

Ripped from her home and subjected to horrors beyond imagination as a teen, Nena was sold to a sadistic Frenchman before a shocking escape and quick adoption by the leaders of The Tribe. Nena Knight, codename Echo is a trained assassin for an organization known as The Tribe, which provides protection to the people of Africa. TRIGGERS: Emotional, sexual, and physical abuse parental death human trafficking and physical and sexual violence. In the same note, the author stresses that she believes she has handled these topics with sensitivity. So, for the reader who might not see the author's note before choosing the book, I'll list the triggers stated in the note below. While I appreciate that the author has put them at the front of the book, people don't always read a preview before diving in, especially for something like First Reads or other times where they just might choose a book simply by genre or hype. The only issue I have with the book is I think the book description should have listed the multiple triggers of this book.

The scenes from her childhood make us better understand how she came to be the way she is and why triggering events at the start of the book cause her to ponder her motivations and ultimately change. The dual timelines take place in the protagonist's childhood (told in the first person present) and her adult present (told in the third person past). For me, she did so because she presented Nena/Echo as a complex killer from the very first scenes. Fortunately, this debut author is able to keep the pace thrumming despite switching back and forth. Oftentimes, that slows down the pace of a book (not good in thrillers) or creates confusion. This is a very violent thriller featuring non-stop action, even though it is a dual-timeline story going back and forth between the protagonist’s past and her evolving present. Intense, Violent Thriller, But Mind the Triggers
