A man joins a criminal organisation to seek revenge for his wife who was killed by the son of its head. He enters a mystical under world of criminal businesses involving drugs, illegal trading of human organs murders and contract killings with assassins for hire. How the man survives and unwittingly causes the downfall of the criminal organisation and two fearful assassins with the help of the spirits of murder victims and a nebulous assassin makes a most unusual and interesting story.

The synopsis for this book sounded good and intriguing but sadly a few chapters into the book I was already struggling to follow the book and thus mostly skim read it instead. Hugely appreciate the opportunity to read this book in advance though but it just wasn’t for me.

Loved Bullet Train and this one was just as enjoyable. Written with such pace and poise that I had to finish it in a handful of sittings.

Apologies but the same for me as Bullet Train and I was unable to finish this story,I think it is lost in transkation for me

Having thoroughly enjoyed “Bullet Train” last year, I went into this with high expectations, and wasn’t disappointed! In “Three Assassins” we meet Suzuki, who has joined a shady business in the hopes of taking revenge on the boss’ son, who happens to be the man that killed his wife.

After his plans for revenge go awry, what follows is Suzuki’s strange interactions with three very different assassins – the Whale, Cicada, and the Pusher – each of whom has their own methods and all of whom end up crossing paths in increasingly peculiar ways. Each character is wonderful and the interactions between them are quirky and fascinating. The pacing is excellent and I loved the offbeat humour throughout.

My only slight point of contention is that this felt like a sequel… a lot of the characters and situations and eccentricities of this book are very reminiscent of those in “Bullet Train”, so it doesn’t have quite the same surprise factor as the earlier work. Luckily, I loved the stylings both times around, but anyone expecting something different, or even something better, this time round may be slightly disappointed. I will absolutely be reading anything that this author does next, however!

My thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for the arc to review.

A good story. A bit too violent for me. I did like Suzuki as a character and wanted him to succeed. I did find the overall American tone made it seem a bit like a slasher movie which added to my distaste. A good ending and overall a good if somewhat confusing story at times (the confusion is possibly related to the Americanisms and the translation rather than the plot itself)

My second Kotaro Isaka read and just as enthralling as their first! Bullet Train sucked me in straight away and Three Assassins was just the same! I felt so invested in Suzuki’s journey and found myself staying up SO late because I just couldn’t bring myself to stop reading it!
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A must read author for me now, definitely will be keeping my eye out for more to come in hopefully the near future!!
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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Suzuki is living an ordinary life until his wife is murdered in a hit and run accident; when he discovers the perpetrator and infiltrates a criminal organisation in order to get close to him and murder him for revenge. Three assassins follows Suzuki in his revenge plot whilst also following two assassins Whale and Cicada. As their plans begin to merge things spiral out of control and become more deadly; will anyone survive?

This is my second Kotaro Isaka novel after Bullet Train; I felt that Three Assassins to me felt more tense and I was so invested in Suzuki and him emerging (relatively) unscathed that I couldn't put the book down. This is a thrilling novel that had me gripped from the first page; unputdownable.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review

Having read "Bullet Train" by Isaka, to which I unhesitatingly gave 5 stars in my review, I had very high expectations for "Three Assassins". Were they met? Not quite.
In this novel, where a number of the same characters re-appear, I was left slightly confused as to whether, in fact, it was a prequel. That being said the contrast between the integrity and innocence of Suzuki is a wonderful counterbalance to the chilling murderous brutality of Cicada, Whale, Hornet and the Pusher. This interplay is wonderfully nuanced and guaranteed to keep any reader on the edge of their seat.
Where I felt this novel fell short was it lacked the humour and cameos that gave the reader relief from the killings and cynical betrayal which are themes common to both Isaka's books. "Bullet Train" somehow made the killings acceptable whilst in "Three Assassins" they come across as frighteningly cold blooded.
But this novel is also about the bad guys either seeking to prove they are nobody's puppet, or, to find redemption and justification for past killings they have executed. Certainly their dilemmas give the story an original spin.
Whilst I still warmly recommend this novel I feel it doesn't quite match "Bullet Train" but certainly deserves 4 stars for originality and for creating yet more disturbingly believable characters.

A memorable story - bringing the dark subject of hired killers into a new light, this tale both surprises and exhilarates at once. Suzuki, trapped by his desire for vengeance, gets drawn into a dark criminal underworld that soon spirals out of control. The Whale makes his targets commit suicide,  Cicada uses his knife to do the killing and finally The Pusher who pushes his victims in front of trains or cars - are the assassins in a narrative interwoven with originality and a lightness of touch. They pretend their 'work' is mundane yet really it is eating at their souls. This book successfully touches on a very disturbing subject but lifts it into a palatable quirky tale that deserves applause. A future classic.

I dont even know where to start! After reading bullet train, I was so excited to start of 3 assassins and whilst I didn't enjoy it as much as bullet train, it is most definitely still an amazing book. The characters are all so original and unique, the story line has so many layers and is so cleverly interwoven between the characters. You do need to pay attention when you're reading this because it will get confusing if you're trying to read it whilst you're doing your online shopping . The overall plot was interesting and although the story isn't action packed, its still tension filled and the suspense keeps on building until that very last page. I literally have so many questions!!! Nothing is what it seems and everything is just in your head?! I felt it lacked the humour of bullet train and had less action throughout (not action as in gun fights and jumping through windows, action as in things happening) so ots slower in that respect but I just love the assassins and their names and methods from both books, and this shadowy underworld where noone is who they seem. I literally got through it In a day and just couldn't put it down. It's just such a breath of fresh air compared to a lot of western thrillers

Following three assassins in Tokyo after the death of a crime lord’s Son. Three assassins totally unlinked until the end! This was a fast paced read, minimal gore which shocked me!
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

A fast-paced thriller from the author of Bullet Train. It's worth noting that although this English translation by Sam Malissa is new, the original Japanese book predates Bullet Train. I have to admit I wasn't as keen on it.

As suggested by the title, the story follows three assassins. Suzuki is the reluctant one, an ex-teacher out to avenge his wife's death. Maybe he isn't an assassin at all. The Whale is haunted by the ghosts of those he has forced to commit suicide and continuously re-reads Crime and Punishment. Cicada is fond of chatting and knives. They all want to find another assassin, known as The Pusher. As their timelines begin to intersect, you wonder who will survive and whether Suzuki gets his revenge.

There was too much bloody violence and I found the plot confusing sometimes. I didn't always know which character was speaking in the dialogue scenes. I liked the distinctiveness of the personalities and the descriptions of settings in and around Tokyo, but generally I didn't enjoy the book as much as I'd anticipated.

Originally published as Gurasuhoppā (Grasshopper) in 2004. A film adaptation was released in Japan in 2015.

As soon as I saw that Kotara Isaka’s newest novel was getting an English translation I was extremely excited. Bullet Train also by Isaka is arguably one of my favourite modern novels. It was complex but beautifully written with a great translation. Seeing Isaka return to the Japanese underworld of assassins I expected this to be good but I didn’t realise I would be blown away.

The novel is told in different sections of the assassins but predominately focuses on Suzuki, an ordinary man with an ordinary life until one day is wife his murdered. When he discovers the criminal gang responsible he leaves his respectable and safe life as a maths teacher and joins them, looking for a chance to get his revenge. He doesn’t realise he’s about to get drawn into an unusual web of professional assassins, each with their own agenda and specialty.

The Whale convinces his victims to take their own lives just using words or a simple look.
The Cicada is a talkative but deadly knife expert.
The Pusher is an elusive killer who dispatches his targets in deadly traffic accidents.

Suzuki must deal with each of them in order to find his justice and revenge and keep his innocence in a world of killers.

For me this was a high octane thriller in true Japanese style. Anyone who enjoyed Bullet Train is sure to love this. I do have to say though that if you are not used to Japanese fiction and translations it may end up lost in translation for you or if you are more into a Westernised thriller expecting car chases, shoot outs and the like. This is more subtle. There is action, there is suspense and there is a real sense of tension with the events taking place over a couple of days but it isn’t all in your face shoot outs and I feel like some people might not appreciate that. I honestly loved it.

I devoured this book over one weekend and ended up re-reading it along with Bullet Train before writing this review. I am honestly upset it’s over and will likely re-read after my current ARC’s. The characters, as with Isaka’s Bullet Train, are interesting and I love seeing each one's personality and quirks come through in the text. I don’t wish to spoil the story too much but it was interesting to see particularly the characters of the Cicada and Whale work through their own internal musings and struggles while easily taking lives or at least persuading others to take their own. This is juxtaposed to Suzuki who is seemingly hapless and going through the motions, using the ideal of revenge to justify some of his actions since joining the criminal gang.

Another thing Isaka is brilliant at doing is adding in anecdotes to his tale to give you a greater sense of the character. From Suzuki remembering what his wife would say or do about situations and how he tries to focus on those memories to get him through what are extreme situations. To Cicada likening his situation to a protagonist in a film he saw and trying to convince himself he is not a puppet and finally to the Whale dealing with ghosts of his past. Each one delivers more depth to each character.

In short this was a wonderful second novel by Isaka and one I fully enjoyed – It was definitely on par with Bullet Train and while the story has a wider playing ground than a train and less main characters it did not take any of the tension or suspense away. I am honestly extremely excited for more works by Isaka and hope that they continue to be translated for easier access to western audiences.

As always thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review this early – all opinions are my own and given honestly and fairly. I have also already pre-ordered this in hardback!

Just like Kotaro Isaka's previous book "Bullet Train" this novel introduces a series of interesting and compelling characters as Suzuki is drawn into a criminal underworld of full of professional assassins. If you liked "Bullet Train" you will also enjoy this book.

Kotaro Isaka's previous novel released last year 'Bullet Train' was one of my books of the year, so I was really looking forward to reading the next release of his work.
Three Assassins zips along at a pace equal to Bullet Train - and like that book I finished this one in a couple of sittings.
Who are the titular characters? The book focuses on Suzuki; a young man seeking revenge after his wife's death, The Whale; a killer who specialises in 'people deciding to take their own lives' when he happens to be around them. Then there's Cicada, a young assassin under the thumb of his handler who is looking to make his own mark. All of them find themselves brought together by the actions of 'The Pusher'... an assassin who's modus operandi is...well, 'pushing' people.
There are a lot more than three assassins in the story - some play more of a part than others...but to say more would be to spoil things.
Three Assassins is a novel about ghosts of the past and possibilities for the future. It's lean; there's no fat to trim here. Histories are sketched quickly and effectively. Reason is limited. The m,ain characters have their reasons for doing what they do or they don't. If they do, the reasons are given economically, if they don't, then you just go with it.
It is very japanese in its' style, but absolutley readable for those unfamiliar with japanese culture or style. The translation is good and I can see it being as cinematic in its' premise as the previous novel, already adapted as a Hollywood film coming soon.
Thanks to netgalley and the publsiher for making this copy available to me for an unbiased and honest review.

Hugely appreciate the opportunity to read this book in advance but again it wasn’t for me. Much the same as the bullet train I was h able to finish. My apologies.

Three Assassins – Something lost in Translation

Three Assassins written by Kotaro Isaka an award -winning Japanese writer, published all over the world according to the blurb. On the evidence of this ‘thriller’ I am not sure which language he is an award winner in. It is not English and that is not blaming the translation.

The premise of three assassins at work at the behest of the rich and powerful in Japan is excellent. The delivery on the other hand is poor. The characterisation is not believable unless something has been lost in translation.

I admit I did not finish this book, getting to half- way through the book was hard enough work and took a week! I cannot see this gaining an audience in the English- speaking world, it does not match up with the thrillers that it is competing with.

If you want a thriller about three assassins, this is not the book for you.

I've decided I love this author. Bullet Train was such an amazing read and whilst Three Assassins doesn't quite reach those dizzying heights it is a hugely compelling thrill ride, quirky and weird and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Three Assassins plus one man seeking revenge in the death of his wife circle around each other relentlessly in this addictive narrative. Full of ghosts both literal and metaphorical this is a twisted tale of a community that deals in death, in some ways this is a strangely emotional relationship drama if you can imagine the most twisted relationships ever.

The ending is melancholy and somewhat interpretive, the characters are oddly likeable and overall this was another terrific read from this author.

Having just attempted to read Bullet Train, without much success, I thought I would try this one. But sadly, this is not for me either.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book.