This should've been an interesting book for a new series.

I managed to finish it, although not in one sitting as I usually do.

As early as when Nadia and Jack first had a scene together, I got the gist of where the story was heading regarding their relationship. It was rather implied.

Nadia was an okay character, and Jack was just so-so.

The age difference between them was another matter that made me uncomfortable. So, even though I knew where their relationship was likely to go, I was still bothered by it.

I would've preferred if this book had been more focused on its main theme.

Well, let's see how the next book in the series turns out.

Overall, I'd rate this book 3 out of 5 stars.

It had some potential, but there were also several aspects that could have been improved upon.

Hopefully, the author will address these issues in the next installment and make the series more engaging and enjoyable.

The story revolves around a hit-woman, Dee. She is a fascinating character with a unique "M" type personality, which makes her both cool and captivating.

As the series progresses, it becomes evident that a crucial event in Dee's life might not have unfolded exactly as she recalls. This revelation adds an element of mystery and intrigue, making the story more involving.

However, to truly get caught up in this aspect, readers have to wait until book 3. The series builds gradually, keeping the audience engaged with Dee's adventures and the secrets that start to surface.

Overall, it's a story that combines the excitement of a hit-woman's life with the complexity of a character's past, creating a compelling and engaging narrative.

Canadian author Kelley Armstrong is widely recognized as a highly successful writer in the urban fantasy genre. Her Nadia Stafford trilogy marked her initial foray into the mystery/crime fiction realm. Having already delved into the sequel novellas that bring the series to a conclusion, I was eager to explore the original trilogy. And this first volume did not disappoint.

After a brief and somber prologue presented in the third person, Chapter 1 introduces us to the series protagonist, Nadia. She serves as the first-person narrator for the majority of the novel, with the parts from other viewpoints presented in the third person. Now 32 years old, Nadia owns and operates a guest lodge in the northern forests of her native Canada. Growing up in a family of cops, she has always had a strong urge to serve justice and safeguard the innocent. This compulsion intensified and became more driven after the tragic death of her beloved cousin, who was murdered when they were in their teens. Nadia still blames herself for not being able to protect Amy. When she joined the police force, following in her family's footsteps, her compulsion had to be tempered by the laws and procedures that protect suspects and ensure due process. However, in her early 20s, a triggering incident occurred where her reaction could not be contained, leading to an act of vigilantism that cost her her badge. Investing in the lodge was her way of rebuilding her life. Fortunately, she employs a married couple who can manage the place when she needs to be away for a while, as she has an unadvertised side occupation.

The lodge barely breaks even, and six years ago, it was on the verge of bankruptcy. A regular guest, aware of her financial difficulties and her past, happened to be a high-ranking member of the Tomassini Mafia family in New York City. The Tomassinis are not known for their philanthropy or ethical values, but he could respect Nadia's and understand her mindset to some extent. Occasionally, the Tomassini's interests require the elimination of truly bad individuals who pose a threat to the innocent. At such times, they are willing to pay top dollar to someone who can carry out their objective effectively and without getting caught. So, he presented a business proposition to Nadia, and when she accepted it, she saved her lodge. However, she also crossed a line that placed her permanently on the wrong side of the law, making it difficult for her to form normal, close human relationships and setting her on a dark and morally ambiguous path. Nadia does not take pleasure in killing itself, even of those who deserve it and are dangerous. She is painfully aware that engaging in it regularly is troubling and unhealthy. But in a sense, it allows her to fulfill her inner compulsion, and it has become an inescapable part of who she is, for which she takes responsibility. Her narrative voice is honest and self-critical, yet without apology. So, as the reader, if you want to be friends with her, you will have to look her in the eye and decide whether you can accept her as she is.

Early on in the story, Nadia receives a visit from her taciturn older acquaintance, Jack. She has gotten to know him somewhat (although it is not easy) over the past few years, since he first showed up at the lodge and revealed that he is also involved in her illegal line of work. He has returned on occasion and has become something of a mentor, providing her with professional advice that she has found useful. Now, he brings news of the Helter Skelter Killer who has been terrorizing the United States. Nadia has heard of the case but has deliberately avoided getting too involved in the details. Over a period of nine days in October, across several states, four very different people have been murdered, in different locations and by different means. The only common factor is a page torn from the book Helter Skelter left beside each of the victims. The chilling twist is that law enforcement officials believe the perpetrator is actually a professional killer who has gone rogue and is now randomly killing people. This has led to an unusual amount of police attention being focused on the small world of long-term hitmen and women, resulting in a couple of arrests, a great deal of inconvenience, and a general climate that is very bad for business. By nature and necessity, the people in this circle are not a friendly and sociable bunch. But to the extent that they do share information and opinions, their general consensus is that this crazy person needs to be identified and stopped immediately. Jack wants to know if Nadia is willing to use her cop skills and partner with him in this hunt. She is not overly enthusiastic about coming out from behind her veil of anonymity, even among other assassins. And while talking to Jack at her lodge is one thing, she has some trust issues about going to the States with him and working together. But... the precious lives of more potential victims are at stake, and Nadia is who she is. Having gotten to know her through reading the novellas, I would not have been surprised by her answer even if I had not read the cover blurb of the book. :-) So, as Sherlock Holmes might have said, the game is on!

As a general rule, I am not a fan of serial-killer fiction and usually avoid it (the one exception being Agatha Christie's The ABC Murders). I also do not typically enjoy romantic triangles, despite my liking for the Twilight Saga, and we get a hint of that here. (Having read the later books, I already knew how that would play out – and my reviews of those books would be "spoilers" for that aspect! – but reading the series in order is probably the best way to experience the character arcs and relationship developments.) Unlike in the Christie book, we do directly experience most of the serial killings, although they are described briefly and Armstrong does not dwell on the gore. We also get a glimpse into the killer's sick and disturbed mind – thankfully, only at times and briefly, as it is an unpleasant place to be. However, when coupled with the mitigating factors, the author's strong character study of Nadia herself makes this a worthwhile read. She is a fascinating and complex character (and when the chips are down, an actual heroine despite the ethical issues raised by some of her life choices), and she is not the only one in the story. Vivid, well-rounded, and complicated characterizations are one of this author's particular strengths. Even minor characters who only appear for a few pages are often brought to life clearly enough to be memorable. Not many of them are particularly likable (although Nadia is, at least to me, and I think this is an assessment that series fans in general would share), but you do understand them – or, if you don't, you are intrigued enough to want to uncover more of their layers.

This is a genuine and challenging mystery that requires detection and deduction to solve. Nadia and her unlikely fellow sleuths do not have access to the same level of crime scene investigation and witness interviews as the FBI. (Fortunately, however, they do have more knowledge of the shadowy world of killers for hire than the authorities do, which partially compensates.) It is definitely a mystery of the "American" school, not its more staid and cerebral British counterpart: gritty, violent, and full of danger, and peppered with bad language. However, I believe the level of bad language is appropriate in terms of the realism of these characters. (There is no sex, either explicit or implicit, but there is some reference to it. Nadia is not often promiscuous, but her attitudes are influenced by the fact that she does not expect marriage to be in her future.) The investigation leads them through the dark underbelly of America, where not only the serial killer but also other nefarious types have dark secrets and no qualms about eliminating those who are nosy. And while Nadia is very protective of innocent life, even when it is not convenient – despite her hit woman credentials, you could completely trust her to babysit your toddlers! – thugs who try to kill her may find that she is quite deadly.

Overall, this is a gripping read from the very beginning (Armstrong leaves two dead bodies on the first nine pages), with a lot of action and a real page-turning quality. With the caveat regarding the language issues mentioned above, I would highly recommend it to fans of mystery/crime fiction and action "thrillers".

It feels like there is approximately a 2 - 3 year interval between each reread of this series, but I have an intense love for it! I adored this story all over again!

*Fourth Read June 5th, 2021*

It's time for yet another reread of this book! I randomly perused a bit of Wild Justice, and I simply had to reread this entire series! I have an absolute passion for Nadia and these captivating stories!

*Third Read August 6th, 2018*

It was truly wonderful to read this book again, especially after watching an episode featuring a hitman. I had forgotten a significant portion of what occurred in this book! It was so enjoyable to read, and I loved all the unexpected twists and turns! I definitely need to engage in more rereads!

*Second Read December 18th, 2013*

I really loved this book, particularly the few chapters presented from the perspectives of the victims, potential victims, and sometimes even the killer. Especially the one set in the theater, where initially we think it's one person, then another, and finally it turns out to be someone completely unknown to us. I adored it! And I just repeatedly read the scene in the kitchen when she catches a glimpse of Jack without his disguise, and the entire "aging makeup" revelation when it becomes clear that he was actually that old. It was simply lovable!!

*First Read January 1st 2011*

It was refreshing to read a Kelley Armstrong book that wasn't paranormal. This was an outstanding contemporary assassin - themed book that I thoroughly enjoyed! Nadia was a remarkable character, and I relished the tension she had with 2 of the male characters in this book. It was truly great! I loved it!

I am a huge fan of Armstrong's Otherworld series.

This particular installment has all the same great plot twists and the characteristic writing style that I have come to love.

However, as I was reading, I did feel that the plot got a little monotonous around the three-fourths mark.

At that point, I actually wished it would just end.

But, I'm glad I stuck it out until the end.

The conclusion was satisfying and left me eager to read the sequel.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what adventures and surprises Armstrong has in store for the characters in the next book of the series.

I'm sure it will be just as exciting and engaging as this one, despite the brief moment of monotony that I experienced.

I can't wait to dive back into the world of Armstrong's Otherworld and continue following the story.

The sad thing is, I truly did have a deep affection for certain aspects of Exit Strategy.

Specifically, The Chase was really exciting and engaging. And there were even some of the characters who managed to capture my interest.

Despite the fact that the heroine did have a few moments of extreme obliviousness that were rather painful to witness.

However, the pacing of the story was just incredibly slow. I understand the reason behind the lack of a great deal of action, and I really do.

And, indeed, all those makeovers were truly enjoyable and added a touch of fun to the narrative.

But at the same time, the story just seemed to drag on and on and on. It felt as if it was never going to end.

Plus, the ending was just not satisfactory at all. It left me with a sense of disappointment and unfulfillment.

All in all, Exit Strategy was a disappointment. It really made me feel quite sad.

Kelly Armstrong minus the supernatural aspects.

This marks my initial foray into Kelley Armstrong's writing, and on the whole, it was a pleasant experience. When I purchased it, I had presumed it to be yet another supernatural-centered series. However, once I delved in, it actually emerged as a captivating tale of hitmen and women pursuing one of their own who had gone 'rogue' and was increasingly resembling a serial killer.

The story held my interest, and the dynamics among the characters were enjoyable, albeit a touch under-developed. The situation and plot of the novel were engaging and mysterious enough to keep me hooked. I took a liking to the lead character. Although her story of an ex-cop turned semi-vigilante killer isn't entirely original, the character was likable enough that it didn't overly bother me. I relished the concept of retired hitmen like Evelyn longing to reenter the business, and the idea of a gun-toting granny definitely elicited a few chuckles from me.

The aspect that diminished the score for me in this was the romance. While it isn't prominently featured in this installment, it's foreseeable. There's the faintest hint of a love triangle brewing involving Jack and Quinn. Now, Quinn is introduced late and seems to be precisely what our heroine requires, which likely implies disappointment. The issue is that there's almost no suspense in the romance as so much effort and time is dedicated to Jack and Nadia that it's evident who the author favors in the end. And I just don't understand Jack. He's supposed to be this older, brooding, practically mute, sexy hitman, but in all honesty, he just comes across as dull. He is no Edward from Anita Blake. So, that's what let this down for me, the inevitability of a lackluster final love interest. Maybe I'm incorrect, and I hope to be, but it's clear from the way both love interests are developed who will emerge victorious in that particular battle. Nevertheless, I will be reading the next installment in the series, so I guess I'll see where it progresses from there.

I’ll start by saying that in 2007, when this book was published, I read it at the enviable age of 14 (I’ll let you do the math) and loved it; I gave it 5 stars back then.

Today, it gets a 2 stars. Let me explain. Kelley Armstrong was my auto-buy author back then. I don't know why, but she's just dropped off my radar since then. But I've loyally kept her books on my shelf, thinking, “oh I’ll pick that up again someday”. Well, it was someday, and I picked it up.

Nadia Stafford is an ex-cop and now something of a private killer. She becomes interested in the Helter Skelter murders - a series of murders with a page of a novel left with each victim. What's exciting is that many other hired hitmen crawl out from the woodwork to try to solve this case, with suspicion cast on every one of them (hard to trust someone you know is dodgy I guess!).

There are so many incredible romantic thrillers now. This one, however, is neither romantic, thriller nor mystery - so that's a bit confusing since I think it means to be all three! It also suffers from one of the most painfully slow paces I think I've read in a while. The result: a bit of a snoozefest. So why the about face? I don't know, to tell you the truth. Maybe I just didn't have much experience back then of the genre, or maybe my own taste has changed. But current-me can't get behind being bored for more than 25% of a novel, and this book took at least that long to pick up any speed. On top of that, the characters feel like they never fully reach a “real” place in my mind, never feeling truly like a believable person with my full attention and belief.

So sadly, this wasn't for me this time, but I think it's important to acknowledge my previous 5 stars nonetheless - once upon a time, this was a real winner for me, so no doubt it would be for other readers too. Maybe it has just past it's “best before” date.

I quit at around the 90% mark.

The emotional constipation of Jack and Nadia, which might have seemed charming at the beginning, became extremely hard to endure.

However, my patience really started to wear thin when a series of "chance" events kept unfolding in the same way, clearly designed to prolong the story.

In fiction novels, I usually try to be lenient when it comes to the role of chance. After all, life is a gamble, so it makes sense for randomness to play a part in a novel.

But after a while, I began to suspect that the randomness was not genuine. I can generally accept the bad guy getting a lucky break and the good guys facing setbacks.

But beyond that, I expect some sort of balance.

By the time Nadia couldn't aim and squeeze a trigger in the time it takes a civilian to ruin her shot (by running the entire length of an alley, no less), I just couldn't take it anymore.

At that point, they had the guy. They knew who it was, and they had him at the right place and time.

All that was left was for them to take the stupid shot. And yet, I noticed there was nearly two hours of runtime remaining.

And that's when I completely lost all interest in watching the rest play out.

Thriller isn't really my thing anyway. A thriller with a touch of "can't catch a break" is just not enjoyable.

I really loved the cross-border intrigue aspect of this story. It added an element of excitement and mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat.

Additionally, the brief glimpses into the points of view of both the antagonist and his victims were a great touch. It allowed me to understand their motives and actions better, and added depth to the story.

The characterization in this story is also excellent, especially for Jack. He is a complex and well-developed character, with his own strengths, weaknesses, and flaws. His actions and decisions are believable and make sense within the context of the story.

Overall, I thought this was a great story that had me hooked from beginning to end. I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery or thriller.

2.5 stars

I am a huge fan of Armstrong's Otherworld series and was really excited to see her combine her writing with the murder mystery genre. Sadly, Exit Strategy turned out to be a disappointment and rather bland.

What usually makes Armstrong's writing stand out is her sharp wit and the quirky characters she creates. But in this book, the main character, Nadia, is a bit of a mystery herself. Bits and pieces of her are revealed in fits and starts, only to have her retreat back into her shell almost immediately. As a result, I felt like I knew the supporting characters better than the main one. Overall, Nadia just didn't have the kind of grip or charm that would make me really care about her.

Moreover, there were numerous instances where mundane activities were given their own paragraphs. This not only slowed down the already sluggish pace of the book but also made it feel overly drawn out. The book could easily have been a hundred or so pages shorter without losing any of its essential elements.

All in all, Exit Strategy was a letdown as it failed to meet the high standards set by Armstrong. I believe that the book could have been a lot more engaging if she had stuck to her tried and true writing style and perhaps added some of her trademark quirky humor to Nadia's character.

2021 Reread

I'd probably give this 3 stars. Maybe it's just because I'm in a reading slump, but I felt that the story really dragged at times and was overly detailed. However, I still have a soft spot for Nadia. I still love this series, and overall, I would still recommend it.


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3 1/2 stars

I really enjoyed this! I thought Nadia was a great heroine. I really like the idea of a hitwoman being the main character of a novel. It did a good job of setting up the series while also telling its own story. I'm looking forward to reading the next one! But seriously, when is the romance between Jack and Nadia going to start? It's so obvious that Jack is basically in love with Nadia, and I'm all for it!


In conclusion, while there were some parts of the book that I didn't love, I still thought it was a good read. The characters were interesting, and the story had enough twists and turns to keep me engaged. I'm excited to see where the series goes next.