As some of you may know, my new release has been on a blog tour.
Assassination can be a messy business, especially if you’re having a bad day.
Dan Jones is the ultimate problem solver, the hitman for crime boss Fliss Bauer.
Fliss has a rival, Kalindra Dallin. She runs a particularly unpleasant planet. Dan is told to arrange her demise. It’s just another job; until a random event means that it all goes horribly wrong.
To save his skin, Dan is forced to try again, only this time he has to work with a partner. He doesn’t want to but it’s the only chance he’s going to get; if he wants to put things right.
Can the hitman and the thief get the job done, more importantly, can they keep each other alive?
The Tour was organised for me by Rachel Gilby, we’ve worked together in the past and I’ve always been very pleased with the publicity she’s got me. Plus the great feedback from her team of bloggers.
My thanks are due to everyone who took part. These are the stats.
21 separate blogs were due to post over the seven days of the tour.
There was only 1 no show.
The book had 12 reviews, the rest were promo or spotlight posts
3 reviews were shared on Amazon (latest figure when I posted this).
I sold 5 copies of the book over the period of the tour, with no K.U. page reads. Again, these are the latest figures I have.
Most of the sharing and interaction took place on Twitter, which is a platform that I use less than Facebook.
Conclusions
I was a little disappointed with the lack of engagement on Facebook. Next time, perhaps I should specify sharing to Facebook as a condition of participation. Although the new Facebook interface may have had something to do with it. Personally, I’ve found that the things and people that I see in my feed have changed totally since I swapped over to the new look.
The Amazon review situation is annoying but may be out of the control of the reviewers for various reasons.
I need to get more active on Twitter. It seems to be where the action is.
The reviews were all broadly positive, which is encouraging and has provided some useful copy for future advertising. There were also reviews from people who have read some of my other work. They said that my style was improving, which is good to hear. The cover design was also praised.
Sales were disappointing, however they may be forthcoming as the title makes its way up readers TBR piles.
Overall, I would say that the tour was worthwhile.
Anyhow, here are the reviews, with links to the original posts.
My apologies as there are quite a few, however, as Amazon appears to prevent people from posting them it’s unlikely that they will see the light of day anywhere else. It’s also not my intention to appear boastful or to show off in any way, they are all the unsolicited and unedited opinions of the writers and gratefully received as such.
I really enjoyed this book, it is a mystery and crime read but with a sci-fi setting. The author wove a very addictive tale between Dan Jones a hitman and the thief… you will soon meet.
I really liked the feel of the storey with brief mentions of planets and their uses, it did give space and sci-fi feel but not full of convoluted jargon or tech-speak. This makes it a very accessible book for crime and mystery readers and especially those who prefer a cosy-mystery style read.
So, Dan, I do like this character who seems to have principles, well if an assassin can have principles. His latest job is to infiltrate another gang and kill their boss. It seems to be a simple plan, but, well, let’s just say that plans do not go according to plan!
There is a good amount of intrigue and it didn’t take me long to get into this book. It moves along at a reasonable pace and with a good amount of characters that are easy to remember I soon found myself turning the pages.
I really enjoyed this book, it was easy to follow and made for a relaxing read. A book that would fall in the genre of cosy mystery sci-fi – is there such a genre? AS I said earlier this is a book that is very accessible, yes it is sci-fi as such and this may put some readers off but it is also a very good mystery read that has an intriguing storyline and some interesting characters. I would definitely recommend it.
The Hitman and the Thief is a fast-paced, gripping novel about rivalry between two powerful underworld criminals. The author weaves a mesmerizing web of events that had me completely fooled.
The ending is open because the identity of Kalindra is not settled conclusively. I’d be a bit disappointed if there isn’t another book coming that picks up from where this novel leaves off. I have so many questions about what happens to some of the important characters.
The twists keep coming throughout the story and I realized I had been holding my breath throughout, hoping Dan and his partner are not killed before they can complete their mission.
An exciting, taut thriller–I read it in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it.
https://seansbookreviews.com/2020/09/01/the-hitman-and-the-thief-by-richard-dee/
After reading this book I am still not sure what to think about it. I do like it quite a bit. While I do think there is room for improvement this book did show a lot of great parts.
The premise of this book is great I mean crimelords in space. While not really my style fully the writing was done very well. However I was more wanting of the science fiction feel.
If you like crime and space then this is for you.
https://curledupwithagoodbook.co.uk/the-hitman-and-the-thief-richard-dee/
When hitman Dan is tasked with killing Kalindra, his boss’s rival, he’s all prepared and set…..but then something goes wrong last minute. His boss, Fliss is fuming and Dan knows that he needs to complete the mission to keep his job…and maybe his life. But what he’s not expecting is for Fliss to throw a spanner in the works and make him work with the most unlikely partner. The Hitman and The Thief set off to another planet to complete their mission, but will they be successful? How do they know who to trust? Will they be able to see past their differences to get the job done? And will they make it back alive?
This was a brilliant and gripping story with tons of action and some mind-blowing twists!! Dan is a brilliant character, an ex-veteran turned hitman, people are starting to wonder if he’s past his best. He’s determined in his job, but things aren’t working out to plan for him. He makes some stupid decisions and you just know he’s going to pay for them! Fliss reminded me of a Bond villain! Lydia was brilliant – a strong female character with some surprising tricks up her sleeve; and there are many other brilliant characters.
One of the things I love about Dee’s writing is the scene setting and descriptions. He makes it so easy to imagine what’s happening, and as this is set on a number of different planets and ships, this is really important to help us be fully immersed into the story.
The plot was fantastic and the pacing just right. There is so much action in this but also intrigue, which kept me turning the pages. And then there were some absolutely brilliant mind-blowing twists that I didn’t expect at all. I literally had a jaw dropping moment!!
Overall, this is a brilliant sci-fi crime thriller. Although it’s set on other planets and ships, I didn’t find it too heavy on the sci-fi side so don’t be put off if you’re not a sci-fi fan. If you’re looking for a good crime thriller that will keep you on your toes with lots of action and bring you some mind-blowing twists then you need to check this out. Highly recommended by me.
Richard Dee never disappoints me. The Hitman and the Thief is action packed-entertainment. I absolutely loved it. I am obsessed with this book, honestly. I dont want to write a review, I want to pick it up and read it again!
Twists and turns await readers on this adventure. I absolutely love the world building. It felt like I was transported to a different world and was watching the story unfold instead of reading it.
So difficult to put this one down. I highly recommend giving it a shot! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go re-read it!
http://www.lecari.co.uk/2020/09/book-review-the-hitman-and-the-thief-by-richard-dee/
Right from the very start, you are thrown straight into the action! From there, The Hitman and The Thief is a fast-paced sci-fi story which sucked me in immediately.
The main character, Dan Jones, is a bit of an anti-hero. He works as an assassin for the local crime lord, Fliss, solving problems where needed. He is currently seeing her right-hand woman, Hesta, who is young, smart and beautiful. We learn about his childhood and time in the military, which gives an insight into how he ended up in his current line of work. He is a very likeable character — he is smart and loyal.
There are lots of strong female characters throughout the book, which I really liked! As well as Fliss and Hesta, who we learn a bit about at the start of the book, the other main character is Lydia, the thief. At first she travels under lock and key, but over time they begin to trust each other and she becomes his friend. Lydia is very smart and fiesty — and again, despite her profession, I liked her as a character too.
The story has an interesting premise and some great world-building which kept me engaged throughout. I found the planet of Fallop very interesting. It’s described as “resource-poor, relying on cheap labour and unhealthy practices to process the raw materials and wastes that no one else would touch. It made her money, wrecked a lot of lives and the inhabitants on Fallop were treated slightly worse than animals.” As Lydia points out, other planets allowed this to happen for a reason, despite the cruelty — they enjoy the benefits and don’t want to have to deal with the factories themselves. Lydia and Dan’s discussion about the planet was interesting and something often reflected in our present day.
The Hitman and The Thief is a well-written sci-fi thriller with a fast-paced storyline. It has some interesting world-building, and I really enjoyed its female-centric cast. It was a great read that I absorbed within a couple of hours!
This is the second book of Dee’s that I have read, and it’s a corker (the first is reviewed here).
As with the previous work, the world building is excellent and the writing very competent – in style, as well as content; the grittiness of both the prose and the planet Fallop’s atmosphere work especially well together. My previous issue with two-dimensional characterisation has disappeared; the protagonists coming across as both nuanced and very human.
This twisty-turny SF noir, with plenty of gumshoe and gangster tips of the hat neatly inserted, has great pace, and I read it in a single sitting. Cool cover, too.
With plenty of scope for Dee to expand on the characters and worlds featured, I hope there’s a sequel.
https://www.facebook.com/619068468527847/posts/@rararesources/
Review by Fany Van Hemelen,
What a surprising sci-fi book with action and intrigue
The Hitman And The thief is such a pleasure to read. It is a fast read and if you love sci-fi it is amazing because it tells a story about different planets but if you just like a entertaining and mesmerizing crime novel this is also your cup of tea. The characters are well developed, the pacing is good, the book is filled with lots of action and the author has a story created with unbelievable twists and turns.
At the end I close it and hope I can read another installment because I still have questions I want an answer too. I would love to take another sci-fi ride with this powerful people and see how all things turn out..
If you like a story with a fast forward button and an intelligent fun story this one is definitely a good choice
****
https://sharonbeyondthebooks.wordpress.com/2020/09/05/richard-dee-the-hitman-and-the-thief/
‘The Hitman And The Thief’ by Richard Dee is a fast-paced sci-fi thriller.
Dan Jones is a hitman or “problem solver” for Fliss, his boss on the planet Gallix. He has a target for his next job, Kalindra, Fliss’s rival. The only problem is it all messes up with a chance encounter with Lydia, a small-time thief. They get away but Fliss decides that the job still needs doing and it will be done with Dan and Lydia as a duo. I was thrown headlong into the action from page one and it doesn’t slow down. A really thrilling read from the start!
Dan, as we know, is a hitman for Fliss and is in a relationship with Hesta, Fliss’s go-to girl. As the story evolves we see Dan is a man who is a likeable character and his loyalty is unswerving. His back story gives us a good idea of why he as ended up in the job he is. The inclusion of his back story really creates a fuller picture of him and brought him to life in my mind. I found I was rooting for him all the time. Hoping this pair could pull it off and have no repercussions. I even enjoyed Lydia’s character, she may be a thief but she gains Dan’s trust and isn’t scared to speak her mind either.
This sci-fi thriller was a proper page-turner, I really was finding any time to pick it back up and carry on with Dan and Lydia on their mission. A story of action and twists that kept on coming made for a really enjoyable read for me.
https://thebeewrites.com/2020/09/06/book-review-the-hitman-and-the-thief/
In one sentence: An exciting journey through a crazy world but not quite my thing.
My Review: You probably should not take on a book review just when you start chemotherapy. It’s a long journey to health, and the chemicals bugger more with your mind than you anticipate. Well, at least I didn’t expect mind fog on a big scale.
On the other hand, it is such a wonderful thing to escape your exhausting reality into a faraway world where two strong females fight for supremacy over their planets. Struck between are Dan the hitman & Lydia the thief. Not by choice, of course, which gives their interactions so often enticing tensions while figuring out how to finish their job.
These tensions kept me reading even though I could not entirely sympathise with either character. They are well-drawn but aren’t the sort of character’s I love to follow. Too business-like and sleek, I guess. They kept my interest well enough because I really wanted to know if they’ll be a couple or if Dan stays with Hesta Fliss’s right-hand woman. Sorry, for this romantic streak.
Richard Dee is brilliant in his world-building and bringing in a technical reality that makes you feel like you are right there. You can smell the fumes and feel the cold wind blow over an industrial planet lead like a dictatorship. However, I enjoy reading about the psychological development of characters.
Where do they come from? Why do they act the way they do? And while “The Hitman and the Thief” tells enough about the character’s pasts I couldn’t quite feel their realities. I feel though that is simply a question of preference.
The fast-paste twists and turns in this story are exciting and make you want to read all night long. The characters carry the story wonderfully, and I really didn’t expect the end. So, all in all, it was a good reading experience but just not quite my thing.
If you like to read sci-fi brimming with action and worlds that make you want to go and explore then this book is for you. Richard Dee has written many books, and I am going to explore more of his work once I feel better.
http://scintilla.info/2020/09/07/the-hitman-and-the-thief-richard-dee/
Dan Jones is, to be blunt, a hitman. A fixer of problems. Often a remover of problems. Gang boss Fliss Bauer relies on him to take care of problem people for her. He does so with ruthless efficiency.
Rival boss Kalindra Dallin is seeking to move in on Fliss’ territory. Or more accurately, her planet. Fliss and Kalindra control different planets, but Kalindra is looking to go beyond her polluted industrial homeworld and find somewhere nicer to control. Fliss absolutely does not want Kalindra to take over her planet. Kalindra has already made her way onto Fliss’ homeworld, preparing to make her move. So Fliss calls Dan Jones.
Dan goes to kill Kalindra, but a number of things go sideways, beginning with a thief in the wrong place at the wrong time. Thinking quickly, the thief helps Dan escape from Kalindra’s forces and Kalindra flees the planet and returns home. Dan’s failure and the thief’s accidental interference enrage Fliss, who gives them one chance to make things right: team up, go to Kalindra’s planet, and kill her there.
The Hitman and the Thief is a thriller cloaked in a sci fi robe. The two travel across the galaxy to fulfill their mission, facing multiple threats and surprises from expected and unexpected sources. The mission has a slim to none chance of succeeding, and even a worse chance of them escaping with their lives. Author Richard Dee has given us a fun romp across a series of worlds and environments that require him to effectively build multiple planetary and shipboard cultures. It is creative and involved. Dee is a very solid world builder and the two move into the differing environments facing new and different challenges in each one.
Dan Jones is an effective protagonist. His character evolves through the book. It is easy to become very sympathetic toward him, which I’ll admit is not always my first inclination toward a hitman. Still, by the end of the book, I felt a degree of fondness for him that was definitely not there at the beginning.
Although this would probably get shelved among the science fiction books in your local store, it really is a thriller set in an interplanetary environment. For those like me who enjoy both of those genres, this book is an enjoyable way to spend a day or two.
https://maitaylor567291325.wordpress.com/2020/09/05/the-hitman-the-thief-richard-dee/
The Hitman and the Thief is a gripping read that is part sci-fi and part espionage thriller. The story is told in an almost emotionless fashion which, whilst not entirely to my personal taste, felt consistent with Dan having been a soldier and an assassin, and tied in with the analytical way in which he approached his missions.
Richard Dee treads a very fine line between fascinating world building and mind-boggling info dump, but fortunately more often than not comes down just on the side of the world building that I love so much in fantasy and sci-fi. I loved the idea of being able to travel to different planets almost as easily as we travel to foreign countries now, and I would be interested to explore some of these planets further in future books.
A great set of reviews, for which I’m very grateful. Now all I need to do is get them noticed.
Here are two new bookfunnel promotions, the first is for for new releases. Including The Hitman.
While the second is for unusual fiction, including my Dual-time thriller Life and Other Dreams.
Check them out, there are lots of great stories available.
All my publications can be found on my Amazon page, at
I’d love to get your comments, please leave them below. While you’re here, why not take a look around? There are some freebies and lots more content, about me, my writing and everything else that I do. You can join my newsletter for a free novella and more news by clicking this link.
I’d love to get your comments, please leave them below. While you’re here, why not take a look around? There are some freebies and lots more content, about me, my writing and everything else that I do. You can join my newsletter for a free novella and more news by clicking this link.
Chris L Adams
This is fascinating information, Richard. You touch on a subject every Indie Author struggles with … How to get your books in front of people, capture their attention within the few seconds available to you before before they get bored and move on, and do so strongly enough to possess them to click Add to Cart. Bravo on those rave reviews. H/T sounds like a good read, man.
All the best,
Chris.
Richard Dee
Thanks, Chris, if I can shed a little light on my experience, it might help others. I’m very pleased with the reviews, I think it’s a good story. Some reviewers asked for a sequel, I’m considering it.