering the Holy Spirit's nudging to help out that needy person you noticed. Lives are changed for the better, often anonymously, and the blessing on recipient and giver is real.
There's quite a lot of violence, some language, and a rape scene in the first chapter which I would've preferred be left out. Once Cat is kidnapped just skip to the next chapter. The rest is a satisfying quest for justice from a dedicated, sacrificial woman.
"Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." Declares James 4:17. Tess has definitely taken that to heart. Armed with the mental acuity and fighting skills of professional training, and assisted by her body armor, she knows she's able to help those whom the law can't, or won't. Awareness and preparedness are big parts of her technique; she doesn't rush into things half-cocked. She calls it a "kill switch," the way she's able to snap into lethal mode when it's called for, only against evil people and only to protect the innocent. It's a conscious sacrifice she's made, this nomadic vigilante life. The world is better for it, and they don't even know it.
What do you do when you come up against evil in the world, and know you can do something? There's a tugging of the conscience that, often, is ignored, walked by, or brushed off with a quick half-hearted prayer or measly charitable donation. While we may not possess honed instincts and professional combat skills, we can do other things: fervent prayer, substantial meaningful giving, political or charitable action, and answering the Holy Spirit's nudging to help out that needy person you noticed. Lives are changed for the better, often anonymously, and the blessing on recipient and giver is real.
There's quite a lot of violence, some language, and a rape scene in the first chapter which I would've preferred be left out. Once Cat is kidnapped just skip to the next chapter. The rest is a satisfying quest for justice from a dedicated, sacrificial woman.
October 9, 2015
Simply wow! The first chapter will draw you in, make you care, and quickly grab you and pull you along on an action filled trip. The author writes so descriptively you can hear, feel, smell and almost taste what is happening in the story. The main character, Tess, is such a strong woman, yet she is written in a very realistic fashion. Strong, yes, but also very vulnerable and while she can kill in a blink, she cares enough to step in and stop the evil happening to good people. Mr. Lee has the talent to make the reader care not only about the people Tess tries to help, but you end up caring a lot about Tess. There is so much happening in the book, yet I could at all times follow the path Mr. Lee took me on. There was no teasing the reader or throwing obstacles into the story to confuse the reader. It was straight forward action, clearly and skillfully written, that make it simply impossible to put down, and by the end I HAVE to get the next book to find out more about Tess. Do I wish to be Tess - no way. Do I want Tess on my side in a fight - you bet!
April 6, 2016
I was asked to read this story for review and found it a well written, gritty tale of bad v evil in a very real sense. Not warriors against dragons as in fantasy, and yet it did have that feel.
The heroine has secrets and a past yet to be revealed, one that appears to have given her 'gifts' and a strong motive for justice.
Hence this first book in the series where she is asked to...I don't give spoilers. Set against time, the hunt is on, giving this story a fast pace and air of mystery.
The heroine has secrets and a past yet to be revealed, one that appears to have given her 'gifts' and a strong motive for justice.
Hence this first book in the series where she is asked to...I don't give spoilers. Set against time, the hunt is on, giving this story a fast pace and air of mystery.
January 4, 2016
This is my first book by Steve N. Lee. The first 2-3 chapters got my attention,& I could not wait to see what happened.
I'm hooked!!!
Totally recommend this book!!!
I'm hooked!!!
Totally recommend this book!!!
June 15, 2017
this book was going alright until the thoroughly unsatisfying ending.
October 23, 2015
I just finished reading Kill Switch by Steve N. Lee, and all I can say is that this novel grabs you, throws you around, kicks you in your teeth and then dares you to get back up and continue reading. I laugh as I write this, but it’s not far from the truth.
When I first began reading Kill Switch, I actually groaned with disgust. I hate rape scenes. I really do. It’s just a “me” thing, one of my little quirks. But I made myself read past the scene and I promised myself that if the book glorified violence, then I was through. The first sign that the author had made me read something I hate for no reason, and I was going to stop right then and there. I can happily report, that time never came.
The bad guys do not get fleshed out in this novel. They are one dimensional, but that initial rape scene makes you hate them and makes you want them to pay for their crimes against humanity. Enter stage left is Tess Williams. A woman who trained to kill for vengeance, except we’re not told her backstory. She won’t think about it or talk about it. Tess’ back story is like Peter Pan’s shadow. It follows her around and every once in a while takes center stage, but is never fully conceptualized within the novel, Kill Switch.
Tess is a bad ass. There really are no better four words to describe the protagonist. Kill Switch is the first novel in the series and it is the catalyst for the books that come after. I would definitely recommend this book. It has some graphic violence, but I already gave the warning of the rape scene. If you can read past that, the rest of the violence in this novel isn’t anywhere near as repulsive. If you like thrillers, then you should give this one a go. The pacing is quick, Tess is easy to root for and the plot will pull you through to the next novel.
[Please note: I was provided a copy of this novel for review. The opinions expressed are completely my own.]
My favorite quote from Kill Switch by Steve N. Lee:
“During her training, Tess had been pummeled by kickboxers, slammed into the ground by jiu jitsu experts, and battered senseless by kung fu masters, but that shove… That shove hurt more than any beating she’d taken anywhere.”
When I first began reading Kill Switch, I actually groaned with disgust. I hate rape scenes. I really do. It’s just a “me” thing, one of my little quirks. But I made myself read past the scene and I promised myself that if the book glorified violence, then I was through. The first sign that the author had made me read something I hate for no reason, and I was going to stop right then and there. I can happily report, that time never came.
The bad guys do not get fleshed out in this novel. They are one dimensional, but that initial rape scene makes you hate them and makes you want them to pay for their crimes against humanity. Enter stage left is Tess Williams. A woman who trained to kill for vengeance, except we’re not told her backstory. She won’t think about it or talk about it. Tess’ back story is like Peter Pan’s shadow. It follows her around and every once in a while takes center stage, but is never fully conceptualized within the novel, Kill Switch.
Tess is a bad ass. There really are no better four words to describe the protagonist. Kill Switch is the first novel in the series and it is the catalyst for the books that come after. I would definitely recommend this book. It has some graphic violence, but I already gave the warning of the rape scene. If you can read past that, the rest of the violence in this novel isn’t anywhere near as repulsive. If you like thrillers, then you should give this one a go. The pacing is quick, Tess is easy to root for and the plot will pull you through to the next novel.
[Please note: I was provided a copy of this novel for review. The opinions expressed are completely my own.]
My favorite quote from Kill Switch by Steve N. Lee:
“During her training, Tess had been pummeled by kickboxers, slammed into the ground by jiu jitsu experts, and battered senseless by kung fu masters, but that shove… That shove hurt more than any beating she’d taken anywhere.”
February 13, 2019
What drives vigilante Tess who cannot turn a blind eye to anyone abusing another innocent victim?..... She was a normal person, living a normal life, once. However, after spending almost 10 years studying the deadliest Far Eastern fighting arts, she set in place a plan and has since travelled through many countries, and is currently in Poland trying to right wrongs; doing what she does just because it needs doing. Tess has a dilemma - she has the choice either to help people in desperate need or to lead a normal life, but not both. She needs to find purpose; something to drive her life forward.
February 7, 2016
Kill Switch is the first in a series of thrillers by author Steve N Lee. While reading the opening chapters, I was reminded of Stieg Larsson’s dragon girl, Lisbeth Salander; and Uma Thurman’s character in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill movies. The author displays an active knowledge of martial arts techniques, which his protagonist, Tess, skillfully demonstrates at strategic intervals throughout the novel, Kill Switch.
Two things that most interest me about the author’s writing is the planning he put into the through line, or continuing story line, of his series; and the marketing process he developed to bring his work to the attention of interested readers.
The Angel of Darkness series consists of seven novels. In Kill Switch, Tess is introduced as an expert martial artist who, after many years of exiled training in the far East, is returning to her homeland to exact vengeance for an unrevealed wrong. She is sidetracked in Poland when a 70-something Romanian woman approaches her with a story about her missing daughter, Catalina, who may be in grave danger. Tess immerses herself in the task of finding Catalina. In the process of learning what happened to the woman’s missing daughter, Tess lays inoperable many an antagonist’s henchman who crosses her path.
Along the way, Tess formulates her true lifetime goals, the basis for the Angel of Darkness series.
Two things that most interest me about the author’s writing is the planning he put into the through line, or continuing story line, of his series; and the marketing process he developed to bring his work to the attention of interested readers.
The Angel of Darkness series consists of seven novels. In Kill Switch, Tess is introduced as an expert martial artist who, after many years of exiled training in the far East, is returning to her homeland to exact vengeance for an unrevealed wrong. She is sidetracked in Poland when a 70-something Romanian woman approaches her with a story about her missing daughter, Catalina, who may be in grave danger. Tess immerses herself in the task of finding Catalina. In the process of learning what happened to the woman’s missing daughter, Tess lays inoperable many an antagonist’s henchman who crosses her path.
Along the way, Tess formulates her true lifetime goals, the basis for the Angel of Darkness series.
January 11, 2019
I was lucky enough to grab a copy of this book free as part of a promotion and I'm really glad I did. Its great with a tough female lead called Tess who has her own problems that she's kind of trying to avoid dealing with. So in the meantime she uses her considerable skills to help others. There's action a plenty as well as beautifully described scenes that really 'take you' to the places described. This is the kind of book that gives you all it says it will: action, fights, cool hero, bad guys. I've heard this described as the written equivalent of an action movie and I'd go along with that. It's fast paced short and gets to the point. You get the feeling that the author will save the whole of Tess' backstory for the rest of the series rather than drop it all in book one. This was my first read of this authors work and if it's yours too you won't be disappointed by the fast paced action.
November 27, 2015
Tess Williams knows how to fight, and she’s not afraid to pull out a can of Whoop-azz on the sleazy degenerates who prey on innocent victims.
While in Poland, she’s approached by a sick, elderly mother who begs Tess to find her missing daughter, Cat. It doesn’t take Tess long to realize Cat has been abducted and forced into a human trafficking ring. Tess makes it her mission to find the girl, vowing she won’t quit until the thugs get what they deserve. Filled with battered bodies, crushed bones, blood, and bullets, this book is certainly action-packed.
There were a few loose ends I would have liked to have seen wrapped up. Also, I wanted more insight into Tess’s past, and what drove her to become such a skilled fighter. I'm definitely going to have to read book 2 to see if these questions get answered.
While in Poland, she’s approached by a sick, elderly mother who begs Tess to find her missing daughter, Cat. It doesn’t take Tess long to realize Cat has been abducted and forced into a human trafficking ring. Tess makes it her mission to find the girl, vowing she won’t quit until the thugs get what they deserve. Filled with battered bodies, crushed bones, blood, and bullets, this book is certainly action-packed.
There were a few loose ends I would have liked to have seen wrapped up. Also, I wanted more insight into Tess’s past, and what drove her to become such a skilled fighter. I'm definitely going to have to read book 2 to see if these questions get answered.
April 19, 2018
Kill Switch, book 1, Steve N Lee's Angel of Darkness series. WHAT A WILD RIDE!!!! Tess Williams, her dark past, chasing her around the world and leading her to Manhattan. In Poland she meets a woman looking for her daughter. The mother, terminally ill. The daughter missing afew days. Tess...the bringer of relief, justice to those who suffer. Nightmares to those who cause turmoil. Action and suspense, dark and deadly!!! The unpredictable twists and turns, magnificent !!!! Both book, series and author should be part of readers' Must Read List!!!!
December 22, 2018
Kill Switch is so well done by Steve N Lee. Evoked very tense moments in a thrilling presentation of evil meets good. At times I had take deep breaths as characters clashed. No spoilers. All things worked together to bring the reader to a place where they feel they are there living those harrowing experiences. Plot, fast paced action, life like characters, all play an equal integrated part to deliver!!! And deliver Kill Swtich DOES. I HIGHLY recommend this book and if you are looking for THRILLS, this book is IT. ENJOY!!!
January 31, 2019
If you're looking for a heroine whose personal story will unfold slowly, you can't go past Tess in Kill Switch. Hints are given that something terrible must have happened to her to make her the skilled assassin that she is, yet she still retains her compassion for those who have been seriously wronged. I look forward to reading the rest of this series. Happy reading, Annemarie
I received a free copy of this book from Prolific Works and have chosen to leave a review.
I received a free copy of this book from Prolific Works and have chosen to leave a review.
Read
January 10, 2017Tess is living with the demons from her past amid extreme violence, rape, murder, and a host of criminals while trying to recover her memory.
July 6, 2023
Tess has completed years of training in Asia. It's the sort of training one disappears from normal life and maintains no contact with her previous life. She learns how to fight, how to survive, and how to deliver justice. Why? Because she has a bone to pick with someone back home in New York City.
Travelling through Poland as a stopover, Tess gets involved in a barroom fight that leads her to an elderly woman named Elena. Elena has witnessed Tess in action and knows she is special, and possibly the one person who might help her locate Cat, her missing daughter. Although Tess is on a long journey to the U.S. where she plans on carrying out her own brand of justice against those who changed her life forever, she finds she cannot turn down the old woman, Elena's, request for help.
"I just want to say goodbye to my daughter one last time," Elena tells Tess. "She's gone missing."
A girl missing in Poland is like searching for a needle in a haystack, but this is precisely what Tess does in order to help Elena come to terms with her missing daughter. When they come across a few leads, things become hopeful for the mismatched pair. However, the people Tess faces off with are not the sort one trifles with.
Along the way, Tess struggles to learn more about what happened to Cat. Who are her kidnappers? What do they want with her? Or did Cat go along with them willingly? How far should Tess go helping Elena find her daughter? The longer she remains in Poland, the longer it will be before she begins her journey against those back home in New York. These are some of the questions Tess must answer and it will take all of her skills, both combat and merciful, to see their way out of a dangerous predicament.
I won a free copy of this book on Amazon Kindle and I was not disappointed. Tess is a beautiful, young woman who has been wronged and seeks revenge. Upon receiving 'special' training, she believes she is ready to return home and get it. However, Elena is a woman she cannot resist helping and along the way Tess learns something about herself that may prove helpful to achieving her goals in the future.
Travelling through Poland as a stopover, Tess gets involved in a barroom fight that leads her to an elderly woman named Elena. Elena has witnessed Tess in action and knows she is special, and possibly the one person who might help her locate Cat, her missing daughter. Although Tess is on a long journey to the U.S. where she plans on carrying out her own brand of justice against those who changed her life forever, she finds she cannot turn down the old woman, Elena's, request for help.
"I just want to say goodbye to my daughter one last time," Elena tells Tess. "She's gone missing."
A girl missing in Poland is like searching for a needle in a haystack, but this is precisely what Tess does in order to help Elena come to terms with her missing daughter. When they come across a few leads, things become hopeful for the mismatched pair. However, the people Tess faces off with are not the sort one trifles with.
Along the way, Tess struggles to learn more about what happened to Cat. Who are her kidnappers? What do they want with her? Or did Cat go along with them willingly? How far should Tess go helping Elena find her daughter? The longer she remains in Poland, the longer it will be before she begins her journey against those back home in New York. These are some of the questions Tess must answer and it will take all of her skills, both combat and merciful, to see their way out of a dangerous predicament.
I won a free copy of this book on Amazon Kindle and I was not disappointed. Tess is a beautiful, young woman who has been wronged and seeks revenge. Upon receiving 'special' training, she believes she is ready to return home and get it. However, Elena is a woman she cannot resist helping and along the way Tess learns something about herself that may prove helpful to achieving her goals in the future.
July 31, 2018
This was a free offer book that I’ve had for quite a while, but never got around to reading. I found the idea of a female Jack Reacher quite intriguing, but I’ve been ‘burnt’ too many times before by publicity blurb describing the hero/heroine as another Jack Reacher.
The book starts extremely poorly, a young women in a foreign country gets into a car with a strange man. You would have to be an absolute idiot to do this, yet she is a qualified doctor, so why couldn’t the author think of a better way of getting ‘Cat’ kidnapped.
In chapter two we meet Tess and at first sight it would appear that the Jack Reacher label might actually apply, I really enjoy a no nonsense ‘kickass’ heroine.
During the book the author drip-feeds some of Tess’s back-story, but never really explains why she has taken on the role of vigilante, but this just made her enigmatic.
The basic story was fine with plenty of action and towards the end of the book I may have given four stars, however, then came the ending. I had to reread the ending just to make sure it wasn’t me, but this was a really rubbish way to end what was otherwise a decent story.
I could only presume there would be some sort of follow up in the next book, but no, this was the actual ending! I really don’t know what the author was thinking when he came up with this end to the book, because of the ending I nearly gave just 1 star, but the rest of the book was good.
The book starts extremely poorly, a young women in a foreign country gets into a car with a strange man. You would have to be an absolute idiot to do this, yet she is a qualified doctor, so why couldn’t the author think of a better way of getting ‘Cat’ kidnapped.
In chapter two we meet Tess and at first sight it would appear that the Jack Reacher label might actually apply, I really enjoy a no nonsense ‘kickass’ heroine.
During the book the author drip-feeds some of Tess’s back-story, but never really explains why she has taken on the role of vigilante, but this just made her enigmatic.
The basic story was fine with plenty of action and towards the end of the book I may have given four stars, however, then came the ending. I had to reread the ending just to make sure it wasn’t me, but this was a really rubbish way to end what was otherwise a decent story.
I could only presume there would be some sort of follow up in the next book, but no, this was the actual ending! I really don’t know what the author was thinking when he came up with this end to the book, because of the ending I nearly gave just 1 star, but the rest of the book was good.
July 12, 2022
I was lucky enough to recieve an ARC copy of this book and have decided to leave a review as follows
So not having heard of the author i was intrigued to see how this book would go and if it would leave up to expectations i had of it being a good read and i can actually truthfully say it really did
I loved the thrilling edge of your seat moment that was constantly within the book and the way i couldn’t put it down as i was wondering were i would be taken next
Throughout there is references to Tess’s past and the things she has done which i assume will be spread throughout the other books in the series which i am now purchasing from amazon
This kind of reminded me of the DC series Arrow in which one of the characters The Canary had a past and used that past to make her self better and protect those around her only in Tess’s case she isn’t a character in a tv series with superhero’s she is a one woman fighting machine hell bent on revenge who just happens to stumble into some stuff along the way lol
Definitely worth a read it wasn’t a massively long book but had a fantastic storyline which made it all the more better
So not having heard of the author i was intrigued to see how this book would go and if it would leave up to expectations i had of it being a good read and i can actually truthfully say it really did
I loved the thrilling edge of your seat moment that was constantly within the book and the way i couldn’t put it down as i was wondering were i would be taken next
Throughout there is references to Tess’s past and the things she has done which i assume will be spread throughout the other books in the series which i am now purchasing from amazon
This kind of reminded me of the DC series Arrow in which one of the characters The Canary had a past and used that past to make her self better and protect those around her only in Tess’s case she isn’t a character in a tv series with superhero’s she is a one woman fighting machine hell bent on revenge who just happens to stumble into some stuff along the way lol
Definitely worth a read it wasn’t a massively long book but had a fantastic storyline which made it all the more better
July 3, 2018
I was a bit sceptic about this novel as it was offered for free. Why would an author give away his work which he probably had spent a lot of time to create? But I was luckily surprised. If you are into action-packed thrillers with a good plot, good dialogue and more than just beating up bad guys then you won’t be disappointed by this book. The novel is mainly set in Krakow, a city which I recently visited, and I was happy that the author had done his research. The description of the locations fit my memory, including the horrific details of Auschwitz, and with a Polish relative in the family I also recognize the main phrases in local language. The flow is fast paced but we also get deeper and deeper into the characters’ emotions as the story progresses. This is first part of a series so even if the novel has it’s own story we also get a cliffhanger for the main plot in the series.
July 16, 2017
Fast paced thriller about a female vigilante who has spent years training in Asia to learn to fight, torture and kill, in order to prepare herself to avenge an unspecified wrong in her past, but before she feels ready to return to the USA, haunts the cities of Europe, taking out bad guys.
Normally Tess avoids making friends, but when an elderly Romanian woman begs her to help find her missing daughter, she finds she can't refuse.
This was enjoyable enough, in a predictable brainless action kind of way. Tess does have a moral code, and a psychological "kill switch" that allows her to take out only those she believes deserve it. The plot was pretty simple, but I'm interested to read the rest of the series at some point.
Normally Tess avoids making friends, but when an elderly Romanian woman begs her to help find her missing daughter, she finds she can't refuse.
This was enjoyable enough, in a predictable brainless action kind of way. Tess does have a moral code, and a psychological "kill switch" that allows her to take out only those she believes deserve it. The plot was pretty simple, but I'm interested to read the rest of the series at some point.
December 2, 2017
Action Packed with Lots of Twists and Turns
Tess is bad-ass, but has a big heart. When Cat goes missing, her mom asks Tess for help with finding her. Tess is on a mission to rid the world of bad people who deserve to die. She claims she has a “kill switch” that allows her to go into assassin mode to do what she needs to do, while still being able to look at herself in the mirror.
This is an action packed book with lots of twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. It is a very exciting and quick read, but it ends with a cliffhanger on the search for Cat, but it hints that Tess is on to her next vigilante experience. I guess I will need to read Book 2 in the series to find out what happens next with Tess (and hope to read more about finding Cat).
Tess is bad-ass, but has a big heart. When Cat goes missing, her mom asks Tess for help with finding her. Tess is on a mission to rid the world of bad people who deserve to die. She claims she has a “kill switch” that allows her to go into assassin mode to do what she needs to do, while still being able to look at herself in the mirror.
This is an action packed book with lots of twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. It is a very exciting and quick read, but it ends with a cliffhanger on the search for Cat, but it hints that Tess is on to her next vigilante experience. I guess I will need to read Book 2 in the series to find out what happens next with Tess (and hope to read more about finding Cat).
September 8, 2019
I really enjoyed reading this book. It's a terrific thriller loaded with lots of action, danger and suspense, murders and mayhem. Tess is a kick-ass vigilante/assassin who protects those who can't protect themselves. I found myself rooting for her and Elena, a terminally ill Mom, whose final wish is to see her daughter one more time. Catalina or Cat, as her Mom calls her, was job hunting and never returned to the hostel she and her Mom were staying in. Tess agrees to help her find her daughter. The author does a nice job of covering the evils of human trafficking , which takes place throughout the world. The book Is unputdownable, enjoyable and entertaining. I am looking forward to reading more books about Tess and the other series of books by this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2022
Tess Williams is returning home to New York after spending a year learning how to fight, kill and survive in China and India. She is on a mission of vengeance. But that is not the story here. She is in Poland when she is a approached by a dying woman asking her to help her find her missing daughter. Tess always stands up for the underdog and the down trodden and this time it's no different, even though she has no idea where to start.
This is the first in a series of Tess Williams who doesn't back down when she knows she has the skills needed to complete the job, however violent it may be. It's violent in places and enjoyable mostly. However, there are times it staggers a bit instead of running at full throttle when it gets to interesting action packed parts. A mind distracting read.
This is the first in a series of Tess Williams who doesn't back down when she knows she has the skills needed to complete the job, however violent it may be. It's violent in places and enjoyable mostly. However, there are times it staggers a bit instead of running at full throttle when it gets to interesting action packed parts. A mind distracting read.
August 13, 2020
By the end of the first page Lee had me hooked. Kill Switch is a fast paced action thriller. It is superbly written and the main character is a combination of Nikita and the Black Widow of the Avengers all rolled up into one hell of a heroine, that you are amazed at and supportive of. As the action builds we learn more about Tess and yet she is also an enigma. I will not give away the plot or more about this incredible woman, each reader should be able to savor each new discovery. I highly recommend this book to you. I was delighted to learn that this is but the first book in the Angel of Darkness series and I cannot wait to begin the next.
March 11, 2024
Tess is a justice inspired vigilante who is willing to fight for those who she feels are wronged. In this story she becomes embroiled in a human trafficking style crime world after meeting the mother of a victim. Lots of action and the book is a fast read. Tess is a very capable fighter and believable for the most part. Some interesting hints in the book about self defense techniques also. I like this type of book because they are quick and don't waste your time with too much background. This is the type of book I read when I want a break from authors who over-develop their characters too soon in lengthy books. A fun read! Good series also.
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