It is a fast-paced thriller
packed with guns and humour. Influencers are being murdered in a spat between
money launderers, but no one really cares about influencers because they are so
shallow, until we meet Bonnie Gregor, one with a family and a conscience. Amy
is meant to be protecting famous author, Rosie D’Antonio who loves flirting –
with danger and men – as they encounter lots of action in multiple locations. The
New Forest; South Carolina; Dubai; St Lucia; County Cork. “Amy has been in
mortal danger in many countries over the last few years, but St Lucia has to be
one of the most beautiful.”
There is a cast of hundreds –
François Loubet; Henk van Veen; Jeff Nolan; Susan Knox; Max Highfield; Felicity
Woollaston; Jo Blow; Andrew Fairbanks; Bella Snachez; Mark Gooch; Gary Gough;
Tony Taylor; Rob Kenna; Mickey Moody; Vasily Karpin; Eddie Flood; Carlos Moss;
Kevin the ex-Navy SEAL – and it’s quite hard to keep track of who is whom. It
doesn’t really matter though, as the action, locations and opportunity for
cameo roles all combine to make this novel a dying-to-be-made-into-a-film
script, with actors queuing up to play the characters. I read recently about a
woman who said she thought being an assassin was a reasonable career due to the
number of TV shows, books and films about them. “Needs must, and murder’s not
so difficult. Wear gloves, and don’t drive the getaway car too fast.”
Pedantry provides humour, such
as when Rosie asks Henk if he has proof “in that little envelope of yours?” He
replies that is “not a little envelope, it is an A4,… and yes, I have proof in
this normal-sized envelope.” A character quotes Eric Cantona, revealing the aimed-at
demographic, while another ruminates on property prices. “If he was moving to
the village today, he wouldn’t be able to afford it. The only way anyone can
afford to buy a house these days is to have bought it fifteen years ago.” There
is an allusion to modern social interaction as François Loubet sends emails via
Chat GPT in the style of “a friendly English gentleman”. “Most communication is
by message or email. High-end criminals are much like millennials in that way.”
Meanwhile, another character is obsessed with road routes.
“The
journey had been a pleasant surprise, if Tony Taylor is honest. The A31 turned
out to be clear as a bell – couldn’t believe his luck there. M27, no major
problems. The traffic backed up around Junction 2 of the M3 – but when doesn’t
it? The usual fun and games on the M25, but then clear from Junction 9 all the
way to Letchworth Garden City. So, all in all, Tony couldn’t complain. Should
have taken two hours and twenty-three minutes, actually took two hours and
fifteen minutes.”
It may ostensibly be about Amy,
but Richard Osman proves he relates more to middle-aged men than he does to
young women. Steve knows crisp flavours, road routes and daytime TV. “Sometimes
Steve wonders what world Amy is living in. Everyone knows Tipping Point.”
Even when Steve loses his cool with Henk, he does so with self-deprecation. “I’ve
put my priorities on hold for a number of days now. I’ve been tied up, I’ve
been threatened with a gun, I’ve been in a helicopter, and I’ve eaten kale.” Steve
is spoiled, however, by having flown on a private jet. “This private jet – it’s
a Learjet – is slightly smaller than the ones he has become used to in the last
week and he is feeling a little cramped. He’s also just found out there is no
private chef, and he had really been looking forward to a bacon sandwich. So,
just as cat food has been ruined for Trouble [after the cat ate leftover roast
chicken], so air travel has forever been ruined for Steve.”
