I didn't realize this was book #4 in a series. I enjoyed it, but definitely wished I had read the first 3 before listening to this one. I did enjoy the narration and story though!

Hotel Lucky Seven by Kotaro Isaka is another fast-paced, thrilling ride from the mind behind Bullet Train. In this gripping sequel, the hapless assassin Ladybug returns with his handler, Maria, to tackle a job that should be easy—delivering a painting to a hotel guest. However, things quickly spiral into chaos when Ladybug discovers the guest isn’t who he’s supposed to be, leading to a fight and, ultimately, the guest's death.

Isaka's signature style of outrageous characters, unexpected twists, and dark humor shines through once again. The plot is filled with tension, action, and surprises, keeping the reader hooked from start to finish. Ladybug’s uncanny ability to turn even the simplest jobs into a disaster adds a unique charm to this thriller, making it just as entertaining as its predecessor.

With fast-paced action and witty dialogue, Hotel Lucky Seven is a wild and stylish ride that will appeal to fans of Isaka's previous works and newcomers alike. The unexpected plot turns and larger-than-life characters make this a must-read for fans of dark humor and thrilling suspense.

4.50/5

What a wild ride.

Let me start off by saying I have not read nor watched bullet train. I haven’t read any of Kotaro Isaka’s work before, I knew about the movie, but I haven’t watched anything besides the trailer so I went into this slightly blind. It was a bumpy ride for me at the start, but I really enjoyed it!

The story was solid I really liked it. I loved the characters and how unique each of them were. I will say though I felt like the story took a while to get exciting. It became a bit hard for me to understand what was going on and what character was doing what I’m the beginning. I was able to latch on to the story and enjoy the crazy mystery of it all, knowing new information now, I would’ve loved it even more if I could reread it (or hear it in this case).

Shoutout to the narrator: Pan Bandhu. I thought he did a good job at narrating the characters different tones from each other without me getting lost in the sauce.

Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for the ARC of this audiobook for my honest review

A thought provoking and thrilling story. I enjoyed it, although towards the ending a lot was happening and I got a bit confused. I still really enjoyed the actions scenes, the comedy and the conversations about topics I haven’t thought much about in the past. It was interesting to hear that it was only added in the book because of your discussions with your friend and it was a great addition. The way it was written switching between characters so frequently had me a bit confused especially when it got to the end but that was my only issue and I really enjoyed the rest. The humor actually made me laugh out loud … a lot!

This book was a bit hard to follow and that's b/c I didn't realize there were 3 books preceding it! I will now have to go back and read them! This was a fun read and my 1st by Kōtarō Isaka! I am adding all of their books to my TBR!

#HotelLuckySeven
#NetGalley

Enjoyable and thrilling listen. This was my first book by this author but I will certainly read more! Loved this one highly recommend

I really liked Bullet Train, but have found the rest of this series difficult to engage with in the same way that I struggle with most novels that are largely action rather than substance,

There’s enough of a mystery in most of these to keep your attention, and Isaka certainly writes action and suspense well. But in the end they’re kind of all the same, and I found this one particularly chaotic and at times difficult to follow, largely due to a lack of character development that leaves one feeling like all of the characters are interchangeable.

Kōtarō Isaka’s Hotel Lucky Seven is a chaotic and bizarre trip through a luxury Tokyo hotel, with the world's most hapless assassin, Nanao—aka Ladybug—at its chaotic center. Following his misadventures in Bullet Train, Nanao returns for what should be a simple job: deliver a painting to a hotel guest. But when the guest turns out to be an imposter, things go sideways in spectacular fashion, leaving Nanao tangled in yet another deadly web of miscommunication, deception, and murder.

Isaka does what he does best--turn simplicity into chaos. The hotel’s halls become a battlefield for an unusual cast of characters, each with their own agendas—none of which align neatly with Nanao’s. There’s a mysterious woman with an uncanny memory, a pair of bumbling assassins who might be out of their depth, and plenty of others who each add layers to the chaos. Isaka doesn’t just rely on humor or violence—he melds the two into a darkly funny, sharp, and sometimes shockingly absurd narrative.

Nanao remains the center point. As an assassin, he’s as unlucky as ever, and his combination of self-deprecation, clumsiness, and resilience makes him endearing. His inner monologue adds humor and relatability to his adventure. The supporting cast is equally vivid; every character feels like they have a life of their own, with motivations and quirks that keep the story lively and unpredictable.

The pacing is relentless. Just when you think you’ve got a handle on the story, Isaka throws another curveball, upping the stakes and the absurdity. It’s part thriller, part comedy, and completely captivating. And if you’re a fan of multi-plot narratives, this book has that in spades. Threads weave in and out, overlapping in clever and unexpected ways, all without feeling convoluted.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Pun Bandhu, whose measured delivery adds a sly layer of contrast to the escalating mayhem. Bandhu easily navigates the tonal shifts, giving each character enough individuality without veering into caricature. His performance complements the novel’s quirky vibe, making it easy to immerse yourself in the action.

If you’re looking for a darkly funny, action-packed read that’s equal parts smart and absurd, Hotel Lucky Seven gets the job done. Isaka continues to carve out a niche for wildly unconventional thrillers, and I can’t wait to see where Nanao’s misfortunes take him next. I highly recommend this to fans of crime fiction with a comedic twist!

Thanks to RBmedia for the advanced copy.

Thank you to NetGalley, RB Media, and most especially to author Kotaro Isaka & Narrator Pun Bandhu for this audio eARC of Hotel Lucky Seven.

I first discovered the world created by Kotaro Isaka with the film Bullet Train, which led to the book, which then led me to Hotel Lucky Seven. It's a fun world of intrigue, shifting alliances, unexpected tenderness, and a lot of action, violence, and humor.

The book is fast paced, simply written (well!), and a lot of fun. I recommend.

Having seen Bullet Train I was very interested in reading from the author. I love the multiple POV style and how each characters problem or task can and does interact or stumble another's efforts. Honestly I had Brad Pitt and Sandra Bullock in my head for the returning characters but I'm certainly not complaining. I Really enjoyed this and am looking forward to reading some of this authors blacklist books.
The setting, a hotel of course, was perfect for the almost comedic back and forth chaos (or should i say, up and down, elevators, stairs) that follows our MC, Ladybug, around.
Lots of action and very well thought out twists.
Loved it

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for a copy of this book.
[Please note: I don't review with star ratings so I give each author and book 5 stars for the creativity, effort and energy alone, that goes into writing and publishing each book. Stars are a commendation of art]

The book was really was written. The chapters and persona intertwine into a lovely finish. I'm going to buy the others ones to.
The voice reading this story was a very good pick. Only issue i have is with his french pronunciation of certain diner courses.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an audio copy to listen to in exchange for an honest review.

I love this series so much. Ladybug is back and so is all the misfortune that follows him. A fast-paced book that will keep you entertained from start to finish.

Since I loved Bullet Train so much, I loved getting to go back into Ladybug's world for a little while. He has to deliver a birthday present to a client at a hotel and the craziness ensues.

I especially liked the new characters, Blanket and Pillow, who are assassins sort of against their will. I love how they talk about people being Easy Street people or not. They have a super interesting way that they assassinate people.

The narrator Pun Bandhu did a great job of reading the book.

I love this series and will keep reading them as long as they keep coming out.

A very interesting read, although confusing at times with the multiple storylines happening at once. Tried to read on vacation but had to abandon it and come back to it later since it required attention and remembering quite a few things. The audiobook was phenomenal though! The narrator did an excellent job keeping the multiple storylines separate. The ensemble cast was interesting, and the book reads like a screenplay that I'd enjoy watching as a movie or limited series. Clearly a sequel -- made me want to go read the other books in the series.

As #4 in the Assasins series, this book starts off quick and keeps pace throughout. Readers who love a fast, action-filled novel will get exactly what they're looking for here, and this story goes from one crazy scene to the next. I do think that you need to read the series to truly enjoy this novel, but if the title and blurb appeal to you, then this whole series is a great read that you'll enjoy diving right into! There is so much going on, it's hard to put down.

Nanao, the unlucky assassin in the newest novel by Kotaro Isaka, is so unfortunate that, according to him, whenever he decides to go to a temple for ritual cleansing, the priest is sure to slip into the puddle of water and cancel the entire ceremony. However, the latest job seems simple–delivering a framed painting to a hotel room. No such luck! When Nanao, nicknamed "Ladybug," goes to a designated hotel, the place is brimming with assassins.  Quoting "Hotel California" lyrics by the Eagles, "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave."

In 'Hotel Lucky Seven,' the body count is high, and the murders are violent. However, the novel's unique charm lies in its balance of cheeky humor and philosophical remarks, reminiscent of the Cohen brothers movies. This balance ensures that the violence never becomes overwhelming. As we find ourselves rooting for the underdog, a friendly, plain girl with a phenomenal memory, who is chased by the gang of gorgeous and cruel assassins, 'The Six,' we are entertained by the funny banter that peppers the narrative.

There are references to the previous book, "Bullet Train," which I haven't read, but the story works fine as a stand-alone. I still bought "Bullet Train."  I'm looking forward to meeting the familiar characters again. And seeing the film adaptation of "Bullet Train," with Brad Pitt as Ladybug, seems like something I'd also like to do.

Narrated by Pun Bandhu
Presented by RB Media

I liked this so much I finally bought the first book in the series haha.

Following on from Bullet Train, this sees our unlucky Ladybug delivering a painting to a hotel. Naturally, things go awry and dead bodies begin to accumulate.

The audio was an interesting treat, though I think I would have enjoyed it even more if I'd read it physically. The narrator did a decent job, but there are only so many ways you can change your voice to represent different characters, and so a lot started sounding the same. Particularly Pillow and Blanket - men doing female voices always sound a little too odd for me and these two were indistinguishable. I'd love the experience of creating my own ideas of each character in my head, so I'd love to re-read it with a physical copy.

There's also so much action that the details become important, and I'm not as good at absorbing details in audiobooks (usually because I'm multi-tasking). So as much as I really enjoyed listening to the story play out, I think there'd be even more enjoyment to be had slowing down and re-reading the sentences that get really hectic!

The story itself is the same kind of crazy/insane that Bullet Train was, which was thoroughly enjoyable. I really love this series with its unique characters and wild occurrences!

In terms of reading order, this does make several references to the events of Bullet Train which could be considered spoilers, so I'd read that before tackling this. But certainly if you enjoyed that one, this will be no different for you.

Highly recommend this series for people looking for a unique crime/thriller with comedic elements. I'm very much looking forward to going back to the beginning!

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC in audiobook format.

Kotaro Isaka’s Hotel Lucky Seven is a thrilling and darkly humorous addition to the world of crime fiction, seamlessly blending action, suspense, and quirky characters. Narrated by the talented Pun Bandhu, this audiobook offers an engaging and immersive experience that will captivate listeners.

This story follows Nanao, also known as “Ladybug,” who is infamously known as the unluckiest assassin in the world. Tasked with what seems like a simple job—delivering a painting to a guest at the Hotel Lucky Seven in Tokyo—Ladybug quickly finds himself embroiled in chaos. The recipient of the painting is not who he appears to be, and soon, Ladybug is caught in a deadly game involving multiple assassins, each with their own agenda. 

Pun Bandhu’s narration is a standout feature of this audiobook. His ability to capture the essence of Isaka’s eclectic characters and the fast-paced, often absurd nature of the plot adds a layer of depth and enjoyment to the listening experience. 

Isaka’s writing is sharp, witty, and full of unexpected twists. His talent for creating memorable characters and intricate plots is on full display in Hotel Lucky Seven. The dialogue is crisp and often laced with humor, providing a perfect counterbalance to the novel’s darker elements. 

Hotel Lucky Seven explores themes of fate, identity, and the unpredictability of life. It delves into the complexities of human nature and the often-blurred lines between good and evil. 

Hotel Lucky Seven is a highly entertaining and thought-provoking audiobook that will appeal to fans of crime fiction and dark comedy. Kotaro Isaka’s masterful storytelling, combined with Pun Bandhu’s excellent narration, makes this a must-listen for anyone looking for a fresh and exciting take on the genre. The novel’s blend of action, humor, and suspense ensures that it will leave a lasting impression.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

*Hotel Lucky Seven* is a wild, action-packed ride that doesn’t disappoint! Kotaro Isaka delivers another brilliant thriller with Ladybug at the center of a hilariously chaotic mission. What starts as a simple delivery quickly spirals into mayhem, filled with unexpected twists and clever humor. The characters are vibrant, the pacing is fast, and the plot keeps you guessing until the very end. If you loved *Bullet Train*, you’ll absolutely enjoy this next installment—it's a perfect mix of suspense and dark comedy!

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for an early audiobook edition of “Hotel Lucky Seven” by Kotaro Isaka , narrated by Pun Bandhu for an honest review. Pun Bandhu did a great job with the narration, especially considering there are a lot of character perspectives in this book.

Before I talk about the plot, I want to let the future reader know that this book has a lot of character perspectives and numerous storylines that eventually come together. If quick changes in characters and scenery easily sidetrack you, you may not like this book. You must pay attention to each character and their storyline for it to come together for you in the end. In addition, the characters have seemingly nonsense discussions, which do eventually come into the plot. You may be quick to discount these nonsensical discussions as filler for the book and try to skip over them. Don’t! They add to the story, you just have to wait for it.

I read this book because I enjoyed Bullet Train. This one starts off similarly to Bullet Train where supposedly unlucky Ladybug is performing an “easy” job, but like the Bullet Train, it does not turn out to be an easy job. As the bodies pile up the character's stories also come together and the good guys and the bad guys become clear, but not all of them until the very end. Good twists and the story progresses quickly, with no filler. I don’t want to give too much of the plot away, so this is a short review because you have to read it to get the full effect of the story.