Assassin Eighteen

Last Man Standing #2

by John Brownlow

'I am waiting for someone to kill me. Tonight would be a good night for it.'

Agent Seventeen, the most infamous hitman in the world, has quit. But whoever wants to become Assassin Eighteen must track him down and kill him first.

So when a bullet hits the glass inches from his face, he knows who fired it - doesn't he?

But the sniper isn't the hardened killer he was expecting. It's Mireille - a mysterious, silent child, abandoned in the woods with instructions to pull the trigger.

Reuniting with his spiky lover, Kat, Seventeen must protect Mireille, and discover who sent her to kill him, and why.

But the road he must travel is littered with bodies. And the answer, when it comes, will blow apart everything Seventeen thought he knew.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Espionage, Audiobook, Suspense, Crime

484 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 15, 2023

Reviews

[Ceecee · Rating 5 out of 5]

He is Agent Seventeen, “Jones“, a hunter tracking prey for pay, travelling in the dark, leaving no visible footprint but now he’s quit the hitman business. That is until a bullet hits window glass way, way too close to his face. Maybe it’s Eighteen who has taken the shot, he gives chase and what he discovers is not what he’s expecting. There in the woods is a young girl and the Wolves are circling. This silent child is Mireille and Seventeen reunites with Kat in order to protect her and find out who sent her and why. It’s no exaggeration to say that even in his wildest dreams Seventeen never imagines this scenario.

Phew and wow, what an introduction and the pace doesn’t let up until the very end. I really enjoy Seventeen and I’m just as engaged with this one as the author has the ability to write well crafted and immersive thrillers. There are some fantastic and well chosen settings which provide a superb backdrop to the increasingly tense drama. It’s exciting, exhilarating and scary at times, and although some scenarios are Hollywood/Jason Bourne worthy, at the heart of the plot lurks an all too believable and plausible threat that blows my socks off and gives all the fears. Seventeen is most assuredly up against it as he’s caught between a rock and a hard place and in the crosshairs of something huge. We see a conflicted side of his personality which is intriguing but overwhelmingly the desire to do the right thing. Kat is a terrific sidekick and you’d want her on your side any day of the week. The plot goes through highs and several lows, it’s a rollercoaster that keeps accelerating with multiple twists and turns, all told in a vivid and visual manner. As for that ending, that is unexpected but it also feels right.

Overall, if you like an action packed, high octane thriller that keeps you turning pages then this series is definitely for you.

With thanks to NetGalley, and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review .

[Gunnar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seventeen ist der weltbeste Auftragskiller, die Nr.17 in einer Reihe illustrer Vorgänger. Doch die Bürde des Besten ist es, irgendwann von seinem Nachfolger gestellt (und getötet) zu werden. So hat Seventeen alle Kommunikation abgebrochen und wartet im abgelegenen Haus seines Vorgängers auf das Unvermeidliche. Doch dann wird er überraschend von einem kleinen Mädchen angegriffen, doch Seventeen ahnt schnell, dass mehr dahinter steckt und nicht nur er, sondern auch das Kind in großer Gefahr ist.

Band 2 einer innovativen Reihe um einen Profikiller, geschrieben aus der Ich-Perspektive des Killers. Wie der Vorgänger spannend, tempo- und actionreich. Und dennoch kommt es leider nicht an den ersten Band heran, der deutlich ironisch-zynisch-komischer war und dadurch noch mehr Spaß gemacht hat. Hier wird es fast schon zu gefühlsduselig und ernst, wenn Seventeen nicht nur das Kind, sondern quasi die ganze Welt retten muss. Unterhaltsam war es aber dennoch.

[Zora · Rating 1 out of 5]

So so bad. I laughed finally, and it's not a comedy. More like how you laugh at an Ed Wood film. The cascade of bad metaphors, pouring over you like a rain or a truckful of rejected pennies and some marbles, maybe, or perhaps it was Good N Plenties. Just page after page of that kind of thing, truly awful similes that kept coming, as if the author grasped each one was bad and kept hoping one of them might work. Plus some shit that couldn't happen, a weary cynical narrator who would have been confused if he ever met an intelligent spy out of La Carre. And a "twist" coming that a child can see a mile off.

People call this an airline book, but guys, some airlines crash, and you don't want this to be the last thing you read.

DNF. But you don't need to finish this kind of thing to know it's bad.

[Wendy(Wendyreadsbooks) Robey · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Wow what a thrill ride of a read. From the very beginning of Seventeen’s story this book takes you on a fast-paced journey from Svalbard to South America and many places in between. Seventeen is a complex character and it was fascinating to see underneath the facade of the trained hitman as he sought to understand who or what was after him. The action never stopped and each page was full of more gasps and twists as we learnt more of the reasons why Seventeen and also Mireille were at risk.

[Karen Porter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good storyline, I liked it, but it seemed vaguely familiar. Good pace, short chapters helped, they got shorter as the action intensifies. It's the second in a series, might have to go back and read the first.

[XOX · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book read like an action B movie.

Seventeen is an assassin who lived alone. He has left the killer business and waiting for someone to kill him and take the title.

It read like Killer Elite with a lot of men trying to live a short life.

I still don’t know why they choose this occupation if it is not for the money.

So someone tried to put a bullet to his head. It failed because of bullet proof window,

The rest is interesting but not really,

There is another zero day computer virus. The bad guys are rich, racist and nasty.

And there is strange but not comprehensible assassin culture. It is okay. They like to be the best.

To be the best in any project need logistic support, clear mind and ability to hit the target.

I don’t see Seventeen being that good at killing.

I see a man who is down on his luck and is depressed.

The chase is okay but fall short of being very logical or exciting.

Skipping ahead is the result. OK but not so okay.

The end.

3 stars read.

[Neil Johnston · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit ridiculous

[Teresa Biggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

OSU summer bingo reading challenge

Book 2. I have not read book 1 but they did enough retelling that you got the gist of the past story.

Agent 17 has quit the business and is waiting for someone to kill him ( evidently only one assassin alive at a time — did not totally understand this part of the book ) A young girl does attempt to and he realizes he knows her mom and now someone is out to get the girl. He wants to save the girl but then the world ends , if he saves the world she dies . He reunites w Kat I assume from book 1 and lots of dead bodies litter the landscape Lots of world travel , super elite rich and gun porn and technology. It is fast paced

[Tracye Jorgensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounding up to a 4.5 ⭐'s.

Fast-paced, mega action follow-up to John Brownlow's first novel Seventeen. The high octane action of this novel just never stops. Whip-smart, crisp writing and short fast chapters really move this novel along at a quick pace. If you want an edgy read, this would be the book for you. But I would recommend reading Seventeen first to get a better feel for the main character Seventeen aka Jones and his equally dangerous sidekick Kat who has her own very colorful past.

[Craig Turnbull · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this in 3 days.

Absolute rollercoaster like the first one and a lot of twists and turns

[Kristie Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another superb thriller from Mr. Brownlow! If life has got you down, grab this escapist fun. Grabbed this blind from the library and couldn't put it down. After reading this, I had to back up and read Seventeen. Can't recommend these books enough. I wait with bated breath for his next book and hopefully movie adaptations!

[Rob Wakefield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brisk

[Nicola · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ich bin mir nicht ganz sicher, wie ich diesen Thriller einordnen soll. Alles ist so überzogen, dass es an eine Parodie grenzt, gleichzeitig ist der Ton bierernst, so dass es sich anscheinend nicht um eine Parodie handelt.

Zwar spielt "Eighteen" im Auftragskiller-Milieu, dass der Protagonist namens Seventeen aber so ziemlich alles überlebt - selbst die Explosion eines Hubschraubers und einer Mega-Yacht - lässt an James Bond erinnern (insbesondere die Roger-Moore- und Pierce-Brosnan-Bonds, die aber immerhin mit einem Augenzwinkern aufwarteten, worauf man bei "Eighteen" aber vergebens wartet). Auch dass Seventeen mal eben um die ganze Welt jettet, um ebenjene zu retten, lässt an James Bond denken.

Kleine Brötchen werden in "Eighteen" nicht gebacken und Logik steht an letzter Stelle, die Charaktere sind schablonenhaft gezeichnet. Das Tempo ist teilweise irrwitzig, was ich persönlich gut fand, weil man gar nicht großartig zum Nachdenken kommt. Käme man zum Nachdenken, wäre der Thriller deutlich weniger erträglich. Es gibt nur wenige Längen und die sind zum Glück zu vernachlässigen.

Leider ist es irgendwann (weil es ernst gemeint ist und nicht als Parodie - so zumindest mein Eindruck) zu viel des Guten, so dass letztlich die Spannung leidet. Es ist ziemlich klar, wie die Geschichte enden wird.

Ich hatte oft den Eindruck, dass Autor John Brownlow mehr für etwaige Filmstudios als für ein lesendes Publikum geschrieben hat. Tatsächlich beschreibt er viele Szenen so gut, dass sie wie ein Film vor den Augen der Leser*innen ablaufen. Allerdings hätte er - wenn er auf einen Filmdeal aus ist - lieber gleich ein Drehbuch abliefern können, das wäre wenigstens ehrlich gewesen.

Fazit:

Rasant, komplett übertrieben und total anspruchslos, aber immerhin schnelles Lesefutter für zwischendurch. Etwas mehr Augenzwinkern hätte dem Thriller nicht geschadet.

[M. Wall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book, a little back and forth early on, but short chapters make the book fly by.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a rollercoaster from the first page to the last one . Compulsive reading. So many twists and reveals.
Don't know how to describe the book buts brilliant and I loved it.

[HMZ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book may be decent enough for those unfamiliar with other seasoned authors in the genre. However, for some of us well-versed in the likes of the Gray Man, Will Robie, Gabriel Allon, Mitch Rapp, and Scott Harvath series, there's no competition – Seventeen falls short

[Dan Hoffmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fastest paced book I've ever read. Loved every second of it. Hoping there will be a NINETEEN

[Bookreporter.com Mystery & Thriller · Rating 5 out of 5]

ASSASSIN EIGHTEEN follows the opening installment of John Brownlow’s series, SEVENTEEN: Last Man Standing. Each "assassin" is named for his numerical place as the world's #1 killer for hire. When the up-and-coming prospective assassin manages to kill the current top assassin, he or she then takes the latter role and assumes the next number as his or her "title." In the first book, Seventeen was given the assignment to kill Sixteen. While he didn't quite manage to do that, Sixteen died nevertheless, and Seventeen followed Sixteen just as naturally as two follows one on a number line.

Now Seventeen tells us right from the start that he's retired, and he's waiting for the person who aspires to be Eighteen to come and kill him. In a first-person narrative, he shares his story. Because we learned a lot about him in SEVENTEEN, I highly recommend reading that one first. Although it works fine as a stand-alone, if you start with ASSASSIN EIGHTEEN, you'll be missing some of the background of Seventeen's life and how his childhood experiences honed him and turned him into a remorseless killer.

What we find out about Seventeen in this novel, as he shares more of his background, is a story we did not hear about in the first book --- what might have been the only time he fell in love. And ironically, it was with another killer. In SEVENTEEN, we learn about those who control hired killers, people who are ex-CIA, or handlers who act as middlemen between those who are hiring and the actual assassins. In ASSASSIN EIGHTEEN, it's all about Seventeen and how he is forced to complete an assignment due to something he had never anticipated: a personal weakness that no hired killer ever wants.

The Seventeen in this novel is a softer man, a killer who looks back on his life with some regret. Although he doesn't shy away from violence, he also chooses when to deploy it and when it's unnecessary. The plot, in a sense, comes full circle from the first shocking sentence to the perfectly predictable (read the title) but also stunning ending. So there are no huge twists here, but rather a gripping, action-filled (really, nonstop thrills) read with plenty of unexpected emotions and tender feelings popping up where they have no business being. He's a killer, for heaven's sake. He isn't supposed to be protecting others and risking his life to save the world.

But there you go. Seventeen is not the same cocky killer full of braggadocio and bravado. He's a quieter, more thoughtful assassin who wants to leave the killing behind. But once you hit the pinnacle of killer-dom and are given a number, you aren't allowed to go quietly into that good night. Ever.

The chapters are very short, and as with the first book, it serves to keep the reader going. I kept reading and reading until it was ridiculously late. I highly recommend this series to those who enjoy novels with ticking clocks, daring exploits, dangerous deeds and courageous characters. Evil ones, too, as there are plenty of those for everyone. And you just know that some will escape justice and will live to strike again in book three.

Reviewed by Pamela Kramer

[Bruno Menetrier · Rating 3 out of 5]

L'auteur, le livre (594 pages, 2024, 2023 en VO) :
Le britannique John Brownlow naviguait jusqu'ici sous les radars mais il vient de lancer une nouvelle série de romans d'espionnage : les aventures de l'agent Seventeen, puisque nous sommes dans le monde de James Bond et de Jason Bourne, un monde où les tueurs portent des numéros, un monde où se font et se défont les légendes.
On a commencé par le deuxième épisode : L'assassin Eighteen qui peut se lire indépendamment du précédent (L'agent Seventeen) mais si vous prévoyez de rester longtemps sur la plage, prenez les deux.

♥ On aime un peu :
• Ce gros pavé fait partie de ces romans où l'on peut laisser sans stress tomber le héros du haut du quarantième étage en nous racontant quelques anecdotes, aller piquer une petite tête rafraîchissante dans l'eau, revenir pour quelques pages où le héros continue sa chute vertigineuse agrémentée d'autres histoires, aller se chercher un cocktail au bar, et revenir juste à temps pour la chute qui verra le héros invincible se relever, son costume à peine froissé, et repartir à l'assaut des méchants qui l'ont précipité dans le vide.
Voilà, vous venez de lire le résumé des chapitres 74 à 76.
• Généreux, John Brownlow nous replace tous les trucs qui nourrissent les romans d'espionnage en ce moment : les Tigres d'Arkan de Serbie, les manœuvres de l'Otan de novembre 83, la station d'écoute du Svalbard, ... tout y passe, l'auteur a bien fait son job.
• Autant dire que si la prose reste agréable à lire, elle ne revendique évidemment pas les prix qu'on court et ne tente même pas de rivaliser avec un John Le Carré.
Pour tout dire, le divertissement serait tout à fait agréable si l'auteur (qui est aussi scénariste et réalisateur) ne se croyait pas obligé d'enchaîner les cascades incroyables et les combats épiques qui sont du meilleur effet au cinéma mais qui, sur le papier, tombent quand même un peu à plat et finissent par lasser.

Le pitch :
L'agent Seventeen est en pleine déprime. Fatigué et désabusé après ses aventures précédentes, il attend son heure ou plutôt celle de Eighteen qui ne va pas tarder.
Mais surprise ! Le sniper qui lui tire dessus est ... une fillette de neuf ans !
Et sa propre fille semble-t-il ! Pour faire bonne mesure, on apprend bientôt qu'un complot planétaire est lancé pour mettre la main sur une faille informatique zero-day qui menace de déclencher un holocauste nucléaire.
Ouf, Seventeen reprend du service pour retrouver la gamine, le code informatique vérolé et les affreux jojos qui voulaient tout ça.
Pour celles et ceux qui aiment les bagarres.

[Danielle S · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25/5

It's been a while since I've read a modern setting action/thriller book, but Assassin Eighteen was a pretty good one to get me back into it! The last time I read one of these that was written by a man had to have been back in the early early 2010s, and the vibes back then were not my cup of tea. I was happy to see that John Brownlow has obviously gone to lengths to make his contributions to the genre more welcoming while still providing a lot of excitement. The action is non-stop and the ending genuinely took me by surprise, which I always appreciate.

However, I have to say that a few smaller details woven throughout the book made me a bit frustrated. Like one of the characters, I'm mixed race, and the way this character was spoken about, even by the main character, was annoying. "I realise I was right. She's mixed race, part white, part something else." There are a few things about this that bother me. First, the use of "part something else". We are not things, our races are not things. Second, how does Seventeen know she's part white? Why does he think she's mixed race? Is it because her skin colour is lighter? Or is it because she looks like the stereotypical mixed race person, even though not all mixed race people look the same? Not once did we get an actual description of Mireille beyond her being mixed race and having her hair tied in a bobble. It's lazy and unintentionally offensive writing. Non-mixed-race writers tend to fall down this route when writing mixed race characters, and even though I have come to expect it, it's still frustrating to read.

There is also a short scene where Seventeen is quickly passing a woman he does not know who he still describes as Jewish. How does he know she is Jewish? What about her tells him she is Jewish? Things like this and the above always feel like lazy attempts at inclusivity that, like I said, run the risk of doing the opposite of what the writer wanted. They unfortunately left a bad taste in my mouth.

Still, I mostly enjoyed this book, and the ending made me intrigued for any follow-ups. I'll definitely keep this series on my radar.

Many thanks to Hodder & Staughton for sending me a copy for review.

[Anschen Conradie · Rating 5 out of 5]

#AssassinEighteen – John Brownlow
#HodderAndStoughton (2023)

Retirement is marginally overrated if you can only be replaced by being killed. The most infamous assassin in the world, known only by a number, currently Seventeen, chooses his opening statement to be simple: “I am waiting for someone to kill me.” (3) Whoever wants to be Eighteen, is expected to do the deed.

But, sometimes getting what you want is worse than not getting what you want. When the sniper’s bullet misses him with inches to spare, the person who pulled the trigger is a taciturn little girl with a pink bauble in her hair. Armed with a stuffed sock monkey, she is hardly the embodiment of a cold-blooded killer. The monkey's name indicates that Seventeen’s past has caught up with him; the monkey bears his name. Not Seventeen, not Jones; the name his mother gave him, and only one other person knows.

Not even the reader knows what this name is. Seventeen remains an enigma, the reader is not privy to his age or physical description. He is the first-person narrator but remains elusive throughout. His claim to fame, besides being a brilliant assassin, is his sardonic wit. When the sniper’s shot is fired, his thoughts occupy a full chapter but comprise of only a few words: “I am dead. The end.” (11) Obviously he is not, because a few chapters after that, while heading to the ground at an alarming speed from the top of a skyscraper, he manages to narrate a few chapters of his past whilst stating in alternate chapters “I fall.” (173-189) Entertainingly, the two words are printed closer and closer towards the bottom of the page as he nears the ground.

The subject matter is not light-hearted, however. Seventeen must neutralize a so-called Deep Threat, that is” … called a zero-day because the target of the attack has zero days to come up with a way to protect themselves.” (162) while facing a hungry pack of wolves, sub-zero temperatures, flying bullets, explosions, knife attacks, etc. Step aside 007.

It is recommended that the previous novel in the series (“Seventeen”) be read first, as this one opens exactly a year after the closing scenes of its predecessor.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #Uitdieperdsebek

[Jackiesreadingcorner · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all WOW forget James Bond, Jason Bourne and bring on seventeen otherwise known as Jones (an alias he uses). As soon as I received this one I realise it was book two so obviously I had to buy book one to read first although this can be read as a stand-alone but I hate reading books out of order, I like to see the characters develop and they did.

I highly recommend Book 1 as well as this one. Agent Seventeen is a gun for hire, or should I say was because he had decided to retire but he was bored he knew someone would be looking for him so they could become the best which he is until the next agent number eighteen kills him. You can only hide for so long.

He had started standing in his window with the lights on behind him giving himself up to anyone who wanted to shoot him, but when they did the last thing he thought it would be was a 9 year old girl. Who is the little girl Mirielle? How has she got to the woods behind his house and shot a bullet at him luckily the glass didn’t break, because the bull it was dead on target.

Without giving too much away he realises he needs to protect this young girl he doesn’t want her having the type of life he has had. But he knows that the wolves are circling and they won’t just be coming after him they will also now be coming after Mirielle.

Seventeen managed to track down Kat, and asks her to help him, initially she is reluctant until he explains things to her. The story is told in very short chapters, they jump back and forwards s you learn more about seventeen.

This is one fast paced story, the action is relentless, and the way the author writes this you can picture every scene as if you are watching a movie. There is no time to take a break, you become so immersed in the story everything around you just disappears. You are there with Seventeen.

The characters are so well developed you become attached to them, they are believable. The plot of this one is so plausible which makes it even more realistic, seventeen travels to many places, which is necessary to stop what is about to happen. Seventeen is not a rogue he doesn’t just kill for the sake of it. But this is one tough rollercoaster ride of a read. Then the ending will have you on the edge of your seat, although you may have been there a couple of times earlier in the book. If you like espionage, spy thrillers, fast paced action then go grab this, if you can start with book one but if not you can pick up bits of what has come before.

I cannot recommend this one highly enough a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💥💥💥💥💥 read. I look forward to see what the author comes up with next

[KathVBtn · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can probably still hear my heart pounding after finishing 'Assassin Eighteen', I dont think I've ever read a book so packed full of adrenalin-fuelled chapters and escapes that are far too close for comfort,

Picking up almost exactly where 'Seventeen' finished, 'Assassin Eighteen' finds Seventeen living a quiet life out of harms' way in the remote American countryside; he hasn't killed anyone for a year and is planning on staying that way. But trouble comes to find him, and within pages, he has been lured out of his ultra secure home by a small girl who is aiming right for him. He has no idea who Mirielle is, or why she's been sent to kill him - but the good news for us readers is that he's back in action as he has to find out what's happening and what it has to do with him. Plot twist after plot twist follows as Seventeen chases the truth around the world, calling on all his shadiest connections and contacts to find out who is behind the original hit and what it means. He reunites with Kat, ex-lover turned barista; the two of them are the bravest most foolhardy characters I think I've ever read about.

So far, so good - and the book is a brilliant thriller chock full of gun chases, unlikely escapes, double crossing, triple crossing, hired heavies, vehicles I've never even heard of - so this is definitely a book for you if you that's your thing. What elevated it for me was the background stories to a lot of the characters; they were given time and space in the book to tell their tale. There are sections about Boko Haram, about American white supremacists, the Chinese famine, so many additional elements and I would read a story about all of them if John Brownlow was writing it.

Fantastic nail-biting jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring - go grab a copy!

[Charlotte (thepennotthesword) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I am waiting for someone to kill me. Tonight would be a good night for me.”

If you like thrillers, look no further. This is one of the best books I have read this year, hands down! A truly five star worthy read! This book was Jack Reacher and Jason Bourne meets Deadpool and The Hitman’s Bodyguard and I hated the moments I had to put it down (curse not being able to read it in one sitting!)

“There is only one problem. The shot is fucking perfect. The bullet hits me squarely between the eyes. I am dead. The end.”

A high-octane, fast-paced book that does not let up until the very last page. This was truly exciting to read with many close calls and near death escapes that had my heart pounding! Filled with gun chases, assassin fights and explosions with characters so daring and fearless that you cannot always trust anything that you read. A true rollercoaster of a read!

“Nobody knows who she is. But they all know what to call her.”

The author has written a superb thriller that brought out all of the stops and triple crossings that leave you questioning all that you have read. And the ending! Certain books you can really only see one ending, but with this read, I had absolutely no idea how everything was going to end. One of the craziest climaxes I have ever read!

I can’t wait to read the first book in the series and anything else that Brownlow writes in the future. Definitely go and buy yourselves a copy today!!!

[Martin Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fast-moving and hard-hitting thriller.

Following the events of "Seventeen", our hero hitman has quit the business, while knowing that whoever wants to become Eighteen must track him down and kill him. So when a bullet narrowly misses him, he isn't surprised. Until he finds out who the shooter is.

Without allowing the reader to even take a breath, we're landed in a frantic chase to save lives, uncover plots and settle scores. As the body count rises, and the odds drop, Seventeen faces difficult choices. The story sufficiently fleshes out key characters to make the reader invest in their fates, and there's enough tech and tradecraft to keep thriller fans engaged. While the author does a good job of filling in the back-story, readers would benefit from reading the previous book first.

Unsurprisingly, given the author's day-job, like the last book, "Assassin Eighteen" reads like a film script - fast moving and split into scenes, and is just begging to be made into a film. It's not a criticism - the story moves swiftly along, and there's enough drama amid the action to make this a fine read. It's not such a strong contender than the first book, but fans won't be disappointed.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book is like firing a machine gun in that the action simply never stops!The follow up to Assassin Seventeen, which I haven’t read, this is the second in The Last Man Standing Series, and continues the story of the killer Agent 17 ‘Jones’ who succeeded Agent Sixteen by killing him. So having retired Jones is holed up in the woods awaiting his turn to die by his successor. I know I shouldn’t but I liked Jones, a killer with a heart. This author really knows how to write a fast paced action thriller.

Briefly, Jones finds himself the target of a young girl Mireille. Joining up with his ex Kat he finds himself embroiled in a murderous chase to prevent wholesale slaughter, which the authorities think he is responsible for, and at the same time protect the girl.

The book explodes with violent action a la Jason Bourne / James Bond on speed. I couldn’t turn the pages quick enough desperate to find out what was going to happen next. Many shocks along the way, twists and turns and a real bombshell of a climax but so enjoyable. Bring on the next book!

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seventeen is back

Seventeen war der beste Auftragskiller der Welt. Jetzt sitzt er im Haus seines Vorgängers im Ruhestand und wartet… auf denjenigen, der sein Nachfolger werden und ihn deshalb ermorden will. Doch als die verhängnisvolle Kugel endlich auf ihn zurast, kommt alles anders, als er es erwartet hätte. Denn der Killer ist ein kleines Mädchen. Was dann beginnt, ist eine turbulente, actiongeladene Reise quer durch die Welt. Und Seventeen spielt immer nach seinen ganz eigenen Regeln.

Wie schon der erste Thriller Seventeen ist auch dieses Buch ein Pageturner, den man kaum aus der Handlegen will. Unerwartete Wendungen, viele Rückblenden, eine gehörige Portion Emotionen, das alles machen diesen spannenden Roman aus. Und natürlich die Maxime des Hauptprotagonisten: Unsichtbarkeit durch absolute Sichtbarkeit. James Bond ist nichts dagegen. Das ist natürlich alles maßlos übertrieben und stellenweise alles andere als glaubwürdig, aber dafür immer absolut spannend und unterhaltsam.

Mein Fazit: Spannender und temporeicher Agententhriller. Absolut lesenswert!

[Richard L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded down. Nearly rounded up. (Exact same rating as this novel's predecessor.)

Starts with a fairly predictable bang and a predictably incredible revelation.

The early going is interspersed with necessary flashbacks to flesh out the main character and provide their motivation.

(Of course, there are also many references to the events of "Seventeen" and his origin story.)

There is an inevitable sag in the middle. We are told - by the multiple baddies and the protagonist himself - that Seventeen is alone, only to be introduced to one ally or potential ally after another.

Repeatedly, there is no way out, except that there is only one way out. And when that way doesn't work, there is only one other way out. Rinse and repeat.

That said, the climactic set piece is a worthy pay-off. The ending very nearly redeems the occasionally laborious length of this adventure.

It may be unavoidable that many elements of this hitman-with-a-heart tale are familiar and thus somewhat predictable. A good ride nevertheless.

[Amanda Holyoak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read the first book in the series, I was keen to read this sequel and it did not disappoint. We re-join seventeen after he has quit as an infamous hitman where he is on the look out for his wannabe successor, eighteen. When he is targeted, the would be assassin is not who he expects, and this leads him on a journey to discover who sent the assassin and why. This once again was a mostly fast paced, complex but well thought out plot which keeps the reader guessing. There are a number of tense, high energy scenes throughout the book and good use of flashbacks to seventeen's past as the story unfolds. This was a compulsive and enjoyable read with an unexpected but satisfying conclusion. I look forward to reading more by this author. Thanks to netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the opportunity to read.

[Nick Brett · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Seventeen”, the first book in this series, was a rather good “cat and mouse” thriller featuring two top assassins. So, I was very much looking forward to this follow up.
Our assassin is off the grid in semi-retirement and hoping to be left alone. But an oddly botched attempt to kill him brings his past firmly back into focus.
We learn about his past as an elite killer and the complications that can bring and how he is going to have to use his skills once again. Not only that, but he will need help from unexpected quarters.
It’s good stuff, elements of the “Victor” and “Nowhere Man“ series can be detected, but the author retains his very own take on the shadowy world of assassination. Lots of action here and it’s great fun.