Who is conrad hirst

In a moment of clarity he recognises that perhaps he will only have to kill four more people. His handler, his weapons provider, his false document and paperwork supplier and the crime boss. If he kills these men then no-one will be left who knows who Conrad Hirst is or was. He surpasses himself in this wonderful account of the murky world of political hits and agents.

The simple truth is. In this complex novel: No living person knows who Conrad is? Perhaps more surprising.

Conrad does not know himself. The first problem we are presented with is what Conrad quickly discovers. His handler has not been truthful; he has not been working for who he thought he was. Indeed other more political operators have been contracting him and all these government agencies and European police departments have records of him. The more he tries to extricate himself the deeper the conspiracy it seems he was involved in, unwittingly.

He tries to find the truth but in the process he discovers an account of himself he does recognise. Those looking on and interacting with him characters who are not always who they say they are or purport to represent. Can he process fact from agency speak? That Conrad has little to live for makes him difficult to counter. He has not so much gone rogue but been part of a conspiracy he knew nothing about. Loved it.

The novel is an unique spin on those who kill without thought for money or country. Enjoyed it. The story is one of inward discovery - what makes us all function on any level. We can learn that actions do not always follow clear thoughts or reasoning. So who was Conrad Hirst? May 14, Denise rated it really liked it Shelves: read After a decade working as a hitman, Conrad Hirst wants out. To achieve that, he needs to eliminate the only four people who know his identity.

That simple plan, however, soon runs into a whole host of complications. Fastpaced and intriguing, with plenty of twists and shades of grey as is usual for Wignall - not one of his best works, but a good read all the same.

DNF I think I'm in that awkward reading stage of trying to find a book similiar to and as satisfying as one I recently finished. I slog, retreat, slog some more, and give up, when maybe at another time the same book would hit me in a sweeter spot. View 2 comments. That's the dilemma that faces Conrad Hirst, who is burned out and only too aware of how barren he has become emotionally.

He's only 32 years old, but his most recent hit shatters him and destroys his willingness to continue his nihilistic life. He arrives at a simple answer—he must kill the only four people who know his identity. After that, he should be able to put away his assassination tools and settle into life behind a white picket fence. But we all know that isn't possible, don't we? Hirst may think there are only four people who know who he is, but he hasn't considered the people behind the people.

It isn't until after he's eliminated the first person on his list that he becomes painfully aware of how badly he's miscalculated, and how bleak his future looks. After all, he can't kill off an entire intelligence agency. But he can target some specific individuals who he views as contributing the most to his downfall. The only way that he can see to atone for all the killing that he has done is to kill again.

Hirst uses all the skills that he's developed during his career and manages to stay one step ahead of disaster as he tries to unravel the mystery of who has been employing him and exactly what he has sacrificed to live life as an assassin. He knows that he can trust no one; yet, he depends on a French femme fatale to assist him in reaching his goal. He's well aware that he may not live to see another day and that in reality he doesn't have very much to live for. But he's determined to die trying.

Wignall has created an extremely intriguing character in Conrad Hirst. At first, he appears to be not much more than a robotic, remorseless man killing as directed.

But along the way, he is also revealed to have many more layers than are initially apparent. He unveils himself through letters that he writes to a dead lover. And it's chilling to think that although he seems to have loved this woman very much, she may have been one of his victims. The one thing that made the book stand out is the fact that Hirst, in spite of being a stone cold killer, actually does have a heart, although it has been shut down for a very long time.

All readers can relate to the themes of regret and redemption. It's odd to find yourself hoping that this man who can kill another human being without thinking twice will survive to live a different life. Excellent minimalist writing, haunting characterization and suspenseful pacing combine to make this book one you NEED to read!

Wignall continues his hit man theme and again manages to pull it off with tight writing, an interesting lead character, and an undercurrent of difficult moral questions. In the process of describing how a person might fall into the position of killing for a living Wignall mediates on the nature of identity, fate, and violence. I loved it! There were very few things about this book that were predictable. I thought I had it all figured out then there was the epilogue, which immediately makes sense of the entire book!

Great read! I loved all the twists and turns particularly the last one! View 1 comment. Excellent story of a man who shuts himself down after after traumatic experience in the war zone.

That event pushed him over the edge and he becomes detached and cold-blooded assassin working for the German crime syndicate. Then one day he decides to return to his true selfand in doing that triggers unexpected series of events. Great thriller with [as it is usually case with Wignall's work] twist at the end that explains a lot of main character's story and what is going on in his mind. Highly reco Excellent story of a man who shuts himself down after after traumatic experience in the war zone.

Highly recommended. I'v read a few of Kevin Wignall's books and really enjoyed them. I don't know how I missed this one but thanks to the recommendations and reviews on here I eventually picked it up.

The main character is a contract killer who has decided to retire from the job. He has a plan and it doesn't go the way he wants. So far so normal for this type of plot We get the reason for the decision via letters Conrad is writing, it also reveals his backstory as fights to be able to leave his old I'v read a few of Kevin Wignall's books and really enjoyed them.

We get the reason for the decision via letters Conrad is writing, it also reveals his backstory as fights to be able to leave his old life behind. I'm not giving and plot details, but try this one, you won't be disappointed. A zombie apocalypse is one thing. Taking up our resources, our time to care for you.

Ten years after her teenage daughter went missing, a mother begins a new relationship only to discover she can't truly move on until she answers lingering questions about the past. She drifted away from her other two children, Hanna and Jake, and eventually she and her husband, Paul, divorced. Both of these sections primarily focus on Laurel.

All of these devices serve to build palpable tension, but the structure also contributes to how deeply disturbing the story becomes.

At times, the characters and the emotional core of the events are almost obscured by such quick maneuvering through the weighty plot. Already have an account? Log in. Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials. Sign Up. Pub Date: Nov. No Comments Yet. Add to Cart failed. Please try again later. Add to Wish List failed.

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Narrated by: David John. No default payment method selected. Add payment method. Switch payment method. We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method. Pay using card ending in. Taxes where applicable. Listeners also enjoyed Publisher's Summary This is the story of a ruthless contract killer, working for a German crime boss. Narrator Surrounded by Idiots. What listeners say about Who Is Conrad Hirst? Average Customer Ratings. Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

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