RARA-AVIS: Hit man review
HollPhoto (HollPhoto@aol.com)
Sat, 21 Mar 1998 09:41:33 EST
I have A Rage in Harlem on on order, meanwhile a quick
impression of Hit man
by Lawrence Block.
Hit man is a series of interconnected short stories featuring
Keller, a
contract killer. The first tale concerns Kellers fantasy of
what it would be
like to leave New York and settle down in the small town where
he has come to
dispatch his victim. He invents a Norman Rockwell scenario for
the people
and the places that he sees. Without giving away too much, I
will say that it
was a nice atmospheric tale that lays the groundwork for what
is to come in
later stories.
Most of the other stories are problem stories. Keller has to
kill someone
and has to overcome obstacles to reach his goal. These obstacle
generally
concern whom to kill and how to pull off the job. These are
cleverly told
tales, but if they were only problem stories they would become
the literary
equivalent of a crossword puzzle. Instead Block slowly
introduces a wonderful
supporting cast and lets each story build upon previous ones.
We begin to
understand Kellers motives and feeling perhaps more than he
understands them
himself. Dogs,lovers, psychiatrists, the old west, patriotism,
hobbies,
retirement all take on a special meaning when applied to
him.
A definite recommended read
David Hollander
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