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Killing Sisters #2
Corruption of Chastity
The solitary female sniper squints against the scorching desert sun. Takes the shot. Men die.
The solitary female assassin slashes her target's artery. Fades into the Alpine forest. Men die.
The betrayed covert operative silences his sadness with the howl of blues music and carnal recreation.
What will happen when Chastity, the ice-cold contract killer, encounters underworld investigator JJ Stoner?
The Corruption Of Chastity features characters from the JJ Stoner / Killing Sisters series. You don’t need to have read any of the other stories in the series: you can start right here if you like.
Please note that The Corruption Of Chastity is intended for an adult audience and contains explicit scenes of a sexual and/or violent nature.
The solitary female assassin slashes her target's artery. Fades into the Alpine forest. Men die.
The betrayed covert operative silences his sadness with the howl of blues music and carnal recreation.
What will happen when Chastity, the ice-cold contract killer, encounters underworld investigator JJ Stoner?
The Corruption Of Chastity features characters from the JJ Stoner / Killing Sisters series. You don’t need to have read any of the other stories in the series: you can start right here if you like.
Please note that The Corruption Of Chastity is intended for an adult audience and contains explicit scenes of a sexual and/or violent nature.
- GenresThriller
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 20, 2015
4 people are currently reading
122 people want to read
About the author
Frank Westworth
19 books31 followersFrank Westworth shares several characteristics with his literary anti-hero, JJ Stoner: they both play mean blues guitar and ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Unlike Stoner, Frank hasn't deliberately killed anyone. Instead, Frank edits a monthly classic motorcycle magazine (see RealClassic.co.uk) and has written extensively for the UK motoring press.
Frank's ‘Killing Sisters’ series starts with 'A Last Act Of Charity', continues in 'The Corruption Of Chastity' and wraps up in 'The Redemption Of Charm'.
However, you can start with any of the books in the series; they're written to be enjoyed if you come in halfway through.
You can also meet key characters from the Killing Sisters series in the JJ Stoner short stories, which begin with First Contract.
Please note; the Stoner stories and Killing Sisters series are intended for an adult audience. They're violent and explicit and contain the occasional intellectual challenge.
If you'd like to know more - feel free to ask!
Frank's ‘Killing Sisters’ series starts with 'A Last Act Of Charity', continues in 'The Corruption Of Chastity' and wraps up in 'The Redemption Of Charm'.
However, you can start with any of the books in the series; they're written to be enjoyed if you come in halfway through.
You can also meet key characters from the Killing Sisters series in the JJ Stoner short stories, which begin with First Contract.
Please note; the Stoner stories and Killing Sisters series are intended for an adult audience. They're violent and explicit and contain the occasional intellectual challenge.
If you'd like to know more - feel free to ask!
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 3, 2017
*****This review is for Mature Readers Only...no kiddies.*****
”Some girls got all the beauty, all the boobs, the ass and all the sweet blue eyes and can play all the notes and even with all that they just do not make any music at all. Other girls got bodies like planks or like balloons and make heaven music like the gods themselves. It’s just a thing. It can’t be learned. And faking is obvious. Same with an instrument. The most beautiful instrument ever invented is the saxophone. It is golden poetry. In the right hands it can make you want to kill, to kiss, to weep or to wound. In the wrong hands it’s just a brassy sludge pump which is impossible to tune.”
I kissed a girl, and I liked it.
That is probably the only thing that Katy Perry and I have in common. I have to agree with JJ Stoner about his assessment of the fairer species. There are women who seem to have been born with music playing in their heads that makes their joints unbound and their hips sway like they are riding an ocean wave. Their touch is like brushing up against an electric fence. When you kiss them, it is like Pop Rocks exploding in your mouth. Their lips and tongue rearrange your mouth to where you would swear your tongue and tonsils had changed geographical placement.
And then there is that gorgeous creature with curves who gives a man whiplash as he tries to follow their spirals from beginning to end. And then you kiss her, and it is like kissing your cousin, and I’m not talking about the cousin that you harbor secret, inappropriate desires for, but the ugly, crosseyed cousin with the big, black mole on her lip. You kiss her again, right? You can’t believe that there isn’t a spark, a sizzle, a quiver, a glimmer or a flicker. You look at those big, blue eyes and those pouty lips and consider the possibility that you have been damned, voodooed, or cursed, but it isn’t about you.
She has no music in her soul.
Well, let’s be clear. It could be you. You could be the one with no Elvis in your toes, no Mozart in your heart, no Coltrane in your blood, no Cash in your ass. ( I know it created some rather disturbing visuals for me too, but I decided to share and not edit it into something more appropriate.)
JJ Stoner is on a cruise, and his name isn’t Stoner; it is John Hand. He is on vacation after things went shit storm crazy with his personal and professional life. He plays a little guitar with the ship’s band and spends his evening plumbing new depths of the very attractive First Officer of the ship who is conveniently married. In Stoner’s line of work, it is better to stay unentangled.
He is, after all, an assassin for hire.
He is supposed to be buried so deep that no one can find him, but this is the age of intrusive surveillance where I’m sure any number of governments have notated my bowel movements, the status of my follicle retreat on my forehead, and are wondering exactly what it means that I googled Quill & Brush, Steak ‘n Shake, Suicide Squad, Western Farm Show, Women Reading, and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul today. It is a puzzle even to myself. When they get around to waterboarding me, I’m sure everything will become crystal clear.
Stoner is good, but the people who find him might be slightly better, but then they are the holy trinity of assassins: Charity, Chastity, and Charm. The first book of this trilogy is titled The Last Act of Charity, and the third one will be The Redemption of Charm. Frank Westworth named a book for each of the girls out of self-preservation. He does not want one of the girls thinking he’d overlooked them. The prospect could be deadly. A wheel could fly off of his Harley Davidson motorcycle on a deadly curve, but more likely, knowing the penchant the girls have for blood, he’d be gutted, and his head left in the refrigerator for his wife to find.
*Shudder*
Once you write these psychotic creatures into existence, sometimes they become more real than the pretty girl who served you coffee this morning in Bude... or was that Chastity...crap.
Stoner is asked to liberate Chastity from circumstances that have steadily spiralled out of control. She has hit a target, but extraction has become a problem. Stoner, who seems to have a soft spot for the Killer Sisters, agrees to help her.
”Chastity was stunning to look at.
‘I’m stunned, your beauty to behold,’ said Stoner. ‘You look hardly at all like a murderous assassin bitch from hell.’
‘Really? How sweet of you. What do I look like?’
‘Someone sinful. Every bishop’s wet dream.’
‘You have a fine turn of phrase sometimes, Mr. Stoner. Thank you.’”
Stoner is throwing around a little Shakespeare there, but truth be known, the last thing he wants to do is seduce this insane woman. She has a tendency to kill everyone she fucks.
That tends to wilt the willie.
I did really like this description of Ashdod.
”An Israeli city, a coastal Israeli city, a city filled with dark Arabs and otherwise, and a smaller, much smaller, number of white European types. Languages all over the place, Threats in everyone and in everything, in every place. The screamed shouts of threat, clouds of smoke, cooking smoke, the sharp tang of hashish and thousands upon thousands of staring eyes. Eyes staring at her. All of them. This was the place of a thousand paranoid nightmares.”
The thousand paranoid nightmares sounds like a typical sleepless night for me. I’d probably fit right in or go stark raving mad in Ashdod.
There is LOTS of explicit sex, hardcore violence, and a plethora of strange unnerving characters in this book. Did I mention the escaped criminal who can do voodoo things to people with her eyes or Bernadette the gun running Nun? Stoner is in over his head with more enemies than friends, and his friends might be more dangerous to him than his enemies. This book is the definition of guilty pleasure with explosions, intrigue, and beautiful murderous women. Am I the only one who thinks Mazikeen on the TV show Lucifer is smoking hot? So what if the other morning as I waited patiently for my garage door to open I could have swore I saw Chastity’s blood flect visage swirling in the early morning fog? My heart lurched in my chest for a moment, and then she was gone as quickly as she came. I started my Jeep, hit the door locks, and backed out, maybe a little quicker than I normally would have with my eyes glued to my backup camera. The rules are clear, right? Just don’t fuck with her.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
”Some girls got all the beauty, all the boobs, the ass and all the sweet blue eyes and can play all the notes and even with all that they just do not make any music at all. Other girls got bodies like planks or like balloons and make heaven music like the gods themselves. It’s just a thing. It can’t be learned. And faking is obvious. Same with an instrument. The most beautiful instrument ever invented is the saxophone. It is golden poetry. In the right hands it can make you want to kill, to kiss, to weep or to wound. In the wrong hands it’s just a brassy sludge pump which is impossible to tune.”
I kissed a girl, and I liked it.
That is probably the only thing that Katy Perry and I have in common. I have to agree with JJ Stoner about his assessment of the fairer species. There are women who seem to have been born with music playing in their heads that makes their joints unbound and their hips sway like they are riding an ocean wave. Their touch is like brushing up against an electric fence. When you kiss them, it is like Pop Rocks exploding in your mouth. Their lips and tongue rearrange your mouth to where you would swear your tongue and tonsils had changed geographical placement.
And then there is that gorgeous creature with curves who gives a man whiplash as he tries to follow their spirals from beginning to end. And then you kiss her, and it is like kissing your cousin, and I’m not talking about the cousin that you harbor secret, inappropriate desires for, but the ugly, crosseyed cousin with the big, black mole on her lip. You kiss her again, right? You can’t believe that there isn’t a spark, a sizzle, a quiver, a glimmer or a flicker. You look at those big, blue eyes and those pouty lips and consider the possibility that you have been damned, voodooed, or cursed, but it isn’t about you.
She has no music in her soul.
Well, let’s be clear. It could be you. You could be the one with no Elvis in your toes, no Mozart in your heart, no Coltrane in your blood, no Cash in your ass. ( I know it created some rather disturbing visuals for me too, but I decided to share and not edit it into something more appropriate.)
JJ Stoner is on a cruise, and his name isn’t Stoner; it is John Hand. He is on vacation after things went shit storm crazy with his personal and professional life. He plays a little guitar with the ship’s band and spends his evening plumbing new depths of the very attractive First Officer of the ship who is conveniently married. In Stoner’s line of work, it is better to stay unentangled.
He is, after all, an assassin for hire.
He is supposed to be buried so deep that no one can find him, but this is the age of intrusive surveillance where I’m sure any number of governments have notated my bowel movements, the status of my follicle retreat on my forehead, and are wondering exactly what it means that I googled Quill & Brush, Steak ‘n Shake, Suicide Squad, Western Farm Show, Women Reading, and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul today. It is a puzzle even to myself. When they get around to waterboarding me, I’m sure everything will become crystal clear.
Stoner is good, but the people who find him might be slightly better, but then they are the holy trinity of assassins: Charity, Chastity, and Charm. The first book of this trilogy is titled The Last Act of Charity, and the third one will be The Redemption of Charm. Frank Westworth named a book for each of the girls out of self-preservation. He does not want one of the girls thinking he’d overlooked them. The prospect could be deadly. A wheel could fly off of his Harley Davidson motorcycle on a deadly curve, but more likely, knowing the penchant the girls have for blood, he’d be gutted, and his head left in the refrigerator for his wife to find.
*Shudder*
Once you write these psychotic creatures into existence, sometimes they become more real than the pretty girl who served you coffee this morning in Bude... or was that Chastity...crap.
Stoner is asked to liberate Chastity from circumstances that have steadily spiralled out of control. She has hit a target, but extraction has become a problem. Stoner, who seems to have a soft spot for the Killer Sisters, agrees to help her.
”Chastity was stunning to look at.
‘I’m stunned, your beauty to behold,’ said Stoner. ‘You look hardly at all like a murderous assassin bitch from hell.’
‘Really? How sweet of you. What do I look like?’
‘Someone sinful. Every bishop’s wet dream.’
‘You have a fine turn of phrase sometimes, Mr. Stoner. Thank you.’”
Stoner is throwing around a little Shakespeare there, but truth be known, the last thing he wants to do is seduce this insane woman. She has a tendency to kill everyone she fucks.
That tends to wilt the willie.
I did really like this description of Ashdod.
”An Israeli city, a coastal Israeli city, a city filled with dark Arabs and otherwise, and a smaller, much smaller, number of white European types. Languages all over the place, Threats in everyone and in everything, in every place. The screamed shouts of threat, clouds of smoke, cooking smoke, the sharp tang of hashish and thousands upon thousands of staring eyes. Eyes staring at her. All of them. This was the place of a thousand paranoid nightmares.”
The thousand paranoid nightmares sounds like a typical sleepless night for me. I’d probably fit right in or go stark raving mad in Ashdod.
There is LOTS of explicit sex, hardcore violence, and a plethora of strange unnerving characters in this book. Did I mention the escaped criminal who can do voodoo things to people with her eyes or Bernadette the gun running Nun? Stoner is in over his head with more enemies than friends, and his friends might be more dangerous to him than his enemies. This book is the definition of guilty pleasure with explosions, intrigue, and beautiful murderous women. Am I the only one who thinks Mazikeen on the TV show Lucifer is smoking hot? So what if the other morning as I waited patiently for my garage door to open I could have swore I saw Chastity’s blood flect visage swirling in the early morning fog? My heart lurched in my chest for a moment, and then she was gone as quickly as she came. I started my Jeep, hit the door locks, and backed out, maybe a little quicker than I normally would have with my eyes glued to my backup camera. The rules are clear, right? Just don’t fuck with her.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
October 19, 2015
WARNING! This chick will shoot your kneecaps off as soon as look at you.
Phew!
An internet buzz about this novel grabbed my attention, so I had to see what all the fuss was about, starting with a piquant amuse-bouche, titled 'Four Cornered' by the same author.
Chastity, 50% of two psychotic Scissor Sisters (Charity and Chastity), carves a murderous route through the story, in a way reminiscent to that of an anti-heroine in a Tarantino flick.
"Everyone lies, everyone dies. Got that?" says our eponymous Angel of Death, who happens to possess the disembowelling skills of an abattoir slaughterman.
Delightfully, in between kills, Chastity attempts subterfuge by fabricating Facebook friends, who she 'interacts' with in far flung internet cafés. She adds smiley faces to messages with the same ease in which she conducts an execution.
Our other main protagonist is JJ Stoner, the ex-military, shark-eyed, homicide machine, who begins the story enjoying a relaxing sabbatical from his day job, namely killing psychopaths who are not dissimilar to himself.
The sex, herein, mirrors the violence: it's loveless, but written with such gritty realism that I felt something of a voyeur (best not to read it on a train, sitting next to strangers).
Chastity favours men, but isn't at all averse to some soapy girl-on-girl action when the mood strikes. As far as Stoner is concerned, the thought of having sex with an angel of death (who might go 'black widow' on him) adds a frisson of excitement to their tentative foreplay.
It took a while to become accustomed to the author's terse, staccato prose, but once engaged I felt that it suited the obdurate subject matter. This isn't to say that the book doesn't contain some wonderful imagery:
'He beamed at a nearby clump of fat, frilly, forty-somethings; one of them waved a wobbly hello, heaved a hideous smile'.
*Loved that bit!*
And the novel has an agreeable subtext of philosophy, which I also liked. By his own admission, Stoner is 'scarred by killing' and you sense that he is just one 'episode' away from an existential crisis.
Chastity ploughs a lonely furrow, and it's testament to Westworth's writing skills that she somehow procured my admiration, despite being a fucked-up killer-chick, with very little in the way of redeeming features.
The book operates at different levels, extreme violence being just the tip of the iceberg.
Think of a Blade Runner-Kill Bill-meets-Casablanca kind-of novel and you're almost halfway there!
It's a thunderous read, laced with sassy dialogue and artistic violence - not at all a generic 'paint by numbers' style of thriller.
Phew!
An internet buzz about this novel grabbed my attention, so I had to see what all the fuss was about, starting with a piquant amuse-bouche, titled 'Four Cornered' by the same author.
Chastity, 50% of two psychotic Scissor Sisters (Charity and Chastity), carves a murderous route through the story, in a way reminiscent to that of an anti-heroine in a Tarantino flick.
"Everyone lies, everyone dies. Got that?" says our eponymous Angel of Death, who happens to possess the disembowelling skills of an abattoir slaughterman.
Delightfully, in between kills, Chastity attempts subterfuge by fabricating Facebook friends, who she 'interacts' with in far flung internet cafés. She adds smiley faces to messages with the same ease in which she conducts an execution.
Our other main protagonist is JJ Stoner, the ex-military, shark-eyed, homicide machine, who begins the story enjoying a relaxing sabbatical from his day job, namely killing psychopaths who are not dissimilar to himself.
The sex, herein, mirrors the violence: it's loveless, but written with such gritty realism that I felt something of a voyeur (best not to read it on a train, sitting next to strangers).
Chastity favours men, but isn't at all averse to some soapy girl-on-girl action when the mood strikes. As far as Stoner is concerned, the thought of having sex with an angel of death (who might go 'black widow' on him) adds a frisson of excitement to their tentative foreplay.
It took a while to become accustomed to the author's terse, staccato prose, but once engaged I felt that it suited the obdurate subject matter. This isn't to say that the book doesn't contain some wonderful imagery:
'He beamed at a nearby clump of fat, frilly, forty-somethings; one of them waved a wobbly hello, heaved a hideous smile'.
*Loved that bit!*
And the novel has an agreeable subtext of philosophy, which I also liked. By his own admission, Stoner is 'scarred by killing' and you sense that he is just one 'episode' away from an existential crisis.
Chastity ploughs a lonely furrow, and it's testament to Westworth's writing skills that she somehow procured my admiration, despite being a fucked-up killer-chick, with very little in the way of redeeming features.
The book operates at different levels, extreme violence being just the tip of the iceberg.
Think of a Blade Runner-Kill Bill-meets-Casablanca kind-of novel and you're almost halfway there!
It's a thunderous read, laced with sassy dialogue and artistic violence - not at all a generic 'paint by numbers' style of thriller.
September 8, 2015
A dark, gritty thriller full of contradictions.
JJ Stoner, ex-military, ex-intelligence, sometime mercenary, is tasked with overseeing a female assassin’s latest contract when unknown players interject themselves with an agenda of their own. Stoner meanwhile is at a midpoint in his life and is reflecting on the path that has led him to this point, questioning whether he wishes to continue walking along it, and perhaps using the feminine killer, Chastity, as a mirror to reveal some insight into himself.
There’s a lot to love about this book which for me, is heaving with contradictions. We open to a dazzling set piece of action in the desert only to change direction, pacing-wise, and continue on with what felt like a very long chapter and ponderous transitioning between scenes interrupting the forward momentum. Defying the unrelenting pace of most thrillers, certain parts of the book required my utmost concentration and persistence as they meandered in a circumspect way to the next gripping scene of action, rather like making good headway on a long motorway journey then making several stops at services before further progress is possible.
The author has a true talent for creating a rich cast of characters who genuinely pique the interest; an original set of henchmen, Chastity the assassin plying her tradecraft like a badass, and JJ Stoner himself, an aging, whisky-soaked, blues-loving alpha male rendered all the more interesting because of his maturing years. The caveat here is with Stoner we’re presented with the classic anti-hero and by default the anti-heroic dilemma: what’s there to like and why should we care?
There were questions to which I sought answers. What are the reasons for Stoner acting as he does? What’s the line Stoner won’t cross? What underdog is he prepared to help? Where does his honour lie? Where are his vulnerabilities and therefore the contradictions in his psyche? What does his lack of morality have to say about humanity? And has a trick been missed because wouldn’t such reflections act as profound statement? Anti-heroes without these redeeming features can sometimes be unidentifiable from the role of antagonist, are almost too vile to like, yet you keep on reading to see if redemption is possible or in the hope that at least the topic will be explored.
Despite obfuscated goals, somehow Stoner was endearing and managed to get under my skin to the point where I’m certainly interested to read more. This cast of characters along with the dark, gritty sex and violence reminded me of the early work of Andrew Vachss and that makes me a fan.
JJ Stoner, ex-military, ex-intelligence, sometime mercenary, is tasked with overseeing a female assassin’s latest contract when unknown players interject themselves with an agenda of their own. Stoner meanwhile is at a midpoint in his life and is reflecting on the path that has led him to this point, questioning whether he wishes to continue walking along it, and perhaps using the feminine killer, Chastity, as a mirror to reveal some insight into himself.
There’s a lot to love about this book which for me, is heaving with contradictions. We open to a dazzling set piece of action in the desert only to change direction, pacing-wise, and continue on with what felt like a very long chapter and ponderous transitioning between scenes interrupting the forward momentum. Defying the unrelenting pace of most thrillers, certain parts of the book required my utmost concentration and persistence as they meandered in a circumspect way to the next gripping scene of action, rather like making good headway on a long motorway journey then making several stops at services before further progress is possible.
The author has a true talent for creating a rich cast of characters who genuinely pique the interest; an original set of henchmen, Chastity the assassin plying her tradecraft like a badass, and JJ Stoner himself, an aging, whisky-soaked, blues-loving alpha male rendered all the more interesting because of his maturing years. The caveat here is with Stoner we’re presented with the classic anti-hero and by default the anti-heroic dilemma: what’s there to like and why should we care?
There were questions to which I sought answers. What are the reasons for Stoner acting as he does? What’s the line Stoner won’t cross? What underdog is he prepared to help? Where does his honour lie? Where are his vulnerabilities and therefore the contradictions in his psyche? What does his lack of morality have to say about humanity? And has a trick been missed because wouldn’t such reflections act as profound statement? Anti-heroes without these redeeming features can sometimes be unidentifiable from the role of antagonist, are almost too vile to like, yet you keep on reading to see if redemption is possible or in the hope that at least the topic will be explored.
Despite obfuscated goals, somehow Stoner was endearing and managed to get under my skin to the point where I’m certainly interested to read more. This cast of characters along with the dark, gritty sex and violence reminded me of the early work of Andrew Vachss and that makes me a fan.
July 21, 2019
I read A Last Act of Charity and came back for more. I wanted to read Killing Sisters book 2 The Corruption of Chastity as I find Frank Westworth a very clever talented writer. At some point I would like to read more books by Frank Westworh as I find them easy to get into.
September 25, 2015
"Frank Westworth has written a character here that is instantly likeable. Let’s make no bones about it, in many respects he is the baddie in the books. He is a trained killer who is out for hire and seems to have absolutely no remorse or even a flicker of emotion in his psyche when it comes to his work. He will kill and not lose one seconds sleep over it. But he’s brilliant. I cannot emphasise enough how much I like this character. In many ways I wish Frank Westworth had been born fifty years earlier (sorry Frank) because I honestly think if he had been then kids these days would be playing outside fighting over who was going to be JJ Stoner instead of James Bond."
To read the full review see here:
The Corruption of Chastity
To read the full review see here:
The Corruption of Chastity
October 23, 2017
Published in 2015 by The Book Guild, The Corruption of Chastity comes with a health warning. Not for readers under 18 or those adverse to a little bit of violence (quite a lot of violence). The reader should also be aware that this is book two in the Killing Sisters trilogy featuring JJ Stoner. The blurb assures you that you can dive straight in with book two and you don't need to have read any other books in the series. However, I disagree with this statement. I disagree quite strongly. I felt horribly lost and quite bewildered at times. Even after having read First Contact, a JJ Stoner short story (which was fantastic by the way, an easy five-star read for me) I had assumed I had a little background knowledge of this character. It didn't help. I really struggled to keep up at times, wondering what I had missed and wondering where great chunks of time had gone to. I'm afraid to say I felt quite disorientated for the first one-third of this novel.
But then something clicked, and I sort of got it (although chunks of time still seemed to vanish without mention). By the end of the novel, I had decided that this was a three and a half star read for me. But then something strange happened. I couldn't stop thinking about the story, about the characters - it had really got under my skin. To the point where I felt (and still feel) I must read the first in the series, A Last Act of Charity and the third book, The Redemption of Charm.
JJ Stoner is an arrogant arse but I couldn't help but like him. Chastity also appealed to me but then, she would! She's the type of character I tend to love; a kick-ass female lead who is as deadly and dangerous as the men in her life (not that there are many, mind you!). Chastity is the lean, mean killing machine whilst her sisters, Charity and Charm pull the strings in the background. Menace and Mallis must also get a mention. The evil goth, techno prisoners who have unlimited resources at their fingertips to destroy lives and wreak havoc.
One more thing which I really must mention, I've already alluded to it at the start but I feel this needs saying. This book contains some pretty explicit sex scenes which I found quite icky to read. I'm not one for sauciness in my books; blood, guts and gore - yes. Bring it on! Sexy stuff leaves me cold. If, like me, you feel the same then read with caution. If you enjoy frisky contract killers getting it on with, well, everyone then this could be the book for you!
Four stars out of five (rounded up from three and a half because it got under my skin so much!)
I chose to read and review a copy of The Corruption of Chastity. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.
But then something clicked, and I sort of got it (although chunks of time still seemed to vanish without mention). By the end of the novel, I had decided that this was a three and a half star read for me. But then something strange happened. I couldn't stop thinking about the story, about the characters - it had really got under my skin. To the point where I felt (and still feel) I must read the first in the series, A Last Act of Charity and the third book, The Redemption of Charm.
JJ Stoner is an arrogant arse but I couldn't help but like him. Chastity also appealed to me but then, she would! She's the type of character I tend to love; a kick-ass female lead who is as deadly and dangerous as the men in her life (not that there are many, mind you!). Chastity is the lean, mean killing machine whilst her sisters, Charity and Charm pull the strings in the background. Menace and Mallis must also get a mention. The evil goth, techno prisoners who have unlimited resources at their fingertips to destroy lives and wreak havoc.
One more thing which I really must mention, I've already alluded to it at the start but I feel this needs saying. This book contains some pretty explicit sex scenes which I found quite icky to read. I'm not one for sauciness in my books; blood, guts and gore - yes. Bring it on! Sexy stuff leaves me cold. If, like me, you feel the same then read with caution. If you enjoy frisky contract killers getting it on with, well, everyone then this could be the book for you!
Four stars out of five (rounded up from three and a half because it got under my skin so much!)
I chose to read and review a copy of The Corruption of Chastity. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.
May 13, 2020
Hell. I've just finished this and feel as if I've been mugged. I certainly have been massively, densely, non-stop and entirely thoroughly entertained, and the ending ... well, no spoilers but I'm torn between reaching out and picking up book 3 so as to immediately begin to find out what happens next and sitting on my hands until the urge passes and I'm able to go read something else, savouring the knowledge I've still that one awaiting me.
Which I'll more likely do.
But it isn't just the pace of the story - the writing both soars and plummets - and it also glints. Little snippets of puns, of song titles, of asides, all of which means that the book will need to be read again. No problem.
Which I'll more likely do.
But it isn't just the pace of the story - the writing both soars and plummets - and it also glints. Little snippets of puns, of song titles, of asides, all of which means that the book will need to be read again. No problem.
September 17, 2015
Nasty Noir: Stakes Raised in 'The Corruption of Chastity'
Unlike most sequels, 'The Corruption of Chastity' doesn't disappoint. I'd go as far as saying that the energy and zaniness which made 'A Last Act of Charity' a thrill to read enter a new dimension with 'Chastity'.
Story-wise, the characters I very much enjoyed in the first book continue to surprise you as author Frank Westworth gives them additional psychological substance and emotional development. The rollercoaster experience I felt with the first book's momentum intensifies with 'Chastity', all the way to a captivating finale, yet remains well-punctuated with welcome breathers. And stylistically, the book’s certainly got something cool going on...
"She pulled the body, still warm and willing, to the floor of the nave, carefully slid the long blade between two of the exposed neck vertebrae and sliced. The bones parted. One more slice and the head fell free. Black skin and wide white eyes staring at the religious painting on the ceiling.
Chastity glanced up. 'Can you still see? That's some bad old white man's God on his big white cloud, welcoming the sinners to their hereafter. But there is no hereafter, is there buddy? None. Just one big fat silent nothing. Hope you enjoy it.'
She stood. Stretched. Placed the handgun beside her clothes and walked, naked apart from the long knife, to the church door. Opened it. stepped outside, crossed the small car park, the small road, and ran lightly down the clean beach to the calm waters of the big lake. Waded in. squatted down and relieved herself luxuriously..."
As this segment shows, Westworth's writing comes in outbursts of tough, streamlined elegance. Oftentimes it is paired with sharp and punchy dialogue, which is astutely delivered and ultimately pushes the plot forward, maybe more so than the action scenes.
Plot-wise it is also interesting to see how the cool and determined master blues guitarist/contract killer JJ Stoner is no longer the main driver of the story, as is the case in the previous opus. What may be perceived as a lurid and gritty man's world is increasingly overtaken by the female characters, all of whom have important roles in Stoner’s life. Be it, Chastity, Charity, Bili the bassist, or Jenny, a cruise ship love interest… they are fleshed out and constantly surround Stoner. And dangling like a Sword of Damocles, the mood of uncertainty which prevails in the book is upheld by these strange femme fatales with hidden agendas; and it's fun trying to decipher their intentions while being under the influence of their sexual power and enchantment.
In 'Chastity', Westworth pushes the boundaries of classic noir further by making once familiar characters more elusive and mysterious. He also successfully weaves in elements of the spy novel: the alpine forests, the boat cruises, and the stints in exotic, luxurious hotels - all are rather reminiscent of Bond movies. And the book's solitary sniper/assassin sequences have nothing to envy from the genre. Yet despite the influences, Westworth preserves his own, unique voice. Add in the weird sex and the not-so-distant vibe of blues music in the background, and you have a sincere attempt at creating something new: something which I've never really come across before, something Westworth has mastered; something I dare name 'nasty noir'.
However, at times I found 'Chastity' hard to digest. Occasionally the conversations go on a wee bit too long and thus feel contrived. And I couldn't help myself from smiling at all the wisecracks which are arguably too numerous for a regular human being to spurt out if his/her intention is to make him/herself understood. There is a delicate balancing act to maintain in order to keep the reader both focused and entertained, and at times it felt like Westworth went a bit too far. I had to re-read segments to make sure which character was speaking; and by doing so I interrupted the flow of my reading, which possibly made me miss out on some of the finer subtleties. But maybe that's me being finicky? Having said that, the long chunks of dialogue are just a minor blip in what is a second great chapter of the Killing Sisters saga. Looking forward to the third and final book.
'The Corruption of Chastity', the second installment of the Killing Sisters Trilogy, is out on September 24th 2015.
Check it out here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Corruptio...
Unlike most sequels, 'The Corruption of Chastity' doesn't disappoint. I'd go as far as saying that the energy and zaniness which made 'A Last Act of Charity' a thrill to read enter a new dimension with 'Chastity'.
Story-wise, the characters I very much enjoyed in the first book continue to surprise you as author Frank Westworth gives them additional psychological substance and emotional development. The rollercoaster experience I felt with the first book's momentum intensifies with 'Chastity', all the way to a captivating finale, yet remains well-punctuated with welcome breathers. And stylistically, the book’s certainly got something cool going on...
"She pulled the body, still warm and willing, to the floor of the nave, carefully slid the long blade between two of the exposed neck vertebrae and sliced. The bones parted. One more slice and the head fell free. Black skin and wide white eyes staring at the religious painting on the ceiling.
Chastity glanced up. 'Can you still see? That's some bad old white man's God on his big white cloud, welcoming the sinners to their hereafter. But there is no hereafter, is there buddy? None. Just one big fat silent nothing. Hope you enjoy it.'
She stood. Stretched. Placed the handgun beside her clothes and walked, naked apart from the long knife, to the church door. Opened it. stepped outside, crossed the small car park, the small road, and ran lightly down the clean beach to the calm waters of the big lake. Waded in. squatted down and relieved herself luxuriously..."
As this segment shows, Westworth's writing comes in outbursts of tough, streamlined elegance. Oftentimes it is paired with sharp and punchy dialogue, which is astutely delivered and ultimately pushes the plot forward, maybe more so than the action scenes.
Plot-wise it is also interesting to see how the cool and determined master blues guitarist/contract killer JJ Stoner is no longer the main driver of the story, as is the case in the previous opus. What may be perceived as a lurid and gritty man's world is increasingly overtaken by the female characters, all of whom have important roles in Stoner’s life. Be it, Chastity, Charity, Bili the bassist, or Jenny, a cruise ship love interest… they are fleshed out and constantly surround Stoner. And dangling like a Sword of Damocles, the mood of uncertainty which prevails in the book is upheld by these strange femme fatales with hidden agendas; and it's fun trying to decipher their intentions while being under the influence of their sexual power and enchantment.
In 'Chastity', Westworth pushes the boundaries of classic noir further by making once familiar characters more elusive and mysterious. He also successfully weaves in elements of the spy novel: the alpine forests, the boat cruises, and the stints in exotic, luxurious hotels - all are rather reminiscent of Bond movies. And the book's solitary sniper/assassin sequences have nothing to envy from the genre. Yet despite the influences, Westworth preserves his own, unique voice. Add in the weird sex and the not-so-distant vibe of blues music in the background, and you have a sincere attempt at creating something new: something which I've never really come across before, something Westworth has mastered; something I dare name 'nasty noir'.
However, at times I found 'Chastity' hard to digest. Occasionally the conversations go on a wee bit too long and thus feel contrived. And I couldn't help myself from smiling at all the wisecracks which are arguably too numerous for a regular human being to spurt out if his/her intention is to make him/herself understood. There is a delicate balancing act to maintain in order to keep the reader both focused and entertained, and at times it felt like Westworth went a bit too far. I had to re-read segments to make sure which character was speaking; and by doing so I interrupted the flow of my reading, which possibly made me miss out on some of the finer subtleties. But maybe that's me being finicky? Having said that, the long chunks of dialogue are just a minor blip in what is a second great chapter of the Killing Sisters saga. Looking forward to the third and final book.
'The Corruption of Chastity', the second installment of the Killing Sisters Trilogy, is out on September 24th 2015.
Check it out here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Corruptio...
March 14, 2016
I think there is a first book to this which i didn't know haven't read it started with this one need to go back and read the other book.
A great novel a dark thriller with lots of action.
I liked the character of Chastity and JJ Stoner.
A great novel a dark thriller with lots of action.
I liked the character of Chastity and JJ Stoner.
December 11, 2015
To begin at the end: when you approach the final chapters of this intricate, entangled and absorbing philosophical investigation, it’s best to batten down the hatches and settle in for the long haul. You’ll reach a point where JJ Stoner, the semi-retired ex-soldier and almost-ex-assassin (but not quite: killing people is a habit which dies hard) appears to have most everything that’s still alive and squealing firmly under control. The dead guys are definitely not a problem. Stoner’s seductive female companion isn’t currently trying to kill him, which bodes well for the prospect of explicit activities between consenting adults (if books came with age restrictions then this one is definitely an ‘18’).
At this moment you, the audience, might be tempted to cram the concluding scenes into a rushed reading session, eager to reach completion.
That would be a mistake.
I’ve read very few thrillers which pack such a formidable punch in their final pages. This is an ending full of flinch-inducing, visceral violence – but the assault isn’t simply physical. Instead it delivers an all-out offensive on the emotions. It’s a jaw-dropping dénouement which you simply should not rush. So turn off your phone, lock your door, lay in a supply of Pringles and compose yourself.
Oh, yeh, and there’s the whole rest of a book attached to the finale…
The clue to ‘The Corruption Of Chastity’ is in that ambiguous title with its many possible meanings. On one level it’s deceptively playful in its sexual innuendo. From another perspective, it’s chillingly and challengingly sinister. And that encapsulates the spirit of the Killing Sisters series. These books intend to obfuscate while they entertain. Author Frank Westworth deliberately distracts with snappy one-liners and bouncing banter, then whip-cracks through 180 degrees to carefully choreographed, bone-splintering action scenes. One moment things will be getting seriously steamy in every sense, and in the next heartbeat you’ll be confronted with a monstrous moral dilemma.
Few subjects seem to be taboo. Death and sex take centre stage, as you’d expect in a crime-thriller which examines the moral and mental ambiguities of men and women who kill for fun and money. But ‘Chastity’ also takes a skewed sideways glance at many other aspects of society, politics and people. Major religions, the (dis)honesty of ‘normal’ relationships, even the holidaying habit of the chattering classes – all come under inspection in a manner reminiscent of Trevanian and John D Macdonald.
So don’t pick up ‘Chastity’ expecting a run of the mill police procedural where Detective Inspector Tedious struggles to juggle a demanding domestic life, a wee bit of a drinky issue and a bullying boss. Don’t expect to like all (or maybe any) of the spiky, awkward, complicated characters. Don’t expect an easy ride: life’s not like that. And ‘Chastity’, for all that it is undeniably fiction, holds up a distorted mirror to reality, the better to reveal its bleak veracity.
If you haven’t read the first book in the Killing Sisters series (A Last Act Of Charity) then that doesn’t matter, you can start here. It’s recommended for readers who enjoy intelligent noir and complex plots and who aren’t easily offended. Put ‘Chastity’ on your shelf of ‘literary thrillers’, alongside the likes of Walter Mosley, Haruki Murakami and Derek Raymond. Fans of the Dragon Tattoo books will find much to enjoy, also.
8/10
——–
(Full and fair disclosure: this review is as honest as I can write and genuinely represents my opinion of this book. However, it’s only fair to add that I am married to the author, so you’re welcome to disregard everything I say on the subject on the grounds that – like most of his characters – I certainly can’t be trusted…)
At this moment you, the audience, might be tempted to cram the concluding scenes into a rushed reading session, eager to reach completion.
That would be a mistake.
I’ve read very few thrillers which pack such a formidable punch in their final pages. This is an ending full of flinch-inducing, visceral violence – but the assault isn’t simply physical. Instead it delivers an all-out offensive on the emotions. It’s a jaw-dropping dénouement which you simply should not rush. So turn off your phone, lock your door, lay in a supply of Pringles and compose yourself.
Oh, yeh, and there’s the whole rest of a book attached to the finale…
The clue to ‘The Corruption Of Chastity’ is in that ambiguous title with its many possible meanings. On one level it’s deceptively playful in its sexual innuendo. From another perspective, it’s chillingly and challengingly sinister. And that encapsulates the spirit of the Killing Sisters series. These books intend to obfuscate while they entertain. Author Frank Westworth deliberately distracts with snappy one-liners and bouncing banter, then whip-cracks through 180 degrees to carefully choreographed, bone-splintering action scenes. One moment things will be getting seriously steamy in every sense, and in the next heartbeat you’ll be confronted with a monstrous moral dilemma.
Few subjects seem to be taboo. Death and sex take centre stage, as you’d expect in a crime-thriller which examines the moral and mental ambiguities of men and women who kill for fun and money. But ‘Chastity’ also takes a skewed sideways glance at many other aspects of society, politics and people. Major religions, the (dis)honesty of ‘normal’ relationships, even the holidaying habit of the chattering classes – all come under inspection in a manner reminiscent of Trevanian and John D Macdonald.
So don’t pick up ‘Chastity’ expecting a run of the mill police procedural where Detective Inspector Tedious struggles to juggle a demanding domestic life, a wee bit of a drinky issue and a bullying boss. Don’t expect to like all (or maybe any) of the spiky, awkward, complicated characters. Don’t expect an easy ride: life’s not like that. And ‘Chastity’, for all that it is undeniably fiction, holds up a distorted mirror to reality, the better to reveal its bleak veracity.
If you haven’t read the first book in the Killing Sisters series (A Last Act Of Charity) then that doesn’t matter, you can start here. It’s recommended for readers who enjoy intelligent noir and complex plots and who aren’t easily offended. Put ‘Chastity’ on your shelf of ‘literary thrillers’, alongside the likes of Walter Mosley, Haruki Murakami and Derek Raymond. Fans of the Dragon Tattoo books will find much to enjoy, also.
8/10
——–
(Full and fair disclosure: this review is as honest as I can write and genuinely represents my opinion of this book. However, it’s only fair to add that I am married to the author, so you’re welcome to disregard everything I say on the subject on the grounds that – like most of his characters – I certainly can’t be trusted…)
December 11, 2015
To begin at the end: when you approach the final chapters of this intricate, entangled and absorbing philosophical investigation, it’s best to batten down the hatches and settle in for the long haul. You’ll reach a point where JJ Stoner, the semi-retired ex-soldier and almost-ex-assassin (but not quite: killing people is a habit which dies hard) appears to have most everything that’s still alive and squealing firmly under control. The dead guys are definitely not a problem. Stoner’s seductive female companion isn’t currently trying to kill him, which bodes well for the prospect of explicit activities between consenting adults (if books came with age restrictions then this one is definitely an ‘18’).
At this moment you, the audience, might be tempted to cram the concluding scenes into a rushed reading session, eager to reach completion.
That would be a mistake.
I’ve read very few thrillers which pack such a formidable punch in their final pages. This is an ending full of flinch-inducing, visceral violence – but the assault isn’t simply physical. Instead it delivers an all-out offensive on the emotions. It’s a jaw-dropping dénouement which you simply should not rush. So turn off your phone, lock your door, lay in a supply of Pringles and compose yourself.
Oh, yeh, and there’s the whole rest of a book attached to the finale…
The clue to ‘The Corruption Of Chastity’ is in that ambiguous title with its many possible meanings. On one level it’s deceptively playful in its sexual innuendo. From another perspective, it’s chillingly and challengingly sinister. And that encapsulates the spirit of the Killing Sisters series. These books intend to obfuscate while they entertain. Author Frank Westworth deliberately distracts with snappy one-liners and bouncing banter, then whip-cracks through 180 degrees to carefully choreographed, bone-splintering action scenes. One moment things will be getting seriously steamy in every sense, and in the next heartbeat you’ll be confronted with a monstrous moral dilemma.
Few subjects seem to be taboo. Death and sex take centre stage, as you’d expect in a crime-thriller which examines the moral and mental ambiguities of men and women who kill for fun and money. But ‘Chastity’ also takes a skewed sideways glance at many other aspects of society, politics and people. Major religions, the (dis)honesty of ‘normal’ relationships, even the holidaying habit of the chattering classes – all come under inspection in a manner reminiscent of Trevanian and John D Macdonald.
So don’t pick up ‘Chastity’ expecting a run of the mill police procedural where Detective Inspector Tedious struggles to juggle a demanding domestic life, a wee bit of a drinky issue and a bullying boss. Don’t expect to like all (or maybe any) of the spiky, awkward, complicated characters. Don’t expect an easy ride: life’s not like that. And ‘Chastity’, for all that it is undeniably fiction, holds up a distorted mirror to reality, the better to reveal its bleak veracity.
If you haven’t read the first book in the Killing Sisters series (A Last Act Of Charity) then that doesn’t matter, you can start here. It’s recommended for readers who enjoy intelligent noir and complex plots and who aren’t easily offended. Put ‘Chastity’ on your shelf of ‘literary thrillers’, alongside the likes of Walter Mosley, Haruki Murakami and Derek Raymond. Fans of the Dragon Tattoo books will find much to enjoy, also.
8/10
(Full and fair disclosure: this review is as honest as I can write and genuinely represents my opinion of this book. However, it’s only fair to add that I am married to the author, so you’re welcome to disregard everything I say on the subject on the grounds that – like most of his characters – I certainly can’t be trusted…)
At this moment you, the audience, might be tempted to cram the concluding scenes into a rushed reading session, eager to reach completion.
That would be a mistake.
I’ve read very few thrillers which pack such a formidable punch in their final pages. This is an ending full of flinch-inducing, visceral violence – but the assault isn’t simply physical. Instead it delivers an all-out offensive on the emotions. It’s a jaw-dropping dénouement which you simply should not rush. So turn off your phone, lock your door, lay in a supply of Pringles and compose yourself.
Oh, yeh, and there’s the whole rest of a book attached to the finale…
The clue to ‘The Corruption Of Chastity’ is in that ambiguous title with its many possible meanings. On one level it’s deceptively playful in its sexual innuendo. From another perspective, it’s chillingly and challengingly sinister. And that encapsulates the spirit of the Killing Sisters series. These books intend to obfuscate while they entertain. Author Frank Westworth deliberately distracts with snappy one-liners and bouncing banter, then whip-cracks through 180 degrees to carefully choreographed, bone-splintering action scenes. One moment things will be getting seriously steamy in every sense, and in the next heartbeat you’ll be confronted with a monstrous moral dilemma.
Few subjects seem to be taboo. Death and sex take centre stage, as you’d expect in a crime-thriller which examines the moral and mental ambiguities of men and women who kill for fun and money. But ‘Chastity’ also takes a skewed sideways glance at many other aspects of society, politics and people. Major religions, the (dis)honesty of ‘normal’ relationships, even the holidaying habit of the chattering classes – all come under inspection in a manner reminiscent of Trevanian and John D Macdonald.
So don’t pick up ‘Chastity’ expecting a run of the mill police procedural where Detective Inspector Tedious struggles to juggle a demanding domestic life, a wee bit of a drinky issue and a bullying boss. Don’t expect to like all (or maybe any) of the spiky, awkward, complicated characters. Don’t expect an easy ride: life’s not like that. And ‘Chastity’, for all that it is undeniably fiction, holds up a distorted mirror to reality, the better to reveal its bleak veracity.
If you haven’t read the first book in the Killing Sisters series (A Last Act Of Charity) then that doesn’t matter, you can start here. It’s recommended for readers who enjoy intelligent noir and complex plots and who aren’t easily offended. Put ‘Chastity’ on your shelf of ‘literary thrillers’, alongside the likes of Walter Mosley, Haruki Murakami and Derek Raymond. Fans of the Dragon Tattoo books will find much to enjoy, also.
8/10
(Full and fair disclosure: this review is as honest as I can write and genuinely represents my opinion of this book. However, it’s only fair to add that I am married to the author, so you’re welcome to disregard everything I say on the subject on the grounds that – like most of his characters – I certainly can’t be trusted…)
September 24, 2015
At first I didn't really enjoy the writing style - it took me a few chapters to get used to the short, often repetitive, punchy sentence structure. I kept with it, and I'm glad I did, as it grew on me - and to be honest, it matched the characters and the action-driven storyline, adding an almost surreal feeling to the atmosphere. It's very descriptive, very vivid, with every word in it's place for a reason, which really makes it quite hard-hitting.
The storyline is fairly simple, Chastity, a female assassin, is being set up or targeted by an unknown person, as her hits are going wrong. Stoner, a strange, highly sexed mercenary figure agrees to help out - even though in reality, he wants out of the whole business. I shouldn't have liked the characters, because really, they're not very nice people. They're assassins - murderers - possibly sociopaths, certainly damaged goods... but they also have aspects you can empathise with, with very well woven back stories and in-depth personalities. Stoner is a great anti-hero. Mostly though, I kept reading because it really was a pretty action-packed page turner.
This is the first book in this series that I have read, and I'd say that it is an okay standalone - although having finished it, I felt I'd be better immersed in the characters if I'd read them in order.
So what did I not like about this book? I'm going to be honest. I absolutely hated the sex scenes. I thought they were awkward and out of place, and the punchy, streamlined language did not work for them, rendering them unnecessarily crass. They added nothing to the story for me, and in fact, I felt detracted from it - almost being there for a bit of shock value. Without them, this could have been a 5 stars from me, but even with them, a solid read that I'd recommend. Hope there's a Book 3!
My thanks go to The Book Guild, the author, Frank Westworth, and NetGalley, for the advanced review copy of this book.
The storyline is fairly simple, Chastity, a female assassin, is being set up or targeted by an unknown person, as her hits are going wrong. Stoner, a strange, highly sexed mercenary figure agrees to help out - even though in reality, he wants out of the whole business. I shouldn't have liked the characters, because really, they're not very nice people. They're assassins - murderers - possibly sociopaths, certainly damaged goods... but they also have aspects you can empathise with, with very well woven back stories and in-depth personalities. Stoner is a great anti-hero. Mostly though, I kept reading because it really was a pretty action-packed page turner.
This is the first book in this series that I have read, and I'd say that it is an okay standalone - although having finished it, I felt I'd be better immersed in the characters if I'd read them in order.
So what did I not like about this book? I'm going to be honest. I absolutely hated the sex scenes. I thought they were awkward and out of place, and the punchy, streamlined language did not work for them, rendering them unnecessarily crass. They added nothing to the story for me, and in fact, I felt detracted from it - almost being there for a bit of shock value. Without them, this could have been a 5 stars from me, but even with them, a solid read that I'd recommend. Hope there's a Book 3!
My thanks go to The Book Guild, the author, Frank Westworth, and NetGalley, for the advanced review copy of this book.
October 16, 2017
I simply love this author!
This is the second book in the JJ Stoner/Killing Sisters series of which I am very strongly acquainted. Chastity is one half of the psychotic Killing Sisters, the other being Charity and she is a stone-cold assassin who deploys all manner of grisly ways for her targets to meet their maker. This excellent book tells the story of when Chastity meets JJ Stoner, himself a hired contract killer, and depicts very violent scenes amongst a very explicit lust (not love) story!
The storyline is fairly simple in that Chastity is being set up or targeted by an unknown person and Stoner agrees to help out, even though he really wants out of the whole business. The two become like Bonnie and Clyde as the bodies pile up, but the reader can’t help but like both characters despite their villainous occupation.
It is an excellent thriller with the clever twists and turns that I have become accustomed to with this author. It is advertised as book two in the Killing Sisters series but also as a stand-alone novel but I would suggest that book one (A Last Act Of Charity) is read first. In summary, it is full of energy, zeal and zaniness and the pages will fly by I am sure!
Digger 95
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
This is the second book in the JJ Stoner/Killing Sisters series of which I am very strongly acquainted. Chastity is one half of the psychotic Killing Sisters, the other being Charity and she is a stone-cold assassin who deploys all manner of grisly ways for her targets to meet their maker. This excellent book tells the story of when Chastity meets JJ Stoner, himself a hired contract killer, and depicts very violent scenes amongst a very explicit lust (not love) story!
The storyline is fairly simple in that Chastity is being set up or targeted by an unknown person and Stoner agrees to help out, even though he really wants out of the whole business. The two become like Bonnie and Clyde as the bodies pile up, but the reader can’t help but like both characters despite their villainous occupation.
It is an excellent thriller with the clever twists and turns that I have become accustomed to with this author. It is advertised as book two in the Killing Sisters series but also as a stand-alone novel but I would suggest that book one (A Last Act Of Charity) is read first. In summary, it is full of energy, zeal and zaniness and the pages will fly by I am sure!
Digger 95
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
February 2, 2016
Well, it seems like Frank is starting to hit his stride with the series. Excepting a few ,Penthouse Forum' moments, this was very enjoyable read.
February 15, 2017
A really dark gritty read, you wouldn't want to trust anyone in this book
September 15, 2016
★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
I've put off writing this one for far too long, mostly because I'm torn and I'm not sure what to say.
First, this is the second in a series and I spent a little too long at the beginning trying to get my bearings. I got there with a little work, but the new reader has to wade through a lot to suss out the events of Book One. This is not necessarily a bad thing -- just a warning for others new to the series.
This book has some pretty high highs, and a really low low.
The big high is in the suspense/espionage-like material. Chastity (and her sisters) are top-notch assassins -- although, it could be argued that Chastity has done this sort of thing a few too many times, and she's the worse for it. She's gotten herself in a tight-spot, and Stoner the burned British agent (or whatever he technically is), is hired to get her out of it. Doing so yanks him out of his retirement (living the life of a musician on a cruise-ship) and plunges him into a chase through Europe to find out who has Chastity in their sights and to stop them.
Most of the characters are doozies, strong voices, strong perspectives, troubling violent tendencies (well, troubling to most people -- but just what's needed for their situations). Not just Chastity and Stoner -- but the wide variety of spooks, criminals, military types and blues musicians we run into along the way.
There's enough twists and turns to keep the reader (and Stoner) guessing and on their toes. I wasn't crazy about one of the subplots but most of that probably comes from me not knowing the players before.
There's a torture scene that is truly disturbing (and I didn't buy the foundation for it), incidentally. The violence outside of that as pretty graphic, but (mostly) nothing too much for those who'd read this genre anyway. That's neither a high or a low, just an observation I think I should make.
The low? It's the sex. There's a whole lot of it -- probably too much. Not just that, but it's described in too much detail. Give these people some privacy, will you? Even that is excusable -- but man -- it's just poorly written. "Poorly," might be pulling my punch -- it's just bad. These sex scenes are the kind of thing that makes Tom Wolfe's "Bad Sex in Fiction" award-winning (and nominated) books look erotic.
Outside of the bedroom, Westworth can write -- he knows how to keep things moving, how to zig when the reader's expecting a zag (or how to execute a zag so well, that you don't care it's what you expected). When we get the character moments, the action/suspense stuff -- even the talk about music -- this book is so good, it's right up there with Finder, Child, and Sharp. And that ending? I really want to see what Stoner does next. I just hope he keeps it in his pants (ditto for everyone else).
Disclaimer: I received this from the author in exchange for my honest take on his book -- I wish my thoughts were a bit more coherent, and were timelier, but I really appreciated the book.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
I've put off writing this one for far too long, mostly because I'm torn and I'm not sure what to say.
First, this is the second in a series and I spent a little too long at the beginning trying to get my bearings. I got there with a little work, but the new reader has to wade through a lot to suss out the events of Book One. This is not necessarily a bad thing -- just a warning for others new to the series.
This book has some pretty high highs, and a really low low.
The big high is in the suspense/espionage-like material. Chastity (and her sisters) are top-notch assassins -- although, it could be argued that Chastity has done this sort of thing a few too many times, and she's the worse for it. She's gotten herself in a tight-spot, and Stoner the burned British agent (or whatever he technically is), is hired to get her out of it. Doing so yanks him out of his retirement (living the life of a musician on a cruise-ship) and plunges him into a chase through Europe to find out who has Chastity in their sights and to stop them.
Most of the characters are doozies, strong voices, strong perspectives, troubling violent tendencies (well, troubling to most people -- but just what's needed for their situations). Not just Chastity and Stoner -- but the wide variety of spooks, criminals, military types and blues musicians we run into along the way.
There's enough twists and turns to keep the reader (and Stoner) guessing and on their toes. I wasn't crazy about one of the subplots but most of that probably comes from me not knowing the players before.
There's a torture scene that is truly disturbing (and I didn't buy the foundation for it), incidentally. The violence outside of that as pretty graphic, but (mostly) nothing too much for those who'd read this genre anyway. That's neither a high or a low, just an observation I think I should make.
The low? It's the sex. There's a whole lot of it -- probably too much. Not just that, but it's described in too much detail. Give these people some privacy, will you? Even that is excusable -- but man -- it's just poorly written. "Poorly," might be pulling my punch -- it's just bad. These sex scenes are the kind of thing that makes Tom Wolfe's "Bad Sex in Fiction" award-winning (and nominated) books look erotic.
Outside of the bedroom, Westworth can write -- he knows how to keep things moving, how to zig when the reader's expecting a zag (or how to execute a zag so well, that you don't care it's what you expected). When we get the character moments, the action/suspense stuff -- even the talk about music -- this book is so good, it's right up there with Finder, Child, and Sharp. And that ending? I really want to see what Stoner does next. I just hope he keeps it in his pants (ditto for everyone else).
Disclaimer: I received this from the author in exchange for my honest take on his book -- I wish my thoughts were a bit more coherent, and were timelier, but I really appreciated the book.
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