Contract: Snatch

Sei Assassin #1

by Ty Hutchinson

An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.

Two years ago, Sei buried her daughter. Two days ago, she found out she was alive.

After her daughter’s death, ex-assassin Sei fled to the Ardennes forests of Belgium to try to find peace. But a mysterious source contacts her, promising to return her daughter. Simply take on one last job: break a notorious assassin out of jail.

Diyarbakir Prison is the most dangerous place in Turkey. If torture doesn’t kill a prisoner, the guards will. Breaking out is impossible. Breaking in is insane. But if Sei ever wants to see her daughter again, she’ll have no choice but to agree to the plan.

Contract Snatch is an action-packed, page-turning thriller with one hell of a twist. They messed with the wrong mother.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Fiction, Amazon, Mystery Thriller, Adventure

312 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2015

About the author

Ty Hutchinson is a USA Today bestselling author who writes dark, high-concept thrillers that punch hard and don't let up.

A full-time nomad since 2013, he blends real-world detail with twisted imagination to deliver binge-worthy stories—where the rules are bent, the stakes are high, and the exits are never marked.

Living everywhere and nowhere, he's drawn to strange things and peculiar people—almost always leading to one question: what if?

Reviews

[Louie the Mustache Matos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Contract: Snatch is Book One of the Sei espionage thriller series by Ty Hutchinson. I bought the trilogy with some high expectations of adventure and drama that were not just met but exceeded in this first book. Sei is a retired assassin that worked for a guild that raised her from infant orphanhood. Upon discovering that she was pregnant, she gave up her profession to raise a child that she wound up burying. But Sei has discovered that the child she buried was not hers. Her child is being held by someone trying to pull her back into using her former skills of infiltration and assassination to break the Black Wolf out of an almost impenetrable Turkish prison. She’s being drawn into a game she was very skilled at playing with the promise of information about a daughter that for two years she believed dead. The action and suspense in this novel were conveyed in a cinematic fashion. Sei, although an assassin, is described with convincing depth and compassion. I really enjoyed this thrill-ride work.

[Charles Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sei, a contract assassin, is living in relative seclusion in Belgium. She’s contemplating giving up her line of work until she’s offered a contract to break another assassin, the Black Wolf, out of a Turkish prison. Her fee for this job is not money, but information leading to the location of a little girl, the baby she thought had died at birth. In the midst of fulfilling her part of the deal, Sei realizes that she’s been set up to take the fall for the prison break, and the Black Wolf disappears through other means. With the help of the enigmatic Kostas, masquerading as a driver for an illegal arms merchant, she escapes from the prison and the two of them engage in a race for their lives, less than one step ahead of a vengeful Turkish prison warden.
Contract: Snatch by Ty Hutchinson introduces a new female main character, an assassin with principles and a strong desire to reunite with the daughter she has never seen. Full of bloody scenes and graphic descriptions of killing, this book is probably not for everyone, but if you like strong characters who never back down, and who always come through in a pinch, you’ll find yourself cheering Sei on as she leaves a trail of bloody bodies from Belgium to Turkey to Greece.
The ending was a mixed bag. On the one hand, the identity of her mysterious boss came as a complete surprise, but the reader is left hanging concerning the fate of her daughter; sort of a semi-cliffhanger.
I received a free copy of this book.

[Savsandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Thriller

Thrillers are probably my favorite genre, especially those with an international bent. Never having read Ty Hutchinson, I didn't know what to expect in writing style or quality. On the writing front, I wasn't disappointed. The plot of "Contract: Snatched" is intriguing with lots of twists and turns, the character development is right on, with an interesting narrative that keeps the action flowing seamlessly. That said, there were a few instances when I would have welcomed a quick explanation of a particular foreign term or phrase. All told,I only have two complaints. The first is that the ending was so abrupt I nearly got whiplash. Maybe it's technically not a cliffhanger, but it's close enough in my book. The second beef is typos and dropped/missing words. My notes count 67 highlights, which means 67 errors or omissions that should have been corrected by any copy editor worthy of the job title. So if this book had a copy editor, he should hang his head in shame. That knocked off a full star from my rating. Harsh? Maybe so but that's 67 instances that caused this reader to stumble.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full review: https://girlswithguns.org/contract-sn...

It’s a little odd that Sei is described as an assassin, yet doesn’t actually do any actual… assassinating here. Sure, she certainly kills a lot of people, mostly members of Turkish law-enforcement (as well as a wild boar) – just not for money. Might have made more sense to begin by establishing Sei’s credentials in this profession; as is, the reader has to accept her skills on faith. Perhaps the vague hints of back-story should have been fleshed out more. There’s also a large debt to Kill Bill in the driving force of the story here: specifically, the end of Volume 1, when Bill says, “One more thing, Sofie. Is she aware her daughter is still alive?” To my great surprise – sorry, can’t find the sarcasm font – this element is left entirely unresolved at the end of the volume. Indeed, she’s little if any closer to finding the truth than when she leaves the doctor.

[Dalene W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book, although I didn't realize it was part of a series and the story would continue on in the next book. Some of the situations were resolved in this book but not all. I would like to read the other books in the series. It is the story of a woman assassion. There was some brutality in the book. It takes place many in Turkey. I wouldn't want to be in a Turkish prison. This book was well written and I will certainly try to read more from this author.

[Vedrana]

DNF at 50%. I got this for free on kindle and I thought I would at least have some fun with it even if it is not what I usually read. I did not. Besides not being fun it was also generic and bland and I got nothing out of it. Maybe it would be good for someone who is in the mood for some mindless action and likes action movies that are like that.

[Aljohn Bautista · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely enjoyed this book! None stop action from beginning to end. If you’re a thrill seeker, I highly recommend this book. This is my first book from this author and will not be the last. I look forward to continue reading and following Sei’s adventure!

[Naznin Azeez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Lord... So much action, it's mind blowing. It's like reading a James Bond movie. Also, I guarantee you will not see the surprise twists and turns coming at you, in this book. Freaking amazing and I could not put this book down. Highly recommend you read it.

[Marie Hurt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very fast paced & full of action. Makes you want to read the next one.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is brutal, harsh, exciting and terrifying. Sei is burning bridges and losing contacts and friends so quickly it’s hard to digest the emotion. Who knew one could feel sorry for an assassin? She is pretty freaking amazing and I am looking forward to following her journey.

[gwen graves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good

Ty writes really interesting characters and his story line is good. This first of this series of Sei. Will read more in the series.

[J Leonard B · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF (35%). A first person narrative is difficult to pull off well and this author, unfortunately, failed rather spectacularly. There is no depth to any of the characters, no internal dialogue or conflict and no hint that turning away from two years of self imposed seclusion to return to work as an 'assassin' was considered for more than one second. The first shady underground dealings as she gets back into her old profession is retold poorly with almost zero tension and even less plausibility. I can not continue.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good character development and interesting plot.

Plenty of action and plot twists. My only complaint is that the plot is spread across multiple books. I hope the author wraps up the story in the next book in the series!

[Jerry Walch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my kind of book starting off with a bloody encounter between a beast of the forest and our secret agent heroine in the very first chapter. From the very first page I have doubts about Ty Hutchinson’s abilities to write a fast paced, action packed thriller that will keep the reader turning the pages. I know that this will be a book that I will find extremely difficult to put down even though I know that I will have to because of other duties being imposed upon me.
This writer has spun a perfect web of intrigue and has me hooked and I haven’t even reached chapter six. Ty is not only an expert at writing description but his dialogue is tight and gripping. I’m really glad that I bought this book and will definitely buy more of his books in the Sei Assassin Thriller series.
I’m now about one-fifth of the way through this book and it only get better and better the further I get into it. Sei is a very likable heroine and will have any reader rooting for her, wanting to see her recover her daughter which she was misled to believe was born dead. Like most people when I think of an assassin, I see them as bad people but I have to make an exception in Sei’s case. She is definitely one of the good guys, or girls, in this case.
This is a real page turner. Ty keeps his readers trying to guess what will happen next. This is plotting at its best, a story with more twists and turns than Cleo’s asp. Hutchinson has created a plot with more sub plots than any thriller that I’ve read in a long time and I have to keep turning the pages to see where Hutchinson is taking his heroine, Sei, and us his readers. I’m now past thee two-thirds mark and I know that I will soon have to put it down because duty call, but I’m trying to delay the inevitable for as long as possible.
Only forty-four pages remain and the pace of this story continues to build with no resolution in sight. Sei, with the help of her new CIA partner continue to outfox Demir, but will they be able to escape the ever tightening net that Demir has set to capture or kill them? With only forty odd pages left the ending is rapidly approaching. Will Sei be captured and killed or will she find the one who betrayed her and find her daughter. I’m not going to say anything further; you will have to read this book for yourself to find out.
You must read this book. The ending will absolutely blow you away, no pun intended. I’m on my way over to Amazon to buy book 2 in the series Contract: Sick.

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long (Uncle) found out Sei (f, former assassin) was going to have a baby girl.
Tark had offered Sei a new contract.
Sei’s daughter was caught up in human trafficking.
Brussels (capital), then Belgium were Sei’s next stops.
Edon got her a new passport Sophie Bouchon (25).
The Black Wolf was incarcerated in Diyarbakir, Turkey.
Sei was supposed to get him back to Tark alive & in 1 piece.
Basir Kashani (Turkish arms dealer) was her contact.

What happened to Basir Kashani?

I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.

A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written international thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great international thriller movie, or better yet a mini TV series. To be continued. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free Ebookstage; Gangkruptcy Press; Author; Amazon Digital Services LLC; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)

[Judi Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh, one thriller of a book. You know those books you just don't want to end!! This was one of them.

Sei was raised, as a child, to become an assassin..Along with her best friend, Long. She is finally leaving that work and wants to just be alone where she lives in her safe house. No one should know that she is there. But, her friend, Long finally tracks her down to make sure she is okay. She tells him she doesn't want to continue to do the work, and never told anyone else, but two years ago, she had a child. Unfortunately the child died at birth, but Sei has never been the same.

Long tries to convince her to "get back in the game" and when she does considers and does a post offering her services, she is contacted by a person that goes by the name "Tark". He asks her to do a job for him and when she refuses, he tells her, that he has her daughter. That she never died.

Now Sei needs to find out if her child did live and who is the man Tark. This is a fast, moving, one adventure after another and I couldn't put it down. Can't wait to read the next one in the series!

[Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

Contract: Snatch by Ty Hutchinson
Sei is an assassin, well, she ‘was’. Now a days she keeps herself to herself in a quiet location in Belgium having left her ‘clan’. Sei had a daughter, but she died in childbirth, which is why Sei left to live alone for a bit.
A longtime friend entices her to check on new contracts, which results in the job to Snatch a person from a prison, this is not her usual gig but the reward is information about said daughter (She just might be alive!)!
It’s a thriller, which romps along quite nicely. Locations and the people in them are built well, the protagonist is likeable, she kills… quite a bit, a couple of the characters area bit flat/cliques but there’s quite a lot of them spread throughout. The search for the daughter is obviously going to be a common thread across a number of books, but leads to the various and often violent, events along the way.
It’s a good story 3/5, definitely worth the read:)

Key: bad 1/5, ok 2/5, good 3/5, great 4/5, unusually outstanding 5/5

[Tiffany Chapman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was unable to get attached to any of the characters. The main character, Sei, decides to come out of her retirement as an assassin for a deeply personal reason, but none of that emotion translated from the page. The narrative has a habit of telling, rather than showing, in a lot of the scenes that are implied as disturbing and emotional for the character, so the character/reader connection wasn’t there for me. I had similar difficulties with the other characters.

The main plot was left unfulfilled, which left me feeling a bit irritated and disinterested in the rest of the series. Don’t get me wrong, I can understand an overarching plot for a series, but the ending for the premise of this specific book was left out.

TLDR; The book was easy to follow from scene to scene, but the lack emotional attachment to the characters and an unfinished ending left me without a desire to read more of the series.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this book definitely had its issues, it was a really fast paced read. The biggest issues for me are;
1. If sei is such an amazing unmatched assin why could she not escape the country by herself? Surely hotwiring a vehicle should be assasin 101 as well as escape and evade, yet she always has to await the help of others?
2. I do agree with a few other reviews, next to nothing on her history or her as a main character in general.
3. It felt a little rushed or perhaps just needed a slightly better way of transitioning into the next event, like it was just blended together without a pause. (In saying that, i do prefer it over useless harping on where its unnecessary).
4.Editing is an issue quite often it was missing a word in a sentence, its not a huge deal especially considering it was a free book but i would think it hard to miss if it was proof read.

Other than those few things it was quite a good book. Looking forward to seeing what develops of the series.

[Jodi Pomerleau · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Mui #1, and when I could not find any other in the series, decided to read the Sei thrillers. I am glad I chose to do this, because I didn't quite like Sei in the Mui series. I found her cold and distant. In this story, her character is fleshed out....she does have feelings, though a competent retired assassin. She is brought out of retirement to fulfill a contract that will lead her to her kidnapped daughter....a daughter she assumed had died at birth. The story is non-stop action from start to finish. It is a story that draws you in, and you wonder just how she will escape the mess she has gotten herself into...and she manages quite well with every snag. I was not surprised at all to discover the identity of Tark, but the reason behind it was the only implausible plot line to me. All in all, well worth my time, and I have a couple more on my e-reader to keep me amused for a few more days.

[Sarah Violet · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is very meh.

I didn't hate it but it definitely didn't blow my mind either.

The characters are bland. They mostly act on their emotions of anger which sends them into a killing frenzy.
Many, many bodies drop in this book.

The whole plot of this book was an assassin named Sei, trying to get her daughter back who didn't die at birth like she thought.
The story is like one giant bunny trail because Sei jumps through all these hoops (dropping bodies by the dozens in her wake), and at the end, she still doesn't have her daughter back.
She does find out who kidnapped her daughter though. Guess what she does to him?
If you guessed that she kills him, you're totally right.

Also, this was supposed to be a thriller?!
I felt no thrills.

[JFH · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beach reading

By beach reading I mean mindless, forgettable and lacking true artistry. But a page turner nonetheless. Rarely have I read such sparse prose. The author used the least amount of description in every instance. Massive set pieces of action that could potentially be filled with tension and character development are described in a few terse sentences as if they held no weight of real importance. Everything flies by at lightning speed. It makes for decent action sequences but falls short in character motivation. This could have been a fascinating read but was on!y mildly interesting. Wasted potential.

[Lori Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Author!

I first came across Ty with his Abby Kane series. I was so impressed I started reading all his books. I have never been let down. Terrific storylines that flow very well. Characters that make you feel like you are right in the middle of things with them. Up in a tree, flying through the air, catching a ride in an old beater to escape the danger, or yes even sitting in a prison cell you feel a part of the story. When your pulse increases and you start breathing harder you know you have found an author who gets the job done in the mystery/thriller category! Don't miss a single issue.

[David Cotton · Rating 2 out of 5]

These are incredibly frustrating books to read. The moment you get into each one, it stops and you're asked to buy the next in the series. None of them ever finishes satisfactorily because there's always another part to read. The same is true of Hutchinson's suitcase girl series.
The sad thing is, they are a good read - exciting and fast-moving. But there are times when I have the impression that the author stopped writing mid-stream, went and did something else and then came back to add another chapter, because there's lots of repetition of ideas. You have the sense constantly of "I've already read this bit" and "Yes, I get that so now move on."
I won't be returning to this author.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sei is an assassin. A retired one who finds herself back in the game when she has an offer she cannot refuse.
Sri is very good at what she does, well skilled, and well equipped with helpers, aka an arms dealer and his team.
This is a typical thriller with knife fights, gun battles, hand to hand combat. The bad guys are ruthless, evil and sociopaths.
I enjoyed Sri despite being an assassin for hire. She is neither noble nor kind. If I can find the sequel at the library, I would be willing to continue the series.
Although, Sei traveled through France, Belgium, Turkey, Greece and Azerbaiijan there really wasn't enough positive sense of place to include it in my World Challenge.

[Musings of a Middle-aged Mum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as part of a double-book by Ty Hutchinson - one Abby Kane book and one Sei Assassin book.

Sei is an ex-assassin, having given up the trade when she found she was pregnant. After suffering the loss of her child, she lives in seclusion away from the rest of the world. One day she is found by a friend who encourages her to start accepting contracts again, and the first one she sees shatters her world - her daughter is alive. In exchange for the whereabouts of her daughter, Sei must successfully accomplish one last mission.

Though this book took me longer than a day to read, it was mainly because I was no longer on holiday so didn't have as much time. I tried to grab minutes to read when I could, as this was another can't-put-down novel by Ty Hutchinson. A thriller with lots of gore and plenty of killings (as you would expect in a book where the main character is an assassin), this book keeps you on the edge of your seat as you hope that Sei can achieve her mission and finally get her child back. There is even a twist at the end that I didn't see coming (until the story led up to that point) which, when invested in a story as much as I was with this one, is a good surprise.

I would recommend this book and rather than just adding the sequels to my wishlist, I have actually bought the next two books to read immediately (because at time of writing, they are currently free on the Kindle).

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a re-read for me, but I recall enjoying this novel more the first time I read it than I did this time around. I love the idea of a strong female assassin as the main character of this series, but this novel fell short in the actual writing for me. “Contract: Snatched” is both fast paced, and short in length. Because of this, the plot feels rushed and there isn’t a lot of detail to really allow readers to become invested in the story. As I’ve said in reviews of similar novels before, I wish more time and energy was spent on character building and plot development. Still an enjoyable read overall.

[Neelabh Pratap Singh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ty Hutchinson’s writing is smooth and easy to follow. Sei is a deadly Chinese assassin, has left the murder-for-hire business, until she discovers that the daughter she thought was dead is actually alive. The price for her safe return? One last job: breaking into an impenetrable Turkish prison to take out the legendary Black Wolf.

The mission unfolds a little too easily, with Sei gliding from one challenge to the next with minimal setbacks. While the story keeps moving, it lacks real tension or surprises, making it fairly predictable. That said, it’s a light, entertaining read with a decent setup for the next book.

[Judith Wong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taut thriller filled with twists and turns

I read this book a long time ago and it is still as dark and dangerous! Sei is one of the best assassins in the world but she can still be betrayed by a friend. That she endures all that is thrown her way is short of miraculous. She is able to make make an unlikely friendship with a CIA operative who may be of some help in her search for the daughter who she thought was dead. The daughter who she will do everything in her power to find!

[Kay Mack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Small death dealer

It was amazing to read about an assassin who is female, small and very deadly. Sei is all of that and more. She’s a mother who had her baby girl stolen. I don’t think Sei will ever stop searching. Her world is inhabited by really nasty, evil people who see a need to kill her or make use of her. I loved the speed of this story. I had to read it straight through, skipping chores etc. it was worth it for the empathic adrenaline rushes. Blood and gore, Murder and mayhem, and a few explosions along the way, Sei is still standing. And searching.