The Tailor of Riga

Tales of the Sica #1

by Jonathan Harries

In his 5th novel, Jonathan Harries takes us through the dark, comedic (and highly questionable) history of a family of assassins. Unfortunately, as he discovers, they're his family.I had absolutely no intention of getting into the family business. As I told my father the night he enlightened me on what my ancestors had been up to for over a thousand years, “Sticking a curved dagger into someone’s liver ain’t quite my cup of tea.”

As it turned out, I had no choice. When your family’s been assassinating reprobates and other loathsome individuals for seventy generations, you have a certain obligation.

So, while it was a little disconcerting to hear how dear old granny would have become a prostitute if Grandpa Joe hadn’t whacked one of Germany’s top agents just before the start of World War I, it certainly piqued my interest. Of course, as I discovered, prostitution and murder were pretty de rigueur for my family.

After all, it was my great-grandfather who was hired by the British secret service to kill Jack the Ripper and my mother’s cousins who took part in the attempted assassination of Lenin.

My only regret when I finally took up the family sica was not eliminating Jean-Bedel Bokassa just before he crowned himself Emperor of the Central African Empire and ate my two friends.

But we all make mistakes.

309 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 7, 2020

About the author

I grew up in Namibia and began my career as a copywriter in South Africa. I moved to the US in 1986 and retired last year as Chairman of one of the largest global advertising agencies. While Infatuation, my second book, is primarily about a belly dancer, most of my writing is about trying to save Africa’s wildlife - mainly by killing poachers and trophy hunters. I live in New York and go on Safari as often as possible.

Reviews

[S. Jeyran Main · Rating 5 out of 5]

The tailor of Riga is a crime thriller story about a family that has been assassins for 70 generations. Dating back to the 19th century, the tale begins with the protagonist expressing his doubts over joining his assassin family and how it all started when he was only 17, drinking liquor, and was considering initiation into the ‘family business.’

The story is cited by the first-person narrative and then carries on as the third. The story is fast-paced. The plot contains many twists and turns, keeping the reader intrigued and wanting to know more. The title of the story comes from the great grandfather known as the Tailor of Riga.

The author’s fifth novel is enticing. I was expecting many historical references to the fictional story; however, instead, the author focused on military action, mysteries, ancestries, and family bonds. The novel was passionate and filled with adventure, humor, and creativity.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys crime thriller.

[Mystica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A job that has come through innumerable generations is something to be proud about. This one however you cant shout from the rooftops. It is meant to be kept a secret, and actually other than your parents no one else knows anything about it. It is casually mentioned in a conversation one day but
you also do not know when, how, where and how your assignment will start. The job is assassination with a sharp small knife known as a Sica and it has been a very successful occupation so far.

The story was a fascinating one. Told over several countries, different political ideologies and to be
carried out without question. The fact that the holding of the Sica seemed to give the holder a certain magical power of knowledge of how to use the Sica, added to its allure and mystery in reading.

I certainly enjoyed the stories, told in concise and matter of fact form. This was a free download from Amazon and I will be looking out for this author in the future.

[D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would have never thought in a million years that reading about a family lineage of expert assassins would be interesting, but it was! If you have a weak stomach, there are many bloody and gory passages graphically detailed. The only thing I would change about the book is the title. I would have entitled it The Magical Sica. You will have to read to find out why. Once you start piecing the family history together, it is amazing. The author says that the book is fictional, and history is not my area of expertise, but I think there may have been quite a few references to real or half-real events in history. If you like history, military action, mystery, ancestry, family bonds, or even a good love story line, you will love this book! Can assassins have a heart? You will have to read to find out!

[Lee Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing here is masterful and the dialogue really helps the characters come alive. However, this isn’t a novel you read so much as study. The author has done tremendous work in creating interweaving tales of a family lineage. If you have the patience, this is a fascinating novel relating the in-depth history of a Jewish family and certain hardships they face from anti-semitism and from, well, just being human. There's also an assassin in the family.

If you don’t have the patience, this is an unnecessarily dense book with too many characters and storylines to latch onto. (The beginnings of chapters even contain a list of character names to help the reader in not getting lost.)

I’m somewhere in the middle of these view points, though I’m sure a second reading would likely improve this for the better. Again though, the writing is masterful. It's a worthwhile read.

[Milton Lasnitzki · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Tailor of Riga

The author has created a story (hopefully fictional) about his family's legacy of international assassins by both of his parents ancestors.
He has a wonderful use of the English language combined with a lovely, subtle sense of humor. The story is compelling and well structured.
The book is definitely worth a read.
Harries is also to be complimented as a passionate supporter of preservation of African wildlife.

[Melisende · Rating 3 out of 5]

"When your family's been assassinating reprobates and other loathsome individuals for seventy generations, you have a certain obligation."

Harries takes us on a journey of discovery - that he is descended from a long line of assassins dating back to Biblical times - and showcases a couple of incidents out of what is no doubt many acts of subterfuge and murderous expediency, de rigueur.

[John Calia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The hook is irresistible. The author tells us he is the latest practitioner in the family business going back 2000 years. The business: paid assassinations. Who could pass that up? So, I downloaded the book, which is well-written in a workmanlike fashion. The book is the story of the last four of the generations, including the author who writes his part in the first person.

Great premise. Great story. Well-written. So, why the three-star rating?

Throughout the book, you always have a strong sense of place and the experience of the characters dealing with the environment in which they find themselves and each other. What you never get is a sense of is the characters themselves. They all speak alike in the King’s English, despite Great Grandpa who emigrates to the UK and is a Russian Jew. And, subsequent generations who reside in Apartied South Africa.

Moreover, any reference to the emotions felt by the characters as they first learn what the family business is and later practice it is perfunctory. One might expect at least one to experience something like PTSD.

A good book, but I wouldn’t put it high on my list of recommendations.

[Dan Santos · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good novelist concocts a story and paints a picture with words that entertains the reader for a few hours. A master of the craft transports the reader to a different place, or a different time or into the very essence of a different soul. Difficult to do all three, but Jonathan Harries does it in “The Tailor of Riga.”

This is a well written, exciting tale of generations of reluctant contract murderers who piggyback on historical events. It’s also creative in that the characters come straight out of the author’s family tree. Thus, the reader can justifiably ask whether Jonathan Harries himself has or will continue the tradition. Unlikely, because what I know of him marks him a man with a big heart with a sterling reputation.

Nevertheless, if we ever meet personally I shall look for the tell-tale bulge of a sica hidden in his pant leg. LOL

All kidding aside, I truly enjoyed this book. I believe you will too.

Five Stars without blood and gore!

[Liza Cordero · Rating 5 out of 5]

A James-Bond-Like Collection of Adventure Stories

It started with a disappointing 23andme report, spanned generations and covered far-flung regions of the world. The author told a very unique story about his main character tracing his ancestry, discovering that he hails from a family of assassins. Every chapter starts out like a dossier. Each ancestor has a different assassination story.

It was funny and read like a James Bond film. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a thrilling adventure.

[Matt Kelland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm. I think I liked this, but I'm not sure why. I liked the technique of having dramatis personae at the start of each chapter, and he mixed in fictional and historical characters well. It was very lightweight, easy reading, and fun, without being satisfying. I'm trying to think of an analogy involving fluffy desserts that taste good but leave you feeling like you haven't had dessert yet, but it won't come. Oh well, you know what I mean.

[Vickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. The Tailor of Riga is the storyteller's great-grandfather. He comes from Lithuania, but he marries a woman from Riga, Latvia. He is an assassin first for the Russians, the French, and finally the British. His profession is handed down from generation to generation for about 1500 years. This tells the stories of the great-grandfather, the grandfather, father and mother (who is also an assassin), and lastly himself.

[Jean Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harries gives his reader a polished, dare I call it, cozy story of a family of assassins. Through the generations the family takes on jobs for various governments to take out pesky adversaries. I enjoyed the trip through time and learned a few things about various historical people and places. A fun read.

[Victor Hess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harries is a great story teller. Much of this is quite believable and required me to make sure it was fiction half way through it. The action scenes are well described. The characters are clearly drawn. The story captures your imagination and now, I wonder if we will get some more of this family's experience as assassins in a prequel. I read this in one day which is a clue that I liked it.

[Lynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very different type of book for me. The protagonist tells the story of his family, who have been assassins for 70 generations. The story begins with his grandfather being hired by British Government officials to kill Jack the Ripper, before his crimes destabilised the government. Quite an interesting story.

[Elizabeth Ducie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of those books that reads like non-fiction, even though you know it is fiction. Peppered with real people and events, it tells a family saga with a difference. Quirky. Not really my cup of tea. But probably a good example of the genre.

[Joseph Donne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The narrative connection to personal family history was fascinating, but the story was dragged down by each's chapter's Drammatis Personnae. The cast of characters at the top of each chapter dragged me right out of the story every time it appeared. I would have rather encountered each person as they made their appearance in the story.

Overall, a story steeped in historical fiction with a lot of potential, but flawed by format.

[Viola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding

The tale is mesmerizing.......skill and supernatural expressions unite to provide great entertainment. The way the scenes are united is artistic rendering

[Mme Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This might have been a really gruesome book considering the subject matter, but I found it highly entertaining and an easy read. I'm looking forward to reading more in the series.

[Helen ONeill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Follow Jonathan Harries as he reveals his family story, which just happens to involve coming from a long line of assassins who have wiped out undesirables throughout history.
A clever novel with memorable characters and sprinkled with dark humour. A great read.