This sequel to Hit Man, featuring hitman Keller, confirmed my
misgivings about the character and the concept. This is not a
novel but a series of stories chronologically stitched
together. Keller's assignments to kill follow each other
monotonously, as do his conversations with Dot, his motherly
boss, who arranges everything and advises him on life
matters.
The gimmick here is that someone is after Keller: yes, a hit
man wants to put the competition out of business. The
narration gathers some momentum as a trap is laid for the
mysterious killer of killers. However, the modest amount of
suspense and the final resolution cannot make up for the
stale, cutesy dialogue, the dull protagonist and the
shallowness of the scenario.
As always with Block, descriptions of New York are accurate
and evocative, but that isn't enough to save this book.
MrT
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