Like Nick Arvin, I am a fan of Kevin Wignall and have been a long time reader of his work (check out the archive for reviews and interviews). So I was pleased to be able to get an ARC of his latest novel To Die in Vienna.
I found it be an interesting story from Wignall in that instead of an amoral or detached/closed off serial killer/spy we have a central character who is painfully aware of his own weakness and need for connection.
I really enjoyed the central character Freddie Makin. One of the antagonists (or perhaps she is a friend, or merely an interlocutor) Marina, was another favorite.
The story is not particularly fast paced or intense but there is a building sense of time running out for Freddie and it communicates the tricky issue of loyalty in the world of espionage. The hook, that Freddie is just a surveillance contractor caught in a deadly trap for a mysterious reason, was well done and helped build suspense.
An entertaining and enjoyable read from a favorite author. Great for beach or vacation reading.
BTW, this novel is soon to be a major motion picture starring Jake Gyllenhaal.
