Kill Someone

Dark and gripping

I downloaded this on one of those 'deal of the day' offers. I had never heard of Luke Smitherd before but after reading the synopsis and reviews decided to dive in even though thrillers are not usually my thing. I think it's a thriller but it's one of those novels that's hard to pigeon hole. That's a good thing I think.

The story is a dark and at times an unsettling one. The author really gets you inside the head of the main character Chris and is able to transmit those feelings to the listener. It's certainly a thought provoking story that meanders across what society would see as moral and immoral. I still can't decide if Chris took the right decision or not but that's the beauty of the story really.

My first Luke Smitherd book and I look forward to reading more of his work. This was my first audiobook narrated by Matt Addis too. He does a superb job and voices the characters very well and makes them believable.

5/5 for me and well worth a listen.

14 of 14 people found this review helpful

A first review.

I don't ever write reviews, because frankly the world is awash with opinions, but since the author asked ever so nicely and said he reads them, I have been "guilted" into it. Luke, I've listened to 3 of your books as I jog slowly around Midlothian and i am delighted for you that the career as an author is working out, quite simply because I want to listen to more, as they keep my mind off the pain. In an age of franchised serials, formulaic themes and safe writing it's great to find someone with original ideas and the determination to get them out there. Good for you. Two small things though - you are a much better writer than narrator (not bad at narrating, but Matt is very good) and don't think the throwaway line about a champions league win for Coventry went unnoticed. That's real creative genius. You deserve the recognition and success that is surely in the post.

13 of 14 people found this review helpful

What a fantastic story

So the point of the story is you need to kill someone or lots of people die. This is a very thought-provoking book and very dark in its nature. It doesn't have the usual humour that is in the author's other works but that takes nothing away from the story and it wouldn't have been right in this context. This is so well written that you feel every emotion of the character of Chris. The sinking feeling in the pub and with his boss made the scene so realistic and that is what a great book should do.

20 of 22 people found this review helpful

As exciting and unpredictable as ever

The greatest strength of good sci-fi is its ability to hold a mirror to society, passing comment as entertainment. Serling's screenplay for Planet of the Apes is a searing indictment of American racism woven into an already marvellous film. Charlie Brooker sometimes managed it with Black Mirror (as anyone who has seen 'White Bear' can testify) but few are as consistently entertaining in their critique of society as Mr Smitherd.

While discussion of the book would necessitate far too many spoilers, I'll suffice to say that as always, Smitherd is comfortable enough in his own world without the need to reference others. The subtext is entirely left to the reader, without the need to have it hammered home. Think of the original cut of Blade Runner vs the ghastly Director's Cut and the significance of the unicorn.

Indeed, Smitherd is fast becoming a new Ridley Scott, true artist rather than craftsman, turning from one genre to another with a style that never feels predictable, and the early familiarity of tone is merely to wrong-foot the avid reader. It works too, and soon enough you forget trying to predict the course of events and simply want to read what happens next

As for the evolution of Mr Smith, this is by far his most accomplished work to date. Richer, more nuanced and ultimately more satisfying, 'Kill Someone' is worth adding as a blind buy, at least until the hunger returns

18 of 20 people found this review helpful

Who would I kill?

Where does Kill Someone rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I’ll admit it, Kill Someone took me a lot longer to listen to than any of Luke Smitherd’s other books. Not in a bad way, quite the opposite in fact. See, the story revolves around a poor sod called Chris who has found himself in a bit of a pickle that can only by resolved by killing somebody (I hate when that happens - don’t you?). It doesn’t matter who he kills, all that matters is that he does, which got me thinking - who would I kill?

When I was listening to Kill Someone, I kept pausing for long periods of time to deliberate who I’d kill. Would I kill my postman? It wouldn’t be hard would it? I’d just order a new trouser press from Amazon, and as soon as he came lumbering up the path with it a few days later, I’d have at him with the garden shears. Chop, chop, chop I’d go, and I wouldn’t stop chopping until there were no more chops to chop. But, I’m not the most menacing of folks - maybe the postman would disarm me. Maybe he’d take away my shears and calm me down with reassuring words and hot bovril. I couldn’t kill a man who has offered me Bovril - could I?

It’s factors like this that make Kill Someone a very hard book to listen to quickly, because every decision that Chris makes forces you to think as him and really try to narrow down the best route to take. I won’t say anymore about Kill Someone other than it was tremendous, stupendous, horrendous and it drove me round the bendus. This is the second of Luke’s stories that don’t feature any hint of the supernatural (the first being How To Be A Vigilante: A Diary) which if anything makes them a little more sinister than the rest.

Buy this book right now, and while you’re at it bring me some Bovril. And a new trouser press. Vamos!

*I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review, and as you can see from the verified purchase mark I thought it was so good that I snapped my bank card in half and jammed it deep into my Macbook until Luke Smitherd got some of my ill gotten shillings.*

60 of 69 people found this review helpful

His best so far

Smitherd is one of the most original authors I have read - all his books start with a great idea, and he is adept at developing the plot while dealing with wider themes, such as friendship, purpose and identity. Kill Someone is his most accomplished novel yet, I think. Chris, the main protagonist, finds himself in an impossible situation, and as the reader, you can't help but empathise and wonder what you would do in the situation. I found it really compelling and couldn't stop listening.

It is also a welcome return of Matt Addis as reader who does a superb job. I particularly enjoyed his portrayal of 'Mr White' - he absolutely does the character justice and brings it to life brilliantly.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Another brilliant book from Luke Smitherd

Really impressed by the consistency in quality of Luke's books. I get easily bored of books that don't get you hooked early. I've read and listened to 4 of his books so far and I found myself eager to listen to the next chapter. This book is another winner to add to the list. I think Luke is the next big thing. I highly recommend

11 of 12 people found this review helpful

Brilliantly original!

Luke Smitherd has done it again! This is a book where questions are asked and that no one would ever want to be in a situation where they would want to answer them. The premise of the book is utterly terrifying putting the main character, Chris, into a totally impossible situation.
I found the audio book a compelling listen with brilliant reading by Mark Addis.
A truly outstanding and very scary thriller. 10 out of 10!

10 of 12 people found this review helpful

Dark and thought provoking!

Any additional comments?

Luke Smitherd never fails to disappoint, every story he writes is so clearly his - because his stamp is all over them in his style of writing... But every story is so different to the last and so different to anything else out there, that I really do wonder where he gets his ideas from, in the same way I wondered about Stephen King years ago. Brilliant.... Slightly insane??!!
Like 'How to be a Vigilante' this story is not sci-fi/ supernatural but a slightly off-centre real world story. This one centred around a young man, picked for being very normal, to play a sick game where the penalty for someone else, no matter what he does, is horrific pain and or death... But he has to choose who. Luke has a knack of getting straight into his stories and ensuring that, as a reader, you feel empathy with the main character very quickly, so I was drawn in from page 1 and didn't want to put it down.
Very dark.... very thought provoking - because you get close to the main character quickly and because of the first person, journal type approach to writing, this really makes you feel you're on the terrible journey with him, thinking through the options, who would you choose, could you do it? No I decided!!!!!!!
If you've not tried his books before, go for it, you will not be disappointed - I've recommended his other books to friends and family and they too have thoroughly enjoyed as he is refreshingly different - and I'm now recommending this one as well.

16 of 21 people found this review helpful

Consistently Brilliant

What made the experience of listening to Kill Someone the most enjoyable?

I'm really enjoying all of the stories that Luke presents to us. Often dark with some twists thrown in. An easy, but thought provoking read. He's knocked it out of the park again with Kill Someone.

7 of 9 people found this review helpful