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Those Who Bear Arms #2
The Spy and Her Serpent
Olesya Hua, narcotics empress
…has everything: power, wealth, and a city that'll soon be hers. But her hunger is endless. She covets more still—and what Olesya Hua wants, she always gets.
Dallas Seidel, syndicate fixer
…lost her chosen family to bloody violence ordered by the Huas. She’ll stop at nothing to avenge them—she’ll stop at nothing until the Hua sisters are in the ground.
Their goals are in brutal opposition. Deceit and plots-within-plots will put them at each other's throat. They careen toward not just mutually assured destruction, but toward a fatal passion that’ll mark them both forever.
The Spy and Her Serpent is a trans-for-trans F/F novella set in contemporary Singapore. Contains: high heat, enemies-to-lovers, hurt/comfort, and a butch/femme couple.
…has everything: power, wealth, and a city that'll soon be hers. But her hunger is endless. She covets more still—and what Olesya Hua wants, she always gets.
Dallas Seidel, syndicate fixer
…lost her chosen family to bloody violence ordered by the Huas. She’ll stop at nothing to avenge them—she’ll stop at nothing until the Hua sisters are in the ground.
Their goals are in brutal opposition. Deceit and plots-within-plots will put them at each other's throat. They careen toward not just mutually assured destruction, but toward a fatal passion that’ll mark them both forever.
The Spy and Her Serpent is a trans-for-trans F/F novella set in contemporary Singapore. Contains: high heat, enemies-to-lovers, hurt/comfort, and a butch/femme couple.
154 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 15, 2022
10 people are currently reading
337 people want to read
About the author
Maria Ying
11 books65 followersMaria Ying is both a fictional character and the joint pseudonym of Devi Lacroix and Benjanun Sriduangkaew, who have challenged themselves to write fiction with no speculative elements for once.
Devi Lacroix can be found at
Website: devilacroix.com
Twitter: twitter.com/DeviLacroix
Benjanun Sriduangkaew can be found at
Website: beekian.wordpress.com
Twitter: twitter.com/benjanun_s
Devi Lacroix can be found at
Website: devilacroix.com
Twitter: twitter.com/DeviLacroix
Benjanun Sriduangkaew can be found at
Website: beekian.wordpress.com
Twitter: twitter.com/benjanun_s
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 4, 2023
If the first book in the series was a controlled wildfire, the second is a firecracker gone off in the hand. Olesya Hua and her younger sister, Viveca, run the biggest syndicates in what’s left of a dystopian world. Olesya’s main enterprise is drugs and her sister’s is weapons.
What I enjoyed best about this book is watching Olesya rule her empire in Singapore so absolutely. She is powerful and seems almost omniscient. She controls every aspect of every moment. It’s a heady reading experience to be in the pov of a Machiavellian phenom who positions each individual and event just so until they fulfill her detailed plans. She is gleeful when it all works and amused when it does not. I also enjoyed how profoundly Olesya loves Viveca. She could easily muscle out the younger Queen but she only wants good things for Viveca and wants to share the reign with her.
When Dallas enters the picture as a bodyguard and fixer, Olesya falls hard and Dallas reciprocates. It’s intense heat and all consuming. The perfect bloody poetry in this chaotically violent story. I loved both books and since they are short, it was easy to finish both back to back. Try to read the first book if you haven’t already since it is Viveca’s story.
What I enjoyed best about this book is watching Olesya rule her empire in Singapore so absolutely. She is powerful and seems almost omniscient. She controls every aspect of every moment. It’s a heady reading experience to be in the pov of a Machiavellian phenom who positions each individual and event just so until they fulfill her detailed plans. She is gleeful when it all works and amused when it does not. I also enjoyed how profoundly Olesya loves Viveca. She could easily muscle out the younger Queen but she only wants good things for Viveca and wants to share the reign with her.
When Dallas enters the picture as a bodyguard and fixer, Olesya falls hard and Dallas reciprocates. It’s intense heat and all consuming. The perfect bloody poetry in this chaotically violent story. I loved both books and since they are short, it was easy to finish both back to back. Try to read the first book if you haven’t already since it is Viveca’s story.
April 23, 2022
The Spy and Her Serpent has been described by one of the authors on Twitter as :
👩❤️💋👩 t4t
🗡️ knife lesbian vs. knuckle lesbian
🔎 mistaken identities
🍦 pear and blue cheese ice cream
😭 ruminations on the terrifying violence of self actualization
👮♀️ ACAB
So let me go back on those elements:
•t4t : both Dallas and Olesya are trans women and lesbians. This novel truly does t4t justice as their transness is an element that brings the characters closer and help them connect in a way that they couldn't have with a cis woman
•knife vs knuckle: which also took the form of knife femme and knuckle butch. THIS BOOKS UNDERSTOOD BUTCHES SO WELL I LOVE YOU. That's one of the best butch/femme romances I've read because it GETS it. The care, the seduction, the relationship between the butches, I loved it
•mistaken identity: truly does honour this trope with a side of revenge driven enemies to lovers
•pear and blue cheese ice cream: wtf was that horror, this book truly takes place in a parallel universe (that one sentence about the French 5th Republic falling did not escape my French eyes)
•ruminations on the terrifying violence of self actualization: this book has so much to say about identity omg
•ACAB: the MCs are trans women of colour and there's a scene of police brutality in the first third of the book. Also this is a theme of the book and is integral to the plot
Overall, the Spy and her Serpent is an amazing crime romance ( okay it's also my first) with all the scenes I expected to see (taking care of your injured lover, going apeshit over her getting hurt, etc) which truly understands its MCs and their transness, their lesbianism, and their desires.
The writing was solid, despite one or two awkard sentences where the authors used adjectives instead of "she" everywhere but I have one sentence in mind about a "bulky American" and "a -insert adjective I forgot- American" which was a bit clunky. There were some parts that I really loved in the writing so it's not one sentence that is going to ruin your enjoyment.
👩❤️💋👩 t4t
🗡️ knife lesbian vs. knuckle lesbian
🔎 mistaken identities
🍦 pear and blue cheese ice cream
😭 ruminations on the terrifying violence of self actualization
👮♀️ ACAB
So let me go back on those elements:
•t4t : both Dallas and Olesya are trans women and lesbians. This novel truly does t4t justice as their transness is an element that brings the characters closer and help them connect in a way that they couldn't have with a cis woman
•knife vs knuckle: which also took the form of knife femme and knuckle butch. THIS BOOKS UNDERSTOOD BUTCHES SO WELL I LOVE YOU. That's one of the best butch/femme romances I've read because it GETS it. The care, the seduction, the relationship between the butches, I loved it
•mistaken identity: truly does honour this trope with a side of revenge driven enemies to lovers
•pear and blue cheese ice cream: wtf was that horror, this book truly takes place in a parallel universe (that one sentence about the French 5th Republic falling did not escape my French eyes)
•ruminations on the terrifying violence of self actualization: this book has so much to say about identity omg
•ACAB: the MCs are trans women of colour and there's a scene of police brutality in the first third of the book. Also this is a theme of the book and is integral to the plot
Overall, the Spy and her Serpent is an amazing crime romance ( okay it's also my first) with all the scenes I expected to see (taking care of your injured lover, going apeshit over her getting hurt, etc) which truly understands its MCs and their transness, their lesbianism, and their desires.
The writing was solid, despite one or two awkard sentences where the authors used adjectives instead of "she" everywhere but I have one sentence in mind about a "bulky American" and "a -insert adjective I forgot- American" which was a bit clunky. There were some parts that I really loved in the writing so it's not one sentence that is going to ruin your enjoyment.
April 24, 2023
i wanna start off by saying, this is the kinda of prose people shoot themselves in the leg trying to achieve. lyrical, encapsulating, emotional but never “too much”. intimate but not juvenile. multiple movements throughout reading i had to highlight and just go “WOW” because i was just taken aback by how beautifully written it was. i really hope these authors understand just how much of a gift they have when crafting words. i’m damn near positive if they wrote centuries ago, people would be studying their prose the way they do the likes of virginia woolf or oscar wilde — a major praise but it’s deserved in my opinion!
moving on, out of the two books, this is my favourite. it was the perfect length, and i felt the relationship much deeper with these two. this was the first time i ever read about a transfem butch character and i absolutely love the way her (and the other mc’s) transness is described. again, not to circle back to raving about the prose but omfg, the writing makes things that could’ve just been a regular, basic description feel damn near magical.
the love between the two characters feel intense and delicate that the same time. you honestly felt it, the chemistry was off the charts and because of that, you’re at the edge of your seat as you’re waiting for dallas to find out the real identity and you’re genuinely worried for how it turns out.
this leads to my one issue: SPOILERS
part of me does wish that olesya was somehow involved in the murder of dallas’ gang. maybe she wasn’t the one that killed them directly and maybe she didn’t even mean for them to get caught in the cross fire but i would’ve loved to see the two characters battle with that guilt and the conflicting feelings that arise with that. especially on dallas’ end.
END OF SPOILERS
that minor dislike aside, i can’t name a single thing wrong about this book. it’s genuinely so amazing to me. i love it so much <3 these authors are feeding the butch femmes so well and we thank you for that
moving on, out of the two books, this is my favourite. it was the perfect length, and i felt the relationship much deeper with these two. this was the first time i ever read about a transfem butch character and i absolutely love the way her (and the other mc’s) transness is described. again, not to circle back to raving about the prose but omfg, the writing makes things that could’ve just been a regular, basic description feel damn near magical.
the love between the two characters feel intense and delicate that the same time. you honestly felt it, the chemistry was off the charts and because of that, you’re at the edge of your seat as you’re waiting for dallas to find out the real identity and you’re genuinely worried for how it turns out.
this leads to my one issue: SPOILERS
part of me does wish that olesya was somehow involved in the murder of dallas’ gang. maybe she wasn’t the one that killed them directly and maybe she didn’t even mean for them to get caught in the cross fire but i would’ve loved to see the two characters battle with that guilt and the conflicting feelings that arise with that. especially on dallas’ end.
END OF SPOILERS
that minor dislike aside, i can’t name a single thing wrong about this book. it’s genuinely so amazing to me. i love it so much <3 these authors are feeding the butch femmes so well and we thank you for that
March 10, 2023
4.5
This is the first book I've read with a character who is a trans woman and a butch, most books about trans women don't write about the possibility that they could also be butch or masculine. This book has made me feel happy in that sense, being a butch is not exclusive to certain groups of people, it also belongs to us.
Perhaps the genre of the book is not entirely my taste, actually this is why I don’t give 5 stars, but I loved the characters and their relationship, plus the writing is incredible
This is the first book I've read with a character who is a trans woman and a butch, most books about trans women don't write about the possibility that they could also be butch or masculine. This book has made me feel happy in that sense, being a butch is not exclusive to certain groups of people, it also belongs to us.
Perhaps the genre of the book is not entirely my taste, actually this is why I don’t give 5 stars, but I loved the characters and their relationship, plus the writing is incredible
April 8, 2023
🍴
There are so many twist and turns and deadly. Who can you trust and are people says they are? The storytelling is done a in flashbacks and we are piecing details together.
CN: police corruption, violence,
There are so many twist and turns and deadly. Who can you trust and are people says they are? The storytelling is done a in flashbacks and we are piecing details together.
CN: police corruption, violence,
September 25, 2023
I am very glad that I read this book, and I appreciate it more as I continue to reflect on it. I’ve had it on my TBR forever (story of my life), and I’m really bummed that I let it sit there for so long now that I’ve finally read it. This duology is set in a contemporary AU where the West has fallen, and Southeast Asia is the global epicenter of power.
SPY is very aware of the inherent violence of the world the characters live in, with commentary on capitalism, patriarchy, and ACAB, and relishes allowing the characters to be violent in response. The writing reflects this very clearly and is the main reason why I “Liked” this book instead of “Really Liked” it. This is a capital-R romance, and I prefer romance writing that allows for deeper access to the characters’ emotions. More sentimental, if you will. I want to feel deeply emotionally attached to the developing romance, and I didn’t quite get that with how the authors chose to write this story. As a result, I felt quite distant from Dallas and Olesya’s growing love for much of the book. But while it’s not an overtly soft book, in the end it is quite tender. The section at the end, after Olesya and Dallas finally let go of all the secrets they’ve kept from each other, is perhaps my favorite part of the book. The vulnerability of that conversation, the terror of being truly known by another… For Olesya especially. Do you see me as I am? Can you accept me as I am? Can you accept the many things that I am? Ugh, it guts me still.
I want to be very clear, though: the above discussion of the writing style is not a criticism or even a critique of this book. I think the authors were ultimately very successful in what they accomplished with their writing style. In particular, there’s some really beautiful, really compelling writing in the book, particularly as it pertains to the characters’ gender identities and expressions. Notably, their transness brings them closer together, sparking a moment of connection as Dallas observes that she has found a “kindred spirit” in the woman she does not know is Olesya. A fundamental belief of the book is that nothing is immutable; nothing is sacred; no law or system is safe from violation. And this leaves space for the characters, (femme) Olesya in particular, to shape their worlds and bodies to reflect exactly what they want them to. One of my favorite things about SPY is how much fierce, savage joy Olesya takes in rejecting the “tyranny of [her] genetics” for the sake of a body of her own design. And she provides (butch) Dallas with the means (i.e., access to the necessary hormones) to begin doing the same for her body. I loved this tearing down of the idea of the body as a temple. No, the body is tool that I will design and alter it to suit my desires. Ugh, it is so good. And Olesya applies the same logic to Singapore: she blows it up - literally - and then rebuilds it in her image. All in the name of safety.
This book is deeply, deeply political, both in its criticism of the harm done by social institutions and celebration of trans women, creating space, perhaps violently, to live their self-actualized lives. (Also its overt disdain for the US lol)
In case I haven’t convinced you yet, know that every single character is a woman and a lesbian. Not a single man (or white person, for that matter) in sight. It’s super gay. It’s great. So is being in Olesya’s head during her POVs cause she is SUPER Machiavellian. Manipulating everyone left and right.
Full disclosure: I read this book before I read book 1 in the duology. I can confirm that it can be read as a standalone, but as I haven’t read book 1 yet I cannot confirm if they are best read in order.
SPY is very aware of the inherent violence of the world the characters live in, with commentary on capitalism, patriarchy, and ACAB, and relishes allowing the characters to be violent in response. The writing reflects this very clearly and is the main reason why I “Liked” this book instead of “Really Liked” it. This is a capital-R romance, and I prefer romance writing that allows for deeper access to the characters’ emotions. More sentimental, if you will. I want to feel deeply emotionally attached to the developing romance, and I didn’t quite get that with how the authors chose to write this story. As a result, I felt quite distant from Dallas and Olesya’s growing love for much of the book. But while it’s not an overtly soft book, in the end it is quite tender. The section at the end, after Olesya and Dallas finally let go of all the secrets they’ve kept from each other, is perhaps my favorite part of the book. The vulnerability of that conversation, the terror of being truly known by another… For Olesya especially. Do you see me as I am? Can you accept me as I am? Can you accept the many things that I am? Ugh, it guts me still.
I want to be very clear, though: the above discussion of the writing style is not a criticism or even a critique of this book. I think the authors were ultimately very successful in what they accomplished with their writing style. In particular, there’s some really beautiful, really compelling writing in the book, particularly as it pertains to the characters’ gender identities and expressions. Notably, their transness brings them closer together, sparking a moment of connection as Dallas observes that she has found a “kindred spirit” in the woman she does not know is Olesya. A fundamental belief of the book is that nothing is immutable; nothing is sacred; no law or system is safe from violation. And this leaves space for the characters, (femme) Olesya in particular, to shape their worlds and bodies to reflect exactly what they want them to. One of my favorite things about SPY is how much fierce, savage joy Olesya takes in rejecting the “tyranny of [her] genetics” for the sake of a body of her own design. And she provides (butch) Dallas with the means (i.e., access to the necessary hormones) to begin doing the same for her body. I loved this tearing down of the idea of the body as a temple. No, the body is tool that I will design and alter it to suit my desires. Ugh, it is so good. And Olesya applies the same logic to Singapore: she blows it up - literally - and then rebuilds it in her image. All in the name of safety.
This book is deeply, deeply political, both in its criticism of the harm done by social institutions and celebration of trans women, creating space, perhaps violently, to live their self-actualized lives. (Also its overt disdain for the US lol)
In case I haven’t convinced you yet, know that every single character is a woman and a lesbian. Not a single man (or white person, for that matter) in sight. It’s super gay. It’s great. So is being in Olesya’s head during her POVs cause she is SUPER Machiavellian. Manipulating everyone left and right.
Full disclosure: I read this book before I read book 1 in the duology. I can confirm that it can be read as a standalone, but as I haven’t read book 1 yet I cannot confirm if they are best read in order.
March 22, 2022
When I said that the first book was amazing and sizzling hot, this one is no less than better! Like, W.O.W. I can't really sort out all my thoughts together in organized paragraphs but first, I just have to say that the authors have done an amazing job in writing the second book.
So the blurb goes like this: Olesya Hua, narcotics empress, has everything: power, wealth, and a city that'll soon be hers. She covets more still—and what Olesya wants, she always gets. Dallas Seidel, syndicate fixer, lost her chosen family to bloody violence ordered by the Huas. She'll stop at nothing until the Hua sisters are in the ground. Deceit and plots-within-plots will put them at each other's throats.
Character-wise: I think I like Yves a tiny bit more than Dallas (but I still love Dallas all the same). Romance-wise: I would say I prefer Olesya and Dallas' relationship better than the former book (since the first book has a polyamorous relationship and it's not really my thing). Also, I love Olesya Hua! She's just as amazing as her younger sister! The writing was top-tier and the characters were well-versed that I ought to read this book slowly to fully immerse myself in it.
I have to mention that The Spy and Her Serpent is a trans-for-trans F/F novella set in contemporary Singapore. And I really enjoyed reading this one. It's actually my first time reading a t4t f/f relationship and I think that this plot and concept was unique and gripping.
High praises for Devi Lacroix and Benjanun Sriduangkew for this exceptional novella. I can't wait to read more of the Hua sisters, Dallas, and Yves.
★★★★★
So the blurb goes like this: Olesya Hua, narcotics empress, has everything: power, wealth, and a city that'll soon be hers. She covets more still—and what Olesya wants, she always gets. Dallas Seidel, syndicate fixer, lost her chosen family to bloody violence ordered by the Huas. She'll stop at nothing until the Hua sisters are in the ground. Deceit and plots-within-plots will put them at each other's throats.
Character-wise: I think I like Yves a tiny bit more than Dallas (but I still love Dallas all the same). Romance-wise: I would say I prefer Olesya and Dallas' relationship better than the former book (since the first book has a polyamorous relationship and it's not really my thing). Also, I love Olesya Hua! She's just as amazing as her younger sister! The writing was top-tier and the characters were well-versed that I ought to read this book slowly to fully immerse myself in it.
I have to mention that The Spy and Her Serpent is a trans-for-trans F/F novella set in contemporary Singapore. And I really enjoyed reading this one. It's actually my first time reading a t4t f/f relationship and I think that this plot and concept was unique and gripping.
High praises for Devi Lacroix and Benjanun Sriduangkew for this exceptional novella. I can't wait to read more of the Hua sisters, Dallas, and Yves.
★★★★★
June 21, 2023
Every time Yves was on some 'her wife' / 'her wives' bullsh*t, I melted. Fave part of the book tbh...and yes, I know she was a side character in this one. Dallas and Meridian were good but they don't beat my OGs.
ION, found out that the Those Who Break Chains series is a paranormal AU of this series and I haven't been the same since. Can't wait to re-experience these babes.
ION, found out that the Those Who Break Chains series is a paranormal AU of this series and I haven't been the same since. Can't wait to re-experience these babes.
March 18, 2022
This is an excellent book and I highly recommend this! This book had everything I was looking for- great romance, surprise reveals, really interesting plot, and deeply realized protagonists/antagonists. This was a lovely book and I would recommend it to everyone.
October 20, 2025
Once again a violent story about violent people in violent circumstances. The writing feels poetic at times. The trans/trans aspect gives additional layers to the personalities both MC have built. It's a short, but no easy read.
June 26, 2023
This was amazing. Their love story was beautiful. Better than the first one.
September 4, 2023
not as good as the first book, pacing felt off, but I am SOOO obsessed with this genre of queer as HELL hot sexy dark romance with criminals.
November 16, 2023
A twisted, sexy game of cat and mouse with guns, knives, sniper rifles, grenades, axes, and a whole lot of heart. Full review to come.
June 26, 2024
4/5
Sexy, sultry, lesbian crime thriller.
Sexy, sultry, lesbian crime thriller.
April 13, 2025
Yay! More violent lesbians!!
October 11, 2025
Strong 4
April 25, 2024
3.5*
Rep: Singaporean setting & BIPOC cast, trans lesbian MC, trans polyamorous lesbian MC, polyamorous sapphic side characters
I must admit, I'm a little disappointed. The writing wasn't bad but wasn't good either. The plot was shaky and a little confusing and the characterization of the MCs were... a little off? Can't explain it, there was just too much contrast at what we're told about them and what we actually see from them, excluding Dallas.
Also - of course the trope "character A has killed character B's loved one so character B is getting close to character A to kill them but they accidentally fall in love" will be resolved this way :') Of course.
Rep: Singaporean setting & BIPOC cast, trans lesbian MC, trans polyamorous lesbian MC, polyamorous sapphic side characters
I must admit, I'm a little disappointed. The writing wasn't bad but wasn't good either. The plot was shaky and a little confusing and the characterization of the MCs were... a little off? Can't explain it, there was just too much contrast at what we're told about them and what we actually see from them, excluding Dallas.
Also - of course the trope "character A has killed character B's loved one so character B is getting close to character A to kill them but they accidentally fall in love" will be resolved this way :') Of course.
December 3, 2022
➸ Dystopian/alternate history
➸ Sapphic trans romance
I feel like this one is good to go into knowing the less possible. so have so beautiful quotes to convince you to pick it up.
❝ Do all empires look the same in wreckage ? ❞
just read this :
❝ I'm quite bad at being human, Dallas. I wear faces like clothes and spend friends like bullets. I leaned young that charisma was a greater power than virtue and now I have a cadre of lovers and a whole city to call mine. ❞
and this :
❝ It's bitter work, to heal. To recognize one is wounded. To seek help, to not be alone. ❞
just a last one :
❝ She lies to me so well. ❞
CW : Death, Violence, Physical injury, Murder and more.
➸ Sapphic trans romance
I feel like this one is good to go into knowing the less possible. so have so beautiful quotes to convince you to pick it up.
❝ Do all empires look the same in wreckage ? ❞
just read this :
❝ I'm quite bad at being human, Dallas. I wear faces like clothes and spend friends like bullets. I leaned young that charisma was a greater power than virtue and now I have a cadre of lovers and a whole city to call mine. ❞
and this :
❝ It's bitter work, to heal. To recognize one is wounded. To seek help, to not be alone. ❞
just a last one :
❝ She lies to me so well. ❞
CW : Death, Violence, Physical injury, Murder and more.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews