One London Day

by C.C. Humphreys, Chris Humphreys

One city, one day, and a battle of wills reaches boiling point

Joseph Severin, a respectable North London businessman, has a lucrative side job. He’s doing the books, old school (because these days the only trail you can’t trace is a paper one) for a rogue MI5 outfit, the Shadows, headed by psychopathic Sebastien. However, when the game is rumbled, Sebastien sends hitman Mr Phipps to kill Severin and get those books back. The spider web of collateral damage will be extensive, taking in Lottie, for whom Severin has developed a sudden, wild passion; Sonya, a Russian escort with a desperate deadline; and at MI5, the ambitious Ellerby, who has them all in her sights.

It’s the hottest summer in fifty years and in the shadows, a deadly domino effect is about to spill out into the harsh light of day.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Crime

352 pages, Hardcover

Published January 22, 2026

About the author

aka Chris Humphreys

Chris (C.C.) Humphreys was born in Toronto, lived till he was seven in Los Angeles, then grew up in the UK. All four grandparents were actors, and since his father was an actor as well, it was inevitable he would follow the bloodline.

Chris (C.C.) Humphreys has played Hamlet in Calgary, a gladiator in Tunisia, waltzed in London’s West End, conned the landlord of the Rovers Return in Coronation Street, commanded a starfleet in Andromeda, voiced Salem the cat in the original Sabrina, and is a dead immortal in Highlander. He has written eleven adult novels including The French Executioner, runner-up for the CWA Steel Dagger for Thrillers; Chasing the Wind; The Jack Absolute Trilogy; Vlad – The Last Confession; A Place Called Armageddon and Shakespeare’s Rebel – which he adapted into a play and which premiered at Bard on the Beach, Vancouver, in 2015. Plague won the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Crime Novel in Canada in 2015. He has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia. His epic fantasy series the Immortals’ Blood Trilogy, beginning with Smoke in the Glass' has just been published by Gollancz. He also published his other fantasy series, The Tapestry Trilogy, beginning in August 2020 with ‘The Hunt of the Unicorn’. His foray into modern crime, 'One London Day' was published in 2021. Hie new novel, the World War Two epic romance, 'Someday I'll Find You' is published by Doubleday in Canada on June 6, 2023.

Several of his novels are available as Audiobooks - read by himself! Find him here:
https://www.authorchrishumphreys.com/...

He is translated into thirteen languages. In 2015 he earned his Masters in Fine Arts (Creative Writing) from the University of British Columbia.

Check out his website: http://authorchrishumphreys.com

Reviews

[Sheila · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free copy of, One London Day, by Chris Humphreys, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Joseph Severin is in over his head with his side job. This was not my cup of tea, I like characters with morals and values. These characters had none.

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘What 26 year old doesn’t love to be moving in with Mummy?’

Canadian author Chris Humphreys (aka C.C. Humphreys) earned his MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia and is a novelist, playwright, actor, and swordsman. He has published eighteen novels to date – both historical fiction and epic fantasy – and was the recipient of the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Crime Novel in Canada in 2015 for his novel PLAGUE. He now offers ONE LONDON DAY – a mixture of satire, mystery, romance, and ‘noir crime.’ One of the threads that keeps the story flowing is Humphrey’s wry wit and scabrous plotline.

For those acquainted with Humphrey’s at times quixotic prose, the opening lines of this new novel will feel familiar (for those newcomers, settle in for a fine ride): ‘Mr. Phipps was in the gym. It wasn’t one of the best. He had memberships in different parts of the city because he always liked to work out before a gig and all he’d heard about that so far was that it was in North London. So he knew good gyms from bad. This one wasn’t serious, more an add on to the squash club. Basic machines, one rack of free weights. Still, that meant it wasn’t busy, not just after it opened at 7am. No one there, so he could play the CD he’d brought – they still had a stereo, crappy old thing but one plus to the place. He didn’t like wearing headphones. He liked to hear when a door opened. Lenny Kravitz sang about an American Woman. Mr. Phipps checked his stance in the floor length mirror and slowly raised the twenty pounders towards his reflection. One. Two… A phone rang. Playing ‘Rondo a la Turk.’ The phone he’d bought last night didn’t play tunes so this call wasn’t the one he was waiting for. This call was Sharon. The Ex. Always up early.’

The action follows this outline: ‘July 30th 2018 It’s the hottest Summer in fifty years and Joseph Severin, a respectable North London businessman, has taken on a lucrative side job. He’s doing the books, old school, (because these days the only trail you can trace is a paper one) for a rogue MI5 outfit, the Shadows, headed by clever, psychopathic Sebastien. When the game is rumbled, he sends their hitman, Mr. Phipps, to kill Severin ad get those books back. For a simple man, Severin has a complicated life. He’s developed a sudden and wild passion for Lottie – aka ‘chaos on tow legs.” Who is in love with Patrick, the next hot young black actor. Who is obsessed by Sonya, a gorgeous Russian escort. Who has one night to make the final money she needs for her daughter’s cancer operation. With MI6 onto them, and the books missing, the Shadows panic. And a day that begins with a hit in Finchley ends in violence and betrayal on the steamy night streets of Portobello. ONE LONDON DAY is a daisy chain tale of characters and connections, a contemporary London Noir. Like that genre’s 40’s origins, this story has its hood, its moll, its femme fatale, its fancy boy. Everyone is both protagonist and antagonist. No one gets out unharmed – and some don’t get out at all.’

Chris Humphreys imbues this tale with his many talents – music of substance, character development enhanced by his play writing, and the art of acting as the plot pummels along. It all works extraordinarily well. Very highly recommended!

[Tina · Rating 2 out of 5]

To be perfectly honest, I did not like this book. Filled as it is with psycho killers, racism and macho misogyny. The author seems to delight in inventing obnoxious characters.

There are a couple of characters who I felt some sympathy for. Beautiful (of course) Russian Sonya working to fund her daughter’s life saving operation by selling sex (cliché?) , and Lottie. A young musician, who a certain Mr Severin, ‘happily’ married, develops a sudden passion for, and as a favour allows her to live in one of his properties. Mr Severin is keeping the books for the Shadows, (paper only-more difficult to trace). They are a group of unpleasant, entitled rich men, who all met at Oxford as students, in MI5, and the leader, Sebastien, is the psychopathic leader. They employ Mr Phipps to do their very dirty work for them and the fall out from his activities has fatal consequences for those around them so when it all goes wrong for the Shadows, they send Phipps to retrieve their paper accounts from Severin. Realising he is in danger, he endangers Lottie by getting her to hide the accounts in the flat he’s allowed her to live in.

A character who I thought was under used and very sympathetic, was MI5 operative Ellerby, the agent in charge of investigating the criminal activities of the Shadows. The story told from her POV would have been much more interesting to me but it isn’t that sort of story.

There is one section of the story which was fairly gripping involving the danger to Sonya and Lottie. This was the best but short, part of the novel.

I personally won’t be reading the next instalment with one of the characters from this book as I found the character repulsive, the style of writing obnoxious and the probable plot uninteresting. Perhaps it will have characters who I find more sympathetic and or interesting, but somehow, I doubt it.

I’m sorry to be so negative about a book but this is my honest reaction to it after a complete reading. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC for my kindle.

[John Thomson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One London Day is a departure of sorts for Canadian author C.C.Humphreys usually associated with historical and fantasy fiction. This rollicking, fast-paced crime novel paints a delicious picture of contemporary London and the miscreants that inhabit it. In this case, the bad guys are British intelligence agents on the fiddle. The inciting moment - a hit on a civilian - leads to a series of adventures involving many colorful, if unsavory, characters. The writing is tight and crisp. And cinematic. It's easy to imagine the story up there on the big screen. And of course there's a twist at the end. A highly recommended page turner.

[karim jadwat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!! A tale of intrigue, suspense and passion, it takes you on a journey where you are drawn in by the fascinating characters without knowing which way the plot will turn. I couldn’t put it down and really look forward to the next C C Humphreys thriller, a big thanks to the author 👏👏👏

[David Prestidge · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very clever thriller that blends espionage, murder, personal tragedy and human greed into a potent mix. At the heart, there is a group of rogue British intelligence agents who call themselves The Shadows. While ostensibly going about HM government business, they are running all manner of scams using their diplomatic access, and are earning millions, mostly through drugs. Knowing they need to run a professional business, they have avoided electronic accounting and, instead, employed a North London businessman, Joseph Severin to ‘do the books’. And they are, quite literally, books. Old fashioned accounting ledgers, hand-written and, therefore, utterly untraceable online.

The book begins with Severin being shot dead by a former soldier – ‘Mr Phipps’ – hired by The Shadows, so how does the book develop? Phipps,as well as getting rid of Severin is supposed to retrieve the ledgers, but plans go awry, and this brings in a group of other characters, including Lottie, a professional pianist, and Sonya, a Russian prostitute. As the leader of The Shadows, Sebastien Grant, struggles to tidy up the mess, a resourceful MI5 officer called Ellerby is closing in on the group.

At the heart of the story is a desperately sad tale. Sonya, one of whose regulars is one of The Shadows, has painful personal problems. Both she and her husband Georgiy were Russian military. She has moved to London to exploit her beauty, while he is back in Russia, looking after their daughter Marusya. But the little girl has a tumour on her spine, that needs specialist surgery in USA for it’s removal. Sonya knows that Georgiy has a drug habit. Her dilemma is not knowing how much of the money she wires home is being spent on Marusya’s care, and how much is being swallowed up by street drug dealers.

The book has a split time frame. It starts on 30th July, when the key event of the novel happens, but then we jump to five days earlier, and follow the build-up to the event. The last part of the book then takes us to the days after 30th July, and the dramatic fallout that ensues. I am not a fan of these constructions, for several reasons, one being that words are said, phone calls are made and things occur in the first section of the book which don’t appear particularly significant as one reads them in real time, but then in the middle section these little occurrences come back to bite us, and pages have to be flicked back to make sense of things. A standout case of this is revealed in the bonus trailer for One Berlin Day, the follow up to this novel. It links crucially to something that happens to Mr Phipps on 30th July, but seemed relatively unimportant given what happened next.

Those reservations aside, this is a spectacularly original thriller which I read in just two sessions. I was genuinely entranced by Lottie, Sonya, Ellerby and even felt some empathy with four of The Shadows. Not Sebastien, of course, as he was beneath contempt. Not sure about Mr Phipps, though. Yes, he has served his country well and, like many rough men who do violent things to keep us safe in our beds, has been shabbily treated by the authorities. That said, what he did on July 30th was truly awful and I couldn’t suppress the wish that I hope he rots in hell for it.

[John Purvis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chris Humphreys (https://www.authorchrishumphreys.com/) is the author of nearly 20 novels. One London Day was published late last January, and is the first novel in his Mr Phipps Thrillers series. It is the 11th title I’ve completed reading in 2026.

I received an ARC of this book for free through https://www.netgalley.com and I am voluntarily leaving this review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. Due to scenes of violence and mature situations, I categorize this novel as R.

A rogue MI5 outfit, the Shadows, headed by psychopathic Sebastien and four of his college friends, Nate, Sadiq, Bernard, and Perry, have found a way to make some money on the side. Using their various connections, they run a highly profitable criminal enterprise while carefully shielding it from public scrutiny and, most importantly, from government oversight.

Joseph Severin appears to be a respectable North London businessman, devoted to his wife and daughter. He has a lucrative side job doing the books for the Shadows. Determined to avoid detection, he keeps their records the old-fashioned way, on paper, ensuring there is no electronic trail that investigators can trace.

When the Shadows begin to fear exposure, they decide Severin has become a liability. They hire the ruthless hitman Mr. Phipps to eliminate him and retrieve their books. Unknown to them, Severin has recently become infatuated with Lottie, a charming young tenant in one of his buildings. During one of his visits, he leaves the Shadows' account books in her apartment for safekeeping, unknowingly placing her directly in the crosshairs.

Lottie is loosely connected to Sonya, a high-end Russian escort who once met Lottie and her boyfriend during an arranged encounter. Sonya is working desperately to raise money for her young daughter in Moscow, who requires urgent, life-saving medical treatment in New York. With her daughter’s condition worsening, Sonya is only a few thousand dollars short of her goal, driving her to take increasingly risky clients and assignments.

At the same time, ambitious MI5 agent Ellerby is quietly closing in on the Shadows. Alongside her colleagues, she is painstakingly gathering evidence, hoping to dismantle the group before more lives are destroyed.

As the Shadows move to protect their secrets, multiple lives collide in a dangerous web of deception and survival. Can the Shadows stay ahead of the law? Will Sonya earn the money needed to save her daughter? And can Sonya and Lottie avoid becoming the next victims of the relentless Mr. Phipps?

I enjoyed the 6.5 hours I spent reading this 285-page thriller. The story has an interesting set of characters, all with their own set of problems. I was a little disappointed with this novel. I found it a little slow and dull. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 3.4 (rounded to 3) out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

[Denis Wheller · Rating 4 out of 5]

People operating illegally need to keep track of their loot while avoiding a digital trail, which means a discrete, old school, accountant. Joe Severin runs a perfectly legal letting agency, but he is trained in double-entry bookkeeping. He has an expensive wife and two point five children so when an acquaintance asked him if he could keep covert books for a private ‘investment’ group (suitably rewarded, of course) he readily agreed. The group (soi-disant “The Shadows”) comprises five Oxford graduates who now have high flying careers; an MI5 agent, an MI6 agent, a Goldman Sachs partner, a Chargé d’Affaires based in Ankara, and an international trader. An ideal combination to make money from activities such as drug and people trafficking, and smuggling antiquities, then laundering it and augmenting it through the London Market, helped by inside information. Unfortunately, they seem to have been rumbled by MI5, necessitating that they close down the business and retrieve the books – which are the only way to access their assets. Enter Mr Phipps, contract killer, tasked with getting them and removing Joe from the equation. The second part is successful but where are the books? What connects Joe to a freelance pianist and an even freer escort? How many others must die?
This is a freestanding book, but looks to be the start of a series. The author, using C. C. rather than Chris, has published around 22 books, mostly fantasy, so this seems like a new venture on his part. The Kindle edition of this book is listed as C.C. while the print copies are Chris. There is a suggestion that it started as a screen play and the general structure does feel a bit like that. The style is quite arch to begin with but settles into a comfortable vehicle for conveying the plot, which is intricate but not particularly complicated. All of the main characters are well drawn but not overly embellished, and play their parts well. Backstories are mostly scant. For the most part the dénouement is not surprising, with a notable exception. Overall, I enjoyed the story even though I prefer more of a puzzle, more of a challenge.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

[GP Hyde · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a grim and grimy story of brutal men doing bad things.

The author writes brilliantly in the thriller genre and immediately we meet Mr Phipps, ex-paratrooper, gun-for-hire and with no scruples or morals. There is a group of businessmen, ‘The Shadows’, who have hit on a way of playing investments to make illicit profits. To do this, they keep their dealings in a physical format, ‘the books’, to avoid detection. They employ an accountant, Joe Severin, who unwisely decides that he fancies a slice of this dealing and does some investing on the side.

As a sub-plot, there is the story of Sonya, another one who is aiming to make big profits in her own way. She’s a sex-worker come to London to make the money to fund an operation for her sick daughter.

The author writes most skilfully. It’s economic and the characters are real living characters. The characterisation and action are very well conceived and credible.

But there’s a problem. In the first chapter, we see Mr Phipps in action on a ‘gig’. He’s been commissioned to kill Severin which he does with ruthless efficiency. So by the 5% mark, we know that Phipps is brutal, Severin’s stupid and the Shadows are ruthless. There is no conundrum to be resolved so the rest of the novel becomes one long character study. I normally aim to write spoiler-free reviews but here the author spoils it himself in the first chapter.

However, the writing is excellent and takes us into some very dark corners where we become close-up-and-personal with shadowy characters. So if you enjoy a very dark thriller with scarily convincing characters, this could well be for you.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚One London Day
✍🏻Chris Humplhreys
Blurb:
One city, one day, and a battle of wills reaches boiling point

Joseph Severin, a respectable North London businessman, has a lucrative side job. He’s doing the books, old school (because these days the only trail you can’t trace is a paper one) for a rogue MI5 outfit, the Shadows, headed by psychopathic Sebastien. However, when the game is rumbled, Sebastien sends hitman Mr Phipps to kill Severin and get those books back. The spider web of collateral damage will be extensive, taking in Lottie, for whom Severin has developed a sudden, wild passion; Sonya, a Russian escort with a desperate deadline; and at MI5, the ambitious Ellerby, who has them all in her sights.

It’s the hottest summer in fifty years and in the shadows, a deadly domino effect is about to spill out into the harsh light of day.
My Thoughts:
This is a very clever thriller that blends espionage, murder, personal tragedy and human greed into a potent mix.. Loved this book!! A tale of intrigue, suspense and passion, it takes you on a journey where you are drawn. The novel is a true tale of the modern age, mashing up noir detective fiction with spy thrillers and a near Joycean obsessiveness with London, and mixing in a hit man, an LA actor, a Russian escort, a corrupt accountant, a femme fatale of sorts and a rogue squad of MI5 agents, all of whose lives intersect and set off a chain of events that will leave readers turning
Thanks NetGalley, Allison & Busby Publisher and Author Chris Humpreyes for the complimentary copy of" One London Day" I am leaving my voluntary review.
#NetGalley
#Allison&BusbyPublisher
#OneLondonDay
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Peter Darbyshire · Rating 5 out of 5]

CC Humphreys is one of the best writers of historical fiction of our generation, if not the best. In novels such as Plague and Fire he transports readers mind and soul into the London of the 1700s so completely that his books may as well be actual history texts. And don’t even get me started on the delightful Jack Absolute novels — the redcoated James Bond of the 1800s. In One London Day he takes us to a London of more recent history — the late 2000s — and once again creates a city that feels even more real than the real thing.

The novel is a true tale of the modern age, mashing up noir detective fiction with spy thrillers and a near Joycean obsessiveness with London, and mixing in a hit man, an LA actor, a Russian escort, a corrupt accountant, a femme fatale of sorts and a rogue squad of MI5 agents, all of whose lives intersect and set off a chain of events that will leave readers turning the pages as fast as they can to get to the next twist. It’s the sort of tale that would be perfectly suited for a film adaptation, only no film can ever capture the complexity and passion of Humphreys’ imagination. Still, I’d happily watch the attempt.

Also, the title begs for a sequel — One London Week perhaps?

[Ridgerunner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find it difficult to really enjoy a book when nearly all the characters are unpleasant.
It has all the trappings to attract readers, corrupt British intelligence group, attractive Russian ex-spy working as a sex worker, attractive pianist with an interesting love life and much more explicit threesome sex scene that usually found in a thriller and an emotionally detached hit man. But because almost everyone is unpleasant there is not the usual finish when the baddies get their comeuppance and the goodies reappear in the next series. So if I were to read the next book in the series then I would probably feel guilty again reading about a very nasty hit man, namely Mr Phipps. I did like his name though.
And I did like the writing , and seeing the workings of the corrupt group come apart at the seams after an initial hit does not go to plan. The ending was a bit of a surprise though. After all the mayhem and misunderstandings and casual plans to assassinate , the ending was very cheesy. Overall I quite enjoyed reading this book but I do not think that I will be reading any more in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Mags · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chris Humphreys is a new-to-me author, and One London Day is an engaging thriller.

It follows an ordinary man, Joe Severin, who does the books, old-school, for a rogue outfit called 'The Shadows', a group of five Oxford graduates with high-flying careers, ideally placed to make money from illegal activities.

However, it seems they have been rumbled and need to shut down operations and retrieve the books to gain the assets. This is how contract killer Mr Phipps enters the picture, tasked with finding the books and taking out Joe.

But his mission doesn't quite go to plan when an unexpected visitor arrives, setting off a chain of events that involves several characters, including a Russian escort and an ambitious MI5 agent.

And now Mr Phipps has to decide how many will die to keep 'The Shadows' secret.

And with a well-plotted, fast-moving storyline, this was a very satisfying read that delivered precisely what I thought it would.

My thanks to NetGalley for my ARC copy of One London Day. All thoughts expressed are my own. ☺️

[Jordan McPeek · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent short read, even if a little familiar.

Broadly drawn characters and plot are what's good and not so good about this short thriller. Good in that the characters are distinctive and easily fill their roles in the plot. It's like jumping in the deep end, no waiting, just what you want from a fast-moving thriller. Not so good in that familiarity comes from using familiar character types. Nevertheless, Humphreys fleshes out most of the characters enough to keep it interesting. The Shadows get the thinnest treatment as supreme pricks and that's about it. I had trouble buying Sonya's backstory, even though it did get meatier later on. Joe and Lottie were the best developed parts, quite engaging.

Plot rings similar notes of familiarity, and takes a backseat to the characterization. I did enjoy the small pesky role of the parking warden. And the delicious comeuppance of one character was awful sweet.

Audiobook performance was very good.

[Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

A British spy thriller, One London Day (2026) by Chris Humphreys, is an understated tale of when an intended hit goes awry. It begins with an ordinary man working out in the gym, who is an assassin, given the task of collecting a set of account books. The hit is complicated by an unexpected visitor, setting off a series of events that involve several different characters, including a Russian escort, a desperate deadline, and the Ellerby, an ambitious agent at MI5. From its initially jumpy back-and-forth timeline and dullish characters, this spy story fails to deliver intrigue. Overall, it’s a somewhat mundane read with an ordinary two and a half star rating. Although I received an ARC in exchange for an independent review, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given without obligation.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am actually suprised that I enjoyed this book as much as I did. I was not sure at first, one of the characters is a paid assassin and as the book starts some one is shot in cold blood. As the book progressed the stories of the different narrators came together and the undercover activities started to make more sense. I was expecting to push myself to finish the book, but once I got into it, I really wanted to find out how it panned out.
The book is not big on characterizations, though descriptions are good to give a sense of place. There are fairly explicit sex scenes and a fair amount of violence so it doesn't always make for easy reading. I`m curious to read more !
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC

[Donna Conrad · Rating 5 out of 5]

The “Shadows” make Vlad the Impaler look like a decent guy


Humphreys takes his readers on a roller coaster of actions, reactions, accidental meetings, and intentional mayhem. I listened to the Audible edition, read by Humphreys, and was swept along not only by his superb acting, but the intensity of the action. From respectable neighborhoods in North London, to upper-crust members only clubs, to seedy tenements, and all points in between, the intensity builds until there’s no way to stop reading, or in my case, listening.

As coincidence, paranoia, and greed bring the varied characters into contact, fate and irony are the only winners on this one London day.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chris Humphreys has created a wonderful painting of characters that don't typically come to mind when thinking of the UK's security services. The book is shorter than I was expecting, but that is a good thing. Chris is very concise with his words, removing the padding, consequently making the book a pleasure to read. As this book is part of a wider series, I look forward to reading the next instalment. Overall, this is a good book, but at times I really hated some of the characters - perhaps the reader isn't meant to like them? I found the storyline to be lacklustre, with no real punch. I finished the book thinking, "Is that it?".

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.

[R Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main character here is intriguing. A professional hitman with a background in the Paras. He is employed by a group called the Shadows who are experts in international crime and who are ruthless in getting rid of anyone who threaten to unmask them. Their chief victim here is their accountant who does enough to incur their wrathful whose murder is a catalyst for their plans to fall apart. The hitman is nearly caught up in their demise but lives to tell the tale. As the book unfolds it becomes a tense thriller.

[Jane Hunt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate the concept of following the fallout of one day in London for the assassin Mr Phipps, his immoral and shadowy employers, and named individuals who are collateral damage in the events that culminate on that day. However, most of the story's characters are unlikeable, not just morally grey but irredeemable, and this isn't a battle between good and evil, it's just evil and less evil. It is gritty and well-paced, but too dark for my tastes.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

[Fatguyreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

One London Day is a real rollercoaster ride that's thrilling, engaging and brilliantly visual.

Set in contemporary London, it's a well plotted crime thriller in which we follow several Londoner's in which fate brings together in crossing of paths that lead to fatal consequences.

It's definitely the type of tale that I think would benefit immensely from a movie adaption.

There's characters that you'll like, there's characters that you'll dislike and all are believable and feel real.

Highly entertaining.

4 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.

[Chris Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

One London Day by Chris Humphreys was not the right fit for me. The novel follows Mr. Severin, who quickly finds himself in over his head with a secret side job. While I usually enjoy fast-paced spy stories, this one failed to grab my attention. I struggled to get invested in the plot and connect with the characters. Still, I’m open to trying Humphreys’ other novels in the future. Despite some intriguing ideas present.
⭐️⭐️💫

[Roo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fast paced thriller set in London. Joseph Severin is a business man, but has a side job. When people start getting murdered by this gang they are worried they are being uncovered. There’s also the high class prostitute that’s trying to save for her child’s operation, they both get tackled together. It’s a good quick read, it’s sultry and a pageturner. A good 4 star read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

[Ruth Matheson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall 3.5*
I struggled with the amount of characters that I was being introduced to initially and although very few are likeable, that doesn't bother me. It is quite a dark book in places but then again what story about assassination wouldn't be ! The book for me picked up pace and interest about 40% through and then I began to enjoy it more. Probably not for everyone and I'm not sure that I will read the next in the series.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review

[Guy Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant!
Utterly engrossing, original, darkly satirical and thoroughly enjoyable.
Mr Phipps is a hell of a character and this is one series where I can't wait for the next book.
If you like dark humour like Mick Herron, then C.C. Humphreys Mr Phipp series is for you.
Great plot line, fantastic characters, dodgy says bored assassins, bloody murder, what's not to like.

[Rob Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thrilling noir crime novel set across a few days in the summer of 2018.

It packs a lot into its 203 pages and really ramps up in the last third.

I hope CC Humphreys writes more present-day books like this in the future!

[Tracy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was not a fan of this book at all once I got past the first chapter. It started off great, really hooked you in then the storyline (and characters) jumped all over the place making it hard to work out what was supposed to be happening.

[Sush Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me, this has been a gripping page turner. It was written really well, and I didn’t feel like I struggled to follow any of it. All the characters were very believable. Enjoyed this very much. It’s made me want to read a follow-up.

#OneLondonDay

[J C Duffy]

Needs an editor. Douwe Egberts (not Dowe) is coffee not tobacco.
Bank of England doesn't issue £100 notes. Can't imagine Bank of Scotland
100s in the brown envelope. Spelling mistakes in non-English words. Decent
story though

[Liam · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice little palate cleanser of a book. Simple, predictable and quick. Nothing wrong with it.