| Title | : | Killing It (Alexis Tyler #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1785764535 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781785764530 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 378 |
| Publication | : | First published July 12, 2018 |
Every working mum has had to face it.
The guilt-fuelled, anxiety-filled first day back in the office after maternity leave.
But this working mum is one of a kind.
Meet Alexis Tyler.
An elite covert agent within Her Majesty's Secret Service.
Her first project back is a high-stakes hit of global significance and the old boys network of government espionage is far from ready for the return of an operational mother. But woe betide anyone who ever tells Alexis Tyler 'you can't'.
She will have it all. Or she'll die trying . . .
And yes, she damn well will be home for bath time.
Killing It (Alexis Tyler #1) Reviews
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Alexis (Lexy) is like most working mothers with a child, struggling to juggle work and family time but unlike every other mother she is a government assassin!!
What a brilliant eye catching beginning;
“I pull my pistol out of my Cath Kidston nappy bag”
From that moment on you had me 100% hooked!!
It is hard enough going back to work, especially when you work in a very male environment and you have to prove that you are still up to the job after having a baby.
Absolutely loved this book and it made me laugh out loud several times, breast pads especially!! Definitely made me think that women can do anything they put their minds to. Please please write a follow up as I just love Lexy and her adorable child Gigi and it would be wonderful to have her working other cases!!
Would make a superb series on the television. Definitely makes a change having a strong kick ass female character!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
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Book Reviewed by Stacey on
www.whisperingstories.com
Alexis Tyler is doing what millions of women do every year after having a child, she is returning to work. However, there definitely aren’t millions of women whose jobs are as dangerous as Alexis is. You see Alexis is an assassin working for a secret organisation that is part of the Secret Service in the UK.
Prejudice in her job was high before, but having a child has made life even harder for her. Also, there is the little matter that it would seem someone doesn’t want her around anymore and is trying to kill her off.
When I first heard about this book I wasn’t sure whether it was going to be a proper thriller/crime book, or a tongue-in-cheek, humour novel. To be frank it is a bit of both.
Alexis is one kick-ass female and she is just as good as the men. She works damn hard and lo and behold anyone who tries to dismiss her for being female. Her life outside of her home might be complicated, but she tries to keep everything as normal as possible for her daughter inside her home.
The book started off in the midst of a scene and then cuts back to two months previously and her first day back at work after her maternity leave. Whilst the book was really entertaining and a lot of fun, there were times when I did find myself skimming over parts as there was a lot of descriptive writing throughout and in my personal opinion not all of it was needed.
The plot was certainly unique and perked my interest enough to hold me to the pages and have me reading it in two days. There were a lot of twists and turns and unexpected moments. If you like a book with a tough, strong woman then this is a book for you. -
Alexis ‘Lex’ Tyler is returning to work after maternity leave – a difficult prospect for any woman, but particularly for Lex. For she is a ‘Rat,’ a member of an elite section of the secret services, where she works as an assassin. After one mission where she thought she would die, her thoughts turned to the fact that she had never had a baby and now she has rectified that; with husband Will and baby daughter Gigi a part of her life that she keeps totally separate from her work. In all honesty, I found this part of the story a little hard to accept and Will seemed quite unquestioning about her job. Still, that aside, this was a really fun read.
I love spy novels but, with the exception of Mick Herron’s glorious Slough House series, good female characters are few and far between; especially as main characters. As a woman, and a mother, I really enjoyed a whole new take on this genre. Lex feels that she has to prove herself back at work, with many feeling she can no longer do her job – that she is not fit enough, not committed enough and that motherhood has, in some way, changed her. Which, of course it has. However, motherhood is going to be a bonus in her new mission – the assassination of a Russian in London, for reasons of national – indeed, world – security.
The author of this novel treads a fine line between creating a fast moving, undercover, covert operations story, while exploring Lex’s conflicted feelings as a mother. The mission involves Lex making contact with Dimitri Tupolev’s wife, Dasha and her daughter, Gigi, is the perfect cover story. This is a story of the mission, but it also intersects with the world of Russia’s elite and wealthy, of yummy mummies, unconditional love and the way that your world is never the same once you have a baby – who have a way of just coming into your life and changing everything. I hope this becomes a series and I look forward to reading on. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review. -
As I was browsing through the latest releases, I was instantly drawn to this striking cover.
The silhouette of Alexis Tyler juggling life as a secret agent whilst having just become a first time mum to new born Gigi seemed such a fun and interesting idea.
This fast paced story has plenty of humour as ‘Lex’ constantly strives to prove that she’s more than capable of continuing her role in Her Majesty’s Secret Service, as even though her superiors are sure that she won’t be able to cope with the new pressures of motherhood.
She’s such a great strong lead character, the main mission of the novel was engaging but it was the comedy that lifted it for me.
One particular scene involving as USB stick had me laughing out loud!
A fantastic premise, wonderfully written. I was actually surprised to find that this was Mackay’s debut novel. -
I just loved this book... so easily 5 stars from me, I could not put it down. If you want something fun, easy to read and enjoyable give this book a go.
Alexis Tyler is a new mum returning to work after giving birth to her daughter. That on its own has its fair share of obstacles and dramas. Imagine that you are a secret agent in Her Majesty's Secret Service and you are returning to work. Now not only is she female but also a mother.... in the boys club that is HMSS this is a big ask. But try telling Alexis thIs. A great story about a strong women who wants it all, and how she manages, and struggles to keep it all together. Her new role as a mother has its disadvantages but there are also plenty of advantages as well.
This is a funny book with strong messages that women can do anything that they put their minds to. I hope that there is a sequel.. I would love to see what happens next. Thanks to Bonnier Zaffre and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by others. -
I enjoyed this so much. More than I thought I would. I was deliberating whether to give it 4 stars but then I just upped it to five because this has definitely turned into one of my guilty pleasure kinda books. It reminds me of chick-lit but fun thriller chick-lit. Maybe along the lines of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum and Sarah Strohmeyer's Bubbles Yablonsky - for all those who know what I mean.
Alexis is seriously kickass. She's an assassin and a mum. Who can get more cooler than that? After having a child she's back at work and the serious questions come into play like: Is she up to the job now that she's a mother? Excuse me. No. Don't even start. She already had people thinking she couldn't do certain things just because she was a woman. I like how this novel shows awareness of sexism, especially in the workplace. But we have quite a few strong women here. Yay.
I'm loving Lex and her little family. Gigi is so adorable and how much she loves her is so evident and a beautiful mother/daughter relationship is shown and will surely grow. Will is like super sweet and I just see him as such a great husband and such a great dad, even if she has her hot colleague Jake around who she used to have an on/off fling with, I'm glad she sticks to her guns (get it?) and remains 100% invested in her family. Jake is like the guy you would cheat with if you could, but who wants this sweet marriage ruined? Anyway, I love Jake though.
This started off with me unsure to be honest, but as it went on it pulled me in and I just had to keep reading. Parts of it had me literally laughing out loud. (Mild spoilers: like the USB beam part, the breast pad scenario, plus breast pump in office, the hair clips!) and so many others. The storyline was strong, the characters were great, especially Lex, a mum and a woman you can root for. I need more of Lex, Gigi, Will, and Jake. I hope this continues on into one of those long-running series. I'm lending this to an awesome mum/woman/sister next as I'm sure she'd love it.
Thanks to ReadersFirst for my copy! -
When I went into this book, I expected plain old good fun. Chances are, I wouldn't have gone for a spy novel at all, otherwise! But I actually got more than I expected – Killing It does dig deep at the end, even though it starts out lighthearted. Yes, it will be funny in places, and the main character will end up in silly situations, but that's not the point. Neither is the mystery that you'll end up trying to figure out. The point is to shine a light on the situation of many women in the workforce – on how they're scrutinized when they come back to work after having a baby, on how they're suddenly treated as if they're fundamentally different than they were, and how all of that somehow doesn't apply to men. This phenomenon is dissected in great detail in the book, and is looked at from many angles. I liked the views that were presented – on one hand, it's undoubtedly infuriating that a woman would have to prove herself anymore than a man, after a change in her family. On the other hand, while women can still perform just as well, if not better, in stressful situations after they've had a baby, they are usually the parent that has a closer tie to the child, and spends more time with them (which means, loses more time resting or sleeping), and in the end, might be willing to risk more of their health or wellbeing to protect the child – which has to be true about a lot of women and the way motherfood is more physical than fatherhood purely for biological reasons. I liked the ideas discussed in this book in regards to this, and while it's not part of my personal experience, so my understanding is limited, I'm sure it has a lot of bearing.
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I thank Bonnier Zaffre for giving me a free copy of the book in exchange to my honest opinion. Receiving the book for free does not affect my opinion.
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I thoroughly enjoyed reading Killing It, as much as what new author Asia Mackay enjoyed writing it. I so much enjoyed all the fabulous page turning imaginary secret equipment. Although the secret gadgets were pure imaginary it was very realistic and entertaining. I loved reading about the main character, Alexis Tyler is a mother to a baby and works for a secret service branch. She carries a gun hidden securely in a secret place in her baby's pram. Ear piece she kept in a women's procession. To add to Lex's profile she's not afraid of anyone and she is out to make her point she is as good as what a man is in her secret service, never afraid to use her gun. Lex's is on a mission, someone wants their husband dead. I'm bouncing just literally overjoyed Alexis Tyler is coming back with her baby girl that is much older. Look out I will be buying it and reviewing it. For anyone who wants to read Killing it, I do hope that you will absolutely love it as much as what I did. -
"Plan a hit, stalk a target, pull the trigger and still make it home for bath time."
A hit-(wo)man thriller with a unique spin - the top assassin is a mum. This wouldn't have worked if the protagonist didn't feel like a REAL mum. And I'm certainly one who knew what to look for. Killing It gets my seal of Mum-proval.
Thrillers, hits, political assassinations are a 'dime a dozen'. To make your mark, you really need to stand out as offering readers more 'bang for their buck' (those two money metaphors weren't planned). To feature a new mum as a successful intelligence agent is going to appeal to a variety of markets, but you have to get it right - and balance the thrills and kills with the mobiles and (milk) spills.
Lex proves an audacious leading lady. Her very real mothering issues (leaky breast pads, leaving her daughter with childcare) mesh nicely with the world of the spy. Her capabilities and comfort with weapons and coldly dispatching targets doesn't mean she is any less vulnerable as a woman trying to do the best for her daughter and holding a marriage together.
She's also wonderfully funny:
"Nothing could make a man recoil faster than the words 'heavy flow'."
The best moments of the book show the vulnerabilities of a woman who has done what so many of us have - given birth, chosen to devote ourselves to another, smaller version of ourselves - and left ourselves forever changed as a result. With Lex though, there is added humour and a dangerous dimension to it simultaneously:
"Is baby brain going to affect my aim?... Is the extra baby weight going to be an operational issue?"
There are some great scenes, with guns stuffed into nappy bags, innovative monitoring systems to watch over baby Gigi, as a plot involving Russians brings Lex's newly-found persona and guise into top secret operations.
Some great secondary characters (though I wanted more of Lex's oh-so-normal husband!), a cute baby I could picture (and through the thousands of photos on Lex's phone - almost could), and a very enjoyable thriller plot that didn't feel obvious or too secondary to Lex's home life and mental world.
As a mother, I felt a strong affinity for Lex, her clear love for Gigi very real and well-expressed. To see such a woman in a position was vicariously pleasurable and I loved the 'insight' into the world of the spy, realistic or not.
I would love to read more of Lex's exploits, and would hope that filmmakers take note of Mackay's work and see if a screenplay could be created to bring this to a film audience.
With thanks to Netgalley for the advance e-copy. -
I tried Killing It expecting it to be either fantastically good fun or absolutely terrible. It was neither; there were plenty of good things about it, but it wasn't great.
Lex Tyler is a new mum who returns to work as an undercover assassin for the British Secret Service, and the book is a comic riff on both action-packed spy adventures and the tribulations of motherhood, with their juxtaposition at the heart of both the comedy and the feminist message. Asia Mackay writes well in Lex's very readable narrative voice and she creates a good setting for the action. The spy plot is OK, if a little silly and is reasonably well done, as is the nightmare of Lex having a cover-story which means that, as well as some exciting action, she has to socialise with over-privileged, pretentious and competitive West-London mothers.
I did have some quite serious reservations, though. The book could have done with a firm editorial hand; at 400 pages it is far too long. The riffs on the Competitive-Mother setting and Lex's own sense of blundering along messing it up (common to most normal parents, I suspect) are often good but they are too numerous and too protracted so they really get in the way of the story. Even though I'm wholly in sympathy with the feminist message, it is terribly crudely done at times – especially with the introduction of a caricature sexist pillock of a fellow assassin whom Lex has to confound, which felt so unreal as to weaken the point Mackay is, quite rightly, making. I also felt uneasy in places about the overall issue of taste. It is possible to make assassination a subject of some humour if it's done right, but there is a flippancy about torture here which seems to me to be beyond humour in any context. Mackay oversteps the boundary of acceptability more than once, I think, and I didn't like it
I ended up skimming quite extensively, to be honest, and didn't feel I'd missed all that much. There are some nice comic moments, like realising that forgetting her maternity bra pads might lead to her leaving DNA at the scene of a covert operation, for example, but overall, I can only give Killing It a very qualified recommendation.
(My thanks to Zaffre the publishers for an ARC via NetGalley.) -
Okay, so I don't typically read this genre, and that's probably reflected in my review. However, I'm always open to trying new things and when I spotted this title on NetGalley I loved the sound of it.
I have a three-year-old little menace and whilst I'm sadly not a spy, the synopsis made me laugh and was still relatable.
I love Lex, she's feisty, strong-willed and determined to prove herself in a very masculine world. I love her humour but I do feel that the comedy is specifically aimed at mums and so might not be relatable to a broader readership.
"My enemies have got it wrong if they think that becoming a mother has made me weaker. I stare down at her as she holds my little finger. There is nothing I wouldn't do for her. Climb mountains. Fight tigers. Track down and kill every single fucker trying to tear us apart. I will show them all."
I liked the initial plot idea but did find myself struggling with the pace a little and I was pushing myself to keep reading after 50%.
It was the underlying story of motherhood and Lex's character that kept me going through some of the 'slower' plot moments, and is truly my favourite aspect of the book.
The book is a very strong advocate for feminism as the author honestly portrays sexism in the workplace. It was eerie how familiar some of the lines from the male characters in the book felt from personal experience.
Overall, I really enjoyed the twist on the traditional male-led spy novel and found the humour realistic and relatable. Recommended for lovers of crime fiction and any mum who needs a little reminder that she's amazing! -
Smart and super cool heroine, sassy cracking dialogue and the joys of holding down a job during parenthood. An excellent read. Full review to follow.
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Bit meh, if I'm being honest.
The story started off quite well and I was enjoying the humour. But, as the story progressed, the humour seemed to disappear. Or maybe it was there but I didn't find it funny?
I liked that motherhood and women being back at work after having children, as well as being a woman meaning that we have to work harder and continuously prove ourselves, were discussed in this book.
I didn't care that much for the rest of the story and don't think I will be reading the second book. -
killing it by Asia Mackay.
Every working mum has had to face it.
The guilt-fuelled, anxiety-filled first day back in the office after maternity leave.
But this working mum is one of a kind.
Meet Alexis Tyler.
An elite covert agent within Her Majesty's Secret Service.
Her first project back is a high-stakes hit of global significance and the old boys network of government espionage is far from ready for the return of an operational mother. But woe betide anyone who ever tells Alexis Tyler 'you can't'.
She will have it all. Or she'll die trying . . . And yes, she damn well will be home for bath time.
a fantastic read. I loved the story and the characters. Alexis being my favourite character. loved Jake and how he was with Alexis. my favourite part was when Alexis did a Spiderman to get to gigi her daughter in the ball Pit. I imagined the look on the mother's face. priceless. I also loved the bit where she got cornered with 2 security men. and she put them down in minutes. absolutely fantastic. I loved the bit in the restaurant too. this is a must read and I would highly recommend this book. 5*. would give more if I could. -
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Jednoduchý jazyk, príbeh aj postavy. Zaradila by som ju medzi knihy, ktoré tematizujú problémy a výzvy žien na materskej, či všeobecne žien matiek ale aj NEmatiek. Hlavná hrdinka je profesiou tajná agentka-ženský proťajšok 007-po návrate z krátkej materskej zisťuje, že aj keď jej kolegovia majú tiež svoje rodiny, na ňu sa pozerajú inak, pretože z jej vagíny dieťa priamo vyšlo.
Kniha však príbehom ani hĺbkou postáv obzvlášť neprekvapí, reakcie sú pomerne predvídateľné, no ešte stále to nie je klišé (ltt). -
Sometimes, you just want a book that you can kick back with and relax. A no-strings-attached, uncomplicated good time.
Killing It was all of that and more. It’s funny, it’s bizarre and it’s quite often rather bloody. But it’s also a hilarious look into the often alienating and scary new world of motherhood- and juxtaposing it with an even more alienating and scary world: that of the secret service.
After her maternity leave finishes, Alexis Tyler is returning to work. But her work is with MI9- the secret secret service, which specialises in training and using assassins to carry out Her Majesty’s Work. And when the mission that she’s put on starts to compromise her safety- and that of her family’s- then she starts to suspect that, beyond sexism, all is not right with the organisation she’s returned back to…
That’s by the by, though. The main pleasure in reading this was from the entirely new spin on the spy genre. No more scowling men or Daniel Craig dangling from cranes; no, this time there’s a woman in charge. Alexis is a gloriously badass breath of fresh air, who considers herself just as good as the men and is refreshingly frank about how little she enjoys life as a stay-at-home mum in favour of the thrills and kills that she’s involved with as part of her job. This time, it’s her hapless husband who is in the dark- instead, she’s working with her old fling, the sassy and excellent Jake, to get the job done.
Bringing a woman to the fore is great- and not just because of how fierce and wily Alexis is. She’s also fighting to prove herself one of the boys, as many think that she can’t do her job after motherhood. It’s changed her, yes, but it might just have given her the edge in the mission that she’s taken on: infiltrating a group of yummy mummies, which of course leads to some pretty hilarious, farcical scenes as she attempts to do dead drops in a children’s nursery, hide gadgets in stuffed toys and pass herself off as an ultra-rich stay-at-home parent.
This book probably shouldn’t work, but it does- on every level. Walking a fine line between humour and a nail-biting plot worthy of a James Bond film (in the best way possible!), with twists, turns and heists galore, it quickly pulled me in. Though I would have liked to read more about Will, Lex’s husband, the book itself is a sharply written, crispy-executed premise that definitely impresses for a debut! More please.
Three word review: funny. Sharp. Deadly. -
Fabulous! With so much going on in this multi-faceted novel, you must keep your wits about you!
We first meet Lex on the day she returns to work following a short maternity leave; a stressful time for any new mother but then seldom have a career as a trained assassin! Proud of her achievements in a male dominated world, Lex is determined that motherhood won't stop her doing a job she's damn good at and is happy to blaze the trail for generations to follow. But how will the powers that be deal with her return?
I've always enjoyed a good spy thriller, and this reminded me - in a way - of the tv series Spooks. Ordinary men and women who go to work each morning, returning home to their unsuspecting families at the end of an often gruelling day. That side of this story is very well thought out and completely plausible, and on it's own would be an attractive read. The humour in this book is what makes it stand out from the crowd - it's so funny! The R&D department put Bond's Q in the shade. Several similarities to events reported in the news - if indeed they were genuine and not planted - piqued my attention and yes, made me wonder how much is true! Lex Tyler is a woman every young girl should hold in her heart as an example of how to dream of their future - forget Gaga, Lex is the real Lady!
Such a fun and thrilling read deserves no less than a full house of stars; I have winced and grinned my way from beginning to end, and closed my kindle with a big sigh of complete satisfaction. Different and dazzling!
My thanks to publishers Bonnier Zaffre for approving my request via NetGalley. This is my honest, original and unbiased review. -
Book 62 of 2018 was Killing It by Asia Mackay ✨ Move over James Bond meet Alexis Tyler - An assassin just back from maternity leave. Her male counterparts think being a mum has changed her but Lex is going to prove them wrong and still make it home to bathe her child. Women can do anything that men can do 🙌🏼 There are some funny moments in the book - one being where her breast pump is thought to be a government issue torture device. I really hope there is going to be a sequel to this book as I want to know what happens next in Alexis’ world. This was such a fun read and I couldn’t put it down. 10/10
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"When I assessed a street, looking for threats, I glossed over the women pushing prams. Harmless. Irrelevant. Invisible. Now I saw them everywhere."
Synopsis: Every working mum has had to face it. The guilt-fuelled first day back in the office after maternity leave.
But this working mum is one of a kind. She'll have it all. Or die trying... And yes, she damn well will be home for bath time.
Lex Tyler is a covert operative for Platform Eight, the assassination department of Her Majesty's Secret Service.
Her mission? Infiltrate a group of West London mums to get close to the wife of her target. Russian oligarch Dimitri Tupolev.
Her secret weapon? Her baby daughter, Gigi.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I think it deserved more accurately 3.5 stars as dictated by my rating system, which is mainly because of the lack of diversity. Although what I really loved about this book is the representation- Mackay has hit a goldmine with this brilliantly fast paced, action packed and witty book. In a never seen before character of a thriller (a mum) and the reason why I rounded off is because she really killed two birds with one stone with character and plot combined- a mother returning back to work after maternity leave! Truly the representation is very accurate and all weaves naturally in with Mackay's witty and clever voice.
Genre: Adult Thriller.
Author: Asia Mackay.
Page count: 380.
Content warnings: Swearing, harassment. (If they're any more please do tell me and I'll edit this post accordingly!) -
Move over, James Bond, there’s a new agent in town who takes multi-tasking to a whole new level.
OMG, this book was unputdownable! The author killed it (*snorts* see what I did there?) in this epic fusion of humour and taut suspense.
I’ll tell you one thing - if I was in a situation where everything had gone t*ts up, there is no one I’d want more at my side than Lex. You better think twice before you mess with this Mama Bear.
Returning to work following maternity leave is tough enough for any woman, let alone when you work for a division of Her Majesty’s Secret Service that supposedly doesn’t exist. Sheesh, talk about pressure!
But no one is going to tell Lex she can’t do something. That word simply doesn’t exist in her vocabulary. This is her calling...
Lex hits the ground running with her first mission back, and she’s out to prove she’s more than capable of juggling both her motherhood and covert agent hats at the same time. Only, something isn’t sitting right and it ain’t her breast pads *snorts*
This book is unlike anything I have read so far this year. I laughed from the opening page, and just when the author ramped the tension up to unbearable levels, and I felt like I was on the edge of my seat, she interjected some much wanted humour to the proceedings.
I’ll never look at certain things the same again. Take Lex’s analogy of planning a hit, for example:
“It’s Sudoku for the sadistic.”
See what I mean, lol?
Totally original, totally relatable - trust me, you want to read this book. Go #TeamLex -
I liked this! It was super fun and the plot was great. Think feminist revision of the Kingsman movies, or even Melissa McCarthy in Spy. Alexis "Lex" Tyler is a spy working for the secret service. But she's also newly experiencing motherhood. It's a quirky mixture of the two messy livelihoods combined into one - full of comedic moment as well as heartfelt ones, the perfect balance. Definitely more New Adult than YA or Adult. Really enjoyed this!
3.5 stars!
[Thank you to Netgalley for the e-copy in exchange for an honest review.] -
Mothers among you, if you're a thriller lover but like a bit of a chuckle as well, this book has it all. I loved it and really hope there's a second one coming. I honestly can't remember laughing out loud at a book this much in quite some time and for that, Asia Mackay, I salute you!
The main character, Lex was perfectly portrayed as an uncertain new mother who is also a trained assassin working for the British secret services. She has just gone back to work and the conflicting emotions and dilemma are wonderfully portrayed. The thriller side of things creates an intriguing storyline, which kept me engrossed and eager to keep reading.
I loved the author's writing style, which was easy and flowing, with nuggets of wit littering the pages. I heartily recommend this one - it's a belter! -
Dragged a little in the middle, for me, but was mostly really enjoyable and I really liked Lex.
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I enjoyed this book. The story is fresh, new and exciting. I like the idea of the unit they are working for - but really the thought of it scares me slightly!
Very well written and a real page turner - couldn't wait to finish it. Only criticism would be there was a lot of focus put on the fact the lead character was returning to work after having a baby - I felt this was mentioned too much / too often and really didn't need to be enforced quite so often.
Five Star recommendation! -
Since giving birth I have to admit I haven’t read much fiction at all. It’s hard to find time to juggle everything you need to as a new mum, especially when it comes to fitting in work as well. My reading time has been given mostly to self-help books, educational books on a wide range of mumsy things and of course, reams and reams of overly cute rhyming books, some complete with finger puppets for my son. When I saw Killing It, the debut novel by Asia Mackay, it was the title cover that made me think “I need to read this book”. Whoever designed that cover absolutely nailed it, but did the writing deliver?
In Killing It, Alexa Tyler struggles with the same issues as many mums do when juggling career and a family. Heading back to work after maternity leave she has to combat her own self-doubt over whether she’s still good enough for the job, her emotional turmoil about leaving her young daughter with a nanny, the put-downs of colleagues in a male-orientated workplace and the practical aspects of things like working and pumping when you’re breastfeeding, trusting your nanny and getting home before bed.
She also has to deal with the fact that she’s a trained assassin working for a super secret government agency, her partner is her ex-lover, her maternity stand-in wants to sabotage her career and steal her job and she has to go undercover to overthrow a Russian threat. Perhaps not quite the same as the rest of us then… at least she has killer stilettos and a bullet proof pram to work with.
This is a fun, action packed thriller that doesn’t take itself too seriously despite the subject matter. Killing It is light heartened and entertaining and although the whole secret spy thing isn’t that realistic (and doesn’t need to be), it’s entirely relatable to new mums, especially those battling workplace woes and feeling like they have something to prove.
We follow as Lex has to use her newfound status as “mum” to go undercover and neutralize the threat, all whilst dodging bullets, insults and doubts both from herself and others. It manages to pull at the heartstrings a little as well, whilst we explore her blossoming relationship with her husband and put to rest some past experiences with her partner.
It’s a little bit heavy handed on the feminism and girl-power rhetoric with that core message being repeated throughout. We get you girl, you’re a powerful independent woman, roar. If you’re not a parent, this book may fall flat, as it does play heavily into Lex’s relate-ability as a working mum. If I’d read this before I had a child, I’d have struggled a lot more to relate. That being said if you’re reading my blog, you probably are – or will be – a mother, and will find yourself nodding (or grimacing) along with the parenting woes.
Overall 4 stars from me – Killing It is a gripping debut, enjoyable and well written, proof that you can be a badass with a baby!
I received a review copy through NetGalley and this review is duplicated on my blog,
www.welshmum.co.uk -
I was in need of something light to read at bedtime, and this book made me chortle. I enjoyed the way the author kept sending up James Bond, such as pastiching the underground lair seen in Skyfall, the light rivalry with MI5 etc.
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A totally brilliant bonkers read, I so want to be Lex
