Crimson Little Dragon
Kenji Takahashi isn't just the Oyabun of the Takahashi-kai Syndicate. He's a Yakuza patriarch who deals in strict rituals, cold-blooded revenge, and a terrifyingly morbid talent for origami.
The contract was supposed to be a breeze: execute a clean hit with zero collateral, and vanish before the final paper lantern touches the river's surface. Get in, pull the trigger, get paid.
Except, nothing in Kyoto is ever that simple.
Instead of a textbook assassination, I'm currently drowning in syndicate politics, centuries-old vendettas, and enough warped samurai honor to choke a historian. Then there's my local handler, Ren. He's quiet, ruthlessly efficient, and colder than a Kyoto winter. But beneath the stoic mask and the tragic backstory lies a terrifying wildcard - a man clutching a katana and nursing a very violent, very personal agenda.
I flew in to put a bullet in one man. It seems the city has a different script in mind.
- Marin - Professional assassin
- Jane - Marin’s agent
- Ren - Marin’s contact in Japan, Kenji’s son
- Kenji - Japanese mafia boss
- Kaito - Kenji’s son, Ren’s half-brother
- Marin goes to Japan to take out Kenji during the Obon festival.
- Ren pretends that Marin is his pregnant girlfriend in order to get them in to see his estranged family.
- Ren and Marin are escorted to Kenji’s house to have dinner with him and Kaito.
- Kenji insists they stay the night.
- Ren tells Marin that he doesn’t want to kill Kenji. When Jane received the hit request on Kenji, she told Ren it was up to him whether Marin succeeded or failed her assignment.
- Ren’s real intention is to kill whoever put out the hit on Kenji.
- Ren and Marin hear gunshots and shouting and find several of Kenji’s guards dead.
- They enter Kenji’s chamber to find him dying and Kaito holding the weapon.
- Ren and Kaito get into a sword fight and Ren cuts off Kaito’s head.
- Ren and Marin set the house on fire.
- Ren tells Marin that Kaito’s mother tricked Kenji into killing Ren’s mother by making it look like she was feeding information to Interpol.
- Marin boards a boat to her next destination.
Marin’s tactics for getting close to her target take a clever turn in Crimson Little Dragon. I loved watching her play the role of a meek, unassuming woman because it is a completely different approach from her usual routine and creates a great build-up as she maneuvers into position. When it comes time for the actual kill, the execution plays out in an unexpected way for this series, offering a refreshing shift in dynamics without giving anything away. The short chapters pulled me through the narrative quickly, making it a solid, fast-paced installment in Marin’s adventures.
If you like female assassins, fast-paced suspense, and clever mission setups, then you will enjoy this book.
- Murder
ASIN: B0FHWL5NNX
Publication Date: July 17, 2025
Note: Details are for the original edition. Other formats, editions, and audiobook versions may be available.
