“There are few writers who can set the scene like Lynds can.
The Assassins
has everything a reader could possibly want in a gritty, action-packed story set amid some of the most tortured lands on earth and inhabited by killers who can trust no one, certainly not the other killers beside them. This is Lynds hitting on all cylinders with a thought-provoking tale that will surely stand with the year’s best thrillers.”

—
David Baldacci

“
The Assassins
hooks you on page one, pulls you into the story on page two, and doesn’t let you go until the very last paragraph. This is a classic last-man-standing story of deceit and betrayal with enough new twists and turns to keep you up way past your bedtime.”

—
Nelson DeMille

“
The Assassins
kept me spellbound. It’s the ultimate battle of wits! By pitting master assassin against master assassin,
Gayle Lynds
has delivered a master class in suspense, where plot twists abound and danger is always closer than you think!”

—
Lisa Gardner

“
The Assassins
starts as fast as a sniper’s bullet and breaks sideways from Baghdad to D.C. with neck-snapping, high-speed twists. Rich with terrific local color, fascinating historical details, and an insider’s knowledge of spycraft …
Gayle Lynds
has mastered the international action thriller.”

—
Robert Crais

“
The Assassins
delivers on everything it promises: devious players, shifting alliances, and no one you should trust.”

—
Brad Meltzer

“
Gayle Lynds
again proves herself a master of the thriller in her latest,
The Assassins
. The story weaves real-world politics and ripped-from-the-headlines authenticity to create a roller coaster of action and suspense worthy of Dan Brown at his best. With characters you’ll bleed for, I defy you to put this book down once you start.”

—
James Rollins

“
The Assassins
is a furiously wild ride from Maryland to Marrakesh to Baghdad, with rich, vibrant characters and a surprise twist that will hit you between the eyes. I loved it!”

—
Catherine Coulter

“
The Assassins
is another masterwork of international suspense from
Gayle Lynds
, which starts with a killer premise—six ex–Cold War assassins pitted against one another—and ends with a violent and stunning surprise. Here’s a thriller with rich settings, beautifully crafted characters, and a compulsively readable story line, a magnificent novel from a major talent. Outstanding.”

—
Douglas Preston

“
Gayle Lynds
knows what a reader wants and she delivers a tantalizing premise, stylish prose, and a plot that literally takes no prisoners. The result? A perfect piece of thrilling entertainment.”

—
Steve Berry

“This is Cold War thriller writing at its best. Raw, vivid, utterly credible, with palpable tension that never releases its grip.”

—
Peter James

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Contents

Advance Praise for
The Assassins

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

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Cover designed by James Iacobelli

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The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:

Lynds, Gayle.

The assassins / Gayle Lynds. — First edition.

pages; cm

ISBN 978-0-312-38090-8 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-4668-4738-5 (e-book)

1. Assassins—Fiction. I. Title.

PS3562.Y442A94 2015

813
'
.54—dc23

2015012469

e-ISBN 9781466847385

First Edition: June 2015