Review: THE WET WOMAN by Alejandra Díaz Mattoni

Magdalena "Magda" Amador is a killer-for-hire. Spending her teenage years in forced prostitution, befriending the pharmacist who lived next door to the brothel, and building up a steely facade made her the perfect candidate for the murder-for-money lifestyle. But now it's time to come home. Upon her return to Southern California, she attempts to fit into a family unit who doesn't understand what she's been through and suspects she's a psychopath-which may not be entirely incorrect. And they don't have much room to point fingers anyway. They're embroiled in a money laundering and people smuggling business, which is currently under attack. Magda, as recalcitrant as a mule, sets out to unmask the threat and serve her own brand of justice. She wants to protect her family, but what she needs is to make amends with her wrongdoings, face her past traumas, and finally find a place in the world where she can fit in. High stakes, cold blood, and dark humor spiral around this fierce, female assassin, whose journey takes her through Baja California, Barcelona, and suburban Los Angeles in a snarky combination of crime noir and chick lit. Magda's story is an action-packed and emotional exploration of taking responsibility for your choices and paying for those of your parents.

Reviewed by: Celia

Rating: 3 stars

 

Review: Magda is the Wet Woman, the one who gets her hands dirty. She is a professional killer-for-hire working with a guy named Mike.

I was intrigued with the idea of the assassin, and I thought that Mike and Magda made a pretty good team. At some point, I even pictured the two as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in that movie, Mr. and Mrs. Smith. But I had a hard time seeing Magda as a killer with her being so ensconced into a modern family. Was Magda living a double life? Did her family not know she was an assassin? How can she have hot dogs at a family picnic one day and get rid of a dead body the next?

Additionally, I didn’t understand the concept of the “Wet Woman.” What did that mean?

For the most part, the writing was light-hearted and witty. However, there were too many characters and too much information to absorb at one time.

Overall, this was an okay read, but the plot may have been a little too complex.