He Only Died Twice

This is the second of three books describing the progress of Nshila Ileloka from her birth in a remote African village to success, status and power in England. An accidental event causes the child Nshila to be befriended by the tribal witchdoctor and from him she gains occult skills. At secondary school she achieves minor successes and is then recalled by her tribe to deal with an outbreak of cattle-theft. The thief is identified and meets a curious death. She wins a scholarship to The London School of Economics, gaining a 1st Class Degree. She also achieves an MBA from The Open University. During this time she studies traditional European witchcraft and learns how to mix technology with the magic of both Africa and Europe. She is able to make things happen in a manner that is not detectable. Rumours about her skill provoke enquiries from wronged persons who seek retribution against the wrong-doer. She is gradually drawn into the role of consultant assassin and removes various evil-doers. She is never quite sure whether witchcraft or science makes the greater contribution to her success. She is extremely selective, targeting only the most villainous people. After gaining her MBA, she purchases a business that deals with weather forecasting and changes the name to The Rain Consultancy. This business is entirely legitimate and acts as a cover for less regular activity. ACCIDENTAL ASSASSIN covers her time with the witchdoctor, her adventures at school, and her time at LSE. Patrick Quinn and Mary Zonde are brought together by a love potion. The cattle-thief is eliminated. A bent policeman dies an explosive death in Trafalgar Square. A fraudster and asset-stripper falls to his death from a ruined castle in Kent. HE ONLY DIED TWICE describes a request reaching Nshila for the removal of an 'above suspicion' Member of Parliament. He is known to a branch of the security services to be a slaver - persuading young female athletes to attend his training camp in Spain and then selling them to rich customers in the Middle East. The task is complicated by an assignment from another customer to remove an equally evil villain. Events show that this is actually the same man under a different identity. To satisfy the two clients, two bodies must be produced. The story includes an under-cover trip back to her birthplace to recover magical charms and the problems of a disgraced government department in finding the money due for the death. In THE EAGER APPRENTICE the target is a foreign prince who is regarded as a reliable friend and ally by all the British establishment. Only one lowly person, who will never be believed, knows that he is a terrorist master-mind. Discrete removal is the only option and Nshila is the operator contacted. She has accepted as apprentice a keen but erratic young man who makes premature and disastrous attempts to eliminate the target. His activities draw into the plot a young lady of great talent who has recently been ordained into the Church of England and is unscrupulous in her determination to become a Bishop. Nshila finally organises her team well enough to achieve success and obtain a rather extraordinary reward.