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Darcia Helle
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Killing Instinct (Michael Sykora Suspense Novels Book 3) Kindle Edition

by Darcia Helle (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 97 ratings
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A sadistic psychopath has Maria Milan in his crosshairs. He wants to possess her, to own her, to destroy her. Maria is unaware that she’s become the center of a madman’s fantasy, until his hired killer comes knocking at her door.

Sean Riley is that hitman, but he has no intention of fulfilling his contract to torture Maria. Further complicating matters, he falls for her. Hard. He’s fearless, relentless, and now, he's willing to burn down the city to protect her.

Michael Sykora tries to keep Sean from going off the rails as, together, they begin a hunt for the madman called Sandman.

*Can be read as a stand-alone novel.*
Previous page
  1. Book 3 of 4
    Michael Sykora Suspense Novels
  2. Print length
    333 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    May 30 2013
  6. File size
    2431 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Total Price: CDN$5.20
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Product description

About the Author

Darcia Helle lives with her husband in a home ruled by spoiled dogs, cats, and the occasional dust bunny. Suspense, random blood spatter, and mismatched socks consume Darcia’s days. She writes because the characters trespassing through her mind leave her no alternative. Only then are the voices free to haunt someone else’s mind. Join Darcia in her fictional world: http://www.QuietFuryBooks.com The characters await you.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00D477B7Q
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2431 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 333 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 97 ratings

About the author

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Darcia Helle

Darcia Helle

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I'm a writer, reader, thinker, and dreamer, making my way through the world one book at a time.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
97 global ratings

Top reviews from Canada

There are 0 reviews and 4 ratings from Canada

Top reviews from other countries

Jennifer Lane
5.0 out of 5 stars Lovable Hit Men
Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2017
Verified Purchase
How does Darcia Helle DO that? Make me admire not one, but two assassins. This author is talented, let me tell you.

Killing Instinct is book three in the Michael Sykora series. While I loved No Justice and Beyond Salvation, I think Killing Instinct is my favorite of the series. The writing is tight, and the plot is tighter.

But what I like best is my incongruous fondness for killers. I've liked Michael, protector of those who can't fight for themselves, since book one. Book three showcases Sean, the hit man Michael initially hired to avenge his wife's murder. Sean tortures bad guys with calculating ruthlessness, but there's also good in him (albeit harder to find than in Michael).

"He'd often heard the phrase blind rage, but that wasn't right. Rage wasn't blind, it was myopic. His rage was a narrow focus, blocking out everything else around him. His rage had the texture of shattered glass and the scent of blood. The emotion pulsated throughout his body, making his fingers ache with the need for release."

Eep! Woe to bad dudes. Sean is coming for you.

I really like the heroines of the story as well. Nicki is Michael's girlfriend who has a tiny dog that likes hamburgers. Maria Milan, the woman Sean has decided to save, is a former bounty hunter. Both women are tough and smart--providing the perfect match for their men.

There are moments of humor, like when Michael gets stabbed by a piece of wood.

"He had a sudden image of his heart on the end of the stake like a cherry lollipop."

And supporting character Ruby continues to contribute a sense of grounding and fashion flair to the story.

The characters' evolving reactions to the villain, Sandman, seem realistic to me. Mental illness and sadistic psychiatrists don't go well together.

I'm hoping there will be more books in this series?
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Cait
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best new crime authors around
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 5, 2014
Verified Purchase
Gripping, fast paced and 'un-putdownable'! Ms Helle has done it again! One of the best new crime authors around!
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Bea
4.0 out of 5 stars Intense Book, Very Good!
Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2015
Verified Purchase
Although this was a rather violent action-packed book, it was very good. Two hit men; one blatant and one by default, set out to right some wrongs. Sean was the lead character in this story, with Michael in a more supportive (but not less important) role.

Consistent character development, nice follow-up to "No Justice" and "Beyond Salvation", occasional humor and great action. I recommend reading all three Sykora books for better continuity and flow.
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Terry Tyler
4.0 out of 5 stars 4.5 stars ~ as slick and professional as Sean Riley's hits...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 15, 2014
Verified Purchase
I bought this novel because I read a description of it in one of those lists of '50 indie books worth reading', and I'm glad I spotted it! Great story, about an organisation set up to satisfy the requirements of all manner of sickos (torture, rape, etc), and an excellent explanation of how the 'dark net' works, too - the underground internet. The book is extremely well put together, with no superfluous detail, no wandering from the plot. Darcia Helle has done something clever - she has written likeable hitmen. I loved Sean, who has that Jack Bauer thing going on.

The other thing that impressed me about this is that it's a pretty grisly novel written by a woman, and it's not girly at all. The women are the sort of women I want to read about. The guys are alpha males. This is actually the third in the Micheal Sykora series, which I didn't realise until I was a little of the way in, but it's very neatly executed so it reads perfectly well as a stand alone. One of the elements that makes it so very readable is that the dialogue is terrific - always appropriate, realistic, sharp and sometimes amusing. I'll definitely be reading more of these books (starting with No Justice, which I believe is the first), and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes a good murder thriller and isn't too squeamish!
One person found this helpful
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robert chambers
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2022
Verified Purchase
Fantastic book to read. This series keeps you in suspense the whole time. Can't wait to read series of his.
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