The breakneck thriller that inspired TV sensation Killing Eve, starring Sandra Oh, "unlike any other spy drama you've seen" (Daily Beast).
Villanelle (a codename, of course) is one of the world's most skilled assassins. A catlike psychopath whose love for the creature comforts of her luxurious lifestyle is second only to her love of the game, she specializes in murdering the world's richest and most powerful. But when she murders an influential Russian politician, she draws a relentless foe to her tail.
Eve Polastri (not a codename) is a former MI6 operative hired by the national security services for a singular task: to find and capture or kill the assassin responsible, and those who have aided her. Eve, whose quiet and otherwise unextraordinary life belies her quick wit and keen intellect, accepts the mission.
The ensuing chase will lead them on a trail around the world, intersecting with corrupt governments and powerful criminal organizations, all leading towards a final confrontation from which neither will emerge unscathed. Codename Villanelle is a sleek, fast-paced international thriller from an exciting new voice in fiction.
Reads a little like Terry Hayes's I Am Pilgrim in miniature . . . the final pages are thrilling - The Spectator
Like Ian Fleming, Jennings is at once tongue-in-cheek and serious . . . His version of 007 is great fun - Sunday Times
Exciting and fun - Daily Express
A memorable protagonist . . . there is an extra sheen of glamour that makes Villanelle more a James Bond than a mere killer - Daily Mail
A short howitzer of a novel . . . Jennings writes at supersonic speed, packing in an impressive number of violent set pieces and sex scenes. The breakneck pace is undeniably addictive but he also displays an offbeat sense of humour - Metro
Author
About Luke Jennings
Luke Jennings is the author of three novels, including the Booker Prize-longlisted Atlantic. As a journalist he has written for Vanity Fair, The New Yorker and Time, as well as all the British quality papers, and he is currently the dance critic of the Observer. He is married with three children, lives in North London, and fishes whenever he can.
