Thank you to MBC Books, #partner, for an e-copy of The Killer Clause in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Amazon Original Stories
Published: December 1, 2025
Summary:
A hired killer finds herself caught between her conscience and her contract over the holidays in this riveting short thriller from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger.
A hit woman’s work doesn’t stop for the holidays. As the advent calendar winds down, Paige slips into a palatial house, ignoring a blizzard of texts from her ex-husband. No surprise—Julian always gets maudlin this time of year. The real shock comes when the target is not alone. His young daughter is there too.
Risking the wrath of her organization, Paige retreats. There are some lines that, for personal reasons, she just won’t cross. But when she returns on Christmas Eve to finish the job, the girl is still there…along with someone even more startling. As the ghosts of her past gather—to haunt or to help, it’s unclear—Paige must confront old traumas and outwit her superiors to make it to Christmas morning alive.
My thoughts:
It’s no secret I’m a big fan of Lisa Unger, so when I was sent this holiday novella, I jumped at the chance to read it…and it was just what I needed. I flew through this yesterday afternoon while sitting at the emergency vet waiting for one of the pups to have a procedure…it totally helped keep my kind otherwise occupied.
This is the type of novella that I love – it’s full of great twists, has characters that are morally grey and that you end up wanting more of and has just enough suspense that you don’t want to stop reading until you reach the conclusion. I loved that we get just enough backstory on our characters to make us feel we know them, though there is plenty of room were this to be turned into a prequel for more development. And with the holiday theme, it’s the perfect book to get a jump-start on your holiday reading, especially if you like your reads with a side of murder.
