This novel has all the hallmarks of a superb thriller, with nerve-shredding tension, expert pacing and flawless storytelling, but it's the characterisation and powerfully compelling themes that really make it stand head and shoulders above the likes of Lee Child and Michael Connelly. Michael North makes a dynamic and refreshingly British central character. He's emotionally engaging too, so you can't help but root for him as the story progresses and you feel his pain as he tries to balance an obligation to be remorseless with a sense of compassion towards Honor, the woman he is assigned to kill. Of the many pitch-perfect themes explored in this novel, it was the original, engrossing and all too plausible notion of a young, yet firecely ambitious female politician being exposed to unimaginable personal risk that I found particularly interesting, and the heart-hammering ending left me desperate for a sequel, too, so I recommend you read it before the film rights are inevitably snapped up.

This is a meticulously researched book and a gripping read!

Life is full of surprises… I was approached by a lady to review her possible book covers, flattered, I happily agreed. Her name was on the book covers (obviously) so it dawned on me that I had read books by her before and loved them! Once we got talking she asked if I would like to read and review the manuscript – I happily agreed. But I was a little worried when I picked it up to read…what if I was disappointed? Having loved her previous two which are very different…well I decided there really was only one way to find out! So I was hooked from the first pages, really why had I worried? Read it in three nights, sleep did get in the way a little. The book is set in Newcastle and London, so semi local for me. Brilliant crime thriller which just hooks you straight in and keeps you on the edge of your seat through every chapter! I do genuinely love it and hope it will be a massive success!! I certainly think it will appeal to fans of Lee Child and David Baldacci. This book is due out October 2017.

Killing State is author Judith O’Reilly’s first foray into the thriller genre having previously written two non-fiction books, Wife In The North and A Year of Doing Good. Michael North is a war hero, a trained killer and a very intriguing character. Despite not believing it possible during the opening chapters, I grew to be rather fond of him. We first meet North as he is stalking his next target through a London park. Honor Jones is the Tory MP for Mile End and has mere minutes to live. But the tables are turned when Jones confronts her attacker, immediately questioning North about the whereabouts of her missing friend, Peggy. North is thrown – he wasn’t comfortable with the kill in the first place – killing a man is easy, killing a woman is asking for something else altogether. There’s something about Jones and her desperate need to find her friend, something about Jones’s traumatic upbringing which appeals to North’s better side, resulting in a decision that is likely to kill him in the long run. That’s if the bullet in his brain doesn’t get him first! Killing State is an action-packed, thrilling read. I was intrigued by the prologue thinking it was going to be the same old, run-of-the-mill thriller where the dashing hired killer takes out (in a murderous way, of course!) the high flying female MP. But it’s not. The story took a twist I wasn’t expecting. From then on I was transfixed with the relationship between North and Honor Jones. She didn’t trust him, he didn’t know what to make of her and I loved that simmering chemistry between them! By refusing to carry out an order from ‘The Board’, a secret government agency orchestrated by Lord Tarn, North signs his own death warrant as well as cementing Jones’s own demise. The hunt is on. Will North and Jones manage to find Peggy before The Board hunt them down and destroy them all? The action in Killing State is full-on, it’s pretty darn intense and the levels of bloodshed are reasonably high (just the way I like my thrillers!). This is a thoroughly enjoyable cat and mouse style thriller and at times I wasn’t sure which side was the cat and which side was the mouse! O’Reilly’s cast of characters is something quite special. Not only did I become quite fond of North, I also really warmed to the sassy, uber-intelligent, 14-year-old IT expert, Fangfang Yu. As well as gutsy, hard as nails, Stella, and her flighty daughter, Jess. They all add something noteworthy to this compelling multi-layered tale. Would I recommend this book? I would and I’m very much looking forward to reading the next book in the Michael North series. If you’re a conspiracy fan then you will love Killing State. Intricate, explosive and action-packed. What more could a thriller fan want? Four out of five stars. I chose to read and review an eARC of Killing State. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

I’ve been reading such good reviews of Killing State across the board, and its follow up Curse The Day, that it would have been positively rude to ignore this one. I’m a real fan of conspiracy thrillers generally, and as events unfold across the world of politics and big business, it is becoming increasingly impossible to deny that these shadowy cabals of corruption do exist, manipulating our lives from the corridors of power. I loved the pace and energy of this one, being both a fast moving and gripping thriller, but also solidly basing the story in a world of lies and conspiracy that holds you firmly in its thrall. I would also like to congratulate O’Reilly in presenting us with a character- a female Tory MP- who actually exhibits evidence of a spine which is no mean feat. Ha. Little bit of politics there… Seriously though, I thoroughly enjoyed the interplay between the two main characters, the mysterious assassin Michael North ( sharp-thinking, brawny and attractive) and his potential target, the aforementioned MP, Honor Jones (intelligent, fearless and attractive) whose true natures O’Reilly stealthily reveals, within the increasingly perilous situation they find themselves in as events unfold. There is a completely assured control of tension within the book, with some real heart-in-the-mouth episodes of violence and danger, balanced with a steadily creeping sense of unease as the underlying conspiracy comes to the surface. Combining both these aspects to the narrative, O’Reilly effectively keeps the reader on tenterhooks as to the real motivations of her characters, and providing an enjoyable game of cat and mouse for her characters and by extension, the reader. Really enjoyed Killing State and have bought the follow up. There can’t be a better recommendation than that.