Customer Reviews

People Die

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I recently read Kevin Wignall's "For The Dogs: A Novel," and was so impressed that I picked up his first book, "People Die." Although not as good as the last effort, "People Die" is certainly worth 4 Stars and makes for an exciting and unusual read. It is an extremely well-written, fast-paced, edgy, spy thriller, with a bit of satire thrown in.

William "JJ" Hoffman is the epitome of a professional. He's more-or-less a consultant in that the work he does is free-lance. And he has earned a reputation for himself as one of the best in his field - the business of assassination. His top clients include the CIA and M-16. He quietly and competently does the job, with no mess or complications. He is discreet and keeps his nose clean. As a matter of fact, some of his colleagues have actually said that if they had to be targeted for death, they would prefer JJ to make the hit.

His last job, in Moscow, was the execution of an American businessman - a supposedly devoted family man found in bed with a teenager who appeared to be a prostitute. JJ was mesmerized by the beautiful and exotic young girl and allowed her to escape. Her image, her presence, will remain with him throughout the novel. When she left the hotel room, she carried a package with her. Fast-forward two years. JJ is in Paris to contact his primary handler. He finds the man dead in his home library, brutally murdered. As Hoffman professionally scans the murder scene, he gets a sense that this is not just an isolated killing. Something is terribly wrong. It turns out that JJ has every reason to be paranoid. Apparently his network is being downsized - drastically. And he is a prime target. He has no idea who to trust, especially after a very close and trusted friend tries to kill him. Wignall leads the reader through a maze of twists and turns, where nothing is as it seems. And then the author seamlessly ties everything together in a breathtaking conclusion.

The character of "JJ" is extremely well developed. He is not just a man of action, as are many primary characters in suspense thrillers. There are periods where he becomes extremely introspective, especially when everyone he used to trust is dead or trying to kill him. He wonders how he ever became an assassin and if it is too late to lead a more balanced life. He has become marginalized - disconnected from his family and old friends. He finds himself isolated - totally alone. This darker, more melancholy theme gives the novel more depth than the traditional genre book.

I discovered a terrific writer when I read "For The Dogs." He doesn't disappoint with his 1st book either. I can't wait for his third. Kevin Wignall is an author whose work I highly recommend.

JANA

This is a great book. It's a thriller about a hitman on the run - basic stuff, but handled by Wignall with a master's touch. JJ is one of the most memorable leading characters I've seen for a long time and his thoughtful observation of the death he delivers so cold-bloodedly lifts this well above the level of most cosies and crime capers. I can see how some people have doubts about the end (I happen to think the author hits it perfectly) but even if you would have preferred a different ending, this will at least leave you thinking and live on in your mind. How many books can you say that about?
There's bound to be a movie, given how visual this is and how strong the central character is, so read it now, before Hollywood gets to it.

I had stumbled on British author Kevin Wignall quite by accident. While browsing the "Mystery" section of the bookstore, not having anyone in particular in mind, the title FOR THE DOGS grabbed me. (That and the fact that I'm partial to British writers.) Thumbing through it, I read a few pages and became interested. I bought the book, took it home, and read it in one afternoon. I liked Wignall's way with words and his dispassionate protagonist, a hitman named Lucas. Discovering that this was Wignall's second novel, after reading reviews of FTD here on amazon.com, I ordered PEOPLE DIE. I'm glad I did. This is a first-rate noir thriller and better than FOR THE DOGS, in my opinion. JJ is a likable hitman, who, for some unknown reason, finds out that he is marked for death...but by whom? The CIA? MI6? Russian Mafya? I won't give the ending away, though it was not the high point in the book, and sort of anticlimactic; hence, the 4 star rating...again, my opinion. On the whole, I enjoyed it more than Wignall's second book.

Overall, PD is perhaps one of the best genre novels I have read in the past six months. In terms of writing quality it has nothing to envy any book usually considered "literature." The author accomplished both a minimalist approach with no fat, virtually no repetition of useless information, and deep character development while at the same time moving ahead with a plot that could have been open ended. Unfortunately one pivotal character, "Ed Holden" comes across as not believable within the world that the protagonist "JJ" lives, ruining a carefully constructed atmosphere. To make things worse, its gritty, matter-of-fact tone yields to a Spielberg-type of sentimental ending that attempts to "redeem" the protagonist. Quite disappointing and a bit enerving to be taken for a salty ride only to be fed some candy at the end (author could learn a few things from the great masters of noir i.e. Dashiell Hammett, et.al. who never betrayed their fictional universes).

A very well written thriller that jumps back and forth across the pond ... the author has a genuine ability to garner sympathy for a guy whacking people by profession ... the beauty is in the writing. The tension builds by degrees and although the ending was a bit anti-climatic for this reader, I was determined to get there fast. A tough one to put down ... People Die features an added dimension of very well crafted prose, interesting characters and those wild and crazy Russians ... one never knows what they'll do next.

READ amici ... we should all READ ... so put down the Ipod/text messenger/etc., and READ People Die

This is hitman reading at its finest. Intelligent and entertaining, and for some reason I can't take my eyes off the cover.

JJ is an assassin for hire. He kills quickly, cleanly and efficiently. It is very surprising, therefore, when he finds himself the target. Many of his former friends become his enemies as he tries to discover who wants him dead and why.
The novel starts off quite impressively. JJ is an interesting character and following him around keeps the pages turning. For the first half of the book, the pacing is brisk as JJ looks for clues where none exist and the body count piles up. Then, after traveling to the US, the author slows everything down and turns the second half into an introspective work as to why JJ does what he does for a living. We, in essence, go from a highly charged thriller to a psychological suspense novel. It almost appears the author couldn't make up his mind. The book is quite a slim volume so there is little time for too much more of a slowdown. A good quick read and a promising debut.

I happened to meet the writer 4 years ago during an english course in England. In those times, I assume that "JJ" was already living in his mind and I have been delighted by the result. I enjoyed the novel, and i liked the way that Kevin seems to trully understand the thin line between being a professional, even if you are a killer, and acting humanely.
Kevin, hope to be invited to your second hit again.
The Real Lo Bello.

A hired killer known as JJ finds that someone in a government agency that employs him has ordered hits on various persons with whom he is involved. He suspects that he is on the list, too, and sets out to find and eliminate its author. The book starts out well but bogs down in pages of rumination and conversation, as JJ tries to extract information of various sorts from those he believes will lead him to his ultimate prey. This sort of escapist yarn needs to move a lot faster to keep my interest, and I finally set it aside about three quarters of the way through. I didn't even read the last page to see what becomes of JJ.

Interesting story, well told. Crisp, clean prose. I look forward to Wignall's next book.