A Clean Kill in Tokyo by Barry Eisler @barryeisler ‏ #ThriftyThursday #BeatTheBacklist2019

Posted March 21, 2019 by Anne - Books of My Heart in Book Review, Thrifty Thursday / 8 Comments

The purpose of Thrifty Thursday is to read a book which was free (at some point).

Kindle freebie on April 12, 2013  (currently $7.99 at Amazon and Barnes & Noble as of writing this post)

Overall rating 3.96 with 12,503 ratings and 773 reviews

 

 

A Clean Kill in Tokyo by Barry Eisler @barryeisler ‏ #ThriftyThursday #BeatTheBacklist2019A Clean Kill in Tokyo by Barry Eisler
Series: John Rain #1
Published by Self-Published on July 1, 2002
Pages: 363
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
Goodreads
AmazonAudibleLibro.fm
two-half-flames
One StarOne StarOne Star

Previously published as Rain Fall (John Rain, #1)

Name: John Rain.
Vocation: Assassin.
Specialty: Natural Causes.
Base of operations: Tokyo.
Availability: Worldwide.

Half American, half Japanese, expert in both worlds but at home in neither, John Rain is the best killer money can buy. You tell him who. You tell him where. He doesn't care about why...

Until he gets involved with Midori Kawamura, a beautiful jazz pianist--and the daughter of his latest kill.

A Clean Kill in Tokyo is a freebie I have had quite awhile but it came up, I think because it is in Kindle Unlimited.  It is also available with Whispersync for $1.99, with the author as the narrator.  If I had realized I might have listened but then it wouldn’t qualify for my Thrifty Thursday designation so maybe not.

I liked the story and may read on in this John Rain series. It’s written about 20 years ago, but doesn’t hold up too badly. It’s definitely written in guy mode. more action and plot, somewhat less emotion.  The writing was well done with the world and the characters. I enjoyed the Tokyo setting.  It’s dark and gritty; it is about an assassin who served in the Vietnam War. It’s not unlike the new movie Triple Frontier – what do guys do with that skill set once the war ends?

I like that John is smart and skilled. It’s a bit crazy to think he survives everything which happens.  John has his personal issues, but he is not without feelings or compassion.  And I have to like a guy who prefers jazz.

The plot is interesting because John’s regular life has been cruising along and now it’s shot to hell. The underlying cause is the corruption of the Japanese government. This is fiction, but it is intriguing to think about how much of this is realistic with the government, the mob gangs and politics.

 


These are only Kindle freebies I get, or ones through author newsletters which anyone can sign up and get for free. I don’t include things like Kindle Unlimited or Prime Free Reading (I do have it). Both Tantor and Audible have occasional free audios (to anyone) and I do include those.  Since I one-click on 1-2 freebies a day or probably at least 5 a week, I came up with this feature to make sure I start reading them.

So I have thought about doing a Thrifty Thursday Challenge someday. For now,  what I think would be fun is if you have read and reviewed  a freebie, link up to your review (Goodreads, blog, facebook or wherever) below.


Add your review link here: 

 

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

  • BTB 2019

Posted March 21, 2019 by Anne - Books of My Heart in Book Review, Thrifty Thursday / 8 Comments


8 responses to “A Clean Kill in Tokyo by Barry Eisler

  1. I like the fact that it’s set in Tokyo and I confess that even as a freebie, it’s the first time I hear about it

    • Well it is more a thriller and I do read mystery / thrillers but more when they have some romance, at least in the background. Books in guy mode have sex, and the guy may care about the women, but it is not romantic.

    • Well that’s what TT is all about. It’s a specialized version of Beat the Backlist. I try to get reading on my freebies! I thought it was good and would read another in the series.

      Anne recently posted: Space by Penny Reid