The Gun Seller / Hugh Laurie

3.5 stars out of 5

Cold-blooded murder just isn't Thomas Lang's cup of tea. Offered a bundle to assassinate an American industrialist, he opts to warn the intended victim instead — a good deed that soon takes a bad turn. Quicker than he can down a shot of his favorite whiskey, Lang is bashing heads with a Buddha statue, matching wits with evil billionaires, and putting his life (among other things) in the hands of a bevy of femmes fatales. Up against rogue CIA agents, wannabe terrorists, and an arms dealer looking to make a high-tech killing, Lang's out to save the leggy lady he has come to love...and prevent an international bloodbath to boot.


***2018 Summer of Spies***

May I say that I am pleasantly surprised at the quality of Mr. Laurie’s novel? One hopes that a famous name doesn’t get a mediocre book published. Laurie may be well known from his stint on TV as Dr. House, but this book was published on its own merit.

The author takes the spy genre and turns it inside out. Neither a tough guy nor a super-smart guy, the hero is an everyman with persistence and a sense of humour. Like Bond, he can fall in love with a woman with one meeting of the eyes, but he is much more realistic about his chances of her returning the feeling.

Laurie’s love of Wooster and Jeeves shines through the narrative. As an actor, he has a great ear for dialog and excellent comic timing. A very enjoyable read.