Reprobate
A Katla Novel
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5.0 • 2 Ratings
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- $3.99
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- $3.99
Publisher Description
Assassin Katla breaks her own rules when confronted with an unusual witness...
Blessed with an almost non-existent conscience, freelance assassin and corporate troubleshooter Katla Sieltjes, expert in disguising homicide, regards murder for profit as an intricate and rewarding occupation. Her solitary existence seems more than satisfactory until a blind musician wanders in on her crime scene.
Katla only kills for profit or to protect her anonymity, and Bram Merleyn seems harmless and unable to identify her. By sparing his life, she breaks one of her most important rules—never leave a living witness. A decision Katla might not survive to regret...
Reprobate is the first novel in the Amsterdam Assassin Series.
With authentic details and fast-paced action, featuring an uncompromising heroine and a supporting cast of unusual characters, Reprobate gives a rare glimpse in the local Dutch culture, information on the famous Dutch capital, the narcotics trade, computer hacking, motorcycle gangs, mehndi bridal tattoos, martial arts, the psychology of social engineering, and the brutal effectiveness of disciplined violence.
This e-book now features a glossary.
Customer Reviews
I Liked the Macaw the Best!
I was provided a copy of REPROBATE through Goodreads' Read It & Reap program in exchange for my fair and honest review.
I really wanted not to like Katla. I really wanted to think that a story about an assassin, entirely amoral--yes, a reprobate in the truest sense of the word--would be so disquieting that it would leave me wanting no more. Instead, I found that Katla was likable--not lovable--but, likable and that though she lived by no code that would be readily recognized by most, she was able to--and indeed did--have her own vulnerabilities and feelings for others that helped to make her "human." As I made my way through, I realized that not only was I enjoying Katla's story, but that I would be interested in following Katla further.
The characters were well drawn and believable. Katla/Loki acted with precision. If great research had not been done into making her actions believable, it certainly appeared that it had been! Bram was a believable blind man and had the heart of a musician. The Rastafarian was a simple hearted assistant; Coen a good hearted friend; Focke, a chain-smoking surprise. The FBI, DEA and other government agents pursued their quarry while we saw glimpses into the politics behind the goings-on of law enforcement. All that said, perhaps my favorite character was Katla's macaw, Kourou. The pet added realism to the story. Able to bark like a dog, be angry when left for long periods, greet people with the simple query "happy?" and skate his way through Katla's apartment, Kourou was a unique, fun and well developed character in his own right.
Perhaps the most difficult part of REPROBATE was that the story was located in Amsterdam, where street names and the like are difficult for an American English-speaker to identify. Even so, they added to the foreign feeling of the story and took nothing away from the enjoyment of it. KATLA was the kind of story I would expect a traditional publishing company to jump at. Perhaps such will be in Halm's future.
Move over James Patterson and Russell Blake!
This is an awesome book. I fell in love with the femme fatale immediately. Martin did an excellent job of building the suspense and the sub-plots in this thriller. I am impressed with his depiction of Katla's blind love interest. No author has depicted a blind character so self reliant and sure of himself. This book has excellent sub-plots and the author brought it all together with a neat bow. Kudos to Martyn on this book. I can't wait to read more of Katla's adventures in future books.
This book has it all mystery, suspense, intrigue, DEA agents, corrupt IPOL officials....LOVED IT!!