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.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to listen to this brilliant book. I had actually just recently read the book and while I loved it, I was at times confused by who was who and keeping track of the characters, listening to the book took all of this away. A brilliant audio experience, loved the narration .

Stylish, twisty, funny and hard to put down thriller about a number of different killers on varying missions all staying in the same hotel. . Hugely original, very entertaining and I had no idea where the story was going but really enjoyed the journey and the conclusion was deeply satisfying.

Recommend to anybody who enjoys a thriller and appreciates a fresh take on this genre and will be strongly recommending the audiobook.

So I have now read and listened to Hotel Lucky Seven, I really hope I get the opportunity to watch it on the big screen next! It would make a brilliant film.

A bunch of assassins chase each other around a hotel. This is the fourth book of the series that I have read. The only one that I really liked was “Bullet Train”. I thought that this book had too many uninteresting characters and an extremely convoluted plot. I received a free copy of this audiobook from the publisher.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this audio!!

I LOVED this book! It was a bit slow in the beginning but then boom I was hooked!! I finished it in one sitting! My first by this author but will not be my last!!

Hotel lucky seven by Kotaro Isaka

Well nothing brings your intrigue into a story like peculiar names like pillow and blanket when it comes to the opening scene of a book with two hotel maids.

This books was odd and interesting all at the same time. Definitely an interesting read and kept my attention with the slew of violence and a good crime fiction get away.

Thank you NetGalley and RBMedia

I enjoyed this latest instalment of the Assassins series much more than the third even though, at times, I did get a bit confused with the characters.

I listened to the audio version, which was well narrated by Pun Bandhu. Bandhu has a nice relaxed delivery even when the action becomes slightly crazy. He had good delineation between characters without resorting to "doing" voices.

The story this time sees Ladybug delivering a birthday present - nice and simple right? Of course it never is when Ladybug is involved. Unfortunately he finds himself caught up in a complex operation where a woman with an eidetic memory is being chased by 6 sadistic assassins who need to bring her to their client intact. It's certainly not what they are used to. They'd much rather do horrific things to anyone who gets in their way.

Add to this cast of characters a politician and his sidekick who were part of the first in this series, an old lady called Koko who is an expert hacker, two "cleaners" called Pillow and Blanket, several other assassins, numerous helpful hotel employees and one or two purely innocent bystanders - all chasing each other round a hotel and you've got the perfect crazy story.

Loved it. Highly recommended whether you've read the other books or not. Funny and clever with one or two twists to keep you guessing. You have to feel sorry for Ladybug.

Thanks to Netgalley and RB Media for the audio advance review copy. Most appreciated.

If you like creepy, well-developed, fun to love/hate characters and a great plot about various competing groups of apparent sociopaths, this is the book for you. I don't know what it says about me, but I loved, Hotel Lucky Seven, which I read in audio. Unfortunately, it is the fourth and apparently final book in Kotaro Isaka's "Assassins" series, but it is an easy book to read as a stand alone. I have acquired Book 1 to see if it is worth reading the first three. Usually, if characters are unlikeable, I don't like a book. But some evil characters are fun to read about even though they have few or no redeeming qualities. It helps when some of them get their comeuppance. There is a moral code in this book although you have to look for it.

So, I'm just going to list some things about the characters, all of whom have funny code names. The story's arc is about a young woman who cannot forget anything she has ever seen or heard. She has been used by a kind of puppet master who oversees a number of criminal enterprises. He has suggested he might need to do away with her when she has served his needs. She will know too many of his deepest secrets due to her memory. The girl with the memory is running off and decides to stay in this hotel, rumored to be a hotel where nobody dies.

The puppet master character weaves through the book as a player in politics and a successful businessman in noncriminal enterprises, as well as a crime boss. Two of his "employees" who never seem to get paid, are young women who clean hotel rooms as a cover for more sinister work. They met as school girls. Then, we have "The Six" who are a gang of gorgeous looking criminals with a particular task involving the girl with the memory. They are known for using unique weapons very effectively in well-coordinated attacks. We have a famous ex-politician who lives quite well and is always seen with his sidekick bodyguard. He lost his wife and child to a devastating accident. He then made national news when his bodyguard and he took down a crazed man with a knife in front of a lot of school children on public transit, thus rocketing to even more fame for his bravery. He is out of politics, but still powerful and beloved.

Two interesting female criminals play important roles. One, is an older former female criminal who is a computer whiz and sets out to help the girl with the great memory. There is an older current female gang leader who has given one of her employees a task that, as usual for him, goes wrong and turns into one huge mess. This employee plays a large part in everything that goes wrong in what was set up as a well-thought out plan he knows nothing about. There is the porter in the hotel who uses bad judgment. There are a couple of bodyguards meant to help the girl with the memory and the older former female criminal who never show up for the job but ultimately have roles to play. And so forth. There are some gruesome deaths and near misses. These are, after all, sociopathic people.

After listening to this intricate but not hard to follow plot with all these characters whose natures make them easy to remember-- honest-- there is a quite satisfactory conclusion. I hope reading the first three entries in this series will be just as satisfying. Also, the narrator, Pun Bandhu, is fabulous!

Book Title: Hotel Lucky Seven
Series: The Assassin #4
Author: Kotard Isaka
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Pun Banahu
Publisher: RB Media
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: November 19, 2024
My Rating: 3 Stars
Pages 304

I was drawn to this when I read the names of the lead characters - I was sure it was going to at least be somewhat entertaining.

Story starts when Nanao - code name Ladybird - a professional assassin is given what seems to be a simple enough task-deliver a painting to a man in a specific room in Tokyo’s Winton Palace Hotel. However nothing is ever simple to this assassin.

Other characters in this story are the professional team of Pillow and Blanket, who are hotel maid at the hotel.

This story or I should say this misadventure did keep me curious!
My first Kptard Isaka and I am looking forward to another.

Want to thank NetGalley and RB Media for granting me this early audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for November 19, 2024.

This is another thrilling book by Kotaro Isaka. This is the 4th instalment, with books Three Assassins and Bullet Train before this. The story follows Nanao aka Ladybug on his next mission. But if we do know Ladybug, we know he is plagued with terrible luck, turning seemingly simple missions into wild, chaotic adventures. True to Isaka's style, the story is fast paced, unpredictable and compelling, keeping the reader hooked.

This was my first ever audiobook experience and while the story itself was great, I didn't enjoy the narrators delivery - it wasn't to my taste. That said, I have never experienced an audiobook so I have nothing to compare it to. This could just be my personal preference, rather than a reflection of the production quality.