Never give up. Trust your instincts.

In the dystopian future of 2116, a young teenage girl barely escapes the massacre of her father and friends, The Misfits, a travelling circus of 50 plus e!ephant. She vows revenge on the attackers and on the men who, three months before, had raped and killed her mother. Fifteen years later, she had become an assassin, one of the most feared in the world, but a betrayal by her employer forces her to attempt an escape which finally results in her arrival in 1927s Hollywood, and the home of silent movie star, Pauline, a time of glamour, prohibition and gangsters.

The book is a clever way of taking the reader to the glitter of the home of the Silent Screen with its excesses and overlarge personalities. The basic story is simple but exciting and a touch of humour is injected by Matt, a shuttle's A.I., who had managed to lodge in Lauren's head when she first arrived. There is also flirtatious romance, all very innocent. All was easy and enjoyable apart from the sometimes overlong 'name dropping' lists of Hollywood stars of the time.

Patricia Santomasso was the narrator of the book and she read with panache. Her pleasant to hear voice was well intoned and articulated, her character voicings distinctively different and appropriate. It was easy to identify all from her presentation of them. And the text, well paced, was read with understanding. A good performance.

My thanks to the rights holder of Assassin 13, who, at my request, freely gifted me a complimentary copy, via Audiobook Boom. It was enjoyably different although it did feel rushed towards the end. However, it was a fun experience, I loved the A.I. and wished he'd had a larger role. There are obviously opportunities for further stories based around the main protagonist, Lauren, should the author determine to write them. If he does, I will certainly be interested in reading them, especially if narrated again by Ms.Santomasso. A good read.

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