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A Michael North Thriller #1
Killing State
What if the person you’re ordered to kill Is the woman you want to protect? Michael North, assassin and spy-for-hire, is very good at killing bad guys. But what happens when his shadowy bosses at the dark heart of the British government order him to kill a good woman instead? Rising political star Honor Jones, MP, has started asking dangerous questions about the men running her country. The trouble is, she doesn’t know when to stop. And, now that he's met her, neither does North.
496 pages, Hardcover
First published November 6, 2017
100 people are currently reading
205 people want to read
About the author
Judith O'Reilly
10 books32 followersJudith O’Reilly's claim to fame is that one of her books was a Radio 4 Book of the Week. As far as she's concerned that's as good as it gets.
Judith has written three books. Her latest book is called Killing State and is out in November. It's a commercial political thriller and her first novel – at least the first one she's allowed to leave the house without her. She likes to describe it as a Lee Child meets Robert Harris, with a young and very British action hero and compelling and dynamic female characters. She may be the only person who ever thinks that. We'll have to see.
Judith's a former political producer with BBC 2’s Newsnight and ITN’s Channel 4 News, and a former education correspondent with The Sunday Times where she also covered politics, undercover reporting and general news. She still writes for The Sunday Times.
Her two non-fiction books were called Wife in the North and A Year of Doing Good (both published by Viking Penguin, in 2008 and 2013 respectively). Wife in the North reached number three in the UK bestsellers’ chart and was in the top ten for five weeks. It was also a top ten bestseller in Germany. It sold into ten countries, was serialised by The Sunday Times and the Daily Telegraph, was a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week (has she mentioned that already?), and was based on Judith’s eponymous blog which was named as one of the top 100 blogs in the world by The Sunday Times. Judith’s blog is credited with kicking off the popularity of domestic blogging in the UK. For A Year of Doing Good, she did a good deed a day for a year. It did not make her a better person. She has taught memoir and blogging at Newcastle University, and occasionally advises on strategic communications. Most of all though, she writes and drinks a lot of tea. Occasionally, she shakes things up and drinks covfefe.
Judith has written three books. Her latest book is called Killing State and is out in November. It's a commercial political thriller and her first novel – at least the first one she's allowed to leave the house without her. She likes to describe it as a Lee Child meets Robert Harris, with a young and very British action hero and compelling and dynamic female characters. She may be the only person who ever thinks that. We'll have to see.
Judith's a former political producer with BBC 2’s Newsnight and ITN’s Channel 4 News, and a former education correspondent with The Sunday Times where she also covered politics, undercover reporting and general news. She still writes for The Sunday Times.
Her two non-fiction books were called Wife in the North and A Year of Doing Good (both published by Viking Penguin, in 2008 and 2013 respectively). Wife in the North reached number three in the UK bestsellers’ chart and was in the top ten for five weeks. It was also a top ten bestseller in Germany. It sold into ten countries, was serialised by The Sunday Times and the Daily Telegraph, was a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week (has she mentioned that already?), and was based on Judith’s eponymous blog which was named as one of the top 100 blogs in the world by The Sunday Times. Judith’s blog is credited with kicking off the popularity of domestic blogging in the UK. For A Year of Doing Good, she did a good deed a day for a year. It did not make her a better person. She has taught memoir and blogging at Newcastle University, and occasionally advises on strategic communications. Most of all though, she writes and drinks a lot of tea. Occasionally, she shakes things up and drinks covfefe.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
August 6, 2022
4-5 stars
Michael North is an asset of a VERY covert agency that targets those that are a threat to national security. His latest mark is MP Honor Jones but when he follows and ‘confronts’ her he is certain the agency is wrong about her. Honor’s perceived threat seems to link to her best friend Dr Peggy Boland who has disappeared. Further research seems to suggest it’s all about an algorithm…
This is a really good political thriller and brim full of high octane drama containing everything I like in a thriller. There are chases, dramatic escapes, betrayal left right and centre, a lot of collateral damage and at times it’s brutal and terrifying. The conspiracy at the centre of the plot smacks of a certain amount of plausibility though you hope it is unlikely! Much is set in some terrific places which add atmosphere such as the Northumberland coast, Newcastle and London.
The characterisation is excellent, you root for North and boo loudly at the many villains and turncoats he encounters! I absolutely love Fangfang Yu, she is amazing and despite the fact she seems to have gone to China I hope she reappears at some point as she’s sooo entertaining.
This is a thrills, spills, twisty, highly dangerous, tense and very exciting novel with little dashes of humour to relieve the tension. I especially like Jimmy the Sniff and the crack about his tickets to watch The Toon (Newcastle United!) when the chips are very much down!!! Looking forward to number 2!
This was a Kindle Unlimited read.
Michael North is an asset of a VERY covert agency that targets those that are a threat to national security. His latest mark is MP Honor Jones but when he follows and ‘confronts’ her he is certain the agency is wrong about her. Honor’s perceived threat seems to link to her best friend Dr Peggy Boland who has disappeared. Further research seems to suggest it’s all about an algorithm…
This is a really good political thriller and brim full of high octane drama containing everything I like in a thriller. There are chases, dramatic escapes, betrayal left right and centre, a lot of collateral damage and at times it’s brutal and terrifying. The conspiracy at the centre of the plot smacks of a certain amount of plausibility though you hope it is unlikely! Much is set in some terrific places which add atmosphere such as the Northumberland coast, Newcastle and London.
The characterisation is excellent, you root for North and boo loudly at the many villains and turncoats he encounters! I absolutely love Fangfang Yu, she is amazing and despite the fact she seems to have gone to China I hope she reappears at some point as she’s sooo entertaining.
This is a thrills, spills, twisty, highly dangerous, tense and very exciting novel with little dashes of humour to relieve the tension. I especially like Jimmy the Sniff and the crack about his tickets to watch The Toon (Newcastle United!) when the chips are very much down!!! Looking forward to number 2!
This was a Kindle Unlimited read.
August 15, 2022
4.5 stars
I’m really glad this was not an arc as I’m not sure I can write a review to do the book justice. It was a sweeping saga that had a lot of moving parts. I’m not sure how many pages it had but it took me 3 days to read which almost unheard of. On the other hand we are away from home visiting children and grandchildren so my reading has been a bit disjointed.
I really did enjoy the book though and was always happy when I could get back into it. Michael North had a troubled childhood that would have led to a life of crime were it not for the intervention of Judge Lucien Tarn who saw something in the young lad and steered him towards the army. After 5 years and some tours to Afghanistan a bullet which lodged in his brain put paid to his army career. It was too risky to operate and he was told if it ever moved he could die. So Tarn recruited him to work for the Board as an assassin. The Board is a shadowy consortium of movers and shakers and North was always told he was killing for the cause of national security.
But when he was tasked with killing young MP Honor Jones, he balked. His personal code did not include killing women or children. When he snuck up on Honor on her jogging circuit he found her waiting for him, having a leisurely smoke and she asked him “where is Peggy?” That was the crux of the story. Peggy was some sort of astrophysicist genius who had invented a miracle chip (I didn’t understand the technical details) and then disappeared. Michael’s sponsor, Tarn, was not happy about his protogee’s refusal to kill Honor and they were now both in danger. Of course she did not trust North but she thought he might be able to locate Peggy who was Honor’s best friend and touchstone because she, too, had a rough childhood.
This was very tautly plotted and quite a complex story. Both North and Honor were fascinating characters as they each had a dark side and North was trying to be a better man but circumstances kept getting in the way. I also loved the character of Fang fangs- the 14 year old Chinese super hacker who outplayed everybody. North seemed to be indestructible as he was beaten up by every group with a finger in the pie, sometimes more than once. But like Jack Reacher or the Grey Man, or Jason Bourne he always managed to somehow survive.
When I get a chance I do want to read the follow up books to this on
I’m really glad this was not an arc as I’m not sure I can write a review to do the book justice. It was a sweeping saga that had a lot of moving parts. I’m not sure how many pages it had but it took me 3 days to read which almost unheard of. On the other hand we are away from home visiting children and grandchildren so my reading has been a bit disjointed.
I really did enjoy the book though and was always happy when I could get back into it. Michael North had a troubled childhood that would have led to a life of crime were it not for the intervention of Judge Lucien Tarn who saw something in the young lad and steered him towards the army. After 5 years and some tours to Afghanistan a bullet which lodged in his brain put paid to his army career. It was too risky to operate and he was told if it ever moved he could die. So Tarn recruited him to work for the Board as an assassin. The Board is a shadowy consortium of movers and shakers and North was always told he was killing for the cause of national security.
But when he was tasked with killing young MP Honor Jones, he balked. His personal code did not include killing women or children. When he snuck up on Honor on her jogging circuit he found her waiting for him, having a leisurely smoke and she asked him “where is Peggy?” That was the crux of the story. Peggy was some sort of astrophysicist genius who had invented a miracle chip (I didn’t understand the technical details) and then disappeared. Michael’s sponsor, Tarn, was not happy about his protogee’s refusal to kill Honor and they were now both in danger. Of course she did not trust North but she thought he might be able to locate Peggy who was Honor’s best friend and touchstone because she, too, had a rough childhood.
This was very tautly plotted and quite a complex story. Both North and Honor were fascinating characters as they each had a dark side and North was trying to be a better man but circumstances kept getting in the way. I also loved the character of Fang fangs- the 14 year old Chinese super hacker who outplayed everybody. North seemed to be indestructible as he was beaten up by every group with a finger in the pie, sometimes more than once. But like Jack Reacher or the Grey Man, or Jason Bourne he always managed to somehow survive.
When I get a chance I do want to read the follow up books to this on
March 5, 2019
Micheal North is an assasin, ( who has a bullet lodged in his head!!) working for, well, shady people inc the Government, he works on a need to know basis and never questions his orders....until he receives instructions to kill Honor Jones MP, he has never assassinated a woman before.....nor questioned those that sanction his work, if he did he would become the assassinated! What will he choose to do...
The story then follows what happens in this tale of ‘New
Order’Govts, treachery, wealth, power, justice and injustice and its all intriguing, if not at times a tad hard to follow as it goes back and forwards from past to present, this is helped by short punchy chapters so you can shake your head and get back on track fairly easily
The characters are flawed, non perfect, unusual in personality and for this ( although cant say I loved them ) I did find them unusual enough to keep me interested in all of them although found the name of the ‘in charge’ policeman ‘Slim Hardman’ annoying and also found Maggie’s interest in astronomy over mentioned and explained ( fascinating if you are into that, not so if your not!! ) also every ‘extra’ that appeared was described as having a ‘heart shaped face’, little niggles but niggles enough to mention!
BUT the story is good, the writing clear and easy and leads to a very exciting last third of the book and an unexpected ending...and leaves it open for the start of the next book which is due Dec this year
A satisfying thriller that I felt I had seen through stage by stage and had in the main enjoyed doing so!
November 9, 2017
KILLING STATE by Judith O'Reilly is a fast-paced, action-packed story of power, corruption, and murder, and nobody could tear this book out of my hands until I had reached the very last word (which, by the way, left me desperately wanting the next book in this addictive new series!).
Michael North is a soldier, a killer, and a dead man walking if the bullet that is lodged in his brain ever decides to move slightly and finally finish him off. Determined that he would not waste what little life he had left, Michael became a killer for the elite organisation known only as The Board, who protected the government and the country at all costs. North knows that the people he has disposed of were evil and a danger to everyone so he sees it as his final good deed to the world. But when he is told to take out MP Honor Jones, there is immediately a problem, One - he doesn't kill women, and two - he cannot ignore his intuition which is telling him that she is innocent. And when North begins to dig into the truth it will open up a world of betrayal, lies, greed, and a desperate bid for power and control. With danger and misdirection at every turn, can North trust anyone in this deadly game of cat and mouse? And can he even trust himself?
This novel is sure to get your blood pumping and your heart racing as you are sucked into this shady world of wealth and evil, and every page came alive in my mind like a scene in a movie. I could totally see KILLING STATE working as a Tv show or movie and I would be first in line to see it if that day comes. North is really likeable as a character and I wanted him to find that inner peace that he so desperately needed. The current shift in world politics has obviously been observed by the author who paints a picture of what power in the wrong hands can really do to a nation. The pace of the story is energetic and perfectly matches the action of the story and it left me wanting more which is always a sign of a top-notch read for me. KILLING STATE by Judith O'Reilly is an outstanding political thriller with plenty of subtle nuances and subterfuge to really keep you guessing to the very end, and I cannot wait for more from Michael North.
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the Publisher
Michael North is a soldier, a killer, and a dead man walking if the bullet that is lodged in his brain ever decides to move slightly and finally finish him off. Determined that he would not waste what little life he had left, Michael became a killer for the elite organisation known only as The Board, who protected the government and the country at all costs. North knows that the people he has disposed of were evil and a danger to everyone so he sees it as his final good deed to the world. But when he is told to take out MP Honor Jones, there is immediately a problem, One - he doesn't kill women, and two - he cannot ignore his intuition which is telling him that she is innocent. And when North begins to dig into the truth it will open up a world of betrayal, lies, greed, and a desperate bid for power and control. With danger and misdirection at every turn, can North trust anyone in this deadly game of cat and mouse? And can he even trust himself?
This novel is sure to get your blood pumping and your heart racing as you are sucked into this shady world of wealth and evil, and every page came alive in my mind like a scene in a movie. I could totally see KILLING STATE working as a Tv show or movie and I would be first in line to see it if that day comes. North is really likeable as a character and I wanted him to find that inner peace that he so desperately needed. The current shift in world politics has obviously been observed by the author who paints a picture of what power in the wrong hands can really do to a nation. The pace of the story is energetic and perfectly matches the action of the story and it left me wanting more which is always a sign of a top-notch read for me. KILLING STATE by Judith O'Reilly is an outstanding political thriller with plenty of subtle nuances and subterfuge to really keep you guessing to the very end, and I cannot wait for more from Michael North.
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the Publisher
November 7, 2017
From the fantastic opening line this book drew me in with it’s intriguing story line and fast paced action. I loved the description of the secret agency with a slightly murky mission run by a gentleman who reminded me or a character from a James Bond movie to our hero North, the Killer with nothing to lose. I found it fascinating and kept reading hoping to discover more about it. My enjoyment was heightened by the added mystery of what had happened to Peggy and what she had got her self involved in. I had a variety of theories about this, none of which proved to be correct which is always great when an author has the ability to keep you on your toes, and keep you guessing!
My favourite character was Honor. I thought she was very brave to put herself in danger for her friends sake and to try and discover what had happened to her, particularly after her own near miss with the mysterious agency. I’m sure many people would have been put off by less and I admired the fact that she chose to carry on. There are some descriptions throughout the book describing Honor and peggy’s relationship and it was very touching to see how close the pair of them where and how much they meant to each other. It was brilliant that the author provides the reader with some background information throughout the book as it helps you to understand the character more and explains why they are behaving the way they are. I also quite liked North, the killer with a heart. I felt that he had had quite a hard life and I wanted him to have the happy ending i felt he deserved. Some of the plans and methods for escape he had were ingenious and at times I felt like actually cheering when they went his way and he managed to get away. I was never quite sure if he had a hidden agenda which made me quite weary of him and helped increase the tension in the book as I wasn’t sure how he would react.
I thought the book was very well written and paced with the right amount of action and slow moments to keep the reader guessing and on their toes. The quieter moments were necessary I felt as they often involved giving the reader a bit of background information about the characters or the case which helped the reader get a more holistic view about what was going on. I did find the back and forth a little tricky to get used to at first, but I soon got into it and found that I quite enjoyed the flashbacks at the end as they often gave me some fascinating insights into events.
This is the Judith O’Reilly’s third book, but her first thriller and the first book by her I have read though it won’t be my last, particularly as I believe there are future plans for further Michael North thrillers. If you like fast paced and well plotted thrillers that keep you on your toes then you will love this book.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater and Loughman Press for my copy of this book and for inviting me on the blog tour.
My favourite character was Honor. I thought she was very brave to put herself in danger for her friends sake and to try and discover what had happened to her, particularly after her own near miss with the mysterious agency. I’m sure many people would have been put off by less and I admired the fact that she chose to carry on. There are some descriptions throughout the book describing Honor and peggy’s relationship and it was very touching to see how close the pair of them where and how much they meant to each other. It was brilliant that the author provides the reader with some background information throughout the book as it helps you to understand the character more and explains why they are behaving the way they are. I also quite liked North, the killer with a heart. I felt that he had had quite a hard life and I wanted him to have the happy ending i felt he deserved. Some of the plans and methods for escape he had were ingenious and at times I felt like actually cheering when they went his way and he managed to get away. I was never quite sure if he had a hidden agenda which made me quite weary of him and helped increase the tension in the book as I wasn’t sure how he would react.
I thought the book was very well written and paced with the right amount of action and slow moments to keep the reader guessing and on their toes. The quieter moments were necessary I felt as they often involved giving the reader a bit of background information about the characters or the case which helped the reader get a more holistic view about what was going on. I did find the back and forth a little tricky to get used to at first, but I soon got into it and found that I quite enjoyed the flashbacks at the end as they often gave me some fascinating insights into events.
This is the Judith O’Reilly’s third book, but her first thriller and the first book by her I have read though it won’t be my last, particularly as I believe there are future plans for further Michael North thrillers. If you like fast paced and well plotted thrillers that keep you on your toes then you will love this book.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater and Loughman Press for my copy of this book and for inviting me on the blog tour.
January 4, 2018
Killing State is author Judith O’Reilly’s first foray into the thriller genre having previously written two non-fiction books, Wife In The North and A Year of Doing Good.
Michael North is a war hero, a trained killer and a very intriguing character. Despite not believing it possible during the opening chapters, I grew to be rather fond of him. We first meet North as he is stalking his next target through a London park. Honor Jones is the Tory MP for Mile End and has mere minutes to live. But the tables are turned when Jones confronts her attacker, immediately questioning North about the whereabouts of her missing friend, Peggy. North is thrown – he wasn’t comfortable with the kill in the first place – killing a man is easy, killing a woman is asking for something else altogether. There’s something about Jones and her desperate need to find her friend, something about Jones’s traumatic upbringing which appeals to North’s better side, resulting in a decision that is likely to kill him in the long run. That’s if the bullet in his brain doesn’t get him first!
Killing State is an action-packed, thrilling read. I was intrigued by the prologue thinking it was going to be the same old, run-of-the-mill thriller where the dashing hired killer takes out (in a murderous way, of course!) the high flying female MP. But it’s not. The story took a twist I wasn’t expecting. From then on I was transfixed with the relationship between North and Honor Jones. She didn’t trust him, he didn’t know what to make of her and I loved that simmering chemistry between them! By refusing to carry out an order from ‘The Board’, a secret government agency orchestrated by Lord Tarn, North signs his own death warrant as well as cementing Jones’s own demise. The hunt is on. Will North and Jones manage to find Peggy before The Board hunt them down and destroy them all?
The action in Killing State is full-on, it’s pretty darn intense and the levels of bloodshed are reasonably high (just the way I like my thrillers!). This is a thoroughly enjoyable cat and mouse style thriller and at times I wasn’t sure which side was the cat and which side was the mouse!
O’Reilly’s cast of characters is something quite special. Not only did I become quite fond of North, I also really warmed to the sassy, uber-intelligent, 14-year-old IT expert, Fangfang Yu. As well as gutsy, hard as nails, Stella, and her flighty daughter, Jess. They all add something noteworthy to this compelling multi-layered tale.
Would I recommend this book? I would and I’m very much looking forward to reading the next book in the Michael North series. If you’re a conspiracy fan then you will love Killing State. Intricate, explosive and action-packed. What more could a thriller fan want?
Four out of five stars.
I chose to read and review an eARC of Killing State. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.
Michael North is a war hero, a trained killer and a very intriguing character. Despite not believing it possible during the opening chapters, I grew to be rather fond of him. We first meet North as he is stalking his next target through a London park. Honor Jones is the Tory MP for Mile End and has mere minutes to live. But the tables are turned when Jones confronts her attacker, immediately questioning North about the whereabouts of her missing friend, Peggy. North is thrown – he wasn’t comfortable with the kill in the first place – killing a man is easy, killing a woman is asking for something else altogether. There’s something about Jones and her desperate need to find her friend, something about Jones’s traumatic upbringing which appeals to North’s better side, resulting in a decision that is likely to kill him in the long run. That’s if the bullet in his brain doesn’t get him first!
Killing State is an action-packed, thrilling read. I was intrigued by the prologue thinking it was going to be the same old, run-of-the-mill thriller where the dashing hired killer takes out (in a murderous way, of course!) the high flying female MP. But it’s not. The story took a twist I wasn’t expecting. From then on I was transfixed with the relationship between North and Honor Jones. She didn’t trust him, he didn’t know what to make of her and I loved that simmering chemistry between them! By refusing to carry out an order from ‘The Board’, a secret government agency orchestrated by Lord Tarn, North signs his own death warrant as well as cementing Jones’s own demise. The hunt is on. Will North and Jones manage to find Peggy before The Board hunt them down and destroy them all?
The action in Killing State is full-on, it’s pretty darn intense and the levels of bloodshed are reasonably high (just the way I like my thrillers!). This is a thoroughly enjoyable cat and mouse style thriller and at times I wasn’t sure which side was the cat and which side was the mouse!
O’Reilly’s cast of characters is something quite special. Not only did I become quite fond of North, I also really warmed to the sassy, uber-intelligent, 14-year-old IT expert, Fangfang Yu. As well as gutsy, hard as nails, Stella, and her flighty daughter, Jess. They all add something noteworthy to this compelling multi-layered tale.
Would I recommend this book? I would and I’m very much looking forward to reading the next book in the Michael North series. If you’re a conspiracy fan then you will love Killing State. Intricate, explosive and action-packed. What more could a thriller fan want?
Four out of five stars.
I chose to read and review an eARC of Killing State. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.
April 17, 2018
2.5 Stars.
I generally loathe to leave somewhat negative reviews, but I had to air some of my (spoiler free) gripes with this book.
I first picked it up because it ticked all the boxes of books I like to read: thriller, political, by a female author, but I was unfortunately disappointed.
I'll keep it short, but my two main gripes were:
1) The descriptions of female characters (e.g. "crazy hot breasts" "supple young body" "sprayed on jeans" "pert boobs"). I expected more from another woman, but the way the female characters were described were totally unnecessary. Additionally, the need to constantly point out how beautiful "Honor Jones MP" (never just Honor, why the full name? Another small gripe) was distracting from the plot.
2) The writing style. I understand that we are meant to be in Michael North's head throughout the book, but the jumping scenes and left field sentences throughout me off the plot as well.
This isn't to say that I didn't finish it, because I did want to find out what happened at the end. However, the writing style and constant over-sexualisation of female characters made me decide I won't be picking up the next one in the series.
I generally loathe to leave somewhat negative reviews, but I had to air some of my (spoiler free) gripes with this book.
I first picked it up because it ticked all the boxes of books I like to read: thriller, political, by a female author, but I was unfortunately disappointed.
I'll keep it short, but my two main gripes were:
1) The descriptions of female characters (e.g. "crazy hot breasts" "supple young body" "sprayed on jeans" "pert boobs"). I expected more from another woman, but the way the female characters were described were totally unnecessary. Additionally, the need to constantly point out how beautiful "Honor Jones MP" (never just Honor, why the full name? Another small gripe) was distracting from the plot.
2) The writing style. I understand that we are meant to be in Michael North's head throughout the book, but the jumping scenes and left field sentences throughout me off the plot as well.
This isn't to say that I didn't finish it, because I did want to find out what happened at the end. However, the writing style and constant over-sexualisation of female characters made me decide I won't be picking up the next one in the series.
November 6, 2017
Michael North is a hero but he is also used as a killer by a mysterious agency known as The Board. The Board seem to be working in shadows but appear to be associated with the UK Government. Michael has been instructed to kill a Member of Parliament who has been asking all the wrong questions.
Michael North has a personal code – he will kill bad guys but he does not kill women. So when Michael comes face to face with his next target, an M.P. called Honor Jones, he will have to ignore his own code of honour or go against his employers – and face the consequences.
Killing State had me hooked from the outset. I love a political thriller and with a shadowy agency targeting an MP I immediately thought that National Security must be at stake and that the Government would stop at nothing to keep their secrets. I am not going to tell you if I was right but I will tell you that Killing State is a cracking action/chase thriller which sees North using all his training and guile to keep one step ahead of his employers. He has done something they are not happy about and his life is in danger.
Not that North’s life was not already endangered…as you can see in the opening descriptions – he has a bullet in his brain and he lives under the constant threat that one day the bullet will shift inside his head and cause irrevocable harm. Knowing that the key player in the tale is at risk every second of the day makes for an entertaining drama. Every fight, every tumble, every chase scene I found that I was expecting the bullet to jar and North to immediately become vulnerable. It keeps you turning the pages I can assure you!
What also kept me turning the pages was that I wanted to know why Honor Jones had been marked for death. Why had this young woman been singled out, could it be down to the friends she kept? One of her friends recently died – before his death he made cryptic references that should anything happen to him then Honor must get to some where safe. Honor’s closest friend is missing – possibly out of contact and working in South America but if that cannot be verified then how would Honor know her friend was still alive?
Judith O’Reilly nailed the pacing, the tension and the entertainment in Killing State. I zipped through this book in a few short days and enjoyed it immensely. Killing State releases later this week and I highly recommend you seek out a copy.
Michael North has a personal code – he will kill bad guys but he does not kill women. So when Michael comes face to face with his next target, an M.P. called Honor Jones, he will have to ignore his own code of honour or go against his employers – and face the consequences.
Killing State had me hooked from the outset. I love a political thriller and with a shadowy agency targeting an MP I immediately thought that National Security must be at stake and that the Government would stop at nothing to keep their secrets. I am not going to tell you if I was right but I will tell you that Killing State is a cracking action/chase thriller which sees North using all his training and guile to keep one step ahead of his employers. He has done something they are not happy about and his life is in danger.
Not that North’s life was not already endangered…as you can see in the opening descriptions – he has a bullet in his brain and he lives under the constant threat that one day the bullet will shift inside his head and cause irrevocable harm. Knowing that the key player in the tale is at risk every second of the day makes for an entertaining drama. Every fight, every tumble, every chase scene I found that I was expecting the bullet to jar and North to immediately become vulnerable. It keeps you turning the pages I can assure you!
What also kept me turning the pages was that I wanted to know why Honor Jones had been marked for death. Why had this young woman been singled out, could it be down to the friends she kept? One of her friends recently died – before his death he made cryptic references that should anything happen to him then Honor must get to some where safe. Honor’s closest friend is missing – possibly out of contact and working in South America but if that cannot be verified then how would Honor know her friend was still alive?
Judith O’Reilly nailed the pacing, the tension and the entertainment in Killing State. I zipped through this book in a few short days and enjoyed it immensely. Killing State releases later this week and I highly recommend you seek out a copy.
April 17, 2018
I’d never heard of Judith O’Reilly, least of all her first novel Killing State. I bought the book after it was recommended to me by an assistant at Waterstones in Durham. I was at the shop to see crime author Mari Hannah do a signing and it just so happened that O’Reilly was speaking at the same event. I was collared in the shop by an assistant who said “You must read this, it’s brilliant”. Given that the book was a political thriller with intrigue and state corruption aplenty I thought I’d give it a whirl. I’m so glad I did because Killing State is a brilliant read.
The book’s central character is Michael North, ex army, who now works for a shadowy extra-governmental agency called The Board. The Board’s business is killing people who threaten the status quo. When North receives orders to snuff out an apparently innocent MP, a chain of events follows that takes North and the MP on a dangerous journey involving kidnap, murder, torture, corruption and ultimately an attempted military coup.
O’Reilly writes with a relentless pace that brings to mind Lee Child’s Jack Reacher novels and it’s no coincidence that Child is featured on the book’s cover recommending Killing State. O’Reilly’s pacy tale takes the reader from London, to Newcastle, via Northumberland, Norfolk and back to London again. She uses flashback very well and keeps the story moving through a varied cast of characters.
Although clearly a work of fiction, Killing State is frighteningly realistic and scarily plausible. And in Michael North, O’Reilly has created a new action hero that I for one want to read about again. Luckily for me - and Judith’s sure-to-be growing legion of readers - North will return in O’Reily’s new book, Curse the Day, later in 2018. I can’t wait.
Killing State is a stunning debut novel and I highly recommend it.
The book’s central character is Michael North, ex army, who now works for a shadowy extra-governmental agency called The Board. The Board’s business is killing people who threaten the status quo. When North receives orders to snuff out an apparently innocent MP, a chain of events follows that takes North and the MP on a dangerous journey involving kidnap, murder, torture, corruption and ultimately an attempted military coup.
O’Reilly writes with a relentless pace that brings to mind Lee Child’s Jack Reacher novels and it’s no coincidence that Child is featured on the book’s cover recommending Killing State. O’Reilly’s pacy tale takes the reader from London, to Newcastle, via Northumberland, Norfolk and back to London again. She uses flashback very well and keeps the story moving through a varied cast of characters.
Although clearly a work of fiction, Killing State is frighteningly realistic and scarily plausible. And in Michael North, O’Reilly has created a new action hero that I for one want to read about again. Luckily for me - and Judith’s sure-to-be growing legion of readers - North will return in O’Reily’s new book, Curse the Day, later in 2018. I can’t wait.
Killing State is a stunning debut novel and I highly recommend it.
November 13, 2017
Killing State is certainly a worrying action thriller for our times. Michael North is our protagonist, young, good looking, but walking around with a death sentence quite literally in his head. Prone to blinding headaches as a result of the bullet in his brain which is simply too dangerous for surgeons to remove, North also has flashes of extreme empathy or intuition, which leads him to believe he knows what someone he is in physical proximity to is thinking or has been through.
It’s not an intuition he trusts entirely, and it doesn’t drive his decision making, but occasionally it comes in useful.
When we meet him he is scoping out his current target. Knowing that might die at any point, he has accepted a commitment to work on behalf of his country, ‘neutralising’ enemies of the state discreetly and covertly.
But in this scenario, it is not enough to accept that you are one of the good guys, because right and wrong are difficult and shifting concepts, and whose side you are on can change from day to day.
This is Britain edging closer to totalitarian government; a Britain where even the army is newly privatised and where working out who the good guys are is harder than it should be.
So when his target turns out to be Honor Jones MP, he hesitates. Because Honor is also one of the good guys, isn’t she?
With echoes of Jack Reacher (loner, acute moral compass) and Michael Dobbs’ House of Cards trilogy, (politics, backstabbing, intrigue) Killing State is a riveting and action packed thriller which works because it is plausible in an implausible world.
Nothing is straightforward as North struggles to work out whether there is anyone he can trust and in the end his ally is a young Chinese girl called Fang Fang whom he is forced to rely on in order to unravel the mysteries with which he is confronted.
I particularly enjoyed this thriller because it has a range of strong women characters from Honor, the ambitious politician to Jess, Fang Fang and the just out of reach Peggy, a brilliant scientist and staunch friend.
Along the way, too many people will die and North will be left wondering who, if anyone he can trust.
Killing State is an impressive high octane thriller with a protagonist you’ll undoubtedly want to hear more from.
It’s not an intuition he trusts entirely, and it doesn’t drive his decision making, but occasionally it comes in useful.
When we meet him he is scoping out his current target. Knowing that might die at any point, he has accepted a commitment to work on behalf of his country, ‘neutralising’ enemies of the state discreetly and covertly.
But in this scenario, it is not enough to accept that you are one of the good guys, because right and wrong are difficult and shifting concepts, and whose side you are on can change from day to day.
This is Britain edging closer to totalitarian government; a Britain where even the army is newly privatised and where working out who the good guys are is harder than it should be.
So when his target turns out to be Honor Jones MP, he hesitates. Because Honor is also one of the good guys, isn’t she?
With echoes of Jack Reacher (loner, acute moral compass) and Michael Dobbs’ House of Cards trilogy, (politics, backstabbing, intrigue) Killing State is a riveting and action packed thriller which works because it is plausible in an implausible world.
Nothing is straightforward as North struggles to work out whether there is anyone he can trust and in the end his ally is a young Chinese girl called Fang Fang whom he is forced to rely on in order to unravel the mysteries with which he is confronted.
I particularly enjoyed this thriller because it has a range of strong women characters from Honor, the ambitious politician to Jess, Fang Fang and the just out of reach Peggy, a brilliant scientist and staunch friend.
Along the way, too many people will die and North will be left wondering who, if anyone he can trust.
Killing State is an impressive high octane thriller with a protagonist you’ll undoubtedly want to hear more from.
March 9, 2019
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
What happens when an assassin doesn't get the expected reaction from his target? Honor Jones, MP, tells him to let her finish her cigarette and asks him a question, "Where's Peggy?" The assassin in question, Michael North, doesn't know who Peggy is, much less where she is. What he does know is that he can't kill this woman -- maybe it's because (unlike the rest of his targets) he wasn't given a reason for her execution, maybe it's her attitude, maybe he's just getting tired of killing (not to be confused with Martin Q. Blank's newfound respect for life) -- certainly her beauty doesn't hurt.
His refusal to kill her doesn't go down well with his employer -- an extra-governmental body dedicated to the preservation of the British government. That morning, he's contacted in person with strict instructions to get the job done or face the (fatal) consequences. Instead, North tried to get her out of the country and ends up saving her from a different assassin. Not very shockingly, North also finds instructions to kill him on this assassin's corpse. By this point, North is smitten with Honor and is committed (whether either of them consciously realize it) to helping her survive and find her friend Peggy.
At the moment, it's clear that Honor's search for her dear friend is tied to the kill order. Peggy's an astronomer, largely apolitical, and not tied to any endeavor that would normally put her on the radar of anyone outside of astronomical/academic circles. Nevertheless, she's somehow set these dominoes falling, and now Honor and North are running from killers across the country as they seek to learn why Peggy has disappeared.
This hunt for Peggy will push North and Honor to -- and past -- their limits. It will see them both injured. Both under threat of grave bodily harm (and death) through violence -- and both will have to take steps to defend themselves. Around them, the culture and government face shifts and challenges from within that threaten to change everything that Britons know about themselves. On top of all that -- there are some great character moments, real growth and change that happen ways that you can believe -- not just the clear result of authorial fiat, but because that's what happens when people face what they did.
Plots involving large-scale conspiracies frequently leave me cold -- O'Reilly not only convinces me that her conspiracy is worth reading, but she's effective enough with it to make me enjoy it. I struggle to accept plots involving psychiatric professionals and loved ones trying to convince a character that the reality they know (and the audience knows) isn't real, but is the result of delusion brought on by some psychological condition. Now this one isn't as involved as say, "Normal Again" from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but it's there -- and O'Reilly sticks with it long enough to accomplish what she needs to for her story, but she doesn't milk drama out of it. There are a few other things like this -- tricks, plotlines, tropes -- that I typically avoid or get annoyed by, but I accepted and enjoyed here.
My notes are filled with "O'Reilly isn't going to try ___, is she?" entries, followed by "Yeah, she is -- and it works." She squeezes in so many of these things that I'm tempted to doubt my memory about them -- and I'm writing this less than a day after I read it! For reasons of space, time, and readability I've limited myself in what I've addressed in this post. I had a lot of other things I wanted to say, and even had drafts talking about. But I ended up restricting myself -- not just because of spoilers (though, as always, that's part of it) -- but because O'Reilly stuffs this novel with so many ideas, plot points and details that I can't talk about it all without the post becoming unreadable. I don't know how she manages to put it all in while maintaining the pounding pace. It's truly noteworthy and laudable that she pulls it off. I can't even express this without producing an ungainly paragraph.
Michael North is a larger-than-life character, but honestly more grounded in reality than many assassin/lone warrior types in Thriller fiction. Part of that comes from O'Reilly's restraint in describing him -- he's never depicted as anything superlative. He's simply a skilled and surprisingly dedicated combat veteran in a series of tight situations that even he is shocked that he survives as long as he does.
Similarly, Honor is one of many beautiful women in the world (as North himself notes above) -- she's one of many dedicated elected public servants, she's one of many people who've overcome difficult pasts thanks to the help of a friend/loved one. She also isn't depicted as a superlative anything -- just the right person in the right place at the right time. Even if that right place is in front of Michael North's knife. And yes, the name Honor is ripe with possibilities and symbolism -- O'Reilly takes advantage of it. Not as much as some authors would've, but she gets her money's worth out of the name.
There is an plausibility-stretching character -- a young computer whiz (actually, she's something beyond whiz, but I can't think of a term that fits her), who North allies himself with temporarily. But between her attitude and role in the overall story, I can't see any reader not suspending disbelief enough to embrace her.
Most of this book takes place in moral gray areas (as it almost has to given North's profession), but that doesn't stop O'Reilly's villains from clearly being villains and her heroes clearly being heroic. Killing State doesn't try to go for some sort of situational ethics or a "yes, but" approach to the morality of te characters -- which may or may not have been successful.
The plot moves like the proverbial roller coaster -- ups, downs, rushes, and loops all at a pace that you just hope to keep up with. Fair warning -- once the hook is set (and it'll be early on), you won't want to put the book down and you'll likely get in trouble with deadlines and schedules. Things won't really end the way you expect them to -- I had a handful of expected conclusions that I had to discard along the way (although some I didn't have to discard until the last moments) -- but when you're finished with the book, you'll likely realize that there's no other way for things to have fallen out.
There's a sequel expected later this year -- I honestly can't imagine that it'll be able to live up to this. But I wouldn't put it past O'Reilly to confound my expectations again. I had a lot of fun with this novel and was regularly impressed with O'Reilly (and North and Honor). I expect that I'm not alone, and soon I'll see a lot of very positive buzz surrounding this book.
---
My thanks to Love Books Group for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including the book) they provided.
---
“You should come with me.”
He turned over the offer in his mind.
Why would he?
Because she was stop-your-heart beautiful.
Then again, the world teemed with beautiful women. Because he wanted to know how it ended.
Badly, he predicted.
What happens when an assassin doesn't get the expected reaction from his target? Honor Jones, MP, tells him to let her finish her cigarette and asks him a question, "Where's Peggy?" The assassin in question, Michael North, doesn't know who Peggy is, much less where she is. What he does know is that he can't kill this woman -- maybe it's because (unlike the rest of his targets) he wasn't given a reason for her execution, maybe it's her attitude, maybe he's just getting tired of killing (not to be confused with Martin Q. Blank's newfound respect for life) -- certainly her beauty doesn't hurt.
His refusal to kill her doesn't go down well with his employer -- an extra-governmental body dedicated to the preservation of the British government. That morning, he's contacted in person with strict instructions to get the job done or face the (fatal) consequences. Instead, North tried to get her out of the country and ends up saving her from a different assassin. Not very shockingly, North also finds instructions to kill him on this assassin's corpse. By this point, North is smitten with Honor and is committed (whether either of them consciously realize it) to helping her survive and find her friend Peggy.
At the moment, it's clear that Honor's search for her dear friend is tied to the kill order. Peggy's an astronomer, largely apolitical, and not tied to any endeavor that would normally put her on the radar of anyone outside of astronomical/academic circles. Nevertheless, she's somehow set these dominoes falling, and now Honor and North are running from killers across the country as they seek to learn why Peggy has disappeared.
This hunt for Peggy will push North and Honor to -- and past -- their limits. It will see them both injured. Both under threat of grave bodily harm (and death) through violence -- and both will have to take steps to defend themselves. Around them, the culture and government face shifts and challenges from within that threaten to change everything that Britons know about themselves. On top of all that -- there are some great character moments, real growth and change that happen ways that you can believe -- not just the clear result of authorial fiat, but because that's what happens when people face what they did.
Plots involving large-scale conspiracies frequently leave me cold -- O'Reilly not only convinces me that her conspiracy is worth reading, but she's effective enough with it to make me enjoy it. I struggle to accept plots involving psychiatric professionals and loved ones trying to convince a character that the reality they know (and the audience knows) isn't real, but is the result of delusion brought on by some psychological condition. Now this one isn't as involved as say, "Normal Again" from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but it's there -- and O'Reilly sticks with it long enough to accomplish what she needs to for her story, but she doesn't milk drama out of it. There are a few other things like this -- tricks, plotlines, tropes -- that I typically avoid or get annoyed by, but I accepted and enjoyed here.
My notes are filled with "O'Reilly isn't going to try ___, is she?" entries, followed by "Yeah, she is -- and it works." She squeezes in so many of these things that I'm tempted to doubt my memory about them -- and I'm writing this less than a day after I read it! For reasons of space, time, and readability I've limited myself in what I've addressed in this post. I had a lot of other things I wanted to say, and even had drafts talking about. But I ended up restricting myself -- not just because of spoilers (though, as always, that's part of it) -- but because O'Reilly stuffs this novel with so many ideas, plot points and details that I can't talk about it all without the post becoming unreadable. I don't know how she manages to put it all in while maintaining the pounding pace. It's truly noteworthy and laudable that she pulls it off. I can't even express this without producing an ungainly paragraph.
Michael North is a larger-than-life character, but honestly more grounded in reality than many assassin/lone warrior types in Thriller fiction. Part of that comes from O'Reilly's restraint in describing him -- he's never depicted as anything superlative. He's simply a skilled and surprisingly dedicated combat veteran in a series of tight situations that even he is shocked that he survives as long as he does.
Similarly, Honor is one of many beautiful women in the world (as North himself notes above) -- she's one of many dedicated elected public servants, she's one of many people who've overcome difficult pasts thanks to the help of a friend/loved one. She also isn't depicted as a superlative anything -- just the right person in the right place at the right time. Even if that right place is in front of Michael North's knife. And yes, the name Honor is ripe with possibilities and symbolism -- O'Reilly takes advantage of it. Not as much as some authors would've, but she gets her money's worth out of the name.
There is an plausibility-stretching character -- a young computer whiz (actually, she's something beyond whiz, but I can't think of a term that fits her), who North allies himself with temporarily. But between her attitude and role in the overall story, I can't see any reader not suspending disbelief enough to embrace her.
Most of this book takes place in moral gray areas (as it almost has to given North's profession), but that doesn't stop O'Reilly's villains from clearly being villains and her heroes clearly being heroic. Killing State doesn't try to go for some sort of situational ethics or a "yes, but" approach to the morality of te characters -- which may or may not have been successful.
The plot moves like the proverbial roller coaster -- ups, downs, rushes, and loops all at a pace that you just hope to keep up with. Fair warning -- once the hook is set (and it'll be early on), you won't want to put the book down and you'll likely get in trouble with deadlines and schedules. Things won't really end the way you expect them to -- I had a handful of expected conclusions that I had to discard along the way (although some I didn't have to discard until the last moments) -- but when you're finished with the book, you'll likely realize that there's no other way for things to have fallen out.
There's a sequel expected later this year -- I honestly can't imagine that it'll be able to live up to this. But I wouldn't put it past O'Reilly to confound my expectations again. I had a lot of fun with this novel and was regularly impressed with O'Reilly (and North and Honor). I expect that I'm not alone, and soon I'll see a lot of very positive buzz surrounding this book.
---
My thanks to Love Books Group for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including the book) they provided.
July 10, 2020
I’ve been reading such good reviews of Killing State across the board, and its follow up Curse The Day, that it would have been positively rude to ignore this one. I’m a real fan of conspiracy thrillers generally, and as events unfold across the world of politics and big business, it is becoming increasingly impossible to deny that these shadowy cabals of corruption do exist, manipulating our lives from the corridors of power. I loved the pace and energy of this one, being both a fast moving and gripping thriller, but also solidly basing the story in a world of lies and conspiracy that holds you firmly in its thrall. I would also like to congratulate O’Reilly in presenting us with a character- a female Tory MP- who actually exhibits evidence of a spine which is no mean feat. Ha. Little bit of politics there…
Seriously though, I thoroughly enjoyed the interplay between the two main characters, the mysterious assassin Michael North ( sharp-thinking, brawny and attractive) and his potential target, the aforementioned MP, Honor Jones (intelligent, fearless and attractive) whose true natures O’Reilly stealthily reveals, within the increasingly perilous situation they find themselves in as events unfold. There is a completely assured control of tension within the book, with some real heart-in-the-mouth episodes of violence and danger, balanced with a steadily creeping sense of unease as the underlying conspiracy comes to the surface. Combining both these aspects to the narrative, O’Reilly effectively keeps the reader on tenterhooks as to the real motivations of her characters, and providing an enjoyable game of cat and mouse for her characters and by extension, the reader. Really enjoyed Killing State and have bought the follow up. There can’t be a better recommendation than that.
Seriously though, I thoroughly enjoyed the interplay between the two main characters, the mysterious assassin Michael North ( sharp-thinking, brawny and attractive) and his potential target, the aforementioned MP, Honor Jones (intelligent, fearless and attractive) whose true natures O’Reilly stealthily reveals, within the increasingly perilous situation they find themselves in as events unfold. There is a completely assured control of tension within the book, with some real heart-in-the-mouth episodes of violence and danger, balanced with a steadily creeping sense of unease as the underlying conspiracy comes to the surface. Combining both these aspects to the narrative, O’Reilly effectively keeps the reader on tenterhooks as to the real motivations of her characters, and providing an enjoyable game of cat and mouse for her characters and by extension, the reader. Really enjoyed Killing State and have bought the follow up. There can’t be a better recommendation than that.
December 28, 2017
What if you have a bullet in your head and work as an assassin knowing life can end for you at any time. Michael North is that person and his next assignment is to kill the MP Honor Jones. When he confronts her she asks if he knows where her friend Peggy is. Honor seems to be on the list to kill for who she knows not what she has done. He finds himself drawn to her and her hunt for Peggy. But Peggy is not the only one missing. North has thought his assignments were to save the country but now he is not so sure. He goes from being her killer instead to trying to help her. This takes them both places they did not expect to go and up against those they did not know were involved. Just trying to get away from those after them is not an easy task. An interesting read. Should a country hire a private army to protect them? Only one of the questions this story presents.
March 4, 2019
I was hooked from the first line: “This morning for Honour Jones MP was unremarkable, except in one respect. She was going to die.” As opening lines go, this is a great one and the best part is that it promised without disappointing!
North is trained in the art of killing and his paycheck is secured by The Board, a national UK organisation dealing [which means killing] national security threats. North is ex-military, but a bullet stuck into his brain means that his death can be imminent and his services in the force were no longer needed. Honour Jones MP is a high-security threat and North gets the order to eliminate her, but when he starts doubting and asking questions, he finds that “no” is not an answer The Board is willing to accept. Against all odds, North and Honour have to find answers before it’s too later before it is all lost, when everything and everyone is against them.
North and Honour are worlds apart but may have in common more than just an enemy and I loved how their character development and I felt drawn into their lives, caring about what happened to them and this goes hand in hand with the beautiful quality of the writing and the structure of the plot. The scenes are well structured and arranged in such a way that it makes the reader ever more curious, propelling every turn of the page without much (apparent) effort. I was invested from start to finish.
I truly liked Honour as a character, she was strong and defying, but not against her better judgement, not against the promise of death; Honour Jones was scared for her life. North is not a good guy and he knows and we all know it, but I still loved him. Even as an assassin, he has principles and the more we get to know him and his past, the more emotionally attached I got to him. He was also extremely hilarious, made me laugh on plenty of occasions with his sarcasm and wit. He is by no means perfect as his job and I thought his flaws were refreshing.
The killing state by Judith O’Reilly takes you prisoner in this corrupt world and does not let you go until you reach the end.
Happy reading,
Jane
***********************************
Thank you Head of Zeus and Love Books Tour for a copy of this novel for review!
North is trained in the art of killing and his paycheck is secured by The Board, a national UK organisation dealing [which means killing] national security threats. North is ex-military, but a bullet stuck into his brain means that his death can be imminent and his services in the force were no longer needed. Honour Jones MP is a high-security threat and North gets the order to eliminate her, but when he starts doubting and asking questions, he finds that “no” is not an answer The Board is willing to accept. Against all odds, North and Honour have to find answers before it’s too later before it is all lost, when everything and everyone is against them.
North and Honour are worlds apart but may have in common more than just an enemy and I loved how their character development and I felt drawn into their lives, caring about what happened to them and this goes hand in hand with the beautiful quality of the writing and the structure of the plot. The scenes are well structured and arranged in such a way that it makes the reader ever more curious, propelling every turn of the page without much (apparent) effort. I was invested from start to finish.
I truly liked Honour as a character, she was strong and defying, but not against her better judgement, not against the promise of death; Honour Jones was scared for her life. North is not a good guy and he knows and we all know it, but I still loved him. Even as an assassin, he has principles and the more we get to know him and his past, the more emotionally attached I got to him. He was also extremely hilarious, made me laugh on plenty of occasions with his sarcasm and wit. He is by no means perfect as his job and I thought his flaws were refreshing.
The killing state by Judith O’Reilly takes you prisoner in this corrupt world and does not let you go until you reach the end.
Happy reading,
Jane
***********************************
Thank you Head of Zeus and Love Books Tour for a copy of this novel for review!
July 23, 2020
This is not the sort of book I would normally read, but once I got into it I couldn't put it down. I really liked the characters, however I found the story was a bit long in places. I'm looking forward to the sequel.
January 9, 2018
Action, romance, sexy broken hero, fun teen sidekick. Loved it. Can't wait for book 2!
November 10, 2017
All of my reviews can be found at: https://hookedfrompageoneblog.wordpre...
I was utterly gripped by this brilliant book, if you’re after a thriller which is brimming with action, I would highly recommend this one.
In Killing State, Judith introduces us to trained killer Michael North. Michael has been hired to assassinate MP Honor Jones, the Tory MP for Mile End, who has become too much of a liability for those who want her killed. But Michael’s conscience gets the better of him and he realises that he can’t kill Honor. But the people who have hired him aren’t individuals who you can turn your back on easily and hope to get away with it. Now fearing for both their lives, Honor and North go on the run and attempt to track down Honor’s friend, Peggy who has dropped all contact with anyone who knew her well. What has Peggy done to make a gang of merciless killers interested in her and why is anyone who knows her and anyone who is trying to find her, killed before they can get to the truth?
I really enjoyed reading this book. Killing State is fast paced and an action packed story. Judith pulled me into the novel with her intriguing prologue in which we see North approaching MP Honor Jones, the woman who he has been sent to kill. But the novel takes an unexpected turn when he ‘befriends’ Honor and attempts to help her escape when he tries to persuade her to flee to America. I really liked the relationship between Honor and Michael once they strike up a friendship. I was intrigued to see how this would play out for the rest of the novel and if Michael would continue to help Honor or if he would be persuaded to go against his conscience and kill her, to make life easier for him.
I was fascinated by the mystery of the disappearance of Honor’s friend, Peggy. As the story progresses we see glimpses of the past they shared together and I wanted to get to the bottom of what Peggy had caught herself up in. Michael North’s story was also captivating and I wanted to find out more about him. We learn that he suffered a gunshot wound whilst serving in the army and that the bullet is still lodged in his brain. Michael knows that one day the bullet will kill him. During the action scenes it is clear that he knows that one wrong move could dislodge the bullet and he is desperate to stay alive so that he can protect Honor. The action scenes really were captivating and there are plenty of them throughout the book.
A brilliant read for thriller seekers, this book will keep you reading well into the night. Many thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me to take part in the blog tour and for providing me with a copy of the book to read. I’m looking forward to seeing what Judith does next with the series.
I was utterly gripped by this brilliant book, if you’re after a thriller which is brimming with action, I would highly recommend this one.
In Killing State, Judith introduces us to trained killer Michael North. Michael has been hired to assassinate MP Honor Jones, the Tory MP for Mile End, who has become too much of a liability for those who want her killed. But Michael’s conscience gets the better of him and he realises that he can’t kill Honor. But the people who have hired him aren’t individuals who you can turn your back on easily and hope to get away with it. Now fearing for both their lives, Honor and North go on the run and attempt to track down Honor’s friend, Peggy who has dropped all contact with anyone who knew her well. What has Peggy done to make a gang of merciless killers interested in her and why is anyone who knows her and anyone who is trying to find her, killed before they can get to the truth?
I really enjoyed reading this book. Killing State is fast paced and an action packed story. Judith pulled me into the novel with her intriguing prologue in which we see North approaching MP Honor Jones, the woman who he has been sent to kill. But the novel takes an unexpected turn when he ‘befriends’ Honor and attempts to help her escape when he tries to persuade her to flee to America. I really liked the relationship between Honor and Michael once they strike up a friendship. I was intrigued to see how this would play out for the rest of the novel and if Michael would continue to help Honor or if he would be persuaded to go against his conscience and kill her, to make life easier for him.
I was fascinated by the mystery of the disappearance of Honor’s friend, Peggy. As the story progresses we see glimpses of the past they shared together and I wanted to get to the bottom of what Peggy had caught herself up in. Michael North’s story was also captivating and I wanted to find out more about him. We learn that he suffered a gunshot wound whilst serving in the army and that the bullet is still lodged in his brain. Michael knows that one day the bullet will kill him. During the action scenes it is clear that he knows that one wrong move could dislodge the bullet and he is desperate to stay alive so that he can protect Honor. The action scenes really were captivating and there are plenty of them throughout the book.
A brilliant read for thriller seekers, this book will keep you reading well into the night. Many thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me to take part in the blog tour and for providing me with a copy of the book to read. I’m looking forward to seeing what Judith does next with the series.
November 16, 2017
Every so often, I find myself in the mood for an action thriller. Killing State, the newest (and third!) novel by Judith O’Reilly, seemed to fit this bill for me. A perfect blend of an action thriller, political thriller and romance thriller, from the first pages, I was captivated by O’Reilly’s prose; I had to keep turning the pages.
As the novel opens, we are introduced to Michael North, a man with a bullet in his brain from his time spent in the war that has heightened his neural pathways and has made him a killing machine. Working for a government agency (known as The Board), he is thrown off his game when he is ordered to kill a woman, Honor Jones, who cannot seem to keep herself out of trouble while trying to do the right thing. Conflicted, North must decide what to do. Does he follow orders? Does he let her go?
This novel is the first in a new book series starring Michael North; I really loved this character. He was sort of brooding and dangerous, with a soft spot; a perfectly damaged character with redeeming qualities. I also really liked Honor. She was sassy and determined. I loved their interactions and banter. I also loved the “will they or won’t they” in regards to these two characters. Will they become partners? Love interests? It had me engaged throughout.
I did love that book read very current. It had current pop culture references that I felt added a layer to the text and made it more relatable.
My only gripe with this book was very small. I’m Canadian so I don’t know much about British politics. I did find myself a little bit confused; it took me a little while to realize that MP would have meant Member of Parliament (I think?!). I didn’t feel like the author gave much explanation for her place of power or what her actual job would have been for readers who are unfamiliar with the British political system.
Overall, I found this to be a quick and engaging novel that I would recommend to fans of the Bourne series. I also feel like this book would be FANTASTIC on the screen; I would love to see a film adaptation. I’ll be looking out for book two!
As the novel opens, we are introduced to Michael North, a man with a bullet in his brain from his time spent in the war that has heightened his neural pathways and has made him a killing machine. Working for a government agency (known as The Board), he is thrown off his game when he is ordered to kill a woman, Honor Jones, who cannot seem to keep herself out of trouble while trying to do the right thing. Conflicted, North must decide what to do. Does he follow orders? Does he let her go?
This novel is the first in a new book series starring Michael North; I really loved this character. He was sort of brooding and dangerous, with a soft spot; a perfectly damaged character with redeeming qualities. I also really liked Honor. She was sassy and determined. I loved their interactions and banter. I also loved the “will they or won’t they” in regards to these two characters. Will they become partners? Love interests? It had me engaged throughout.
I did love that book read very current. It had current pop culture references that I felt added a layer to the text and made it more relatable.
My only gripe with this book was very small. I’m Canadian so I don’t know much about British politics. I did find myself a little bit confused; it took me a little while to realize that MP would have meant Member of Parliament (I think?!). I didn’t feel like the author gave much explanation for her place of power or what her actual job would have been for readers who are unfamiliar with the British political system.
Overall, I found this to be a quick and engaging novel that I would recommend to fans of the Bourne series. I also feel like this book would be FANTASTIC on the screen; I would love to see a film adaptation. I’ll be looking out for book two!
March 12, 2021
A man has a gaping wound after an explosion blew a plank of wood into his stomach. A day later, he realises he's opened the wound back up, which is going to cause him problems. And after that... no wound! Just like magic. He gets another stomach injury, which you might imagine would necessitate mentioning the gaping wound that was already there, but no. He gets more stomach injuries (he's all stomach, this guy), and the big wound? Forgotten. All in the past. Vanished.
And this goes on. Clothes which belonged to a smaller man suddenly fit a larger one perfectly. A Chinese girl is deadly with throwing stars (because, you know, all Chinese kids are armed with throwing stars, just as all Chinese kids are hackers...), and then this useful skill isn't mentioned again. Names of real places are changed for artistic licence in the early chapters, then all the real names are used for the rest of the book.
(I'll skip over some other similar problems because they risk being spoilers.)
It's a pity - genuinely a pity, because there's something of a good story here - that when your connections from your time at BBC Newsnight, Channel 4 News, The Sunday Times and the government can ensure you get a string of nice quotes and friendly reviews, you can't find anyone to ensure continuity or coherence.
I'll give this two stars because the story was engaging enough to stop me giving up, however much my eyes rolled. But for crying out loud, is there nobody out there who checks for consistency any more? Nobody who will take the time to see if the book actually makes sense?
And this goes on. Clothes which belonged to a smaller man suddenly fit a larger one perfectly. A Chinese girl is deadly with throwing stars (because, you know, all Chinese kids are armed with throwing stars, just as all Chinese kids are hackers...), and then this useful skill isn't mentioned again. Names of real places are changed for artistic licence in the early chapters, then all the real names are used for the rest of the book.
(I'll skip over some other similar problems because they risk being spoilers.)
It's a pity - genuinely a pity, because there's something of a good story here - that when your connections from your time at BBC Newsnight, Channel 4 News, The Sunday Times and the government can ensure you get a string of nice quotes and friendly reviews, you can't find anyone to ensure continuity or coherence.
I'll give this two stars because the story was engaging enough to stop me giving up, however much my eyes rolled. But for crying out loud, is there nobody out there who checks for consistency any more? Nobody who will take the time to see if the book actually makes sense?
October 14, 2018
Don't pay for this! It isn't worth it.
It started well, and the last chapter was good. However, in between these was a very poor read. Too much repetition. Too many completely irrelevant points, words etc. I was going to give up after the first chapter but kept hoping it might get better, but it didnt. I think that in general it was a really poor storyline. The characters weren't developed enough. The plot was very loose. Not enough detail in a lot of areas. I would not pay for this book or indeed the next one. Even getting it free may not persuade me to ensure a repeat of this one.
It started well, and the last chapter was good. However, in between these was a very poor read. Too much repetition. Too many completely irrelevant points, words etc. I was going to give up after the first chapter but kept hoping it might get better, but it didnt. I think that in general it was a really poor storyline. The characters weren't developed enough. The plot was very loose. Not enough detail in a lot of areas. I would not pay for this book or indeed the next one. Even getting it free may not persuade me to ensure a repeat of this one.
August 16, 2018
I was a bit apprehensive as I started this book as I didn't like the style of writing of Judith O'Reilly's previous books but I liked the sound of this one so decided to give it a go. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised, it did take me a little while to get into the story but once I did I started to enjoy it although it was not a fast read for me. I am not really into futuristic storylines but this one was ok as it wasn't too far into the future and did have a ring of truth to it. I will be looking out for the next book in the series out later this year.
July 27, 2018
Incredible. But not in a good way. Cliche ridden and repetitive. The book world does not need another superhuman, brooding ex squaddie. The references to "post Brexit Britain" were so sparse and shallow that they weren't worthy of the blurb. Not a patch on This Disunited Kingdom by Leslie J Nicholls
November 15, 2020
Pulp thriller fiction, successfully filled those 'too tired to concentrate' moments. I recently saw a very positive reveiew of the second book in this series, so of course I had to start at the beginning. Yes, this one was entertaining, but i'm hoping for better from the next.
June 4, 2020
Enjoyable, but a bit forgettable
March 9, 2019
What a brilliant, fast paced and actions packed ride this was!! I loved every page and couldn’t put it down!
The story progresses at the perfect pace, something new being added or shocking happening at every turn. I expected this to be a very typical type of story, man gets sent to kill woman, falls in love and can’t do it. Man and woman run away and get revenge.
I honestly expected this to follow much the same lines, a predictable storyline that’s fun to wind down with, but what I found myself devouring was so much more than that. The Characters are brilliantly varied and unpredictable, the situations masterfully done to be tense and exciting, hooking the reader into a world full of unexpected situations and outcomes.
I loved both of our Characters, and I expected to not like North. Not entirely certain why, I just expected him to be an arrogant ass that made me want to slap him for being so typically (for this type of role) cocky and overbearing. Instead, I found myself loving him very quickly.
Oh he’s cocky. He’s arrogant. But for good reason, but there are so many different elements to the Character it felt like I knew him personally. I quickly came to adore reading about him, his reactions, feelings and attitudes.
There is so much I want to say about him, his reactions, and him as a ‘person’ but I can’t do that without telling you the situation, and then this would be FULL of spoilers. I wrote it with spoilers to get it out if my system and then deleted them, and suffice to say it would have been a VERY long review!
The Chapters are brilliantly done, some longer, some shorted, kicking up the tension masterfully at various points, the timeline giving perfect context to the situations. Some spanning hours sometimes mere minutes, but giving the perfect addition to show tense moments filled with rapid thought. The timeline does go back and forth, but for myself I found this just made it more interesting, giving us more details the deeper we got into the story.
If you enjoy Crime, Thrillers, Action and kick ass Characters, with plots within plots that have you on the edge of your seat and devouring each page as if you’ve been starved of stories for 50years, then you will adore this book! I’m SO impatient to read the next book! I can’t wait to read more about North!
The story progresses at the perfect pace, something new being added or shocking happening at every turn. I expected this to be a very typical type of story, man gets sent to kill woman, falls in love and can’t do it. Man and woman run away and get revenge.
I honestly expected this to follow much the same lines, a predictable storyline that’s fun to wind down with, but what I found myself devouring was so much more than that. The Characters are brilliantly varied and unpredictable, the situations masterfully done to be tense and exciting, hooking the reader into a world full of unexpected situations and outcomes.
I loved both of our Characters, and I expected to not like North. Not entirely certain why, I just expected him to be an arrogant ass that made me want to slap him for being so typically (for this type of role) cocky and overbearing. Instead, I found myself loving him very quickly.
Oh he’s cocky. He’s arrogant. But for good reason, but there are so many different elements to the Character it felt like I knew him personally. I quickly came to adore reading about him, his reactions, feelings and attitudes.
There is so much I want to say about him, his reactions, and him as a ‘person’ but I can’t do that without telling you the situation, and then this would be FULL of spoilers. I wrote it with spoilers to get it out if my system and then deleted them, and suffice to say it would have been a VERY long review!
The Chapters are brilliantly done, some longer, some shorted, kicking up the tension masterfully at various points, the timeline giving perfect context to the situations. Some spanning hours sometimes mere minutes, but giving the perfect addition to show tense moments filled with rapid thought. The timeline does go back and forth, but for myself I found this just made it more interesting, giving us more details the deeper we got into the story.
If you enjoy Crime, Thrillers, Action and kick ass Characters, with plots within plots that have you on the edge of your seat and devouring each page as if you’ve been starved of stories for 50years, then you will adore this book! I’m SO impatient to read the next book! I can’t wait to read more about North!
March 10, 2019
Well, this book has it all going on! Right from the opening pages, the action never lets up for a second and we find ourselves in a labyrinth of cross and double-cross, people switching sides in the blink of an eye, assassinations, explosions, fights, intrigue, paranoia, shadowy organisations and political machinations (do those of you who grew up with Blackadder always want to finish that phrase with ‘of the evil Pitt. Lord Baldrick’ or is that just me? Blackadder the Third, Episode 1: Dish and Dishonesty, in case you were wondering.)
The main character here is ex-soldier, Michael North, a man damaged both physically (a bullet lodged in his brain) and mentally who is now working as an assassin for a shadowy political organisation that has him getting rid (in the most permanent sense of the word) of people they believe threaten the security of the country and he does this without question until he is instructed to kill MP Honor Jones. Something about her makes him question his mission, and then everything changes for him and he begins to wonder if he might be on the wrong side after all.
The action then takes off at a cracking pace and doesn’t let up until the shocking climax which will take your breath away so you had better buckle in as you are in for a bumpy, wild ride through the book. The book involves a feisty teenage cyber-genius, thugs on both sides, prisoners of war, blackmail, storms at sea and a million other excitements. It reminded me of every Mission Impossible, Tom Clancy and Jason Bourne thriller I have seen all mashed together in an explosion of events. At times it was quite hard to keep up with what is going on because everything is happening so quickly and the action bounces around between characters and settings, so you need to pay attention. It is also a big book and requires and investment of time and attention but, if you are fans of action and poetical thrillers by the likes of James Patterson and Lee Child, you will enjoy this novel.
Michael North is a grizzled, damaged but sympathetic action hero in the best traditions of the genre and there are enough surprises and take-your-breath-away moments to hold the tension. A rip-roaring read. A sequel is already planned for release later in the year so, if you enjoy this, there is more to come. Watch this space.
The main character here is ex-soldier, Michael North, a man damaged both physically (a bullet lodged in his brain) and mentally who is now working as an assassin for a shadowy political organisation that has him getting rid (in the most permanent sense of the word) of people they believe threaten the security of the country and he does this without question until he is instructed to kill MP Honor Jones. Something about her makes him question his mission, and then everything changes for him and he begins to wonder if he might be on the wrong side after all.
The action then takes off at a cracking pace and doesn’t let up until the shocking climax which will take your breath away so you had better buckle in as you are in for a bumpy, wild ride through the book. The book involves a feisty teenage cyber-genius, thugs on both sides, prisoners of war, blackmail, storms at sea and a million other excitements. It reminded me of every Mission Impossible, Tom Clancy and Jason Bourne thriller I have seen all mashed together in an explosion of events. At times it was quite hard to keep up with what is going on because everything is happening so quickly and the action bounces around between characters and settings, so you need to pay attention. It is also a big book and requires and investment of time and attention but, if you are fans of action and poetical thrillers by the likes of James Patterson and Lee Child, you will enjoy this novel.
Michael North is a grizzled, damaged but sympathetic action hero in the best traditions of the genre and there are enough surprises and take-your-breath-away moments to hold the tension. A rip-roaring read. A sequel is already planned for release later in the year so, if you enjoy this, there is more to come. Watch this space.
November 26, 2020
Move over Jack Reacher because there is a new kid in town and his name is Micheal North. “Killing State” (KS), a political action thriller and the first in the Michael North series, is also the debut novel of former journalist Judith O’Reilly.
A clandestine organisation, The Board, with high ranking members and a league of assassins at their disposal have been protecting the Crown and the state for over 400 years. North, assassin and spy-for-hire, is tasked to take out a young up and coming political star, Honor Jones, but there is something about this mission that doesn’t seem right and the more North digs the more things start becoming less about just one targeted MP and more about the entire country.
KS was an ambitious attempt for a debut and O’Reilly has done a wonderful job artfully throwing an out and out action hero into the genre of a political thriller with spectacular results. This book has all of the right elements; twists and turns, a multi-layered plot (with some cleverly and not over-used flashbacks), life and death situations, double and triple crosses, secret organisations being watched by even more secret organisations, meticulously planned schemes, well placed tension breaking humour (I nearly laughed out loud when it was mentioned a particular President was tweeting his outrage), and characters that you can love or loath in equal (and at times alternating) amounts.
That said there were a couple of minor irritants that did stick out for me. The story did take a little while to build up (that said, once the preliminaries where out of the way the pages almost turn themselves); and, I sometimes got a little lost in the overall plot and there were times when I had to stop and think “who was that character again?” but usually this was quickly resolved. As I said though, these were minor irritants and they didn’t really detract from the book overall.
KS is a very good debut and is an explosive start for a new action hero in Michael North and one that has me looking forward to the next instalment.
KS gets 3.5 bullets firmly lodged in your brain out of 5.
A clandestine organisation, The Board, with high ranking members and a league of assassins at their disposal have been protecting the Crown and the state for over 400 years. North, assassin and spy-for-hire, is tasked to take out a young up and coming political star, Honor Jones, but there is something about this mission that doesn’t seem right and the more North digs the more things start becoming less about just one targeted MP and more about the entire country.
KS was an ambitious attempt for a debut and O’Reilly has done a wonderful job artfully throwing an out and out action hero into the genre of a political thriller with spectacular results. This book has all of the right elements; twists and turns, a multi-layered plot (with some cleverly and not over-used flashbacks), life and death situations, double and triple crosses, secret organisations being watched by even more secret organisations, meticulously planned schemes, well placed tension breaking humour (I nearly laughed out loud when it was mentioned a particular President was tweeting his outrage), and characters that you can love or loath in equal (and at times alternating) amounts.
That said there were a couple of minor irritants that did stick out for me. The story did take a little while to build up (that said, once the preliminaries where out of the way the pages almost turn themselves); and, I sometimes got a little lost in the overall plot and there were times when I had to stop and think “who was that character again?” but usually this was quickly resolved. As I said though, these were minor irritants and they didn’t really detract from the book overall.
KS is a very good debut and is an explosive start for a new action hero in Michael North and one that has me looking forward to the next instalment.
KS gets 3.5 bullets firmly lodged in your brain out of 5.
March 10, 2019
Michael North has a very special job, he is a killer for sale, he is ready to kill anyone who could put the state in danger, he only has two rules; never kill a child nor a woman. So, when he receives the order to kill the MP Honor Jones, he is not eager to take the job, there is something that doesn’t feel right with it.
MP Honor Jones is searching for her best friend, it had been two weeks without any news from her, so when she starts asking questions about her disappearance she starts being scared for her life… Is Michael North the one ordered to kill her?
This book had been a great surprise, since the beginning you can feel the clock ticking against Honor and North, they have a strange alliance, Honor wants to find her friend Peggy and North is trying to keep Honor safe; they don’t know what is happening simply that they will have to run to be safe and don’t trust anyone; anyone…
I am always surprised when we see how the power is so corrupt, it seems that everyone with power can not resist to do harm if they can have more power, not only on this story but in reality; like a drug, you always need more…
Honor and North are not people with an easy past, but they are who they are and try to live with their own faults and rules; possibly they would never met if it would not be for the missing Peggy, of course. But their alliance will not be seen with good eyes, they will have to fight if they really want to discover the truth. Lucky for them they will have a quite weird ally, an exceptional teenage girl called FangFang; intelligent and brave will give them the missing clues to discover the truth.
I really enjoyed this read, fast paced and with a few twists to maintain the adrenaline flowing every page; because there’s not only their lives at risk but the country too…
Ready for the Killing State?
MP Honor Jones is searching for her best friend, it had been two weeks without any news from her, so when she starts asking questions about her disappearance she starts being scared for her life… Is Michael North the one ordered to kill her?
This book had been a great surprise, since the beginning you can feel the clock ticking against Honor and North, they have a strange alliance, Honor wants to find her friend Peggy and North is trying to keep Honor safe; they don’t know what is happening simply that they will have to run to be safe and don’t trust anyone; anyone…
I am always surprised when we see how the power is so corrupt, it seems that everyone with power can not resist to do harm if they can have more power, not only on this story but in reality; like a drug, you always need more…
Honor and North are not people with an easy past, but they are who they are and try to live with their own faults and rules; possibly they would never met if it would not be for the missing Peggy, of course. But their alliance will not be seen with good eyes, they will have to fight if they really want to discover the truth. Lucky for them they will have a quite weird ally, an exceptional teenage girl called FangFang; intelligent and brave will give them the missing clues to discover the truth.
I really enjoyed this read, fast paced and with a few twists to maintain the adrenaline flowing every page; because there’s not only their lives at risk but the country too…
Ready for the Killing State?
May 13, 2020
What if the person you're ordered to kill
Is the woman you want to protect?
Michael North, assassin and spy-for-hire, is very good at killing bad guys. But what happens when his shadowy bosses at the dark heart of the British government order him to kill a good woman instead?
Rising political star, Honor Jones, MP, has started asking dangerous questions about the men running her country. The trouble is, she doesn't know when to stop. And, now that he's met her, neither does North...
My thoughts about this brilliantly written conspiracy spy thriller that was amazing Author Judith O'Reilly first action thriller Killing State is fast moving thriller that has suspense and action assasin Michael North who has been hired to kill a good woman is a outstanding character Killing State is sure is a race against time to stop those who have ordered him to kill the innocent women a conspiracy that will take your breath away well done Judith O'Reilly your first action thriller sure packs a punch highly recommended 💥💥💥💥💥⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Is the woman you want to protect?
Michael North, assassin and spy-for-hire, is very good at killing bad guys. But what happens when his shadowy bosses at the dark heart of the British government order him to kill a good woman instead?
Rising political star, Honor Jones, MP, has started asking dangerous questions about the men running her country. The trouble is, she doesn't know when to stop. And, now that he's met her, neither does North...
My thoughts about this brilliantly written conspiracy spy thriller that was amazing Author Judith O'Reilly first action thriller Killing State is fast moving thriller that has suspense and action assasin Michael North who has been hired to kill a good woman is a outstanding character Killing State is sure is a race against time to stop those who have ordered him to kill the innocent women a conspiracy that will take your breath away well done Judith O'Reilly your first action thriller sure packs a punch highly recommended 💥💥💥💥💥⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
August 20, 2023
This was a terrific high-octane political thriller. Michael North is an assassin for a very covert agency. He happens to have a bullet lodged in his brain so he's a dead man walking. He is tasked to kill an MP but he finds he can't do it. He sets out with Honor, the MP, to track down her friend who seems to be at the centre of why the agency wants to kill Honor. At the same time, the agency don't take kindly to rejection of their orders so North and Honor are now both targets.
Right from the start, I found myself rooting for North. He does seem to have a conscience after all. There's lots of action and it isn't clear for a while as to the motives behind the scenes. There's lots of wondering who you can trust and I found myself flip-flopping a bit as no-one really is as they seem. My favourite character was FangFang who is a terrific young Chinese hacker. She's quite sassy and despite her ingenuity, does show glimpses of her teenage self.
The ending was excellent and sets things up nicely for the second book.
Right from the start, I found myself rooting for North. He does seem to have a conscience after all. There's lots of action and it isn't clear for a while as to the motives behind the scenes. There's lots of wondering who you can trust and I found myself flip-flopping a bit as no-one really is as they seem. My favourite character was FangFang who is a terrific young Chinese hacker. She's quite sassy and despite her ingenuity, does show glimpses of her teenage self.
The ending was excellent and sets things up nicely for the second book.
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