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Hit Man (Keller #1)
by
Lawrence Block (Goodreads Author)
Keller is your basic urban Lonely Guy.He makes a decent wage, lives in a nice apartment.Works the crossword puzzle. Watches a little TV. Until the phone rings and he packs a suitcase, gets on a plane, flies halfway across the country...and kills somebody. It's a living. But is it a life? Keller's not sure. He goes to a shrink, but it doesn't work out the way he planned. He...more
Paperback
Published
February 5th 2002
by HarperTorch
(first published 1998)
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Completely embarrassed to say that I've read this one before, somehow, in some form. One would think I'd remember a book called Hit Man. Alas, I'm getting old. So what did I do when I discovered my little error? Keep on reading, of course, because I could only vaguely remember details and it is a fast read. What I have to say about memory is that it's very odd to read one long deja vu, and somewhat disconcerting to realize my memory had inserted another chapter. Perhaps I was channelling Block....more
I'll say up front, I fully expected that if I got into this book I'd at best be mildly interested. It is after all a story of a "Hit Man". Personally I don't condone murder either as profession or pass time, so in rating this book a 4 I'm saying this is an interesting book.
It's odd to find yourself at least mildly sympathetic to a killer. When I first "met" Keller he put me in mind of a homicidal Walter Mitty. When he goes somewhere to "fulfill a contract he tends to start day dreaming about hav...more
It's odd to find yourself at least mildly sympathetic to a killer. When I first "met" Keller he put me in mind of a homicidal Walter Mitty. When he goes somewhere to "fulfill a contract he tends to start day dreaming about hav...more
5 likes · like · see review
view all 10 comments
Jan 29, 2010
Kemper
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
crime-mystery,
bad-guys-rule
Keller's a pretty normal guy. He does crosswords, loves dogs, collects stamps and buys earrings for his girlfriend every time he travels. And he travels a lot since his job is killing people.
Block did a great job with this string of short stories about Keller that build a character study about a professional hit man who often finds himself dealing with odd circumstances despite his desire to just do the job and get out of town. Keller isn't a psycho, but he isn't exactly wracked with guilt eithe...more
Block did a great job with this string of short stories about Keller that build a character study about a professional hit man who often finds himself dealing with odd circumstances despite his desire to just do the job and get out of town. Keller isn't a psycho, but he isn't exactly wracked with guilt eithe...more
I'd read a bad review on this book, so it was stuck in my head that I wasn't going to like it much, and it did take me a few chapters to get into it. However, I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read the others in the series.
Keller is a hit man who's good at his job, flying into a town, watching his hit for a day or two and then finishing the job cleanly and then heads back to his leisurely life in between the jobs. He's struggling with how he feels about his mother, so he sees a therap...more
Keller is a hit man who's good at his job, flying into a town, watching his hit for a day or two and then finishing the job cleanly and then heads back to his leisurely life in between the jobs. He's struggling with how he feels about his mother, so he sees a therap...more
I stumbled across Lawrence Block when I was a young man, one of the Burglar novels. I read all of the ones I could find, and anything else I could find by him, mostly in libraries and used bookstores. (I eschewed the Matthew Scudder novels, however, as I couldn’t find the first one and didn’t want read them out of order). As a result, Block ended up having a fairly significant influence on me as a reader. Books had to be clever without being too self-indulgent, serious without being maudlin and...more
How does Lawrence Block do it? He's the author of the comic Evan Tanner series about an ultra-insomniac CIA agent. He's written the dark and suspenseful Matthew Scudder series. Then he's got the uproariously funny and New York-hip series about Bernie Rhodenbarr, the world's suavest burglar. You'd never think that these three series were penned by the same author.
Now Block does it again with the incredibly inventive Hit Man, a debut novel about a philosophical murderer for hire. You'd expect such...more
Now Block does it again with the incredibly inventive Hit Man, a debut novel about a philosophical murderer for hire. You'd expect such...more
A chilling AND warm exploration of the OTHER oldest profession. Keller is the hit-man you want to take home to Mom, the guy you want it to work out for, even if that means he's out there knocking guys off. This standard character is often made sympathetic by the rediscovery of his humanity, a rather dull tale we've all seen before. Typically, they fall for or get emotionally connected to the one target they can't bring themselves to kill. None of that here. Keller is a regular guy, an everyman,...more
Lawrence Block is a very prolific writer. Most of his stories are set in New York City and feature an array of series characters. I am most familiar with Matthew Scudder, the alcoholic private investigator and Bernie Rhodenbarr, a bookseller by day and a burglar by night. Block’s latest work features low key hitman, John Keller, who has appeared in three previous outings. In the opening of Hit and Run, the latest effort, Keller is in (you’ll like this one!) Des Moines doing one last job before r...more
In Hit Man we meet Keller, a very nicely built character who is also an assassin, and follow him on his various missions. Keller what people call the hired gun. He can't really shoot straight, but according to him, what you need to do is just get close enough. And he is very good at his job.
Prior to reading this book, I was fascinated at a book that champions an outright killer. And I've heard that a lot of readers end up falling for Keller, and I thought, wow, this must be quite a killer. In th...more
Prior to reading this book, I was fascinated at a book that champions an outright killer. And I've heard that a lot of readers end up falling for Keller, and I thought, wow, this must be quite a killer. In th...more
I had often heard the name Lawrence Block, but had never read anything of his. Then, in one of his columns for “Entertainment Weekly”—probably one of his reading list columns—Stephen King (aka “Uncle Stevie”) said to check him out. I had also read in a short-story anthology somewhere that this was a good one to pick up, so I did, and I finally slogged through enough of the TBR heap to get to it.
Thank you, Uncle Stevie.
This book is a collection of ten short stories that are linked together (wheth...more
Thank you, Uncle Stevie.
This book is a collection of ten short stories that are linked together (wheth...more
So....
This is not the sort of book I ever would have picked up. But it was cheap, I was bookless...stranger relationships have started this way, I suppose.
This is a book about a hit man, told from the hit man's point of view. That often leads to a certain level of "sympathy" for the devil, which is why writer's do it. By the time I finished this book I flat out liked the protagonist. And the people he worked for. What????
Yes. Liked them.
Of course, that is part of the beauty of fiction. You get...more
This is not the sort of book I ever would have picked up. But it was cheap, I was bookless...stranger relationships have started this way, I suppose.
This is a book about a hit man, told from the hit man's point of view. That often leads to a certain level of "sympathy" for the devil, which is why writer's do it. By the time I finished this book I flat out liked the protagonist. And the people he worked for. What????
Yes. Liked them.
Of course, that is part of the beauty of fiction. You get...more
Entertainment value: 6/20
I found the majority of this book either confusing or boring. There are long stretches of the book where nothing important happens and even about 20 pages in which the main character takes up stamp collecting.
Readability: 8/20
This book was a challenge to read. Not only was the main character, Keller, changing his name a lot because he was a hit man, but also he was in new places and meeting new people every 20 pages or so. It made it very hard to remember who was who an...more
I found the majority of this book either confusing or boring. There are long stretches of the book where nothing important happens and even about 20 pages in which the main character takes up stamp collecting.
Readability: 8/20
This book was a challenge to read. Not only was the main character, Keller, changing his name a lot because he was a hit man, but also he was in new places and meeting new people every 20 pages or so. It made it very hard to remember who was who an...more
Keller is a killer. I suppose he's good at it, in the way of a blind-mute savant; execution seems natural in him, more like a form of personal gravity than any sort of clever or rigorous sensibility. As such, Keller is a problem for the reader: how does one care about him or his victims? And if one doesn't care, then what sets this book apart from an accountant's ledger? Other than death, I mean.
Mr Block avoids the full consequence of his man's untextured perspective by maintaining the pace of...more
Mr Block avoids the full consequence of his man's untextured perspective by maintaining the pace of...more
Keller, a reflective hit man, lives an isolated life in New York City, traveling across the country a few times a year to kill people. Sometimes he kills the wrong people by mistake, and sometimes he has to kill people whom he hasn’t been contracted for. Block wrote about Keller for a few years in short story form before releasing this book, which is perforce an episodic novel. Each chapter is self-contained, although each one builds on the events of the last.
I suppose I expected something a lit...more
I suppose I expected something a lit...more
1 like · like · see review
Solid. Solid writing. Solid storytelling. Solid all around.
First things, first, if you're not familiar with the series, this isn't a typical novel format. It reads like a collection of short stories about the same central character, told in linear order. And it's a character study, really. Each story builds upon what we know about the central character, Keller, who makes his living as a hit man. But the "hits" are just background for the author to tell the story of the man who makes his living...more
First things, first, if you're not familiar with the series, this isn't a typical novel format. It reads like a collection of short stories about the same central character, told in linear order. And it's a character study, really. Each story builds upon what we know about the central character, Keller, who makes his living as a hit man. But the "hits" are just background for the author to tell the story of the man who makes his living...more
Until now, I have never read any Lawrence Block. Is that a cardinal sin for an avid reader? It should be.
My penance will just have to be more Block...
My penance will just have to be more Block...
Keller is a good man, a kind man, a stamp collector, a man who loves dogs and cares about women, and occasionally, Keller packs his bag, climbs on a plane and kills someone he never met. Nothing personal, it's just a job.
This novel reads as more of a collection of short stories telling stories of a man who isn't a psycho, but really doesn't feel much in way of guilt either. I expected this to be just a quick read: pulp fiction at it's finest. This book was surprising in it's depth and character...more
This novel reads as more of a collection of short stories telling stories of a man who isn't a psycho, but really doesn't feel much in way of guilt either. I expected this to be just a quick read: pulp fiction at it's finest. This book was surprising in it's depth and character...more
This was an unusual book for me...I kept wavering on how I felt about it. I started off liking it..I like the humor in it and he uses a lot of unusual quotes and sayings, which I like a great deal...but I felt really squeamish about the fact that he was a hit man and I almost stopped reading it at one point. It also took me quite a while to adapt to the combination of short story format. Quite possibly if I had known that was the setup I wouldn't have started the book. I tend to prefer a novel f...more
This was my first by Lawrence Block, who from this impression strikes me as a pulp writer from another era transported into this one. The book is composed of 10 short stories, but without enough connective tissue between them that it works more like an anecdotal novel. Keller, the assassin of the title, is a wonderful character-- troubled by what he does for a living, but not so troubled that he can't operate. He's the good soldier-- his boyhood dog was named as much-- and Block follows him as h...more
4.5 stars
Who would have thought that these tales of the life of a hit man would be so much fun? Certainly, my (very limited) experience with Lawrence Block didn't set my expectations in the right direction.
Keller is a hit man, but this career leaves him with a lot of time on his hands. The rather unique way he ends up with a dog, his new hobby of stamp collecting, the unexpected side effects of an impromptu rescue of a drowning boy... These stories are interwoven with reports of his job tasks, w...more
Who would have thought that these tales of the life of a hit man would be so much fun? Certainly, my (very limited) experience with Lawrence Block didn't set my expectations in the right direction.
Keller is a hit man, but this career leaves him with a lot of time on his hands. The rather unique way he ends up with a dog, his new hobby of stamp collecting, the unexpected side effects of an impromptu rescue of a drowning boy... These stories are interwoven with reports of his job tasks, w...more
1 like · like · see review
Breezy read with a compelling character. Block's approach to the titular character, Keller, does not take the expected route. He has created an interesting amoral character who seems to be on search not for his morality, but for his place in the world. His acceptance of his profession is refreshing, if simple.
My main gripe is based on personal taste. This is a collection of short stories posing as a novel. Each "chapter" has its own three-act structure, but the book as a whole has no momentum. T...more
My main gripe is based on personal taste. This is a collection of short stories posing as a novel. Each "chapter" has its own three-act structure, but the book as a whole has no momentum. T...more
Another Block series I've read in a random order. This book, the first, I've read last. I thought I'd get all the tales under my belt before the latest - and maybe the last - book in the series comes out in a couple of weeks. The stories of Keller, the philatelic assassin, are a real joy. Loosely linked, these stories could stand alone as shorts. There is a chronological flow but the stories share the beauty of all good short stories: they grip, they have a strong plot line and a twist or two.
I...more
I...more
Short stories about a hit.
I enjoyed this and would like to read more about Keller, the hit man.
I am going to say just a bit about each story and give it a rating.
1. Answers to Soldier. The target recognizes Keller and he spends quite a bit of time talking to him. It was ok, 2 stars.
2. Keller on Horseback. The target's daughter and son in law may hate each other, but they both adore the old man. So who put out the contract on him and why. I liked it, 3 stars.
3. Keller's Therapy. Keller starts see...more
I enjoyed this and would like to read more about Keller, the hit man.
I am going to say just a bit about each story and give it a rating.
1. Answers to Soldier. The target recognizes Keller and he spends quite a bit of time talking to him. It was ok, 2 stars.
2. Keller on Horseback. The target's daughter and son in law may hate each other, but they both adore the old man. So who put out the contract on him and why. I liked it, 3 stars.
3. Keller's Therapy. Keller starts see...more
This was a real treat. I heard about this book on a review show and liked the sound of it but crime fiction doesn't usually engage me this much. Lawrence Block is one of those names that's been around forever, it seems, but this is the first of his that I've read. Not the last I think.
10 episodic stories woven into a sort of novel, based around the life and jobs of Keller, the hit man of the title. Lean prose, witty dialogue and interesting, if spare, characterisation make this an easy but sati...more
10 episodic stories woven into a sort of novel, based around the life and jobs of Keller, the hit man of the title. Lean prose, witty dialogue and interesting, if spare, characterisation make this an easy but sati...more
Block's book is nearly a travel journal as the main character roams about doing his job and trying to figure out his place in life. As each trip is logged in another story starts within the book. The stories aren't broken into specific named chapters. The overall book contains probably a dozen tales of the adventures of the character. I wonder if that was the original thought. To have a series of short stories for a magazine or some such. Overall it is very good. Well written. Well defined chara...more
The measure of societal acceptance of sociopathic behavior has gained a little with Block's creation of the fictional character Keller (Loads of humor by Block. E.G. Keller...Killer...). Block creates a sympathetic character, the kind of guy you'd like to have as a neighbor, cool to have around (when he is not traveling to assassinate an unsuspecting client).
Block and Harris should co-author a novel that tag-teams Keller and Hannibal The Cannibal. The mystery genre's version of Aliens vs Predat...more
Block and Harris should co-author a novel that tag-teams Keller and Hannibal The Cannibal. The mystery genre's version of Aliens vs Predat...more
I really enjoyed the style of the book - chapters were self-contained stories, but they all tied together chronologically. It was nice not to have to slog through hundreds of pages of boring set-up to get to the good stuff, and I liked seeing the progression of his character this way. I'm a fan of Block already, but now I'm a fan of Keller too.
(view spoiler)...more
(view spoiler)...more
Hit Man is a series of vignettes offering insight into Keller, a whimsical Hit Man who is assigned to kill people for and old man via his assistant, Dot. Keller lives in NY and ruminates about various subjects. Keller is a detached professional who collects stamps. Keller is an interesting character who becomes more interesting in later installments.
Reviewed by, David Feeney, author; Terror on the high seas
Reviewed by, David Feeney, author; Terror on the high seas
Jun 29, 2010
April
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-in-2010,
borrowed-nook-bks
I really enjoyed this book. The only thing was that it was sometimes disconcerting to have it jump from one place to another so fast without so much as a *** or some other type of pause to let one know that time went by. I learned after reading it that it's a collection of stories and not really a novel, per se so that made sense and then my nook doesn't format PDF files the best so that added to it, I'm sure. All in all a good read though and I wasn't deterred by the slight loss in my berings e...more
Hit Man was a little different from the other Lawrence Block books I've read. This one was published in 1998.
Keller is a hit man. But, at this stage in his life he seems to be going through some changes. He goes into therapy, then gets a dog, and that brings him a girlfriend. He loves New York and his lifestyle for the most part, but keeps a running fantasy of moving to some quaint small town and living a quiet obscure life. But, he always goes back to New York and his career.
This book is kind...more
Keller is a hit man. But, at this stage in his life he seems to be going through some changes. He goes into therapy, then gets a dog, and that brings him a girlfriend. He loves New York and his lifestyle for the most part, but keeps a running fantasy of moving to some quaint small town and living a quiet obscure life. But, he always goes back to New York and his career.
This book is kind...more
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Received the Shamus Award, "The Eye" (Lifetime achievment award) in 2002.
From his web site:
I'm told every good author website needs a bio, so here's mine:
"Lawrence Block's novels range from the urban noir of Matthew Scudder (A Drop of the Hard Stuff) to the urbane effervescence of Bernie Rhodenbarr (The Burglar on the Prowl), while other characters include the globe-trotting insomniac Evan Tanne...more
More about Lawrence Block...
From his web site:
I'm told every good author website needs a bio, so here's mine:
"Lawrence Block's novels range from the urban noir of Matthew Scudder (A Drop of the Hard Stuff) to the urbane effervescence of Bernie Rhodenbarr (The Burglar on the Prowl), while other characters include the globe-trotting insomniac Evan Tanne...more
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