(Reviewed by JD Jung)
“Gwen felt as if her familiar world had vanished. What was she doing in the middle of this wilderness? Was she safe in these shadows? Had Charles been right to trust this violent man with her life?”
Gwen is married to the most powerful mobster in Boston, Charles Orangegrave. He has sent her to meet with an unknown assassin to arrange a hit on a politician who betrayed them. This hit-man has the talent of makeing a murder look like an accident or suicide.
The marked man is not any politician, though. Congressman Corbin Locke is not only a con-artist who accepts bribes and doesn’t care about his constituents, but unbeknownst to Charles, he was having an affair with Gwen, and heartlessly dumped her.
Locke isn’t the only criminal. Charles and Gwen’s organization, Puritan Provisions, conducts its business in the name of God, but its main endeavors are illegal activities such as gambling, drugs, toxic cosmetics, and even selling counterfeit parts for sports cars. They justify the punishments dished out to their enemies as being ordained by God.
When Gwen meets with this assassin, she has second thoughts about arranging the hit on the man who conned her. Will Locke be killed? Will Charles find out about the affair? Will she survive her association with this killer?
Though you may not particularly like any of the characters, you’ll find them well-developed. I didn’t care whether our protagonist, Gwen, lived or died, but found myself rooting for the assassin. The story was fast-paced, and I couldn’t put the book down. I also appreciate tackling the issue of religious hypocrisy, especially in these times.
Who wouldn’t I recommend this thriller to? Hmm, I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t enjoy it!
I urge author LeVar Ravel to create a series featuring our philosophical hit-man, who by the way, constantly changes identities. I found him so intriguing that I would like to learn more about him. That would be a winner!
