Double Tap by Cindy Dees
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The second book in the Helen Warwick series, Double Tap, does not disappoint. I know that it is said that authors tend not to live up to the hype of their first novels, but this is definitely not the case with this series. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I have no trouble saying I loved it. Helen Warwick is an amazingly written character. She has flaws, especially if you ask her three adult children. However, she had a job that kept her away from her husband and children when they were a young family. She retired and had plans to make up for her absence from each of them. As seen from the start of the series, Second Shot, she has trouble breaking away from her government employers.

As you read through Double Tap you keep wondering if the people who do this job in real life have the same family life issues, i.e., inability to bond due to extensive absences from her family’s everyday life. Do government assassins usually have families? Do they spend their lives spinning lies to everyone around them? How successful are they at retiring? Do they spend their retirement years with a target on their back? Helen Warwick is trying to find out what retired life is like. She has had several pointed conversations with her Russian nemesis about what is expected after they hang up their guns. The expected respect for their private lives once their government career ends. Helen’s problem is that despite all the new talent that has come on board after her retirement, they just do not seem as good as she is at dark work. I have to admit I sure hope that the entire series will not always be about Scorpius and the Russians. It would be good to see her measure up against different foes. Either way, I look forward to the next Heken Warwick book.

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