Eight teams of assassins. One high-profile target. Winner takes all.
Brothers Emil and Robert are professional assassins trying to do one last high-dollar hit together before they retire and get out of the game for good.
So when Senator Simon Bisset – creator of the social media platform Float and shady dealer on the dark web – pisses off someone even more powerful, they finally see a payday worth chasing. But the icing on the cake? Emil hates Bisset more than anyone else alive – this job is going to be an unrivaled pleasure.
Or it would be, if not for the fact that the bounty’s an open call: whoever gets to Bisset first wins, and the other teams won’t hesitate to take out the competition.
But Emil’s hatred for Bisset is making him increasingly erratic, and Robert’s got his hands full trying to keep his brother on target.
Can Emil and Robert evade the other assassins, cut through Bisset’s security detail, and collect the bounty without losing what matters most? From the best-selling author team that brought you Pretty Killer comes The Target, a new stand-alone thriller that will keep you burning through the pages. Start sitting on the edge of your seat with a copy right now!
Nolon King writes smart psychological thrillers designed to leave you on the edge of your seat. His stories are dark, twisty, and often decidedly close to home.
He’s not afraid to explore the darker side of human nature through stories featuring families torn apart by secrets and lies. If you enjoy reading authors like Darcey Bell and Harlan Coban, movies like A Simple Favor and The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, or shows like Ozark and Dead to Me, you’ll love Nolon King.
When not writing you will find Nolon drinking black coffee and observing humans in their natural habitats.
I had a hard time getting through the middle of this book. In fact, I kept switching to other books and then coming back to read a chapter or two. I don't want to give away the final plot twist, so I will just say it is one you may begin to suspect as you read along.
The book is about two brothers,Robert and Emil, who work as hitmen. Their largest 'target' is a senator. Unfortunately, the guy they work for, Heinzie, has also given the same hit to other assassins. On top of that, it seems Heinzie also wants Robert and Emil dead. Robert wants this to be their last job. It is enough money that they can retire to a nice, warm island and live out their lives. Emil, on the other hand, is not so sure he is ready to quit. It does seem, though, that he is leaving a trail a blind man could follow as he and Robert try to out maneuver the competition. When he starts sweet talking a girl at a truck stop, he almost gets them killed (and loses his gun). When the same girl saves them from a bunch of meth cookers, she somehow becomes a member of their little group. That is just asking for trouble in Robert's opinion.
I can't tell you much more. Just be prepared to get bored in the middle of the book and (maybe) surprised at the end. I was given an advanced copy of this book. My review is voluntary.
Wow my head is spinning as this book ends. Such a crazy complex thriller. All the time of two idiots arguing turns out to be something completely different. Dark and very creative. If you love unexpected twists and turns, this is the book for you.
I must admit that I found this book to be a new level of twisted, but not always in a bad way. My rating went up and down the entire time I was reading. It started with a solid 4-stars. I loved Emil's sarcastic wit and the interplay between the brothers at the beginning. Then in the middle I felt that it got a bit bogged down and confusing and my rating dropped (I won't admit how far it dropped.) Part of that was the overuse, and abundant use of profanity. It was bad enough throughout the book but in the middle section, Mr. King seemed to have challenged himself to see how many expletives he could use per page. However, the last third of the book made up for all of the ups and downs of the previous two-thirds. It was awesome. I have to admit to being a bit suspicious and wondering about a few things along the way (no spoilers here) and I wound up being right. That didn't detract at all from my enjoyment of every page. The book could use another run-through by a good proofreader, but after reading several of Mr. King's books I've come to the conclusion that's not high on his to-do list. I just have to learn to overlook it. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.
The Target,” by Nolon King and Johnny B. Truant, is one hell of a rollicking ride! It centers on a mission to kill former elite hacker Senator Simon Bisset, known in the dark web as “Zero.” The broker in charge, Heinzie, has enlisted eight different assassins to ensure the job gets done. First one to kill Bisset receives 2.6 million PENTZ. The main characters are Emil and Robert, brothers and assassins, one of whom (Emil) wants Bisset dead more than anything, making him sloppy and careless. The book opens in the middle of the story, and then returns to the beginning.
I knew I was going to LOVE this book, based on the title of Chapter One, “Fucked From the Start.” It is a phenomenal dark comedy/murder mystery that immediately captures you, draws you all the way in, and takes you along for the ride, twisting, turning, surprising, and shocking you along the way. The prose is stunning, intelligent, and incredibly well-written. The characters are well-developed, while the plot and storyline are spicy and superb. I can’t wait to read whatever else King & Nolan have written or will write.
I am very grateful to NetGallery, the very talented authors, and Sterling & Stone Books for allowing me to read and review this ARC.
Warning for pervasive language, innuendo, and sexual situations.
"Twisted" is the description that jumps out at me after having read this book, but twisted in a good way. What started out as a book about hitmen going after a target ended up being about someone's realization of his dissociative disorder. What? Yes. Precisely! Getting there was fun for me. There were moments in this book that I was laughing aloud, making my fellow commuters look at me askance. The pace did slow down a bit in the middle, but I didn't mind. This book was an enjoyable page-turner with interesting diversions along the way. If swearing bothers you, this isn't the book for you because these characters cuss a lot. If not, then please, get this book. I think you're in for a really enjoyable time.
Very creative integration of reality with ones desires. Reader is challenged to figure out what ending will become with each unexpected twist. Stay reading to the end and be rewarded with understanding the author's perspective of the main characters belief in reality.
This book is all about brotherly love. A fast paced sometime humorous and sometimes sad the way two hitmen, work together on a big job. Trust me if you like gritty crime dramas you'll want to read this book
When I selected this book, I had no idea it was practically a comedy. I was pleasantly surprised. However, the shifting POVs between then brothers could've been handled much much better.
If these badass assassins were cops, it would make you think of the "good cop bad cop" routine. One brother is dark, grumpy, quiet, paranoid, overbearing, lethal, a top shot, while the other is a planner, friendly, social, the kind to help an old woman cross the street, likes games. The world is all about balance, and when balance is lost the microcosm which is each human gets broken and must reform differently... or disappear. I really enjoyed this book, the plot is interesting and clever, the words get you immersed in the story, which I found original and engaging. Did I mention clever and unexpected?
Go ahead and read it, you will never regret it. It was my first encounter with these authors, but I will definitely read anything they will come up with next.