I am really beginning to enjoy the books of Kevin Wignall. They are intelligent thrillers, each a standalone, that have an above average vocabulary. Where else could one discover the word "shambolic." Good word.
The protagonist is an interesting character. Lucas, an ex-assassin (although it's never made quite clear), he has been hired to protect, Ella, on vacation in Italy, the daughter of a wealthy man who made his money in rather heinous ways. At the start of the book, Ella's father, mother, and brother have all been assassinated. As the book moves from perspective to perspective, we follow Lucas, doing his best to protect his charge. (One nice touch: Lucas is an inveterate reader, never going anywhere without a book. When was the last time you saw a movie hero carrying a book around with him on missions.) Fascinating as Ella begins to go off the rails with a most satisfactory ending.
The movie is vastly different with a different premise. One thing that has always bothered me about these kinds of stories both in print and film. The protagonists never, ever, have money problems. Needs a flight to athens, no problem, first class ticket, no problem. Yet there never seem to have a job or source of income. Nor do they ever have to pee or get their periods, or have diarrhea from eating strange food. Got to be a lucky group of people.
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