I had really high expectations for this book as it had been made into a TV drama however was left slightly disappointed. It was a bit slow in places and there were times I found it a touch unrealistic.

However I probably would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't known it was on TV! IT is well written and keeps you reading throughout.

I was slightly let down by this book after watching the incredible Killing Eve series. This book is short and events seem rushed with a poor ending. It clearly leads onto the next book and I hope book 2 is more satisfying than this one.

If you loved the tv series you will love this! It’s actually better than the adaptation if that’s possible can’t wait to read the rest of the series!

Just like 99% of Britain, I have become obsessed with the BBC TV show Killing Eve.  I gobbled up the TV show in a matter of days and I desperately wanted more.  When I found out that the TV show was based on a book, I was delighted, as it meant I could get more of my fix.   I spotted that the first book in the series, Codename Villanelle, was available to request on Netgalley, and I couldn't resist putting in a (very) cheeky request.  I was over the moon to be approved, as I had been bracing myself for a declined request.  During a recent train journey, I started reading Codename Villanelle and I didn't stop reading until I had finished.

In a story that spans England, Europe, China and Russia, Codename Villanelle follows the life of one of the world's top assassins who operates under the codename Villanelle.  Professionally trained to kill without hesitation,  Villanelle carries out her kills on instruction from her mysterious employers, The Twelve.   When Villanelle assassinates a political speaker in London, she comes to the attention of Eve Polastri, a bored MI5 agent who was tasked with his protection.   Assigned to a secret taskforce with the aim of capturing Villanelle, Eve finds herself in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse.

If it wasn’t for the tv show, Codename Villanelle may have escaped my attention, as I hadn't heard of the novellas before I watched the TV show.  I'm grateful to John Murray Press for giving me the opportunity to read Codename Villanelle, as it was a book I won't be able to forget in a hurry.   Seriously, some of Villanelle's scenes may have scarred me for life.  However, there were certain things that affected my enjoyment of the book.

Codename Villanelle was originally published as a collection of four e-novellas, with each novella focusing on one of Villanelle's kills.  Due to its popularity, the four short stories have been brought together and published in one novel.   However, I found that each short story acts as a chapter in this book, meaning there was a lot of repetition, particularly in Villanelle's perspective.  With each story being written in the present tense, I didn't feel that we got to know the characters in depth like you would with a full-length novel.   For me, the repetition and the use of the present tense affected my reading experience, which in turn affected my overall rating of the book.

Speaking of Villanelle's perspective, it understandably features a lot of violent scenes with her being a trained and professional killer and whatnot.  The action scenes were well executed (pun intended) and dare I say, entertaining to read.  The description of the weapons Villanelle uses, particularly the guns, were of little interest to me, and coupled with the repetition throughout, made me glaze over towards the end.   Whilst I appreciate the amount of research that must have gone into bringing Villanelle's story to life, there's only so many times I can read about a gun and what it can do.   

To be honest, I do prefer the TV show to the book.  In the TV show, we get to know the characters much better than we do in the book, which is surprising as its usually the other way round when it comes to book-to-screen adaptations.  There are some differences to note between the TV show and the book, with one of them being the small snippets we see of Villanelle's mysterious employers, The Twelve, which helps to explain some of the motivation behind her assignments. 

Someone at John Murray Press must like me as they have granted my exceptionally cheeky request for a copy of Codename Villanelle: No Tomorrow on Netgalley, and I can't wait to find out what happens next.  I’m hoping the second book will be more substantial in content, and we will get to know Villanelle and Eve better.   I suppose there's only one way to find out...

What a joy to read an intelligent, contemporary spy thriller with a fast moving plot and fantastic characters.

Different enough to be worth reading even if you saw the recent dramatisation, this reads almost like an elaboration of the TV series.

I can’t wait to read the rest.

My thanks to John Murray Press for a digital edition via NetGalley of ‘Codename Villanelle’.

This spy thriller has been recently adapted for the BBC as ‘Killing Eve’ to wide acclaim. It was totally addictive viewing and so I was keen to read the source material. It didn’t disappoint.

It is presented as a quite straightforward narrative switching between the activities of the assassin Villanelle and Eve Polastri, who initially works in risk assessment at MI5 and is tasked with hunting down Villanelle. It becomes a deeply personal task for Eve.

The violence is quite graphic in places and while there is a degree of tongue-in-cheek humour it isn’t quite as obvious as in its television adaptation where the performances convey it.

This was a fast, exciting read and though Villanelle does some terrible things it’s hard not to root for her. Very pleased that I have the sequel ‘No Tomorrow’ on my NetGalley shelf to read.

I watched the series and absolutely loved it. Read the book, and was left absolutely stunned. It so rarely happens that a book and the tv movie/series are both totally 5*, but this is absolutely one of those times. There are differences between the two, but this has been artfully done so as totally complimentary, and meant that reading the book (after watching the series) I was still totally engrossed right to the very end. Loved them. More, please.

Loved this book. Having watched the TV series I was excited to read the book and it did not disappoint.

Gripping from start to finish, I could not put this down. Can not wait to start the second book

excellent book, it introduces the reader to both eve the reluctant agent and villanelle the erstwhile assassin. The reader is able to learn the history of both characters and to like both of them
Weirdly enough. I can't wait to read about their further exploits and to see who comes out top,, the law abiding heroine or the psychopath killer that one can't help but be charmed by......

Wow! I am loving the tv series and the book doesn't disappoint either. Villanelle is a psychopath but you cannot help but root for her! I can't wait for book 2 in the series.

When "Killing Eve" was on TV I was completely hooked by the two amazing lead characters. Perfectly played by Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh, Villanelle and Eve are the most exciting women to hit the screen in a very long time. Finding out that the characters were based on a book trilogy by Luke Jennings was like Christmas come early.

Codename Villanelle is the first book in this series and sets the scene nicely. A group of twelve men sit around a table. A bag is passed round and each of them places a coloured stone in the bag. A death sentence has been passed by the Twelve.

Konstantin is the only one that Villanelle has contact with. He saved her, overseen her rigorous training and helped her to become the sophisticate that she now appears to be. But Villanelle is a hard cold killer. Without remorse, guilt or a conscience she follows her orders perfectly. She is the best of the worst.

Eve Polastri works for MI5 in London. She loves her job. Sharp and analytical she loves puzzles and working out where the next threat is coming from. When she loses her job after a judgement error Eve finds herself being headhunted for a secret undercover unit. Hunting the female hit man.

This is quite a graphic story at times with Villanelle's "hits" described in the cold calculating manner that they are undertaken. However her complex back story and heartbreaking personal experiences make her a compelling character. The villain that you can't help but have a soft spot for. Ultimately it has the kind of ending that will have you heading straight back to the bookshop to buy book two!

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Supplied by Net Galley and John Murray Press in exchange for an honest review.

Terrific story different enough from the TV programme whilst staying true to the main characters. The brutal professionalism of the cold blooded assassin versus Eve's determination to find and nullify her makes for a fast paced unputdownable must read book.

I wasn't sure about reading this as I enjoyed the TV series based on the novellas,but I'm pleased I did The novel fleshes the main characters out and explains their back stories.
Villanelle, a psychopath with a troubled past, is sprung from a Russian jail by a shadowy outfit known as the Twelve. She is put through a brutal programme to turn her into the perfect unfeeling assasin. Eve Polastri is the newly recruited M16 agent who makes it her mission to catch her,with consequences for her own personal life. The author brings the characters to life and describes some horrific killings in a darkly comical way, your imagination will play a part in whether or not you feel disturbed or queasy (unlike in the TV series) . Dont expect this to match the storyline on television ,it is the story on which it was based and a very good story it is. I look forward to reading the next installment

A good, fast moving thriller; I thoroughly enjoyed the TV series which was based on this book. For once the TV outshone the book. Still worth reading though.

I read this book because it was the source for Killing Eve, the TV series, which although I haven't seen it, it sounded interesting. The book is fast paced, very descriptive and precise. It includes every detail (whether you want it or not) and is a great document for anyone wanting to base a performance on it.
To me it lacked engagement and I was unable to muster any empathy for any of the characters. Much of the sexual content was over played, superfluous and tedious. I was glad to be able to get the book read and done with.

Two things to know before you start, this is part one of a trilogy - don't expect an ending, and don't expect the book to mirror the tv show (as with most adaptations there are differences and deviations). At the time of writing this review I've not seen the end of the show, so not sure how it ends...but the book ending would be nice to set up the next series.

Its a quick read with scenes switching between Vilanelle and Eve (with the occasional other character thrown in). As you'd expect you get more of an insight into the inner thoughts of the characters and its nice to have that depth. You get to know Vilanelle's past right from the start with Eve playing catchup and you see how Vilanelle passes the time between "jobs".

The story move at a good pace but there is also a more realistic passing of time (as opposed to the tv show), events in this book cover around nine months.

Can't wait to read the next one.

I loved watching Killing Eve so thought reading the book would be superior... as the book is always better than the film or tv show, right? The book is better in the detail, the sense of peril, Eve and Villanelle's personal thoughts come to life and the action, which the reader feels party to, is second to none. There is such great action and creative murdering! This really is a fun read and you will love both characters even more than the tv show.

What's different from the show? The off the wall kookiness of Villanelle wasn't there. That's not a bad thing but that is one of the reasons I enjoy the show so much. Eve is also quite a lot more serious and capable. But, I'm good with both of these. I think the trade off of feeling more personally invested in both lovely ladies trumps craziness and capability any day.

If you are looking for a fun spy thriller, this is a winner whether you've watched the show or not. There are plenty of divergences so the story feels fresh.

I requested the book because I'd watched the TV drama. That's usually the other way round for me! I enjoyed Killing Eve and unusually, found that it wasn't inferior (in retrospect) to the book. The real draw is the characterisation. The ruthless, glamorous assassin Villanelle, and the scatty, brilliant slightly scruffy MI5 operative, Eve. The comparison between the two characters, the strange relationship between hunter and most dangerous of prey, the fascination and fear, is really what drives the plot. Unlike the TV drama, we're brought in knowing Villanelle's backstory from the start and Eve is more isolated. I found both worked equally well. Best of all, a female character who is driven and ruthless without it being a result of male mistreatment was incredibly refreshing. Highly recommend these unique novellas.

Book vs TV

I don’t normally do this: compare books and their adaptations, preferring to enjoy one and forget about the other. This isn’t because I get upset when things are changed – they’re different art forms so they make different demands – but because I feel like I already know what’s going to happen so there’s not much to discover.

However, having watched the TV drama Killing Eve I was interested in reading Codename Villanelle, the book that inspired it, for two reasons – firstly because, after a promising start I didn’t love Killing Eve as much as I expected to (and as much as everyone else apparently does) and secondly because Codename Villanelle was a self-publishing success story before it was picked up by a traditional publisher.

Both Codename Villanelle and Killing Eve introduce us to Villanelle, a clever and ruthless assassin who targets high-profile victims worldwide, at the request of an agent called Konstantin. Villanelle is not only a gifted killer, she is also an accomplished actor, liar and charmer. In the book she has great insight. She knows that she doesn’t think or feel like others do, but she watches them carefully and mimics them. The book is beautifully written with understated wit.

In the drama Villanelle is a more overtly comic character. The dark humour has an uneasy edge to it because we’re never quite sure whether she understands the joke she is making.

In Killing Eve, we meet Eve Polastri, a junior MI5 operative, quite early on and we follow her as she learns what she can about Villanelle. In contrast, in Codename Villanelle we know Villanelle’s backstory almost from the beginning, and the organisation that employs her – if not the individuals who make it up. In both, Eve is recruited to head up an ad hoc team to pursue Villanelle. Oddly, in the TV drama, there is a much larger cast around Eve – it’s normally the other way round as characters in books don’t require payment – and perhaps the character development suffers.

What I love about both is the contrast between the two characters – Villanelle with her international luxury lifestyle and flamboyant promiscuity and Eve with her engagingly eccentric husband and her functional clothing and down-at-heel flat. I’m glad that the drama didn’t attempt to glam up Eve, but instead played on the the differences. The acting is brilliant in the drama, particularly the two leads (Sandra Oh, who played my favourite character, Cristina Yang, in Grey’s Anatomy is Eve and Jodie Comer is Villanelle)

For me, the book is the more coherent thriller. In the drama, I felt that the first two episodes brilliantly set up the premise, and the whole series looks gorgeous, but the later episodes were more like a series of set pieces, played more for laughs. I didn’t feel like the mutual fascination of Villanelle and Eve was sufficiently grounded and there are some big intuitive leaps in the plot that don’t make sense (and an over-reliance on the deus ex machina of a hacker who can find the answer to any question in minutes).

For me, the characters in the book (even the minor ones) behave in a more believable and intriguing way. It’s a stylised, high-concept thriller and so you don’t necessarily expect the events to be realistic, but it’s more satisfying when the psychology is.

Verdict – Definitely the book. What about you?

Pacy and thrilling read that was the basis for the Killing Eve tv series. Interesting to read the novel after watching the series and see just how the original story was changed and modified to create the visual form. The novel is a tight and lean read, introducing Villanelle and the agent Eve determined to identify and stop her. The second novel is released shortly and it will be interesting to see the development of the story arc.