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The Hit List
You don't know who.
You don't know why.
But someone wants you dead.
When Marianne's husband Greg is knocked off his bike and killed on the way to work, she must unpick the life he left behind. Numb with grief, Marianne consoles herself by scouring Greg's laptop, finding comfort in reading his old emails and tracing his footsteps across the web. Until one day, she discovers that he had been accessing the dark web. Why was Greg, a principled charity worker and dedicated husband, logging on to a website that showcases the worst of humanity's cruel impulses and where anything is available for a price? Marianne steels herself and logs on. After tentative searching, she discovers her name on a hit list.
In this fast-paced, powerful and exceptionally plotted novel, Marianne must figure out whether Greg was trying to protect her or whether he was complicit in the conspiracy for her murder. As she is pulled deeper into the depths of the underworld that Greg was seemingly hostage to, she gets closer and closer to coming face to face with Sam - the assassin hired to kill her. The dark truths that Marianne uncovers speak volumes about the dark underbelly of our society and forces us to question how far we would go to protect those we care most about.
You don't know why.
But someone wants you dead.
When Marianne's husband Greg is knocked off his bike and killed on the way to work, she must unpick the life he left behind. Numb with grief, Marianne consoles herself by scouring Greg's laptop, finding comfort in reading his old emails and tracing his footsteps across the web. Until one day, she discovers that he had been accessing the dark web. Why was Greg, a principled charity worker and dedicated husband, logging on to a website that showcases the worst of humanity's cruel impulses and where anything is available for a price? Marianne steels herself and logs on. After tentative searching, she discovers her name on a hit list.
In this fast-paced, powerful and exceptionally plotted novel, Marianne must figure out whether Greg was trying to protect her or whether he was complicit in the conspiracy for her murder. As she is pulled deeper into the depths of the underworld that Greg was seemingly hostage to, she gets closer and closer to coming face to face with Sam - the assassin hired to kill her. The dark truths that Marianne uncovers speak volumes about the dark underbelly of our society and forces us to question how far we would go to protect those we care most about.
352 pages, Paperback
First published August 28, 2020
144 people are currently reading
2136 people want to read
About the author
Holly Seddon
11 books886 followersHolly Seddon is the international bestselling author of TRY NOT TO BREATHE, DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES, LOVE WILL TEAR US APART, THE HIT LIST, THE WOMAN ON THE BRIDGE and THE SHORT STRAW.
After a childhood spent moving around the English countryside and obsessing over books and music, she later became a journalist and editor. She has lived in London and Amsterdam and now lives in Kent with her family. She has an MA in Creative Writing.
Alongside fellow author Gillian McAllister, Holly co-hosts the popular Honest Authors Podcast. You can find her on Twitter @hollyseddon, Instagram and Facebook @hollyseddonauthor.
After a childhood spent moving around the English countryside and obsessing over books and music, she later became a journalist and editor. She has lived in London and Amsterdam and now lives in Kent with her family. She has an MA in Creative Writing.
Alongside fellow author Gillian McAllister, Holly co-hosts the popular Honest Authors Podcast. You can find her on Twitter @hollyseddon, Instagram and Facebook @hollyseddonauthor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 290 reviews
September 2, 2020
Audible. Good actor voices that are easy to listen to and engage with.
Marianne is still grieving for husband Greg who was killed in a cycling accident a year ago. On the anniversary of his death, for reasons she can’t entirely explain, she searches his laptop. To her shock she discovers he had been accessing the dark web and further digging reveals that her name and several others are on a Hit List. She is understandably horrified. What had her caring husband, a charity worker no less, got himself into and why on earth is she on the list??? She feels like she’s opened a Pandora’s box - did she actually know her husband of several years? The story is told from several perspectives including Marianne and Greg.
I’ve read all Holly Seddon’s books and loved them all but I think she’s excelled herself in this terrific and twisty thriller. The clever plot contains a multitude of shocks and unwelcome surprises in this fast paced, gripping and compelling story. The storyline is dark black, starting with the dark web and includes blackmail and a faceless, powerful and dangerous group who ensnare people in their web of wickedness, lies and death. It’s a huge and towering story, it’s well constructed and you feel increasingly horrified as the plot unfolds. The multiple points of view works well as you piece together the jigsaw of the truth which reaches a conclusion that is unpredictable and very surprising.
Overall, a terrific and fast paced novel from the very talented Holly
4-5 stars rounded up.
With thanks to NetGalley and Orion for the audible for an honest review.
Marianne is still grieving for husband Greg who was killed in a cycling accident a year ago. On the anniversary of his death, for reasons she can’t entirely explain, she searches his laptop. To her shock she discovers he had been accessing the dark web and further digging reveals that her name and several others are on a Hit List. She is understandably horrified. What had her caring husband, a charity worker no less, got himself into and why on earth is she on the list??? She feels like she’s opened a Pandora’s box - did she actually know her husband of several years? The story is told from several perspectives including Marianne and Greg.
I’ve read all Holly Seddon’s books and loved them all but I think she’s excelled herself in this terrific and twisty thriller. The clever plot contains a multitude of shocks and unwelcome surprises in this fast paced, gripping and compelling story. The storyline is dark black, starting with the dark web and includes blackmail and a faceless, powerful and dangerous group who ensnare people in their web of wickedness, lies and death. It’s a huge and towering story, it’s well constructed and you feel increasingly horrified as the plot unfolds. The multiple points of view works well as you piece together the jigsaw of the truth which reaches a conclusion that is unpredictable and very surprising.
Overall, a terrific and fast paced novel from the very talented Holly
4-5 stars rounded up.
With thanks to NetGalley and Orion for the audible for an honest review.
March 26, 2022
Writing: 5/5 | Plot: 5/5 | Ending: 4/5
THE PLOT
Marianne is grieving the loss of her husband, Greg, a year prior when she stumbles upon his Dark Web activities and realizes she's on a hit list he put together. Cool cool cool. Now it's a race against time to discover who Greg really was, and what he was really up to.
MY OPINION
OOOOHWWWEEEE!!!!! I LOVED this one. The synopsis sucked me right in—wife on a dead husband's hit list? Say tf LESS. A must read for me, even though I was on vacation. (Still read like 4 books though, normal stuff for us addicts.)
Anyways. WOW. The writing... *chefs kiss*. I am so TIREDT of closed caption ass writing, and thankfully Seddon didn't let me down with her beautiful prose. Now, if you're new to my reviews and wondering wtf is closed caption ass writing, let me explain. Here is an excerpt from The Hit List:
"Between those moments in the flesh, more words. Strings and strings of emails. Re. Re. Re. Re. Re. Re. Re. Re. Never ending. Until they did."
and here's the closed caption ass writing version:
"When we weren't kissing and hugging each other, we were texting on our brand new iPhone 13s or emailing via Gmail. We sent 63 emails and 450 texts each week. So many messages. But then it stopped when Greg died, because dead people can't message anymore. That made me sad."
You see what I mean??? Showing NOT telling.
This book is told in three parts from several POVs, but namely Sam (killer for hire), Marianne (wife to be killed), and Greg (charity worker who composed a hit list with his wife's name on it). It was a bit tricky to keep up with the secondary/third characters since I read this sporadically, tbh, but you get the gist in the end; bad people doing bad shit.
Seddon weaves and intricate web, masterfully bringing together several threads. This book isn't an in-your-face-thriller, which is the norm for authors who can actually write. It explores morality and that age old question: if you steal bread to feed the poor, should you go to jail? Greg, Paula, and Noah's stories exemplify this very question—it's up to the reader to decide how they feel. Since Greg's story is more explored than the others, you do feel for him; a man who wanted to do so good, he was vulnerable to corruption in the name of the greater good.
Yes, you have to suspend your disbelief for this novel. But I don't mind doing so when the writing is thought-provoking. Because yes, the plot itself is unrealistic (hopefully....) but the themes aren't. We deal with them everyday. How far are we will to wade into the grey area for the greater good?
This is a 4.5 rounded down—why you ask? I didn't like Marianne's inappropriate "relationship" with her former student (chill Brigitte Macron) and the vibe between Sam and their son Joe was uncomfy. What kind of son tells his mom how good her bod is looking thanks to the gym??
Anyways. Great job, Seddon. I'm definitely going to read her other books, and I look forward to her new novel later this year.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: Beautiful writing, intricate and well-executed story, thought-provoking exploration of morality
Cons: Sam and her son's relationship was borderline creepy AF at some points, also the ending was a lil much
THE PLOT
Marianne is grieving the loss of her husband, Greg, a year prior when she stumbles upon his Dark Web activities and realizes she's on a hit list he put together. Cool cool cool. Now it's a race against time to discover who Greg really was, and what he was really up to.
MY OPINION
OOOOHWWWEEEE!!!!! I LOVED this one. The synopsis sucked me right in—wife on a dead husband's hit list? Say tf LESS. A must read for me, even though I was on vacation. (Still read like 4 books though, normal stuff for us addicts.)
Anyways. WOW. The writing... *chefs kiss*. I am so TIREDT of closed caption ass writing, and thankfully Seddon didn't let me down with her beautiful prose. Now, if you're new to my reviews and wondering wtf is closed caption ass writing, let me explain. Here is an excerpt from The Hit List:
"Between those moments in the flesh, more words. Strings and strings of emails. Re. Re. Re. Re. Re. Re. Re. Re. Never ending. Until they did."
and here's the closed caption ass writing version:
"When we weren't kissing and hugging each other, we were texting on our brand new iPhone 13s or emailing via Gmail. We sent 63 emails and 450 texts each week. So many messages. But then it stopped when Greg died, because dead people can't message anymore. That made me sad."
You see what I mean??? Showing NOT telling.
This book is told in three parts from several POVs, but namely Sam (killer for hire), Marianne (wife to be killed), and Greg (charity worker who composed a hit list with his wife's name on it). It was a bit tricky to keep up with the secondary/third characters since I read this sporadically, tbh, but you get the gist in the end; bad people doing bad shit.
Seddon weaves and intricate web, masterfully bringing together several threads. This book isn't an in-your-face-thriller, which is the norm for authors who can actually write. It explores morality and that age old question: if you steal bread to feed the poor, should you go to jail? Greg, Paula, and Noah's stories exemplify this very question—it's up to the reader to decide how they feel. Since Greg's story is more explored than the others, you do feel for him; a man who wanted to do so good, he was vulnerable to corruption in the name of the greater good.
Yes, you have to suspend your disbelief for this novel. But I don't mind doing so when the writing is thought-provoking. Because yes, the plot itself is unrealistic (hopefully....) but the themes aren't. We deal with them everyday. How far are we will to wade into the grey area for the greater good?
This is a 4.5 rounded down—why you ask? I didn't like Marianne's inappropriate "relationship" with her former student (chill Brigitte Macron) and the vibe between Sam and their son Joe was uncomfy. What kind of son tells his mom how good her bod is looking thanks to the gym??
Anyways. Great job, Seddon. I'm definitely going to read her other books, and I look forward to her new novel later this year.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: Beautiful writing, intricate and well-executed story, thought-provoking exploration of morality
Cons: Sam and her son's relationship was borderline creepy AF at some points, also the ending was a lil much
June 25, 2022
I loved this book! It was unique, dark and twisted! This is told in three parts and multiple points of view. We have a wife who finds herself on a hit list a year after her husband's death. An assassin whom is tangled up in a game that should not be played. Dark secrets and dead bodies. I don't want to give too much away on this one. It is better to go in blind to get the full experience.
October 28, 2020
After Marianne’s husband Greg has been dead for a year she tries to find out more about her late husband for comfort. While looking through Greg’s laptop, Marriane discovers Greg was on the dark web and then finds a hit list with her name on it. Who would want Marriane dead? Did she actually know her husband at all? How can Marrianne stay safe?
None of the characters can be trusted and they are all excellent characters with multifaceted personalities. The book is told from multiple characters perspectives which I found fascinating. There was a lot going on in The Hit List. I definitely did not figure out who was behind everything until it was revealed. It is very twisted.
I listened to the audiobook with Chris Reilly, Damian Lynch, Perdita Weeks, Stephanie Racine, and Tuppence Middleton and think they all did a great job. Their voices went well with the characters. The only thing was some of the accents were strong, so I had to listen to the audiobook slower than usual. Once slowed down though I could understand everything well and I enjoyed listening to the accents.
The Hit List was my first book by Holly Seddon, and it definitely won’t be my last. I recommend The Hit List to thriller fans.
Thank you NetGalley and Trapeze (Orion) for The Hit List.
Full review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
None of the characters can be trusted and they are all excellent characters with multifaceted personalities. The book is told from multiple characters perspectives which I found fascinating. There was a lot going on in The Hit List. I definitely did not figure out who was behind everything until it was revealed. It is very twisted.
I listened to the audiobook with Chris Reilly, Damian Lynch, Perdita Weeks, Stephanie Racine, and Tuppence Middleton and think they all did a great job. Their voices went well with the characters. The only thing was some of the accents were strong, so I had to listen to the audiobook slower than usual. Once slowed down though I could understand everything well and I enjoyed listening to the accents.
The Hit List was my first book by Holly Seddon, and it definitely won’t be my last. I recommend The Hit List to thriller fans.
Thank you NetGalley and Trapeze (Orion) for The Hit List.
Full review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
June 1, 2021
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
A year after the death of her husband, Marianne is wanting to be close to him. Wearing his clothes and looking through his possessions and computer. She notices something she hadn’t before and when she clicks on it she is taken to the dark web. After following her husband’s trail she locates a site for assassins that has been hacked and people can search to see if their name is on the list.
Curious about her husbands dealing on the dark web, she wonders if his death wasn’t just an accident and inputs his name but nothing comes up. Jokingly and to prove to herself that the site isn’t real she inputs her own name and astonishingly she discovers that there is a hit out on her.
The hit list is split into three sections. Now, Before, and Now. There are no chapters but the points of view alternate between Marianne and the assassin, Sam. It was unusual to hear so much from the assassin, as to who they have already killed, why they are doing it, their tactics, and even their family. In the beginning, they are just someone who has been given the task of killing another. By the end, you are sympathetic to their plight and understand why they are doing such a horrid job.
Marianne for me felt both naïve and brave. She was a high school teacher and even after discovering her name on the list and realising that the list was real and that others before her name were already dead she decided to stay at her home and go to work as normal, whilst trying to dig some more into why she was on the list in her spare time. I mean could you imagine just carrying on as normal knowing someone is trying to kill you?
I had to get used to the way the book was written in the beginning with there being no chapters but after I’d say 20% of the way in I never really gave it much thought.
The plot took me to places I never expected. I had my mindset that the book was going to go in one direction but then it took a twist and my guesses were blown away by the real reason Marianne was on the hit list.
The book is gripping and I raced through it, reading it in just one day. Holly Seddon is a wonderful storyteller and obviously has one hell of an imagination to create such an engaging, yet scarily realistic novel.
A year after the death of her husband, Marianne is wanting to be close to him. Wearing his clothes and looking through his possessions and computer. She notices something she hadn’t before and when she clicks on it she is taken to the dark web. After following her husband’s trail she locates a site for assassins that has been hacked and people can search to see if their name is on the list.
Curious about her husbands dealing on the dark web, she wonders if his death wasn’t just an accident and inputs his name but nothing comes up. Jokingly and to prove to herself that the site isn’t real she inputs her own name and astonishingly she discovers that there is a hit out on her.
The hit list is split into three sections. Now, Before, and Now. There are no chapters but the points of view alternate between Marianne and the assassin, Sam. It was unusual to hear so much from the assassin, as to who they have already killed, why they are doing it, their tactics, and even their family. In the beginning, they are just someone who has been given the task of killing another. By the end, you are sympathetic to their plight and understand why they are doing such a horrid job.
Marianne for me felt both naïve and brave. She was a high school teacher and even after discovering her name on the list and realising that the list was real and that others before her name were already dead she decided to stay at her home and go to work as normal, whilst trying to dig some more into why she was on the list in her spare time. I mean could you imagine just carrying on as normal knowing someone is trying to kill you?
I had to get used to the way the book was written in the beginning with there being no chapters but after I’d say 20% of the way in I never really gave it much thought.
The plot took me to places I never expected. I had my mindset that the book was going to go in one direction but then it took a twist and my guesses were blown away by the real reason Marianne was on the hit list.
The book is gripping and I raced through it, reading it in just one day. Holly Seddon is a wonderful storyteller and obviously has one hell of an imagination to create such an engaging, yet scarily realistic novel.
July 27, 2020
I have read and enjoyed books by Holly Seddon before. But none were are dark and addictive as The Hit List. I read this in 3 parts over 3 weeks with thanks to TBC on Facebook.
I was completely hooked after party one. Part 2 was a bit slower but good bunt the reader the backs stories on the characters and how they got to the places in their lives that they had. The last part was exciting as it all came to a head.
It is a book that you really shouldn’t know too much about the plot before you read it. There are plenty of shocks and twists that will have you reeling. Marianne is grieving after her husband Greg was killed when he was knocked off his bike. She is devastated and wanting to feel close to him again she logs into his laptop. But she is shocked when she finds that he has been logging onto the dark web. And even more shocked when she finds her name on a hitlist!
That is it. You need to read this book to find out why and what happens next. You know you want to.
I was completely hooked after party one. Part 2 was a bit slower but good bunt the reader the backs stories on the characters and how they got to the places in their lives that they had. The last part was exciting as it all came to a head.
It is a book that you really shouldn’t know too much about the plot before you read it. There are plenty of shocks and twists that will have you reeling. Marianne is grieving after her husband Greg was killed when he was knocked off his bike. She is devastated and wanting to feel close to him again she logs into his laptop. But she is shocked when she finds that he has been logging onto the dark web. And even more shocked when she finds her name on a hitlist!
That is it. You need to read this book to find out why and what happens next. You know you want to.
March 28, 2024
Full review to follow on publication date of August 28, 2020
Wow! What a fast paced and engrossing thriller!
This is a book that examines how far we will go to protect those we love and also to protect our own reputations. It showcases profound moral dilemmas, ones you never want to experience. It touches on the dire topics of illegal immigrants, human trafficking and organ harvesting.
Very highly recommended!
Wow! What a fast paced and engrossing thriller!
This is a book that examines how far we will go to protect those we love and also to protect our own reputations. It showcases profound moral dilemmas, ones you never want to experience. It touches on the dire topics of illegal immigrants, human trafficking and organ harvesting.
Very highly recommended!
August 14, 2019
What would you do if you found your own name on a hit list? Seddon addresses this terrifying question in an explosive novel. One of the most exciting, brave and clever books I have ever read. After Dark is my book of the year.
January 4, 2021
Part 1: 3 stars
Part 2: 1 star
Part 3: 1 star
Overall, 1.5 stars rounded down.
August 4, 2020
The Hit List is Holly's latest standalone psychological thriller and I took part in an online readalong with 99 other readers as part of THE Book Club's new monthly feature. We were sent the book in 3 parts and had a week to read each part and then came online and via Zoom meetings to discuss each section of the book. This made my reading experience rather different and more drawn out than usual as normally I gobble up books within a day or two, hardly having time to breathe let alone think about the characters, the consequence and their actions.
The book is split into 3 parts which made it a perfect read for online discussions. Part One introduces the reader to Marianne who is one of the two narrators of this section. One year ago Marianne's husband Greg was killed when he was knocked off his bike on the way to work and she's been the grieving widow, trying to move on with her life. On the anniversary of his death she decides to look through his laptop (like you do!) and discovers that her husband was delving into things he really shouldn't have including the dark web and was living a very secret and dangerous life up to the point of his death. When she uncovers a website for names on "hit lists" and finds her own name there along with 4 others, she realises she didn't know her husband at all and her own secret demons are beginning to appear. The other main narrator in Part One is Sam - the assassin tasked with killing Marianne and the other 4 on the list.
The second part of the story is narrated by Greg - Marianne's dead husband (obviously narrated before he was killed!) and takes the reader back to the past and looks into Greg's background and how he became so embroiled in the dark web. Sam the assassin also narrates during this section and the reader finds out more about the reasons behind the "kills".
This is a gripping and fast-paced story with multiple narrators, characters and lots of twists. An enjoyable, if slightly implausible story which was made more interesting by the online discussions.
The book is split into 3 parts which made it a perfect read for online discussions. Part One introduces the reader to Marianne who is one of the two narrators of this section. One year ago Marianne's husband Greg was killed when he was knocked off his bike on the way to work and she's been the grieving widow, trying to move on with her life. On the anniversary of his death she decides to look through his laptop (like you do!) and discovers that her husband was delving into things he really shouldn't have including the dark web and was living a very secret and dangerous life up to the point of his death. When she uncovers a website for names on "hit lists" and finds her own name there along with 4 others, she realises she didn't know her husband at all and her own secret demons are beginning to appear. The other main narrator in Part One is Sam - the assassin tasked with killing Marianne and the other 4 on the list.
The second part of the story is narrated by Greg - Marianne's dead husband (obviously narrated before he was killed!) and takes the reader back to the past and looks into Greg's background and how he became so embroiled in the dark web. Sam the assassin also narrates during this section and the reader finds out more about the reasons behind the "kills".
This is a gripping and fast-paced story with multiple narrators, characters and lots of twists. An enjoyable, if slightly implausible story which was made more interesting by the online discussions.
August 15, 2020
Another highly readable and entertaining psychological thriller from Holly Seddon, also as usual she has something to say in the underneath of it all about this world we live in.
Finding yourself on a list of people being targeted by an unknown assassin would be enough to send anyone spiralling, even worse if you are just beginning to get back to life after a horrible loss. Then there's the unknown assassin who has their own reasons for the job at hand..
That's the very basic premise and I'll give no more away but The Hit list is a twisty turny delight to read...a tense and unpredictable plot, some difficult to gauge intriguing characters and that page turning quality we all look for in this genre.
Really enjoyed it. Read it in fact in one gulp of a sitting.
Recommended.
Finding yourself on a list of people being targeted by an unknown assassin would be enough to send anyone spiralling, even worse if you are just beginning to get back to life after a horrible loss. Then there's the unknown assassin who has their own reasons for the job at hand..
That's the very basic premise and I'll give no more away but The Hit list is a twisty turny delight to read...a tense and unpredictable plot, some difficult to gauge intriguing characters and that page turning quality we all look for in this genre.
Really enjoyed it. Read it in fact in one gulp of a sitting.
Recommended.
July 29, 2022
My Rating System: 3⭐️⭐️⭐️ Ticked some boxes AVERAGE!!
Imagine grieving your husbands death and finding out your name is on a hit list… well Marianne has this exact problem. One the one year anniversary of her husbands death she is going through his computer reminiscing with old emails and electronic love notes. She comes across an icon she isn’t sure of and it takes her to the dark web… there she finds her charity worker and dedicated husband was doing some shady deeds (or was he).
Marianne clicks through the tabs that Greg had open until she finds the Hit List… to her astonishment and horror as she types in her name up comes her details and picture. Marianne is now on a very different path and does she know who Greg was at all?
I really enjoyed the writing on this one the pacing was pretty on point and I liked that we got the story from multiple different POVs - I also really liked when it switched to the other POVs at a pivotal moment and you’re like ohhhh cliffhanger. Then it all converged on one story… I really liked the style. 🧗♀️
I didn’t like any of the characters if I am honest and that doesn’t really bother me but Marianne was testing my patience she was so stupid and her smoking really annoyed me hahaha seriously your husband died you started a new relationship you’re gonna go and try slowly kill yourself with cancer… just give up please. 🚭
Sam was probably my favourite character but even she had a super creepy vibe with her son, like her grown adult son was running after her getting her green tea and giving it to her in the bath… SAM YOU ARE NAKED….. THAT IS NOT OK. She probably had the most personality out of everyone though but she was still kind of annoying. 😱
There were gripes like there were some annoying plot holes and unexplained things. How did everyone just know how to get on the dark web… I mean is it not super secret or something?? Not going to go too far as this book will really appeal to a lot of people and I don’t want to spoil it. I also really hated Greg that guy was a jerk and I am not going to lie…. I was glad he died hahahah HARSH!!! 🫠
Overall as you can see by my rating it was a solid read I enjoyed it but I didn’t love it. 🙆♀️
Imagine grieving your husbands death and finding out your name is on a hit list… well Marianne has this exact problem. One the one year anniversary of her husbands death she is going through his computer reminiscing with old emails and electronic love notes. She comes across an icon she isn’t sure of and it takes her to the dark web… there she finds her charity worker and dedicated husband was doing some shady deeds (or was he).
Marianne clicks through the tabs that Greg had open until she finds the Hit List… to her astonishment and horror as she types in her name up comes her details and picture. Marianne is now on a very different path and does she know who Greg was at all?
I really enjoyed the writing on this one the pacing was pretty on point and I liked that we got the story from multiple different POVs - I also really liked when it switched to the other POVs at a pivotal moment and you’re like ohhhh cliffhanger. Then it all converged on one story… I really liked the style. 🧗♀️
I didn’t like any of the characters if I am honest and that doesn’t really bother me but Marianne was testing my patience she was so stupid and her smoking really annoyed me hahaha seriously your husband died you started a new relationship you’re gonna go and try slowly kill yourself with cancer… just give up please. 🚭
Sam was probably my favourite character but even she had a super creepy vibe with her son, like her grown adult son was running after her getting her green tea and giving it to her in the bath… SAM YOU ARE NAKED….. THAT IS NOT OK. She probably had the most personality out of everyone though but she was still kind of annoying. 😱
There were gripes like there were some annoying plot holes and unexplained things. How did everyone just know how to get on the dark web… I mean is it not super secret or something?? Not going to go too far as this book will really appeal to a lot of people and I don’t want to spoil it. I also really hated Greg that guy was a jerk and I am not going to lie…. I was glad he died hahahah HARSH!!! 🫠
Overall as you can see by my rating it was a solid read I enjoyed it but I didn’t love it. 🙆♀️
December 22, 2020
I don't normally write reviews, but I felt that it's needed given the really high ratings. To say that I do not recommend this book would be an understatement. I think that in addition to being too long for the amount of plot it contained, it also relied on an extremely heavy suspension of disbelief and had a very damaging "moral".
SPOILER SECION. DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU'VE FINISHED THE BOOK
Who in their right mind would wait a full year to "plug a leak" which is what Mirianne was supposedly believed to be ... even though we know Noah didn't actually think that. There is no reasonable explanation as to why she ends up on that list.
In addition to that, the brilliant mastermind of the whole operation is a self-trained hacker housewife?! Really?! Who in the end just decided to peace out of life because she doesn't know what to do next?!
Not to mention that the deadly assassin is a tiny lady in her 50s. With the extremely vigorous martial arts education an 8yo would receive from her daddy. Colour me terrified.
And finally, the biggest takeaway was supposed to be that there are no good guys?! And the ones who seem that way are just great at pretending?! I'd hate to be the author's husband reading that. I'm not gonna write a preachy message explaining why I disagree with that sentiment. Hopefully, the majority of experiences of anyone reading this would prove my point.
SPOILER SECION. DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU'VE FINISHED THE BOOK
Who in their right mind would wait a full year to "plug a leak" which is what Mirianne was supposedly believed to be ... even though we know Noah didn't actually think that. There is no reasonable explanation as to why she ends up on that list.
In addition to that, the brilliant mastermind of the whole operation is a self-trained hacker housewife?! Really?! Who in the end just decided to peace out of life because she doesn't know what to do next?!
Not to mention that the deadly assassin is a tiny lady in her 50s. With the extremely vigorous martial arts education an 8yo would receive from her daddy. Colour me terrified.
And finally, the biggest takeaway was supposed to be that there are no good guys?! And the ones who seem that way are just great at pretending?! I'd hate to be the author's husband reading that. I'm not gonna write a preachy message explaining why I disagree with that sentiment. Hopefully, the majority of experiences of anyone reading this would prove my point.
April 6, 2021
When Marianne's husband Greg is knocked off his bike and killed on his way to work, she must unpick the life he left behind. Numb with grief, Marianne consoles herself by scouring Greg's laptop, finding comfort in reading his old emails and tracing his footsteps across the web. Until one day, she discovers he had been accessing the dark web. Why was Greg, a principaled charity worker and dedicated husband, logging on to a website that showcases the worst of humanity's cruel impluses, where anything can be bought for a price?
Marianne is slowly trying to move on after her husband, Greg and was knocked off his bike and killed on his way to work. This story covers: organ haarvesting, human trafficking and illegal immigrants. The story is rold from multiple points of view. With lots of twists, it was hard to tell who the bad guys were. There's parts of the book that will have you on the edge of your seat and other parts that are not quite believable. The pace is fast.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #OrionPublishingGroup and the author #HollySeddon for my ARC of #TheHitList in exchange for an honest review.
Marianne is slowly trying to move on after her husband, Greg and was knocked off his bike and killed on his way to work. This story covers: organ haarvesting, human trafficking and illegal immigrants. The story is rold from multiple points of view. With lots of twists, it was hard to tell who the bad guys were. There's parts of the book that will have you on the edge of your seat and other parts that are not quite believable. The pace is fast.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #OrionPublishingGroup and the author #HollySeddon for my ARC of #TheHitList in exchange for an honest review.
May 12, 2020
A cracking story especially if you love a book with lots of twists and turns. Quite a dark story following Greg, Sam, Marianne and the deep dark web. A story within a story in some sense but unbelievably gripping. Makes you wonder how much of the darker things go on around us without ever knowing. Perfect book for the suspense lovers out there.
September 25, 2020
This is a great thriller that starts off quite slow but then picks up towards the end of the book.
The first part of the story is told from Marrianne’s perspective as she discovers her name on a hit list.
She can’t get her head round why it would be there and digs further into her late husband’s laptop and papers around the house.
We also have chapters from Sam who seems to be following Marrianne and is waiting to kill her.
The book then goes onto Marrianne’s husband Greg and we find out what he was up to before his death.
The story was cleverly pulled together in the end and I really liked the ending of the book.
Thanks to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
The first part of the story is told from Marrianne’s perspective as she discovers her name on a hit list.
She can’t get her head round why it would be there and digs further into her late husband’s laptop and papers around the house.
We also have chapters from Sam who seems to be following Marrianne and is waiting to kill her.
The book then goes onto Marrianne’s husband Greg and we find out what he was up to before his death.
The story was cleverly pulled together in the end and I really liked the ending of the book.
Thanks to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
October 18, 2020
With multiple narrators, this book was great to listen to.
The story was twisty and fast-paced. On the anniversary of her husband's death, Marianne opened his laptop and found his access to the dark web where their names were found on the hit-list. The husband seemed to have been embroiled in things he shouldn't have been. This was a shock to her system.
This was one heck of a thriller. It was dark and atmospheric and caught me by my throat. The words gripped me as it showed me the underbelly of the internet controlled by powerful people.
The writing maintained its ambiance throughout the book with seamless subplots, some of them caused me to gasp.
Wow
Overall, a rocking thriller.
The story was twisty and fast-paced. On the anniversary of her husband's death, Marianne opened his laptop and found his access to the dark web where their names were found on the hit-list. The husband seemed to have been embroiled in things he shouldn't have been. This was a shock to her system.
This was one heck of a thriller. It was dark and atmospheric and caught me by my throat. The words gripped me as it showed me the underbelly of the internet controlled by powerful people.
The writing maintained its ambiance throughout the book with seamless subplots, some of them caused me to gasp.
Wow
Overall, a rocking thriller.
October 11, 2020
Solid thriller set in LONDON/SURREY
Catch our You Tube review: https://youtu.be/J9b02oDi8ik
This was my first novel by Holly Seddon. It won’t be my last! I listened to the book on audiobook as I took my lockdown walks. There are different narrators for each character which worked well. The story is set in 2021 which is the “now” of the book and the story looks back over the period to 2019 where the story starts to unfold.
Marianne ‘now’ is looking back at her marriage with Greg, who was a principled charity worker, working with victims of abuse and trafficking. She is a teacher. They lived together in a flat in Hackney and had aspirations for their life together. He however was knocked off his bike and killed, and she is now tentatively taking the first steps into a budding relationship with Noah.
One day, well after Greg’s death, she happens to open his computer and finds her way into open tabs which, horror of horrors, take her to the dark web. She is drawn to look and explore but she is also repulsed. Why would he have been delving into this evil space? And then she discovers, as she trawls away, that she is on a hit list, together with other names. Those on the list, she later discovers, are all already dead. And what significance does Bluebell hold? This is a truly shocking discovery, but she cannot go to the police, they would laugh at her story and probably consider her deluded.
Sam – another principle character – has arrived from Eastern Europe, having been trained by her father to fight and keep herself safe after witnessing terrible trauma back home. She is living in London, illegally, with her partner and his son, Joe and she is fulfilled in being a mother to him. But suddenly dark forces are at work and she is forced to carry out terrible tasks because someone somewhere knows enough about her to hold her to ransom.
What the author does so well is to expand the story in a credible and gripping way and demonstrate how people can slip down rabbit holes, only in part of their own making. The snowball effect of perhaps just one single action is terrifyingly rendered. The dark web is not a place to dabble, it soon sucks out the very soul of those engaged in it, even on the periphery.
There were times when I felt slightly sick at some of the turns of events, sick, with a feeling of hopelessness, and totally depressing that events described actually do take place… all around the world. Someone with good intentions can still fall over the precipice and just look! It can happen all too easily! (Don’t worry, it is really hard to access the dark web and you will never do it inadvertently!)
A good and gripping read.
Catch our You Tube review: https://youtu.be/J9b02oDi8ik
This was my first novel by Holly Seddon. It won’t be my last! I listened to the book on audiobook as I took my lockdown walks. There are different narrators for each character which worked well. The story is set in 2021 which is the “now” of the book and the story looks back over the period to 2019 where the story starts to unfold.
Marianne ‘now’ is looking back at her marriage with Greg, who was a principled charity worker, working with victims of abuse and trafficking. She is a teacher. They lived together in a flat in Hackney and had aspirations for their life together. He however was knocked off his bike and killed, and she is now tentatively taking the first steps into a budding relationship with Noah.
One day, well after Greg’s death, she happens to open his computer and finds her way into open tabs which, horror of horrors, take her to the dark web. She is drawn to look and explore but she is also repulsed. Why would he have been delving into this evil space? And then she discovers, as she trawls away, that she is on a hit list, together with other names. Those on the list, she later discovers, are all already dead. And what significance does Bluebell hold? This is a truly shocking discovery, but she cannot go to the police, they would laugh at her story and probably consider her deluded.
Sam – another principle character – has arrived from Eastern Europe, having been trained by her father to fight and keep herself safe after witnessing terrible trauma back home. She is living in London, illegally, with her partner and his son, Joe and she is fulfilled in being a mother to him. But suddenly dark forces are at work and she is forced to carry out terrible tasks because someone somewhere knows enough about her to hold her to ransom.
What the author does so well is to expand the story in a credible and gripping way and demonstrate how people can slip down rabbit holes, only in part of their own making. The snowball effect of perhaps just one single action is terrifyingly rendered. The dark web is not a place to dabble, it soon sucks out the very soul of those engaged in it, even on the periphery.
There were times when I felt slightly sick at some of the turns of events, sick, with a feeling of hopelessness, and totally depressing that events described actually do take place… all around the world. Someone with good intentions can still fall over the precipice and just look! It can happen all too easily! (Don’t worry, it is really hard to access the dark web and you will never do it inadvertently!)
A good and gripping read.
June 17, 2022
4.5 stars Reading this story made me feel anxious and isolated at times. I wasn’t sure what was going on at first. I got sucked in quickly but did not read this rapidly as I did not want to miss a thing. There is a lot going on and there are more surprises the further you read. There are some credibility issues but none that spoil the story. The ending was unexpected and acceptable. Will definitely look at more of her work.
August 28, 2020
A really engrossing read this one!
The way it's written, following each of the characters as they go down paths not always of their choosing, kept me totally hooked.
Focused around the dark web and touching upon human trafficking and the plight of illegal immigrants among other themes, this is a suspense thriller that also highlights what it takes sometimes to survive and protect hard earned relationships.
Marianne, Sam, Greg are all well etched characters whose thought processes and circumstances we understand from the narrative.
Anticipation levels are high throughout and I really enjoyed that!
The way it's written, following each of the characters as they go down paths not always of their choosing, kept me totally hooked.
Focused around the dark web and touching upon human trafficking and the plight of illegal immigrants among other themes, this is a suspense thriller that also highlights what it takes sometimes to survive and protect hard earned relationships.
Marianne, Sam, Greg are all well etched characters whose thought processes and circumstances we understand from the narrative.
Anticipation levels are high throughout and I really enjoyed that!
September 3, 2020
I have struggled with this audiobook because of major technical issues on the NetGalley Shelf app, but I have persevered and finished it so I can provide a review. Although the problems definitely detracted from my enjoyment of the book, it would be unfair on the author and narrators to provide negative feedback because of it.
I loved this book, the narrators were strong and gave me real understanding of their characters' personalities. I did feel it dragged a little in the middle and could have been a faster pace to engage me more.
I loved this book, the narrators were strong and gave me real understanding of their characters' personalities. I did feel it dragged a little in the middle and could have been a faster pace to engage me more.
Read
September 18, 2020DNF . Could not get into this at all . I know it got great reviews but I really struggled . Really like her other books so I might try again at some point
August 29, 2020
Reposted from @riverlovesreading The Hit List by @hollyseddonauthor is a 5⭐ thrill ride Marianne & Greg have it all, a happy marriage jobs they both love everything was perfect until one day Greg is knocked off his bike and killed. Marianne is devastated the love of her life taken away from her in a blink of an eye, but in time she moves on to a new relationship with Noah, but one day while looking thorough Greg's things & his laptop she comes across things that are both shocking and sickening, could it be that the man she loved her Greg who wanted to help people could he really be into these disgusting things, but that's not all with one more click she finds a list a Hit List on the list are name's of people that are going to be killed & on that list is Marianne. Left shaken to the core at what she's discovered she decides to find out who wants her dead was it Greg or did he find her name on the list and wanted to protect her but why are those things on his laptop, watching every move Marianne makes is Sam the person who's going to kill her but Sam has secrets of their own that are bursting to come out. The thing about The Hit List is it's all about secrets and lies everyone is either keeping a secret or telling lies or even both, if Greg,Sam or Marianne was honest and hadn't started the web of lies would things have turned out differently?
The Hit List is just like a juicy peach when you bite into it all the juice dripples down your chin &, no matter if you wipe the juice away it's still all sticky, I loved it from start to finish it had everything Drama, mystery, thrills and plenty of twists and turns, I have read all of Hollys books and I've loved them all but I think The Hit List is by far her best book yet, it's much darker then her previous books but that's down to holly growing & evolving as an author each book gets better and better I honestly couldn't put it down I was just hooked buy the web of lies they just kept digging a bigger hole for themselves one they couldn't get out of.. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves twisty thrillers 🤓
#hollyseddon #influencer #waterstones #thrillerbooks #lovebooks #crazyaboutbooks #crimefiles #books #lovebooks #bookblogger - #regrann
The Hit List is just like a juicy peach when you bite into it all the juice dripples down your chin &, no matter if you wipe the juice away it's still all sticky, I loved it from start to finish it had everything Drama, mystery, thrills and plenty of twists and turns, I have read all of Hollys books and I've loved them all but I think The Hit List is by far her best book yet, it's much darker then her previous books but that's down to holly growing & evolving as an author each book gets better and better I honestly couldn't put it down I was just hooked buy the web of lies they just kept digging a bigger hole for themselves one they couldn't get out of.. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves twisty thrillers 🤓
#hollyseddon #influencer #waterstones #thrillerbooks #lovebooks #crazyaboutbooks #crimefiles #books #lovebooks #bookblogger - #regrann
August 28, 2020
I read this book together with 99 other avid readers from The Book Club on Facebook in a Read-Along.
Oh my word I have just finished this book and wow what a fantastic read it was. This is a story full od suspense and it deals with some hard hitting topics. From the first page this boom sucked me right into the story and at times I was left holding my breath with anticipation of what was to come. Highly recommend. A well deserved 5⭐️ read for me.
Oh my word I have just finished this book and wow what a fantastic read it was. This is a story full od suspense and it deals with some hard hitting topics. From the first page this boom sucked me right into the story and at times I was left holding my breath with anticipation of what was to come. Highly recommend. A well deserved 5⭐️ read for me.
July 28, 2020
Thank you to Orion Books, Holly Seddon and TBC for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I read this as part of a readalong for 100 readers.
Split into three parts I enjoyed Part One and the building of suspense around Marianne’s husbands death and subsequently going through his laptop and finding his use of the dark web and her name on a hit list. Part two where we meet Sam who will do the hit felt more of a slog although I did like Sam as a character. Part three was slightly better paced but I personally felt that it came across as rushed in places and the ending was disappointing and not very believable. Covering dark subjects such as immigration, human trafficking and organ harvesting this wasn’t really what I was expecting from the blurb and normally not what I would read but it was still a solid read and I give it 3 stars.
I read this as part of a readalong for 100 readers.
Split into three parts I enjoyed Part One and the building of suspense around Marianne’s husbands death and subsequently going through his laptop and finding his use of the dark web and her name on a hit list. Part two where we meet Sam who will do the hit felt more of a slog although I did like Sam as a character. Part three was slightly better paced but I personally felt that it came across as rushed in places and the ending was disappointing and not very believable. Covering dark subjects such as immigration, human trafficking and organ harvesting this wasn’t really what I was expecting from the blurb and normally not what I would read but it was still a solid read and I give it 3 stars.
August 31, 2021
Perdita Weeks did a wonderful job narrating her part of this very mediocre book. Twists for the sake of twists. And if you want it to be a reveal that one character is a woman, maybe don't do a full-cast recording and cast a woman to read that character's parts. Kind of gives things away pretty quickly.
September 9, 2020
I went into this book blind, I saw this was a “listen now” on NetGalley and thought why the heck not. I loved the cover and I briefly looked at the blurb. When you see the opening line saying someone wants you dead and there is a hit list, I was intrigued. I did not expect the journey down the dark web and the truths we would learn.
The narration done by 5 different people really brought the characters to life. It added to the story to have a different voice for them. This story, however, is really Sam’s story. Yes, we start our adventure meeting Marianne, who is at the anniversary of Greg, her husbands’ death or was it murder? We follow her and Sam in the first part of the book. The second part it’s Sam and Greg’s story and the final part is well just explosive.
It took me a while to get into the book, because well my reading mojo has gone, but the book kept its grips in me. I mean how would you feel if you ever found a way to get on to the dark web and then on a website, a hit list and find your name. Marianne then enters a world she is just not ready for. I know I wasn’t ready for it!
My heart broke for Greg, just a guy trying to do the right thing. His intentions are there but he is sucked into a dirty, lewd world that I did not see coming for miles. This was hard to listen to at some points, well mainly because you know he has died. But more, as you see who he is, what is trying to do, not how Marianne saw him and all the guilt he carries with him.
I love how everything was kept hidden from the reader. Holly slowly started linking the people and the storylines together. She teases it out slowly ensure you are hooked, ensure you are enveloped in the characters lives before she practically implodes their (and your) worlds.
Despite everything we learn about Sam, I have to say I liked her. Believe it or not, she had morals and she has a code. It is not until later on that we see the bigger picture of what her little missions impacted, but by then it is too late. But not only in what she is engineering but how her life outside of this has been impacted
The clanger in the final part, I did not have a scooby. Maybe I should have but I didn’t, I loved that I learned everything when Marianne did. Head blown. It is the cat and the mouse story, but do you even know who the cat really is?
This is my first book by Holly and I have a few more I will be checking out. The writing is engaging and it really does make you question, I mean what the frick would you do? As I said earlier, the audiobook was really brought to life by the narrators and I do love productions where we have more that one narrator. It gives the story a bit more oomph as the voices add their own spice to the story. I am looking forward to my next outing with Holly and her books.
The narration done by 5 different people really brought the characters to life. It added to the story to have a different voice for them. This story, however, is really Sam’s story. Yes, we start our adventure meeting Marianne, who is at the anniversary of Greg, her husbands’ death or was it murder? We follow her and Sam in the first part of the book. The second part it’s Sam and Greg’s story and the final part is well just explosive.
It took me a while to get into the book, because well my reading mojo has gone, but the book kept its grips in me. I mean how would you feel if you ever found a way to get on to the dark web and then on a website, a hit list and find your name. Marianne then enters a world she is just not ready for. I know I wasn’t ready for it!
My heart broke for Greg, just a guy trying to do the right thing. His intentions are there but he is sucked into a dirty, lewd world that I did not see coming for miles. This was hard to listen to at some points, well mainly because you know he has died. But more, as you see who he is, what is trying to do, not how Marianne saw him and all the guilt he carries with him.
I love how everything was kept hidden from the reader. Holly slowly started linking the people and the storylines together. She teases it out slowly ensure you are hooked, ensure you are enveloped in the characters lives before she practically implodes their (and your) worlds.
Despite everything we learn about Sam, I have to say I liked her. Believe it or not, she had morals and she has a code. It is not until later on that we see the bigger picture of what her little missions impacted, but by then it is too late. But not only in what she is engineering but how her life outside of this has been impacted
The clanger in the final part, I did not have a scooby. Maybe I should have but I didn’t, I loved that I learned everything when Marianne did. Head blown. It is the cat and the mouse story, but do you even know who the cat really is?
This is my first book by Holly and I have a few more I will be checking out. The writing is engaging and it really does make you question, I mean what the frick would you do? As I said earlier, the audiobook was really brought to life by the narrators and I do love productions where we have more that one narrator. It gives the story a bit more oomph as the voices add their own spice to the story. I am looking forward to my next outing with Holly and her books.
April 4, 2021
Reeling from the sudden death of her husband, Marianne Heywood’s life is about to be even further torn apart when she finds stuff she really wasn’t expecting on his laptop.
She knows Greg was a good man - a charity worker, a caring and compassionate person - so what’s he been doing on the dark web?
And why is Marianne’s own name on an assassin’s hit list? Can there really be a price on her head?
A marvellous read from Holly Seddon with some truly intriguing characters and situations, and more twists and turns than you can shake a stick at. It’s an exploration of how - by misjudgment or misfortune - people can find themselves trapped in horrific situations they can’t escape. Compelling stuff.
She knows Greg was a good man - a charity worker, a caring and compassionate person - so what’s he been doing on the dark web?
And why is Marianne’s own name on an assassin’s hit list? Can there really be a price on her head?
A marvellous read from Holly Seddon with some truly intriguing characters and situations, and more twists and turns than you can shake a stick at. It’s an exploration of how - by misjudgment or misfortune - people can find themselves trapped in horrific situations they can’t escape. Compelling stuff.
September 2, 2021
I expected a chick lit and this was far from it. Fast paced and really well narrated I enjoyed it a lot.
Marianne’s husband died a year ago and although she is on the cusp of a new relationship she is still grieving. When she finds a list of names on his computers she is sent searching for answers to questions she shouldn’t be asking.
Sam is hiding from her past, until now she had done well but how do these mystery people know so much about her
This story covers the dark web, human trafficking and illegal immigrants, I found it eye opening and horrifying what could be going on out there
Marianne’s husband died a year ago and although she is on the cusp of a new relationship she is still grieving. When she finds a list of names on his computers she is sent searching for answers to questions she shouldn’t be asking.
Sam is hiding from her past, until now she had done well but how do these mystery people know so much about her
This story covers the dark web, human trafficking and illegal immigrants, I found it eye opening and horrifying what could be going on out there
June 4, 2023
Wow! What a refreshing plot.
Marianne is covered in grief of her late husband, who died a year ago. She feels the nostalgia as she goes through his laptop until she finds a path towards the dark web and her married life unravels. Did she really know Greg?
The storyline follows her pursuit of truth about why her name was on a “Hit list”. The plot was creative and I enjoyed how holly carefully crafted the characters and their back stories. Everything fell into place excellently. The only thing that I actually found ‘ikky’ was Marianne’s relationship with her student. That was a weird take. We could’ve done without that part. Otherwise I highly enjoyed this book.
10/10 recommend.
Marianne is covered in grief of her late husband, who died a year ago. She feels the nostalgia as she goes through his laptop until she finds a path towards the dark web and her married life unravels. Did she really know Greg?
The storyline follows her pursuit of truth about why her name was on a “Hit list”. The plot was creative and I enjoyed how holly carefully crafted the characters and their back stories. Everything fell into place excellently. The only thing that I actually found ‘ikky’ was Marianne’s relationship with her student. That was a weird take. We could’ve done without that part. Otherwise I highly enjoyed this book.
10/10 recommend.
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