Sinister Little Serenade
Malvetti was never meant to be just another casualty; he was a statement. A single shot, a quiet splash, and a corpse swallowed by the riotous cheer of the Venetian Regatta. It should have been a textbook hit—surgical and silent.
Instead, my handler, Jane, decided it was the perfect time for another of her twisted "evaluations." Now I’m tearing through gilded opera houses, vaulting blindly into narrow alleys, and burning my lungs out across the sinking cobblestones with the entire Italian police force breathing down my neck.
- Marin - Professional assassin
- Jane - Marin’s agent
- Alessandro - Spy
- Giovanni Malvetti - Arms dealer
- Lucia - Theatre director
- Marin travels to Venice where she is told to work with Alessandro on her next hit.
- Marin and Alessandro attend the opera to scope out their target, Malvetti.
- Lucia slips up and introduces Marin to Malvetti by her real name instead of her alias, but Malvetti gives no indication that he recognizes the name.
- The next day at the Vogalonga, one of Malvetti’s men intercepts Marin.
- Malvetti tells him to stash Marin in a boathouse until after the race.
- Marin overpowers the man and shoots him twice in the stomach killing him.
- Marin and Alessandro dump the body in the water.
- Marin shoots Malvetti in the chest while he stands on the back of a boat and his body falls into the water.
- Marin and Alessandro return to her hotel and have sex.
- Lucia tells Marin that Jane instructed her to use Marin’s real name to make the job more challenging and interesting.
- Marin makes her escape and boards a train, where she finds Alessandro waiting to accompany her on the journey.
This is another great addition to Marin’s adventures as a professional assassin. Setting a murder against the backdrop of the Venetian Regatta is a brilliant move, and the chaotic event adds instant tension to the plot. Introducing Alessandro added a great new layer to the story, and I hope he will appear again in future installments, whether as friend or foe. The narrative is fast-paced, and what really stood out to me was the kill itself - executed in a smart way that uses the crowded water to its full advantage. The momentum stays high the entire time, keeping the action lean and exciting.
If you like professional assassins, fast-paced suspense, and clever kills, then you will enjoy this book.
- Murder
ASIN: B0F91G86ZC
Publication Date: May 17, 2025
Note: Details are for the original edition. Other formats, editions, and audiobook versions may be available.
