Killing Sisters

The Killing Sisters series by Frank Westworth starts with ‘A Last Act of Charity’, continues in ‘The Corruption of Chastity’ and concludes in ‘The Redemption of Charm’

‘A fast-paced, high-powered thriller; terse and stiletto streamlined and sharp as the blade of a knife…

‘Charity’ was selected by crime genre guru Maxim Jakubowski for his 2014 recommended reads, and was short-listed by Wordery for their Best Independent Books of 2014. Both books are available at Amazon in ebook / paperback: you can also order them from your local bookshop or library.

Here’s what you can look forward to:

JJ Stoner once killed people for a living. In the military his kills were government-sanctioned. As a mercenary they were privately contracted. He doesn’t mention the other kills, those of his own initiative. Highly-trained, finely-honed and used hard, Stoner now seeks not to kill as he investigates underworld activities for official intelligence agencies, an entirely deniable operative in sleazy situations. Less the blunt instrument, more the swift stiletto.

A series of brutal, blood-soaked murders look to be right up Stoner’s street. When the investigation spirals in queasy circles, JJ seeks release in the music of the blues and in weird sex with treacherous women. An old army comrade, equally lethal and with less to lose, steps out of the shadows. Is he friend or foe? And who are the seductive killing sisters? Stoner must find focus, find the killer, maybe even find himself. The time has come for Stoner to kill again…

Feedback from readers and reviewers:

• ‘Serial killings and strange sisters, hard as nails hit men and shady superiors, sleazy blues and sometimes seedy sex… “Charity” mixes grim and dark crime scene action with sticky-floored music venue philosophising in a way that shouldn’t work but does. Sex and drugs and rock and roll are all here, along with a couple Harley-Davidson, some VW Transporters and quite a lot of blood and other bodily fluids.’

• ‘A fast-paced, high-powered thriller; terse and stiletto streamlined and sharp as the blade of a knife.’ Maxim Jakubowski

• ‘The writing is clever and inventive, paying few dues to existing genres or styles… There is a hint of Derek Raymond in the more visceral physical descriptions and the sense that we are looking at a dark and dystopian oil painting.’ Crime Thriller Lover

• ‘Guns, girls, guitars and scenes of gruesome violence, all shot through with a wit sharp enough to draw blood. With terse and brilliant prose, Westworth delivers a plot that drags you along relentlessly. ’ Award-winning author RJ Ellory

• ‘There are some sequences which are as satisfyingly testosterone-soaked as any Jack Reacher adventure, and then some which are as bleakly subtle as über-nuanced Japanese noir. For every alpha male with a gun and a hard-on, there’s an equal, often opposing feminine force: frequently just as effective and half as smart again. The writing is clever, the plotting is convoluted and the outcome is so utterly unexpected that it caught me completely off guard.’

• ‘If you’re grown up enough to accept a bit of appropriately placed but fairly extreme sex and violence, you should find it a compelling read with plenty of “didn’t see that coming” moments.’

• ‘Great writing by any standards, but sheer brilliance as a debut novel.’

• ‘Stoner is violent, amoral and cynical… His final speech, when he realises how he has been played, is almost Shakespearean in its bitterness and helpless anger.’ Crime Thriller Lover

• ‘A truly repulsive read’

• ‘An intriguing debut novel that combines the best of crime fiction: a gritty hero, a weaving plot, and constant suspense.’ Raeden Zen, author of the Phantom of the Earth series

• ‘Rich and ambitious, this violent tale plays out with memorable scenes interspersed with writing to savour. A feast of poetic prose wrapped in noir.’ Crime Thriller Hound

• ‘A truly unique reading experience. The author injects style, pace and energy into a witty, thrilling, and sometimes sickening story. The cool, often emotionless Stoner takes you on a roller coaster of a ride right until the very end.’

• ‘The writing is sharp; we are led deeper and deeper through an often blood soaked, twisting (and twisted) maze of intrigue, betrayal and bloody murder…’

‘Charity’ is the first novel in the ‘Killing Sisters’ series, and is available in paperback and ebook formats, from all the usual booksellers. Buy it now at Amazon or order it from your local bookshop or library.

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 You can meet key characters from the Killing Sisters series in the series of JJ Stoner short stories. These begin with First Contract, available at Amazon.

A decade ago, JJ Stoner was a soldier. He killed people for a living and made no bones about it. On a scorching day in the Iraqi desert, when British blood stained the sand, he over-stepped the mark. Men died in compromising circumstances: too many men for an easy explanation.

Faced with a dishonourable discharge and accusations of murder, Stoner accepted an offer from a stranger who represented an intelligence agency. Suddenly, Stoner found himself half a world away and about to execute his first private contract…

‘First Contract’ is available from Amazon for Kindle readers. It’s a complete, stand-alone short story with its own plot and resolution, intended to provide a couple of hours of entertainment and introduce readers to JJ Stoner’s murderous world. The JJ Stoner short stories continue with ‘Two Wrongs’, ‘Third Person’ and ‘Four Cornered’, all available at Amazon.

The second full-length novel in the Killing Sisters series, ‘The Corruption Of Chastity’, is available to order at Amazon now.

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Thanks to David Moss Photography for the image on the ‘first stab’ cover.