THE RELUCTANT ASSASSIN by JM HAMPSHIRE

Promotional review by Stef on behalf of Coven Press. 

‘My wife is now a bit worried… She thinks I’m a closet murderer! I can only assure you that I am not,’ JM Hampshire writes to Coven Press one afternoon. This isn’t the first time he’s said this. In fact, over countless emails and Zoom calls, he’s reiterated this sentiment over and over and over again. It’s almost as though he’s trying really hard to convince us that he’s definitely not a murderer… but isn’t that something a murderer would say?

At this point, you’re probably wondering why an endearingly cheery man – hailing from England, settled in Australia – is trying to convince us that he is definitely not a murderer? Well, JM Hampshire is the latest initiate into the Coven Press Collective and is the author of soon-to-be-published cosy crime, The Reluctant Assassin.

Set in London and across the picturesque backdrop of the English countryside, this humorous, cosy crime thriller showcases the lengths individuals will go to avoid facing their uncomfortable pasts and the painful truths hidden deep within their souls. The Reluctant Assassin follows Tony Langford, a family-man-turned-assassin as he successfully, diligently and creatively fulfills ‘assignments’ given to him by his faceless and mysterious employers. But when the past infiltrates his present, an ex-cop hot on his heels and a crazed assassin-for-hire makes him her next target, Tony must decide whether to continue his line of work, or face the consequences of leaving – especially when his next target just happens to be the man who killed his family.

Each character in The Reluctant Assassin feels real. They are grounded in honesty, in an integrity not just to themselves, but to the story, and no matter how heinous or chaotic or outlandish they or the story becomes, they still feel honest. Tony, our main character, is a squeamish assassin who doesn’t do guns or blood. Meanwhile, Pedro the Kilt, the homeless Scotsman with a ‘penchant for violence and alcohol’ is a breath of fresh air, unlike any character I’ve ever read before: vulgar, disgusting, repugnant and grotesque. I couldn’t get enough! He is the perfect counterpart to Tony’s clean-cut, straight guy. And who could forget Snap, the ex-cop PI who forges a formidable alliance with Tony akin to a buddy-cop comedy.

‘There really isn’t anything that shocks people any more, so I felt that the theme had to be either murder or sex as I’m told that is what sells,’ JM Hampshire explains. ‘One sole character had to be utterly outrageous with nothing off limits.’ And his biggest concern now is how to make the said utterly outrageous character – Pedro, for those wondering – worse for the next book!

Is this book for everyone? If I’m being totally candid, absolutely not. There will be a lot of people who will immediately DNF because of the detail, the gore, the taboo language and scenes, and to be fair, that’s to be expected.

But, if you love low stakes (as low as one can go when you’re talking about murder and assassination), fun, silly and creative stories about ‘average’ men doing ‘average’ things then this might be the perfect book for you. Laugh out loud funny, it has the right sprinkling of gore, horror and good, old-fashioned British humour.

The Reluctant Assassin will be available at major retailers and online bookstores in paperback and eBook formats in October 2026. Media, book clubs, schools and reviewers interested in interviews, author talks, or advanced reader copies are encouraged to reach out to JM Hampshire via jm@jmhampshire.com.

JM Hampshire is an English-born fiction author with a fascination for unfortunate incidents, bad timing and awkward situations (either his own or, preferably, other people’s). Educated in England, grown in Asia, and matured in Australia, JM Hampshire’s head is full of ‘what if ...’ scenarios, developed largely as a foil for his own tangled situations and sometimes unfortunate luck. His understated British sense of humour, colourful life experiences and sharp eye for character observation create warm, engaging stories that are funny, real and relatable.

Having lived and worked on four continents, JM Hampshire has a rich source of ideas and inspiration harvested from his experiences as an engineer, business owner, graphic designer, photographer, salesman, family man, expat and traveller.

JM Hampshire is now very happily settled in Australia, with his family and dogs. He has been quietly writing fiction for over twenty years and only decided to write seriously when his wife found out, and happened upon some of his work.