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Victor the Assassin #10
Traitor
SOMEONE'S SET HIM UP
SOMEONE'S GOING TO DIE
When Victor is arrested for a murder that, for once, he didn't commit, escape must surely be inevitable for a hitman of his ferocity.
Yet someone wants Victor put away, and he finds himself behind bars, incarcerated by police who have no idea of the monster they are dealing with and have, apparently, tamed.
Quickly, however, his fellow the prisoners realise that he's not trapped in there with them: they are in a cage, with the most dangerous of enemies. And Victor has a traitor to find.
SOMEONE'S GOING TO DIE
When Victor is arrested for a murder that, for once, he didn't commit, escape must surely be inevitable for a hitman of his ferocity.
Yet someone wants Victor put away, and he finds himself behind bars, incarcerated by police who have no idea of the monster they are dealing with and have, apparently, tamed.
Quickly, however, his fellow the prisoners realise that he's not trapped in there with them: they are in a cage, with the most dangerous of enemies. And Victor has a traitor to find.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published November 28, 2022
About the author
Tom Wood
24 books1,319 followersHe is the author of the Victor series of 10 novels and 2 ebook novellas. Tom also wrote the standalone thriller A Knock at the Door under the pseudonym T W Ellis
Victor 10, TRAITOR, is out now in UK, IE, AS & NZ.
Subscribe to Tom's newsletter to stay up-to-date, and have the chance of winning signed copies and more: tomwoodbooks.com/newsletter
Victor 10, TRAITOR, is out now in UK, IE, AS & NZ.
Subscribe to Tom's newsletter to stay up-to-date, and have the chance of winning signed copies and more: tomwoodbooks.com/newsletter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
July 5, 2024
Very interesting and not his normal “victor” assassin. I enjoyed it.
June 10, 2023
Entertaining installment. The author has almost done a retcon from Victor #9 to restore him the old ruthless assassin we like. In this one V is setup by his handler Phoenix after surviving a hit.
The Russian mafia gets involved which I think was recycling themes and plots a bit as well.
Overall enjoyable.
The Russian mafia gets involved which I think was recycling themes and plots a bit as well.
Overall enjoyable.
January 2, 2023
This will be the first book of many this year and it was agreat one. Traitor by Tom Wood is the tenth book about Victor and it has some really good twists and plots. Victor has to be really careful with what person he should trust. There are so many deceits and bad people in this book it's a balancing act for Victor all the way and it does not end the way I thought it would. As always Wood writes a good thilling story and it's hard to put down to get some food or sleep. I really recommend this series, in my mind it's one of the best assassin series out there. Enjoy.
March 17, 2023
Tom Wood's antihero, Victor, is one of the most fascinating and deadly characters in fiction. You can probably guess revenge is on the menu but Traitor is so much more than that. The book puts Victor in unfamiliar situations and forces the assassin to take risks that are out of character. More than once I felt horrible for Victor. Then I remembered he's not a good guy. Or is he? In Traitor, probably 75% is the inner monologue of Victor and Wood uses this time effectively. Wood takes us through Victor's mental checklist in almost every situation: the pros and cons of a location, how the enemy might attack/react, the various outcomes to his choices, and all that comes with killing nine other mercenaries or whatnot. It's a look into the mind of a predator. A predator with a certain code. He doesn't allow swearing, blasphemy and a job is just that and nothing more. For readers its a glimpse into an unfamiliar thought process sprinkled with the familiar. I mean, while detailing how he is going to kill a bunch of Russian gangsters he transitions into being concerned a little girl might choke on a piece of fruit. It's this dichotomy that makes Victor such an intriguing character and Wood's books so enjoyable.
November 29, 2022
Victor enters the chess game of his life in Tom Wood‘s new superlative thriller
Victor is quite adept at manipulating situations in his favour but this time someone appears to have turned the tables on him. Imprisoned for a murder he didn’t (yet) commit, he has to navigate the cesspool of human depravity and unflinching violence that is county jail in Minnesota. But his most lethal enemies aren’t on the inside. They are just laying in wait for him on the outside. To initiate a series of events that will change Victor’s world forever… if he lives long enough to see it.
Over the course of ten thrillers Tom Wood has not only given us more and more insight into the most fascinating lead character of the genre, he has also established himself as one of its leading storytellers. And it is that skill in particular he puts on awe-inspiring display in TRAITOR.
The plot is beautifully crafted and the twists are intricately woven into the narrative, catching the reader with the force of a speeding fright train. The story has a compelling emotional core and is populated by interesting, multi-dimensional characters.
The action is again described so vividly by Wood that the reader witnesses it all through Victor’s eyes. One almost feels the punches and smells the cordite from the intense firefights.
Last but not least, the locations deserve special mention: they are extraordinarily immersing and breath-taking in this particular chapter.
Tom Wood has yet again created a unique, adrenaline-fuelled and mesmerising reading experience and I can’t wait to find out where Victor goes from here!
Disclaimer: I was a beta reader of this book and therefore got to read an early edition. However, I also bought the final product because it’s so damn good!
Victor is quite adept at manipulating situations in his favour but this time someone appears to have turned the tables on him. Imprisoned for a murder he didn’t (yet) commit, he has to navigate the cesspool of human depravity and unflinching violence that is county jail in Minnesota. But his most lethal enemies aren’t on the inside. They are just laying in wait for him on the outside. To initiate a series of events that will change Victor’s world forever… if he lives long enough to see it.
Over the course of ten thrillers Tom Wood has not only given us more and more insight into the most fascinating lead character of the genre, he has also established himself as one of its leading storytellers. And it is that skill in particular he puts on awe-inspiring display in TRAITOR.
The plot is beautifully crafted and the twists are intricately woven into the narrative, catching the reader with the force of a speeding fright train. The story has a compelling emotional core and is populated by interesting, multi-dimensional characters.
The action is again described so vividly by Wood that the reader witnesses it all through Victor’s eyes. One almost feels the punches and smells the cordite from the intense firefights.
Last but not least, the locations deserve special mention: they are extraordinarily immersing and breath-taking in this particular chapter.
Tom Wood has yet again created a unique, adrenaline-fuelled and mesmerising reading experience and I can’t wait to find out where Victor goes from here!
Disclaimer: I was a beta reader of this book and therefore got to read an early edition. However, I also bought the final product because it’s so damn good!
December 17, 2022
Book Review – Traitor – Tom Wood
Over the years, British author Tom Wood has created 10 Victor the Assassin thrillers that not only has given readers more and more insight into probably the most fascinating characters in the action thriller genre than any other series protagonist. With this series, Wood has established himself as one of the leading storytellers in the action thriller genre. And it is with that skill that he has presented another awe-inspiring penning of Victor the Assassin in “Traitor.” In this latest story, someone appears to have turned the tables on Victor. Imprisoned for a murder he didn’t (yet) commit, Victor must navigate the cesspool of human depravity and steadfast violence that is in a county jail in Minnesota. The plot is beautifully crafted, and the twists and turns are intricately woven into the narrative, hitting the reader with the force of a speeding freight train. The story has a compelling emotional core and is populated by interesting, multi-dimensional characters. The action is again described so vividly by Wood that the reader witnesses it all through Victor’s eyes. One almost feels the punches and smells the cordite from the intense gunfights. Wood has yet again created a unique, adrenaline-fueled, and mesmerizing reading experience. As usual, like previous stories, Victor approached every situation with the analytical mind of a serious investigator, and he looks at his confrontations as an isolated trauma surgeon. I loved this story, Victor, in all his complexity and Wood’s fantastic writing style. Traitor was an absolute pleasure to read from start to finish! Extraordinarily engaging and breath-taking, Traitor by Tom Wood completed the year as one of my favorite series reads!
Over the years, British author Tom Wood has created 10 Victor the Assassin thrillers that not only has given readers more and more insight into probably the most fascinating characters in the action thriller genre than any other series protagonist. With this series, Wood has established himself as one of the leading storytellers in the action thriller genre. And it is with that skill that he has presented another awe-inspiring penning of Victor the Assassin in “Traitor.” In this latest story, someone appears to have turned the tables on Victor. Imprisoned for a murder he didn’t (yet) commit, Victor must navigate the cesspool of human depravity and steadfast violence that is in a county jail in Minnesota. The plot is beautifully crafted, and the twists and turns are intricately woven into the narrative, hitting the reader with the force of a speeding freight train. The story has a compelling emotional core and is populated by interesting, multi-dimensional characters. The action is again described so vividly by Wood that the reader witnesses it all through Victor’s eyes. One almost feels the punches and smells the cordite from the intense gunfights. Wood has yet again created a unique, adrenaline-fueled, and mesmerizing reading experience. As usual, like previous stories, Victor approached every situation with the analytical mind of a serious investigator, and he looks at his confrontations as an isolated trauma surgeon. I loved this story, Victor, in all his complexity and Wood’s fantastic writing style. Traitor was an absolute pleasure to read from start to finish! Extraordinarily engaging and breath-taking, Traitor by Tom Wood completed the year as one of my favorite series reads!
December 7, 2022
Maybe it is time for Victor to retire. The story and plot is thin unless you want to learn a 100 wats to kill someone.
Not his best
Not his best
December 5, 2022
Back to his old ruthless calculating self.
Victor is back to form in this enjoyable thriller, full of action and with a few twists. He has a kind of humanity here, largely shown in his appreciation for history and environment but he's still a stone cold killer who gives no quarter. A few more references to his difficult youth round out the characterisation, without being too obvious. As always he approa hed every situation with the analytical mind of a great detective and he looks at his fights as would a detached trauma surgeon. I loved the last image the book leaves us of Victor, in all his complexity. An absolute pleasure from start to finish.
Victor is back to form in this enjoyable thriller, full of action and with a few twists. He has a kind of humanity here, largely shown in his appreciation for history and environment but he's still a stone cold killer who gives no quarter. A few more references to his difficult youth round out the characterisation, without being too obvious. As always he approa hed every situation with the analytical mind of a great detective and he looks at his fights as would a detached trauma surgeon. I loved the last image the book leaves us of Victor, in all his complexity. An absolute pleasure from start to finish.
May 31, 2025
Mana superspēja ir paņemt grāmatu un neattapt, kā tā ir sērijas nezkura (šajā gadījumā - sestā) daļa :)
Lai arī apraksts izklausījās intriģējoši, acīmredzot, es neesmu auditorija, ko aizrauj 40 lpp. apšaudes apraksts, tuvcīņa šitāda, kautiņš tāds - viss aprakstīts līdz sīkākajai kustībai 🙄
Protams-protams, ir centieni parādīt arī algotņu un organizētās noziedzības visu rangu pārstāvju “bagāto” iekšējo pasauli, bet… nop, man tur stipri pietrūkst dziļuma un jebkā, kas atsauktos, līdz ar to bija vienkārši garlaicīgi.
Lai arī apraksts izklausījās intriģējoši, acīmredzot, es neesmu auditorija, ko aizrauj 40 lpp. apšaudes apraksts, tuvcīņa šitāda, kautiņš tāds - viss aprakstīts līdz sīkākajai kustībai 🙄
Protams-protams, ir centieni parādīt arī algotņu un organizētās noziedzības visu rangu pārstāvju “bagāto” iekšējo pasauli, bet… nop, man tur stipri pietrūkst dziļuma un jebkā, kas atsauktos, līdz ar to bija vienkārši garlaicīgi.
July 30, 2025
I simply didn't like this book. I tried to, though, really hard. Because the story sounded fun! It didn't help, I still had to fight myself all the way to not give up and start reading something else.
It wasn't worth it. Well, yes, it was, kind of, as I now know that Victor the assassin is not for me. It just didn't come easy to me, and frankly, I lost interest before I reached halfway through. It was mostly due to the sloppy writing, I think.
(Please forgive my poor English, my excuse is I’m Swedish).
It wasn't worth it. Well, yes, it was, kind of, as I now know that Victor the assassin is not for me. It just didn't come easy to me, and frankly, I lost interest before I reached halfway through. It was mostly due to the sloppy writing, I think.
(Please forgive my poor English, my excuse is I’m Swedish).
November 30, 2022
Superb back to best
I have read every single one of the Victor books The Quiet man was good but not great, this is a great read and Mr Wood back to his best .Long may it continue.
I have read every single one of the Victor books The Quiet man was good but not great, this is a great read and Mr Wood back to his best .Long may it continue.
December 1, 2022
Tom Wood is the G.O.A.T
Sincerely a master of the genre.
I honestly think this is the best Victor novel so far.
You do not have to read these books in order as everything is explained well. However, if you do, this book will reward you 10 fold.
On multiple occasions, my jaw dropped.
I was hesitant after reading the blurd, not knowing if the things I love about Victor novels could really be covered by the premise but trusting Tom Wood to do his thing and pre-ordering back in February.
As the story unfolded, I was not only shown I was right to trust but being rewarded with the single greatest Victor novel (and by extension, greatest novel in genre) written so far.
Here's hoping the series continues 🙏
Sincerely a master of the genre.
I honestly think this is the best Victor novel so far.
You do not have to read these books in order as everything is explained well. However, if you do, this book will reward you 10 fold.
On multiple occasions, my jaw dropped.
I was hesitant after reading the blurd, not knowing if the things I love about Victor novels could really be covered by the premise but trusting Tom Wood to do his thing and pre-ordering back in February.
As the story unfolded, I was not only shown I was right to trust but being rewarded with the single greatest Victor novel (and by extension, greatest novel in genre) written so far.
Here's hoping the series continues 🙏
September 6, 2026
Book #10 in the Victor the Assassin series. Someone betrays Victor and sends kill teams after him, ultimately framing him for a murder he did not commit. He is arrested by police and placed in a county jail in Minnesota, seemingly out of the picture. Rather than immediately breaking out, Victor chooses to stay behind bars briefly, asserting dominance over his fellow inmates. Because authorities cannot pin the crime on him for a lack of evidence, Victor is released and goes on the offensive, leaving a trail of bodies as he pursues the traitor across multiple international locations, including Paris and Corsica. He must unravel a web of various jobs and hits that all tie together. He discovers that he is not only being hunted by a lethal external enemy, but has another one too.
December 9, 2022
No one quite like Victor
For Aristotle, patience was bitter but the fruit it bore was sweet. For Tolstoy, it was one of the two most powerful warriors, with the other being time..
Traitor (Book 10) did not leave me disappointed, Tom has created a character who I would love to have coffee with, as long as he could relax a little.. Loved the book and have recommended already… Look forward to the next evolution!!
For Aristotle, patience was bitter but the fruit it bore was sweet. For Tolstoy, it was one of the two most powerful warriors, with the other being time..
Traitor (Book 10) did not leave me disappointed, Tom has created a character who I would love to have coffee with, as long as he could relax a little.. Loved the book and have recommended already… Look forward to the next evolution!!
December 11, 2022
A brilliant Victor tale
Great setup.
Breakneck pace as always, fantastic Victor story. You could read it without the others, having read the series you find the references to his history.
Great setup.
Breakneck pace as always, fantastic Victor story. You could read it without the others, having read the series you find the references to his history.
December 6, 2022
Seems really perfunctory, and the action sequences are just plain monotonous. Hand-me-down Lee Child. I'm afraid Tom Wood has dried up.
December 18, 2022
Viktor it's back!!
The finest of all anti heroes. Convoluted yet not convoluted. Deep yet shallow. All business, much to his own discomfort
The finest of all anti heroes. Convoluted yet not convoluted. Deep yet shallow. All business, much to his own discomfort
June 9, 2026
4.5 Stars ⭐️
This is another series that I loved for a long time and somehow wasn't able to find on my own after I took a break when the last book had been written. I realized that I had forgotten all about it. (of course now, it is 3 or 4 books that have come out during that timeline). Just recently though, book 10 actually popped up on my timeline out of the blue!
My first thought was, "YAY! I completely forgot about this series!"
We get to see a different Victor in this book from the Victor than we have come to know. Yes, there is still a lot of fighting and non stop action, but we also get to see a side of Victor that we haven't had the pleasure of knowing.
Victor is truly so good at what he does yet he is also chilling in his “matter of fact” mind set. Imagine a deadly assassin who vehemently discourages cursing and blasphemy. He is also an extremely likeable character ( well, for a sociopathic hit man). His POV's are a wonderful way to get into his mind and get some valuable insight on what his true thoughts are.......that is always a bit terrifying.
Loved this book and now I am thrilled that there are 3 more books to go.
I listened to this on audio and need to say that the narrator - Rob Shapiro - did a FANTASTIC job with his portrayal of the characters.
On to book 11 :)
This is another series that I loved for a long time and somehow wasn't able to find on my own after I took a break when the last book had been written. I realized that I had forgotten all about it. (of course now, it is 3 or 4 books that have come out during that timeline). Just recently though, book 10 actually popped up on my timeline out of the blue!
My first thought was, "YAY! I completely forgot about this series!"
We get to see a different Victor in this book from the Victor than we have come to know. Yes, there is still a lot of fighting and non stop action, but we also get to see a side of Victor that we haven't had the pleasure of knowing.
Victor is truly so good at what he does yet he is also chilling in his “matter of fact” mind set. Imagine a deadly assassin who vehemently discourages cursing and blasphemy. He is also an extremely likeable character ( well, for a sociopathic hit man). His POV's are a wonderful way to get into his mind and get some valuable insight on what his true thoughts are.......that is always a bit terrifying.
Loved this book and now I am thrilled that there are 3 more books to go.
I listened to this on audio and need to say that the narrator - Rob Shapiro - did a FANTASTIC job with his portrayal of the characters.
On to book 11 :)
July 16, 2024
Want to give it 3.5 stars. I found the book quite repetitive and was very violent just describing all the ways Victor kills people. Didn’t feel as though there was much plot development or closure
December 10, 2024
Another great outing for Victor. This one was tricky because of all the potential double crosses. It mate for a very espionage-related story rather than an assassin-related one.
And those kills where you think he might just break his code, but ultimately did not were fantastic. It was like watching the original Lone Wolf in action.
And those kills where you think he might just break his code, but ultimately did not were fantastic. It was like watching the original Lone Wolf in action.
April 7, 2023
Always a pleasure to spend some quality time with Victor!
The latest installment in this always entertaining series starts with the assassin finding himself in the rather unusual situation of not only getting arrested, but for being arrested for a murder he - for pnce - didn't commit. And with that, we're off on another gripping, fastpaced ride with plenty of twists and doublecrosses.
As usual, I was glued to the page all the way through - can't wait for the next one!
The latest installment in this always entertaining series starts with the assassin finding himself in the rather unusual situation of not only getting arrested, but for being arrested for a murder he - for pnce - didn't commit. And with that, we're off on another gripping, fastpaced ride with plenty of twists and doublecrosses.
As usual, I was glued to the page all the way through - can't wait for the next one!
December 18, 2022
Started out really well, plenty of action. Then, three quarters of the way through, it rambled around trying to work out how to end itself and finally just fizzled out.
April 20, 2023
This is the most recent book in the Victor series. I found it thoroughly, enjoyable, like the others. The plot was slightly more complex, with Victor taking assignments within assignments. Cleverly done.
A bit of a sad ending for one of the frequent characters. But that character had a coming! Also, we learn more about Victor‘s background and childhood, and he evolves somewhat to become more human. Although that may not be the best thing for him to do.
This book certainly set the table for the next book, which I’m anxiously awaiting. I believe it comes out in November 2023.
A bit of a sad ending for one of the frequent characters. But that character had a coming! Also, we learn more about Victor‘s background and childhood, and he evolves somewhat to become more human. Although that may not be the best thing for him to do.
This book certainly set the table for the next book, which I’m anxiously awaiting. I believe it comes out in November 2023.
April 22, 2026
I think this is one of the most revealing books in the series in terms of what we know about Victor. There was one line that made me sad for him, where he realises it’s foolish to imagine reading a book on the beach when he must be so vigilant all the time. This is of course a life of his own making, but he continues to be plagued with a line here and there where he reminds himself of who he can’t be. After that ending, I’m intrigued to see where Victor ends up next.
January 5, 2023
Couldn't put it down.
It is unfortunate that Tom Wood is unable to write as fast as I can read. Once I'd started this book it held my attention and I finished it in two sittings. I would now ask Mr. Wood to forego any other activities in order that he can expedite the next book in the series please.
It is unfortunate that Tom Wood is unable to write as fast as I can read. Once I'd started this book it held my attention and I finished it in two sittings. I would now ask Mr. Wood to forego any other activities in order that he can expedite the next book in the series please.
September 12, 2024
Back with my man Victor in the 10th instalment in this wonderful series. The Traitor sees the likeable assassin playing a game of chess with the enigmatic Phoenix. Full throttle from the off with a superbly plotted and executed storyline. Deceit and betrayal lie at the heart of the story and it’s all a bit close to home for Victor, but he’s not thwarted for long. Tom Wood once again takes us on a brilliant adventure 4.5⭐️
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March 11, 20257.5
January 2, 2023
Tom strikes again with another amazing Victor read!
This book felt like a movie, it kept you hooked from the start to the end. The writing style was great, the character development was good, and I overall enjoyed it very much.
Things unfolded pretty clearly towards the end of the book, and it hooked me like a fish. I just couldn't put it down! The action is top notch as usual. Great job Tom!
This book felt like a movie, it kept you hooked from the start to the end. The writing style was great, the character development was good, and I overall enjoyed it very much.
Things unfolded pretty clearly towards the end of the book, and it hooked me like a fish. I just couldn't put it down! The action is top notch as usual. Great job Tom!
December 5, 2022
he’s back
I have missed Victor and his non nonsense approach to his work.
Totally enjoyable great script brill written….how long do I have to wait until Victor 11…..please soon…
I have missed Victor and his non nonsense approach to his work.
Totally enjoyable great script brill written….how long do I have to wait until Victor 11…..please soon…
Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews