Review: "Somebody Worth Killing" by Jessica Payne

Somebody Worth Killing by Jessica Payne
Published June 2026 via Berkley
★★★★

Nadia is good at what she does. Officially, that's wedding planning—but unofficially? She takes the bad guys down. Violently. And if if just so happens that this aligns with her need for destruction, well, at least it's for a good cause. There's just one problem: She's pretty sure she's been mommy-tracked...and when she demands a bigger job, the target turns out to be none other than her husband.

The Mr. and Mrs. Smith vibes are real in this one, and I am here for it. It's quite distinct, not to fear, but it's playful and fast-moving and, frankly, who hasn't wanted a secret room hidden inside their closet? Nadia also makes for a fascinating main character: She doesn't experience the world the same way most people around her do, not the world or emotions or relationships. That doesn't mean that she doesn't have emotions or relationships, or that they aren't healthy...but it informs the way she sees the world and the way she interacts with it.

Honestly, I'd be delighted if this became a series. No spoilers, but much of the book is about Nadia figuring out who her husband is—it becomes clear early on that he is not in fact who he says he is, any more than she is—but what she ultimately finds out has major implications for her actions throughout the book, as well as anything that might happen in any theoretical books. There are so many directions this could go in, and quite a lot of characters who could provide fodder for future books.

Very good fun—if you're into a bit of tongue-and-cheek assassin action, this is very much a book for you.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.