Shattered Little Skull
While the rest of Mexico City pours tequila and scatters marigolds for the Day of the Dead, I’m busy arranging a killer’s funeral. This isn't just another contract—it’s vengeance. The man who left Vera's brutalized body on an altar left a calling card marked Noir, the alias of a French operative I already put in the ground. The ghosts of my past just cost my friend her life, and I intend to collect that debt in blood. Backed by Father Rafael Vázquez—a priest Jane dispatched who deals in Old Testament wrath rather than forgiveness—we are hunting through the chaotic festival streets. The message is simple: nobody touches Jane’s crew and breathes to tell the tale.
- Marin - Professional assassin
- Jane - Marin’s agent
- Father Rafael Vazquez - Priest
- Henri Noir - Camille’s father
- Vera - Marin’s friend, deceased
- Camille - Marin’s former victim, deceased
- Father Rafael takes Marin to a market, where a woman gives them the name of the hotel where the men who killed Vera are staying, along with a description of them.
- Marin and Father Rafael go to the hotel, spot one of the men, and follow him to his room, where Father Rafael talks his way inside.
- The man says they tortured Vera to get to Marin because she killed Camille Noir, and that her father, Henri Noir, is now after Marin for the murder and Jane for ordering the hit.
- Marin cuts the mans throat and she escapes with Father Rafael via the balcony.
- Marin and Father Rafael buy masks from a street vendor and slip into a party at Henri’s house.
- Marin lures Henri away from the party, shoots him in the heart, and she and Father Rafael make their escape.
Shattered Little Skulls by Joan De La Haye is another fantastic installment in Marin’s story. While it holds its own perfectly well as a standalone, you’ll definitely appreciate the nuances and character dynamics much more if you read the books in order. This entry shifts gears in a thrilling way, focusing far less on executing "the job" and zeroing in on a much more personal, intense drive for vengeance. A highly recommended, hard-hitting read!
- Murder
- Torture
ASIN: B0FXM4YZQT
Publication Date: October 24, 2025
Note: Details are for the original edition. Other formats, editions, and audiobook versions may be available.
