Killing Sarai

A Novel (In the Company of Killers)

By: J. A. Redmerski

Narrated by: Kate Reinders, Stephen Bel Davies

Length: 9 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

Sarai was only fourteen when her mother uprooted her to live in Mexico with a notorious drug lord. Over time she forgot what it was like to live a normal life, but she never let go of her hope to escape the compound where she has been held for the past nine years. Victor is a cold-blooded assassin who, like Sarai, has known only death and violence since he was a young boy. When Victor arrives at the compound to collect details and payment for a hit, Sarai sees him as her only opportunity for escape. But things don't go as planned and instead of finding transport back to Tucson, she finds herself free from one dangerous man and caught in the clutches of another. While on the run, Victor strays from his primal nature as he succumbs to his conscience and resolves to help Sarai. As they grow closer, he finds himself willing to risk everything to keep her alive; even his relationship with his devoted brother and liaison, Niklas, who now like everyone else wants Sarai dead. As Victor and Sarai slowly build a trust, the differences between them seem to lessen, and an unlikely attraction intensifies. But Victor's brutal skills and experience may not be enough in the end to save her, as the power she unknowingly holds over him may ultimately be what gets her killed.

©2013 J. A. Redmerski (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Omg loved this book!!!

This was a great listen. Can't wait to listen to the second book. Hope it's as good as the first.

Dangerous and Sexy

Any additional comments?

I still remember how excited I was to read Killing Sarai when it was first published. For whatever reason, I didn’t read it right away – but it was always sitting on the back burner. Yet, after receiving The Swan and the Jackal for review, I realized – belatedly – that these should be read in order. So, I drove in.

This book is messed up. Not in a BAD WAY. On the contrary, I loved the world with assassins, the mob and all that fun jazz. It’s always been fascinating to me to read about because even though you know what they are doing is wrong – it’s interesting to see how the characters were molded this way and how their moral compass works. Loyalties and such.

Sarai and Victor are both pretty damaged, fucked up people. But for different reasons. Sarai puts on a good front – but you can feel the determination and desperation poring out of her. All she wanted was to live a “normal” life. But after finally having a (small) opportunity to, she realizes it isn’t what she wants.

Victor, the assassin that helping Sarai, is not a good person, yet… he isn’t bad either. Granted, his line of work isn’t the most moral of things, but there is a small (and I am, SMALL) part of him that is still soft, kind and just a good man.

Their romance isn’t the sole focus of the book – and I am SO happy about this. Yes, there is attraction, sexual tension and more, but what we really see is how Sarai is coping since her escape. How the life she has lived has affected her. There was a tiny part of me that felt like her feelings for Victor were only because he was the only man to HELP her. But, again, there is so much more to it than that.

Also, kudos to the fact that people die. I mean, good people die. That sounds awful, I know. But it makes the situation more REAL. It adds more tension and anxiety. They aren’t just random kills either – they MEAN something.

Now the narrators. I don’t’ think I will read the next one on audio, because the narrators didn’t fit. Kate Reinders sounds 16. Innocent, and it was weird hearing the word FUCK come out of her month. It had me wincing every time. And Stephen Bel Davies sounds… old. There is an age different between Sarai and Victor, but not 16 and 50. It was just so ODD. Their voices just didn’t work FOR ME. (Sadly, I think it’s the same narrators for the other books, and one of them IS for review).

The set up for book 2 was PERFECT and I can’t wait to read it! If you love books that are challenging and dangerous, you’ll enjoy Killing Sarai.

It's a good mindless listen

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Perhaphs I'm just not into the subject matter of the book but I wasn't made to look forward to listening to the rest of the series...so I didn't. I absolutely loved the female narration of the book. Her tone and inflection was spot on. I'm positive she is the only reason I listened to the whole book.

Loved it!!

Awesome story and can't wait to start book 2. I have to say that I absolutely LOVED the narrator for Sarai but wasn't to impressed with the male narration of Victor. But overall LOVED IT!!

So good!

This book is so good! I listen to it because I saw a trailer for this book and I’m so glad I did! Kate Reinders & Stephen Bel Davies did an amazing job at narrating!

Suspenseful

This book has suspense and romance, but it just seemed to be missing something. Perhaps it was the audible, I found the voice narration to carry a very young sounding retelling that to me just didn't mesh with the age of Sarai. It isn't horrible, it just doesn't harmonize for me.

LOVED!!!!

wow I waited way too long to listen to this!!! what an amazing story!!! cannot wait to jump into the next. I love Victor and Sarai

Buy on Sale

Sarai’s story is compelling. As a character, she is strong and resilient despite any and all circumstances thrown her way, from sex slavery to keeping company with contract killers. Unfortunately, the narrators do not do the book any credit. If you have KU and can get the cheap add on, go for it. Otherwise, read the book.

DNF drags

The heroine annoyed me. I tried to think of her as 16 instead of 23 because her life was so limited. But while I was trying to like her, I focused on the plot. And because I wasn’t at all entertained by her inner thoughts, I was impatient with figuring things out before they happened which I don’t normally care about. I skipped to the last 5 chapters and still didn’t care about the heroine so I give up. I bet someone else would love this book - there’s nothing wrong with it. But maybe the reader has to be a ya or teenager.

LOVED the storyline!!

What did you like best about this story?

I loved the story and the relationship Sarai and Victor. I liked how Victor was not on board with getting too close with Sarai at the beginning. I liked that it took him most of the book and was not an instant connection for him and it was for her. It was great to see her have to "fight" for him in a sense.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

No....I loved the lady who read for Sarai. She was great! The guy who read for Victor....not so much. I pictured a very good looking man in mid-30's but when I heard the voice of the reader it sounded like someone in his mid-60's....He did not match what the story had portrayed Victor to be.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes! Cannot wait to read the next one