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Nadia Stafford #2
Made to Be Broken
The author of the acclaimed Women of the Otherworld series returns with her second novel featuring an exciting heroine with a lethal hidden talent. This time Nadia Stafford is hot on the trail of a young woman no one else cares about--and a killer who's bound to strike again.
Nadia isn't your typical nature lodge owner. An ex-cop with a legal code all her own, she's known only as "Dee" to her current employer: a New York crime family that pays her handsomely to bump off traitors. But when she discovers that a troubled teenage employee and her baby have vanished in the Canadian woods, the memory of a past loss comes back with a vengeance and her old instincts go into overdrive.
With her enigmatic mentor, Jack, covering her back, Nadia unearths sinister clues that point to an increasingly darker and deadlier mystery. Now, with her obsession over the case deepening, the only way Nadia can right the wrongs of the present is to face her own painful ghosts--and either bury them for good, or die trying. Because in her code, everyone deserves a chance. And everyone deserves justice.
Nadia isn't your typical nature lodge owner. An ex-cop with a legal code all her own, she's known only as "Dee" to her current employer: a New York crime family that pays her handsomely to bump off traitors. But when she discovers that a troubled teenage employee and her baby have vanished in the Canadian woods, the memory of a past loss comes back with a vengeance and her old instincts go into overdrive.
With her enigmatic mentor, Jack, covering her back, Nadia unearths sinister clues that point to an increasingly darker and deadlier mystery. Now, with her obsession over the case deepening, the only way Nadia can right the wrongs of the present is to face her own painful ghosts--and either bury them for good, or die trying. Because in her code, everyone deserves a chance. And everyone deserves justice.
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 24, 2009
140 people are currently reading
3293 people want to read
About the author
Kelley Armstrong
288 books33.1k followersKelley Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to her teachers' dismay. All efforts to make her produce "normal" stories failed.
Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.
Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 307 reviews
November 22, 2015
This is the 2nd book in Kelley Armstrong’s Nadia Stafford Trilogy about an ex-cop turned contract hit woman.
The storyline involves one of her newest employee’s, Sammi, a young mother with a baby, who disappear suddenly without leaving any clues of her reason for that.
No one in the community is interested in her disappearance as Sammi is seen as a piece of trash and no one to worry about.
But Nadia does. Sammi’s disappearance touches something inside her that is part of her past. Nadia is determined to find out what’s happened to Sammi and her baby. The guilt she feels not having been able to get justice for her own sister, Amy, who had been raped and killed, fuels her quest in trying to do it for her missing employee.
The author’s characterization is amazing. The development in Nadia and Jack’s relationship and with Quinn is really good.
I can’t help wanting Nadia and Jack, her mentor, to be together. I see something in Jack that gets to me….and despite his denial for what he feels for Nadia….and how remote and cold he can be with her…deep down, he does feel a lot for her…
Well plotted, smooth writing, humorous dialogue and suspense that starts slow and pushes forward with a bang.
Such a good read….such a great series….and I can’t wait for book #3
I really like this series. Kelley Armstrong has created such a fascinating character in Nadia Stafford. A woman who believes that justice has failed her and how she becomes upon herself to free the world from the evil and wicked. Despite that she also does it for a financial reason doesn’t detract one from liking her. We see the soul-searching she does about justifying her kills and where does she draw the line between good and bad.
The storyline involves one of her newest employee’s, Sammi, a young mother with a baby, who disappear suddenly without leaving any clues of her reason for that.
No one in the community is interested in her disappearance as Sammi is seen as a piece of trash and no one to worry about.
But Nadia does. Sammi’s disappearance touches something inside her that is part of her past. Nadia is determined to find out what’s happened to Sammi and her baby. The guilt she feels not having been able to get justice for her own sister, Amy, who had been raped and killed, fuels her quest in trying to do it for her missing employee.
The author’s characterization is amazing. The development in Nadia and Jack’s relationship and with Quinn is really good.
I can’t help wanting Nadia and Jack, her mentor, to be together. I see something in Jack that gets to me….and despite his denial for what he feels for Nadia….and how remote and cold he can be with her…deep down, he does feel a lot for her…
It's not like that," Jack said.I am so interested in seeing where Nadia and the relationship she has with both Jack and Quinn goes next.
"No? Nadia is yours, and it's about time you had the balls to do something about it.”
Well plotted, smooth writing, humorous dialogue and suspense that starts slow and pushes forward with a bang.
Such a good read….such a great series….and I can’t wait for book #3
January 22, 2022
Although I first experienced this series through the two sequel novellas, this second installment of Armstrong's Nadia Stafford trilogy would be best read after the series opener. References are made to events in the first book, and to parts of Nadia's backstory which are detailed there, and these are much more meaningful if you've read the first installment. Even more importantly, Armstrong really introduces Nadia's complex character and current circumstances in depth in the first book; the development she undergoes here presupposes that foundation. (That's also true for other characters from that book who continue to play roles here; you need the full-orbed picture to understand them.)
Some six months have passed since the events of the earlier novel. Nadia's kept in contact with Quinn, a U.S. federal cop who secretly moonlights as a vigilante assassin. He's romantically interested in Nadia; her feelings about him are more ambiguous (even to her), but she values his friendship. As a teen, she came close to qualifying for Canada's Olympic distance shooting team. That gives her very formidable skills with a sniper rifle; and when this book opens, she's peering through the scope of one from a belfry in downtown Toronto. Quinn's solicited her help with one of his hits. That particular episode, though, is over quickly and painlessly for all concerned. It serves mainly to remind us (and to clue in readers who skipped the series opener) that as fictional female sleuths go, our protagonist is not nearly so law-abiding a member of that sorority as, say, Nancy Drew. She is, however, one who has some investigative know-how, which she's willing to use in a good cause if it's needed --and it's soon going to be, sorely.
Even with her off-the-books side income, Nadia can't afford to pay more than a tiny staff at her guest lodge; but out of kindness, she's given a job as assistant housekeeper to a 17-year-old girl from the nearby small town of White Rock, Sammi Ernst. Sammi's foul-mouthed, barely literate, and has a chip on her shoulder; the latter isn't surprising, given her life situation. She's the out-of-wedlock daughter of Janie Ernst. Both women are widely looked down on in the community --Janie because she's a drunken, mean-tempered, self-centered deadbeat, and Sammi mainly because she has Janie for an (abusive) mother. Also a single mom herself, Sammi's not promiscuous like Janie (she had a single affair, with a visiting rich college kid who wasn't interested in marriage or fatherhood, and left her to bear his unacknowledged daughter alone); and also unlike her own mom, she genuinely loves baby Destiny, and wants to work to support her, rather than making a dead-end career out of welfare dependency as Janie has.
When, soon after Nadia's return home, Sammi and Destiny don't come back from their usual evening walk in the woods, there are things that strongly suggest to our heroine that their disappearance wasn't voluntary. But White Rock's police force is small, not especially competent, and has other priorities; and the two senior officers despise Nadia because of the way she was kicked out of the force years ago, so aren't disposed to take anything she says seriously. As far as they're concerned, Sammi obviously just ran off; because, hey, that's what trashy teens can be expected to do, right? Most of the townsfolk are quite content with that explanation. (Janie's only feeling about the matter is anger at losing the rent money she charged the girl.) Of the few who aren't, Nadia's the only one actually capable of looking into the matter. But though Jack's been out of touch for about six months, he'll soon be at the lodge recovering from a broken ankle. (And don't forget about Quinn, either.)
This is a gritty, page-turning mystery, reflecting the violent stylistic school associated mostly with American writers (rather than the more cerebral traditional school of Doyle and Christie). A number of people are going to die here, not all of whom deserve to, because we're dealing with ruthless villains with no consciences. (While this is fiction, it looks at a dark underbelly of anomic modern society in a way that could easily be true.) And Nadia being who she is, the mode of dealing with some of these types may be with the business end of a pistol. As another reviewer commented, her ethics and moral compass may not be something all readers endorse (I don't, as such --and Nadia doesn't claim saint status for herself, either). But she does HAVE ethics and a moral compass; and for me, the way she sincerely tries to grapple with balancing it with the realities of a very grim world, in which the law doesn't always serve justice or protect the helpless, is one of the great strengths of the series, and a source of its considerable emotional power. That's as true of this book as of the others. Despite the body count, there's no wallowing in blood and gore, and no sex as such, though there are a few "sexual situations." Romantic feelings and angst are not a major strand of the plot here. Nadia's narrative voice, IMO, is perfect for these books. The one negative is the amount of f-words and profanity from some characters, especially Jack. I admit that this is "realistic" for speakers who are steeped in this milieu, and have the backgrounds that some of them do; but I don't really need that much pedantic realism. But the strong character portrayals and serious moral reflection here earn the book its stars despite that factor.
Some six months have passed since the events of the earlier novel. Nadia's kept in contact with Quinn, a U.S. federal cop who secretly moonlights as a vigilante assassin. He's romantically interested in Nadia; her feelings about him are more ambiguous (even to her), but she values his friendship. As a teen, she came close to qualifying for Canada's Olympic distance shooting team. That gives her very formidable skills with a sniper rifle; and when this book opens, she's peering through the scope of one from a belfry in downtown Toronto. Quinn's solicited her help with one of his hits. That particular episode, though, is over quickly and painlessly for all concerned. It serves mainly to remind us (and to clue in readers who skipped the series opener) that as fictional female sleuths go, our protagonist is not nearly so law-abiding a member of that sorority as, say, Nancy Drew. She is, however, one who has some investigative know-how, which she's willing to use in a good cause if it's needed --and it's soon going to be, sorely.
Even with her off-the-books side income, Nadia can't afford to pay more than a tiny staff at her guest lodge; but out of kindness, she's given a job as assistant housekeeper to a 17-year-old girl from the nearby small town of White Rock, Sammi Ernst. Sammi's foul-mouthed, barely literate, and has a chip on her shoulder; the latter isn't surprising, given her life situation. She's the out-of-wedlock daughter of Janie Ernst. Both women are widely looked down on in the community --Janie because she's a drunken, mean-tempered, self-centered deadbeat, and Sammi mainly because she has Janie for an (abusive) mother. Also a single mom herself, Sammi's not promiscuous like Janie (she had a single affair, with a visiting rich college kid who wasn't interested in marriage or fatherhood, and left her to bear his unacknowledged daughter alone); and also unlike her own mom, she genuinely loves baby Destiny, and wants to work to support her, rather than making a dead-end career out of welfare dependency as Janie has.
When, soon after Nadia's return home, Sammi and Destiny don't come back from their usual evening walk in the woods, there are things that strongly suggest to our heroine that their disappearance wasn't voluntary. But White Rock's police force is small, not especially competent, and has other priorities; and the two senior officers despise Nadia because of the way she was kicked out of the force years ago, so aren't disposed to take anything she says seriously. As far as they're concerned, Sammi obviously just ran off; because, hey, that's what trashy teens can be expected to do, right? Most of the townsfolk are quite content with that explanation. (Janie's only feeling about the matter is anger at losing the rent money she charged the girl.) Of the few who aren't, Nadia's the only one actually capable of looking into the matter. But though Jack's been out of touch for about six months, he'll soon be at the lodge recovering from a broken ankle. (And don't forget about Quinn, either.)
This is a gritty, page-turning mystery, reflecting the violent stylistic school associated mostly with American writers (rather than the more cerebral traditional school of Doyle and Christie). A number of people are going to die here, not all of whom deserve to, because we're dealing with ruthless villains with no consciences. (While this is fiction, it looks at a dark underbelly of anomic modern society in a way that could easily be true.) And Nadia being who she is, the mode of dealing with some of these types may be with the business end of a pistol. As another reviewer commented, her ethics and moral compass may not be something all readers endorse (I don't, as such --and Nadia doesn't claim saint status for herself, either). But she does HAVE ethics and a moral compass; and for me, the way she sincerely tries to grapple with balancing it with the realities of a very grim world, in which the law doesn't always serve justice or protect the helpless, is one of the great strengths of the series, and a source of its considerable emotional power. That's as true of this book as of the others. Despite the body count, there's no wallowing in blood and gore, and no sex as such, though there are a few "sexual situations." Romantic feelings and angst are not a major strand of the plot here. Nadia's narrative voice, IMO, is perfect for these books. The one negative is the amount of f-words and profanity from some characters, especially Jack. I admit that this is "realistic" for speakers who are steeped in this milieu, and have the backgrounds that some of them do; but I don't really need that much pedantic realism. But the strong character portrayals and serious moral reflection here earn the book its stars despite that factor.
November 22, 2014
4.5 STARS
The second installment in the Nadia Stafford series was phenomenal! Better than the first book, which was good but didn't move fast enough. This book was like a shot of adrenaline. From the intelligent writing, fast paced scenes and amazingly tight plot, I was thoroughly impressed. Nadia is trying to solve the disappearance of a young, single mother that works at her lodge. The town doesn't care, the police don't give a rat's ass and the girl's own mother seems to be in a position to reap the benefits of losing her only child and granddaughter.
But Nadia knows something's up so she starts her own investigation to figure out what happened. Slowly things start to look shady with the possibility of foul play. On a side note, Nadia hasn't seen or spoken to Jack in many months. Although reluctant to admit it even to herself, she's hurt and angry. But circumstances bring them together once more and the tension between them is at an all time high. If you know this series you'll remember that the relationship between Jack and Nadia is complicated. On the surface they're friends that help each other out professionally, but below all that is a mysterious connection that's hard to label. Does Nadia want Jack? Put aside her denial and you've got her answer. Problem is, Jack is hard to read and even harder to break. Some readers say there is a love triangle here: Nadia, Quinn and Jack. But really...NO. If you've carefully read this series so far there's really no contest, and the relationship between all three characters doesn't even fall into the traditional definition of a triangle.
Anyways, I digress. The chase for justice is a taut and twisty road here. So many scenes were incredibly suspenseful and well written. I was on the edge of my seat, full of anticipation. There's something about KA's writing that really gets to me. It's in the execution, the delivery and the sheer intelligence coming off the pages. I finished this and quickly requested the third and final book from my library despite being on vacation. I loved it and as with the first book, things are left very 'to be continued'. The romance wasn't really present here since this is suspense/thriller, but the sexual tension and emotion is there. Highly recommend this author and this series.
The second installment in the Nadia Stafford series was phenomenal! Better than the first book, which was good but didn't move fast enough. This book was like a shot of adrenaline. From the intelligent writing, fast paced scenes and amazingly tight plot, I was thoroughly impressed. Nadia is trying to solve the disappearance of a young, single mother that works at her lodge. The town doesn't care, the police don't give a rat's ass and the girl's own mother seems to be in a position to reap the benefits of losing her only child and granddaughter.
But Nadia knows something's up so she starts her own investigation to figure out what happened. Slowly things start to look shady with the possibility of foul play. On a side note, Nadia hasn't seen or spoken to Jack in many months. Although reluctant to admit it even to herself, she's hurt and angry. But circumstances bring them together once more and the tension between them is at an all time high. If you know this series you'll remember that the relationship between Jack and Nadia is complicated. On the surface they're friends that help each other out professionally, but below all that is a mysterious connection that's hard to label. Does Nadia want Jack? Put aside her denial and you've got her answer. Problem is, Jack is hard to read and even harder to break. Some readers say there is a love triangle here: Nadia, Quinn and Jack. But really...NO. If you've carefully read this series so far there's really no contest, and the relationship between all three characters doesn't even fall into the traditional definition of a triangle.
Anyways, I digress. The chase for justice is a taut and twisty road here. So many scenes were incredibly suspenseful and well written. I was on the edge of my seat, full of anticipation. There's something about KA's writing that really gets to me. It's in the execution, the delivery and the sheer intelligence coming off the pages. I finished this and quickly requested the third and final book from my library despite being on vacation. I loved it and as with the first book, things are left very 'to be continued'. The romance wasn't really present here since this is suspense/thriller, but the sexual tension and emotion is there. Highly recommend this author and this series.
June 9, 2025
3.5 stars
I had a more difficult time with this second book about Nadia Stafford. Some of that is just me being twitchy right now. I may have over-scheduled myself just a bit.
My biggest issue was with Nadia herself. She can't seem to see why Jack is hanging around. Grab a clue, Nadia, he wants to be more than your mentor! Evelyn tattles on Jack, who has broken a bone and is going stir crazy in a dismal motel room. Nadia talks him into coming to stay at her lodge, where he seems to settle in. Meanwhile, one of Nadia's employees and her baby have gone missing. No one seems to care—not the girl's mother and certainly not the local police. Nadia once swore to serve and protect, so her protective impulses go into overdrive.
How realistic is it to have teenage single mothers being killed to supply a baby black market? I am unsure, which dampened my enjoyment. But since I have no idea about the whole contract killer world, what do I know? I guess it's appropriate for Nadia to get hung up on the young woman's death as it rhymes with the murder of her own cousin when Nadia was just a kid. That's the reasoning that Armstrong presents to us, but then that trauma doesn't really get addressed.
It was interesting to see Nadia struggling to escape from Evelyn's influence, while maintaining her relationship with Jack. Jack is one of the most supportive friends ever. Nadia needs to talk? He'll listen. Need help looking for a body? No problem. Need someone to take lodge guests to the shooting range? He's your guy. Have second thoughts about a contract job? No worries, he'll do it. Just watching him tolerate Quinn courting Nadia would make him qualify for sainthood if he wasn't, you know, a murderer.
Somehow I thought that the Jack or Quinn question would be resolved in this installment, but I was wrong. I see book three in my future.
I had a more difficult time with this second book about Nadia Stafford. Some of that is just me being twitchy right now. I may have over-scheduled myself just a bit.
My biggest issue was with Nadia herself. She can't seem to see why Jack is hanging around. Grab a clue, Nadia, he wants to be more than your mentor! Evelyn tattles on Jack, who has broken a bone and is going stir crazy in a dismal motel room. Nadia talks him into coming to stay at her lodge, where he seems to settle in. Meanwhile, one of Nadia's employees and her baby have gone missing. No one seems to care—not the girl's mother and certainly not the local police. Nadia once swore to serve and protect, so her protective impulses go into overdrive.
How realistic is it to have teenage single mothers being killed to supply a baby black market? I am unsure, which dampened my enjoyment. But since I have no idea about the whole contract killer world, what do I know? I guess it's appropriate for Nadia to get hung up on the young woman's death as it rhymes with the murder of her own cousin when Nadia was just a kid. That's the reasoning that Armstrong presents to us, but then that trauma doesn't really get addressed.
It was interesting to see Nadia struggling to escape from Evelyn's influence, while maintaining her relationship with Jack. Jack is one of the most supportive friends ever. Nadia needs to talk? He'll listen. Need help looking for a body? No problem. Need someone to take lodge guests to the shooting range? He's your guy. Have second thoughts about a contract job? No worries, he'll do it. Just watching him tolerate Quinn courting Nadia would make him qualify for sainthood if he wasn't, you know, a murderer.
Somehow I thought that the Jack or Quinn question would be resolved in this installment, but I was wrong. I see book three in my future.
March 27, 2009
"Made to Be Broken" is a taut read by Kelley Armstrong. It's book two in her series about a female contract killer and is a far cry from her 'Underworld' paranormal urban fantasy series. These books are a combination of murder, mystery, action, and suspense that grab you from the first page and carry you along as you delve into, not just the mystery, but the psyche of the lead characters and their decision-making processes. As a fan of her 'Underworld' books, when I picked up "Exit Strategy", the first Nadia Stafford book, I was taken aback by how different it was from what I was expecting. But Armstrong's sharp writing and keen character building kept me turning page after page. I just couldn't put the sucker down!
With "Made to Be Broken", I knew what I would be getting into and was curious as to whether the author could keep me reading about a character whose morals and motivations are so different than the norm. In this book, Nadia becomes involved with the disappearance of a local unwed, teen mother and her baby. Other than one friend, nobody in the small town expresses real concern about her disappearance; after all, she's the Canadian version of 'trailer trash'. But for Nadia, this disappearance brings back memories of a tragedy in her childhood and she'll have to face the demons that still haunt her while struggling to come to terms with what her life is now and what her future will look like.
I was riveted to the scenes of Nadia's equivalent of soul-searching. So far, all her kills have been 'bad' people. But to be a contract killer and protect her 'other', normal life...will that have to change? Can she justify killing on demand? And if not, where exactly does she draw the line?
All this is wrapped up in the mystery of the teen mom and baby. Nadia's also dealing with two men, both of whom she has feelings for...but different feelings. Both men can accept Nadia for what she is, both now know about her two separate lives, and both want something from her. But figuring out what they want and what she herself wants is part of this story, so I'll just leave it there.
I wasn't in the least disappointed with book two of Nadia's story. In fact, I'm greedy now for book three. If tense, pseudo-psychological murder mysteries interest you, I highly recommend Kelley Armstrong's Nadia Stafford series.
With "Made to Be Broken", I knew what I would be getting into and was curious as to whether the author could keep me reading about a character whose morals and motivations are so different than the norm. In this book, Nadia becomes involved with the disappearance of a local unwed, teen mother and her baby. Other than one friend, nobody in the small town expresses real concern about her disappearance; after all, she's the Canadian version of 'trailer trash'. But for Nadia, this disappearance brings back memories of a tragedy in her childhood and she'll have to face the demons that still haunt her while struggling to come to terms with what her life is now and what her future will look like.
I was riveted to the scenes of Nadia's equivalent of soul-searching. So far, all her kills have been 'bad' people. But to be a contract killer and protect her 'other', normal life...will that have to change? Can she justify killing on demand? And if not, where exactly does she draw the line?
All this is wrapped up in the mystery of the teen mom and baby. Nadia's also dealing with two men, both of whom she has feelings for...but different feelings. Both men can accept Nadia for what she is, both now know about her two separate lives, and both want something from her. But figuring out what they want and what she herself wants is part of this story, so I'll just leave it there.
I wasn't in the least disappointed with book two of Nadia's story. In fact, I'm greedy now for book three. If tense, pseudo-psychological murder mysteries interest you, I highly recommend Kelley Armstrong's Nadia Stafford series.
September 11, 2012
I haven't actually READ Kelley Armstrong, which is stupid considering she has one of the best werewolf books out there so I hear? Next on my list, except they're charging 9.99 for a PAPERBACK THAT'S 3 YEARS OLD ON THE KINDLE! So...yeah. Maybe I'll get that book LATER.
THIS BOOK is really interesting, I accidentally picked this one up, the second in the series, and it was easy to find out what was happening. There is a LOT of killing in this book, I mean, they're hitmen, but I really liked it. Maybe because there were no vampires and werewolves and it was a change of pace. I can't feel GREAT about a main heroine who kills people so easily, but it's a testament to the author that I don't turn off completely, she humanizes and rationalizes the world rather well. I can't say it's my fave setting, but I enjoyed the writing and would def tune into the next (and back up to #1 in the future).
BITTEN, LOWER YOUR KINDLE COST PLEASE! I WANT TO READ YOU!
THIS BOOK is really interesting, I accidentally picked this one up, the second in the series, and it was easy to find out what was happening. There is a LOT of killing in this book, I mean, they're hitmen, but I really liked it. Maybe because there were no vampires and werewolves and it was a change of pace. I can't feel GREAT about a main heroine who kills people so easily, but it's a testament to the author that I don't turn off completely, she humanizes and rationalizes the world rather well. I can't say it's my fave setting, but I enjoyed the writing and would def tune into the next (and back up to #1 in the future).
BITTEN, LOWER YOUR KINDLE COST PLEASE! I WANT TO READ YOU!
September 4, 2012
A great followup to Exit Strategy. Thrilling and fascinating!!! You wouldn't think a book about a hitwoman could be a comfort read, but I am finding Made to be Broken to be deeply satisfying and comforting for two reasons
1. The absolute expertise of the heroine Nadia.
2. The deep sense of understanding between Nadia and Jack, her hit man mentor
Merged review:
You wouldn't think a book about a hitwoman could be a comfort read, but I am finding Made to be Broken, book #2 in the Nadia Stafford series, to be deeply satisfying and comforting for two reasons:
1. The absolute expertise of the heroine Nadia.
2. The deep sense of understanding between Nadia and Jack, her hit man mentor
It is such an enjoyable world to be in for these two reasons. Of course it's also great fun to see these two use their hit man know-how solve the crime.
Basic setup: Nadia (who strives to be an ethical hit woman, as far as one can) owns a lodge in the wilds of Canada. Nadia employs and generally helps out this sullen teen mother, Sammi, but then Sammi disappears with her baby. Everybody in town, even the cops, think Sammi's this stupid slutty girl who ran off, but Nadia is sure something is wrong.
There's this one stretch I really enjoyed--first, Nadia is searching the forest for the bodies of Sammi and the baby in an area where she fears they could be. She makes this grid system with string, and uses different sizes of sticks to examine the forest floor. It's this whole expert thing only a hit woman/ex-cop would be good at. I just love details like this though this series.
She has to leave and resume her search the next night, but mysterious mentor Jack is at the lodge recuperating from a broken ankle. She doesn't want to involve him, so she's keeping the search super secret. She makes this excuse about doing work on the other side of the property. And Jack's like, You're looking for her body. Because he's figured out her exact train of thought about the clues, because they are both wily expert hit people.
At one point they go out disguise shopping together, and she has this whole schoolteacher persona she buys stuff for, and Jack makes a chin scar and whitens his hair. It's all quite delightful!
You know how some heroines are partly Gilligans? Like, they screw up a lot to create tension (sassy backtalk, bumblingness, temper, whatever. Can be annoying.) Nadia is the ultimate anti-Gilligan. I am so into that!
This is different from a lot of books I read that build relationships off mixes of sexual attraction, humor, respect and abiding friendship. Armstrong is building one off deep understanding, and a strange sort of commonality. They are both solitary beings with secret lives, doing the wrong thing for their own reasons. They get each other on a gut level. It's oddly satisfying.
The one place they don't get what each other thinks is around the romance, which is strange terrain for both of them. OMG, when these two finally get together, this book or the next, it is going to blow my mind a little bit. In a good way.
The next in this series is slated to come out in about a year, late 2013. Can't wait!!!
1. The absolute expertise of the heroine Nadia.
2. The deep sense of understanding between Nadia and Jack, her hit man mentor
Merged review:
You wouldn't think a book about a hitwoman could be a comfort read, but I am finding Made to be Broken, book #2 in the Nadia Stafford series, to be deeply satisfying and comforting for two reasons:
1. The absolute expertise of the heroine Nadia.
2. The deep sense of understanding between Nadia and Jack, her hit man mentor
It is such an enjoyable world to be in for these two reasons. Of course it's also great fun to see these two use their hit man know-how solve the crime.
Basic setup: Nadia (who strives to be an ethical hit woman, as far as one can) owns a lodge in the wilds of Canada. Nadia employs and generally helps out this sullen teen mother, Sammi, but then Sammi disappears with her baby. Everybody in town, even the cops, think Sammi's this stupid slutty girl who ran off, but Nadia is sure something is wrong.
There's this one stretch I really enjoyed--first, Nadia is searching the forest for the bodies of Sammi and the baby in an area where she fears they could be. She makes this grid system with string, and uses different sizes of sticks to examine the forest floor. It's this whole expert thing only a hit woman/ex-cop would be good at. I just love details like this though this series.
She has to leave and resume her search the next night, but mysterious mentor Jack is at the lodge recuperating from a broken ankle. She doesn't want to involve him, so she's keeping the search super secret. She makes this excuse about doing work on the other side of the property. And Jack's like, You're looking for her body. Because he's figured out her exact train of thought about the clues, because they are both wily expert hit people.
At one point they go out disguise shopping together, and she has this whole schoolteacher persona she buys stuff for, and Jack makes a chin scar and whitens his hair. It's all quite delightful!
You know how some heroines are partly Gilligans? Like, they screw up a lot to create tension (sassy backtalk, bumblingness, temper, whatever. Can be annoying.) Nadia is the ultimate anti-Gilligan. I am so into that!
This is different from a lot of books I read that build relationships off mixes of sexual attraction, humor, respect and abiding friendship. Armstrong is building one off deep understanding, and a strange sort of commonality. They are both solitary beings with secret lives, doing the wrong thing for their own reasons. They get each other on a gut level. It's oddly satisfying.
The one place they don't get what each other thinks is around the romance, which is strange terrain for both of them. OMG, when these two finally get together, this book or the next, it is going to blow my mind a little bit. In a good way.
The next in this series is slated to come out in about a year, late 2013. Can't wait!!!
November 25, 2023
Ok, I will be honest: I love this series so much that I may be giving it a bit of an extra push in the star direction as Nadia is one of my older favorite characters.
I love the Killer for hire but didn't love the lack of communication that led to the weird romantic triangle that didn't need to exist. Everyone's lack of self-confidence (except Quinn) makes this situation something it would never have been. As I read this more than ten years later, I have less patience for situations like that.
I love the case and how NAdia shuffles everything to deal with it in a great way.
Evelyn is the bitch queen! WOW. She is a great character to have here, though. So I love that she exists, even if she is a bit despicable.
4.5 Stars
I love the Killer for hire but didn't love the lack of communication that led to the weird romantic triangle that didn't need to exist. Everyone's lack of self-confidence (except Quinn) makes this situation something it would never have been. As I read this more than ten years later, I have less patience for situations like that.
I love the case and how NAdia shuffles everything to deal with it in a great way.
Evelyn is the bitch queen! WOW. She is a great character to have here, though. So I love that she exists, even if she is a bit despicable.
4.5 Stars
March 27, 2019
This is a very different genre of book for Kelley Armstrong who has written a lot of paranormal books. This is her take on a mystery/suspense novel and it is certainly not one that everyone will enjoy. While the writing is done well, the main character has a moral compass that will not be to everyone's taste. Additionally, the main character tends to jump to incorrect conclusions that could have a devastating affect on others. She is not your typical female protagonist. The book tends to draw you in even though you may cringe at the MC's ethics.
September 20, 2019
I'd watch a show about assassin's running a lodge in their spare time, for some reason...
April 28, 2015
4.5 Stars
I love the character, Nadia Stafford! Yes, she's a disgraced ex-cop. She's a part time hit man and full time lodge owner. She has a moral code - she only kills bad guys like the Mafia thugs her employer wants dead. She's been toying with Evelyn's suggestion that become a vigilante assassin; especially after pulling the trigger on Quinn's latest job. She can do a long shot. Her feelings for Quinn haven't changed since Exit Strategy. She hasn't talked to the monosyllabic Jack in months. She's hurt and more than a lot angry at her mentor regardless that he only speaks in three word sentences.
Also troubling her is her teenaged employee, Sammi Ernst. She is always complaining, rude, and a pain in her...But Sammi is good mother to her infant daughter, Destiny. When both Sammi and Destiny disappear Nadia and Sammi's lone friend are worried. Sammi is what the small Canadian town calls "trash" - a girl made to be broken. The police are more concerned with a cougar that may be on the loose than they are about a missing teen and her baby. Sammi's mother is no better than the rest of the town. And she seems to have benefited from their disappearance. Nadia decides to investigate Sammi and Destiny's disappearance. Maybe she can save Sammi. She couldn't save her cousin, Amy. The nightmares have come back.
A few days into her investigation, Nadia gets a phone call from her "Aunt Evie." Jack broke his ankle on his last job and needs to recuperate at the lodge, says Evelyn. Stafford still doesn't trust the retired hit woman, but goes to Jack anyway. Soon Jack insinuates himself into Nadia's search for Sammi. Seeing the string among the trees and leaves, "looking for her body." Despite her hurt feelings and anger, Nadia welcomes Jack's help and expertise. They follow the clues down a twisty dangerous trail that could lead to disaster and jail for all of them - Nadia, Jack, and Quinn.
Kelley Armstrong's narration is wonderful. She builds the suspense slowly at first, then jams the suspension petal to the metal. She gives the reader enough twists and turns that made me feel I was driving down a mountain road at 100 miles per hour. The love triangle? Really no contest between Jack and Quinn if Nadia is really honest. Wild Justice is waiting for me soon, very soon.
I love the character, Nadia Stafford! Yes, she's a disgraced ex-cop. She's a part time hit man and full time lodge owner. She has a moral code - she only kills bad guys like the Mafia thugs her employer wants dead. She's been toying with Evelyn's suggestion that become a vigilante assassin; especially after pulling the trigger on Quinn's latest job. She can do a long shot. Her feelings for Quinn haven't changed since Exit Strategy. She hasn't talked to the monosyllabic Jack in months. She's hurt and more than a lot angry at her mentor regardless that he only speaks in three word sentences.
Also troubling her is her teenaged employee, Sammi Ernst. She is always complaining, rude, and a pain in her...But Sammi is good mother to her infant daughter, Destiny. When both Sammi and Destiny disappear Nadia and Sammi's lone friend are worried. Sammi is what the small Canadian town calls "trash" - a girl made to be broken. The police are more concerned with a cougar that may be on the loose than they are about a missing teen and her baby. Sammi's mother is no better than the rest of the town. And she seems to have benefited from their disappearance. Nadia decides to investigate Sammi and Destiny's disappearance. Maybe she can save Sammi. She couldn't save her cousin, Amy. The nightmares have come back.
A few days into her investigation, Nadia gets a phone call from her "Aunt Evie." Jack broke his ankle on his last job and needs to recuperate at the lodge, says Evelyn. Stafford still doesn't trust the retired hit woman, but goes to Jack anyway. Soon Jack insinuates himself into Nadia's search for Sammi. Seeing the string among the trees and leaves, "looking for her body." Despite her hurt feelings and anger, Nadia welcomes Jack's help and expertise. They follow the clues down a twisty dangerous trail that could lead to disaster and jail for all of them - Nadia, Jack, and Quinn.
Kelley Armstrong's narration is wonderful. She builds the suspense slowly at first, then jams the suspension petal to the metal. She gives the reader enough twists and turns that made me feel I was driving down a mountain road at 100 miles per hour. The love triangle? Really no contest between Jack and Quinn if Nadia is really honest. Wild Justice is waiting for me soon, very soon.
September 9, 2017
I read this fairly straight through last night, so I was pretty into it! Kind of impatient with the ship, but that might be a flaw in the reader, not the book!
Very thankful that I'm reading them when they're all already out.
Re-read June 2016
Audiobook Re-Read September 2017
Lol, what I said in the spoiler cut!
Very thankful that I'm reading them when they're all already out.
Re-read June 2016
Audiobook Re-Read September 2017
Lol, what I said in the spoiler cut!
July 4, 2022
This is shaping up to be an excellent trilogy. So far books 1 & 2 have both managed to confound my ability to foresee exactly where the storyline is going to end up. However, I’m going to be irrationally angry if Nadia & Jack don’t end up together by the end of book 3.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 9, 2023
A really good book. Better than the first but the sorta kinda love triangle is getting to me. Both guys are great and I’ll be happy. But pick already. I guess in a way she did. Be we all know, it’s not a done deal. Since the next book is last, there better be a firm choice, lol. Narrator is good.
April 14, 2021
Lodge owner Nadia Stafford gave teenager Sammi Ernst a job when nobody else would. Nadia hired her to clean rooms at the lodge and let her bring her three-month-old baby to work with her. One day Sammi just didn't show up for work. People around town say that she took the baby and left. Nadia isn't buying it. She had just given Sammi the extra hours at the lodge that she requested. Nadia is an ex-cop who now runs the lodge and does contract killing on the side. When the local police are no help, she decides to dig deeper and find Sammi for herself. With the help of her mentor, Jack, they discover what happened to Sammi and her daughter, Destiny.
This is the second book in the Nadia Stafford series. It picks up several months after the last book. Nadia and Jack get help from Quinn, another hitman with ties to the Federal Government. I thought the investigation was interesting. The characters are well developed and you come to see why Nadia would choose to be a hitman for the mob. As with the last book, I wanted to smack Jack for not telling Nadia how he feels about her. I also thought Nadia needed a smack for being so oblivious about his feelings for her.
I had a hard time putting this book down. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
This is the second book in the Nadia Stafford series. It picks up several months after the last book. Nadia and Jack get help from Quinn, another hitman with ties to the Federal Government. I thought the investigation was interesting. The characters are well developed and you come to see why Nadia would choose to be a hitman for the mob. As with the last book, I wanted to smack Jack for not telling Nadia how he feels about her. I also thought Nadia needed a smack for being so oblivious about his feelings for her.
I had a hard time putting this book down. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
April 14, 2021
3 Stars. Not as strong as the first and third. I apologize to myself for not holding out and reading them in order. As Nadia Stafford's older mentor Jack would say, "Should have. Learned lesson. Next time." He doesn't believe in nouns. For a part-time hit-man / woman / person, Nadia has a surprisingly soft heart for the underdog, someone not given a fair shake in life. She hires a young woman, 17-year old Sammi Ernst, as a maid at her "wilderness" lodge in cottage country a few hours northeast of Toronto. Sammi can be difficult; her family life was rough but she does have one lovely prize, a beautiful new baby, Destiny, who she adores. When the two suddenly disappear for no apparent reason, Nadia sets out to find them. Her mother Janie is not interested and soon becomes a statistic. My problem? The premise was exciting and the story becomes more and more compelling. But the relationship issues between Jack, Nadia's taciturn friend, Quinn, her suiter who is also in Jack and Nadia's business, and middleman Evelyn, soon became annoying. Nadia, make up your mind and get on with the solving of this dangerous and deadly puzzle. (April 2021)
August 9, 2016
The Nadia Stafford series is (so far, though only one book remains to be read) my least favourite Armstrong series. There's nothing particularly bad about it but it's just not a series, nor has there been a story, that has really grabbed me. The characters are also.. hard to like, I guess. Not because they are hitmen or have loose morals, but because none of them really shine in any way. MADE TO BE BROKEN gave us shippers a hint of something that I didn't think we'd get after book one and I'm looking forward to the resolution over that, but overall this is a pretty mediocre series, and far from Armstrong's best work.
Full disclosure : I'm probably rounding up because I love this author. Likely a 2/2.5 rating if it were anyone else.
Full disclosure : I'm probably rounding up because I love this author. Likely a 2/2.5 rating if it were anyone else.
August 2, 2016
I really like Jack. I might be biased, though. I have a weakness for fictional older men.
(Kelley Armstrong writes the best male characters!)
Anyway... *sigh*, about the book...
Great plot! Definitely much better than the first one.
3.5
(Kelley Armstrong writes the best male characters!)
Anyway... *sigh*, about the book...
Great plot! Definitely much better than the first one.
3.5
January 6, 2021
4.5 stars
I still love all the same things I loved about Exit Strategy: the concept, the moral ambiguity, the characters and their interactions... every kind of tension you might want can be found here.
This time, the mystery that Nadia is investigating hits closer to home, when the teenage mom she's had working for her at the lodge goes missing with her baby and noone seems to care what's happened to her. The case also hits closer to home for Nadia because it brings back memories of her cousin Amy, meaning we get a little more info on Nadia's past experiences and trauma that formed her personality and ultimately led to her life as a cop blowing up around her.
Jack's past is still mostly shrouded in mystery, though he does tell Nadia some things that, considering how taciturn he usually is, seem almost like spilling his entire life's story by comparison. Quinn is also back again and we learn more about him too. And yes, you can now see the love triangle on the horizon, slowly taking shape, becoming clearer. Any romance is still very much in the background of the story though, with the mystery and Nadia examining her personal morals taking center stage.
Where the first book mostly showed Nadia's hitwoman life, here we get to see more of her regular life at the lodge. In between investigating her missing employee, we catch many glimses of what Nadia's life looks like between her hitwoman "jobs", which fleshes out her character more in interesting ways. We see her interacting with people from the town nearby, and altogether see more of her being Nadia; not only in disguise, or in her "Dee" persona.
Now on to book three... because I find it impossible not to binge this series!
I still love all the same things I loved about Exit Strategy: the concept, the moral ambiguity, the characters and their interactions... every kind of tension you might want can be found here.
This time, the mystery that Nadia is investigating hits closer to home, when the teenage mom she's had working for her at the lodge goes missing with her baby and noone seems to care what's happened to her. The case also hits closer to home for Nadia because it brings back memories of her cousin Amy, meaning we get a little more info on Nadia's past experiences and trauma that formed her personality and ultimately led to her life as a cop blowing up around her.
Jack's past is still mostly shrouded in mystery, though he does tell Nadia some things that, considering how taciturn he usually is, seem almost like spilling his entire life's story by comparison. Quinn is also back again and we learn more about him too. And yes, you can now see the love triangle on the horizon, slowly taking shape, becoming clearer. Any romance is still very much in the background of the story though, with the mystery and Nadia examining her personal morals taking center stage.
Where the first book mostly showed Nadia's hitwoman life, here we get to see more of her regular life at the lodge. In between investigating her missing employee, we catch many glimses of what Nadia's life looks like between her hitwoman "jobs", which fleshes out her character more in interesting ways. We see her interacting with people from the town nearby, and altogether see more of her being Nadia; not only in disguise, or in her "Dee" persona.
Now on to book three... because I find it impossible not to binge this series!
March 26, 2010
Nadia is a genuinely unique character, a female assassin who occasionally manages to show a little weakness. She has her own demons, as most assassins (especially female ones) in novels do, but she often thinks about her cousin's rape and murder instead of pushing it aside. She seems less hardened than other characters in the same types of books.
Nadia's relationship with Quinn progresses slightly further but she is also beginning to view Jack as a potential love interest. When considering who is better for her, I find it strange that I'm thinking of these other assassins may be either too light-hearted for her or too much of a father figure. It makes me realize that even with the small amount of background Armstrong has shared about the characters, she's managed to make them much deeper than just "other assassins."
The mystery of the novel, the killing of teen moms, is dealt with without having to experience the murder which keeps the novel from getting too dark. The tone is kept light by focusing a lot on Nadia's home and work life at the lodge. The cousin's rape and murder is mentioned quite often in both this book and the last. It seems like an awful lot of attention to be paid to one childhood event, even a lifestyle defining event such as this. I hope that this focus is leading to something in the grand scheme of the series storyline because we know it's her motivation for being an assassin and don't need to be constantly reminded.
Made to be Broken is a great follow up to Exit Strategy. The potential love triangle is really heating up the series and I really hope a third book is coming.
Nadia's relationship with Quinn progresses slightly further but she is also beginning to view Jack as a potential love interest. When considering who is better for her, I find it strange that I'm thinking of these other assassins may be either too light-hearted for her or too much of a father figure. It makes me realize that even with the small amount of background Armstrong has shared about the characters, she's managed to make them much deeper than just "other assassins."
The mystery of the novel, the killing of teen moms, is dealt with without having to experience the murder which keeps the novel from getting too dark. The tone is kept light by focusing a lot on Nadia's home and work life at the lodge. The cousin's rape and murder is mentioned quite often in both this book and the last. It seems like an awful lot of attention to be paid to one childhood event, even a lifestyle defining event such as this. I hope that this focus is leading to something in the grand scheme of the series storyline because we know it's her motivation for being an assassin and don't need to be constantly reminded.
Made to be Broken is a great follow up to Exit Strategy. The potential love triangle is really heating up the series and I really hope a third book is coming.
January 11, 2014
3.5 really...
When your flat has been transformed into a biohazard thanks to a touch of stomach flu, there is one positive, at least - you get to spend days seeking refuge in your Kindle and back-to-back Kelley Armstrong. And so we're back with Nadia Stafford, AKA Dee, former cop and current hitwoman, as she investigates the disappearance of her least favourite lodge employee. Being both from a bad family and a teen mum, when Sammi and her baby don't make it home from work one night even the police don't seem to give a shit and so, reminded of her cousin and supported by Jack (who's staying at her lodge whilst recovering from an ankle injury picked up on a job) Nadia steps into the breach.
As addictive as the first instalment in this series and building nicely towards the series' conclusion, it's becoming clear that Nadia is in serious denial about what happened when her cousin was killed, as well as about her feelings for Jack. Misinterpreting him at every time, even after eavesdropping on him, instead she's settling for Quinn.
I'm glad to say that I'm enjoying this series as much as Armstrong's previous works and, while I'm sure I'm not going to be hugely surprised by the ending of Nadia's story come the final instalment (hooking up with Jack and finding out that she wasn't left untouched by Amy's killer, by any chance?) I'm really enjoying the ride.
**Also posted at Randomly Reading and Ranting**
When your flat has been transformed into a biohazard thanks to a touch of stomach flu, there is one positive, at least - you get to spend days seeking refuge in your Kindle and back-to-back Kelley Armstrong. And so we're back with Nadia Stafford, AKA Dee, former cop and current hitwoman, as she investigates the disappearance of her least favourite lodge employee. Being both from a bad family and a teen mum, when Sammi and her baby don't make it home from work one night even the police don't seem to give a shit and so, reminded of her cousin and supported by Jack (who's staying at her lodge whilst recovering from an ankle injury picked up on a job) Nadia steps into the breach.
As addictive as the first instalment in this series and building nicely towards the series' conclusion, it's becoming clear that Nadia is in serious denial about what happened when her cousin was killed, as well as about her feelings for Jack. Misinterpreting him at every time, even after eavesdropping on him, instead she's settling for Quinn.
I'm glad to say that I'm enjoying this series as much as Armstrong's previous works and, while I'm sure I'm not going to be hugely surprised by the ending of Nadia's story come the final instalment (hooking up with Jack and finding out that she wasn't left untouched by Amy's killer, by any chance?) I'm really enjoying the ride.
**Also posted at Randomly Reading and Ranting**
August 18, 2018
This is the 2nd book in the Nadia Stafford trilogy. I didn’t enjoy this book quite as much as the first book in this series; I thought the pace was a lot slower and didn’t enjoy the mystery as much. However, it was still a very readable and engaging book.
In this book a young teen mother who has been helping Nadia at the lodge disappears. Everyone in town assumes that she ran away, but Nadia suspects a more sinister plot. It’s up to Nadia to figure out what really happened to this poor teen.
The mystery in this book was a lot more personal. Nadia takes on this case because of personal interest and because of events relating to Amy; her childhood friend who was murdered.
I felt like this plot was a bit too convoluted and drawn out for the mystery presented here, I also felt like the pacing was slow at points. That being said I still really enjoy Nadia, Jack, Evelyn and all the characters we meet in the first book. This series continues to be engaging, and the psychology of the characters is interesting.
Overall this is a great continuation of this series. I really enjoyed it, I plan on reading the final book and finishing up the series. I would recommend to those who enjoy murder mystery/thriller types of books with complex characters.
In this book a young teen mother who has been helping Nadia at the lodge disappears. Everyone in town assumes that she ran away, but Nadia suspects a more sinister plot. It’s up to Nadia to figure out what really happened to this poor teen.
The mystery in this book was a lot more personal. Nadia takes on this case because of personal interest and because of events relating to Amy; her childhood friend who was murdered.
I felt like this plot was a bit too convoluted and drawn out for the mystery presented here, I also felt like the pacing was slow at points. That being said I still really enjoy Nadia, Jack, Evelyn and all the characters we meet in the first book. This series continues to be engaging, and the psychology of the characters is interesting.
Overall this is a great continuation of this series. I really enjoyed it, I plan on reading the final book and finishing up the series. I would recommend to those who enjoy murder mystery/thriller types of books with complex characters.
October 29, 2019
No second book slump - this one really started off in high gear and did not let up. Nadia is an ex-cop running a small hunting lodge that's just scraping by and so she uses her talents during slow times to pick up some spare cash by offing a few Mafia bad guys. But when a teen mom that she hired for jobs around the lodge doesn't show up for work and her sweet baby is missing, too, well, her spidey senses go off and she starts nosing around. Jack and Quinn are both in this as well as Evelyn.
I like Nadia - she is trying to deal with her past and this case hits a little close to home for her. Both of the guys are hitting her buttons for various reasons. I know a lot of folks like the monosyllabic Jack, but I think that Quinn seems a lot more fun and definitely a lot less work.
Looking forward to the next installment in this series.
I like Nadia - she is trying to deal with her past and this case hits a little close to home for her. Both of the guys are hitting her buttons for various reasons. I know a lot of folks like the monosyllabic Jack, but I think that Quinn seems a lot more fun and definitely a lot less work.
Looking forward to the next installment in this series.
January 13, 2021
I read this back in 2009, but remembered almost nothing about it. I'm mainly rereading this series because I somehow missed the third book entirely when it came out in 2013. In this installment, Nadia gets caught up in the disappearance of one of her employees at the lodge, a teen mother whose baby has also disappeared. The story line leads to some dark places, so don't read this if you're looking for a cozy mystery. I still think Nadia's mentor Jack is ridiculously full of machismo, but it was better than in the first book and I'm looking forward to Nadia's story wrapping up in book 3. I can't help but feel like this trilogy was a warm-up sort of rough draft for the Casey Duncan series, which I absolutely love.
February 18, 2022
Oh boy, I did not like this as much as the first one but definitely was a treat. Did not manage to avoid some classical second book in a trilogy pitfalls but nonetheless I enjoyed it very much.
Just like the first novel, there was an overarching arc here and one just for this book. I loved the crime Nadia investigated here and I loved that she did it with Jack. The arc for the book was good, the elements of hitmen and shady crimes with somehow a cosy tone that shoots me felt right. Nadia's relationships progress some but mainly it's stalling regarding Jack and while well done and not unnatural, does not feel right with Quinn. This was the necessary book for straining patience and having even better build up for the next book and that's what this was - build up.
So while I would have preferred a spark scene so I could be satisfied, this did not have it. But that's okay, the endgame will be all the more delicious.
Just like the first novel, there was an overarching arc here and one just for this book. I loved the crime Nadia investigated here and I loved that she did it with Jack. The arc for the book was good, the elements of hitmen and shady crimes with somehow a cosy tone that shoots me felt right. Nadia's relationships progress some but mainly it's stalling regarding Jack and while well done and not unnatural, does not feel right with Quinn. This was the necessary book for straining patience and having even better build up for the next book and that's what this was - build up.
So while I would have preferred a spark scene so I could be satisfied, this did not have it. But that's okay, the endgame will be all the more delicious.
March 9, 2021
I BURNED through this book in a matter of hours, which says way more about Kelley Armstrong’s ability to entice with cliff hanger after cliff hanger than it does about my reading speed. So I got suckered into reading just one more chapter, and then another chapter – and yeah, I didn’t have a chance. :P
Rather than center on a professional hit, Made to Be Broken instead focuses on Nadia’s private life: working at the lodge, her friends (granted, who are mostly fellow hitmen), and her coworkers (the hospitable, non-murdering kind).
When Nadia’s youngest employee and her infant daughter go missing, Nadia’s Very Special Set of Skills put her in a position to do more than just wonder what happened. She not only gets to the bottom of a case the police can barely be persuaded to investigate, but she also pursues (and arguably gets) justice for people society has decided don’t matter. Is she just a hitman anymore, or has she become a vigilante?
In Exit Strategy, K.A. introduced us to the clandestine, ruthless world of hitmen and now she’s moving on to something new. She’s not afraid to expand on the world or on her characters’ inner demons, which makes her refreshingly unpredictable. It’s only been 6 months since the events of Exit Strategy, so Nadia herself hasn’t changed that much, but we see a new side to the developing relationships and alliances that formed in Exit Strategy.
Evelyn:
Things are getting nasty between Nadia and Evelyn. Evelyn went from being a quirky hitman-hookup fairy godmother of sorts to Nadia in the first book to... sort of a harpy. Now that Nadia has Jack and Quinn to help her investigate, Nadia would rather not work with someone who… actually expects favors in return for her help. I mean, Evelyn didn’t have two handsome, good men who don’t expect anything in return for their help and protection when she was, oh I don’t know, only PIONEERING THE TRAIL FOR FEMALE HITMEN like Nadia has, so… let’s just say I think Evelyn is justifiably bitter.
Quinn:
Shows up in the first chapter. 😊 I have a feeling this relationship is going the way of Ricky and Olivia in the Cainsville series, but that is really annoying to me because Quinn is brave, honest, and open, putting in all the effort… and I’m sure Nadia is somehow going to end up with Jack . Quinn deserves better! He's open about his past relationships, warm, optimistic without being unrealistic, and respects Nadia's relationship with Jack. Sigh I’ll keep rooting for him even though I know how this ends.
Jack:
We still know fucking nothing about Jack. He is the reason for 4 instead of 5 stars. :P
Somehow after 400 pages it feels like he’s said nothing new to Nadia… it’s the slowest of the slowest burn. But – Jack IS a man of action, and while he’s said more to Evelyn about his intentions towards Nadia than he has to Nadia herself, he’s SHOWED her that he is there for her: trying to repair her AVs at the lodge, providing unasked-for backup at the showdown, gifting her with a dog to guard her safety. I do like Jack, I do… I just wish he could speak in complete sentences. (And we KNOW he can because he does so undercover! Even K.A. concedes that Jack’s dialogue is confusing, because she decides to embed translations in Nadia’s inner dialogue. I’m just saying Evelyn has a point, sometimes Jack can be the worst. ^^)
Nadia:
Well, Nadia is definitely a killer. It feels like she kills more in this book than in Exit Strategy, which makes sense because the hits are more personal to her. If she was obsessed with getting the killer in Exit Strategy, in Made to Be Broken she is downright haunted by these killings. For Nadia, being at the lodge means putting Dee, her hitman personality, on hold while she embodies Nadia Stafford! friendly! and helpful! lodge owner. It’s interesting to see her have to blend the two roles because she’s investigating a case in her hometown, on her own time. I wish she had had that conversation on vigilantism with Quinn though, because it feels like she is going down that path.
Plot:
This plot hit me in the feels. It felt so much more urgent to me than the hit in Exit Strategy. Honestly, I think it will strike a chord with a lot of women because unfortunately many of us are considered disposable, whether we are poor single mothers or not. Nadia’s personal connections woven together with the events that unfold also bring home the tragedy of it all. Some parts were honestly hard to read and made me cry in some places .
K.A.’s choice and treatment of this subject matter make me feel hopeful, because she’s seeing these women and naming the double frustration of society’s 1) having hung them out to dry while 2) simultaneously criticizing them for their marginalized status. The everyday person might not feel like they can do anything about it, but Nadia can. Through her, we can feel that justice has been done, even if just for a little while.
Rather than center on a professional hit, Made to Be Broken instead focuses on Nadia’s private life: working at the lodge, her friends (granted, who are mostly fellow hitmen), and her coworkers (the hospitable, non-murdering kind).
When Nadia’s youngest employee and her infant daughter go missing, Nadia’s Very Special Set of Skills put her in a position to do more than just wonder what happened. She not only gets to the bottom of a case the police can barely be persuaded to investigate, but she also pursues (and arguably gets) justice for people society has decided don’t matter. Is she just a hitman anymore, or has she become a vigilante?
In Exit Strategy, K.A. introduced us to the clandestine, ruthless world of hitmen and now she’s moving on to something new. She’s not afraid to expand on the world or on her characters’ inner demons, which makes her refreshingly unpredictable. It’s only been 6 months since the events of Exit Strategy, so Nadia herself hasn’t changed that much, but we see a new side to the developing relationships and alliances that formed in Exit Strategy.
Evelyn:
Things are getting nasty between Nadia and Evelyn. Evelyn went from being a quirky hitman-hookup fairy godmother of sorts to Nadia in the first book to... sort of a harpy. Now that Nadia has Jack and Quinn to help her investigate, Nadia would rather not work with someone who… actually expects favors in return for her help. I mean, Evelyn didn’t have two handsome, good men who don’t expect anything in return for their help and protection when she was, oh I don’t know, only PIONEERING THE TRAIL FOR FEMALE HITMEN like Nadia has, so… let’s just say I think Evelyn is justifiably bitter.
Quinn:
Shows up in the first chapter. 😊 I have a feeling this relationship is going the way of Ricky and Olivia in the Cainsville series, but that is really annoying to me because Quinn is brave, honest, and open, putting in all the effort… and I’m sure Nadia is somehow going to end up with Jack . Quinn deserves better! He's open about his past relationships, warm, optimistic without being unrealistic, and respects Nadia's relationship with Jack. Sigh I’ll keep rooting for him even though I know how this ends.
Jack:
We still know fucking nothing about Jack. He is the reason for 4 instead of 5 stars. :P
Somehow after 400 pages it feels like he’s said nothing new to Nadia… it’s the slowest of the slowest burn. But – Jack IS a man of action, and while he’s said more to Evelyn about his intentions towards Nadia than he has to Nadia herself, he’s SHOWED her that he is there for her: trying to repair her AVs at the lodge, providing unasked-for backup at the showdown, gifting her with a dog to guard her safety. I do like Jack, I do… I just wish he could speak in complete sentences. (And we KNOW he can because he does so undercover! Even K.A. concedes that Jack’s dialogue is confusing, because she decides to embed translations in Nadia’s inner dialogue. I’m just saying Evelyn has a point, sometimes Jack can be the worst. ^^)
Nadia:
Well, Nadia is definitely a killer. It feels like she kills more in this book than in Exit Strategy, which makes sense because the hits are more personal to her. If she was obsessed with getting the killer in Exit Strategy, in Made to Be Broken she is downright haunted by these killings. For Nadia, being at the lodge means putting Dee, her hitman personality, on hold while she embodies Nadia Stafford! friendly! and helpful! lodge owner. It’s interesting to see her have to blend the two roles because she’s investigating a case in her hometown, on her own time. I wish she had had that conversation on vigilantism with Quinn though, because it feels like she is going down that path.
Plot:
This plot hit me in the feels. It felt so much more urgent to me than the hit in Exit Strategy. Honestly, I think it will strike a chord with a lot of women because unfortunately many of us are considered disposable, whether we are poor single mothers or not. Nadia’s personal connections woven together with the events that unfold also bring home the tragedy of it all. Some parts were honestly hard to read and made me cry in some places .
K.A.’s choice and treatment of this subject matter make me feel hopeful, because she’s seeing these women and naming the double frustration of society’s 1) having hung them out to dry while 2) simultaneously criticizing them for their marginalized status. The everyday person might not feel like they can do anything about it, but Nadia can. Through her, we can feel that justice has been done, even if just for a little while.
December 7, 2024
It scratches an itch, what can I say. The slow burn is Gooood. I so want to see them get together in book 3
March 30, 2011
Second in the Nadia Stafford suspense series, the title is a theme, which runs throughout the series and particularly applies to this installment.
The Story
The disappearance of a local young girl and her baby triggers a flashback and the need to know for Nadia. The girl is not from a respected echelon of society and she can’t get the cops interested enough to look into it even though there are just too many clues indicating foul play. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough of the right kind of clues so Nadia enlists her police experience and makes a start while keeping it under the local cop radar.
Laid up with a broken ankle, Nadia has “invited” Jack to the lodge to mend in safety and Jack is just too interested in Nadia volunteering his help in the hunt for Sammi and baby Destiny. It’s a fascinating stalk incorporating Quinn and Evelyn’s help as they uncover a major ring of players preying on the segment of society represented by Sammi and Destiny.
Side notes involve a little hotter romance between Quinn and Nadia with yet more gameplaying by Evelyn, a glimpse into the life of a lodge keeper dealing with guests a hitter might want to off, and a mechanically-inclined Jack who seems to slide right into life at the lodge.
The Characters
The primary hitmen include Nadia, Jack, Evelyn, and Quinn. Nadia is an ex-cop with a bad past that affects her life 24/7 with wonky decisionmaking. Nadia is hoping to expiate some of her guilt by finding and bringing justice to Sammi; she has no problem doing a little pro bono work. As opposed to the taciturn Jack who doesn’t play if he’s not paid except when it comes to helping Nadia…hmmmm…his cryptic speech creates a bit of havoc for the other players in this story.
Evelyn joins in the search when Jack asks for her help. Unfortunately for Nadia, Eve is putting it on her tab. We find out just what flavor of cop Quinn is and he brings his extensive contacts and detectival experience to the table.
Minor players include the ever-present shade of Amy whose demise, combined with the stories told by her cop family, triggered Nadia’s, um, hostile reaction; the very-hostile view Staff Sergeant Don Riley has of Nadia and who heads up the local Ontario Provincial Police in White Rock; Janie, Sammi’s mother, who provides an excellent reason for birth control (of Janie’s mother); and, Emma who cooks at the lodge while Owen takes care of outside maintenance and leads the guests on nature hikes, fishing expeditions, and canoe trips at the lodge for Nadia.
My Take
Another good one! A deeper, intriguing look into hitman culture: their commonly-held concerns; the expected manners; the ethics of just meeting with a potential client; the different categories into which a hitman may fit; and, additional information on how one finds a contract. There’s such a hard, cold feel in this heartwarming story---very different from most of what I read and I love it!
Armstrong writes a lot about how “chatty” Nadia is and of Jack’s interest in her chatter. I can’t figure out if it’s the normality of Nadia’s life that intrigues him or Nadia herself probably a combination of both! Whatever the hook, Jack is far more interested in Nadia than he’s willing to admit or she’s expecting. However will he reconcile his feelings with Quinn’s obvious interest in Nadia?
The Cover
I don’t care for this cover. It’s obviously Nadia on the cover in front of a building but what relevance it has for this story…I don’t know.
I am so hoping that Armstrong is working on book 3…this one was published in 2009 so I’m crossing my fingers!
The Story
The disappearance of a local young girl and her baby triggers a flashback and the need to know for Nadia. The girl is not from a respected echelon of society and she can’t get the cops interested enough to look into it even though there are just too many clues indicating foul play. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough of the right kind of clues so Nadia enlists her police experience and makes a start while keeping it under the local cop radar.
Laid up with a broken ankle, Nadia has “invited” Jack to the lodge to mend in safety and Jack is just too interested in Nadia volunteering his help in the hunt for Sammi and baby Destiny. It’s a fascinating stalk incorporating Quinn and Evelyn’s help as they uncover a major ring of players preying on the segment of society represented by Sammi and Destiny.
Side notes involve a little hotter romance between Quinn and Nadia with yet more gameplaying by Evelyn, a glimpse into the life of a lodge keeper dealing with guests a hitter might want to off, and a mechanically-inclined Jack who seems to slide right into life at the lodge.
The Characters
The primary hitmen include Nadia, Jack, Evelyn, and Quinn. Nadia is an ex-cop with a bad past that affects her life 24/7 with wonky decisionmaking. Nadia is hoping to expiate some of her guilt by finding and bringing justice to Sammi; she has no problem doing a little pro bono work. As opposed to the taciturn Jack who doesn’t play if he’s not paid except when it comes to helping Nadia…hmmmm…his cryptic speech creates a bit of havoc for the other players in this story.
Evelyn joins in the search when Jack asks for her help. Unfortunately for Nadia, Eve is putting it on her tab. We find out just what flavor of cop Quinn is and he brings his extensive contacts and detectival experience to the table.
Minor players include the ever-present shade of Amy whose demise, combined with the stories told by her cop family, triggered Nadia’s, um, hostile reaction; the very-hostile view Staff Sergeant Don Riley has of Nadia and who heads up the local Ontario Provincial Police in White Rock; Janie, Sammi’s mother, who provides an excellent reason for birth control (of Janie’s mother); and, Emma who cooks at the lodge while Owen takes care of outside maintenance and leads the guests on nature hikes, fishing expeditions, and canoe trips at the lodge for Nadia.
My Take
Another good one! A deeper, intriguing look into hitman culture: their commonly-held concerns; the expected manners; the ethics of just meeting with a potential client; the different categories into which a hitman may fit; and, additional information on how one finds a contract. There’s such a hard, cold feel in this heartwarming story---very different from most of what I read and I love it!
Armstrong writes a lot about how “chatty” Nadia is and of Jack’s interest in her chatter. I can’t figure out if it’s the normality of Nadia’s life that intrigues him or Nadia herself probably a combination of both! Whatever the hook, Jack is far more interested in Nadia than he’s willing to admit or she’s expecting. However will he reconcile his feelings with Quinn’s obvious interest in Nadia?
The Cover
I don’t care for this cover. It’s obviously Nadia on the cover in front of a building but what relevance it has for this story…I don’t know.
I am so hoping that Armstrong is working on book 3…this one was published in 2009 so I’m crossing my fingers!
March 18, 2014
After reading the first book in this series early this year I couldn't wait to get back to this series. Made to Be Broken is just as good as the first book, maybe even a bit better. It's another story, another investigation, but there are also plot lines that continue and develop more in this book. And probably will continue in the next book too.
In Made to Be broken things get a bit more personal, a case reminds Nadia of her own sister and she starts to investigate. Then Jack comes along and helps. There are leads to be chased, research to be done and murders to be solved. I really enjoyed this book and it makes me reconsider my reluctance to pick up 'horror' books, because while this book has some parts that could be called a bit scary, I really enjoyed it and just wanted to read more and figure it all out. I like how I kept guessing and trying to figure out how it all worked out together with Nadia. The end doesn't tie things up as nicely as I would've hoped, but luckily I have the third book to read next. I love Kelley Armstrong her writing style and I just wanted to keep reading.
Nadia is a great character and I liked reading more about her and the lodge she calls home. I liked learning more about her and we see a bit more of the side characters too. I really like Jack too, how he speaks in short sentences and how characteristicaly he is. There also is a bit romance, but it's really on the back burner. And while I like a slow romance, this one went a bit too slow even for me. And I wish Nadia would just recognize her feelings for Jack and act on them, but that's not what happens. I do like Quinn too, but there is just something he's missing. I keep routing for Nadia and Jack.
To conclude: Made to be Broken is another great installment in this series. Some plot lines that where started in the first book are continued, but mostly it's a new murder mystery to be solved. I really enjoyed this book and wanted to keep reading. I love Kelley her writing style! This book has great characters and I love how they feel real and I liked getting to know more about the characters. The romance is done really well and slow. Next up is the third book in this series and I can't wait to see how it all get's wrapped up.
In Made to Be broken things get a bit more personal, a case reminds Nadia of her own sister and she starts to investigate. Then Jack comes along and helps. There are leads to be chased, research to be done and murders to be solved. I really enjoyed this book and it makes me reconsider my reluctance to pick up 'horror' books, because while this book has some parts that could be called a bit scary, I really enjoyed it and just wanted to read more and figure it all out. I like how I kept guessing and trying to figure out how it all worked out together with Nadia. The end doesn't tie things up as nicely as I would've hoped, but luckily I have the third book to read next. I love Kelley Armstrong her writing style and I just wanted to keep reading.
Nadia is a great character and I liked reading more about her and the lodge she calls home. I liked learning more about her and we see a bit more of the side characters too. I really like Jack too, how he speaks in short sentences and how characteristicaly he is. There also is a bit romance, but it's really on the back burner. And while I like a slow romance, this one went a bit too slow even for me. And I wish Nadia would just recognize her feelings for Jack and act on them, but that's not what happens. I do like Quinn too, but there is just something he's missing. I keep routing for Nadia and Jack.
To conclude: Made to be Broken is another great installment in this series. Some plot lines that where started in the first book are continued, but mostly it's a new murder mystery to be solved. I really enjoyed this book and wanted to keep reading. I love Kelley her writing style! This book has great characters and I love how they feel real and I liked getting to know more about the characters. The romance is done really well and slow. Next up is the third book in this series and I can't wait to see how it all get's wrapped up.
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