Skinner
Published on 15. August 2013
Book
Hardback
400 pages
978-1-4091-2436-8 (ISBN)
Description
A high-concept spy thriller that pushes the genre into the 21st century.
Growing up, Skinner wasn't like other boys. Appearing to have no emotions, he seemed to be powered by reason alone, a robot that could be programmed to do whatever its master wanted. No surprise that as an adult he didn't seem to fit it. Until he came to the attention of the CIA, and they realized they had stumbled across the perfect assassin. His speciality: protecting human 'assets'. His method: ensuring that the price a rival agency paid for acquiring the asset always outweighed the asset's worth. In other words, he killed everybody involved, and then some more, just to make the point.
But now Skinner has been tasked with a new mission. A mission that will place him at the heart of a complex and deadly conspiracy. The signs are that it is a suicide mission even for an operative with his off-the-chart skillset, making Skinner wonder if he has become too good at his job, and his employers are not the only ones who would like to see him terminated.
For the first time, Skinner has to decide whose side he's really on. And if the price of his own survival is worth paying.
Growing up, Skinner wasn't like other boys. Appearing to have no emotions, he seemed to be powered by reason alone, a robot that could be programmed to do whatever its master wanted. No surprise that as an adult he didn't seem to fit it. Until he came to the attention of the CIA, and they realized they had stumbled across the perfect assassin. His speciality: protecting human 'assets'. His method: ensuring that the price a rival agency paid for acquiring the asset always outweighed the asset's worth. In other words, he killed everybody involved, and then some more, just to make the point.
But now Skinner has been tasked with a new mission. A mission that will place him at the heart of a complex and deadly conspiracy. The signs are that it is a suicide mission even for an operative with his off-the-chart skillset, making Skinner wonder if he has become too good at his job, and his employers are not the only ones who would like to see him terminated.
For the first time, Skinner has to decide whose side he's really on. And if the price of his own survival is worth paying.
Reviews / Votes
A cleverly-imagined crime novel . . . Frightening and threatening * TELEGRAPH AND ARGUS * Stunningly original characters, wildly suprising twists and an ending that's both unexpected and moving nake this an extraordinary genre stand-alone. The sort of book you want to reread just to see how the trick was done. * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY * [A] cyber terrorist plot to destroy the US power grid sees Skinner re-assigned to protect a girl scientist whose unique talent could save the country. From there the action is extremely tough *8 * RUTLAND TIMES *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Orion Publishing Co
Dimensions
Height: 238 mm
Width: 162 mm
Thickness: 35 mm
Weight
652 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4091-2436-8 (9781409124368)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Charlie Huston
Skinner
E-Book
08/2013
Orion (an Imprint of The Orion Publishing Group Ltd )
€3.99
Available for download
Person
Charlie Huston is the author of the Henry Thompson trilogy, the Joe Pitt casebooks, and the bestsellers THE SHOTGUN RULE and THE MYSTIC ARTS OF ERASING ALL SIGNS OF DEATH. He lives with his family in Los Angeles.