Killing Rain - Barry Eisler

This is the 4th installment of the series featuring John Rain, the half-Asian all-amazin' assassin. Israeli intelligence has dispatched Rain to Manila to take out weapons dealer, Manheim Levi. To my delight, Rain is unable to take on this task single-handedly and is forced to entertain the assistance of loud-mouthed sharp-shooter Dox (who made his appearance in Rain Storm). On the verge of completing the assignment, Rain uncharacteristically gives in to his conscience and he botches the job. Levi and the Israelis are on to Rain, but he is determined to finish what he started, and contacts Delilah - his love interest from Rain Storm, and also a trained intelligence agent. With Eisler's patented twists and turns, the reader (and Rain) don't know who to trust or where anyone's true alliances lie. Killing Rain had a lot less of the surveillance and counter-surveillance techniques that I thought slowed down the plot of the prior Rain books - and Eisler started to write Rain as a human being with flaws, rather than a mindless killer who is always ten steps ahead of the other guy. This may be disappointing to readers who relish the fight scenes and CIA black-ops lingo - but for me, it was a much appreciated turn. The book ends with a shocking (to Rain, but not really to the reader) revelation that sets up the plot for installment #5, The Last Assassin. But, I fear I will have to wait until book 6 for the return of my beloved Dox. I better get reading...