From the beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse series, the inspiration for HBO’s True Blood, comes “a gripping, twisty-turny, thrill ride of a read” (Karin Slaughter, New York Times bestselling author) following a young gunslinging mercenary on deadly mission through the American Southwest. In a fractured United States, a new world where magic is acknowledged but … States, a new world where magic is acknowledged but mistrusted, a young gunslinger named Lizbeth Rose takes a job offer from a pair of Russian wizards. Lizbeth Rose has a wildly fearsome reputation but these wizards are desperate. Searching the small border towns near Mexico, they’re trying to locate a low-level magic practitioner believed to be a direct descendant of Grigori Rasputin.
As the trio journey through an altered America–shattered into several countries after the assassination of Franklin Roosevelt and the Great Depression–they’re set on by enemies. It’s clear that a powerful force does not want them to succeed in their mission. Lizbeth Rose has never failed a client, but this job may stretch her to her deadly limits.
“Immersive, involving, suspenseful and intriguing, with a main character you’ll love” (Lee Child, #1 New York Times bestselling author), An Easy Death is a fast-paced thriller of the highest order.
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This was a real mixed bag of a story. I liked the concept of an alternative history with a Dystopian element thrown in. I just felt it tried to cover too many genres all in one book.
However, I loved Midnight and Sookie so was determined to give this a good go. Lizbeth is a kickass heroine, no simpering damsel in distress. She make Clint Eastwood look like a wimp! Things aren’t quite so rosy in thos world. The USA has broken down after the Depression, parts of which have succumbed to UK and Russian rule. Oh yes the Russian Royal family made it out of Russia and they play an integral part in the plot.
Fair warning there may be triggers for some readers: Sexual Assault, Rape.
I’m not sure if I’d continue the series, just for me as much as I love all these genres, my head kind of span trying to keep them all in order!
I love the original world of this novel–and the strong, intriguing heroine. Thrilling and thematic for our times.
Gunnie Rose is the lone survivor after her team is ambushed. Alone, she manages to fulfill her duties and return home only to find one more task waiting for her.
In a world where the US collapsed following the assignation of FDR in 1930 and divided up between warring factions. Lizbeth Rose becomes a hired gun in the western territory of Texoma.
When she is hired to be a guide and bodyguard to a couple of Wizards from the Russian controlled west coast, she signs on, only to learn more about why they are hunting Alex Karkarov. KarKarov is dead, Gunnie Rose killed him. He raped her mother, fathering a child, when they the magicians learn he is dead, they decide to look for his daughter, Lisbeth’s half-sister.
Trusting the wizards doesn’t come easy for Gunnie Rose, especially with the history of her own conception but when bullets and magic are flying, you have to trust someone. As their enemies’ numbers swell, it seems none of them will make it out alive, but a sorcerer is no match for a gun’s bullet.
Is it magic or her skill with a gun that brings Lizbeth Rose back to Texoma? Perhaps, she is her father’s daughter after all?
An excellent story of a woman who does what she has to do to survive and takes her happiness where she can. Charlain Harris has a way of creating a world we believe possible and characters who thrive there.
An Easy Death by Charlaine Harris and narrated by Eva Kaminsky is a book that is totally different than what I thought it would be. This has an alternative history and it has magic as part of life. It is a rough life like cowboy times but they have some cars and occasional electricity. This world building is amazing! Truly strange and fascinating! The characters are very intriguing too! Our gal of the story is paid to escort people through the wilderness or from one place to another. It is a dangerous business to be in. She ends up taking magic users. This is a very suspenseful, unique, and wild ride through this bizarre world and I loved it!
The narration was absolutely brilliant! Great job!
One fiercely independent gunslinger chick, plus two mysterious, soul-sucking wizards, makes for one strange and entertaining western thriller. Overall, it was fast-paced and magical. My kind of story!
Great start to a new series set in an alternative world in which the economic depression and the influenza pandemic resulted in an America that has split apart by the 1930s. For example, the Romanov royal family have fled Russia and now live in the new Holy Roman Empire (California and Oregon). Mexico has reclaimed much of the territory in the south, as Canada has in the north. Meanwhile the northeast section of the former US rejoined the British Empire. And did I mention that magic plays a potent role? This time Harris has given us another spunky heroine, Gunnie Rose, but one who is far more deadly than Sookie Stackhouse.
I loved this first book of Charlaine’s new series!!!!! Wow!!!
New series from a good author, this book had a lot of setup but was enjoyable. Looking forward to the next one.
I got caught up immediately in the reconfigured North American continent of Easy Death. It really gives you food for thought on what could have happened if the US split into different factions/countries. The plot was wonderful and the characters comes alive. Gunny Rose is one of my favorite heroines. She is a brave, resourceful woman who thinks for herself and takes care of others (no matter what she says). However, the reason I gave this a 4 instead of a 5 was all the killing. It seems that in this time you could just shoot a person dead because you don’t like them.
Really enjoyed this novel!
I can hardly wait for the next Gunee Rose tale
A good, entertaining read although it wasn’t as easy to “bond” with the characters. Charlaine Harris has created another unusual and compelling universe. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
I am a huge Charlaine Harris fan. Any new book she puts out, I have to try. This one, I had a hard time getting into. It took some painful reading on my part, and I still don’t know how I feel about it. For Charlaine fans, try it. If you are not a fan yet, try one of the other series she has out.
I love Ms. Harris and her funny, whimsical writing in the other series she has shared with us. This book, however, was not up to her usual standard. I was essentially unable to follow the story, without going back to check on previous pages. I wanted to like this book, I really did, unfortunately I couldn’t even finish it.
Another amazing story by an amazing author!
I love Charlaine Harris’ True Blood series. Although I would read a ketchup bottle if Harris wrote it, I didn’t love the Midnight Texas series. But I did love this one. I really loved this character, almost as much as I loved Sookie. I am looking forward to her further adventures!
This is a pretty nifty start to a new series by Charlaine Harris. I’ve enjoyed her books since the Southern Vampire/Sookie Stackhouse series. I like that Charlaine can take on different genres and write a fab story. It’s especially true here in this alternate history America. Lizbeth Rose is tough and has had a lot to handle throughout her life. I admire her but I feel for her too. Not sorry, as she doesn’t like pity, but she really cannot take a respite from her day to day since her day to day life is as a hired gun. She thinks quick on her feet, looks at all situations with suspicion.
This alternate history is great world building by the author. It explains just enough to move the story forward and enough that I am intrigued and can’t wait for the next in the series whenever it comes out.
It is alternate history, but this world contains magic of varying degrees. It’s a Western but not cowboys. The bad guys don’t wear black hats, rather are tattooed all over their bodies for magical purposes…and they are Russian or have ties to them.
I liked this book a lot and really look forward to the next in series.
I can definitely recommend this book and this author.
I liked the alternate world history, only gave 4 stars because of length, too short.
Fantastic book. Definitely read
Yeah I was really disappointed. I love Charlaine’s other series but I really didn’t enjoy her attempt at a dystopian dust bowl. It really lagged for me, I didn’t care at all about the characters and I had to force my way through it.
I liked all the details, she’s great a creating a picture but it’s just a miss for me. Not a series I’ll likely continue to read.