Hitman Sam: British light crime

by Morgen Bailey

A trainee hitman and love triangle.Having been made redundant as a photocopier software designer, Sam Simpson is lured by a cryptic advert. As he learns it is for a trainee hitman, will he be tough enough to see the job through?Even James Bond had to start somewhere and Sam, as his alias Josh Bradley, looks forward to enjoying James' lifestyle, although soon embroiled in a love triangle, Sam hadn't expected things to get so complicated so quickly."My favourite kind of hitman. Bailey had me chuckling and suspending all belief... Sam, he just won my heart.""This book was FUN! Sam was a great character. The story is told in short chapters that kept the story moving. There is a large cast of intriguing characters and multiple threads, skilfully woven together. The perfect little book to brighten your afternoon. It will make you smile, it will make you laugh, and it will (almost) make you want to be a hitman ..." - Zooloo's Book Diary

194 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2016

About the author

Morgen Bailey – Morgen with an E – is a freelance editor, writing tutor (in person and online), blogger (helping other authors, sharing tips etc.), Writers’ Forum magazine ‘Competitive Edge’ columnist, speaker, author of several novels (at various stages), 400+ short stories, a series of writer’s block workbooks, an editing guide, articles, and has dabbled with poetry. She is an avid supporter of all things creative writing.

Former Chair of three writing groups, she has judged the H.E. Bates Short Story Competition, RONE, as well as the Althorp Literary Festival children’s short story, BBC Radio 2, and BeaconLit 500-word flash fiction competitions. She also runs her own monthly 100-word competition and was Flash 500's 2018-9 judge.

Events included talks and workshops at Troubador’s Self Publishing Conference speakers, workshops and panels at Delapre Abbey Book Festival, interviewing and workshops at BeaconLit, and NAWG Fest with her ‘Editing your Fiction’ weekend residential course.

Morgen can regularly be found as morgenwriteruk on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, and LinkedIn. When not online, she edits other authors’ books, reads, loves walking her dog, and somewhere in between all that she writes.

Like Morgen, her website is www.morgenbailey.com and her blog http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com is consumed by all things literary. Her email address is morgen@morgenbailey.com.

You can read / download her eBooks (paid and free) at Amazon US, Amazon UK, Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore and Kobo.

Profile photo credit: Cliff Hide for BeaconLit

Reviews

[Els · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading ‘After Jessica’ earlier this year, I was pleasantly surprised to see that this story is written in the same style.

I have not read the lad lit genre very often but it’s in fact chick lit but with a male character being the naive one in stead of a female one. 🙂

The author always finds a way of introducing a lot of people in the story and you are always wondering whether it will ever come together. Well, I can assure you it does. Time and time again she manages to surprise you and reveals connections between the different characters.

I am a big James Bond fan and I loved it that she made a few links to my ‘hero’ although Sam is nowhere near his league. 😉 🙂

So, yes this means I can add another story to my read-and-enjoyed pile. 4 stars.

Thank you, Morgen Bailey and Book On The Bright Side Publicity & Promo

https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com

[Cathy Geha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hitman Sam by Morgen Bailey
A British Lad-lit Crime Novella

My first foray into Lad-lit had me googling to find out just what it is and I found from various sources that it is:
* fiction about young men and their emotional and personal lives
* about a young man is in his 20’s-30’s
* “a marketing term of the 1990s in Britain, referring to a new kind of popular fiction concerning the ‘lad’ of that period, a supposedly carefree hedonist devoted to football, beer, music, and casual sex: a figure created in contrast to the feminist-defined ‘New Man’ of previous decades. he is carefree, hedonistic, has trouble with women, may be obsessed with booze, sports or other things
* literature for men written by men
* have plotlines that typically revolve around issues of manhood like career, friendships, family, love, relationships and sex.

Had I known the above I might not have chosen to read and review this book for a blog tour but since I did opt-in I am now writing up a review that will reflect on this new-to-me genre of book.

First of all, the story ticked all the boxes for lad-lit except that the author is male. It is about Sam who at 27 owns his own home, has lost his job and his live-in girlfriend recently moved out. He is at loose ends and ready to do something “new” so when contacted by THP (The Hitman Program) wondering if he would like some excitement in his life that might also prove to be lucrative he thinks, “Why not?”

As he works his way through the training program doing his best to comply with the steps he is given to follow he also meets and bumbles through a few interactions with women, hones some skills, interacts with neighbors, spends some time with male friends and daydreams about his future and whether or not he might become a James Bond-like man in the future.

There are some twists and turns and surprises that I was not expecting toward the end and as they happened I kept wondering how a 27 year old software designer could be as gullible as Sam was. Having just finished my first lad-lit book I am not sure I would read another one BUT I do believe there is a market for this type of book and this one is well-plotted and written for the reader it is intended.

Thank you to the author and BOTSB for the ARC – This is my honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

On meeting Sam, I couldn’t help but like him immediately. He can be a bit dim but you can tell he is a genuine guy whose luck has been a bit down but all that seems to be changing. Not only is he now looking at a career as a hitman, his luck with the ladies seems to be changing also.

There is an underlying dark humor throughout which I really enjoyed. In fact there is a lot to enjoy. I liked the characters as well as Hamish the dog that Sam ends up looking after for one of his neighbour’s. Whilst it may be classed as a lad lit novella, it certainly appealed to me and now having read what could possibly be my first book in this genre, I would certainly read more.

Hitman Sam has a protagonist that the reader can’t help put get behind. Whilst I obviously don’t condone killing people, the story focuses more on Sam whilst training to the build up for his first kill and his stop, start friendship with Emma who works in the video shop. A story I enjoyed way more than I expected in a genre new to me. Was actually quite sad to get to the end as could easily have devoured more of Sam and his day to day life. Great read and would definitely recommend if you are looking for something light hearted and entertaining.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read a couple of Morgen’s books now and I really enjoyed them. I read the synopsis for ‘Hitman Sam’ and it intrigued me. Plus I must admit that I quite fancy the idea of being the female Bond so I wondered if I could pick up tips! Anyway I couldn’t wait to read it and so with further ado, I jumped straight into the book with both feet. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Hitman Sam’ but more about that in a bit.
In a way I couldn’t help but take to the character of Sam Simpson. He has lost his job and is desperate to find another one. He answers a job advert in the paper which is very vague on information and the telephone interview can be best described as bizarre. Sam tries to learn how to be a hitman and tries to pick up tips from the movies. Sam also thinks that if he has such a mysterious job, he might have more luck with the ladies. I can’t say that he is all that successful in his new role.
‘Hitman Sam’ is a novella story which is basically a shorter story. It’s also labelled as being ‘lad lit’ but I think that that label is misleading as it were. I love challenging labels and if somebody told me that I couldn’t read a book because it was aimed at males, then that would make all the more determined to read it. Plus I was a bit of a tomboy as a kid and I wanted to be the female Bond. The one big hurdle with me wanting to join MI5 or MI6 is the fact that I can’t keep my mouth shut and I do stand out rather a lot with ginger hair!! Anyway enough of my fantasy job and back to the review I do go.
‘For me, ‘Hitman Sam’ is well written. The author certainly knows how to grab your attention from the start and she dangles enough bait to keep you interested all the way through the book. I was gripped by the story and I was intrigued to see how the story would pan out so I had to keep reading and keep turning those pages. I seemed to get through this novella in next to no time, but in reality it was a matter of hours. ‘Hitman Sam’ was certainly a fun sort of read and I found myself chuckling away at certain parts of the book as I was mentally imagining what that particular scenario must have looked like in my head.
This book had a bit of everything. There was drama, romance, serious action and there was a fair bit of humour in the book too. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Hitman Sam’ and Morgen has another winner on her hands with this book. I can’t wait to read what Morgen comes up with next. Here’s hoping that I don’t have too long to wait. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 4* out of 5*.

[Zoé-Lee O'Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bailey has done it again, another fantastic novella that will make you laugh and show you six degrees of separation between people. Sam, oh bless little Sam, he’s just been made redundant and sees a random advert in a paper. He answers some questions and next thing he know THP have sent him something in the post. Something that will change his life…literally!

This was such an enjoyable little novella, watching a normal, and very naive person, taking on this fantastical role, imagining himself as the next James Bond! Wanting the lifestyle and the women of Bond and making a bit of a mess of it. Sam is the main man, but we are introduced to so many characters you wonder how everyone links together and as mentioned the six degrees of separation.

The ending has left me wanting more and I would love for there to be a follow up to Sam, Emma and Libby, it feels like there is more to come. Plus I would love to see how Sam would handle his next mission and his love life at the same time.

I adore the writing style of Bailey because she just draws you in from the first page, knowing that she take you on the journey her characters take. All the time I am questioning would I do this? She brings out the naivety of us and the disbelief and plays it out so well. Can you really have your cake and eat it? Everything just works perfectly for me and it is a take a pinch of salt book, something to lose yourself in to and not to take too seriously, Sam does that for us!

Bailey’s stories always leave me with a smile on my face and amazement of how these people can end up in the situations they do. It is just divine! She had me chuckling and suspend all belief and with Sam he just won my heart.

[Kerry https://likeherdingcatsblog.wordpress.com Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hitman Sam is such a quirky novella and was so much fun to read. It’s clever and twisty with humour and is difficult to put down once you begin.
Sam is an unlikely hitman and bears no resemblance to the Hollywood types we see on TV. He lives alone, eating microwave meals for one and has recently been made redundant. When he spots an advert in the local paper he applies, and pretty soon mysterious packages, training manuals and missions are popping through his letterbox. Is Sam cut out for a life of crime?
If anyone had told me the different genres packed into this novel I would have been sceptical but it works so well. There’s a little bit of everything and despite the subject matter, the whole novel retains a light-hearted tone that kept me guessing until the very end.
Sam is an interesting character. To begin with he is stuck in a rut, seems to have limited motivation and not much oomph to be honest. When his ag was revealed I was a little shocked at hoe young he was. But, as the plot moves forward, Sam develops into a more confident man although often making choices that made me want to give him a motherly talking to. I was over the moon once he developed a romantic interest and felt quite protective of him by the end.
A short, but jam packed novel full of humour, romance and driven by a very normal but interesting character Hitman Sam is the perfect escapism for an afternoon. And in true Morgen Bailey style – it all comes together very cleverly in the end.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

So you’re redundant, comfortable pay off so you can afford to be fussy about your next step in life. But then you see a curious ad in the local paper, what have you got to lose? It’s only a phone call at the end of the day….what could go wrong?

Meet Sam! He’s redundant and answers that curious ad… little does he know he’s heading down a once-in-a-lifetime path to become a hitman!! Yes that’s right, a hitman!! What ensues is a light hearted tale of Sam’s training.

I liked Sam. He throws himself into this world of hitman training, maybe slightly misguided as he gets wrapped up in the romance of being the suave James Bond- who doesn’t love a bit of James Bond 😍😍. He even tries his luck with the ladies…

“You can’t make someone love you; all you can do is stalk them until they give in.”

I’m normally put off by the label of lad lit but Morgen Bailey has created an entertaining read with likeable characters. Now I’ve finished the novella of under 200 pages and think about the story, it makes me smile. For me, it was crime fiction with a sense of humour.

[R K Martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Im not convinced there is such a genre as "lad-lit". A book is either funny, educational, biographical or simply entertaining, sometimes all four. This book doesn't really fit into any of those categories so seems to have invented its one of its own. In a nutshell, the plot is unfeasible, the characters unengaging and the storyline implausible. I very nearly gave up halfway in and then speed-read to the end, just to see what happened. Without wishing to be unkind, this book and its dull minutiae could be condensed from 171 pages to less than 50 without missing out anything of any relevance and saving the reader several hours before the ultimate weak and disappointing ending. Sorry Morgen.

[Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of a boring book to me. Sams lady left him so he lived alone and seemed to have a boring life. So he decides to keep checking the newspaper for a new job. He comes across this ad which kind of seemed weird in a way so he tried to check out for more information on the computer. Nothing shows up but he decide to call and answers a bunch of silly dump questions about himself. They told him he would get a package in the mail with further instructions. Seems it was THP and they were teaching him how to be a hitman. Now the trouble starts for him .

[Karen's World · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read of Morgan’s and I really liked it, your interest was kept even though a lot was just everyday things it all made up the time line and set the scene. The ending was a surprise and it was brilliant the way it all came together at the end and how many of the story lines were all connected. Great work by a talented author.

[P.S. Winn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never heard of lad lit before, but found it is fun. Sam Simpson has a new, unusual job as a hitman. Sam is in for some danger, fun, and learning. This is a different genre than I was expecting, but was a fun ride.

[Between The Pages (Gemma M) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read a few short stories by Morgen in the past so this was a must read for me. It’s short (171 pages). So perfect for those readers with busy lives, but it is still a brilliant story and well written set in a cute little town.
I surprisingly liked Sams character he was willing to give it a go and even found himself part of a love triangle at one point! Oops… The dog! Loved the dog. This story has a little bit of everything in it.
Can easily be devoured in one sitting. The ending was a shocking, jaw dropping, unexpected outcome. I found the story did end suddenly, a bit rushed but it all made sense and maybe it was cause I wanted more. I enjoyed it. A well deserved four stars from me. Highly recommend.

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

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