‘Sixty is the New Assassin’ by Shesh, is a razor-sharp thriller that fuses dark humour with corporate savvy. The result is a wickedly entertaining concoction that reads like ‘The CEO’s Guide to Eliminating Problems…of the Living and the Dead Kind.’
Retired corporate powerhouse Ishmael leads a tranquil life in Singapore with his vivacious wife, Nysa. His days revolve around fitness and family until he overhears rumours of his daughter-in-law Marianna’s affair with a colleague at her law firm. Ishmael is not the type to sit back and watch his son Shahed’s marriage unravel.
Armed with a mind honed by boardroom battles and ruthless negotiations, he begins to gather evidence to resolve the problem with clinical precision. Everything goes according to plan, until it doesn’t.
Will Ishmael be able to save Marianna and Shahed’s relationship, and at what cost? How does it affect his relationship with his better half?
What makes the story shine is its contrast. Ishmael is the quintessential retired CEO, the kind you’d expect to see giving TED Talks, writing leadership memoirs, or mentoring the next generation. But beneath the suave exterior lies a man who is cunning, vindictive, and chillingly resourceful. He is also a devoted husband and father, one who loves fiercely and protects ferociously. This dance between charm and cruelty makes him a remarkably nuanced protagonist. The grey in him makes him unlikeable, yet the reader can’t brush off his magnetism.
The supporting cast is equally engaging. Nysa, in particular, stands out as warm, intelligent, and ever-curious. She cooks, bakes, travels, and brings a steadying balance to Ishmael’s impulsiveness. If only he confided in her more, things might have taken a very different turn. Also, thanks to Nysa, there is no shortage of lip-smacking, mouth-watering dishes along the way.
Told entirely in first-person perspective and mostly Ishmael’s, the novel is fast-paced and steeped in sardonic wit. His musings on corporate strategy and negotiation tactics lend the book a distinctive flavour, like a business memoir laced with noir. The plot twists keep you hooked, right up to a final reveal that is as surprising as it is satisfying, and it leaves the door wide open for a sequel.
As a debut, ‘Sixty is the New Assassin’ is a knockout. It is clever, stylish, and addictive, and puts the ‘sass’ in assassin.
