The Hitwoman’s Guide to Reducing Household Debt by Mark Mupotsa-Russell
“Lying has been a key part of my life for over a decade. Even before then, it was a hobby. I’m good at it. But it’s not compulsive. I judge each situation as it comes, deciding how much truth, if any, is called for. Right now, I’m exhausted, slow-witted, and the whisky is kicking in. All of which might explain why the thought suddenly comes to me: Should I tell Jai everything?”
The Hitwoman’s Guide to Reducing Household Debt (2024) wasn’t really on my radar as a new release this year, but after meeting Mark Mupotsa-Russell at the Tamar Valley Writer’s Festival and hearing him talk about his debut novel, I was sold!
With an intriguing premise, Mupotsa-Russell takes the classic ‘hitman turned regular civilian’ narrative and turns it on its head. The Hitwoman’s Guide to Household Debt follows Olivia, an ex-military personnel who decides to use her specific skill set for more lucrative means: killing for large sums of money. She’s travelled the world as a hitwoman, taking out whomever her Spanish crime boss, Dante, contracts her to.
Until she meets Jai in a bar.
“I met my husband on the same day I committed my very last murder. There’s a joke in there somewhere, about ending two men’s lives.”
Abandoning her criminal lifestyle, Olivia and Jai take off on their own adventure, settling in Australia (Olivia’s home country) and starting their family. But for Olivia, the past doesn’t die as easily as her victims, and she’s plagued by guilt and the persistent threat of karmic revenge.
Then an old hitman colleague (and past lover) of Olivia’s turns up, begging to know how she’s made a ‘normal’ life for herself. This seems to be a catalyst the ‘Universe’ has been waiting for, and when the unthinkable finally happens, Olivia’s entire world is turned upside down.
“This was retribution. Karma, for all those lives I’d ended before their time. Payback, for the mothers who’d wept over children I’d stole.”
Oliva is correct in her reflections on karmic retribution, as one seemingly mindless event can lead to a spiral of ‘what ifs.’ Olivia is faced with what she’ll do next: keep playing the ‘good’ wife and mother or turn to a barely buried skillset to reap some form of justice,
I won’t give too much away on the overall plot (because that is the fun and thrill of these reads), but it is safe to say that Mupotsa-Russell kept me on my reader toes throughout. Just when I thought I knew what was next or where the narrative was going, he throws in another little subtle twist of the knife, renewing my enthusiasm for Oliva’s plight. There is a lot of action packed into these pages, enough to please many die-hard fans of the genre. But for those like me who only dip our toes in occasionally, there are also many philosophical ideas to ponder, adding to the action thrill.
“What I could never admit to him – what Jai can’t admit to himself – is that when you grow up with religion, it never disappears. It goes dormant in good times but flares up when you’re sick or weakened. Like a cold sore. I grew up catholic, and while I don’t technically believe in any religion, all of them weigh on me. All the time.”
I loved the dynamic between Oliva and Jai, the reflections on a multi-cultural marriage trying to get by in white Australia, the ebbs and flows of a long-term marriage merged with parenthood, and the depth of secrecy that can permeate any relationship (though hopefully not of the ‘I-used-kill-people-for-a-living’ kind in real life). Another pleasing aspect of the book is how he flips the script on gender norms in Olivia and Jai’s relationship.
Olivia’s past sees her playing a much more ‘masculine’ role in their family dynamic, with Jai gentle-parenting his way through not only their daughters’ emotions but those of his wife, too. The outcome is refreshing to read, and while we’ve certainly had our fair share of female antiheroes in various media forms, Olivia feels like an authentic character who stands firmly on her own two feet. That is to say, I didn’t automatically find myself reaching for comparisons with other books or movies.
“Could I go home? Creep back through the door as my family is waking up? Climb into their sleep-warmed beds and hug them. Apologise. Apologise. Apologise. Beg forgiveness. Convince them. Then lock away the experience and move on.”
After months of academic reading, The Hitwoman’s Guide to Reducing Household Debt was the perfect palate cleanser for me. I’m not surprised it’s already picking up a solid fan base of engaged readers. This is a fantastic read and a no-brainer pick if you’re after the perfect summer read for the holidays.
Read Elaine’s interview with Mark here!
Elaine Chennatt is a writer, educator and psychology student currently residing in nipaluna. She has a special interest in bibliotherapy (how we use literature to make sense of our lives) and is endlessly curious about the creative philosophies of others. She lives with her husband and two bossy dachshunds on the not-so-sunny side of the river (IYKYK). Find her online at wordswithelaine.com.
