Long Shot by Luke Jennings Review
Spy Thriller Review by Chris Connor for Spybrary.com
‘Determined to escape the iron shackles of the Twelve, Eve and Oxana are trying something new. Something risky, even for them. They're going freelance.‘
Luke Jennings’ Codename Villanelle, a collection of novellas about the stylish, unhinged title character and Eve Polastri, the British intelligence agent on her trail, became a sensation on its publication. It was, of course, the basis for the Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer-led Killing Eve, which brought Jennings a new legion of fans. The deadly cat and Mouse tale of obsession deviated from the source material in plenty of ways beyond the two main characters. While the first three seasons of the show had a warm response, the fourth and final season of the show was released to a largely negative response from fans and critics alike.
As with Jennings’ previous work, there is no shortage of twists and turns, and the tighter story allows us to explore Oxana and Eve’s newfound relationship
Chris Connor
Many were unhappy with how the finale betrayed the characters. Jennings himself took issue with the way the show rounded things off and has since returned to the literary roots of the franchise with Resurrection earlier this year and now Long Shot. While related, the two are largely standalone following Eve and Oxana (Villanelle) as they attempt to start a new life away from the Twelve and the intelligence services of the world. Of course, their past can never leave them entirely.
Under the Twelve's protection after the end of Resurrection, Eve and Oxana decide to put their unique skills to the test, going freelance, offering services to competing intelligence services. We follow their first client, a major player in a fictitious country, and his family, all UK-educated and set to follow in their father's footsteps. There is more of an element of detective fiction in this story that sees our beloved duo on the hunt for a hidden racehorse. It's certainly not a simple case and one that offers multiple potential suspects to be investigated.
It wouldn’t be a Villanelle and Eve story without The Twelve or foreign interference. Balice, an MI6 agent introduced in Resurrection, plays a smaller but still vital role here, monitoring the duo’s progress, but is she to be trusted? As with Jennings’ previous work, there is no shortage of twists and turns, and the tighter story allows us to explore Oxana and Eve’s newfound relationship, cleverly juxtaposing their thoughts on each other and the case they’re working on.
While the series’ will they, won’t they structure is what endeared it to fans and the thrilling chase game, the personality of the two leads remains intact, even if they have strayed far from where we first encountered them. They still leave a trail of chaos in their wake. The ending is certainly open enough for Jennings to continue to expand the world of Villanelle, so should there be an appetite for it, this is unlikely to be the last we’ll see of these characters (on the page at least).
Jenning’s return to the novel world he created has gone some way to righting the wrongs of the show and fleshing out the characters' backstories and interactions with each other. The focus may be tighter, but it is still a treat to follow these characters, and Jennings hasn’t lost his knack for telling an action-packed and unique story.
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Buy The Book – Killing Eve: Long Shot by Luke Jennings
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