A former assassin, battling her demons. A sinister enemy, determined to destroy her. A wily street kid caught in the middle.Former assassin Leine Basso is back with a vengeance in this must-read international thriller.Battling her own demons, Leine follows a bloody trail through war-torn Libya as she searches for a missing teenager. The closer she gets to the truth, the more ruthless an unseen … truth, the more ruthless an unseen adversary becomes, forcing her to experience her own Dark Return.
If you like gritty, fast-paced, can’t-put-it-down thrillers with an action-packed story ripped from the headlines, then you’ll love Dark Return. Download your copy today!
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Leine Basso Makes a Very DARK RETURN
I’ve read the review copy of ‘Dark Return’ and it is a great progression of the arc of the series. DV Berkom continues to polish her art, and has another winner in this novel. Dark Return finds Leine completing her latest dramatic rescue with SHEN, and finds her rescued charge is somewhat numb to the circumstances around her. Leine arranges their escape, only to be intercepted and chased by members of the kidnappers’ group. Leine and the driver from SHEN manage to dodge pursuit and deliver their charge to the safe location for travel to reunite with her family.
Meanwhile, an embedded agent in the terrorist organization that sponsors the kidnappings is discovered and killed shortly after an encounter with a local girl, who turns out to have peculiar talents and a network of friends who may be able to help her stay alive after the encounter.
Leine is sent to a nearby refugee camp where the disappearance has been reported of children who have no families with them. Leine investigates and eventually connects with the local girl, named Jinn, who helps Leine to infiltrate and eventually creates havoc with the leader of the terrorists. Action moves to Paris, where the original rescue is first reunited with her parents, then briefly disappears. She resurfaces in a critically dangerous situation which sets up Leine’s confrontation with the terrorists and yet another rescue attempt to save Jinn from a seemingly impossible situation.
The story comes to a full conclusion of all the issues raised from its beginning, but there is a cliff-hanger that guarantees Leine has to deal with multiple challenges, both personal and professional. I hope Berkom writes the subsequent story very soon. The suspense is killing me (and hopefully not any of our favorite characters…).
DV Berkom has developed a main character whom the reader grows to care about through this series. At the beginning she faced burnout from a dangerous job, betrayal from her superior, and loss of loved ones, then finds a cause worthy of her well-developed talents. Throughout her books, Berkom has matured as a solid writer with similarities to Mark Greaney, Mark Dawson (John Milton series), and a whisper of Barry Eisler (whose new Livia Lone series comes to mind as the reader proceeds through the arc of the Leine Basso series).
I would love to see Berkom’s books find their way to broader circulation, including libraries where new readers might develop an affinity for her writing. I suggest reading this series starting with the prequel, book #5, A Killing Truth. This brings a better perspective to book #1, Serial Date, which starts her post-Agency saga.
A real page-turner thriller. Full of action and intrigue. This is the first book I have read in the series and look forward to reading others. It is a stand alone, so you do not have to have read others before. A well thought out plot driven thriller. What will Leine Basso so next?
Dark Return – a review by Rosemary Kenny
Leine Basso is an elite former government assassin, now working on behalf of SHEN, (an anti-child-trafficking organisation) to take out a ruthless predatory gang, in D.V. Berkom’s Dark Return, part of her amazing A Leine Basso Thriller series.
After rescuing Jinn, a ten year old girl, from potential abductors, Leine takes her to the refugee camp – will Jinn and the other children be safe there? What horrific events transpire in the desert?
Even after leaving for Paris on another mission, Leine is still on the terrorists’ radar…what happens near Notre Dame cathedral?
D.V.Berkom really hits the mark with her spot-on realistic, well-defined characters and all-action storylines. One can thrill to Leine’s dilemma, in trying to get Jinn to accept help to start a new life, (while being unable to adopt the girl herself) as totally believable, as much as the well-written combat scenes, that segue seamlessly onwards, towards the riveting final scenes that subtly tease a new mission, while still enabling Dark Return to be a standalone, if that’s as much as you want.
Speaking personally, I’ve loved all D.V. Berkom’s novels, whether Leine Basso Thrillers or those with other, equally wonderful MCs – they’re guaranteed to entertain, thrill, make you gasp and make you smile – what more could you ask for?
What are you waiting for? Go get ’em!
Dark Return – Leine Basso
I love Leine. I like her attitude in particular. I like to think that I am half decent in a crisis, but she isn’t just half decent, she’s inspirationally fabulous.
In this latest instalment she goes off on a slight tangent, and at one point I was seriously worried that DV Berkom might be about to kill her off.
This is an exceptional page turner. I wanted to read it all, super fast so I forced myself to ration it so I could enjoy the suspense. That was a real challenge. The story is, as usual, timely and incredibly believable, with the locations feeling genuine and realistic. I feel that DV Berkom does plenty of research, but sneaks all that in. This could almost be a memoir given the attention to detail.
I recently loaded all my Leine Bassos onto my husband’s tablet, so he could read them, and whilst I was reading Dark Return he was getting progressively more antsy asking when I’d load it up. Apparently my face is very expressive when I read and he could tell I was enjoying it and holding my breath in places.
I was fortunate enough to be reading an early copy, but I enjoyed it so much I’ve preordered so come release date, he can have his own.
Forget Bourne and Bond. Bring on Basso
In fact, bring on more Basso asap!
This review is for the audio book.
Oh wow!!!!! I read this when the book first came out and I enjoyed it then, so I just had to get the audio version. So glad I did there is not many authors that can continually improve with each book but D.V is just one of those authors because each book is better than the last and this book was even better than I remembered. I love Leine, she is such a great character with a real sense of right and wrong so you know you are going to get plenty of action, along with very strong plot line that makes you think. All you can do is sit back enjoy the ride and hope the characters you like make it to the end of the book. Whoo-hoo can’t wait for the next book and well worth the cost of a credit.
After safely returning a young girl to her family Leine is tasked with going undercover in a refugee camp as a reporter to find out why orphaned children are going missing. Before she gets there she befriends a young street kid called Jinn after saving her life when she stops two thugs from killing her. Agreeing to help her Leine takes her with her to the camp to find her missing mother. Not everything and everyone is what they seem at the camp and when leaving the camp Leine is attacked and hurt. She gets help by an unexpected source but by doing so she puts everybody in danger. This is more than just missing children someone wants them for a reason and when things with a previously rescued child turns deadly Leine might just have to go it alone in order to keep everyone safe. The problem is someone knows about Jinn
I really like the narrator and think she helps to bring the characters to life by giving each character there own voice.
I received a free advance ARC copy from the author and I also purchased a copy from amazon.com. Something I like to do, to support my favorite authors.
D.V. Berkom’s done it again, it’s only June, yet Dark Return’s my favorite read of the year and it’ll take another amazing read to knock it off it’s perch.
Dark Return, is brilliantly written, has intertwining storyline, that explodes as they come together in the end and leaves you eagerly awaiting the next Line Basso adventure.
I love the Line Basso character, she’s an ex-assassin that works for SHEN, as an operative who rescues victims from human trafficking. She’s also super human, tough as nails, has no fear, can handle any situation, lethal with any guns, lethal with a knife and is a protector of the weak.
Those that can’t defend themselves. Now with Dark Return, you learn she has a soft side to her tough exterior and all because of an adorable orphan, who takes over the story.
The coolest thing with this series, is that Berkom just grabs your attention from the first paragraph, just transports you into the pages, your right their for all the action, love that she adds new elements to the story, which makes the reading more enjoyable and be them good or bad, she just vividly brings her characters to life.
With ‘Dark Return’, she puts her super action hero Leine hot on the trail of terrorist’s in Libya, that are sex trafficking, then straps her readers into a heart pounding, edge of your seat read, that’s full of twist and turns, fast paced, seasoned with a little trickery and has you hop scotching between Libya and Paris. You also get to meet Jinn, an orphan who just takes over the story, had my fingers crossed that nothing bad happened to her and can’t wait to see what D.V. has in store for her.
My favorite element with D.V., is the trickery she adds to her storyline, had me totally convinced that her old friend Stone was selling her out verse thinking her old friend Henri would do it.
Lastly ‘Dark Return’ really isn’t a stand alone novel, you’ll need to read ‘the Last Deception’ first.
Suspense !!
I liked this book – it had an exciting premise – but there was some bad language.
Once again Leine Basso is fighting against human traffickers, this time in Libya near Tripoli. A new character, eleven-year Jinn of the Market, is introduced just after she pickpocketed a phone and then watched the phone owner be murdered by terrorists. One thing I really enjoy about this series is how fast the pace is; the reader hardly has a chance to take a breath. In this book (the second I’ve read in the series) there is far less killing and more focus on developing the relationship between Leine and Jinn. I also enjoyed the continued rivalry between the terrorist Blanche LaPointe and Leine Basso. The author weaves the lot around luck, hunting skills, and the occasional goodness in people. A terrific read.
A really good book and read it straight through
Another great book in the Leine Basso series. Will read more!
Awesome series thank you
Geat characters and focuses on an issue that too often is not realized by the General Public an easy read great for a weekend.
I absolutely loved this book!
Always a good read
Love it
Leine Bass is a great hero – a kickass lead as skilled with her fists as she is with a knife or a gun. In this story, she’s in Libya protecting kids from human trafficking. Cool story, cool hero, and an exceptionally cool price – it’s currently free! Get it now.
WOO HOO! Another fabulous thriller featuring the gun toting former assassin Leine Basso. I love this strong, which is putting it mildly, female character. She is a former government assassin, now working with SHEN, an antitrafficking organization. She shows the scumbags of the world no mercy. I love that she has a trophy wall, even though it is a little serial killer creepy.
SHEN – Stop Human Enslavement Now
I think things are about to change for Leine, when she meets Jinn, a child of the Marketplace. She is like a ghost, one minute you see here, the next she’s gone. She is feisty, clever and Leine has her work cut out for her winning her trust. I have some feelings for Jinn and I wonder….
Slave auctions. Oh man, I hate to even think about this, especially because I know it goes on to this day. DV Berkom does her research, so her stories read all too real.
I love how, laying on her back, in her most DIRE STRAITS, Leine thinks of Carl Sagan saying, there were “billions and billions of stars in the galaxy.” I used to watch that show. It’s DV adding the small things that makes her books hit all my buttons, making me want more.
The Leopard has come out of her retirement and made her ‘DARK RETURN’ to her old life.
Hmmm…is Kadeem Hakim a good guy or a bad guy? DV Berkom’s not telling, at least, not yet.
Bullets and RPGs are flying, but Leine feels the need to save everyone. Guilt drives her to move heaven and earth to get those who dare to cross her line. If you think you can tell her no, think again. Leine enjoys meting out her own punishment to traffickers and terrorists. She is driven, she is aggressive, she is…
L – oyal
E – nterprising
I – ntense
N – ecessary
E – lusive
Every time she thought of her man, Santiago Jenson, and LAPD detective, she put aside that he fought within the law and she crossed the line, walking to the beat of her own drum. I love this characters so much, I just hope Santa can accept her as she is, not perfect, but definitely someone you want at your side during the bad times.
The intrigue and suspense unravel as the words splash across the pages. DV Berkom’s books are so intense and Dark Return only confirms for me the huge amount of work she puts into research, making the book read as if it is a true story. This page turning thriller is filled with nonstop action, characters that stole my heart and I love that I don’t know where I’m going until I get there. Not all will survive, but the journey is more than worth it.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Dark Return by DV Berkom
See more at http://www.fundinmental.com
Dark Return, book 6, Leine Basso series. Dark, Fast paced, NON STOP read. Edge of the seat Action and Suspense. A creative weave of current headlines and D. V. Berkom’s Unpredictable twists and turns. Heart pounding, heart braking, emotional THRILLER. The book description is well done. NO spoilers in this review. I received this book as an ARC. I am voluntarily posting this review. Each book can be a standalone. But read one Leine Basso book, reader will finish the entire series. And each/any still to come. Then enjoy the Kate Jones Thriller series. DVB’s other intriguing and captivating, bad-ass heroine!!! Hoping both series have MANY MORE installments!!!
This is an excellent book for keeping you interested! So surprising, full of twists! Love it!