It is time. Time to review the very final part of the English Spy Mysteries series by Rachel Amphlett, Assassins Retribution. I have loved the serial nature of this series and couldn’t wait for Sunday morning when I could download this concluding ‘episode’ and see what fate had in store for our intrepid heroine, Eva Delacourt. I’ll be letting you now my thoughts just as soon as we’ve taken a look at what it’s all about.
The Official Book Blurb
Who spies on the spies?
The net is closing in on Eva and her team, now on the warpath and seeking revenge.
Old alliances are tested, new enemies are exposed, and somehow Eva has to stop a madman unleashing a weapon of terrifying consequences upon an unsuspecting population.
The clock is ticking…
The English Spy Mysteries is a new concept by acclaimed crime thriller author, Rachel Amphlett. Combining fast-paced thrilling reads with episodic delivery in the vein of TV shows 24, Alias, and Spooks, series 1 is a must-read for fans of Robert Ludlum, Vince Flynn, and James Patterson.
The English Spy Mysteries series 1:
Episode 1: Assassins Hunted (7 January 2018)
Episode 2: Assassins Vengeance (14 January 2018)
Episode 3: Assassins Retribution (21 January 2018)
Wow. What an ending. This series has been a lot of fun, waiting week after week to see where Rachel Amphlett would take the story, what pressures she could put the characters under in just a few short chapters while keeping the reader on tenterhooks for what was still to come. Each week has been a revelation, a continuing storyline but each episode having its own kind of ‘micro-climate’. It’s own style and tone. Part three, Assassins Retribution was no different, answering many questions, resolving long running plotlines, and bringing to a head a whole different kind of tension that has been running throughout the novellas.
I won’t say too much about the plot other than the fact that Eva and co have now worked out not only who is trying to kill her, but also why, and in book three we are faced with the question of how they are going to stop them. With enemies on all sides, it is hard for Eva to know who to trust and when an unlikely ally, someone she doubts, steps up and offers their assistance, she is right to be sceptical. Isn’t she?
Rachel Amphlett does a great job of tying up all loose ends in this story, outing those who would double cross the mysterious Section and those who put profit and personal gain ahead of loyalty to their government. There is a lot of action and high tension moments leading up to an explosive and potentially deadly conclusion which could see Eva making the ultimate sacrifice to save others. Whether or not she can overcome all the odds – well you’ll have to read for yourself but it is one heck of a nail-biting sequence of events at the end. This kind of tension, and capturing the high stakes actions on the page are things the author truly excels at and are used to great effect here.
I’ve really loved getting to know Eva, Nathan and Decker over these past few books. They make an unlikely crew but somehow they just work. There is something about Eva’s steeliness, Nathan’s cyber-geekery and Decker’s hard man with a wicked sense of humour which just appeals. It might have been difficult to get a real feel for the characters with the way in which the books have evolved but they have captured the imagination from the start, making you believe in them and want to see them succeed.
The style of these books, ala TV shows such as 24 or Lost, or even Stephen King’s The Green Mile has really worked and I’d be intrigued to see more in this kind of format. I think it really works for this kind of story, keeping a perfect balance between the need for an exciting and engaging story and decent actions sequences, and the need for great characterisation. A massive thumbs up for the series from me.
In case you missed the first two books in the series you can find my review of book one Assassins Hunted and book two, Assassins Vengeance by clicking on the book titles. you can purchase your own copy of the books from the links below.
Jen Med's Book Reviews 
Great post! I’m gonna try and marathon my way through this series!
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You’ll love it Meggy. It will be a great reading binge.
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