An Amazon Charts, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal bestseller.A fast-paced, page-turning novel of betrayal, vengeance, and depraved secrets in high places from the New York Times bestselling author of the John Rain and Livia Lone series.When a joint FBI–Seattle Police investigation of an international child pornography ring gets too close to certain powerful people, sex-crimes detective … close to certain powerful people, sex-crimes detective Livia Lone becomes the target of a hit that barely goes awry—a hit that had been offered to John Rain, a retired specialist in “natural causes.”
Suspecting the FBI itself was behind the attack, Livia reaches out to former Marine sniper Dox. Together, they assemble an ad hoc group to identify and neutralize the threat. There’s Rain. Rain’s estranged lover, Mossad agent and honeytrap specialist Delilah. And black ops soldiers Ben Treven and Daniel Larison, along with their former commander, SpecOps legend Colonel Scot “Hort” Horton.
Moving from Japan to Seattle to DC to Paris, the group fights a series of interlocking conspiracies, each edging closer and closer to the highest levels of the US government.
With uncertain loyalties, conflicting agendas, and smoldering romantic entanglements, these operators will have a hard time forming a team. But in a match as uneven as this one, a collective of killers might be even better.
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I didn’t “like” THE KILLER COLLECTIVE by Barry Eisler. I loved it! I turned the pages so fast they practically created a tsunami in the house! Not only are the characters engaging and the storyline compelling, but the author’s notes in the back are also tremendously interesting. I highly recommend this 5-star read!
I’ve loved Barry Eisler’s John Rain books for years. Eisler has a way of telling an action-adventure story that puts it on a level above most other thrillers. Eisler’s characters are multi-dimensional, realistic, flawed, but deadly. And it’s been great fun getting to know John Rain over the years, along with his various friends and lovers, each just as deadly, who have populated his books plus some side stories of their own, such as the lovable oaf Dox, sultry, sexy Delilah, and deadly but principled Larisson. A couple of years ago, Eisler introduced us to perhaps my favorite character of all those he has created, Livia Lone, the Seattle PD sex crimes investigator with a Dexter-like vigilante side hustle. Livia’s story is both heartbreaking and triumphant, as her first book tells the tragic story of her abduction, along with her sister, from their rural home in Asia, and their harrowing trip into sex slavery. This is the dark past that both gives Livia her strength and haunts her to this day, resulting in a complex, real, irresistibly deep character. In her second book, Eisler confirmed that Livia shares the John Rain universe, as she crosses paths with and teams up with Dox. Finally, in The Killer Collective, we are treated to a grand ensemble that includes ALL of Barry Eislers great characters in one glove-trotting, high octane adventure. The meetings and reunions are delicious, as these characters come together one by one. Sometimes they are old enemies treading lightly, with itchy trigger fingers and distrust. Sometimes they are old friends together again. But these reunions make for some of the most satisfying scenes of the book, as we’re treated to seeing each of our favorite characters in turn, finally in one book, each trying to accomodate the others while resisting their own nature to kill first and ask questions later. But eventually they form a team and forge ahead against their common enemy. I won’t get into that plot because spoilers. But it’s just as clever, just as well plotted as any Barry Eisler adventure.
Excellent read! Highly recommended!
Eisler’s entertaining band of amoral killers, reformed assassins, and obsessive cops reunites for an avengers-style espionage romp. Great fun, great characters… read this one, you won’t be disappointing.
I have pretty much read all of his books and will probably read them again at some point. To me they are interesting and action packed.
A good group of characters put together for a great plot
Fantastic read, could not put down. Extremely well researched. I will read all Eisler’s novels.
Truly A Collection Of Killers
I went into The Killer Collective by Barry Eisler knowing absolutely nothing about it other than it was a best-seller. Had I known that it was basically like the 23rd book that pulls characters together from three different series by Mr. Eisler, I might’ve skipped it.
Sometimes, ignorance is truly bliss.
Although I oft wondered why the characters had a past that should’ve been familiar to me as I tore through the pages, it didn’t take away from the story whatsoever. Mr. Eisler has a gift with words, pulling you into the lives of all his characters, whether they’re a main protagonist/antagonist or some secondary character. As I read along and grew attached to Livia Lone, John Rain, and Dox, I kept thinking/wondering/hoping he had more books about them.
This book is full of action, betrayal, and vengeance, and a must-read for those of you who like Domestic, Detective, and Spy Thrillers.
Great story that keeps you on the edge of your seat and rooting for the characters even if you’re not quite sure why
My first Barry Eisler book, but will certainly not be my last. A group of assassins forms a tenuous alliance in the hunt for a killer protecting a child pornography ring high up in the US Government. Fast-paced, action-packed, with wit and danger at every turn.
A fast-paced, gripping thriller about defeating a child pornography ring that eventually brings down some high-placed government officials. It’s one of those books that kept me turning the pages to find out what happens next. Lots of twists and turns and wondering who’s the villain.
What a group of characters. One of the most dynamic group of protagonists I’ve ever read.
Great read! It’s always fun when Eisler gives John Rain friends. Great to see these characters continue to develop.
Barry Eisler’s writing has never been tighter, more provocative and compelling than in The Killer Collective. This is a “can’t put it down until the ending” read. I also write thrillers, and I highly recommend it. – DS Kane, author of the Spies Lie series
“Not for the first time, she wondered whether she should try to find a way to tame the dragon inside of her. To accept that some rapists would always plead down, or draw an incompetent prosecutor, otherwise, get lucky and avoid justice for what they had done. And not for the first time, she didn’t think she could.”
This is an emotional ride that leaves the reader exhausted. A true suspense full of twists and turns. Not so much as a page stopper, more a “can’t put this book down.”
Good read. Suspense. Mystery.
Review can be found at: Le Coeur de l’Artiste: http://www.djadamson.com/le-coeur-de-lartiste
The Killer Collective by Barry Eisler
John Raine #10
Livia Lone #3
Ben Treven #4
Powerful people conceal crimes, murder innocents and do dastardly deeds that sometimes seem unbelievable but sadly are based in fact. This fast-paced action-packed story kept my attention from beginning to end. The characters were well developed and likable, the story is dark and gritty and difficult but well worth having a spotlight focused on. Human trafficking is not right. Torture is not right. Hurtcore is not right. In this book a motley crew of people come together for a variety of reasons and in so doing solve a mystery, help bring down a group filming the abuse of children and come to grips with some of their own personal issues. A number of bad guys are killed and at one point I thought it seemed almost more like a computer game with so many being killed off and yet…it also seemed highly likely that this set of characters would act and react as they did.
This is the first book I have read by this author and though it also has a variety of characters with series of their own I had no trouble following the story, relating to the characters, realizing what their motivations were or rooting for them as they did what they did to get the job done. I can say that I am eager to read more by this author and though one of the series may be finished with this book there are more characters with series that can still be written – and I do hope they will be.
What I liked:
* Livia’s strength and dedication to protecting those that cannot protect themselves
* Dox’s appreciation of Livia’s strengths and limitations
* Raine’s meticulous mind and eventual admission of love for someone he walked away from
* Delilah – for more than one reaosn
* Supporting characters on the op and those that provided intel and equipment
* The believability of the story and how it unfolded
* The flaws within the characters
* That I felt I would like to know and befriend some of the people in the story
* The way the story unfolded
* And more
What I did not like:
* Knowing that Child’s Play really existed and probably still does in one form or another
* That people can be so very evil
* That sometimes there is no answer no matter how much we might look for one.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Mercer for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
#TheKillerCollective is, not only a continuation, but a collaboration of several different series’ by Barry Eisler. Several popular characters are brought together to form a skillful collective of assassins hell bent on vigilante justice for a powerful group of individuals involved in child pornography. The narrative is fast-paced, full of betrayal, lies, corruption, and even a little love. The characters are unique and powerful, bringing the storyline to life with every flip of the page. Great read. 5 stars.
Love Mr. Eisler’s books! Formidable, funny, fantastical!!! MUST READS for me, ever since the RAIN series….MORE MORE MORE!!!!!
First there was Livia and she was all kinds of badass. Here was a character of integrity I could totally get behind.
Then there was the pairing of Livia and Dox/Carl, the charismatic Texan sniper, which was genius. Who doesn’t love to laugh with (and at) good ole Dox? Apparently even Livia gets this big oaf’s charm and is uniquely qualified to understand his “je ne sais quoi”.
But I spent the last two books in the Livia Lone series aching to get a glimpse of John Rain. Yeah, yeah, he’s retired from “the life”, but surely we can’t keep him away from all the fun in another kill-before-you’re-killed race against (yet again) both time and sickeningly powerful men.
“Is this what you call retirement? Danger and intrigue and killing?”
In The Killer Collective, John finally arrives, collected together with all my favorite major players from Eisler’s world of vigilante justice and contract killing.
YES, THE WHOLE GANG IS FINALLY TOGETHER.
This time our endearingly damaged, but highly effective, collection of misfits bands together to tackle a particularly vile group of US government employees indulging in the child sex ring, Hurtcore. Just like with the Nazis, it’s hard to find someone who wouldn’t be willing to step up to out anyone participating in such an evil and disturbing global organization, one that violently damages children physically and breaks them emotionally to get their jollies.
(A quick Google shows this is no fabrication on Eisler’s part. Hurtcore is real and even more nefarious than he lets on. Props to the author for not indulging in details, because these pedophiles are sicker than sick. If only OUR world had the powerhouse of Rain-Livia-Dox and The Killer Collective to take down these darkweb deviants in real life.)
I can never get enough of the nonstop action that always finds John Rain, Dox, Livia, Delilah and the rest of these noble badasses. If these books ever stop, I don’t know what I’ll do, except reread myself silly through the series again and again. And again.
But there was enough foreshadowing at the end to assure me there will certainly be a Livia Lone #4. My money says it’ll be called, or at least themed, “The Reckoning”. Bad guys beware — retaliate against Livia and she will most certainly TAKE YOU DOWN.
Once again Barry Eisler provides an action-packed thriller but this time he includes all the characters he’s created over the years. Bravo – this is exceptional