Killa City (John Milton Series Book 17)

I'm a big fan of Mark Dawson's writing. I seldom find myself second guessing the moves of his main character, which doesn't happen often while I'm reading other authors of this genre.

As I've come to expect. Milton is incredibly effective at assisting others and protecting himself. Easy to read, well written. Great cast of characters.

This is another well written book of exciting, well strung together chapters in the story of John Milton, former assassin! Buy it!

John is just looking to buy an old car, but all but one we’re too expensive. A teenage boy managed to buy that one van. Two men tried to take the van from the boy until John put them on the ground. Of course nothing is simple and easy for John. Knocking out two men who are affiliated with the mob is not going to be ignored.

Another great John Milton saga! Mark Dawson keeps putting out very readable stories that capture your imagination and have you rooting for a man who is trying to do positive things to make up for his past. You will have trouble putting this down.

All John Milton just wants to get a used muscle car to continue his journey across America. But instead he witnesses a suspicious altercation between an teenage boy and two thugs. Since he is bent on redemption to pay for his past sins, he feels it is his duty to intervene. So starts a game of cat and mouse with the two gangs of bad guys that fighting each other recover the run down van in question. What could make the van so valuable that everyone is trying so desperately to recover it.If this trouble was not bad enough. His original trip to the city, was to contact Tanner, the assistant to Control, from his old Group 15. To find out if they have renewed the contract to kill him. But he is betrayed by Tanner, who turns him in to save his own neck. So with two gangs of criminals and a hit man on his tail Milton has to be very careful if he wants to keep living. Throw into the mix two crooked cops, that are owned by the mob, an you have a real day of fun planned.Once again Milton has to outwit the bad guys , while keeping all his new made friends alive. Not an easy task, but then again life has never been easy for John Milton. Will he rise to the occasion ? Or has he bit off too much this time ? This is a real fast moving story, with lots of twists and turns.

I’m tired of the series. I’ve read every single one of Mark’s books, and I like Milton’s character, but I’m finding the formula has lost the spark it had at the beginning of the series, particularly the last 3 books. (However, the Atticus Priest book was ok)I was disappointed in a few things in this story. I was totally confused by the opening sequence of the Irishmen and the Italians. It made no sense until nearer the ending of the book, and even then I had to search for the rationale. And I still didn’t think the Irish characters were necessary to the story. I didn’t think the time of year was set properly. Oh, I know there was snow and storms, but nothing to corroborate the season. There seemed to be a disconnect between the opening scene weather (strong winds and hail, usually in the summer/fall) and the remaining story (snow and blizzard, winter).I was disappointed that the Kansas City setting was not detailed more. Having never been to KC, I googled it, and was surprised that it was such a beautiful, and cultural, city and although I know the story setting had to do with the seamy side of KC, I think the author has done KC and his readers a disservice. I assume that Mr. Dawson has been there, as he should have been. (The pandemic, unfortunately, has limited his ability to personally visit these locales though)I hate when streets are described, eg turned left on 21st, right on 34th, into blah blah blah. Not useful at all.There were some geographical blips I thought. For instance, when Milton crosses the river, there was no mention that he had transited into Kansas from Missouri.Miltons alcohol weakness was significantly downplayed, whereas in prior books it was a struggle that he was constantly dealing with and trying to find a meeting. I thought this story just gave a passing reference to it and seemed to portray it as an afterthought.Milton is getting older, and I would have thought that would have caused some obvious difficulty, and thereby gave him a more human side.Like I say, I don’t find the storylines engaging anymore, and I believe I will take a pass on future ones. But maybe not as far as Isabella is concerned. I’m curious about the next one that she is in.

I have now read 22 of Mark Dawson books including his 2 kids novels. They are all so well crafted, so well described and all have cliff hanging moments with numerous twists and turns. Classic page turners. This was no exception…one of his best.

Well, here's what is probably the best John Milton book yet.Once again, Mark Dawson has outshone his previous books - no mean feat! - and provided us with a rip-roaring adventure thriller full of Milton's ingenuity, skill and flawed yet compassionate humanity.I will give no spoilers, but I would say that you, the reader of this review, have the advantage over me - in that you don't have to wait for this book to come out, you can go and buy it right now! I preordered my Kindle copy and couldn't wait for it to arrive...and when it did, I devoured it! Superb writing, technically accurate and beautifully descriptive, and Mark Dawson once again uses his amazing expressive talents and obvious in-depth research to place the reader right in the thick of things. You really feel like you're there, his writing is so good.One other thing. Mark Dawson's characterisation within the story means that you really want Milton to triumph over the evil bullies that are, again, so well realised. I really, really wanted the bad guys to come to a sticky end...does that make me a bad person? Maybe it does, but those bad guys really *are* baaaaaad people, and there's nothing I like better than seeing a bully get his come-uppance.Does that happen in this book? Like I said, no spoilers. You'll have to read it yourself to find out :)Thanks Mr Dawson for a superb read!

Mark Dawson is one of my favourite authors and books about John Milton never disappoint. Milton was an assassin, working for the government. He became an alcoholic in order to cope with having to kill to order and eventually quit the job and fought back from the alcohol addiction. As a result, he spends his life trying to help others. Unfortunately, he attracts trouble wherever he goes. Additionally, his former 'organisation' have given orders for his termination. In this new book, he has to fight against killers on more than one front and all because he saw a young man being bullied and stepped in to help him. This is probably the best John Milton book to date, I couldn't put it down and read long into the night to finish it. I can't wait for the next book in the series and can't recommend these novels more highly.

Hard to believe its outing 17 for this great character and one where we see him stretch to stay on the straight and narrow as old foes and old weakness threaten to drag him back.With the offer of an olive branch Milton seeks out an old colleague to ensure he remains a ghost from his former life.Unfortunately his plan backfires and he once again is exposed as a target but not before clashing with the Mafia and a particularly nasty set of Irish hoods as he wades in to aid a kid from having his van stolen.Action ensues as Milton juggles pressure from law enforcement and three different groups intent on putting him six feet under in order to get their hands on the vans illicit cargo.Another well executed page turner from Mister Dawson who weaves multiple threads to a violent finale.

As usual, in this series, we find Milton attracting more trouble whilst trying to atone for the deaths he caused whilst being an assassin in his past life.The storyline hits the ground running right from the start and continues apace throughout right to the end.Dawson has to be my favourite thriller writer, he carefully constructs the plots with characters that embolden them. I'm pleased that The Firm is back on Milton's trail as those cold blooded killers really raise the stakes.It'll be interesting what nom de guerre Dawson chooses for Milton in the next book as I'm so used to John Smith, hopefully it'll be a bit more original.This is my favourite instalment so far as it promises so much in the forthcoming books. A series I do not tire of.Highly recommended for all thriller lovers.

Kansas City in the winter, and John Milton, former assassin for HM Government, takes on the Mafia, the IRA, and, er, the current assassin for HMGIt's a little bit superhero. He single-handedly fights off all the baddies, asking nothing in return. That's his schtick, of course, to make up for the years of bumping people off. But somehow this one dragged a bit. I think that more could have been made of Björn, his successor as #1 assassin. And I dare say we shall learn more about the new and mysterious Control in due course.