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 Smith
In 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 

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