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Zero Kill
A ex-secret agent must come out of retirement to save her family in the new action-packed thriller from M.K. Hill.
Meet Elsa Zero: Bad neighbour. Single mother. Ex-deep cover agent.
And right now, the most dangerous person on Earth.
When Elsa's dull but dedicated boyfriend proposes in a packed restaurant, she doesn't think her evening can get any worse.
But as the clock strikes midnight, her world is turned upside down. Suddenly Elsa is running for her life, trying to keep her children safe, and desperate to discover what the hell is going on.
Every intelligence agency in the world wants her dead because she's in possession of a deadly secret – she just has to stay alive long enough to figure out what it is.
But this is Elsa Zero we're talking about.
And it's a very bad idea to get on her wrong side.
Meet Elsa Zero: Bad neighbour. Single mother. Ex-deep cover agent.
And right now, the most dangerous person on Earth.
When Elsa's dull but dedicated boyfriend proposes in a packed restaurant, she doesn't think her evening can get any worse.
But as the clock strikes midnight, her world is turned upside down. Suddenly Elsa is running for her life, trying to keep her children safe, and desperate to discover what the hell is going on.
Every intelligence agency in the world wants her dead because she's in possession of a deadly secret – she just has to stay alive long enough to figure out what it is.
But this is Elsa Zero we're talking about.
And it's a very bad idea to get on her wrong side.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 6, 2023
179 people are currently reading
306 people want to read
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March 18, 2024you know when you're reading a book with a female MC/viewpoint character and the author name is gender neutral and by page 17 you're like "I will bet my entire mortgage and my firstborn child that the author is a cis man" and then you read on a bit longer and start to wish you'd staked both kids on that because you would have made a killing.
DNF around p.35, wondering who I sue for teaching me to read.
(Because I cannot be arsed with this site and the predictable comments: I am completely behind anyone writing any sort of character that doesn't map to themselves ((and indeed I encourage it when the character is a serial killer etc)) as long as it is done well. That means the reader not going "...is this supposed to be a woman?" by p.17.)
DNF around p.35, wondering who I sue for teaching me to read.
(Because I cannot be arsed with this site and the predictable comments: I am completely behind anyone writing any sort of character that doesn't map to themselves ((and indeed I encourage it when the character is a serial killer etc)) as long as it is done well. That means the reader not going "...is this supposed to be a woman?" by p.17.)
April 18, 2023
4-5 stars
Joel tries to impress his female companion on date night with his choice of restaurant but then she’s always been fierce and unpredictable. He proposes, she says yes but it’s hardly an emphatic one. He gets a call, he takes it outside which bothers her, she follows and then to her shock he attacks her relentlessly. She defends herself, a horrendous fight ensues with the restaurant ending up resembling the aftermath of an explosion. She is Elsa Zero and it’s time for her to take her leave of the life she has created and taking her twins Harley and India to safety. Her world has fallen apart Krav Magra Cinderella style on the stroke of midnight, her decision to try to life a normal life with Joel an imploded dream. Elsa is no ordinary woman, you may have guessed by now. She’s a former deep cover agent for a private security firm RedQueen and out of the game for years. Why now, nine years after her last op does every intelligence agency seem to want her dead? Can she stay alive long enough to discover what is going on?
M. K. Hill sure knows how to pull me into the storytelling with 0-100mph pace in a nanosecond! It doesn’t let up for most of the book although thankfully there are some spaces to catch your breath. This is just the kind of thriller I like, it’s exciting, tense, intense, has multiple layers that provoke further tension, oodles of twists, turns and questions, danger around every corner, a lot of havoc, plenty of destruction and rather a lot of carnage - many of whom get exactly what they deserve. The plot is well thought out, keeps me entertained and whilst it might stray into the far fetched it’s by no means implausible. It’s complex, intelligent with conspiracies left, right and centre as a deadly game of BIG cat versus teeny mouse ensues. You have to accept Elsa is made of titanium and would give Ethan Hunt a run for his money any day of the week and you get behind her all the way. The plot thickens, the danger intensifies and trying to stay one step in front and alive requires audacity and she’s got that in spades.
This is the book I didn’t know I needed! So entertaining, fun, compelling and thrilling with a good ending and an intriguing cliff hanger. Sign me up for the next one!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Aria and Aries for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Joel tries to impress his female companion on date night with his choice of restaurant but then she’s always been fierce and unpredictable. He proposes, she says yes but it’s hardly an emphatic one. He gets a call, he takes it outside which bothers her, she follows and then to her shock he attacks her relentlessly. She defends herself, a horrendous fight ensues with the restaurant ending up resembling the aftermath of an explosion. She is Elsa Zero and it’s time for her to take her leave of the life she has created and taking her twins Harley and India to safety. Her world has fallen apart Krav Magra Cinderella style on the stroke of midnight, her decision to try to life a normal life with Joel an imploded dream. Elsa is no ordinary woman, you may have guessed by now. She’s a former deep cover agent for a private security firm RedQueen and out of the game for years. Why now, nine years after her last op does every intelligence agency seem to want her dead? Can she stay alive long enough to discover what is going on?
M. K. Hill sure knows how to pull me into the storytelling with 0-100mph pace in a nanosecond! It doesn’t let up for most of the book although thankfully there are some spaces to catch your breath. This is just the kind of thriller I like, it’s exciting, tense, intense, has multiple layers that provoke further tension, oodles of twists, turns and questions, danger around every corner, a lot of havoc, plenty of destruction and rather a lot of carnage - many of whom get exactly what they deserve. The plot is well thought out, keeps me entertained and whilst it might stray into the far fetched it’s by no means implausible. It’s complex, intelligent with conspiracies left, right and centre as a deadly game of BIG cat versus teeny mouse ensues. You have to accept Elsa is made of titanium and would give Ethan Hunt a run for his money any day of the week and you get behind her all the way. The plot thickens, the danger intensifies and trying to stay one step in front and alive requires audacity and she’s got that in spades.
This is the book I didn’t know I needed! So entertaining, fun, compelling and thrilling with a good ending and an intriguing cliff hanger. Sign me up for the next one!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Aria and Aries for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
July 1, 2023
Hold on tight as Elsa Zero dives into a web of conspiracy, where survival is just the beginning.……
Book Information
Zero Kill, written by M.K. Hill, is a 400-page thriller to be published on July 6, 2023. M.K. (Mark) lives in London and was a journalist and an award-winning music radio producer before becoming an author. Thank you to Aria & Aries for providing me with an advance reader copy of this book for review.
Summary
Elsa Zero is a single mother and a former deep cover agent. She finds herself in a perilous situation when her uneventful evening takes a drastic turn after her boyfriend's proposal. Now on the run to protect her children and discover the truth, Elsa must evade numerous intelligence agencies desperate to eliminate her, all because she possesses a deadly secret. Surviving long enough to unravel the mystery becomes her top priority.
My Thoughts
Zero Kill by M.K. Hill is an intense and fun book that grabs you from the very first chapter and never lets go. It is a quick and exciting read, with short chapters that keep the action moving. The plot is well crafted, filled with twists and turns, making it a page-turning, pandemonium-filled, thrill-ride adventure. Hill creates a world where nothing is as it seems, and only Elsa Zero can unravel the truth.
One strength of the book lies in the complex character of Elsa Zero, who seems to me to be a mix of Ethan Hunt and Jason Bourne with a sprinkling of John Wick. I do think, however, that there is a slight disconnect between her personality in the first chapter and the rest of the book. While she was not likable at the restaurant with her fiancé initially, she is portrayed differently in subsequent chapters. This discrepancy seems more like a disconnect than character growth.
While the book is very enjoyable and a great read, it does have some formulaic elements. Additionally, there are instances where the prose and character descriptions can be seen as misogynistic, which detracts from the overall reading experience.
Despite this, the book remains entertaining and captivating. It is one of those stories where the fate of the world hangs in the balance, and only the protagonist, Elsa Zero, who seemingly has the world against her, can save it. Throughout the book, the layers of the story unfold, leaving us uncertain about the motives behind everyone wanting to kill Elsa and the identities of the good and bad guys. The involvement of Elsa's parents adds an interesting dynamic to the story which I enjoyed. I also enjoyed the character Saint, despite all his flaws.
Betrayal, danger, and a heroine you won't forget - Zero Kill is an adrenaline-fueled rollercoaster.
Recommendation
Zero Kill is a thrilling and fast-paced book with a well-crafted plot and a strong protagonist in Elsa Zero. Despite some minor flaws, it offers an entertaining read for those who enjoy action-packed adventures. Recommended.
Rating
4 Apocalyptic Stars
Book Information
Zero Kill, written by M.K. Hill, is a 400-page thriller to be published on July 6, 2023. M.K. (Mark) lives in London and was a journalist and an award-winning music radio producer before becoming an author. Thank you to Aria & Aries for providing me with an advance reader copy of this book for review.
Summary
Elsa Zero is a single mother and a former deep cover agent. She finds herself in a perilous situation when her uneventful evening takes a drastic turn after her boyfriend's proposal. Now on the run to protect her children and discover the truth, Elsa must evade numerous intelligence agencies desperate to eliminate her, all because she possesses a deadly secret. Surviving long enough to unravel the mystery becomes her top priority.
My Thoughts
Zero Kill by M.K. Hill is an intense and fun book that grabs you from the very first chapter and never lets go. It is a quick and exciting read, with short chapters that keep the action moving. The plot is well crafted, filled with twists and turns, making it a page-turning, pandemonium-filled, thrill-ride adventure. Hill creates a world where nothing is as it seems, and only Elsa Zero can unravel the truth.
One strength of the book lies in the complex character of Elsa Zero, who seems to me to be a mix of Ethan Hunt and Jason Bourne with a sprinkling of John Wick. I do think, however, that there is a slight disconnect between her personality in the first chapter and the rest of the book. While she was not likable at the restaurant with her fiancé initially, she is portrayed differently in subsequent chapters. This discrepancy seems more like a disconnect than character growth.
While the book is very enjoyable and a great read, it does have some formulaic elements. Additionally, there are instances where the prose and character descriptions can be seen as misogynistic, which detracts from the overall reading experience.
Despite this, the book remains entertaining and captivating. It is one of those stories where the fate of the world hangs in the balance, and only the protagonist, Elsa Zero, who seemingly has the world against her, can save it. Throughout the book, the layers of the story unfold, leaving us uncertain about the motives behind everyone wanting to kill Elsa and the identities of the good and bad guys. The involvement of Elsa's parents adds an interesting dynamic to the story which I enjoyed. I also enjoyed the character Saint, despite all his flaws.
Betrayal, danger, and a heroine you won't forget - Zero Kill is an adrenaline-fueled rollercoaster.
Recommendation
Zero Kill is a thrilling and fast-paced book with a well-crafted plot and a strong protagonist in Elsa Zero. Despite some minor flaws, it offers an entertaining read for those who enjoy action-packed adventures. Recommended.
Rating
4 Apocalyptic Stars
June 20, 2023
And that’s how you do it folks! That was one of the most intense and fun book I have read so far this year. Starting on chapter one and until the end we get shot out of a cannon.
We have Elsa Zero who is on a nice date with her fiancé Joel who picks that day to propose to her. Awwwww, I knew all along that crazy couple would make it! Oh, until he excuses himself to take a phone call and when he comes back commences to beating the crap out of her. It turns out he just received a kill order on Elsa along with every single covert government agency in the world. Elsa just became the most dangerous person in the world and she has no clue why.
This book quickly moves with Elsa (who we find out is a retired covert agent), along with her two kids, trying to thwart attempt after attempt on her life. And while she is trying to stay alive she also is trying to find out why everyone wants to kill her. And bullets fly, heads explode, and twists I never see coming happen in this glorious, brutal and profane caper. Full of intense action sequences with compelling and interesting characters who are screaming for a eight episode Netflix arc.
This was almost my second five star of the year but I had to throttle back some. Mainly Elsa….. She was someone bland and emotionless for the first 75% of this book but in her defense she was running for her life for most of it. But towards the end she becomes a great character. I laughed out loud at some of her snarky comments. It just took awhile to get there.
Heads up there are a ton of negative reviews because this book is fairly cartoonish and cliche…. Literally a apocalyptic ending set up. But it just works in my opinion. Is this a book you are going to remember tomorrow? Maybe not? Is it going to kick your ass in a good way? Most definitely! A very good entertaining book and highly recommended. And I think it sets up for a sequel? Lol. I’m really not sure what I read in that last chapter.
I really appreciate Aria & Aries, Head of Zeus for giving me the opportunity to review this book for free for a honest review and it has a publication date of July 6, 2023
We have Elsa Zero who is on a nice date with her fiancé Joel who picks that day to propose to her. Awwwww, I knew all along that crazy couple would make it! Oh, until he excuses himself to take a phone call and when he comes back commences to beating the crap out of her. It turns out he just received a kill order on Elsa along with every single covert government agency in the world. Elsa just became the most dangerous person in the world and she has no clue why.
This book quickly moves with Elsa (who we find out is a retired covert agent), along with her two kids, trying to thwart attempt after attempt on her life. And while she is trying to stay alive she also is trying to find out why everyone wants to kill her. And bullets fly, heads explode, and twists I never see coming happen in this glorious, brutal and profane caper. Full of intense action sequences with compelling and interesting characters who are screaming for a eight episode Netflix arc.
This was almost my second five star of the year but I had to throttle back some. Mainly Elsa….. She was someone bland and emotionless for the first 75% of this book but in her defense she was running for her life for most of it. But towards the end she becomes a great character. I laughed out loud at some of her snarky comments. It just took awhile to get there.
Heads up there are a ton of negative reviews because this book is fairly cartoonish and cliche…. Literally a apocalyptic ending set up. But it just works in my opinion. Is this a book you are going to remember tomorrow? Maybe not? Is it going to kick your ass in a good way? Most definitely! A very good entertaining book and highly recommended. And I think it sets up for a sequel? Lol. I’m really not sure what I read in that last chapter.
I really appreciate Aria & Aries, Head of Zeus for giving me the opportunity to review this book for free for a honest review and it has a publication date of July 6, 2023
June 2, 2023
[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Zero Kill releases July 6, 2023
Elsa, a single mother to two 8 year old twins, is also an ex-secret agent who we see come out of retirement when her newly fiancé, Joel, burns her idyllic suburban life and she finds herself the target of every intelligence agency.
Was everything they had together a lie? A job? A way to get close to her before ultimately getting orders to kill her?
This is a multi-pov story with a few flashback chapters from a previous mission in Buenos Aires, 9 years ago.
I liked how this was action packed from the get go with intrigue and high stakes.
However, I could have done without the element of cheating.
I wish that the whole encoded dna thing was introduced into the story earlier as it would have helped to keep my attention more.
I also think that this would have benefitted from having an exclusive pov from Joel but we didn’t really get that.
cw: graphic scene involving gunshot to the head
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Zero Kill releases July 6, 2023
Elsa, a single mother to two 8 year old twins, is also an ex-secret agent who we see come out of retirement when her newly fiancé, Joel, burns her idyllic suburban life and she finds herself the target of every intelligence agency.
Was everything they had together a lie? A job? A way to get close to her before ultimately getting orders to kill her?
This is a multi-pov story with a few flashback chapters from a previous mission in Buenos Aires, 9 years ago.
I liked how this was action packed from the get go with intrigue and high stakes.
However, I could have done without the element of cheating.
I wish that the whole encoded dna thing was introduced into the story earlier as it would have helped to keep my attention more.
I also think that this would have benefitted from having an exclusive pov from Joel but we didn’t really get that.
cw: graphic scene involving gunshot to the head
July 10, 2023
Review originally on JamReads
Zero Kill is a gripping and fast-paced thriller, full of twists and action scenes, written by M.K. Hill. A plot where many mysteries will be unraveled, while at the same time, we are following Elsa Zero, a retired secret agent, who for unknown reasons, is persecuted by half of the world's special agencies, trying to kill her.
Elsa Zero was on a perfect date, until the clock reached midnight. From that moment, most of the people she has found have tried to kill her; as an ex-secret agent, she thinks it might be related to her past and a mission in Buenos Aires that marked the end of her career. Her only possible resource is reaching some of her old mates and trying to uncover why she's a kill-target.
Hill manages to write a gripping thriller, which maintains the tension high at all the points, while at the same time introduces slowly the real plot behind the story: a conspiration that will unleash a biological weapon to devastate the world. The pacing is really fast, and there isn't a single moment to rest, as every few pages we find action scenes and explosions.
Personally, I would say that the only problem with this book is that the characters have almost no time to be developed: most of them last for a few pages, and outside of Elsa and Saint, they feel too plain. The villains' motivations are kinda pointless and simple, they are okay to advance the plot, but not much more.
Said that, Zero Kill is excellent as a thriller, a novel that would be perfect for those that enjoyed John Wick: Parabellum and The Bourne Identity. It's a book that you will devour, because it hooks you from page one until it finishes.
Zero Kill is a gripping and fast-paced thriller, full of twists and action scenes, written by M.K. Hill. A plot where many mysteries will be unraveled, while at the same time, we are following Elsa Zero, a retired secret agent, who for unknown reasons, is persecuted by half of the world's special agencies, trying to kill her.
Elsa Zero was on a perfect date, until the clock reached midnight. From that moment, most of the people she has found have tried to kill her; as an ex-secret agent, she thinks it might be related to her past and a mission in Buenos Aires that marked the end of her career. Her only possible resource is reaching some of her old mates and trying to uncover why she's a kill-target.
Hill manages to write a gripping thriller, which maintains the tension high at all the points, while at the same time introduces slowly the real plot behind the story: a conspiration that will unleash a biological weapon to devastate the world. The pacing is really fast, and there isn't a single moment to rest, as every few pages we find action scenes and explosions.
Personally, I would say that the only problem with this book is that the characters have almost no time to be developed: most of them last for a few pages, and outside of Elsa and Saint, they feel too plain. The villains' motivations are kinda pointless and simple, they are okay to advance the plot, but not much more.
Said that, Zero Kill is excellent as a thriller, a novel that would be perfect for those that enjoyed John Wick: Parabellum and The Bourne Identity. It's a book that you will devour, because it hooks you from page one until it finishes.
April 28, 2023
The story begins with Elsa's boyfriend proposing in a packed restaurant. While he is lovely, he is also dull and uninspiring. Then just as the clock strikes midnight, chaos unfolds and Elsa is running for her life and trying to keep her children safe. As it turns out, every intelligence agency in the world wants her dead and she has no idea why.
This was such a fast paced and wild adventure with action bursting from every scene! The backstory was so intriguing and I did not predict the way this would unfold, almost from the very beginning. The twists and turns were so entertaining. Such an enjoyable novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria and Aries for this gifted review copy.
This was such a fast paced and wild adventure with action bursting from every scene! The backstory was so intriguing and I did not predict the way this would unfold, almost from the very beginning. The twists and turns were so entertaining. Such an enjoyable novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria and Aries for this gifted review copy.
August 11, 2023
Exciting!
July 29, 2023
Zero Kill by M.K Hill is a spy thriller that threw me into Elsa Zero's life from the very first chapter. The cover to this book had me immediately, and the blurb just cemented my 'need' to read!
A fast-moving thriller that hooked me immediately. Elsa Zero is a complex character who I found fun to get to know as the chapters flew by. The author cleverly interweaves so many twists and turns that I was kept guessing as Elsa started to discover the truth.
I found it an entertaining and addictive read as the chapters flew by. It's an adrenaline inducing and edge of your seat read as Elsa doggedly attempts to save the world. It's a multi layered story with unique and well developed characters.
It's one of those books where the action keeps on coming with almost no stopping. I thoroughly enjoyed Zero Kill, and for anyone who loves action adventures, it has it all!
Thanks to Andrew Knowles and Head of Zeus for my gifted book in exchange for my honest review.
A fast-moving thriller that hooked me immediately. Elsa Zero is a complex character who I found fun to get to know as the chapters flew by. The author cleverly interweaves so many twists and turns that I was kept guessing as Elsa started to discover the truth.
I found it an entertaining and addictive read as the chapters flew by. It's an adrenaline inducing and edge of your seat read as Elsa doggedly attempts to save the world. It's a multi layered story with unique and well developed characters.
It's one of those books where the action keeps on coming with almost no stopping. I thoroughly enjoyed Zero Kill, and for anyone who loves action adventures, it has it all!
Thanks to Andrew Knowles and Head of Zeus for my gifted book in exchange for my honest review.
July 5, 2023
Thank you, NetGalley and Aries Fiction, for the DRC of ZERO KILL.
Unfortunately, I found the MC unlikeable and couldn't connect to her story. In the first chapter, she muses, "You didn’t reach the fitness levels of an elite athlete – 15 percent body fat; VO2max of 40 percent; optimal bone density and muscle mass – by drinking alcohol." She goes on to describe her rock-hard abs and impressive chest. She lost me at that point, but I hoped for some redemption in later chapters.
Instead, I had trouble staying engaged. The premise was great, and it was full of action and thrills, but the human interest piece of the puzzle was missing for me. I've seen many other great reviews, so it's likely just a personal taste issue.
Unfortunately, I found the MC unlikeable and couldn't connect to her story. In the first chapter, she muses, "You didn’t reach the fitness levels of an elite athlete – 15 percent body fat; VO2max of 40 percent; optimal bone density and muscle mass – by drinking alcohol." She goes on to describe her rock-hard abs and impressive chest. She lost me at that point, but I hoped for some redemption in later chapters.
Instead, I had trouble staying engaged. The premise was great, and it was full of action and thrills, but the human interest piece of the puzzle was missing for me. I've seen many other great reviews, so it's likely just a personal taste issue.
July 21, 2023
Elsa Zero is not your average sporty MILF, she's a kickass heroine you cannot help loving as she alternates serious fighting skill with being a mother and trying to survive.
It starts during a date night that turns into a hell date night as I would be happy to discover that the guy who just give a diamond ring is trying to kill me.
It's the beginning of a fast paced, twisty and highly entertaining spy thriller that keeps you turning pages as there's not a moment of calm and there's always someone new trying to kill Elsa.
She's in possession of a secret but she doesn't know what it is.
This is a super fast paced and action packed thriller but also a very entertaining book with moments of pure fun.
It caused me sleep deprivation due to fun and cant-stop-reading-syndrome
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Aria & Aries for this ARC, all opinions are mine
It starts during a date night that turns into a hell date night as I would be happy to discover that the guy who just give a diamond ring is trying to kill me.
It's the beginning of a fast paced, twisty and highly entertaining spy thriller that keeps you turning pages as there's not a moment of calm and there's always someone new trying to kill Elsa.
She's in possession of a secret but she doesn't know what it is.
This is a super fast paced and action packed thriller but also a very entertaining book with moments of pure fun.
It caused me sleep deprivation due to fun and cant-stop-reading-syndrome
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Aria & Aries for this ARC, all opinions are mine
June 21, 2023
A non stop action thriller that grabs you and doesn't let go. Elsa Zero an ex agent who's new fiance tries to kill her minutes after proposing from then on it all action and it seem everybody is out to kill her. Great action and characters, loved every minute of reading this book.
I received this book from Aria & Aries Head of Zeus and Netgalley for a review.
I received this book from Aria & Aries Head of Zeus and Netgalley for a review.
2023
June 10, 2024📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus -- an Aries Book
July 6, 2023
You know what? I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Fast paced, full of action and with a character who probably won't win the Miss Congeniality titles anytime soon but who is none the less compelling and quite a bit of fun to spend time with. If your idea of fun includes being shot at, driven off a bridge and subject to all manner of various assassination attempts that is ...
I was not expecting the opening chapter. It starts with a somewhat gruff and thoroughly rude Elsa Zero receiving an unexpected proposal and ends with an even more unexpected attempt on her life. And why not? Elsa is, unbeknownst to her, public enemy number one - on a very global scale. Within a few hours a romantic evening out has turned into the night from hell and that is only the start of Elsa's worries, and the start of the fun times for us readers. If you like a high tension, spy style thriller, then this could be right up your street because Elsa is a retired deep-cover agent, previously hired by numerous agencies across the globe for top secret incursions, and a woman with a price on her head ... with no idea why. And that's half the fun for us as readers, trying to second guess exactly what is going on.
The story is dual timeline affair. Elsa finally gets to understand that the reason people want to kill her is linked to her last mission, one in which she nearly died. Quite why it has triggered people to act now is unknown, but it leads to high octane scenes and showdowns across the Capital as Elsa, and the company she used to work for, try to understand just what is going on. For all her faults, and there are many, many of those, I kind fo liked Elsa. Yes, she is the stereotypical hard nut of a woman, rude, abrupt, unable to display emotion to anyone other than her children, and even that is somewhat constrained and on her terms. Then again, which parent/aunt/grandparent hasn't gotten fed up of reading the same book to kids over and over? Elsa is just a little less capable of filtering her frustration than most. But she is tough, quick thinking and compassionate - in her own special way. Mark Hill has played a clever game showing her professional clinical side but often balancing it against her weak spot - the love for her children.
There are a number of surprises spring on us throughout this book, although I had guessed one of the antagonists very early on. It was a bit of a no brainer the more we learned of Elsa's past, but still played carefully with the small amount of uncertainty as to which side they were really on. The root cause of Elsa's woes I did not see coming and makes for a very interesting proposition. And whilst some semblance of altruism is professed by the bad guys as to why they are acting now, it's quite clear that it is truthfully about personal gain. One of the surprise star characters, for me, was Saint. A drunk, yes, but still able to pull off the seemingly impossible and the kind of support that Elsa needs by her side. Then again, Elsa's parents, Greta and Howard, have a few aces up their sleeve and their partnership and bickering, as well as their very distant interactions with Elsa, really did make me smile.
The ending of the book saw the pace pick up, with fight scenes and a high stakes showdown which had me, sitting on the edge of my seat, cheering Elsa on and, in the final moments chuckling to myself. If you read the book, you'll understand why. The very end of the book leaves us with so much promise of what could be yet to come, hopefully with Saint, Greta and Howard having Elsa's back. Fun, fast paced and a little unexpected. Can't wait for more.
I was not expecting the opening chapter. It starts with a somewhat gruff and thoroughly rude Elsa Zero receiving an unexpected proposal and ends with an even more unexpected attempt on her life. And why not? Elsa is, unbeknownst to her, public enemy number one - on a very global scale. Within a few hours a romantic evening out has turned into the night from hell and that is only the start of Elsa's worries, and the start of the fun times for us readers. If you like a high tension, spy style thriller, then this could be right up your street because Elsa is a retired deep-cover agent, previously hired by numerous agencies across the globe for top secret incursions, and a woman with a price on her head ... with no idea why. And that's half the fun for us as readers, trying to second guess exactly what is going on.
The story is dual timeline affair. Elsa finally gets to understand that the reason people want to kill her is linked to her last mission, one in which she nearly died. Quite why it has triggered people to act now is unknown, but it leads to high octane scenes and showdowns across the Capital as Elsa, and the company she used to work for, try to understand just what is going on. For all her faults, and there are many, many of those, I kind fo liked Elsa. Yes, she is the stereotypical hard nut of a woman, rude, abrupt, unable to display emotion to anyone other than her children, and even that is somewhat constrained and on her terms. Then again, which parent/aunt/grandparent hasn't gotten fed up of reading the same book to kids over and over? Elsa is just a little less capable of filtering her frustration than most. But she is tough, quick thinking and compassionate - in her own special way. Mark Hill has played a clever game showing her professional clinical side but often balancing it against her weak spot - the love for her children.
There are a number of surprises spring on us throughout this book, although I had guessed one of the antagonists very early on. It was a bit of a no brainer the more we learned of Elsa's past, but still played carefully with the small amount of uncertainty as to which side they were really on. The root cause of Elsa's woes I did not see coming and makes for a very interesting proposition. And whilst some semblance of altruism is professed by the bad guys as to why they are acting now, it's quite clear that it is truthfully about personal gain. One of the surprise star characters, for me, was Saint. A drunk, yes, but still able to pull off the seemingly impossible and the kind of support that Elsa needs by her side. Then again, Elsa's parents, Greta and Howard, have a few aces up their sleeve and their partnership and bickering, as well as their very distant interactions with Elsa, really did make me smile.
The ending of the book saw the pace pick up, with fight scenes and a high stakes showdown which had me, sitting on the edge of my seat, cheering Elsa on and, in the final moments chuckling to myself. If you read the book, you'll understand why. The very end of the book leaves us with so much promise of what could be yet to come, hopefully with Saint, Greta and Howard having Elsa's back. Fun, fast paced and a little unexpected. Can't wait for more.
June 23, 2023
I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley and it is set to be released in July 2023.
Considering that I DNFed this book perhaps this review isn’t a true reflection of the entire contents, but I truly cannot force myself to push through it.
I wanted to like this book more than I actually did. Clearly, I am not the target demographic for this book. This book had the potential to be amazing as it is action packed and has a very interesting and exciting premise, however, in my opinion these are let down by the misogynistic undertones in the writing, along with heavily in detail descriptions of the main character’s body which were unnecessary and inappropriate. Also, for a top agent she sure does need to be saved a lot.
Considering that I DNFed this book perhaps this review isn’t a true reflection of the entire contents, but I truly cannot force myself to push through it.
I wanted to like this book more than I actually did. Clearly, I am not the target demographic for this book. This book had the potential to be amazing as it is action packed and has a very interesting and exciting premise, however, in my opinion these are let down by the misogynistic undertones in the writing, along with heavily in detail descriptions of the main character’s body which were unnecessary and inappropriate. Also, for a top agent she sure does need to be saved a lot.
June 4, 2023
This is a fast paced action thriller from the get the go to the very end with a strong, smart female lead in Elisa Zero. Nice plot, with plenty of humour, and I found the characters fun. Hope to spend more time with Elisa in future books. Thank you to Aria & Aries and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.
June 17, 2023
Thank to NetGalley for the advance copy received for review.
This is a fast paced thriller following the main character as she strives to find out why she is being targeted by numerous international agencies. 9 years previously she was working for a private organisation on a mission to destroy a hard drive during which they came under attack resulting in only 3 members surviving.
This book starts off with a bang as an attempt is made to kill her and she has to flee. Running to not only survive but find out who is behind this attack and why she has to link up with the other survivors from that mission.
There are a lot of twists and turns as she is never sure who is trying to kill her and who actually wants to kill her.
This is a fast paced thriller following the main character as she strives to find out why she is being targeted by numerous international agencies. 9 years previously she was working for a private organisation on a mission to destroy a hard drive during which they came under attack resulting in only 3 members surviving.
This book starts off with a bang as an attempt is made to kill her and she has to flee. Running to not only survive but find out who is behind this attack and why she has to link up with the other survivors from that mission.
There are a lot of twists and turns as she is never sure who is trying to kill her and who actually wants to kill her.
May 11, 2023
There’s barely time to pause for breathe in this exciting action packed thriller! Elsa Zero is a personal trainer and single Mum to twins Harley and India who is living a quiet life in London. When out on a date night with her boyfriend, deciding whether to accept his marriage proposal, something completely unexpected happens and Elsa is forced to run for her life relying on skills she thought she would no longer need to use.
Why does everyone want her dead and what can she do to protect both herself and her young children? The action is fast paced and relentless in this quirky thriller. Elsa is an amazing heroine who always seems to work out how to escape her enemies. It becomes apparent early on that her present predicament is based on a failed mission she undertook as some sort of agent 9 years earlier. With the help of a motley band of unusual allies including a couple of ex colleagues and some particularly weird family members, Elsa delves into her past to try and work out what is going on.
The plot itself is a bit far fetched and the bad guys are particularly nasty but isn’t that to be expected in this sort of thriller? I for one really didn’t mind and had a great time racing through the book to its extremely exciting conclusion.
Indeed the last chapter set up a possible sequel and I can’t wait to read more about Elsa and her life.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.
Why does everyone want her dead and what can she do to protect both herself and her young children? The action is fast paced and relentless in this quirky thriller. Elsa is an amazing heroine who always seems to work out how to escape her enemies. It becomes apparent early on that her present predicament is based on a failed mission she undertook as some sort of agent 9 years earlier. With the help of a motley band of unusual allies including a couple of ex colleagues and some particularly weird family members, Elsa delves into her past to try and work out what is going on.
The plot itself is a bit far fetched and the bad guys are particularly nasty but isn’t that to be expected in this sort of thriller? I for one really didn’t mind and had a great time racing through the book to its extremely exciting conclusion.
Indeed the last chapter set up a possible sequel and I can’t wait to read more about Elsa and her life.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.
April 24, 2023
Zero Kill is a wild, action packed thrill ride that begins in chapter one and runs full throttle to the nail biting ending. Elsa Zero is a personal trainer with two children and a rather boring boyfriend. But the night of her engagement, Elsa’s new fiancé tries to murder her in a public restaurant. Elsa’s past has come roaring back, a former intelligence operative, every intelligence order has issued a kill order for Elsa. Grab her kids and stowing them away, Elsa begins a dangerous, heart pounding journey to find out why she is targeted and to stop a global conspiracy that she has been framed for. Zero Kill is a page turning, chaos ridden, hair raising adventure with a strong butt kicking heroine. I get wait for another Elsa Zero thriller. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from NetGalley.
January 30, 2024
Okay, how do I start?
I could not put this book down, I love every page in this book. The more and more I read this book the pages were drawing me in with shocking details and twists.
This book gives me the vibes of James Bond and John Wicks, with a female character, which I am down for.
Mark, thank you so much for writing this book and allowing me to review this book. I truly hope that you would write more books like this.
If you are into Mystery and Thriller, this is the book for you. Especially for those female readers who wish there were more lead female characters.
I could not put this book down, I love every page in this book. The more and more I read this book the pages were drawing me in with shocking details and twists.
This book gives me the vibes of James Bond and John Wicks, with a female character, which I am down for.
Mark, thank you so much for writing this book and allowing me to review this book. I truly hope that you would write more books like this.
If you are into Mystery and Thriller, this is the book for you. Especially for those female readers who wish there were more lead female characters.
April 14, 2023
Certainly starts with a bang, the momentum continues all the way through.
A satisfying thriller, utterly unbelievable but somehow it doesn't matter.
A satisfying thriller, utterly unbelievable but somehow it doesn't matter.
December 30, 2024
Oh wow, what a brilliant roller coaster ride of a thriller! Elsa Zero and her boyfriend are in a packed expensive restaurant when he decides to propose. Elsa isn’t sure she wants to get married, her boyfriend Joel is a nice guy if rather dull, but he’s good with her twin children so she decides to give it a go. However when the clock strikes midnight while still at the restaurant, everything in Elsa’s life changes. Suddenly people are after her, trying to attack her and kill her. Elsa has no idea why she’s being targeted, but to keep herself and her kids safe she has to go on the run to find out.
I loved this book from the first chapter! Not long after the proposal, things get exciting and dark as Elsa soon finds herself fleeing the restaurant after an attack on her life. On the run she soon finds out that everyone seems to be after her but she has no idea why. I don’t want to give away the plot as even the first chapter has some interesting twists and shock moments, but it’s an amazing story which keeps you on edge and turning the pages as it’s just so fast paced.
While we see the story of Elsa and what’s happening to her now, the book soon takes us back nine years into the past when Elsa, who used to work as an undercover operative for an agency, was on a mission in Buenos Aires to berak into a building and do something important when inside. The story in the past is slowly revealed through these chapters, which hold some clues to what is happening and how Elsa’s life came to be as it is now.
I love how fast paced this story is. Every moment is filled with exciting action with Elsa constantly on the run and encountering some truly dark and interesting things. There’s nobody she finds she can trust and there are so many twists and turns in this story and I especially loved the Tube train scene and later the scene with the car on the bridge which were both so exciting and made me gasp while reading. The whole book felt very much like a movie playing out in my head, the descriptions of what was happening were wonderfully vivid, and I just couldn’t stop reading this, finishing the book in just two days (I could have finished it in one day if I hadn’t needed to sleep!😅).
Each short chapter reveals more and more twists and I love how I really couldn’t guess where this story was going. The reason behind Elsa being chased down is later revealed, but wow, the reason is so brilliant and shocking too. I don’t think anybody reading this could ever predict what is later revealed and there’s something about this later part of the story that’s so eerie too. It’s like a bit of a shocking story of what could actually so easily be happening in our world soon, and I love how even after everything is revealed, the story still manages to keep the tension going and keeps you guessing as to what will happen next.
The book builds up to a brilliant, exciting and thrilling ending that keeps you glued to the pages and satisfied when you finally finish the book too. I like what happens to all of the characters involved and that last final chapter with Elsa leaves you wondering what might happen in the future, and that very last chapter of the book makes me wonder if we’ll see a sequel in future, which I really do hope there will be as this book has been so good and I’d love to see more of these characters too.
The book has violence in it including gun violence and some more graphic descriptions of some deaths, some more gory than others, and obviously lots of fighting and blood mentioned too. There are also some uses of the f and s swear words too. Overall I have really enjoyed this book so much. I have never read a book by M. K. Hill before but this book has made me a fan already! I’m certainly looking forward to reading more of his books in future and would recommend Zero Kill to anyone who loves a good fast paced thriller that will keep you turning the pages until the very end. It’s definitely a brilliant book for a fan of spy thrillers too or as the description on amazon says, fans of the series Hunted (like I am) too! A great read and one I really do recommend! 🙂
-Thanks to Aries for a free copy.
I loved this book from the first chapter! Not long after the proposal, things get exciting and dark as Elsa soon finds herself fleeing the restaurant after an attack on her life. On the run she soon finds out that everyone seems to be after her but she has no idea why. I don’t want to give away the plot as even the first chapter has some interesting twists and shock moments, but it’s an amazing story which keeps you on edge and turning the pages as it’s just so fast paced.
While we see the story of Elsa and what’s happening to her now, the book soon takes us back nine years into the past when Elsa, who used to work as an undercover operative for an agency, was on a mission in Buenos Aires to berak into a building and do something important when inside. The story in the past is slowly revealed through these chapters, which hold some clues to what is happening and how Elsa’s life came to be as it is now.
I love how fast paced this story is. Every moment is filled with exciting action with Elsa constantly on the run and encountering some truly dark and interesting things. There’s nobody she finds she can trust and there are so many twists and turns in this story and I especially loved the Tube train scene and later the scene with the car on the bridge which were both so exciting and made me gasp while reading. The whole book felt very much like a movie playing out in my head, the descriptions of what was happening were wonderfully vivid, and I just couldn’t stop reading this, finishing the book in just two days (I could have finished it in one day if I hadn’t needed to sleep!😅).
Each short chapter reveals more and more twists and I love how I really couldn’t guess where this story was going. The reason behind Elsa being chased down is later revealed, but wow, the reason is so brilliant and shocking too. I don’t think anybody reading this could ever predict what is later revealed and there’s something about this later part of the story that’s so eerie too. It’s like a bit of a shocking story of what could actually so easily be happening in our world soon, and I love how even after everything is revealed, the story still manages to keep the tension going and keeps you guessing as to what will happen next.
The book builds up to a brilliant, exciting and thrilling ending that keeps you glued to the pages and satisfied when you finally finish the book too. I like what happens to all of the characters involved and that last final chapter with Elsa leaves you wondering what might happen in the future, and that very last chapter of the book makes me wonder if we’ll see a sequel in future, which I really do hope there will be as this book has been so good and I’d love to see more of these characters too.
The book has violence in it including gun violence and some more graphic descriptions of some deaths, some more gory than others, and obviously lots of fighting and blood mentioned too. There are also some uses of the f and s swear words too. Overall I have really enjoyed this book so much. I have never read a book by M. K. Hill before but this book has made me a fan already! I’m certainly looking forward to reading more of his books in future and would recommend Zero Kill to anyone who loves a good fast paced thriller that will keep you turning the pages until the very end. It’s definitely a brilliant book for a fan of spy thrillers too or as the description on amazon says, fans of the series Hunted (like I am) too! A great read and one I really do recommend! 🙂
-Thanks to Aries for a free copy.
July 13, 2023
Phew, I have just finished this adrenalin filled, fast paced, rollercoaster ride of a read if that makes any sense. To me it does. The action is non stop from the first page until you end, I am wondering if we will see more of this main character, I hope so.
So what’s it about? Elsa zero is an ex-deep cover agent, now retired she lives in a normal house raising her two children, she has started her own business as a fitness instructor. She has been dating a pretty boring guy Joel, for over a year and is going on a date night, the evening starts off ok except for when Joel gets on his knees to propose to Elsa. But minutes after saying yes, Joel gets a phone call and excuses himself, when he doesn’t come straight back she goes to see where he is. When he turns and looks at her the fun begins. Right there in this very fancy restaurant he attacks her, she has to fight for her life and she has no idea why. As she escapes an ambulance is outside and the crew want to check her out, but Elsa knows better and runs. Her main worry is her children. She needs to get them to safety whilst she tries to find out who wants her dead after all these years why?
I loved Elsa, she is one feisty woman, but when you learn of her upbringing you get why she is the way she is. Her parents weren’t like normal parents. They never showed her love, so she doesn’t know how to show love except for with her two children who are her whole life.
The story is mostly told in the present, but it does flip back a few times to the last mission Elsa was on 9 years earlier, with Saint, Steve Carragher, and Camille Steve’s wife. What was the mission for? When it went wrong Steve Carragher died, Elsa almost died, Camille and Saint kept her alive until they could get to a medical facility.
The other character I loved was Saint, he is an alcoholic, living on the streets or in a hostel, the life he had lived had got to him and he is at rock bottom. But Elsa still asks him to help her, because he is the one person she can trust, if he can stay sober long enough.
This is one exciting, tense thriller, where the pace doesn’t let up for a second, there are a couple of amusing bits with Saint, but mostly this is an edge of your seat ride, with multiple layers that keep you engaged in the story, twist after twist,danger seems to be found every corner Elsa turns, but she fights on, even when she is bone weary she manages to fight on. There is destruction wherever she goes. The plot is brilliant and as I learned what Elsa was wanted for I thought wow, could this actually happen, and for all we know it could. Thank you M. k. Hill for writing such an entertaining, thrilling, compelling, fun read with that ending that makes you wonder if Elsa will be back for another adventure. This is an absolute ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💥💥💥💥💥 read I could not put it down until I finished it.
Thank you to #netgalley for an eARC of this
So what’s it about? Elsa zero is an ex-deep cover agent, now retired she lives in a normal house raising her two children, she has started her own business as a fitness instructor. She has been dating a pretty boring guy Joel, for over a year and is going on a date night, the evening starts off ok except for when Joel gets on his knees to propose to Elsa. But minutes after saying yes, Joel gets a phone call and excuses himself, when he doesn’t come straight back she goes to see where he is. When he turns and looks at her the fun begins. Right there in this very fancy restaurant he attacks her, she has to fight for her life and she has no idea why. As she escapes an ambulance is outside and the crew want to check her out, but Elsa knows better and runs. Her main worry is her children. She needs to get them to safety whilst she tries to find out who wants her dead after all these years why?
I loved Elsa, she is one feisty woman, but when you learn of her upbringing you get why she is the way she is. Her parents weren’t like normal parents. They never showed her love, so she doesn’t know how to show love except for with her two children who are her whole life.
The story is mostly told in the present, but it does flip back a few times to the last mission Elsa was on 9 years earlier, with Saint, Steve Carragher, and Camille Steve’s wife. What was the mission for? When it went wrong Steve Carragher died, Elsa almost died, Camille and Saint kept her alive until they could get to a medical facility.
The other character I loved was Saint, he is an alcoholic, living on the streets or in a hostel, the life he had lived had got to him and he is at rock bottom. But Elsa still asks him to help her, because he is the one person she can trust, if he can stay sober long enough.
This is one exciting, tense thriller, where the pace doesn’t let up for a second, there are a couple of amusing bits with Saint, but mostly this is an edge of your seat ride, with multiple layers that keep you engaged in the story, twist after twist,danger seems to be found every corner Elsa turns, but she fights on, even when she is bone weary she manages to fight on. There is destruction wherever she goes. The plot is brilliant and as I learned what Elsa was wanted for I thought wow, could this actually happen, and for all we know it could. Thank you M. k. Hill for writing such an entertaining, thrilling, compelling, fun read with that ending that makes you wonder if Elsa will be back for another adventure. This is an absolute ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💥💥💥💥💥 read I could not put it down until I finished it.
Thank you to #netgalley for an eARC of this
April 29, 2023
y’all we seriously need to vet male authors before allowing them to write female main characters bc this was ridiculous. this book had an insulting portrayal of a “strong female lead.”
oh men and their awful representation of femme fatales. at the very beginning of the book, we meet our fmc, Elsa, and she is just despicable and nasty. at the restaurant, she is entitled and extremely rude to the waiter. even when she attempts to “apologize” it comes out as “i suppose i’m sorry” as she forcefully grabs his wrist . i just want to know why? why did you write this?
and then we have the pleasure of learning that she is also a homewrecker 🥴 waiting on steve to leave his wife for her…but nooo she’s the one that has to hear them having sex 😖 poor elsa. again, what was the point of this? how bad of a picture are you trying to paint? read this: “Elsa knew just how crazy Camille was about her husband. She’d be devastated, insane with anger…” UM NO SHIT??? her husband wants to leave her for her colleague (and friend!) that he got pregnant?????
the writing also bothered me. ex. “…discretely adjusting her twisted leggings because all the exertion had given her a camel toe.” referring to elsa’s “camel toe” and using the phrase “tits up” was so unnecessary and gross.
i also had an issue with the way elsa was portrayed as an agent. we are supposed to believe she is this amazing agent, stronger and more intelligent than most. but that’s what we’re told , not what we’re shown. throughout this book, she is easily fooled and has to be saved/helped numerous times. i was hoping to see an independent bad bitch.
now that you have a bit of an idea about this book, i want you to think of the last agent/spy/assassin book you’ve read or movie/show you’ve watched with a male main character. ex. john wick, james bond, etc. you’ll notice that they are either devoted and loyal husbands to their wives or single and end up falling in love with their female counterpart to who they are extremely loyal. i don’t recall one that is a homewrecker. they also tend to be polite gentlemen. when they face the “bad guys” they will mercilessly kill them, but to strangers or innocent people, they are extremely kind. that is why we empathize with and root for them. have you seen ones where they bark at the waiter? at least, not likeable or popular ones.
why can’t female agents be written and portrayed like that? a woman can be badass without being mannerless. men are shown that they can be feared by most while still having empathy. for some reason, men struggle to write women like that. in their eyes, a woman must be a bitch in order to be an amazing agent. this author was no different.
oh men and their awful representation of femme fatales. at the very beginning of the book, we meet our fmc, Elsa, and she is just despicable and nasty. at the restaurant, she is entitled and extremely rude to the waiter. even when she attempts to “apologize” it comes out as “i suppose i’m sorry” as she forcefully grabs his wrist . i just want to know why? why did you write this?
and then we have the pleasure of learning that she is also a homewrecker 🥴 waiting on steve to leave his wife for her…but nooo she’s the one that has to hear them having sex 😖 poor elsa. again, what was the point of this? how bad of a picture are you trying to paint? read this: “Elsa knew just how crazy Camille was about her husband. She’d be devastated, insane with anger…” UM NO SHIT??? her husband wants to leave her for her colleague (and friend!) that he got pregnant?????
the writing also bothered me. ex. “…discretely adjusting her twisted leggings because all the exertion had given her a camel toe.” referring to elsa’s “camel toe” and using the phrase “tits up” was so unnecessary and gross.
i also had an issue with the way elsa was portrayed as an agent. we are supposed to believe she is this amazing agent, stronger and more intelligent than most. but that’s what we’re told , not what we’re shown. throughout this book, she is easily fooled and has to be saved/helped numerous times. i was hoping to see an independent bad bitch.
now that you have a bit of an idea about this book, i want you to think of the last agent/spy/assassin book you’ve read or movie/show you’ve watched with a male main character. ex. john wick, james bond, etc. you’ll notice that they are either devoted and loyal husbands to their wives or single and end up falling in love with their female counterpart to who they are extremely loyal. i don’t recall one that is a homewrecker. they also tend to be polite gentlemen. when they face the “bad guys” they will mercilessly kill them, but to strangers or innocent people, they are extremely kind. that is why we empathize with and root for them. have you seen ones where they bark at the waiter? at least, not likeable or popular ones.
why can’t female agents be written and portrayed like that? a woman can be badass without being mannerless. men are shown that they can be feared by most while still having empathy. for some reason, men struggle to write women like that. in their eyes, a woman must be a bitch in order to be an amazing agent. this author was no different.
May 8, 2023
"someone tried to kill elsa zero last night. but there's nowhere she can go because every intelligence agency on earth is looking for her. right now, elsa zero is the most dangerous person on the planet."
I picked this up through Netgalley, with thanks to M.K Hill, Head of Zeus and Bloomsbury Publishing for gifting me this e-ARC
elsa has long retired from being an intelligence agent. she's got her kids, she's got her boyfriend, even if he is a little bit boring and predictable. she left behind that life a long time ago, so why is everyone now trying to kill her?
rating: ⭐⭐
my thoughts: zero kill felt sort of like a mcu/dceu movie, too much going on at times, with constant running around, chase scenes, evil and bad scientists - all the tropes of what could be a good james bond-esque novel but it felt so chaotic.
the writing of elsa also felt very misogynistic, with a focus on her figure, her private areas being quite unnecessary, "discretely adjusted her twisted leggings because all the exertion had given her a camel toe..." - she's meant to be a high-level, deep cover intelligence agent, not a model focused on her appearance. she's also written to be quite mean and unemotional and empathetic with flashbacks revealing about the past and who is trying to kill else and why.
i also found it confusing trying to keep up with who are the good guys and who are the bad guys, with people pretending to help elsa and then turning on her a while later and then trying to help yet again. as a deep cover intelligence agent, yes elsa is meant to be retired, but leaving her kids with a random neighbour, failing to see who might end up betraying her.
it was also confusing with the flashbacks with the real reason everyone is trying to hunt elsa down and kill her only being revealed later on in the book and also being so convoluted and unbelievable. i have to say the ending did make me want to see what was meant to happen next, as i recognised the character from earlier on in the book and couldn't place the name until i went back to find out where and why! very apocalyptic style, which took me back to the days of the maze runner honestly!
i also cannot place this into a target audience really, as it felt sort of like a middle-grade/ya book, but also the content felt quite dark at times and so new adult maybe? overall, once you get into the book, it is quite fast-paced and continues on in this way.
I picked this up through Netgalley, with thanks to M.K Hill, Head of Zeus and Bloomsbury Publishing for gifting me this e-ARC
elsa has long retired from being an intelligence agent. she's got her kids, she's got her boyfriend, even if he is a little bit boring and predictable. she left behind that life a long time ago, so why is everyone now trying to kill her?
rating: ⭐⭐
my thoughts: zero kill felt sort of like a mcu/dceu movie, too much going on at times, with constant running around, chase scenes, evil and bad scientists - all the tropes of what could be a good james bond-esque novel but it felt so chaotic.
the writing of elsa also felt very misogynistic, with a focus on her figure, her private areas being quite unnecessary, "discretely adjusted her twisted leggings because all the exertion had given her a camel toe..." - she's meant to be a high-level, deep cover intelligence agent, not a model focused on her appearance. she's also written to be quite mean and unemotional and empathetic with flashbacks revealing about the past and who is trying to kill else and why.
i also found it confusing trying to keep up with who are the good guys and who are the bad guys, with people pretending to help elsa and then turning on her a while later and then trying to help yet again. as a deep cover intelligence agent, yes elsa is meant to be retired, but leaving her kids with a random neighbour, failing to see who might end up betraying her.
it was also confusing with the flashbacks with the real reason everyone is trying to hunt elsa down and kill her only being revealed later on in the book and also being so convoluted and unbelievable. i have to say the ending did make me want to see what was meant to happen next, as i recognised the character from earlier on in the book and couldn't place the name until i went back to find out where and why! very apocalyptic style, which took me back to the days of the maze runner honestly!
i also cannot place this into a target audience really, as it felt sort of like a middle-grade/ya book, but also the content felt quite dark at times and so new adult maybe? overall, once you get into the book, it is quite fast-paced and continues on in this way.
August 6, 2023
3 stars
For 9 years, Elsa Zero lived her boring life, raising her 2 kids, after leaving a career as a deep-cover agent. But now, everyone, even her past employer is after her. Why? No one knows exactly why, but everyone knows they need to be after her. But then all of a sudden everyone knows why they are after her.
The book was entertaining and with a straightforward plot without any side stories to confuse the reader. The book is packed with action and a lot of running and killing. All the time something is happening. Yet I do have a couple of issues with the book.
No one cared about Elsa for 9 years, waited for the very last moment, and then all of a sudden everyone decided to kill her. For 2/3 of the book, both reader and Elsa, and quite some of the services after Elsa have no clue what is happening and why Elsa is dangerous, and then everyone knows how she is a threat (well, not really), but somehow, no one knows who "the bad guy" is. In the span of 3 days (no idea, actually), Elsa is bitten up, tried to be killed constantly, tired, hasn't slept, hasn't eaten or drank anything besides coffee, and still wears the same clothes after her date (thank god, for the mid-book wash due to drowning). Maybe I've missed something and some of her "recharge time", but no idea how this woman still functions by the end of the book and yet is indestructible to an inhuman level.
Quite some characters are one-purpose-one-scene characters and truly could have been skipped or substituted by sudden events. On top of that, very useless governmental and other secret service organizations and liability in the face of Saint, letter being just an annoying drunk.
Would I recommend this book? If you want to read something with a lot of action and the main character is always on the go - then yes. If you are looking forward to reading a mystery with a complex plot and a lot of secrets that will be revealed through the book making you excited to discover each of them - look past this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
For 9 years, Elsa Zero lived her boring life, raising her 2 kids, after leaving a career as a deep-cover agent. But now, everyone, even her past employer is after her. Why? No one knows exactly why, but everyone knows they need to be after her. But then all of a sudden everyone knows why they are after her.
The book was entertaining and with a straightforward plot without any side stories to confuse the reader. The book is packed with action and a lot of running and killing. All the time something is happening. Yet I do have a couple of issues with the book.
No one cared about Elsa for 9 years, waited for the very last moment, and then all of a sudden everyone decided to kill her. For 2/3 of the book, both reader and Elsa, and quite some of the services after Elsa have no clue what is happening and why Elsa is dangerous, and then everyone knows how she is a threat (well, not really), but somehow, no one knows who "the bad guy" is. In the span of 3 days (no idea, actually), Elsa is bitten up, tried to be killed constantly, tired, hasn't slept, hasn't eaten or drank anything besides coffee, and still wears the same clothes after her date (thank god, for the mid-book wash due to drowning). Maybe I've missed something and some of her "recharge time", but no idea how this woman still functions by the end of the book and yet is indestructible to an inhuman level.
Quite some characters are one-purpose-one-scene characters and truly could have been skipped or substituted by sudden events. On top of that, very useless governmental and other secret service organizations and liability in the face of Saint, letter being just an annoying drunk.
Would I recommend this book? If you want to read something with a lot of action and the main character is always on the go - then yes. If you are looking forward to reading a mystery with a complex plot and a lot of secrets that will be revealed through the book making you excited to discover each of them - look past this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
July 5, 2023
4.5 stars
Well this kicked off in right style... We start with Elsa having a nice meal out with her boyfriend Joel in a packed restaurant, he has just proposed and she is mulling it over when he gets a phone call. On his return, he, well, he tries to kill her...
See, in a previous life, before she retired, and had children, Elsa was an undercover agent... As you do!
And someone now wants her dead. And her only focus, once she has her children safe, is to stay alive long enough to find out who and why and stop them...
Oooo she is deliciously badass. Which she displays often during this action packed story. She used to work for private firm of Red Queen but she has been "retired" nearly a decade. But with a long service history it will take some doing to work out which of her ops this kill order refers to.
As already mentioned, this book kicks off from the very beginning and ramps up straight away, only letting up on occasion to give the characters - and the reader - short respite. But outwith the action it is also very tightly plotted with the two going hand in hand all the way through. Twisting and turning as it went, exposing secrets and lies aplenty all the way to the wholly satisfying end.
The only reason for the lack of the final half star was that I never really fully connected with Elsa and so I never really completely got behind her and I think the book needs that from a reader. It needed it from me to tip it to a fantastic read. It's probably my fault but we never got off to a good start in the restaurant scene where, I think, maybe, the author could have made her a tad more likeable. Maybe he didn't for a reason that went over my head, that others don't need, but I think I did. But hey, 4.5 stars is still a good rating and it is a stonking read so, don't listen to me, what do I know! Oh and will there be more from Elsa in the future cos I would maybe like to try again with her...?!
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Well this kicked off in right style... We start with Elsa having a nice meal out with her boyfriend Joel in a packed restaurant, he has just proposed and she is mulling it over when he gets a phone call. On his return, he, well, he tries to kill her...
See, in a previous life, before she retired, and had children, Elsa was an undercover agent... As you do!
And someone now wants her dead. And her only focus, once she has her children safe, is to stay alive long enough to find out who and why and stop them...
Oooo she is deliciously badass. Which she displays often during this action packed story. She used to work for private firm of Red Queen but she has been "retired" nearly a decade. But with a long service history it will take some doing to work out which of her ops this kill order refers to.
As already mentioned, this book kicks off from the very beginning and ramps up straight away, only letting up on occasion to give the characters - and the reader - short respite. But outwith the action it is also very tightly plotted with the two going hand in hand all the way through. Twisting and turning as it went, exposing secrets and lies aplenty all the way to the wholly satisfying end.
The only reason for the lack of the final half star was that I never really fully connected with Elsa and so I never really completely got behind her and I think the book needs that from a reader. It needed it from me to tip it to a fantastic read. It's probably my fault but we never got off to a good start in the restaurant scene where, I think, maybe, the author could have made her a tad more likeable. Maybe he didn't for a reason that went over my head, that others don't need, but I think I did. But hey, 4.5 stars is still a good rating and it is a stonking read so, don't listen to me, what do I know! Oh and will there be more from Elsa in the future cos I would maybe like to try again with her...?!
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
April 1, 2023
3.5 ⭐
This book has a lot of ups and downs, but overall I enjoyed it and it kept me interested most of the time. I definitely would enjoy it as a Netflix movie. It kind of reminded me of Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
So, the beginning was the worst part and it lowered my expectations a lot. Let me explain: it's not bad per se, because it's interesting and it works, but you cannot try to advertise a book "for fans of Killing Eve" when it's so painfully obvious that it has been written by a man. Some of the descriptions of Elsa (the main character) made me feel really uncomfortable and I thought they were unnecessary (for example, a mention of her "camel toe" after a fight ????). Fortunately, this mostly happens at the beginning of the books. But it this hadn't been an ARC I would have probably DNF it because of that beginning.
What worked best for me was the whole plot/conspiration/reason behind the attacks on Elsa. It isn't anything really original compared to action movies (you see some of the plotwist coming), but it's developed in a way that definitely keeps you hooked. Between 10% and 70%, this book is a page-turner, perfect for a flight or for getting outside of your head for a couple days. The ending, however, is too long, it could work with less pages.
What I didn't like as much was the personality and psychological development of the characters. It was hard for me to feel empathy towards Elsa and I didn't really understand her relationship/feelings towards her children. Her relationships with other characters were weird and inconsistent. Honestly I would have preferred less details about her feelings and thoughts because they didn't bring much value and in fact made me feel confused.
So, in summary: it's not Killing Eve, it's Mr. and Mrs. Smith. If you go into this book with those expectations, you'll definitely enjoy it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book has a lot of ups and downs, but overall I enjoyed it and it kept me interested most of the time. I definitely would enjoy it as a Netflix movie. It kind of reminded me of Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
So, the beginning was the worst part and it lowered my expectations a lot. Let me explain: it's not bad per se, because it's interesting and it works, but you cannot try to advertise a book "for fans of Killing Eve" when it's so painfully obvious that it has been written by a man. Some of the descriptions of Elsa (the main character) made me feel really uncomfortable and I thought they were unnecessary (for example, a mention of her "camel toe" after a fight ????). Fortunately, this mostly happens at the beginning of the books. But it this hadn't been an ARC I would have probably DNF it because of that beginning.
What worked best for me was the whole plot/conspiration/reason behind the attacks on Elsa. It isn't anything really original compared to action movies (you see some of the plotwist coming), but it's developed in a way that definitely keeps you hooked. Between 10% and 70%, this book is a page-turner, perfect for a flight or for getting outside of your head for a couple days. The ending, however, is too long, it could work with less pages.
What I didn't like as much was the personality and psychological development of the characters. It was hard for me to feel empathy towards Elsa and I didn't really understand her relationship/feelings towards her children. Her relationships with other characters were weird and inconsistent. Honestly I would have preferred less details about her feelings and thoughts because they didn't bring much value and in fact made me feel confused.
So, in summary: it's not Killing Eve, it's Mr. and Mrs. Smith. If you go into this book with those expectations, you'll definitely enjoy it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 13, 2023
‘Who Wants Elsa Zero Dead? Everybody’ - cover tag line.
My thanks to Aria & Aries - Head of Zeus for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Zero Kill’ by M.K. Hill.
Thanks also to The Pigeonhole for hosting an online group read that included the author and provided plenty of opportunity for comments.
This is a high-octane spy thriller that explodes into action from the first chapter through to its dramatic final showdown.
Just a few plot details for context: nine years ago after a top secret mission had gone spectacularly wrong, Elsa Zero retired from RedQueen, a private security agency that undertakes dangerous covert missions for various intelligence agencies. At the time of the mission she had just discovered that she was pregnant.
Today Elsa is a single mother to 8-year-old twins, Harley and India. She lives a quiet life and is self-employed as a personal trainer. She has been dating dull but devoted Joel for the past year. While out on a date, he surprises her with a marriage proposal. She says yes though minutes later Elsa’s world is turned upside down and she finds herself running for her life as it appears every intelligence agency on earth suddenly wants her dead!
Why? That’s the key question as Elsa is forced to use all her skills to evade capture and get her children to safety. Can she find the answer and can she trust anyone?
While I enjoy spy fiction, my preference is for the quieter style favoured by writers such as John le Carre. Still, every now and then it’s fun to read something more frenetic where the lead character is tossed from one crises to another in rapid succession seemingly with no meal or bathroom breaks.
Throughout M.K. Hill provides plenty of twists and turns and importantly does provide a satisfying answer to that all important ‘why’.
Overall, ‘Zero Kill’ was a slice of pure escapism with the kind of baddies that I had no problem wanting to meet a very sticky end.
My thanks to Aria & Aries - Head of Zeus for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Zero Kill’ by M.K. Hill.
Thanks also to The Pigeonhole for hosting an online group read that included the author and provided plenty of opportunity for comments.
This is a high-octane spy thriller that explodes into action from the first chapter through to its dramatic final showdown.
Just a few plot details for context: nine years ago after a top secret mission had gone spectacularly wrong, Elsa Zero retired from RedQueen, a private security agency that undertakes dangerous covert missions for various intelligence agencies. At the time of the mission she had just discovered that she was pregnant.
Today Elsa is a single mother to 8-year-old twins, Harley and India. She lives a quiet life and is self-employed as a personal trainer. She has been dating dull but devoted Joel for the past year. While out on a date, he surprises her with a marriage proposal. She says yes though minutes later Elsa’s world is turned upside down and she finds herself running for her life as it appears every intelligence agency on earth suddenly wants her dead!
Why? That’s the key question as Elsa is forced to use all her skills to evade capture and get her children to safety. Can she find the answer and can she trust anyone?
While I enjoy spy fiction, my preference is for the quieter style favoured by writers such as John le Carre. Still, every now and then it’s fun to read something more frenetic where the lead character is tossed from one crises to another in rapid succession seemingly with no meal or bathroom breaks.
Throughout M.K. Hill provides plenty of twists and turns and importantly does provide a satisfying answer to that all important ‘why’.
Overall, ‘Zero Kill’ was a slice of pure escapism with the kind of baddies that I had no problem wanting to meet a very sticky end.
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