He gets his assignments from Dot, who periodically contacts him with the name and address of a person whom their client wants killed. Sometimes there are special requests. Keller should make the death appear to be an accident or suicide, or the target should be killed within a certain time frame. Keller is always ready to comply, and does his job quickly and efficiently.

One day, Keller is sent to Louisville to dispatch a businessman named Hirschhorn. He does his usual reconnaissance, determining the best plan to achieve his goal, returning to his room at the Super 8 to spend a leisurely evening before completing his task the next day. The people in the room above his are exceedingly noisy so Keller requests a room transfer. He is told all the rooms are booked that night but they will accommodate his request the next night. Keller agrees.

The next day he deals with Mr. Hirschhorn and returns to his room, planning to drive to Cincinnati the next day and fly home from there. The next morning he learns there has been a double murder in the motel room that he had previously occupied. Since the police seem to have no motive for these murders, Keller begins to wonder if, perhaps, he is on someone’s hit list. He has never given any thought to what it would be like to be on the receiving end of his services, but he is beginning to have some uncomfortable feelings about his position.

Lawrence Block probably has written a bad book during his career, but I’ve never read any that weren’t excellent. Hit List is certainly perfectly crafted. A tongue in cheek satiric look at the criminal justice system would be an apt description of the second appearance of Keller, one of Block’s newer characters.

Despite his loathsome occupation, one can’t help but like the amiable Keller - as long as you are not his latest assignment, Keller can be quite a perceptive companion with a number of interesting ideas on a variety of subjects.

Lawrence Block is a master of his craft. His literary style reminds me of Donald Westlake in that his heroes generally operate on the other side of the law, but his voice is definitely all his own. He attacks a number of my pet gripes with deadly accuracy. In one instance Keller is perusing an art exhibition’s brochure. He remarks that, although he knows the meanings of all the words in a given sentence, strung together the words make no sense whatsoever. How worthy a comment on many a political speech! On another occasion, Keller complains about the use of the word “proactive.” He states, and rightly so, I think, that the word active implies motion, and you are either in motion or you are not. So, what is proactive? Mr. Block makes no mistakes with his choice of words. He is precise, direct, and clear.

Because Keller has a passionate interest in stamps, the reader is treated to a Cook’s tour of the world of stamp collecting. How stamp collectors specialize, what makes particular stamps valuable, and information on the art of buying and selling stamps contribute to the education the reader receives in Hit List.

Hit List represents Keller’s second appearance , but his character is certainly on a par with Mr. Block’s other memorable heroes. Tanner and Bernie Rhodenbarr would undoubtedly approve of their creator’s addition to his circle of eccentrics. They are all such unique individuals, yet their thoughts on the world often echo our own.

--Andy Plonka