Content levels
Trigger warnings
Positive tags
Heroine archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Themes
Synopsis
A hired killer finds herself caught between her conscience and her contract over the holidays in this riveting short thriller from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger. A hit woman’s work doesn’t stop for the holidays. As the advent calendar winds down, Paige slips into a palatial house, ignoring a blizzard of texts from her ex-husband. No surprise—Julian always gets maudlin this time of year. The real shock comes when the target is not alone. His young daughter is there too. Risking the wrath of her organization, Paige retreats. There are some lines that, for personal reasons, she just won’t cross. But when she returns on Christmas Eve to finish the job, the girl is still there…along with someone even more startling. As the ghosts of her past gather—to haunt or to help, it’s unclear—Paige must confront old traumas and outwit her superiors to make it to Christmas morning alive.
Tags
The Kill Clause: A Short Story: content & age rating
Intended for adult readers (18+).
An adult thriller featuring a female assassin who confronts moral lines when a child enters her assignment. Contains violence inherent to the hitwoman premise, themes of contract killing, and psychological tension.
What to know going in
This book has strong violence, no sexual content, and moderate language. Content notes include child harm, murder, and death (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Not appropriate for young readers—this is an adult psychological thriller about a hired killer.