Starter Villain drops us right into the life of Charlie, a teacher who’s just trying to make ends meet and dreams of owning a pub. Suddenly, he’s thrown a curveball: he inherits his uncle’s supervillain empire. Yep, that’s right, full-on supervillain. Cue the deadly rivals, secret lairs, and, naturally, talking spy cats and unionized dolphins. With some very unconventional help, Charlie has to navigate this cutthroat world of evil masterminds. Spoiler: it’s not easy, but he’s got a surprising knack for it.

This book is like James Bond meets millennial sarcasm, with a hefty side of cat appreciation. Charlie’s life goes from grading papers to learning the finer points of villainy, think less PTA meetings, more high-stakes battles with secret organizations. It’s fast-paced, smart, and hilariously absurd in all the right ways.

Personally, I found Starter Villain to be a blast. The humor is sharp, the plot is full of surprises, and if you like cats, well, you’re in for a treat. There’s a bit of a lull when the story dives deep into the corporate structure of villainy (yes, that’s a thing), but don’t worry, it picks up right after and keeps you hooked till the end.

I won’t give too much away, but if you’ve ever had a soft spot for Blofeld’s cat or found Dr. Evil’s antics weirdly entertaining, you’re going to love this one.