Friday, July 1, 2016

A Katla Killfile: Locked Room



Martyn V. Halm
Self-Published
Reviewed by Nancy
4 out of 5 stars




Summary




Assassin Katla reinvents a forensic landmark while creating a Locked Room mystery...


The Locked Room KillFile (7,800 words) follows freelance assassin Katla Sieltjes executing a contract on a physician responsible for the death of her client’s wife. Using an updated version of a lethal puzzle that astounded forensic scientists at the end of the twentieth century, Katla recreates a diabolical killing method that became a landmark in the forensic sciences. Thwarting forensic scientists is not her only hurdle in fulfilling her contract, as her target has to be killed in his home, an opulent penthouse in a fortress-like apartment building…

The Katla KillFile short stories chronologically precede the novels in the Amsterdam Assassin Series.

Each KillFile features Katla Sieltjes, expert in disguising homicide, executing one of her contracts. While not mandatory reading, each KillFile provides insight both in Katla’s work methods and skill, and additional background information in her character and personal history. The KillFiles can be read out of order, as the contracts are random samples from her past.



My Review




The Katla KillFiles are brief stories that take place before the events in the Amsterdam Assassin series. If you like badass assassins, perfect crimes, and European settings, this is a perfect introduction.

In this assignment, Katla Sieltjes is a freelance contract killer hired to discreetly kill a physician for medical negligence involving her client’s wife.

This story hooked me right from the beginning. I loved Katla’s methodical planning, familiarity with technology, and her agility. Now I know what a karambit knife is. She’s very clever, cold and calculating and I sure don’t ever want to be on her bad side.

While I loved the character development, I also loved the tension and details in this story that lend authenticity.

I'm very curious about Katla's life, how she got to where she is, and how she keeps her personal life separate from work.

This is a lot of fun and free right now on Amazon.