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To Die in Vienna
Soon to be a major motion picture starring Jake Gyllenhaal.
He’s seen something that could get him killed. But what?
Freddie Makin is a spy for hire. For a year he’s been watching Jiang Cheng, an academic whose life seems suspiciously normal. To Freddie it’s just a job: he never asks who’s paying him and why—until the day someone is sent to kill him, and suddenly the watcher becomes the watched.
On the run from whoever wants him dead, Freddie knows he must have seen something incriminating. The only trouble is, he has no idea what. Is the CIA behind all this—or does it go higher than that? Have his trackers uncovered his own murky past?
As he’s forced into a lethal dance across Vienna, Freddie knows one thing for sure: his only hope for survival is keeping the truth from the other side, and making sure the secrets from his past stay hidden.
271 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 14, 2018
2104 people are currently reading
4162 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Wignall
41 books560 followersArmy Child till age nine.
Settled back in a small town in the west of England.
Lancaster University - degree in Politics &
International Relations.
Writer.
Also writes as K.J. Wignall
Email: kevin@kevinwignall.com
Settled back in a small town in the west of England.
Lancaster University - degree in Politics &
International Relations.
Writer.
Also writes as K.J. Wignall
Email: kevin@kevinwignall.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 335 reviews
May 23, 2018
This is a great espionage thriller set in the architecturally beautiful Vienna, a city I know well, soon to come out as a film with Jake Gyllenhaal. A traumatised Freddie Makin left S8, a covert CIA unit, after a disastrous mission left 3 friends and colleagues dead in Yemen. Plagued by flashbacks, nightmares, and difficulties sleeping, for a year Freddie has been working as a surveillance expert for a unknown client of Leo Behnke, his employer. Freddie feels he knows all there is to know about Vienna Technical University academic, Jiang Chen, a man with rigid routines. Suffering from an onset of an ocular migraine, he leaves his surveillance of Chen to go home, this is to save his life as when he gets home a man tries to shoot him. Not a man who is comfortable killing anyone, he is about to find himself in a position where he is forced to do so to survive as he kills the intruder. Chen has disappeared, and Freddie is certain he has been murdered as he goes on the run. He has no idea who wants him dead or why, and nothing he knows about Chen provides any clue as to why the academic had to be eliminated.
Freddie goes to see his employer, Leo, in Munich but Leo is shot dead without Freddie being any the wiser about the identity of the client behind Chen's surveillance. Freddie's expertise in staying below the radar allows him to elude those after him and provide him with an opportunity to discover that they are American. Are they CIA? Knowing they expect him to leave Vienna, Freddie does the count intuitive thing by staying in Vienna at the trendy, off the wall Madhouse Hotel where he gets close to would be artist, Eva, who works there. Having been a solitary and isolated figure since the Yemen fiasco and sleepwalking through life, Freddie finds himself joining the human race as he begins for the first time to see the beauty of Vienna and the benefits of developing friends. As he battles to survive the murderous intentions of a powerful rogue CIA operative, Freddie investigates the women in Chen's life, the Russian History Professor, Marina Mikhailova and lover, Wei Jun.
Kevin Wignall writes a compelling and tense thriller amidst the background of Vienna, a city where spies abound and is a strong character in its own right. Freddie is your ordinary man whose life is turned upside down when he becomes a target for elimination. His predicament has him digging deep to find the inner resources to find out why Chen had to die, and finding the means to make life difficult for his pursuers. Wignall ensures Freddie is a flawed character you find yourself rooting for as he fights for his life with his backstory being slowly revealed as the story progresses. This is a wonderfully entertaining novel of spies with a wide range of diverse characters. The women, Marina Mikhailova, Wei Jun, Eva, really caught my attention in particular, just such interesting characters as Freddie learns that effectively he knew so little about Chen despite his intense surveillance. Highly recommended! Many thanks to Amazon Publishing UK for an ARC.
Freddie goes to see his employer, Leo, in Munich but Leo is shot dead without Freddie being any the wiser about the identity of the client behind Chen's surveillance. Freddie's expertise in staying below the radar allows him to elude those after him and provide him with an opportunity to discover that they are American. Are they CIA? Knowing they expect him to leave Vienna, Freddie does the count intuitive thing by staying in Vienna at the trendy, off the wall Madhouse Hotel where he gets close to would be artist, Eva, who works there. Having been a solitary and isolated figure since the Yemen fiasco and sleepwalking through life, Freddie finds himself joining the human race as he begins for the first time to see the beauty of Vienna and the benefits of developing friends. As he battles to survive the murderous intentions of a powerful rogue CIA operative, Freddie investigates the women in Chen's life, the Russian History Professor, Marina Mikhailova and lover, Wei Jun.
Kevin Wignall writes a compelling and tense thriller amidst the background of Vienna, a city where spies abound and is a strong character in its own right. Freddie is your ordinary man whose life is turned upside down when he becomes a target for elimination. His predicament has him digging deep to find the inner resources to find out why Chen had to die, and finding the means to make life difficult for his pursuers. Wignall ensures Freddie is a flawed character you find yourself rooting for as he fights for his life with his backstory being slowly revealed as the story progresses. This is a wonderfully entertaining novel of spies with a wide range of diverse characters. The women, Marina Mikhailova, Wei Jun, Eva, really caught my attention in particular, just such interesting characters as Freddie learns that effectively he knew so little about Chen despite his intense surveillance. Highly recommended! Many thanks to Amazon Publishing UK for an ARC.
April 26, 2021
Send me to The Madhouse!
This has all the components of a great book: a likeable protagonist, an interesting storyline, lots of atmosphere and a fantastic narrator. It was a fun read, enhanced by the original and entertaining location of the Madhouse Hotel. Only in Supernatural have I ever seen an otherwise overlooked scene like a motel/hotel given such personality.
I would listen to everything Kevin Wignall has written, if it were all read by George Newbern. I think the next one I pick up I'll read on my Kindle, because I've blown through all the books Newbern reads.
This has all the components of a great book: a likeable protagonist, an interesting storyline, lots of atmosphere and a fantastic narrator. It was a fun read, enhanced by the original and entertaining location of the Madhouse Hotel. Only in Supernatural have I ever seen an otherwise overlooked scene like a motel/hotel given such personality.
I would listen to everything Kevin Wignall has written, if it were all read by George Newbern. I think the next one I pick up I'll read on my Kindle, because I've blown through all the books Newbern reads.
August 14, 2018
To Die in Vienna is both the title of this book and an avid description of Freddie Makin’s anonymous existence spending a year surveilling a boring routine university professor In Vienna. Freddie is in some ways like a Jason Bourne, unaware of the part he’s playing in the great espionage games and determined to nevertheless survive. But, Freddie is no James Bond and no Jason Bourne. He’s hamstrung by migraines and visited by nightmares. He once (before he became a spy for hire) worked a clandestine operation in Yemen, leading his small team to a bitter end, including his lover. Haunted by guilt over his affair and guilt over the sacrifices of his team members, he is a troubled outsider, who is barely existing. Until one day, something pops up in the operation and all hell breaks loose and there’s no one to trust or rely on.
To Die in Vienna is as much a psychological portrait of Freddie and his survivor’s guilt as it is the usual cat and mouse 🐭 espionage thriller. Although at times the action hits furiously, much of the novel is a bit slower-paced, foreshadowed by the enveloping fog. And for that reason, because it is not the usual over-the-top action thriller, it is quite an engrossing read.
Many thanks to the publisher for providing a copy for review.
To Die in Vienna is as much a psychological portrait of Freddie and his survivor’s guilt as it is the usual cat and mouse 🐭 espionage thriller. Although at times the action hits furiously, much of the novel is a bit slower-paced, foreshadowed by the enveloping fog. And for that reason, because it is not the usual over-the-top action thriller, it is quite an engrossing read.
Many thanks to the publisher for providing a copy for review.
December 20, 2019
An entertaining espionage audible book that moves right along, with little dialogue but has a plot that is understandable and believable. I’m looking forward to reading the next spy novel by this author.
June 4, 2022
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
A surveillance expert watches a guy in Vienna. When the subject is taken, somebody comes after him as well. Fortunately, he's got a little tradecraft and a lot of luck on his side. He tries to figure out what he knows that will get him killed, while trying to avoid death.
Very readable.
A surveillance expert watches a guy in Vienna. When the subject is taken, somebody comes after him as well. Fortunately, he's got a little tradecraft and a lot of luck on his side. He tries to figure out what he knows that will get him killed, while trying to avoid death.
Very readable.
May 21, 2018
It is always a joy to learn a new Kevin Wignall book is about to be released and I will hassle and cajole to get an ARC or purchase one as soon as it is available.
The author writes with great style and humanity.
So it is good to report having consumed the latest offering my joy has been replaced by a sense of well-being and a smile tattooed to my face.
To die in Vienna is a modern spy thriller set mostly in Europe but with a recurring throwback to a failed mission in Yemen. It focuses on the washed out former agent Freddie Makin who 5 years on from failure and resignation has become a watcher, a high-tech surveillance operative. Tasked for the past 12 months to follow every aspect of a Chinese intellectual in Vienna.
His mundane assignment takes a more sinister turn when he returns home one day to find his flat being robbed. The thief gets away but later returns to kill him.
From nowhere his life is turned upside down and suddenly he is wanted man. His employers appear to have been subcontracted by the CIA and for some reason they want him dead. During his many hours of observation he appears to have seen or over heard something that means he has to be silenced.
A classic story is played out. That of an innocent party trying to stay safe, while others are hellbent to kill them. Meanwhile in any time afforded to them, seeking to work out what they have stumbled across that has made further existence a liability to the pursuers, in this case the CIA.
He is a closed person, quite lonely and withdrawn haunted by nightmares of how his life unravelled 5 years before. He has no friends; no contacts and little tradecraft to call upon. He has few choices and limited resources at hand. He needs answers and quickly as the ‘enemy’ seems to be ready and increasingly determined to end his life. It is a journey of personal discovery and he finds his life becomes more worthwhile as he strives to ward off harm and deadly intent. Who can he trust; where can he hide?
I love the writing and characters penned by the author. Ordinary people who find themselves in strange circumstances. Little support and gadgets to give an edge, so Freddie relies on tools of his recent trade to gain an advantage. His life is in constant danger but he views his pursuers with a detachment that ensures he wants answers with little collateral damage. He’ll take them out of the picture but not euphemistically; he has no desire to kill those trying to kill him.
The book has great locations and brilliant set pieces. Freddie is a guy we can identify with who we’ll root for but sadly we grow increasingly gloomy that he’ll survive.
All is set up for a showdown meeting with the rogue CIA agent, Langley seem to have given carte blanche to operate but somehow Freddie must cut a deal with.
Too many people have been killed. Freddie must face him knowing he has little to bargain with, and his life is all the guy has ever sought since the nightmare started.
Had me gripped to the very end. Loved the journey we take with Freddie. Wignall has the inside track on modern espionage. A book of hope; perhaps not for life after death but a sense of finding oneself; healing the past and finding reason to live again.
Trouble for Freddie is he finds peace with his past and an acceptance for a life he had largely shunned just when he faces the most serious threat to his ongoing existence. Read it to find the journeys end.
The author writes with great style and humanity.
So it is good to report having consumed the latest offering my joy has been replaced by a sense of well-being and a smile tattooed to my face.
To die in Vienna is a modern spy thriller set mostly in Europe but with a recurring throwback to a failed mission in Yemen. It focuses on the washed out former agent Freddie Makin who 5 years on from failure and resignation has become a watcher, a high-tech surveillance operative. Tasked for the past 12 months to follow every aspect of a Chinese intellectual in Vienna.
His mundane assignment takes a more sinister turn when he returns home one day to find his flat being robbed. The thief gets away but later returns to kill him.
From nowhere his life is turned upside down and suddenly he is wanted man. His employers appear to have been subcontracted by the CIA and for some reason they want him dead. During his many hours of observation he appears to have seen or over heard something that means he has to be silenced.
A classic story is played out. That of an innocent party trying to stay safe, while others are hellbent to kill them. Meanwhile in any time afforded to them, seeking to work out what they have stumbled across that has made further existence a liability to the pursuers, in this case the CIA.
He is a closed person, quite lonely and withdrawn haunted by nightmares of how his life unravelled 5 years before. He has no friends; no contacts and little tradecraft to call upon. He has few choices and limited resources at hand. He needs answers and quickly as the ‘enemy’ seems to be ready and increasingly determined to end his life. It is a journey of personal discovery and he finds his life becomes more worthwhile as he strives to ward off harm and deadly intent. Who can he trust; where can he hide?
I love the writing and characters penned by the author. Ordinary people who find themselves in strange circumstances. Little support and gadgets to give an edge, so Freddie relies on tools of his recent trade to gain an advantage. His life is in constant danger but he views his pursuers with a detachment that ensures he wants answers with little collateral damage. He’ll take them out of the picture but not euphemistically; he has no desire to kill those trying to kill him.
The book has great locations and brilliant set pieces. Freddie is a guy we can identify with who we’ll root for but sadly we grow increasingly gloomy that he’ll survive.
All is set up for a showdown meeting with the rogue CIA agent, Langley seem to have given carte blanche to operate but somehow Freddie must cut a deal with.
Too many people have been killed. Freddie must face him knowing he has little to bargain with, and his life is all the guy has ever sought since the nightmare started.
Had me gripped to the very end. Loved the journey we take with Freddie. Wignall has the inside track on modern espionage. A book of hope; perhaps not for life after death but a sense of finding oneself; healing the past and finding reason to live again.
Trouble for Freddie is he finds peace with his past and an acceptance for a life he had largely shunned just when he faces the most serious threat to his ongoing existence. Read it to find the journeys end.
January 15, 2020
To Die in Vienna by Kevin Wignall was a decent read. I had really high hopes but have to admit my ultimate disappointment in this novel. Instead of being a fast paced page turner, for a thriller, it really dragged along.
"He’s seen something that could get him killed. But what?
Freddie Makin is a spy for hire. For a year he’s been watching Jiang Cheng, an academic whose life seems suspiciously normal. To Freddie it’s just a job: he never asks who’s paying him and why—until the day someone is sent to kill him, and suddenly the watcher becomes the watched.
On the run from whoever wants him dead, Freddie knows he must have seen something incriminating. The only trouble is, he has no idea what. Is the CIA behind all this—or does it go higher than that? Have his trackers uncovered his own murky past?
As he’s forced into a lethal dance across Vienna, Freddie knows one thing for sure: his only hope for survival is keeping the truth from the other side, and making sure the secrets from his past stay hidden." -Book Blurb
I supposed I liked the character of Freddie Makin well enough, though I had trouble really connecting with the few other supporting cast of characters. I enjoyed the concept of The Madhouse hotel, and having it be a focal point of the story, but other than that the setting of Vienna never really came to life for me. I really wished the author would have painted a better picture of the surroundings. The book may as well have been set anywhere in the world. I felt this was a serious issue considering the location Vienna was the main reason I was drawn to reading this book in the first place.
The plot was somewhat interesting though not really thrilling, at least not for me. There was never any real sense of worry over what was happening, or true sense of danger, which was sad to me because Freddie is being hunted down by a hit team. I feel a lot of this had to do with the writing style and pacing. Most of the book was written in a very passive, drowsy way focusing more on flashbacks and introspection than on the plot at hand or danger of the situation.
Overall, this was an interesting read, though not the greatest. My feelings about it are more or less lukewarm. It had a lot of potential but didn’t really meet expectations. It was an alright read.
[OFFICIAL RATING: 3 STARS]
"He’s seen something that could get him killed. But what?
Freddie Makin is a spy for hire. For a year he’s been watching Jiang Cheng, an academic whose life seems suspiciously normal. To Freddie it’s just a job: he never asks who’s paying him and why—until the day someone is sent to kill him, and suddenly the watcher becomes the watched.
On the run from whoever wants him dead, Freddie knows he must have seen something incriminating. The only trouble is, he has no idea what. Is the CIA behind all this—or does it go higher than that? Have his trackers uncovered his own murky past?
As he’s forced into a lethal dance across Vienna, Freddie knows one thing for sure: his only hope for survival is keeping the truth from the other side, and making sure the secrets from his past stay hidden." -Book Blurb
I supposed I liked the character of Freddie Makin well enough, though I had trouble really connecting with the few other supporting cast of characters. I enjoyed the concept of The Madhouse hotel, and having it be a focal point of the story, but other than that the setting of Vienna never really came to life for me. I really wished the author would have painted a better picture of the surroundings. The book may as well have been set anywhere in the world. I felt this was a serious issue considering the location Vienna was the main reason I was drawn to reading this book in the first place.
The plot was somewhat interesting though not really thrilling, at least not for me. There was never any real sense of worry over what was happening, or true sense of danger, which was sad to me because Freddie is being hunted down by a hit team. I feel a lot of this had to do with the writing style and pacing. Most of the book was written in a very passive, drowsy way focusing more on flashbacks and introspection than on the plot at hand or danger of the situation.
Overall, this was an interesting read, though not the greatest. My feelings about it are more or less lukewarm. It had a lot of potential but didn’t really meet expectations. It was an alright read.
[OFFICIAL RATING: 3 STARS]
June 19, 2018
I received this book thru a Goodreads giveaway for an honest review. I would like to thank the author and the publishing company for their giveaway.
This book can be classified as a spy genre novel. In this one, Freddie has been watching a man for over a year. Someone makes a move on Freddie and the person he is watching. Freddie has no idea why and who and Freddie has to figure this out before he is killed.
I am not the biggest fan of the spy genre but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The strength of this book was the main character. He is not your typical spy that is the envy of men and women. He is a flawed character that has a checkered past that he feels remorse from. I also liked the investigative portion of this book as I kept on wondering who was part of the spy game or who was an innocent bystander. The finale was terrific and the surprise at the end works and totally surprised me.
This book is a great example of why I like the giveaways on this website. This author was totally unknown to me and this is not my favorite genre. That being said, I enjoyed every second of the book and I will definitely check out more from this author.
This book can be classified as a spy genre novel. In this one, Freddie has been watching a man for over a year. Someone makes a move on Freddie and the person he is watching. Freddie has no idea why and who and Freddie has to figure this out before he is killed.
I am not the biggest fan of the spy genre but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The strength of this book was the main character. He is not your typical spy that is the envy of men and women. He is a flawed character that has a checkered past that he feels remorse from. I also liked the investigative portion of this book as I kept on wondering who was part of the spy game or who was an innocent bystander. The finale was terrific and the surprise at the end works and totally surprised me.
This book is a great example of why I like the giveaways on this website. This author was totally unknown to me and this is not my favorite genre. That being said, I enjoyed every second of the book and I will definitely check out more from this author.
June 20, 2018
3.5* --> 4*
Set in the wonderful city of Vienna, we are introduced to a rather unlikely spy. Freddie Makin has been watching a Chinese academic, Jiang Cheng, for the past year and thinks he knows everything there is to know about him. Until one day, someone is sent to kill Freddie, his equipment is removed and Cheng disappears. Freddie must have seen something he wasn’t supposed to but what? And who is after him?
Not that I’m an expert on spy thrillers because I’ve not read that many of them, but as far as this one goes, it was a tad on the slow side for the majority of the book. Now, that’s not a bad thing as the tension and action does build up along the way and you get a good feeling about the kind of person Freddie is. He’s quite the likeable character, someone to sympathise with and to root for as he tries to find a way out of this sticky web he’s found himself in. But if you’re looking for fast-paced action, nifty gadgets, car chases and explosions, you won’t find those here. Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed this change of pace.
Things are slightly tricky for Freddie. After a failed mission in Yemen, he left a covert CIA unit five years ago and so he lacks experience, confidence and doubts his abilities. On top of that, he’s also suffering from nightmares and has trouble sleeping. Not the best combination when you need all your wits about you. And so we get that most classic of stories about an innocent person finding himself outside of his comfort zone and desperately trying to make it out alive. But Freddie has no resources to dig into, no fancy gadgets and no idea who to trust.
To Die in Vienna is an intelligently plotted, intriguing and suspenseful spy thriller. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Freddie, who’s so far removed from the cliché spy we usually get and there are also a few wonderful supporting characters, none of which I trusted at all. This is an entertaining and engaging read that made for quite the fun afternoon. Will Freddie be able to bury the demons of his past? Will he survive this ordeal? That’s for me to know and for you to find out.
By the way, this will soon be a movie starring Jake Gyllenhaal so look out for that! But, as always, read the book first 😉
Set in the wonderful city of Vienna, we are introduced to a rather unlikely spy. Freddie Makin has been watching a Chinese academic, Jiang Cheng, for the past year and thinks he knows everything there is to know about him. Until one day, someone is sent to kill Freddie, his equipment is removed and Cheng disappears. Freddie must have seen something he wasn’t supposed to but what? And who is after him?
Not that I’m an expert on spy thrillers because I’ve not read that many of them, but as far as this one goes, it was a tad on the slow side for the majority of the book. Now, that’s not a bad thing as the tension and action does build up along the way and you get a good feeling about the kind of person Freddie is. He’s quite the likeable character, someone to sympathise with and to root for as he tries to find a way out of this sticky web he’s found himself in. But if you’re looking for fast-paced action, nifty gadgets, car chases and explosions, you won’t find those here. Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed this change of pace.
Things are slightly tricky for Freddie. After a failed mission in Yemen, he left a covert CIA unit five years ago and so he lacks experience, confidence and doubts his abilities. On top of that, he’s also suffering from nightmares and has trouble sleeping. Not the best combination when you need all your wits about you. And so we get that most classic of stories about an innocent person finding himself outside of his comfort zone and desperately trying to make it out alive. But Freddie has no resources to dig into, no fancy gadgets and no idea who to trust.
To Die in Vienna is an intelligently plotted, intriguing and suspenseful spy thriller. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Freddie, who’s so far removed from the cliché spy we usually get and there are also a few wonderful supporting characters, none of which I trusted at all. This is an entertaining and engaging read that made for quite the fun afternoon. Will Freddie be able to bury the demons of his past? Will he survive this ordeal? That’s for me to know and for you to find out.
By the way, this will soon be a movie starring Jake Gyllenhaal so look out for that! But, as always, read the book first 😉
October 14, 2018
I've been reading a lot of heavy stuff lately (reviews to follow eventually ) and some law review articles in preparation for a presentation on John Bingham and the 14th Amendment, so it's always nice to find something well-put together that doesn't insult the intelligence, but nicely engages. Kevin Wignall's To Die in Vienna is of the spy-like genre, a favorite of mine, and it fit the bill nicely.
Freddie is a surveillance expert who has been tasked with watching the activities of a Chinese national in Vienna. He has come to know Cheng's habits intimately, but one day he returns home early to find his apartment being trashed and he barely escapes with his life just managing to kill his attacker with a steam iron. His boss is clearly terrified then he is also killed and Freddie realizes it's time to hide. So he does in the place least likely to be suspected and in plain sight.
Things get complicated as they usually do, and Freddie's determined not to kill anyone, the reason for which is gradually determined. Freddie also happens to have numerous skills that he had preferred to leave unused and hidden.
Good story that moves forward nicely. I will read more Wignall.
Freddie is a surveillance expert who has been tasked with watching the activities of a Chinese national in Vienna. He has come to know Cheng's habits intimately, but one day he returns home early to find his apartment being trashed and he barely escapes with his life just managing to kill his attacker with a steam iron. His boss is clearly terrified then he is also killed and Freddie realizes it's time to hide. So he does in the place least likely to be suspected and in plain sight.
Things get complicated as they usually do, and Freddie's determined not to kill anyone, the reason for which is gradually determined. Freddie also happens to have numerous skills that he had preferred to leave unused and hidden.
Good story that moves forward nicely. I will read more Wignall.
June 9, 2023
Disclaimer: I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and the promise that I would review it when done.
I really liked this book. I was kind of surprised by how much so. The characters are engaging and the author did a good job drawing them and not belaboring that process. The plot was fast paced and had enough twists and turns that, even though I suspected who "the bad guys" were, when I found out it still was a bit surprising. I've been to Vienna and the author captured the atmosphere of the city well.
It was one of those books that I felt a little bit of sadness when it ended because I didn't want to leave the characters. I hope this is the start of a series. I definitely will read this one again again...and probably see the movie when it comes out.
I really liked this book. I was kind of surprised by how much so. The characters are engaging and the author did a good job drawing them and not belaboring that process. The plot was fast paced and had enough twists and turns that, even though I suspected who "the bad guys" were, when I found out it still was a bit surprising. I've been to Vienna and the author captured the atmosphere of the city well.
It was one of those books that I felt a little bit of sadness when it ended because I didn't want to leave the characters. I hope this is the start of a series. I definitely will read this one again again...and probably see the movie when it comes out.
December 3, 2020
I was a bit surprised to see that To Die in Vienna had received less than 5900 reviews. To my way of thinking, peculiar though it might be, I found the book to be quite exceptional. It was a genuine pleasure to read a novel written by someone who is clearly quite bright and nicely educated. Wignall seems not to have been held back as a writer by being English and he should be commended for that.
Freddie Makin, our hero, is involved with the surveillance of a Chinese fellow. He observes Jiang (might be his family game but I'm too old to remember and too lazy to verify it) Cheng's life through a series of cameras that he has placed as well as by occasionally following him, to his weekly chess game at a Viennese Cafe.
A migraine forces Freddie to cut short his surveillance one day and return to his own apartment. As it turns out, the apartment is being searched and Freddie becomes the object of the ire of the searcher and his yet-to-be-seen associates. Mayhem obviously ensues and Freddie's life becomes far more interesting. He is the pursuer and the pursuee as he is the killer and intended to be the killee.
Wignall, if I may call him that, has done a masterful job creating a quite unique, nearly believable, and thoroughly engaging story populated with several very interesting, also quite unique, and three-dimensional characters. Wignall appears to eschew using the same characters as a series would require and that's a damn shame - not just a shame, mind you, but a damn shame, because it would be wonderful to see Freddie, Marina or Eva in another story.
I very much hope that others will read this somewhat offbeat espionage story as a result of seeing this review. I shall be looking to see who adds To Die in Vienna to their "Want to Read" list.
Over and Out
Freddie Makin, our hero, is involved with the surveillance of a Chinese fellow. He observes Jiang (might be his family game but I'm too old to remember and too lazy to verify it) Cheng's life through a series of cameras that he has placed as well as by occasionally following him, to his weekly chess game at a Viennese Cafe.
A migraine forces Freddie to cut short his surveillance one day and return to his own apartment. As it turns out, the apartment is being searched and Freddie becomes the object of the ire of the searcher and his yet-to-be-seen associates. Mayhem obviously ensues and Freddie's life becomes far more interesting. He is the pursuer and the pursuee as he is the killer and intended to be the killee.
Wignall, if I may call him that, has done a masterful job creating a quite unique, nearly believable, and thoroughly engaging story populated with several very interesting, also quite unique, and three-dimensional characters. Wignall appears to eschew using the same characters as a series would require and that's a damn shame - not just a shame, mind you, but a damn shame, because it would be wonderful to see Freddie, Marina or Eva in another story.
I very much hope that others will read this somewhat offbeat espionage story as a result of seeing this review. I shall be looking to see who adds To Die in Vienna to their "Want to Read" list.
Over and Out
August 6, 2019
A bit different from my usual tastes as I don't usually read spy thrillers. It's ok, I did enjoy it but I'm probably not going to rush to read another. Lots of twists and turns and it does read quite fast. The man character is quite likeable. Overall not a bad book but not one that makes me change my mind about the genre
Read
June 4, 2024
Trigger & Content Warnings
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) including flashbacks, nightmares & sleeping difficulties
Murder & attempted murder
Gun violence
Stalking
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) including flashbacks, nightmares & sleeping difficulties
Murder & attempted murder
Gun violence
Stalking
June 14, 2018
Visit Vienna with this book!
I’ve not read many spy action thrillers but this one felt very different to the ones I had. Slower paced for one, but that worked well in the sense the tension built up steadily and the twists and shadows of the city appeared and disappeared at will.
Freddie was a great character but for a spy was rather in touch with his feelings!Not sying that spies aren’t or shouldn’t be but he has a backstory and worries of his own which ,when being the target as it were, really came into his own. There’s a great deal to think about if you’re a spy it would seem and loyalty is not all it’s cracked up to be. This was an interesting angle on the spy story for me and there were lots of grey areas opposed to the black and white of the spy world and the world outside.
Vienna was the perfect backdrop to this story of secrets and spies. Old, gothic and with plenty of character and history. The characters moved around the city, taking advantage of it history and cobbled, twisty alleyways. The author really used the setting well to illustrate an old city, plenty of heritage and secrets of course.
It’s going to be a film – think this will work really well on screen and I’ll be in that queue at the cinema for sure!
I’ve not read many spy action thrillers but this one felt very different to the ones I had. Slower paced for one, but that worked well in the sense the tension built up steadily and the twists and shadows of the city appeared and disappeared at will.
Freddie was a great character but for a spy was rather in touch with his feelings!Not sying that spies aren’t or shouldn’t be but he has a backstory and worries of his own which ,when being the target as it were, really came into his own. There’s a great deal to think about if you’re a spy it would seem and loyalty is not all it’s cracked up to be. This was an interesting angle on the spy story for me and there were lots of grey areas opposed to the black and white of the spy world and the world outside.
Vienna was the perfect backdrop to this story of secrets and spies. Old, gothic and with plenty of character and history. The characters moved around the city, taking advantage of it history and cobbled, twisty alleyways. The author really used the setting well to illustrate an old city, plenty of heritage and secrets of course.
It’s going to be a film – think this will work really well on screen and I’ll be in that queue at the cinema for sure!
September 26, 2018
I'm not sure why this 'thriller' got so much praise in the reviews. I found it pretty dull with a lack of character development. Freddie has potential as a character, but the author needs give us a bit more. I love the city of Vienna and was initially attracted to a thriller based in the great Austrian Capital, but aside from casual references, I felt it could have been any city. Overall the book is fine as far as espionage thrillers go, but there is no way it deserves over 4 stars.
June 23, 2018
Blah
I did not like this book. Very boring. Too much telling. Felt removed from the action and the characters. I enjoyed his other books but not this one
I did not like this book. Very boring. Too much telling. Felt removed from the action and the characters. I enjoyed his other books but not this one
November 19, 2019
Freelance surveillance expert Freddie Makin has spent the past year living in Vienna, watching Chinese academic Jiang Cheng. He doesn't know why or who ordered the surveillance, and he doesn't particularly care - until someone tries to kill him, Cheng goes missing, and whoever came after Freddie is still hunting for him across Europe, apparently believing he's seen something he shouldn't have while surveilling Cheng. Whatever it is, Freddie needs to figure out what's going on, preferably before it gets him killed.
Another excellent thriller from Wignall - this might even be his best one yet. Tightly plotted, fastpaced, and keeps the twists coming.
Another excellent thriller from Wignall - this might even be his best one yet. Tightly plotted, fastpaced, and keeps the twists coming.
June 13, 2018
One of my great loves are 1970’s conspiracy thrillers, The Parralax View being perhaps my favourite movie of all time. Alan J Pakula, the director, also directed Klute, and of course All The Presidents Men, the three movies forming a loose trilogy that summed up the disillusion, distrust and paranoia many American were beginning to view their government through. One can add to this mix The Conversation, where Gene Hackman played a freelance surveillance expert who stumbles upon a sinister conspiracy.
To Die In Vienna, while set in contemporary Europe, has a very similar vibe to those 1970’s movies, an in particular to The Conversation. Like Gene Hackman’s character in the movie, Freddie Mackin, the protagonist of the novel, is a freelance surveillance expert. He’s on a job in Vienna, surveilling Jiang Cheng, a Chinese academic and programming specialist. Cheng leads a highly structured and mundane life; Freddie has no idea why he’s been contracted to spy on the man.
Freddie is a man with a tragic past; prior to working freelance he was an operative for S8, a shadowy outfit on the frontlines of the War on Terror. An ambush occurred in Yemen and Freddie’s has been haunted by it ever since. He turned his back on that kind of work and became a recluse, putting his skills to use for the corporate world. Freddie’s struggle to come to terms with his trauma has him draw solace from watching the simplicity and peacefulness of Cheng’s life and he has developed a fondness for his target.
One day, out of the blue, everything changes. Agents of some kind take Chen, seize Freddie’s surveillance equipment and come after Freddie. What has Chen done to cause this? What has Freddie seen, through the surveillance, to put his life in danger? So begins a cat and mouse game, Freddie doing his pursuers, all the while trying to learn what it is he has seen so that he might ensure his own survival, and yes, perhaps get justice for Chen.
This is a brilliant book, If you like intelligent thrillers with well-rounded characters you’ll like this; if, like me, you loved the paranoid 70’s movies, you’ll love it. This is a thinking person’s thriller - there’s little action, though when it comes, it’s handled well - it’s a slow burner, but gripping nonetheless.
It was no surprise to learn that To Die In Vienna has been snapped up by Hollywood. Apparently, Focus Features (part of Universal) have purchased the rights and Jake Gyllenhaal is slated to play Freddie. Having read the book, I for one will be buying tickets for the cinema once the movie adaptation comes out.
To Die In Vienna, while set in contemporary Europe, has a very similar vibe to those 1970’s movies, an in particular to The Conversation. Like Gene Hackman’s character in the movie, Freddie Mackin, the protagonist of the novel, is a freelance surveillance expert. He’s on a job in Vienna, surveilling Jiang Cheng, a Chinese academic and programming specialist. Cheng leads a highly structured and mundane life; Freddie has no idea why he’s been contracted to spy on the man.
Freddie is a man with a tragic past; prior to working freelance he was an operative for S8, a shadowy outfit on the frontlines of the War on Terror. An ambush occurred in Yemen and Freddie’s has been haunted by it ever since. He turned his back on that kind of work and became a recluse, putting his skills to use for the corporate world. Freddie’s struggle to come to terms with his trauma has him draw solace from watching the simplicity and peacefulness of Cheng’s life and he has developed a fondness for his target.
One day, out of the blue, everything changes. Agents of some kind take Chen, seize Freddie’s surveillance equipment and come after Freddie. What has Chen done to cause this? What has Freddie seen, through the surveillance, to put his life in danger? So begins a cat and mouse game, Freddie doing his pursuers, all the while trying to learn what it is he has seen so that he might ensure his own survival, and yes, perhaps get justice for Chen.
This is a brilliant book, If you like intelligent thrillers with well-rounded characters you’ll like this; if, like me, you loved the paranoid 70’s movies, you’ll love it. This is a thinking person’s thriller - there’s little action, though when it comes, it’s handled well - it’s a slow burner, but gripping nonetheless.
It was no surprise to learn that To Die In Vienna has been snapped up by Hollywood. Apparently, Focus Features (part of Universal) have purchased the rights and Jake Gyllenhaal is slated to play Freddie. Having read the book, I for one will be buying tickets for the cinema once the movie adaptation comes out.
February 11, 2020
This book will definitely goes on my “best books I’ve read list”. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading, but Freddie Macon’s comes across as one of the most real characters that’s I’ve read in a long time.
June 3, 2018
I received an advanced copy of the book from Netgalley and publishers Thomas & Mercer.
Who doesn't love a good spy thriller? Looking at the cover of 'To Die in Vienna' you cannot mistake it for being anything but. Set in the capital city of Austria, Wignall's latest book follows Freddie Makin, a surveillance operative whose life is saved by a migraine.
Freddie had been following math professor - certified genius - Jiang Cheng for around a year, when suddenly he finds his life is at risk. His bosses are convinced he saw something while watching Cheng, but what it is, and why has it cost so many people their lives, is something Freddie needs to find out.
Like most tales of espionage, our protagonist is a lonesome fellow, suffering undiagnosed PTSD after making a bad judgement call in Yemen five years before the events of the book. He frequently dreams of his fallen colleagues and the many poor decisions he made before, during and after the Yemen incident. His life has become a rum-drum excuse for existing, and somehow having these big bads on his tail makes him feel alive. The reader, however, isn't quite as lucky.
To find out why, read my full review here.
Who doesn't love a good spy thriller? Looking at the cover of 'To Die in Vienna' you cannot mistake it for being anything but. Set in the capital city of Austria, Wignall's latest book follows Freddie Makin, a surveillance operative whose life is saved by a migraine.
Freddie had been following math professor - certified genius - Jiang Cheng for around a year, when suddenly he finds his life is at risk. His bosses are convinced he saw something while watching Cheng, but what it is, and why has it cost so many people their lives, is something Freddie needs to find out.
Like most tales of espionage, our protagonist is a lonesome fellow, suffering undiagnosed PTSD after making a bad judgement call in Yemen five years before the events of the book. He frequently dreams of his fallen colleagues and the many poor decisions he made before, during and after the Yemen incident. His life has become a rum-drum excuse for existing, and somehow having these big bads on his tail makes him feel alive. The reader, however, isn't quite as lucky.
To find out why, read my full review here.
June 12, 2018
I really enjoyed this thriller. It was an intense read and kept me hooked right from the start. The author writes very strong characters that you will instantly fall in love with. This book will keep you guessing until the very end.
December 18, 2018
An engaging thriller with a taut story. For once I'm glad that it isn't one of those novels that revolves around some plot of world ending conspiracy. It is in fact much of a character focused story, and it also doesn't hop from one country to another, rather takes place in the beautiful city of Vienna. The pacing is good, and the theme of the hunter and the hunted is well played. Also, I liked the fact that the protagonist is a common citizen with some special skills, not like the hardcore guys like a Bond, Reacher or Bourne.
The story begins with Freddie doing surveillance on a Chinese polymath, until the subject is killed and Freddie himself is in danger of being losing his life. He goes on the run and tries to uncover the reason behind his predicament. He tries to find clues watching the footages of the person he was doing surveillance. He uncovers some vital information, and begins to take of the rivals one by one from the game. In between, a lot of insight is given into Freedie's background and his character. He is no killer, rather a clever manipulator who is not on top of his game in the current circumstances. I really liked his friendship with the girl Eva at hotel Madhouse. Freddie, despite his flaws is a pretty likable character.
This is a very unformulaic thriller I have read in a long time. It is not high on action, but brims with tension. The antagonist was a unlikely crook, and though his reasons were faulty, I believed it because of the circumstantial evidence the author provided in a convincing manner. There were mention of few deaths which made me sad, but, being a thriller I'll allow it so. I liked the clean ending which was properly timed, and also ends with a note of warm hope.
The story begins with Freddie doing surveillance on a Chinese polymath, until the subject is killed and Freddie himself is in danger of being losing his life. He goes on the run and tries to uncover the reason behind his predicament. He tries to find clues watching the footages of the person he was doing surveillance. He uncovers some vital information, and begins to take of the rivals one by one from the game. In between, a lot of insight is given into Freedie's background and his character. He is no killer, rather a clever manipulator who is not on top of his game in the current circumstances. I really liked his friendship with the girl Eva at hotel Madhouse. Freddie, despite his flaws is a pretty likable character.
This is a very unformulaic thriller I have read in a long time. It is not high on action, but brims with tension. The antagonist was a unlikely crook, and though his reasons were faulty, I believed it because of the circumstantial evidence the author provided in a convincing manner. There were mention of few deaths which made me sad, but, being a thriller I'll allow it so. I liked the clean ending which was properly timed, and also ends with a note of warm hope.
February 24, 2019
Wignall is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. His measured pace, intelligent prose, and relatable characters (well, as much as one can relate to a spy) are a consistent and reliable pleasure. Vienna plays a large part in this book too, and I pictured the streets and the fog, the eclectic inhabitants and the river, and even the parks and trams, enjoying a mini vacation to one of my favorite European cities.
This book had a few weaknesses for me. First, the beginning is a little ponderous, and the protagonist does more introspection than I prefer to read. I'd love for some of that information to have been conveyed in dialogue. Secondly, this protagonist is a very lucky man who survives multiple events that he doesn't seem qualified to survive. One or two of these would've worked for me, but beating hard, trained professionals time and again is most likely, unlikely.
Still, I look forward to reading the next book in this series, and believe that Wignall should get far more press than he does.
This book had a few weaknesses for me. First, the beginning is a little ponderous, and the protagonist does more introspection than I prefer to read. I'd love for some of that information to have been conveyed in dialogue. Secondly, this protagonist is a very lucky man who survives multiple events that he doesn't seem qualified to survive. One or two of these would've worked for me, but beating hard, trained professionals time and again is most likely, unlikely.
Still, I look forward to reading the next book in this series, and believe that Wignall should get far more press than he does.
August 10, 2020
Back in the olden days, the 80s and 90s, I was a huge Clancy fan. Started with Hunt for Red October and continued on with Sum of All Fears, Clear and Present Danger, and on throughout the Ryan series. Loved them. They were full of great characters ( both heroic and not), action, and intrigue, and I enjoyed them for years. Now I have only read two of Wignall's books, this and The Traitor's Story, but I have thoroughly enjoyed them both. I still get great characters, plenty of intrigue, and though not as action-packed, they are gripping in a totally different way. Wignall deftly guides his reader through a complex, intelligent storyline while carefully eking out clues and backstory along the way, all the while keeping one completely hooked....and without the overwhelming descriptions of military weaponry and strategy. I just happened to stumble on Wignall's books, but I am ever so glad I did and will definitely be reading more.
December 8, 2018
3.75 stars. Easily read spy novel. Kind of a Bourne-light. Interesting characters that I grew to like.
January 19, 2020
I read / listened to this in one day. Good story! I was definitely interested the entire time. Also, free ebook and audio download for Amazon Prime members.
August 22, 2020
A surveillance op contracted by the CIA is shut down and members are killed to hide a secret. Our hero tries to escape and uncover what has put a target behind his back.
April 20, 2020
I really wanted to like this book, especially hearing that it's in development as a movie. And as much as I enjoy an "everyman" protagonist, this story was just a little too far-fetched for me. The protagonist seemed to luck into every situation, and the other characters were often dumbed down to accommodate his lack of experience (for example, when he manages to get the drop on a seasoned operator, and convinces him to divulge critical mission information that a spy in that position wouldn't just voluntarily give up). Because of that, I never quite got into the story or felt a connection with the protagonist despite the premise and the hook really catching my interest. Overall, this one didn't really leave a lasting impression on me.
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