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Codename: Chandler #8
Rescue
THE SCARIEST WOMAN ALIVE...
Her Codename is Hammett. She assassinates targets for a secret government agency.
But sometimes work becomes personal.
His name is Tequila. He's a leg breaker for the mob, currently retired.
But sometimes retirement doesn't stick.
They say that no one knows what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. They also say that bad attracts bad.
Hammett and Tequila are about to find out if those old sayings are true.
RESCUE
He's a stone cold killer. She's even worse.
RESCUE is a 22,000 word short novel (roughly 85 pages) and is Book 8 in the Codename: Chandler series.
If you are a more sensitive (or adventurous) reader, this handy scale rates specific categories from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest) to give you some idea if this is your kind of book.
RESCUE by Peterson and Konrath
Bad Language - 6
Scary - 4
Violent - 8
Funny - 4
Sexy � 7
Crossovers - The Codename: Chandler series features characters from Peterson's Val Ryker series, and Konrath's Jack Daniels series.
Her Codename is Hammett. She assassinates targets for a secret government agency.
But sometimes work becomes personal.
His name is Tequila. He's a leg breaker for the mob, currently retired.
But sometimes retirement doesn't stick.
They say that no one knows what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. They also say that bad attracts bad.
Hammett and Tequila are about to find out if those old sayings are true.
RESCUE
He's a stone cold killer. She's even worse.
RESCUE is a 22,000 word short novel (roughly 85 pages) and is Book 8 in the Codename: Chandler series.
If you are a more sensitive (or adventurous) reader, this handy scale rates specific categories from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest) to give you some idea if this is your kind of book.
RESCUE by Peterson and Konrath
Bad Language - 6
Scary - 4
Violent - 8
Funny - 4
Sexy � 7
Crossovers - The Codename: Chandler series features characters from Peterson's Val Ryker series, and Konrath's Jack Daniels series.
82 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 27, 2015
175 people are currently reading
198 people want to read
About the author
J.A. Konrath
200Ìýbooks2,986ÌýfollowersJoe Konrath has written over twenty novels in the Lt. Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels thriller series. They do not have to be read chronologically to be enjoyed, but the order is: Whiskey Sour, Bloody Mary, Rusty Nail, Dirty Martini, Shot of Tequila, Fuzzy Navel, Cherry Bomb, Dead On My Feet, Serial Killers Uncut (with Blake Crouch), Shaken, Stirred (with Blake Crouch), Dying Breath, Everybody Dies, Rum Runner, Last Call, White Russian, Shot Girl, Chaser, Old Fashioned, Bite Force, and Witch Brew. More coming soon.
Wow, that's a lot of Jack.
If you like your thrillers on the dark side, check out the Konrath Dark Thriller Collective, which includes the books The List, Origin, Afraid, Trapped, Endurance, Haunted House, Webcam, Disturb, What Happened To Lori, The Nine, Second Coming, and Close Your Eyes.
Joe also wrote the Stop A Murder mystery puzzle series, where you become the sleuth and solve brain teasers to try and catch a killer.
He also wrote the sci-fi trilogy, Timecaster, Timecaster Supersymmetry, and Timecaster Steampunk. Even if you don't think you like sci-fi, give them a try. They feature Joe's well-known characters from his other series, and are insane.
With Ann Voss Peterson he wrote the Codename: Chandler thrillers, including Flee, Spree, Three, Hit, Exposed, Naughty, Fix (with F. Paul Wilson), Rescue, and Free.
And, finally, he writes erotica under the pen name Melinda DuChamp, also with Ann Voss Peterson. Those books are probably too spicy for you, so only the brave and bold should seek them out.
Joe writes a lot. You should probably read everything.
You can visit Joe and sign up for his newsletter at
Wow, that's a lot of Jack.
If you like your thrillers on the dark side, check out the Konrath Dark Thriller Collective, which includes the books The List, Origin, Afraid, Trapped, Endurance, Haunted House, Webcam, Disturb, What Happened To Lori, The Nine, Second Coming, and Close Your Eyes.
Joe also wrote the Stop A Murder mystery puzzle series, where you become the sleuth and solve brain teasers to try and catch a killer.
He also wrote the sci-fi trilogy, Timecaster, Timecaster Supersymmetry, and Timecaster Steampunk. Even if you don't think you like sci-fi, give them a try. They feature Joe's well-known characters from his other series, and are insane.
With Ann Voss Peterson he wrote the Codename: Chandler thrillers, including Flee, Spree, Three, Hit, Exposed, Naughty, Fix (with F. Paul Wilson), Rescue, and Free.
And, finally, he writes erotica under the pen name Melinda DuChamp, also with Ann Voss Peterson. Those books are probably too spicy for you, so only the brave and bold should seek them out.
Joe writes a lot. You should probably read everything.
You can visit Joe and sign up for his newsletter at
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
Want to read
June 24, 2019Did Not Read, did not enjoy the first few chapters
July 2, 2019
The very prolific J. A. Konrath published Rescue, A Codename, Hammett Thriller, in 2018. The female protagonist is a government assassin named Hammett, her codename, and he is Tequila, a retired mobster whose specialty was and might still be a leg breaker. Breaking legs would only be incidental and a further step on the path to the killing in which Tequila customarily engages. At the beginning of this novel, Tequila is on break and relaxing in a café. Always on the alert, Tequila recognized Hammett passing by outside. Knowing Hammett didn’t appear anywhere without reason, and fearing that he, Tequila, was the reason and target, Tequila decided to forget further eating and drinking to follow Hammett. It would be easier for tequila to kill Hammett first rater than wait for complicated choreography to play out. This scene-setting leads readers to 6% of the novel.
The next 30% can be divided into two parts. In the first part, Hammett attempts to kill Tequila and vice versa. There are shots fired and intricate close quarters fighting. Fans of unusual fighting styles will enjoy this first portion. The second part is explicit and herculean sex. Some readers will enjoy it, some will be envious, and some will not believe the acrobatics and frequency. Readers are now at 36% of the novel at a point where Hammett and Tequila will join up for a shared mission to kill a horrible, well-defended, evil person. However, at any point, Hammett feels good about possibly killing Tequila and vice versa.
Rescue is the first J. A. Konrath novel I have read that is not for me. Lengthy descriptions of weird and improbable fight scenes do not entertain me. A saving feature of the story is the imaginative descriptions of unusual weaponry. Pistols shoot underwater, there is a revolver that fires three cartridges at a time, and a silencer that is a feature of the bullets, not the gun. There is even one gun that is purported to fire any size cartridge. If I were interested in weapons, I would be scouring the internet to see if any of these special weapons came close to existence in the real world. I am not interested in imaginative armaments or fighting styles.
Tequila is interested in weapons; he is a collector. The reason he is working with Hammett is to acquire weapons that Hammett has managed to buy or steal. Tequila will consider throughout the novel an option of killing Hammett and taking the guns. The only things loved by Hammett are dogs and their welfare; think of Hammett as an animal rights commando.
Konrath tells the story with smart humor throughout, another saving feature of the novel. The story is told in alternating points of view, first from Tequila and then Hammett. Each character will tell almost the same story, and each telling will be in the context of considering killing the other.
And, yes, there is a surprise ending. It is not enough for me to give this 82-page story a five-star rating, my usual for a Konrath work, but it is still four stars because the writing is excellent. Rescue may not have the appropriate length to host the complexity I like in other Konrath novels. Rescue sells for USD 2.99 on Amazon, but I paid USD 0.00 due to an author promotion. I recommend subscribing to Konrath’s newsletter to get announced good deals. Konrath remains one of my favorite “Go-To� authors, and I will read more of his work. When writing as much as Konrath does, the author writes for a broad market. Not every story will fit my reading interest, but most do.
The next 30% can be divided into two parts. In the first part, Hammett attempts to kill Tequila and vice versa. There are shots fired and intricate close quarters fighting. Fans of unusual fighting styles will enjoy this first portion. The second part is explicit and herculean sex. Some readers will enjoy it, some will be envious, and some will not believe the acrobatics and frequency. Readers are now at 36% of the novel at a point where Hammett and Tequila will join up for a shared mission to kill a horrible, well-defended, evil person. However, at any point, Hammett feels good about possibly killing Tequila and vice versa.
Rescue is the first J. A. Konrath novel I have read that is not for me. Lengthy descriptions of weird and improbable fight scenes do not entertain me. A saving feature of the story is the imaginative descriptions of unusual weaponry. Pistols shoot underwater, there is a revolver that fires three cartridges at a time, and a silencer that is a feature of the bullets, not the gun. There is even one gun that is purported to fire any size cartridge. If I were interested in weapons, I would be scouring the internet to see if any of these special weapons came close to existence in the real world. I am not interested in imaginative armaments or fighting styles.
Tequila is interested in weapons; he is a collector. The reason he is working with Hammett is to acquire weapons that Hammett has managed to buy or steal. Tequila will consider throughout the novel an option of killing Hammett and taking the guns. The only things loved by Hammett are dogs and their welfare; think of Hammett as an animal rights commando.
Konrath tells the story with smart humor throughout, another saving feature of the novel. The story is told in alternating points of view, first from Tequila and then Hammett. Each character will tell almost the same story, and each telling will be in the context of considering killing the other.
And, yes, there is a surprise ending. It is not enough for me to give this 82-page story a five-star rating, my usual for a Konrath work, but it is still four stars because the writing is excellent. Rescue may not have the appropriate length to host the complexity I like in other Konrath novels. Rescue sells for USD 2.99 on Amazon, but I paid USD 0.00 due to an author promotion. I recommend subscribing to Konrath’s newsletter to get announced good deals. Konrath remains one of my favorite “Go-To� authors, and I will read more of his work. When writing as much as Konrath does, the author writes for a broad market. Not every story will fit my reading interest, but most do.
September 5, 2020
An excellent novella and worthy of its place in the Konrath universe.
August 2, 2020
I liked the series, though each book can be read alone. Good writing, decent story line.
This fits for all these books in the series.
To the authors, there is zero need for the graphic sex. Come on, I'll bet many of us are reading for the mystery and action. For myself, I don't enjoy the sex and in details. Check out how the James Bond stories are told. Yes, enjoy a great looking man or woman; even flirt. Then as the bedroom door closes, the rest is our imagination.
This fits for all these books in the series.
To the authors, there is zero need for the graphic sex. Come on, I'll bet many of us are reading for the mystery and action. For myself, I don't enjoy the sex and in details. Check out how the James Bond stories are told. Yes, enjoy a great looking man or woman; even flirt. Then as the bedroom door closes, the rest is our imagination.
July 15, 2017
Time to end this series.
I have read this series, and found.the quality gradually diminish from comic thriller to senseless gory fantasy.
The first episode required a suspension of rationality, but Rescue
required a complete rejection of reality.
I have read this series, and found.the quality gradually diminish from comic thriller to senseless gory fantasy.
The first episode required a suspension of rationality, but Rescue
required a complete rejection of reality.
July 1, 2019
Blood and guts
I found this to be an exciting book to read. Not sure where it was going and surprised right to the end. A great story.
I found this to be an exciting book to read. Not sure where it was going and surprised right to the end. A great story.
July 26, 2019
Not too exciting.
This was an easy read. Completed it in a couple of hours. The plot was not complex or exciting. Characters were a little mundane.
This was an easy read. Completed it in a couple of hours. The plot was not complex or exciting. Characters were a little mundane.
November 18, 2019
Might have made more sense if I hadn’t read it independently of the rest in the series.
March 9, 2020
Another freebie worth just what it cost.
July 10, 2019
"Suspend belief"
I imagine this type of book appeals to a specific audience. It's not for me to judge. Safe to say they wouldn't be on my Christmas card list. The fight scenes are unrealistic as is typical of the over-the-top macho genre. The first two minutes action would have been enough to hospitalise most human beings, yet Hammett and Tequila battle it out until it's time for bed. That leads to the next marathon, which is again written in graphic detail. Was it a likely scenario? Probably not, but it made the segue into the joint assassination project seem less contrived. That could have been over in a few pages, but we needed to learn about Tequila's obsession with guns (what a surprise, given his occupation) and Hammett's love of animals (another request to suspend belief). Of course, the action was violent, fast and furious and led to a suitably explosive twist in the final pages to bring down the curtain on this odd couple .
I think I'll stick to my Jack Daniels for now. I can't see Tequila and Hammett) being my cocktail of choice anytime soon.
I imagine this type of book appeals to a specific audience. It's not for me to judge. Safe to say they wouldn't be on my Christmas card list. The fight scenes are unrealistic as is typical of the over-the-top macho genre. The first two minutes action would have been enough to hospitalise most human beings, yet Hammett and Tequila battle it out until it's time for bed. That leads to the next marathon, which is again written in graphic detail. Was it a likely scenario? Probably not, but it made the segue into the joint assassination project seem less contrived. That could have been over in a few pages, but we needed to learn about Tequila's obsession with guns (what a surprise, given his occupation) and Hammett's love of animals (another request to suspend belief). Of course, the action was violent, fast and furious and led to a suitably explosive twist in the final pages to bring down the curtain on this odd couple .
I think I'll stick to my Jack Daniels for now. I can't see Tequila and Hammett) being my cocktail of choice anytime soon.
June 28, 2021
I've heard so much about J.A. Konrath and his books I had to read something of his, and for some reason picked this one. Tequila is an interesting character -- maybe a bit past his prime age-wise, but still an athlete with gymnastic moves that sound great in theory but seemed kind of absurd in the fight sequences. No doubt Konrath had a great movie version going in his head, but the long, drawn-out fight scenes (especially the first one in the book, which occurs very early on) were tedious.
As was the sex, which seemed gratuitous at best. And the plot? Predictable overall, with nothing really new brought to the assassin-versus-assassin trope.
But the references to the unique guns inspired me to search for them online, and I learned a few things from that part of the book, so there is that.
As was the sex, which seemed gratuitous at best. And the plot? Predictable overall, with nothing really new brought to the assassin-versus-assassin trope.
But the references to the unique guns inspired me to search for them online, and I learned a few things from that part of the book, so there is that.
June 23, 2024
Tequila runs into Hammett while on break in Italy. An epic over the top fight between the two of them is the majority of the novella. Evenly matched by skills makes it a little overdrawn. They finally realize neither is going to win and decide for marathon sex (which was disappointing because Tequila had already slept with Fleming in one of the other books). She manipulates him into helping her get rid of a very bad man in exchange for guns (which Tequila collects). Along with half truths they meet the objective and the one human thing about Hammett (her love of dogs) benefits them both & the book ends with of her still holding onto the ebola & wanting to destroy the world
February 18, 2020
Action filled quick read
From the first page, the action is non stop. The protagonists settle into a high tension alliance. Gunfights and hand to hand combat, interspersed with aggressive passion. They can’t decide whether they love or hate each other . It all works for a good read.
From the first page, the action is non stop. The protagonists settle into a high tension alliance. Gunfights and hand to hand combat, interspersed with aggressive passion. They can’t decide whether they love or hate each other . It all works for a good read.
July 10, 2019
Great read
Great book started with action and had sex in it also and the action continued until the end. It was so good that I could not put it down and read it in one day would recommend it to anyone!!
Great book started with action and had sex in it also and the action continued until the end. It was so good that I could not put it down and read it in one day would recommend it to anyone!!
July 17, 2019
This is an awesome thriller with an absolutely stunning ending! Assassins, psychopaths or hired killers, two people you will have trouble identifying come together in this suspenseful story. A rather short read you won't want to miss!
January 2, 2020
Good read
A lot of action, some of it unrealistic but made for good reading. Even though the two main characters were cold blooded killers, some of the killings were unnecessary (for example the ambulance driver and his assistant). Recommend
A lot of action, some of it unrealistic but made for good reading. Even though the two main characters were cold blooded killers, some of the killings were unnecessary (for example the ambulance driver and his assistant). Recommend
April 28, 2020
Tough guy Tequila recognizes Hammett, a female assassin. He thinks she is in town to kill him, but she tells him she is on a hit job and gets him to help.
She double crosses him to rescue some fighting dogs, but they both survive, and Tequila ends up with one of the dogs.
She double crosses him to rescue some fighting dogs, but they both survive, and Tequila ends up with one of the dogs.
June 7, 2017
Only OK. Needed the other two Sisters. Need to eliminate more bad guys and fewer good guys.
September 12, 2017
Short
Short but sweet and I don't mean Tequila
but this novella and it's front row seat to a
brief but oh so violent tryst between Hammet
and Tequila. Enough said.
Short but sweet and I don't mean Tequila
but this novella and it's front row seat to a
brief but oh so violent tryst between Hammet
and Tequila. Enough said.
July 20, 2018
I don’t like Hammett as much as I like Chandler but I DO love Tequila and love how this one ended up. Nice twist too.
August 20, 2019
Tensions
Two assassins with different ideals, save getting there mark and surviving, trying to work together without killing each other. A real page turner.
Two assassins with different ideals, save getting there mark and surviving, trying to work together without killing each other. A real page turner.
January 12, 2021
An addiction to say the least.
I dont know what to do now... please give us more. I cant be the only one out here desperate for more lol
I dont know what to do now... please give us more. I cant be the only one out here desperate for more lol
April 28, 2024
This might have been my favorite of the novellas yet. It also sets up the next novel. Beautifully. Cannot wait for its release!
May 11, 2025
Absolutely electrifying from start to finish -its a gritty, high-octane thrill ride packed with razor-sharp dialogue, explosive action, and two unforgettable leads locked in a deadly dance of attraction and violence. The writing crackles with energy, blending espionage and underworld grit into a story that’s both pulse-pounding and deeply compelling.
Every scene drips with tension and style, and the chemistry between the protagonists is off the charts. It's a brilliant exploration of what happens when two lethal forces collide—and neither is willing to back down.
Bold, brutal, and utterly addictive, this is a must-read for fans of action thrillers with edge, heart, and attitude. A total knockout.
Every scene drips with tension and style, and the chemistry between the protagonists is off the charts. It's a brilliant exploration of what happens when two lethal forces collide—and neither is willing to back down.
Bold, brutal, and utterly addictive, this is a must-read for fans of action thrillers with edge, heart, and attitude. A total knockout.
August 25, 2015
This only makes me want more Hammett.
February 10, 2016
A riot!
Witty and fast paced. Even the sex scenes were hilarious. Great action depiction, could actually visualize the fight scenes. Fun!
Witty and fast paced. Even the sex scenes were hilarious. Great action depiction, could actually visualize the fight scenes. Fun!
June 11, 2016
A fun action thriller
I liked this action packed novella. Perfect length. A very high body count. I will check out more Codename Chandler books soon.
I liked this action packed novella. Perfect length. A very high body count. I will check out more Codename Chandler books soon.
December 27, 2021
Now I know where the dog came from.
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