Hit Man (Keller)

by Lawrence Block

Book Overview

Keller is a killer. Professional, cool, confident, competent, reliable. The consummate pro. The hit man's hit man. But he is a complex person: understandably guarded and reclusive, icy and ruthlessly... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 038072541X
• Release Date: February 2002
• Publisher: HarperTorch
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.41 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.8" x 0.9" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

Hit Man is a One-Hundred Percent Hit

Some years ago, Lawrence Block wrote a number of pieces for Playboy Magazine, featuring John Keller. Keller lives quietly in an apartment in New York City. He reads the Times, watches TV, eats in restaurants, and does the things that New Yorkers do. But occasionally, he gets a summons to White Plains, where he drinks lemonade with Dot, a witty, fast-talking woman, and receives an assignment. He then packs a bag, flies to a city across the country, and kills someone. Returning, considerably richer, he resumes his New York life until Dot calls again. Now, Lawrence Block has worked the Playboy pieces into an entertaining, yet thoughtful, story of a man whose profession is killing people. The murders are a tiny part of the story. Far more interesting is Keller's unassuming life and his interactions with a pet dog, a girlfriend, and especially with Dot. Much of the book is downright funny, as it smashes the stereotype of a professional killer. Block has put together a story that is not your run-of-the-mill crime tale. It is original, thoroughly enjoyable, and entertaining.

Easy to Love, Hard to Take

My sister told me to read this book after we talked about a particularly messy divorce in our family. Her premise: with some people, it's cleaner, simpler and even fairer to hire somebody to kill them. So, maybe the reason I liked this book so much is that I operated from that premise: some people deserve to die, and that utilitarianism overwhelms the obvious moral objection. And then you come to like and even pity the terrible man who kills for money. Quite an accomplishment for Lawrence Block. Keller is an introvert who, like many introverts, thinks about the things he sees and the people he meets in strictly his own way. These quirky insights are what engage the reader. And when you find yourself liking a murderer and, maybe even worse, liking his sarcastic boss, something of a literary coup has happened right under your nose. Quick tip: if you like audiobooks, this one, read by Robert Forster, comes across much better than the sequel, read by the author. Lawrence, leave audio to the pros!

A wonderful, ironic (audio) book. I loved it!

When I picked up this audio book, I was prepared for a Mario Puzo-like Mafia book. But I was mistaken. To the author's credit, by the end of the first cassette, I was glad it wasn't a "godfather book." Block creates a "hero" who is a hit man by profession. We get to like him, root for him, and feel a fine satisfaction when he finally finds himself. The matter-of-fact delivery of Robert Forster is right on target. I loved the way he said Keller's name. I loved the characters in this book. And I loved that dog!

Some Unfortunate Reviewer Comments Below

I know most of these reviews are off-the-top-of-head remarks, but a few of these people are revealing more about their inability to read than anything else. I finished this book today and was amazed at how Block provided a great mix of entertainment and food for thought. It is more subtle than any other book by Block that I have read, and I guess some of these reviewers are zooming through it too fast to pick up on such finesse. Or maybe they don't care. There is one great passage when Keller, the hit man, goes to a zoo and starts feeling sad but doesn't know why: "It's not that it bothered him to see animals caged. From what he understood, they lived longer and stayed healthier. They didn't have to spend half their time trying to get enough food and the ohter half trying to keep from being food for somebody else. It was tempting to look at them and conclude that they were bored, but he didn't believe it. They didn't look bored to him." Keller goes away "unaccountably sad." I stopped reading and thought about this. What a great way for Block to suggest a number of things about this character: that he sees and grapples with the predatory nature of his world, that he fights boredom, that at some level he seems to desire and fear a contentedness comparable to the animals. The book has clever plotting, sharp dialogue, occasional humor, a rich interconnectedness among the stories, but the insights into the life of the main character deepen the book greatly. It is natural to read a popular, bestselling author rather mindlessly, but this book offers both entertainment and a personality to ponder. It is a book to savor.

Lawrence Block is a genius-read this book and see why

Keller is a paid assassin, a professional killer, who defies the classic stereotype. Instead, his lifestyle is that of the traveling businessman who is just another Manhattan single male when he is home. He does the Times crossword every morning while sipping his coffee. He has tried therapy and purchased a dog to help him with his growing loneliness. However, the therapy made him even more introspective and the dog left him for his former girl friend. He never cooks (even with a microwave) as he lives on take out or dining out. His lonely existence is only broken by his high paying jobs at various locations around the country. When he is not on the job, he reflects on his life and wonders about his victims' families. HIT MAN is a short story collection about one of the best characters to arrive on the urban crime noir scene in years. Instead of being a hero, Keller is an anti-hero. The stories are all trademark Lawrence Block: gritty, exciting, and entertaining. However, what makes this terrific book so appealing is that Keller could be the guy next door taking out your sister on a date. To make matters even more interesting, Keller, despite his profession, is a likeable character. Let's hope for more Keller works in the near future. He is fascinating! Harriet Klausner