Despite having seen the TV version and LOVED it the book offers a much more nuanced and in depth view of Villanelle. Although it is episodic the characters are clear, clean and beautifully drawn. And any lovers of Le Carre or Len Deighton will feel the pull of the main idea of an anonymous and apparently normal member of society on the outside being a psychopathic and machine-like operative when the right buttons  are pressed This book runs along at a cracking pace and is in so many ways an advance on the film (lets face it poor film makers are in a straightjacket so comparisons are odious.) that it is almost unfair to put them side by side. I loved Villanelle but would not want to meet her on a dark night unless she was working for ME. The differences in the story-line vis-a-vis film to book are understandable, some of V's expoilts would frighten the horses let alone a TV audience. I can't wait for more. Great stuff.

Is it bad to say I prefer the TV series? She's an amazing character but it still seems to be clearly through the male's view of women. Still, enjoyed it.

I'm definitely a Villanele fan now. Two great female leads that complement each other so well. Well balanced mixture of out and out action with compelling character driven plot - really enjoyed it.

I was entranced by the recent TV show, Killing Eve so I knew I had to read this. I found it hard to read in parts, however this was due to the changes made between the show and the book, so not to do with the actual novel. Overall I enjoyed Codename Villanelle and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.

If you loved Killing Eve, you will love Codename Villanelle by Luke Jennings.  It may of been a short book but I so want to read for from this brilliant author.

I would like to thank the Luke Jennings, the Publishers, NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review

Thank you for the opportunity to review this book. 

Villanelle, steps from the page, delicate, ferocious, terrifying and fascinating. He life is a fast paced, violent storm of action. The novel gradually reveals her history, the back story that makes her who she is today, then introduces Eve, brilliant and determined to track her down, using the unlikely tools at her disposal.

A fantastic yet believable story, very different (satisfyingly so) in detail to the TV series Killing Eve.

Wow, when I realised that Killing Eve was based on a book series, I immediately stopped watching the programme, preferring to enjoy the book first and I'm glad I did.  Codename Villanelle is a fast-paced thriller which I couldn't put down and finished in one sitting.  Can't wait for No Tomorrow.  4 stars

I do not normally read crime thrillers, but i had watched Sandra Oh in Greys anatomy and was intrigued by the tv show, watched it and loved it, so i took this book to see how different it was from the tv series. 

I am glad i watched the show 1st because not only could i imagine the characters more clearly, but i was thrilled to find that it was different from the show in parts, like all books really, it is more detailed and descriptive 

That said i think Sandra Oh makes the tv show something that transcends thrillers, because she captivated me and i couldnt take my eyes off her, she was so good in it, and whilst i would read the sequel to this, if i was given a choice i would choose the tv show, this is not a reflection on the author or his work, just that i thought the tv adaptation and Sandra Oh were exceptional.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book.

Fast paced and addictive, this is a must for fans of Killing Eve. The characters are subtly different and the description goes above and beyond your usual thriller.

Villanelle is a Russian orphan who was sentenced to death after killing her father’s killers, she is saved from the death sentence by a man known only as Konstantin but the people calling the shots are a group that call themselves The Twelve, obviously they have not done this for any altruistic reasons, they believe that as a sociopath Villanelle will make an excellent assassin.
Eve is the MI5 agent assigned to bring in Villanelle at all costs.
This is not a novel but a three short stories that are the basis for the t.v series Killing Eve, I am glad that I watched the series before reading the book because based on this I wouldn’t have watched it.
The characters are one dimensional, especially the MI5 agents, you don’t care if they live or die, and Villanelle doesn’t convince as a sociopath, she comes across as a spoiled wilful child.

Codename Villanelle and its' sequel No Tomorrow are the source material for the amazing Killing Eve tv show. The book is stylishly written and very enjoyable. Villanelle is like a vampire sociopath. She cannot go long without a kill or a perfunctory sexual encounter. Eve Polastri the spy is dogged in pursuit of Villanelle, and becomes obsessed with chasing her down. Life is more interesting for Eve with Villanelle in it, albeit much more dangerous.

I was so happy to be given the opportunity to read the book behind the brilliant tv drama! It was not a disappointment, with this book providing an excellent insight into the workings of the show, whilst providing an even richer narrative. I didn't think that was possible, so thank you for providing me this read

Oh WOW! Now the standard view is that the book is ALWAYS better than the adaptation for screen, and this is no exception, this was so much better than the already excellent television adaptation. A fantastic introduction to Villanelle and Eve giving so much more background to the characters, I wish I had read this before watching 'Killing Eve"

I read this after seeing the television adaption, so couldn’t help compare the two different versions. Jennings’ book is a solid enough tome, but the tv adaption is a thing of beauty. What this book shows is just how good the script writing of Waller - Bridge is and how something normal and average can become transcended.

I was a massive fan of the TV series Killing Eve which aired this year in the UK and can't wait for the second series. This book was great to have an insight into the inspiration for such a brilliant show.

I loved the Tv show and the book was every bit as thrilling! Eve & Villanelle's relationship is the best female pairing I've seen in adult thrillers. I can't wait to dive into the sequel!

I watched the to series back to back over a couple of evenings and was transfixed by a dark, gripping and incredibly complex crime thriller with a difference. It's packed with characters who ark argent than life, but plausible. An MI5 head who's gone to the dark side, perhaps? A couple of double agents, a dead beat and a central psychopathic assassin. Scenes of comic genius alongside a truly gripping psychosocial thriller. Who are the good/bad guys and who may be trusted. It made compelling viewing and it's very different. I was prompted to read the book to find out more. 

It's not easy to pull off a comic thriller. But Jennings has developed idiosyncratic characters and the dark humour of their relationships is light relief for some very dark and brutal moments. The book really adds to the Killing Eve to drama and I relished it all. Can't wait for the follow up.

I  watched the Killing Eve series on the TV and this prompted me to request the book to read. The storyline was full of suspense and different to the series in that it was more detailed. I would still have picked this book off the shelf to read even if I didn't know the story had been on the television. I am now looking forward to reading the second book. One I personally would recommend.

So where to begin with this review?  I, like many was drawn to the new smart, funny and very stylish Killing Eve program (possibly my new favourite program!) and when I found it was based on a series of novels I was very keen to read them.

However, I think this is one of the rare occasions when the book is not better than the film.  That is not to say that the novel has little going for it but the treatment of it in transfer to the program has left little remaining of the original in terms of both content and particularly style.

It is certainly not fair to make a comparison of the two formats of this story but when the program is so individualistic in its production and has been a very definite draw to the novel for me it is hard not to make those comparisons.

The novel is fine, but reads like a fairly standard modern spy thriller but for the Game of Thrones generation.  The fact that the main characters are both women is what sets it apart but other than that, there is very little new in this publication.  The locations are good and well described but although quite a lot of backstory is provided for the characters (particularly Villanelle) they remain surprisingly two-dimensional.

Having said that, I enjoyed the novel well enough but had I not been attempting to fill in the blanks (possibly intentionally left by the program) or to spot the differences between the two formats I don’t know that I would have found this particularly satisfying.

Really enjoyed this book  which I read shortly after watching the TV series. The book which roughly covers the first half of the series which I thought caught the tone of the book brilliantly.
The book which gives more background on how Villanelle became a highly paid assassin for a secret organisation is by turns darkly comic, gorey,thrilling and exciting with the central character strangely compelling.

Eve Pollastri does not feature as much as yet but grows in importance as the book goes on and no doubt becomes more central in the following book which I for one cannot wait to read.
I think it says a lot about the author when you find the book so exciting even after having seen a TV adaptation followed the book so closely in the essentials though of course names genders of some characters are different as are some of the killings but the general story and tone remain.
A great read  roll on part two!