Hour of the Assassin

I'm the first to admit that I'm not much of a fan of the thriller genre with its usual unabated action, relentless pacing and lack of character development.

However, I stumbled on Hour of the Assassin, a thriller by Matthew Quirk and was pleasantly surprised. While the action part of the novel was still very much present as required, it wasn't as mercilessly G-force fast as many other thrillers. In fact, the novel contains omniscient narrator observations about how politicians are elected (not by the people) and how big money seals the deal and expects the elected official to heel on command. Democracy at its finest.

The most surprising thing, though, is how well defined, thoughtful, and intriguing Quirk's characters are. And, show more wonderfully, not one of them is designed to be a placeholder, a character intended to be killed brutally from the get-go.

Some plot devices are weaker than others which, to this reader, stuck out like sore thumbs, but, all-in-all, this is one thriller that I can recommend to readers who aren't necessarily thriller fans. show less

"Hour of the Assassin" was a fast-paced, political thriller which I found very entertaining. After being framed for a murder he didn't commit, Nick Averose is out to set the story straight and find the true killer. There weren't many twists in the plot but the action and short chapters kept you wanting more. The author also gives an interesting (sad) insight into the corruption, lies and deals that are involved in a presidential campaign, which is timely considering the 2020 US election is only days away.

There is definitely room for a series starring Nick Averose which I would happily pick up and read, if they have the same suspense and excitement as this novel.

As a Secret Service agent, Nick Averose spent a decade protecting the most powerful men and women in America and developed a unique gift: the ability to think like an assassin. Now, he uses that skill in a little-known but crucial job. As a "red teamer," he poses as a threat, testing the security around our highest officials to find vulnerabilities—before our enemies can. He is a mock killer, capable of slipping past even the best defenses.

His latest assignment is to assess the security surrounding the former CIA director at his DC area home. But soon after he breaches the man's study, the home's inner sanctum, Nick finds himself entangled in a vicious crime that will shake Washington to its foundations—as all the evidence points to show more Nick. show less

While the premise of the story was very good, I felt this was basically a man's book which could have been seriaized in those Men's Magazines they published in the 60's and 70's (and maybe still do). The hero engages in a fight to the death while dealing with a serious injury to himself all the while shepherding two women one of whom is severly compromised with a gun shot wound and a dose of a sedative. It becomes an exercise in suspending disbelief until the end.

Oooh I really like this thriller! Ex secret service agent, now a security consultant was framed for murder and on the run. The whole book was him escaping a team of professional killers while trying to uncover old dark secrets. It was fast paced with action throughout the book. Twists are great as well but the bad guy wasn't a real surprise. I would be happier with a slightly different ending.
4.5 stars

This was a well-written, action-packed tale of former Secret Service agent Nick Averose who now uses his talents to test other people's security teams. He finds himself involved in the death of a former head of the CIA and in an effort to prove his innocence, finds himself involved in much more and much worse. Averose is an extremely likable character, there are some major twists in this tale and it moves quickly. I hope this is a repeat character as I would read more about him and any other books written by this author.

Formalistic and frequently improbable.