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YOU’LL NEVER KNOW MY NAME. BUT YOU WON’T FORGET MY NUMBER.
Behind the events you know are the killers you don’t. When diplomacy fails, we’re the ones who gear up. Officially we don’t exist, but every government in the world uses our services. We’ve been saving the world, and your ass, for 100 years.
Sixteen people have done this job before me. I am 17. The most feared assassin in the world. But to be the best you must beat the best. My next target is 16, just as one day 18 will hunt me down. It’s a dog-eat-dog world and it gets lonely at the top. Nobody gets to stay for long. But while we’re here, all that matters is that we win.
It's my pleasure to be hosting the blog tour for Seventeen today. Many thanks to John Brownlow and Jenny Platt from Hodder & Stoughton for inviting me and for sending me an advance copy of the novel.
Seventeen may be John Brownlow's debut novel but he's a scriptwriter and it shows; this high-octane, addictive thriller is a cinematic treat. Written in the first person, the opening chapter immediately introduces us to the brash, sardonic Seventeen. He directly addresses the reader, informing us that there were sixteen assassins before him and the number is a badge of honour, signifying that the wearer is the most deadly, the most feared and consequently, the best. He names the first as most likely being real-life spy, Zigmund Markovich Rosenblum (Sidney Reilly) who inspired Ian Fleming's James Bond but the others are as anonymous as he is. It's evident right from the start that this is a precarious role – after all, three through fifteen are confirmed dead, while Sixteen mysteriously chose to disappear...
The immediacy of the narration places us right in the heart of the action as he coldly carries out his most recent assignment. It's bold and brutal, yet for all his ruthlessness, there are also moments which indicate he isn't entirely merciless and this morality establishes that he is a far more interesting character. The only name we ever know him by is one of his aliases, Jones but despite this anonymity, there are points in the novel where he looks back at his past. These chapters are particularly revealing and really quite poignant. The explanation as to how somebody might become a hired assassin is fascinating and although there is always a risk that flashback chapters can detract from the pace of a thriller, these insights actually create a richer, more authentic experience.
Of course, a spy thriller demands action and Seventeen certainly doesn't disappoint. There's a brief but pivotal scene in Berlin's Tiergarten which is surely a playful homage to classic Cold War espionage fiction. However, he makes mistakes in Berlin and his shortcomings raise alarm bells with his boss, known only as Handler. What follows is a personal confrontation as he hunts down Sixteen, knowing that more than one person is waiting for a moment of weakness that will allow them to become Eighteen. Without giving anything away. I enjoyed the introduction of other characters and the wry interplay between them. Action thriller fans who want an intense thrill-ride will be more than satisfied but the witty dialogue and emotional scenes mean this isn't mindlessly frantic and instead the storyline is intriguingly suspenseful. Meanwhile, the personal toll of a job that requires a person to become a shadow is examined too and there's a vulnerability to 'Jones' which provides a refreshing counterpoint to his undoubted proficiency and masterful survival skills.
The short, propulsive chapters are a clever mix of explosive action and quieter scenes which demonstrate how he watches his target and prepares for a hit, while the inevitable twists and turns ensures that this exhilarating rollercoaster is dripping with tension throughout. Seventeen is a compelling, hugely entertaining read from start to finish. Move over Bond and Bourne; there's a new spy in town!
Seventeen will be published by Hodder & Stoughton on 17th August 2022, purchasing links can be found here but please support independent bookshops whenever possible.
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