Assassin Books
King of Swords is an epic assassination thriller framed against a gritty backdrop of brutal drug cartel violence in modern Mexico. The G-20 Financial Summit is planned for San Jose Del Cabo. The world's pre-eminent finance ministers will attend, along with the presidents of the U.S. and Mexico. Captain Romero Cruz of the Mexican Federal Police uncovers an assassination plot against the attendees. In a roller-coaster race against the clock, Cruz must track and stop El Rey, the "King of Swords" - a faceless super-assassin responsible for a string of the world's most spectacular killings, before he turns the G-20 into a slaughterhouse. King of Swords is a rule-breaking rush that shatters convention to create a richly-drawn story that's sure to shock and delight even the most jaded intrigue/adventure thriller fans.
Revenge of the Assassin is the breakneck-paced sequel to the bestselling international thriller King of Swords. When El Rey, the super assassin responsible for Latin America's most spectacular hits, returns to Mexico for one final sanction, the race is on for Captain Romero Cruz of the Federales to stop him before he can fulfill his contract to kill the president. Revenge will delight fans of King of Swords, and offers the same gritty, unpredictable ride of thrills, twists and surprises before arriving at a conclusion that is sure to leave readers gasping.
Return of the Assassin is the shocking continuation of the saga of El Rey, the notorious Mexican cartel super-assassin whose legacy of impossible kills has earned him the reputation as the most lethally effective hit man in the world. Faced with impossible choices as he races against time, El Rey must return to a cartel underworld where the smallest slip means instant death, on a suicide mission to save the life of a young woman whose escape and survival is inexorably linked to his own.
Night of the Assassin is the gritty, edge-of-your seat prequel to King of Swords. A no-holds-barred, breakneck-paced thriller, Night charts the early years of El Rey - known as the King of Swords - a super-assassin responsible for some of the world's most spectacular and daring executions. Framed against the backdrop of present-day Mexico's brutal narco-trafficking violence, Night of the Assassin chronicles the making of a monster - a cold-blooded, ruthless killing machine. Raw, disturbing, edgy and unflinching, this epic saga defies convention to create a roller-coaster of intrigue, suspense and thrills that will leave even the most jaded thriller aficionados gasping for breath.
A German hit man has targeted a world leader for execution. In a high octane race against the clock, an unlikely alliance must track and stop the assassin before he can carry out his unthinkable scheme. The fifth of the bestselling Assassin novels, Blood of the Assassin can be read as a stand-alone novel or as the continuation of the series. +++ Q&A with bestselling author Russell Blake Q: How is Blood of the Assassin different than the other Assassin books? RB: I wrote it so that it could be read by a someone who is new to my work, and unfamiliar with the prior books. In much the same way Da Vinci Code was the second in that series but was a satisfying read on its own, I wanted to try the same thing with Blood - a sequel that someone could start with knowing little or nothing about its predecessors. Having said that, it's also consistent with the prior Assassin novels, so those who have read the series will find that it fits snugly in place. Q: So would you suggest new readers start here? RB: Sure. That's the whole idea. I think that this book is a perfect example of my storytelling, pacing, character development, and plotting, and I'm confident that new readers will find it engaging and satisfying. Q: This volume features a lot more of Captain Cruz than the last ones. RB: Yes, I wanted him to have a central role, and explore his character more. Just as I wanted to flesh out El Rey in greater detail, and create a more nuanced story. It's also by far the longest of the Assassin books, even after rigorous and ruthless editing. Q: So El Rey, the Mexican super-assassin, also features prominently. RB: For the same reason. I wanted to let him grow - give him a broader range. I'm particularly satisfied with how this effort turned out. El Rey fans will find everything they've grown to love or hate about him here, but with an evolving perspective on life. And I thought it would be fascinating to have one super-assassin hunting another. I think it wound up working well. But readers will be the ultimate judges...
In Requiem for the Assassin, El Rey, the world's deadliest assassin, is called into the field to terminate a list of seemingly unrelated targets on behalf of CISEN, the Mexican Intelligence Agency. But things are never as they seem in the murky world of intrigue, and he quickly goes from being the hunter to the prey.
In the final installment in the bestselling Assassin series, El Rey and Captain Romero Cruz race the clock to stop a terrorist threat to Mexico City and save thousands of lives. Gritty, unflinching, with a plot drawn from today's headlines, Rage of the Assassin concludes the saga that began with King of Swords.