The Christmas Kill is the 172nd book in the Killmaster series by Nick Carter. Released in January 1983, it takes readers to Japan before the holiday season. The author is also the main character in the story. And when Nick Carter is directed to go to Japan to investigate a bombing, he finds himself alone trying to prevent a cataclysmic event.
Synopsis from Goodreads
A toy factory explosion in Japan sets the stage for another Hiroshima disaster!
When an old friend of Hawk’s enlists his aid to check into a toy factory explosion in Hiroshima, Hawk sends Nick Carter to Japan to handle the routine assignment. But when Nick is welcomed with a barrage of snipers’ bullets at Tokyo International Airport, he begins to uncover an insane plot that threatens the lives of millions of Americans. It is up to him to destroy the group known as the Sons of August Six before they cause death and destruction across the American continent. Making the bombing of Hiroshima look like a mere fireworks display in comparison.
Positives
- Just over 200 pages in length.
- Quick read.
Negatives
- It’s a product of its time.
My Opinions
I added The Christmas Kill to my TBR after finding it at a used book sale. According to the hype inside the book, Nick Carter is the American answer to James Bond. I was hooked and had to give it a read.
The book was initially released in the early 1980s; as such, it may come across as being racist and using negative stereotypes. While the stereotypes were annoying, I was able to overlook them while reading the story. Yes, I know such things are problematic and shouldn’t be avoided. But if we were to do that with every offensive book, we wouldn’t be able to read anything older than 20 years.
The action scenes were very reminiscent of James Bond, which is what I was looking for while reading The Christmas Kill. While this is book 172 in a series that contains 261 books, you can read it as a standalone. I haven’t read any other books in the series, but I don’t feel like I was missing anything.
Overall, if you read The Christmas Kill, don’t expect to read literature. It is purely for escapism and entertainment.
Are you looking for some more books to read? Check out my bookish lists, book reviews, and monthly reading wrap-ups.
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