The introduction to John Milton begins the incredible journey of the man the British government sends after those who won't "negotiate". There are others like him out there who need to be taken down. Sometimes it's a matter of them or John Milton. Tarantula starts the series with a novella.
Mark Dawson has created one of the most appealing characters in the espionage/assassin genres even though the first full length novel in the series (The Cleaner) takes John Milton out of the game as Number One in the Group Fifteen stable. In Tarantula he's Number Eight and is assigned a job in Naples, Italy, by the director of the group known as Control. John is handed a stack of folders with information on his target and role in pursuing the target since Number Three suffered a confirmed death by this ruthless branch of Mafiosos.
If Milton is nothing else, he is definitely confident in his ability to pull off whatever is required of him. He's quick to assess sometimes rapidly changing situations after having explicitly planned for many possible encounters. He's glacier cold when he needs to be, and he has a look in those ice blue eyes which rarely fails to transmit what he's capable of.
These men who murdered Number Three are intent to take out John if necessary. They have a contract assassin to do their dirty (wet) work known as "Tarantula" because of a tattoo of the spider across most of one side of his face and neck. He's almost flawless in what he does - much like John Milton. When John assesses what and who he's up against, he travels to the quartermaster to get what he needs and sets his plan.
Tarantula is interesting, definitely entertaining, and a perfect enticement and tease novella to send a reader storming to buy Book One in the John Milton Series - all of which are reviewed on this blog.
Some profanity.
Father, you've given so much to so many. Please continue to bless Mark with stories that accentuate his talent. Thank you for the gift of writing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.