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Hammer
An art auction house employee helps a Russian oligarch sell his prized collection, ensnaring himself in a dangerous romance and an even more treacherous political plot.
It’s 2013, and much of the world still reels from the global economic collapse. Yet in the auction rooms of London, artworks are selling for record-breaking prices. Seeking a place in this gilded world is Martin, a junior specialist at a prestigious auction house. Martin spends his days catering to the whims of obscenely wealthy clients and his nights drinking in grubby pubs with his demoralized roommate. However, a chance meeting with Marina, an old university friend, presents Martin with a chance to change everything.
Pursuing distraction from her failing marriage and from a career she doesn’t quite believe in, Marina draws Martin into her circle and that of her husband, Oleg, an art-collecting oligarch. Shaken by the death of his mother and chafing against his diminishing influence in his homeland, Oleg appears primed to change his own life—and perhaps to relinquish his priceless art collection long coveted by London’s auction houses. Martin is determined to secure the sale and transform his career. But his ambitions are threatened by factors he hasn’t reckoned a dangerous attraction between himself and Marina, and half-baked political plans through which Oleg aims to redeem himself and Russia but which instead imperil the safety of the oligarch and all those around him.
Hammer is a riveting, ambitious novel—at once a sharp art world exposé, a tense geopolitical thriller, and a brooding romance—that incisively explores the intersection of wealth, power, and desire.
It’s 2013, and much of the world still reels from the global economic collapse. Yet in the auction rooms of London, artworks are selling for record-breaking prices. Seeking a place in this gilded world is Martin, a junior specialist at a prestigious auction house. Martin spends his days catering to the whims of obscenely wealthy clients and his nights drinking in grubby pubs with his demoralized roommate. However, a chance meeting with Marina, an old university friend, presents Martin with a chance to change everything.
Pursuing distraction from her failing marriage and from a career she doesn’t quite believe in, Marina draws Martin into her circle and that of her husband, Oleg, an art-collecting oligarch. Shaken by the death of his mother and chafing against his diminishing influence in his homeland, Oleg appears primed to change his own life—and perhaps to relinquish his priceless art collection long coveted by London’s auction houses. Martin is determined to secure the sale and transform his career. But his ambitions are threatened by factors he hasn’t reckoned a dangerous attraction between himself and Marina, and half-baked political plans through which Oleg aims to redeem himself and Russia but which instead imperil the safety of the oligarch and all those around him.
Hammer is a riveting, ambitious novel—at once a sharp art world exposé, a tense geopolitical thriller, and a brooding romance—that incisively explores the intersection of wealth, power, and desire.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published March 22, 2022
25 people are currently reading
3257 people want to read
About the author
Joe Mungo Reed
5 books126 followersJoe Mungo Reed was born in London and raised in Gloucestershire, England. He has a master’s in philosophy and politics at the University of Edinburgh and an MFA in creative writing at Syracuse University, where he won the Joyce Carol Oates Award in Fiction. He is the author of the novel, We Begin Our Ascent, and his short stories have appeared in VQR and Gigantic and anthologized in Best of Gigantic. He is currently living in Edinburgh, UK.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
March 17, 2022
Power is like a muscle that must be exercised.
Hammer
Joe Mungo Reed
•
First of all, this cover. I admit to being totally drawn in by it, in hopes I had found a new art thriller to share with all of you. And for the first 1/3 of Hammer, I was taken in, both the setting (auction houses, London) and the wild ride that happens when money, power and art collide inside the pages of a book.
•
The narration of Hammer is stellar and thank you @simonandschuster for this gifted copy. Hammer really morphs from an art-centric thriller into more of a geopolitical storyline; the timing of this book is actually mind blowing because we have a Russian oligarch named Oleg and his stop at nothing desire for wealth and power. There are lots of Putin references (Putin even makes an appearance in the story) as does Ukraine. The book is set in 2013 but clearly the author had a good working knowledge of where the world was headed. For me, when the plot veered away from art almost totally into world politics, I was both disappointed and a bit bored. This is more a criticism about what I thought the book was going to be - I think if you're looking for ripped from the headlines, international thriller, you might want to check Hammer out. But, I definitely expected and wanted the focus of the story to be the high-stakes world of fine art, and that it is not.
Hammer
Joe Mungo Reed
•
First of all, this cover. I admit to being totally drawn in by it, in hopes I had found a new art thriller to share with all of you. And for the first 1/3 of Hammer, I was taken in, both the setting (auction houses, London) and the wild ride that happens when money, power and art collide inside the pages of a book.
•
The narration of Hammer is stellar and thank you @simonandschuster for this gifted copy. Hammer really morphs from an art-centric thriller into more of a geopolitical storyline; the timing of this book is actually mind blowing because we have a Russian oligarch named Oleg and his stop at nothing desire for wealth and power. There are lots of Putin references (Putin even makes an appearance in the story) as does Ukraine. The book is set in 2013 but clearly the author had a good working knowledge of where the world was headed. For me, when the plot veered away from art almost totally into world politics, I was both disappointed and a bit bored. This is more a criticism about what I thought the book was going to be - I think if you're looking for ripped from the headlines, international thriller, you might want to check Hammer out. But, I definitely expected and wanted the focus of the story to be the high-stakes world of fine art, and that it is not.
September 24, 2022
Misconstrued Power
Oligarchs are individuals or persons who belong to a small group of people who govern or control a country. Most of us think of Russia replete with oligarchs festered in a competitive, dangerous country similar to Russia. Some believe that the United States is run by oligarchs since the demarcation of the rich and the have-nots weaves a wide spectrum.
The author of Hammer focuses on three main characters, Martin, a young man climbing his way in an important London auction house, Oleg, an oligarch and his lovely, intelligent wife Marina.
Oleg collects art and his collection is important and treasured. While Martin is catering to the very wealthy men and women similar to Oleg, he has a chance meeting with Oleg’s wife, Marina, a friend from university. She can change his fortune and help him rise in his profession. So, begins the story of Oleg and his transformation when his mother dies and he questions his fading influence in his homeland, Russia. He is toying with the idea of selling his art collection, procured by tawdry means, and elevate himself as the new savior of Russia.
Meanwhile Marina and Martin have an affair, the depth of which is murky. A secondary character, James, best friend,, musician and roommate of Martin was a college lover of Marina. His importance is cloudy and so vague, his place in the plot was possibly unnecessary. Oleg’s character is heavily crafted and his ambitions combined with his business acumen mix well with these political aspirations. Reed depicts the ambition of the Oleg as a strong central character driving the plot while he became naïve as any other self-promoting politician.
The last scenes in the book are the strongest, the middle of the book was repetitive and a bit tiresome. Many of the wealthy buyers in the auction house were stereotyped, but that could be more realistic than not.
My gratitude to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this pre-published book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Oligarchs are individuals or persons who belong to a small group of people who govern or control a country. Most of us think of Russia replete with oligarchs festered in a competitive, dangerous country similar to Russia. Some believe that the United States is run by oligarchs since the demarcation of the rich and the have-nots weaves a wide spectrum.
The author of Hammer focuses on three main characters, Martin, a young man climbing his way in an important London auction house, Oleg, an oligarch and his lovely, intelligent wife Marina.
Oleg collects art and his collection is important and treasured. While Martin is catering to the very wealthy men and women similar to Oleg, he has a chance meeting with Oleg’s wife, Marina, a friend from university. She can change his fortune and help him rise in his profession. So, begins the story of Oleg and his transformation when his mother dies and he questions his fading influence in his homeland, Russia. He is toying with the idea of selling his art collection, procured by tawdry means, and elevate himself as the new savior of Russia.
Meanwhile Marina and Martin have an affair, the depth of which is murky. A secondary character, James, best friend,, musician and roommate of Martin was a college lover of Marina. His importance is cloudy and so vague, his place in the plot was possibly unnecessary. Oleg’s character is heavily crafted and his ambitions combined with his business acumen mix well with these political aspirations. Reed depicts the ambition of the Oleg as a strong central character driving the plot while he became naïve as any other self-promoting politician.
The last scenes in the book are the strongest, the middle of the book was repetitive and a bit tiresome. Many of the wealthy buyers in the auction house were stereotyped, but that could be more realistic than not.
My gratitude to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this pre-published book. All opinions expressed are my own.
December 26, 2021
This book based around three characters whose lives intertwine is well written and the characters are well fleshed out to the point that you understand them -- even if you can't sympathise. Even the stereotypical Russian oligarch becomes more human as the novel progresses.
The sections set in the art world clearly show that the author knows this world, as I work in it and these sections are spot on. I would have liked it stay focussed on art as the final third on Russian politics and statecraft feel like they're from a spy novel that doesn't quite fit with the rest.
While the story does meander along rather slowly I did enjoy it and wanted to see how it ended - though wasn't rapt by it.
The sections set in the art world clearly show that the author knows this world, as I work in it and these sections are spot on. I would have liked it stay focussed on art as the final third on Russian politics and statecraft feel like they're from a spy novel that doesn't quite fit with the rest.
While the story does meander along rather slowly I did enjoy it and wanted to see how it ended - though wasn't rapt by it.
April 5, 2022
Superb book. Brilliant writer.
November 10, 2022
3.5 Told from the point of view of a fledgling art auction house specialist, an oligarch residing in London and his younger financially independent wife, this is a cerebral book that touches on complex human instincts. Characters assess their life goals, their relationships to each other, their partners, their friends, and their obligations to the past. Issues of power, money, influence, and responsibility arise. Who is holding the hammer?
This is an intellectual book, meaning that perhaps I should have paid more attention in school, and especially in my college art appreciation class. The esoterica of assigning or applying meaning to abstract art seems so suspiciously self-indulgent and yet, I do love it when a piece makes me feel something. Should that feeling be kept to oneself or does it improve the artistic experience by verbalizing it; by trying to make it be one thing or another? After reading this book I am convinced that blather helps to increase the price of many a work.
Nice coincidence that I finished this book in November 2022 just when Paul Allen’s art collection was auctioned for a record $1.5 billion.
This is an intellectual book, meaning that perhaps I should have paid more attention in school, and especially in my college art appreciation class. The esoterica of assigning or applying meaning to abstract art seems so suspiciously self-indulgent and yet, I do love it when a piece makes me feel something. Should that feeling be kept to oneself or does it improve the artistic experience by verbalizing it; by trying to make it be one thing or another? After reading this book I am convinced that blather helps to increase the price of many a work.
Nice coincidence that I finished this book in November 2022 just when Paul Allen’s art collection was auctioned for a record $1.5 billion.
April 20, 2022
I had a really hard time caring about this book or it's characters until the very end. Perhaps it was the narration, but it just seemed boring and pretentious to me for the first 80%, and then I was saddened by the ending. I don't consider myself much of an "art person" so maybe some of the nuance was lost on me. I was interested in the plot line regarding Russia, especially given that I was listening to this while the Ukraine was being invaded by Russia, but I got a little lost with some of the various Russian characters and their roles. All in all, I can't say this is one I'd recommend.
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December 30, 2022I am putting this down at page 143.
I was very interested in this story until it moved into Part II. I was expecting this book to have some type of art focus when really it becomes more about, are you ready for this, wealthy Russians and contemporary art. This is the 3rd book I’ve read this year where the author writes about the art world or art or artist or critics or art people for the sole purpose of exploring the infiltration of Russians and their money. I think this book is a bit more astute in its observation regarding Russian Oligarchs and the money they pump into the contemporary art market, but I’m just bored with this.
I was very interested in this story until it moved into Part II. I was expecting this book to have some type of art focus when really it becomes more about, are you ready for this, wealthy Russians and contemporary art. This is the 3rd book I’ve read this year where the author writes about the art world or art or artist or critics or art people for the sole purpose of exploring the infiltration of Russians and their money. I think this book is a bit more astute in its observation regarding Russian Oligarchs and the money they pump into the contemporary art market, but I’m just bored with this.
March 17, 2022
I wonder how I would have viewed this well crafted novel if I'd read it before the invasion of Ukraine. Set in 2013, it's the story of Martin, Marina, and Oleg, an oligarch who has decided to set off on a quixotic effort to become President of Russia. Martin, who works as a junior employee at a London auction house finds himself caught up when Marina, an old friend, reappears in his life. She's married to Oleg but embarks on an affair with Martin. Oleg, in the meantime, has decided to sell off his storied collection - and Martin wants to snare it for his house- to raise the money for a political campaign. As implausible as that is (and was in 2013 as well), it does make for an interesting thought. Better, though, are the details of art auctions. Martin is most well rounded of the characters but he's oddly unsympathetic. This does sag a bit in the middle but it does pick up Thanks to edelweiss for the ARC.
November 30, 2021
This is a book about wealth, power and politics. There are brief references to drug use and sexual content. The story has extensive, detailed descriptions of both the artist and paintings, as the main plot is set at a prestigious auction house in London. Martin is a junior specialist there trying to obtain a collection from a wealthy Russian.
Oleg is the oligarch who owns the much sought after art collection. He was a Russian engineer, now lives in Great Britain and is married to Marina. Martin knew Marina at university and she's the ex-girlfriend of Martin’s housemate James.
Vague references and innuendo as to the methods Oleg used to acquire his wealth. There were also mentions of two prior wives, but very little detail. While Oleg seems to be the main character, there is the predictable affair and the story plods along in annoying detail of everywhere they visit, what they eat, drink, etc.
Russian history is not my forte, I'd never heard of an oligarch. It was an enlightening tale of a culture of wealth, poverty, secrets, betrayals and the art world. Reading the story was tedious and I nearly gave up several times.
This is an author I have not read before.
Thanks to Netgalley, Joe Mungo Reed and Simon and Schuster for providing the advance digital copy of Hammer. These are my thoughts and opinions alone, provided voluntarily.
Oleg is the oligarch who owns the much sought after art collection. He was a Russian engineer, now lives in Great Britain and is married to Marina. Martin knew Marina at university and she's the ex-girlfriend of Martin’s housemate James.
Vague references and innuendo as to the methods Oleg used to acquire his wealth. There were also mentions of two prior wives, but very little detail. While Oleg seems to be the main character, there is the predictable affair and the story plods along in annoying detail of everywhere they visit, what they eat, drink, etc.
Russian history is not my forte, I'd never heard of an oligarch. It was an enlightening tale of a culture of wealth, poverty, secrets, betrayals and the art world. Reading the story was tedious and I nearly gave up several times.
This is an author I have not read before.
Thanks to Netgalley, Joe Mungo Reed and Simon and Schuster for providing the advance digital copy of Hammer. These are my thoughts and opinions alone, provided voluntarily.
June 6, 2022
Hammer is a book that doesn't quite seem to know what type of novel it wants to be, and I'm not sure how I felt about it either. Set in 2013, this is the story of Martin, who has a fledgling career at a famous London auction house, and what happens when his path intersects with that of a Russian oligarch, Oleg, who is sitting on a massive collection of priceless art. Oleg's wife is Marina, a former schoolmate of Martin's. While Martin begins an affair with Marina, Oleg begins a bid for the Russian presidency, seeking to sell his art collection to fund his campaign.
Hammer begins explosively with an auction at Martin's auction house, an exciting and tense scene that offers an intimate look at the high-stakes world of priceless art. I was so riveted to this novel when it was focused on the art world; I had to Google nearly every piece of art that was mentioned, and I love when a book makes me that engaged. Unfortunately, midway through, the book veers from its focus on the art world and focuses much more on Russian politics, and that combined with a slow pace made me lose interest.
Joe Mungo Reed made me care about these characters, made me understand their motivations and their ambitions even if I didn't necessarily like them. Hammer is an impeccably written novel that symbolically explores themes of wealth, power, politics, culture, and privilege in ways that, unfortunately, didn't always resonate with me. I found it to be an enlightening reading experience, but not always a compelling one.
Hammer begins explosively with an auction at Martin's auction house, an exciting and tense scene that offers an intimate look at the high-stakes world of priceless art. I was so riveted to this novel when it was focused on the art world; I had to Google nearly every piece of art that was mentioned, and I love when a book makes me that engaged. Unfortunately, midway through, the book veers from its focus on the art world and focuses much more on Russian politics, and that combined with a slow pace made me lose interest.
Joe Mungo Reed made me care about these characters, made me understand their motivations and their ambitions even if I didn't necessarily like them. Hammer is an impeccably written novel that symbolically explores themes of wealth, power, politics, culture, and privilege in ways that, unfortunately, didn't always resonate with me. I found it to be an enlightening reading experience, but not always a compelling one.
July 13, 2022
All the requisite pieces of a high stakes art world thriller are here: protagonist who's an ambitious junior specialist at an upmarket London art auction house; Russian billionaire oligarch who owns an important and priceless art collection, including a rare, "missing" Malevich that no one has seen for decades; the oligarch's wife who falls for the junior specialist; and pretty competent writing. But none of this ever coalesces into a real story, and for a good two thirds of the book the three main characters kind of meander around, fall in and out of bed together, and analyze/philosophize about the meaning of life and art, especially Malevich's. I kept waiting for a heist, or a forgery, or anything to happen but, alas, I waited in vain.
June 8, 2023
What a fascinating read.
I picked up this newish book at the library (at the no one has checked me out yet table) and the topic of art auctions intrigued me.
Mix a youngish man in London working for an auction house/dealer, and add in a woman who use to date his flatmate in college, and her older husband who is a very, very wealthy Russian business man who is building quite the art collection.
Art + business + "relationships" + politics with each of these 3 characters telling their stories from past to present. Voices were clear, real, and honest (as much as they could be to themselves).
A painting Supremus #51 by Kasimir Malevich figures prominently, too. I looked online and couldn't fin d that particular #, but it was nicely described and possibly made up by the author.
I picked up this newish book at the library (at the no one has checked me out yet table) and the topic of art auctions intrigued me.
Mix a youngish man in London working for an auction house/dealer, and add in a woman who use to date his flatmate in college, and her older husband who is a very, very wealthy Russian business man who is building quite the art collection.
Art + business + "relationships" + politics with each of these 3 characters telling their stories from past to present. Voices were clear, real, and honest (as much as they could be to themselves).
A painting Supremus #51 by Kasimir Malevich figures prominently, too. I looked online and couldn't fin d that particular #, but it was nicely described and possibly made up by the author.
September 30, 2022
I picked up this book because I am a fan of art world fiction. Unfortunately, the plot is not wholly about art. Martin works for a prestigious London Art Auction house, and although he is not comfortable in his role, he is ambitious and loves his job. He still lives with his college roommate in a dumpy basement flat. He meets up with the roommate's old girlfriend, Marina, who is now married to a Russian oligarch billionaire. They have more in common now, what with the glitter of the art collection world. I stuck with the book, but I think Reed could have simplified the plot and delved into the characters. It felt cardboard at times.
November 16, 2024
There is something about Martin that makes her want to be cruel at times. He is like a puppy. He is eager and guileless in a way that precipitates the urge to violate that vulnerability, to assert the natural indifference of the world.
Got this because I liked We Begin Our Ascent and love London, art crimes, and oligarchs (in books, I mean, not life). I got all that as advertised—but also, somewhat surprisingly, one of the top-ten starkest death scenes I've ever read. Impressed!
Got this because I liked We Begin Our Ascent and love London, art crimes, and oligarchs (in books, I mean, not life). I got all that as advertised—but also, somewhat surprisingly, one of the top-ten starkest death scenes I've ever read. Impressed!
March 21, 2022
The art world . Mysterious, ambiguous, unknown. The reader is allowed into the world of an oligarch who is sitting on some of the finest art the world has known. He is willing to part with his treasure for a price. He hopes to resume his position of power and believes the art will provide that avenue. Martin sees this sale as the stepping stone he needs to move up in his auction house. Little does he suspect the price he could pay.
June 12, 2022
Absolutely timely
Beyond belief, and so difficult to read, given that it precedes the current war in Ukraine with the prior takeover of the country, would have been about art, an oligarch, a collection, Russia, Putin, as viewed from the murky past, of the oligarchy, the times, were it not for the current news. Spot on, as one might say, to publish it now. To focus on a lost painting by a Ukrainian artist. To let the readers watch how the scenes behind the scenes occur
Beyond belief, and so difficult to read, given that it precedes the current war in Ukraine with the prior takeover of the country, would have been about art, an oligarch, a collection, Russia, Putin, as viewed from the murky past, of the oligarchy, the times, were it not for the current news. Spot on, as one might say, to publish it now. To focus on a lost painting by a Ukrainian artist. To let the readers watch how the scenes behind the scenes occur
August 8, 2022
The concept of belonging - and the different groups and people that make one feel as though they belong is an interesting theme in this book. It is well done - and touches on different groups such as friends, lovers, co-workers, spouses, family. The characters, unfortunately, are not likable so it makes it hard to root for them. The author writes in short, clipped sentences which took a second to get used to, but were, ultimately successful.
November 23, 2022
I never truly got into this one. The concept of an art dealer working his way into an oligarch’s private collection is right up me alley in terms of content, but I felt that the pacing was slow, and the characters were hard to truly get behind. The strongest parts of this book are all about structure - loved his beginning/end, and his work around the “man with a hammer” adage worked INCREDIBLY well.
June 24, 2022
3.5 This book is very well-written, timely (Russian oligarchs and Putin), and real works of art and artists are featured so I learned a lot. Something just fell a little flat though. I went in thinking it was a thriller, but that it is not. I think it contains some symbolism so might be fun to read as a book club pick. I do think it’s worth reading, just fell a bit short for me.
April 16, 2024
What a tedious waste of time. You do not empathise with any of the 4 main characters which is just as well as you do not know what happens to 3 of them probably must continue to exist. Both my husband and I read it on a cruise and wished we had not bothered.
February 13, 2022
Supposedly won on Goodreads but never received. This is happening more often. Would love to read and review, but alas, no print to enjoy.
March 20, 2022
DNF’ed this around 40%… wasn’t feeling it and didn’t want to force it. Will probably pick it back up in the future when I’m in the right headspace for this kind of literary work.
March 26, 2022
Recommended
Review posted at Tzer Island book blog:
https://www.tzerisland.com/bookblog/2...
Review posted at Tzer Island book blog:
https://www.tzerisland.com/bookblog/2...
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April 1, 2022“‘We’re none of us untouchable’”
April 15, 2022
This is well written but lacks a a build up or turning point. Relevant as it has Russian oligarch as main character. Gives thought to What's it all about.
June 3, 2022
Well-written. First 1/3 of book is the best.
August 3, 2022
well written, much better than I had anticipated.
March 16, 2023
Don't waste your time.
January 1, 2024
This book was a pleasant surprise. I can't even remember why I decided to read it. It's set in the world of art auctions that was fascinating.
July 3, 2022
Hammer was the electronic equivalent of a bookstore browsing find, something I chanced upon while looking at the library's electronic book collection. Joe Mungo Reed's second novel focuses on three characters: Martin, a junior specialist at an auction house; Marina, the ex-girlfriend of his best friend from university; and Oleg, Marina's oligarch husband who collects art. The novel begins with the suspense of an auction, but soon settles into a studied rhythm looking at these three characters. Martin and Marina begin an affair. Oleg is affected by his mother's death and visit with a distant cousin, which inspires him to run for office and sell his art collection. The writing evokes a slow, detached walk through a gallery, observing these happenings at a distance. It was fine bedtime reading in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I was happy to spend some time in this world and reading it didn't make me stay up later than I wanted.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews