MAXIM JAKUBOWSKI, publisher, editor, bookseller, writer & critic chats to Paul Burke about his new novel Just a Girl with a Gun. "Less sex Jakubowski" Cornelia c'est moi...

Just a Girl with a Gun Killing Eve meets Mr and Mrs SmithIn the neon-lit world of seduction and secrets, Cornelia, a mesmerizing stripper, finds herself pulled into a sinister web spun by the enigmatic organization known only as ‘The Bureau’. Recruited for her hidden talents, she becomes an unlikely assassin, caught between the dance floor and a life of deadly precision.
But Cornelia harbours a secret passion that sets her apart from the other killers – she has a penchant for rare books. With each mission she completes, Cornelia indulges her obsession, using her ill-gotten gains to amass a collection that becomes both her refuge and her escape.
Amidst the chaos and danger, Cornelia’s path intertwines with Hopley, a fellow assassin haunted by his past. Unwittingly drawn together by their shared world of shadows, they navigate a treacherous landscape where trust is scarce, and survival is paramount.
As their forbidden romance blooms amidst the darkness, Cornelia and Hopley find solace in each other’s arms, their connection a fragile thread of love against a backdrop of deceit and danger. Yet, as they delve deeper into the heart of The Bureau, they discover a haunting truth that threatens to tear them apart.
In this exotic and gripping thriller, where death is a dance partner and love flickers in the shadows, Cornelia must confront her own loneliness and unravel the mysteries that surround her. Will she find redemption and a chance at a life beyond the deadly stage? Or will the sinister forces at play consume her, leaving only echoes of a lost love in their wake?

Maxim Jakubowski worked for many years in book publishing and is well-known for his books in a variety of genres. Under a pen name, he is also a Sunday Times bestseller. He lives in London and is currently the Chair of the Crime Writers' Association.

Recent books by Maxim jakubowski - (co-ed) Reports from the Deep End & Death Has a Thousand Faces (short stories)

Recommendations
Film POOR THINGS Jan, 24,
Mentions: Boris Vian, Lawrence Block, Cornell Woolrich, Day Keane, Brett Halliday, James Hadley Chase, Peter Cheyney, Edward Hopper (painter), WR Burnett, Brian Aldiss, JG Ballard, Michael Moorcock, Philip Jose Farmer

***Paul Burke writes for Crime Time, Crime Fiction Lover and the European Literature Network. He is also a CWA Historical Dagger Judge 2023.

Music courtesy of*** Guy Hale author of The Comeback Trail trilogy, featuring Jimmy Wayne - KILLING ME SOFTLY - MIKE ZITO featuring Kid Anderson
GUY HALE

Produced by Junkyard DogCrime Time

Crime Time FM is the official podcast of
Gwyl Crime Cymru Festival 2023
CrimeFest 2023
CWA Daggers 2023
& Newcastle Noir 2023
2024??