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Kill Billionaire: The riotous revenge caper you've been waiting for
Not yet published
Expected 30 Apr 26Perhaps one reason not enough people kill billionaires is it’s actually quite tricky...
'Hopeful and exciting. Funny and heartbreaking ... I want to read more books like this!' Mikaela Loach
When her home is destroyed in wildfires, fourteen-year-old Australian outback genius Kayla Connolly decides to hunt down the culprits of climate billionaires.
She teams up with Mr P, a giant ex-soldier from Tuvalu whose home is being flooded by rising sea levels. Together, they find ingenious ways to kill a property developer building on protected wetlands and a mining company CEO poisoning the earth with toxic chemicals. They also find an unexpected ally in Nancy, a wealthy elderly woman with a shocking past.
The trio’s mission soon develops a life of its own, taking them first to California to crack billionaire tech bros and then to London for superrich oil executives, spawning a global movement along the way. In pursuit are the FBI and Detective Sergeant Kate Anderson of Scotland Yard, but Kate is having doubts about whether Kayla is even in the wrong. Will Kayla be able to stay ahead of the game and pull off one final, remarkable hit?
Praise for Anders Lustgarten's writing
'Bursting with energy... extraordinary' The Times
'A fierce writer whose activism blends intellectual curiosity and idealism' Evening Standard
'Brave and provocative' Guardian
'Hopeful and exciting. Funny and heartbreaking ... I want to read more books like this!' Mikaela Loach
When her home is destroyed in wildfires, fourteen-year-old Australian outback genius Kayla Connolly decides to hunt down the culprits of climate billionaires.
She teams up with Mr P, a giant ex-soldier from Tuvalu whose home is being flooded by rising sea levels. Together, they find ingenious ways to kill a property developer building on protected wetlands and a mining company CEO poisoning the earth with toxic chemicals. They also find an unexpected ally in Nancy, a wealthy elderly woman with a shocking past.
The trio’s mission soon develops a life of its own, taking them first to California to crack billionaire tech bros and then to London for superrich oil executives, spawning a global movement along the way. In pursuit are the FBI and Detective Sergeant Kate Anderson of Scotland Yard, but Kate is having doubts about whether Kayla is even in the wrong. Will Kayla be able to stay ahead of the game and pull off one final, remarkable hit?
Praise for Anders Lustgarten's writing
'Bursting with energy... extraordinary' The Times
'A fierce writer whose activism blends intellectual curiosity and idealism' Evening Standard
'Brave and provocative' Guardian
Kindle Edition
Expected publication April 30, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 19, 2026
A superb fairytale of modern life, the classist, leeches of society, and bastardisation of wealth that is propagated by the rich and ruling class; billionaires.
Kayla is a 14 year old Australian girl who has had her life turned on its head due to the actions of the aforementioned bastards.
So she gets even.
This is a fantastic story, full of humour, realness, and a driving narrative that we should fight back and stop allowing ourselves to be walked all over by those that choose to control our world with their riches.
I’d say I’m a lefty, regardless. But this just instilled a greater sense of passionate hatred of the rich and the right that I don’t think even the real world antics of Mr Mangione and similar heralds of death-bringing change could evoke.
Well done Anders Lustgarten, for creating characters that feel real, in a world that feels real. Everything here was believable, and though sometimes cranked up to 11, it was authentic enough that I can legitimately envision much of this happening in our cracked and broken world.
Thank you to Vintage and the author for a proof copy. Kill Billionaire releases on the 22nd March.
Read it. Revolt. Rebel. Redistribute the wealth. 👊
4.0/5.0
Kayla is a 14 year old Australian girl who has had her life turned on its head due to the actions of the aforementioned bastards.
So she gets even.
This is a fantastic story, full of humour, realness, and a driving narrative that we should fight back and stop allowing ourselves to be walked all over by those that choose to control our world with their riches.
I’d say I’m a lefty, regardless. But this just instilled a greater sense of passionate hatred of the rich and the right that I don’t think even the real world antics of Mr Mangione and similar heralds of death-bringing change could evoke.
Well done Anders Lustgarten, for creating characters that feel real, in a world that feels real. Everything here was believable, and though sometimes cranked up to 11, it was authentic enough that I can legitimately envision much of this happening in our cracked and broken world.
Thank you to Vintage and the author for a proof copy. Kill Billionaire releases on the 22nd March.
Read it. Revolt. Rebel. Redistribute the wealth. 👊
4.0/5.0
December 16, 2025
With a name like that it’s easy to know what the book will be about. Set in a slightly more dystopian version of our world we follow a teenage Australian girl as she has to find the solution to climate change; you can probably guess what she decides upon. Whilst this was technically a multi POV story, Kayla dominates the narrative with her witty humour and intelligent solutions to any problem that comes her way. We also get some chapters with our ‘antagonist’, Kate, a headstrong policewoman who is destined for success with her ability to actually think like Kayla and somewhat predict the next moves. These are supplemented by an excellent secondary cast of Mr P, Nancy and Brian each with their own unique and slightly outlandish character traits. I wish we had gotten more from Dmitri the hacker friend whose presence was limited to when they needed something from him and then discarded. All together I’d say this is definitely a book that doesn’t tie itself to realism and flanderises current affairs to provide a stronger message about what needs to be done, although I fear it might come to fruition in the not so far future. If I had one minor gripe it’s that the phrase ‘kill billionaire’, which is used throughout the novel and is of course the title, doesn’t feel grammatically correct; I did check and turns out its allowed but ‘kill billionaires’ sounds much better and is also more accurate.
March 25, 2026
Found it quite funny and did enjoy it but think the adult male author was a bit out of his depth writing as a 14 year old girl
December 2, 2025
I would say that this has some similarities to How To Kill Your Family in terms of the jumping between our victims and then that ending which I also enjoyed.
I really wished our characters were more fleshed out. You get a very brief introduction to each but they are then turned into side characters with little to no mention a whole lot. I feel like they all had such interesting back stories and could have been more prominent in the plans.
I liked the discussions of the varied billionaires and how they are complicit in each way even if they aren’t directly.
I don’t get the POV from Kate. We got a little on her backstory too but her chapters were just too short for me to fully gauge her as a character and I would have either liked less information or an elaboration.
I was sent a copy in exchange for an honest review.
I really wished our characters were more fleshed out. You get a very brief introduction to each but they are then turned into side characters with little to no mention a whole lot. I feel like they all had such interesting back stories and could have been more prominent in the plans.
I liked the discussions of the varied billionaires and how they are complicit in each way even if they aren’t directly.
I don’t get the POV from Kate. We got a little on her backstory too but her chapters were just too short for me to fully gauge her as a character and I would have either liked less information or an elaboration.
I was sent a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Well wasn't this a rather bonkers, thrill a minute, story, played out by some rather interesting characters...
We start with 14 year old Kayla Connolly whose Australian outback home is destroyed by wildfires. She decides that enough is enough and that climate change needs to be addressed. Staring by targeting the billionaires who don't care, as long as they get richer. Private jets, oil fields, building on greenbelt, pollution, you know the sort. She meets Mr P when his home is flooded by rising sea water - another casualty of the climate billionaires - and together, the two of them, plot to end two such people - one property developer, the other a mining company CEO, both of whose actions are killing the planet... Teaming up with another kindred spirit they take their battle to the US
Meanwhile, in the UK there's a image of King Charles projected onto Parliament appearing to offer a BIG prize to anyone who ends a billionaire...
I loved this book... it's poignant, topical, and bonkers - three of my favourite things in a book of this genre. It also has some cracking characters, some of which also have cracking names which deserve to be read out loud!
And, in amongst all the bonkers, there is a quite important message around climate change and what we, as people, are doing to the world. It's not always credible and there are more than a few eye-rolly moments but, all said and done, it's a cracking read that, although pulls no punches, does so on a humorous level... I'm now off to see what else the author has written...
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
We start with 14 year old Kayla Connolly whose Australian outback home is destroyed by wildfires. She decides that enough is enough and that climate change needs to be addressed. Staring by targeting the billionaires who don't care, as long as they get richer. Private jets, oil fields, building on greenbelt, pollution, you know the sort. She meets Mr P when his home is flooded by rising sea water - another casualty of the climate billionaires - and together, the two of them, plot to end two such people - one property developer, the other a mining company CEO, both of whose actions are killing the planet... Teaming up with another kindred spirit they take their battle to the US
Meanwhile, in the UK there's a image of King Charles projected onto Parliament appearing to offer a BIG prize to anyone who ends a billionaire...
I loved this book... it's poignant, topical, and bonkers - three of my favourite things in a book of this genre. It also has some cracking characters, some of which also have cracking names which deserve to be read out loud!
And, in amongst all the bonkers, there is a quite important message around climate change and what we, as people, are doing to the world. It's not always credible and there are more than a few eye-rolly moments but, all said and done, it's a cracking read that, although pulls no punches, does so on a humorous level... I'm now off to see what else the author has written...
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Kill Billionaire was such a fun and chaotic read, and I recommend everyone pick it up immediately!
After 14 year old Kayla's life is flipped upside down when a forest fire tears through her family home, she decides to take action in the only way she deems reasonable - by going after the billionaires that have been destroying the planet. When Kayla meets Mr Poliata during a visit to her school to do a talk, she immediately see's that he's just as frustrated as her and makes it her mission to team up with him to fix the world.
This was such a different book to what I usually read and I truly loved every moment of it.
I'm not sure how accurate a representation of an Aussie teen Kayla is (mostly due to just how wild she is), but I LOVE her. She's such a fantastic character in so many ways. She's hilarious, she's quick witted, and she's got a real spark to her that you can't help but love and admire. She's got such a quick mind and, despite the stressful situations her and Mr P keep finding themselves in, she keeps a cool head and is always ready to adapt her plans on the spot.
Despite the wild and crazy antics Kayla and Mr P get up to, there was a surprisingly sweet found family element to the story as well that really pulled at my heartstrings. The pair form such a lovely and genuine bond throughout the book and I loved all the little ways they look out for and support one another.
Whilst this was an incredibly fun and wild read, there was still a really important message throughout regarding climate change, the state of the world today, and the lack of action from people in charge and I think a lot of people will really resonate with it. I definitely recommend picking up Kill Billionaire if you want a book that talks about important issues, but also helps inject a little bit of fun into the world.
Thank you so much for the ARC!
After 14 year old Kayla's life is flipped upside down when a forest fire tears through her family home, she decides to take action in the only way she deems reasonable - by going after the billionaires that have been destroying the planet. When Kayla meets Mr Poliata during a visit to her school to do a talk, she immediately see's that he's just as frustrated as her and makes it her mission to team up with him to fix the world.
This was such a different book to what I usually read and I truly loved every moment of it.
I'm not sure how accurate a representation of an Aussie teen Kayla is (mostly due to just how wild she is), but I LOVE her. She's such a fantastic character in so many ways. She's hilarious, she's quick witted, and she's got a real spark to her that you can't help but love and admire. She's got such a quick mind and, despite the stressful situations her and Mr P keep finding themselves in, she keeps a cool head and is always ready to adapt her plans on the spot.
Despite the wild and crazy antics Kayla and Mr P get up to, there was a surprisingly sweet found family element to the story as well that really pulled at my heartstrings. The pair form such a lovely and genuine bond throughout the book and I loved all the little ways they look out for and support one another.
Whilst this was an incredibly fun and wild read, there was still a really important message throughout regarding climate change, the state of the world today, and the lack of action from people in charge and I think a lot of people will really resonate with it. I definitely recommend picking up Kill Billionaire if you want a book that talks about important issues, but also helps inject a little bit of fun into the world.
Thank you so much for the ARC!
April 17, 2026
Thank you, Anders Lustgarten, for giving us permission to actually feel something about the vast, grinding injustice between the super-rich and the rest of us.
For so long, the narrative has been twisted persistently, until ordinary people are made to feel responsible for a crisis engineered by elites. Lustgarten cuts clean through that noise. He names the manipulation, calls out the absurdity and refuses to let those most responsible hide behind PR, platitudes or performative guilt-shifting.
One of the most striking elements is the inclusion of 14-year-old Australian Kayla, whose voice is among the most arresting I’ve encountered in environmental writing. She speaks with an unfiltered clarity. Raw, pained and utterly uncompromising. Her words don’t just inform; they confront. They force you to reckon with the quiet ways you’ve learned to suppress your own grief and anger about climate injustice. It’s uncomfortable, but in a way that feels necessary.
Lustgarten doesn’t just tackle climate injustice head-on, he does it with balls. There’s bite in his writing, but also wit. That balance matters. The humour doesn’t dilute the message; it sharpens it. It reminds you that outrage and absurdity often sit side by side, especially when examining systems that are as skewed as these.
This is also a hopeful read. Not in a naive, everything-will-be-fine sense, but in the release it offers. It creates space to exhale—to let go of some of the low-level dread that builds from a constant stream of climate doom. It replaces paralysis with clarity, and guilt with a more useful kind of anger (that we can turn into action).
This book is a sense of permission. Not just to feel, but to speak. To be more honest, more pointed, even more irreverent when talking about these issues. Because we do need more bite. We need to demand more accountability.
Thank you for this advanced proof copy Vintage Books - bring on the wave of justice Kayla is ready to bring 👊
#bookreview #Anders Lustgarten #climatejusticenow
For so long, the narrative has been twisted persistently, until ordinary people are made to feel responsible for a crisis engineered by elites. Lustgarten cuts clean through that noise. He names the manipulation, calls out the absurdity and refuses to let those most responsible hide behind PR, platitudes or performative guilt-shifting.
One of the most striking elements is the inclusion of 14-year-old Australian Kayla, whose voice is among the most arresting I’ve encountered in environmental writing. She speaks with an unfiltered clarity. Raw, pained and utterly uncompromising. Her words don’t just inform; they confront. They force you to reckon with the quiet ways you’ve learned to suppress your own grief and anger about climate injustice. It’s uncomfortable, but in a way that feels necessary.
Lustgarten doesn’t just tackle climate injustice head-on, he does it with balls. There’s bite in his writing, but also wit. That balance matters. The humour doesn’t dilute the message; it sharpens it. It reminds you that outrage and absurdity often sit side by side, especially when examining systems that are as skewed as these.
This is also a hopeful read. Not in a naive, everything-will-be-fine sense, but in the release it offers. It creates space to exhale—to let go of some of the low-level dread that builds from a constant stream of climate doom. It replaces paralysis with clarity, and guilt with a more useful kind of anger (that we can turn into action).
This book is a sense of permission. Not just to feel, but to speak. To be more honest, more pointed, even more irreverent when talking about these issues. Because we do need more bite. We need to demand more accountability.
Thank you for this advanced proof copy Vintage Books - bring on the wave of justice Kayla is ready to bring 👊
#bookreview #Anders Lustgarten #climatejusticenow
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.25⭐️📱
Surprisingly Brilliant. Kayla is one of the most lovable characters I’ve ever read, genuinely a joy to read. I think it’s especially important in today’s political climate.
The writing is impressively complex whilst also being extremely easy to comprehend. Makes it an easy read, but also feels rewarding.
Such a compelling story, it’s addicting and instantly draws you in. This book wastes no time, there’s constant action (I mean what do you expect from a book called ‘Kill Billionaire”??), and it’s extremely engaging. There’s wacky events, but sadly in this day and age I think it’s especially relevant, and not that far fetched.
Along with this it’s actually very funny. There were some sitcom-like moments, and I couldn’t help but find myself thinking this would be an AMAZING movie or tv show. It discusses serious topics in a playful way. The book argues that violence is a necessary evil, when related to resistance.
Kayla is not afraid to state her opinion, she’s outspoken, and is clearly trying to win you over, despite her ‘I don’t care’ attitude. Every character in the book has such a distinct voice. It felt like such a breath of fresh air, and truly surprised me.
It took a bit to get into it, but once I was 4 chapters in I was hooked. The duel POV’s was annoying at first (because I loved Kayla’s character too much lol) but I eventually didn’t mind it.
Only lost .75 of a star because of some small loose-ends I would’ve liked to see wrapped up, but overall amazing. Definitely give this book a read!
Surprisingly Brilliant. Kayla is one of the most lovable characters I’ve ever read, genuinely a joy to read. I think it’s especially important in today’s political climate.
The writing is impressively complex whilst also being extremely easy to comprehend. Makes it an easy read, but also feels rewarding.
Such a compelling story, it’s addicting and instantly draws you in. This book wastes no time, there’s constant action (I mean what do you expect from a book called ‘Kill Billionaire”??), and it’s extremely engaging. There’s wacky events, but sadly in this day and age I think it’s especially relevant, and not that far fetched.
Along with this it’s actually very funny. There were some sitcom-like moments, and I couldn’t help but find myself thinking this would be an AMAZING movie or tv show. It discusses serious topics in a playful way. The book argues that violence is a necessary evil, when related to resistance.
Kayla is not afraid to state her opinion, she’s outspoken, and is clearly trying to win you over, despite her ‘I don’t care’ attitude. Every character in the book has such a distinct voice. It felt like such a breath of fresh air, and truly surprised me.
It took a bit to get into it, but once I was 4 chapters in I was hooked. The duel POV’s was annoying at first (because I loved Kayla’s character too much lol) but I eventually didn’t mind it.
Only lost .75 of a star because of some small loose-ends I would’ve liked to see wrapped up, but overall amazing. Definitely give this book a read!
December 2, 2025
The ‘for fans of Irvine Welsh’ tagline in the email from ‘Kill Billionaire’s publicist piqued my interest and I can see similarities in the sweary rants against the mega rich and the environmental damage they’re responsible for. Sure it’s on the money and darkly funny, but, whereas Welsh offers us fully formed if fatally flawed characters existing on mainstream boundaries, Anders Lustgarten supplies cartoon caricatures. Kayla’s a 14 year old wild spirit of Nature genius, Mr P’s a displaced chieftain from Tuvalu and Nancy is the vengeful geriatric sister of an obnoxious billionaire. The action/violence is comic strip like too so, for all the righteous indignation, I found it difficult to care or relate. ‘Kill Billionaire’ is at its best when it’s making humorous observations about how fucked up society is, but it needs to offer a lot more than witty remarks if it wants to be bracketed with the great Irvine!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
If you only read one book in 2026 it should be this one.
It is a fantasy book set in the near future, where the actions of the few are endangering the lives of the many.
From the title the reader can immediately guess what the proposed solution is.
The characters are superb, the settings although unlikely are terrific.
The main character Kayla is on the way to be a real life superhero when she meets her end, or does she.
Normally when reading psychological thrillers at key points if the reader is given three guesses what is going to happen next, the reader always gets one correct.
I never guessed any of the next actions correctly.
I loved it, and can't wait for Anders' next book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
It is a fantasy book set in the near future, where the actions of the few are endangering the lives of the many.
From the title the reader can immediately guess what the proposed solution is.
The characters are superb, the settings although unlikely are terrific.
The main character Kayla is on the way to be a real life superhero when she meets her end, or does she.
Normally when reading psychological thrillers at key points if the reader is given three guesses what is going to happen next, the reader always gets one correct.
I never guessed any of the next actions correctly.
I loved it, and can't wait for Anders' next book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A bit of a play on words for the title should give readers an idea about the theme. Kate, is a forthright police officer but Kayla is the dominant voice, the witty, bright Australian teenager who is trying to find the solution to climate change (See title for answer). It's dystopian with a fabulously written setting using the Australian outback as a backdrop with all of its eerie, unsettling sensations. I enjoyed this novel more than I thought I would. Highly recommended. My thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers for the ARC.
January 14, 2026
Thanks to Random House UK, Vintage, Chatto & Windus & NetGalley for an advanced copy of Kill Billionaire by Anders Lustgarten.
Satirical, dark and sarcastic. Kill Billionaire imagines a word without billionaires, challenges the system and causes chaos and revolution along the way.
A thought provoking and relevant read.
Satirical, dark and sarcastic. Kill Billionaire imagines a word without billionaires, challenges the system and causes chaos and revolution along the way.
A thought provoking and relevant read.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I have more words, but there is nothing left to say. Life is not like literature, it doesn’t rate erudition. What life feeds off is action.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The title gives away what you’ll be getting from this before you’ve even got to the blurb of it. I was hooked on this story, it does jump about a bit but the pay off here was very good
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews