Dark Return (Leine Basso #6) by D.V. Berkom

Description from Goodreads:

"A former assassin, battling her demons. A sinister enemy, determined to destroy her. A wily street kid, caught in the middle.

Former assassin and SHEN operative Leine Basso is fresh off an assignment rescuing an American teenager from a terrorist group in Libya when she thwarts the murder of a street kid in Tripoli. Leine agrees to help the girl find her family, but must first visit a refugee camp in the desert where there are disturbing reports of mysterious abductions.

Leaving the camp, Leine comes under a surprise attack–but only a handful of people knew her true mission. Who has betrayed her? The more she discovers about the abductions, the more of a target she becomes, forcing her to revisit a dark and violent past she thought she’d left behind. But it's easy--too easy to fall back to her old ways.

And it could get her killed.

Will she be able to survive a dark return?

If you like gritty, fast-paced, can’t-put-it-down thrillers with a strong female lead who won’t take no for an answer, then you’ll love Dark Return."

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Once again, D V Berkom writes a brilliant, fast-paced, thrilling read with a very strong female lead character in Leine Basso but she is not the star of the book in my humble opinion ... that would be Jinn, the little streetwise girl Leine saves from being murdered.  What a star she is and I was as much enthralled by her story as I was with Leine's.

This book has it all ... action, murder, double-crossing, human trafficking, terrorism, espionage, intrigue, surprises, tension ... you name it, it's got it and all wrapped up in a well-written, fast-paced story that is not beyond the realms of possibility.

This is part of a series but, I feel, holds up extremely well as a stand-alone.  There are recurring characters but the author has the ability to provide just enough information so you don't get lost but not so much that it detracts from the current story.

I received a copy of this book direct from the author which in no way influenced my review in any way shape or form and I would happily recommend this and any of D V Berkom's books especially if you are fed up with the usual male lead characters that most books of this genre seem to have ... you won't be disappointed.

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Connect with the author:

Website:  D. V. Berkom

Twitter:  @dvberkom

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Previous books I have read by D.V. Berkom

The Body Market

The Last Deception

The Last Deception: A Leine Basso Thriller by DV Berkom

Description:

“Lies. Deception. A nation on the brink of war…

In the Cold War, you knew who your friends and enemies were. In war today, there’s no difference.

Just when former assassin Leine Basso thinks she’s free from the business of murder and deception, a desperate call from a friend drags her back into the dark world of espionage and arms dealers.

Leine uncovers information that implicates a well-known Russian businessman in a horrendous deception that affects national security and could have global repercussions. It’s up to the former assassin to persuade the powers that be to ignore the obvious and trust her, or disregard the information and bring the world to the brink of a devastating war. Can she make it in time to warn them before The Last Deception?”

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I have read one of DV Berkom’s previous books, the Body Market, which was excellent so I was not going to pass up the opportunity to read another when it was offered to me by the author now was I? Once again, I was hooked from the beginning.

With excellent characters, a great story well written with action, suspense and intrigue making it an gripping and exciting read that makes it very difficult to stop.

Highly recommended and you don’t have to have read any of the previous Leine Basso “adventures” as this one works well as a stand alone but I would if I were you … you won’t be disappointed.

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Author website: http://www.dvberkom.com/

Twitter: @dvberkom

The Body Market by D.V. Berkom

Description from Goodreads:

“A retired assassin is called in when a celebration south of the border turns into a nightmare.

Former assassin Leine Basso is hired by a wealthy Beverly Hills power couple to find their missing daughter, Elise, who was last seen partying with her boyfriend at a club in Tijuana. At first, police believe the two teenagers are the victims of a carjacking. But when Leine finds their missing vehicle with the boyfriend’s mutilated body inside, and the local cartel warns her away, she knows if Elise isn’t already dead, she will be soon, or worse.

In the lethal world of organized crime, there’s always a worse.

As Leine races the clock to uncover the reason behind Elise Bennett's disappearance, she must also battle the powerful interests fighting to keep her from the truth.”

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Oh my goodness, I can’t even begin to explain how much I enjoyed this book from start to finish so before I try, I want to thank the author, publisher (Duct Tape Press) and NetGalley for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest and impartial review.

I have never read anything by D.V. Berkom before and therefore have not read the first 2 books in this series but I really didn’t feel I missed out at all. There is a back story to the main character, Leine Basso, which, although is touched upon in this book, I felt the author gave enough of it to give me a good insight into her motivations and strength. Leine is a very strong character but with a soft and caring side and you see all of these in this story. Now don’t get me wrong, she is not so perfect that she becomes unbelievable rather that she has flaws that make her more plausible.

The other main character in this story, Elise, is not your usual victim. Despite her going through some horrific experiences, she maintains a strength and fighting spirit throughout which was unexpected given where she comes from and although not the most likeable character at the beginning, I did start to warm to her as her plight deepened.

The secondary characters add other dimensions to the story with each one being expertly developed and none feeling superfluous or an afterthought.

The story is a difficult one to cover, that of kidnapping, murder, organ theft and trafficking but D.V. Berkom writes without sensationalising those subjects. The pace of the story is fast and it’s very difficult to stop reading even though you have to get up for work the next morning!

Overall, a great read that I thoroughly enjoyed and now I’m off to get the first 2.

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Author website: http://www.dvberkom.com/

Twitter: @dvberkom