Firstly poor Ludo. This is a story about a contract killer called Mathilde who is out of control . She is a cruel woman who hates everybody and everything including her dogs . She is 63 years old and her memory is not what it was. The bodies are piling up and the detective is on the trail. However she is always one step ahead. This book has some very dark humour in it and is different from what I have read before. There is a lot of violence and bloodshed and some shocking moments. . The ending is really good and not what I was expecting. It is a page turner and I was willing for Mathilde to stop . I don’t think as a reader you are expected to like a contract killer but there is not one redeemable quality in Mathilde, even as she descends into madness.

I loved the storyline of the book! It felt original , unique and kept me on edge since the begging! The book is fast paced but it isn’t leave anything unanswered .. and let me say this : I’m really happy with the conclusion!

DNFed at 10% after the elderly assassin kills a man and then shoots his victim’s dog in the head, vaporising half the dog and leaving the rest as a lump of meat. Callous and unnecessary by the author, it completely turned me off the book.

Confusingly, when you search for “Going to the Dogs” by the author, it takes you to “The Great Swindle” by him instead. Despite the synopsis being for the book I read about the elderly female assassin, other reviews talk about a world war soldier story…

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

I have given this book 1 star as it was well written but that is all that it has going for it. It is a violent book, with a main character that is flawed and unlikeable.
If you love dogs, I would definitely give this book a big miss. Books these days should come with warnings on the front like they do with tv programmes. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reading copy.

An absolute treat of a book. The storyline had me gripped from the first page to the last. The plot is so original with Mathilde Perrin as a 63 year old contract killer as the main character. Mathilde is a former hero of the Resistance but is now starting to become confused and forgetful. This leads to a number of unintentional consequences that cause her boss to conclude that Mathilde has become a liability. The book is fast paced with all the different plotlines pulled together into one dramatic conclusion.
I have read several books by Pierre Lemaitre and all are well-written but this book is my favourite. I want to read it over and over again - it's just so good.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.