Picture a British storyteller who turned the thriller genre into a heart-pounding playground—meet Tom Wood! With his electrifying Victor the Assassin series, Wood has hooked readers worldwide, blending razor-sharp plots with a chilling antihero you can’t help but root for. From his roots in Burton Upon Trent to his bustling life in London, Wood’s journey to literary stardom is as gripping as his novels.
Born in 1978, Tom Wood, sometimes writing under his real name Tom Hinshelwood, didn’t always dream of crafting thrillers. But his knack for storytelling, sparked in childhood, set the stage for a career that’s now synonymous with high-stakes action and cunning characters. Let’s dive into the world of this thriller maestro!
The Making of Tom Wood
Growing up in Burton Upon Trent, Staffordshire, Tom Wood was a creative soul who loved weaving tales, even if school wasn’t his forte. Creative writing was his haven, though he never imagined it as a career until his twenties. Before becoming a full-time author, Wood juggled jobs like freelance video editing and filmmaking, honing a cinematic eye that later shaped his fast-paced novels. His passion for physical sports, including boxing and Krav Maga, also fueled the gritty realism of his action scenes.
Wood’s leap into writing came with a bold idea: create a villain who steals the show. Inspired by his love for complex antiheroes over traditional heroes, he crafted Victor, a ruthless assassin with a magnetic edge. His debut, The Hunter (aka The Killer), hit shelves in 2010, launching a series that would redefine thriller storytelling.
Tom Wood’s Unforgettable Stories
At the heart of Wood’s work is the Victor the Assassin series, now spanning twelve novels and two novellas. Victor, a freelance killer with no past, no surname, and a questionable moral compass, is the ultimate antihero. Wood’s debut, The Hunter, follows Victor on a Paris job gone wrong, thrusting him into a cat-and-mouse chase across Europe. Critics praised its cinematic intensity, and fans were hooked.
Other standouts include The Game (2013), where Victor navigates a web of mercenaries in Algiers, and The Darkest Day (2015), introducing Raven, a shadowy female assassin who matches Victor’s deadly finesse. Wood’s standalone thrillers, like A Knock at the Door (2020, as T.W. Ellis) and The Rule of Three (as Sam Ripley), showcase his versatility, diving into psychological suspense. His style—lean, action-packed, and layered with psychological depth—makes every page a thrill ride.
Wood’s novels are deliberately cinematic, avoiding fluff to keep readers on edge. His love for villains shines through in Victor’s calculating charisma, drawing comparisons to Jason Bourne and Mark Greaney’s Gray Man, but with a darker, unapologetic edge. Fans adore how Wood balances brutal action with nuanced character arcs, making Victor both terrifying and captivating.
Why Tom Wood Matters
Tom Wood has carved a niche in the thriller genre by championing the antihero. His Victor the Assassin series has garnered a global fanbase, with translations in languages like German and Polish. The upcoming TV adaptation, The Assassin, starring Matthew Fox, signals Wood’s growing influence, bringing Victor’s world to new audiences. Wood’s ability to craft morally complex characters challenges readers to rethink good and evil, cementing his place among thriller giants like Lee Child and Vince Flynn.
Beyond entertainment, Wood’s work resonates because it dares to explore the psyche of a killer without softening his edges. His storytelling, rooted in meticulous research and a passion for action, inspires aspiring writers to embrace bold, unconventional protagonists. As Wood continues to release new Victor adventures, like Firefight (2024), his legacy as a master of suspense only grows.
- Born: 1978, Burton Upon Trent, England
- Key Works: The Hunter, The Game, The Darkest Day, A Knock at the Door
- Fun Fact: Wood practices Krav Maga, bringing authentic fight scenes to his books.
Ready for a pulse-pounding read? Grab The Hunter and dive into Tom Wood’s thrilling world of assassins and intrigue!