Lethal Torture (Lethal Legacy 4) by Paula Walshe-review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 6, 2025

ZINAIDA

My world is too dark for love. Which is exactly why Luke Macarthur is the wrong choice to protect me. But I have a leak. And that means hiring from outside. I expect him to turn down the job. I want him to turn it down. He’ll have your back. I hate how dangerously seductive I find those few words. Sooner or later, people either betray me, or become a weakness to be used against me. It’s the price I pay for being Zinaida Melikov. So why doesn’t Luke run the first time he sees what he’s dealing with? But keeping a poker face for half an hour is one thing. Living in the murky darkness of my world for months on end is quite another. There’s only one way a good man like Luke leaves my world: in a body bag, buried by forces much darker than he will ever be. Luke Macarthur might well be the killer Mak says he is, but he’s also as wholesome as apple f***ing pie. And a wholesome man has no place beside damaged goods like me.

LUKE

There’s no way I should take this job. I don’t sleep with clients. Ever. And Zinaida Melikov is the most dangerous smokeshow I’ve ever laid eyes on. But someone is definitely trying to kill her, which is the kind of mystery I can’t resist. And I need danger the way some men need to breathe. She’s a renowned psychopath. Except I know she isn’t. I saw her mask slip. It was barely a split second, the briefest loss of control. Most men wouldn’t have noticed. But I’m not most men. I’m trained to see what other men don’t. And in that moment, I saw past the dead eyes. Past the performance, the mask, and the game. I caught a glimpse of the woman who lives behind the masquerade. And now I can’t stop thinking about her.

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REVIEW:: LETHAL TORTURE is the fourth instalment in Paula Walshe’s contemporary, adult LETHAL LEGACY dark, erotic, Mafia romance series. This is thirty-nine year old, former British SAS (Special Forces) agent turned private contractor Luke Macarthur, and business woman Zinaida Melikov’s story line. LETHALTORTURE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Luke and Zinaida) using present day and memories from the past, LETHAL TORTURE follows in the wake of several assassination attempts against our story line heroine. Zinaida Melikov’s life has been anything but easy, and she fights to save those unable to save themselves but the latest attempt on her life forces Zinaida, a stubbornly independent and dangerous woman in her own right, to seek outside help, eventually and reluctantly contracting with former SAS agent Luke Macarthur. Luke is a man on a mission, determined to protect the woman with whom he will fall in love but an internal review reveals both a professional and personal betrayal.

The world building is, once again, dark, detailed and multi-layered as our couple, along with several members of Luke’s business partners and board members on the Mercura Crypto Platform, most of whom of are connected to the Russian Bratva or former Special Forces operatives, begin a deep dive into people associated with our story line heroine.

The relationship between Zinaida and Luke begins as a professional arrangement but from the outset Zinaida is determined to unbalance our story line hero. Zinaida owns several high end, private $ex clubs, and the elite of society depend upon our heroine to keep their secrets. Luke refuses to cross the invisible line with his client but their attraction is immediate and strong. The $ex scenes are erotic, provocative and intense.

There is a large ensemble cast of thought provoking, questionable, dangerous and twisted secondary and supporting characters including the return of Roman Borovsky, and his wife Darya, Ofelia, Alexei, and Dimitry Stevanovsky. We are introduced to Makari ‘Mak’ Tereschenko; specialist Paddy; Luke’s sister Liana; as well as Zinaida’s security team(Charlie, Anatoly, Enzo), employees, survivors, and several business acquaintance, competitors, and political powers. The requisite evil has many faces.

LETHAL TORTURE is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, jealousy and obsession, family and friendships, relationships and love. The character driven premise is dark, edgy and dramatic-heed the trigger warnings. The characters are desperate, charismatic, determined and often tragic; the romance is spicy and passionate.

Reading Order and previous reviews
Lethal Legacy
Lethal Alliance
Lethal Abduction

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy