# Book Series: Hitman as Protangonist? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 25, 2016, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-series-hitman-as-protangonist/760882 "2016-07-25T20:12:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2016, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-series-hitman-as-protangonist/760882/1 "2016-07-25T20:12:34Z")
Any suggestions? I am thinking of series like Butcher Boy series by Thomas Perry > **[Search results for "butcher's boy thomas perry" (showing 1-5 of 5 books)](https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=butcher%27s%2Bboy%2Bthomas%2Bperry&search_type=books)** > > Search results for butcher's boy thomas perry: , , , , and Keller series by Lawrence Block > **[Search results for "keller lawrence block" (showing 1-20 of 41 books)](https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=keller%2Blawrence%2Bblock&search_type=books)** > > Search results for keller lawrence block: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and Quarry series by Max Allan Collins > **[Quarry Series by Max Allan Collins](https://www.goodreads.com/series/50490-quarry)** > > Quarry, a psychotic Vietnam vet and hired killer in Iowa. Quarry (Quarry #1), Quarry's List (Quarry #2), Quarry's Deal (Quarry #3), Quarry's Cut (Quarry... ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2016, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-series-hitman-as-protangonist/760882/2 "2016-07-25T20:28:52Z")
Andrew Vachss’ Burke series? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2016, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-series-hitman-as-protangonist/760882/3 "2016-07-25T20:33:36Z")
I’ve quite enjoyed several of the John Rain books by Barry Eisler: [John Rain Series by Barry Eisler](https://www.goodreads.com/series/40619-john-rain) ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2016, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-series-hitman-as-protangonist/760882/4 "2016-07-25T20:48:17Z")
You’re excluding James Bond as a hitman? Because he kind of was (license to kill and all that sort of thing). ETA: okay, not having read the Fleming novels, I don’t know if Bond was ever actually dispatched to go kill someone; I was just assuming that he was. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2016, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-series-hitman-as-protangonist/760882/5 "2016-07-26T16:15:37Z")
> [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > Andrew Vachss’ Burke series? Burke’s not a hitman, is he? He kills people sometimes, sure, but it’s more of a side effect. Brett Battles’s Jonathan Quinn series is good, it’s about the guy who cleans up after hitmen. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2016, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-series-hitman-as-protangonist/760882/6 "2016-07-26T16:30:11Z")
Haven’t read any of the series on the OP, but I’m a big fan of Lawrence Block, so I’d start with him. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2016, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-series-hitman-as-protangonist/760882/7 "2016-07-26T16:38:51Z")
Since I hadn’t heard of this Block series, I just ordered the first one for my Kindle. I’ll let you know what I think of it. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2016, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-series-hitman-as-protangonist/760882/8 "2016-07-26T16:43:03Z")
Similar to Quarry and Keller, I like Parker. Donald E. Westlake, writing as Richard Stark, wrote the Parker novels. I’ve read twenty of them, I’ll bet there are more. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2016, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-series-hitman-as-protangonist/760882/9 "2016-07-26T16:48:38Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Similar to Quarry and Keller, I like Parker. > > Donald E. Westlake, writing as Richard Stark, wrote the Parker novels. I’ve read twenty of them, I’ll bet there are more. But Parker isn’t a hit man either. He’s a professional criminal, and he kills without hesitation or remorse, but it’s not his job. Great series, though. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2016, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-series-hitman-as-protangonist/760882/10 "2016-07-26T17:01:46Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > But Parker isn’t a hit man either. He’s a professional criminal, and he kills without hesitation or remorse, but it’s not his job. > > Great series, though. Huh, I guess you are technically correct, but when I think of Parker I describe him as a hit-man. Indeed, from the LA Times: > [@](#): > > grim, austere Parker novels – written under the pseudonym Richard Stark – about an ultra-violent, emotionless hitman with his own rigid code of personal ethics. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2016, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-series-hitman-as-protangonist/760882/11 "2016-07-26T17:04:59Z")
It’s been a long time since I’ve read the novels, but I don’t recall that Parker was hired as a killer in any of them. He seemed to specialize in strong-arm robbery. And revenge, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2016, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-series-hitman-as-protangonist/760882/12 "2016-07-26T17:38:48Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > It’s been a long time since I’ve read the novels, but I don’t recall that Parker was hired as a killer in any of them. He seemed to specialize in strong-arm robbery. And revenge, of course. Also he didn’t kill unless necessary for his safety, and didn’t want to work with people who were too trigger happy. Not that he disliked killing, but he knew that the law would look longer and harder for a killer. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2016, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-series-hitman-as-protangonist/760882/13 "2016-07-26T17:55:26Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Haven’t read any of the series on the OP, but I’m a big fan of Lawrence Block, so I’d start with him. Keller is awesome. I came in the thread to recommend that series, only to find it in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2016, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-series-hitman-as-protangonist/760882/14 "2016-07-26T17:58:18Z")
I went ahead and ordered the first _Butcher’s Boy_ of the series too. I’ll report back. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2016, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-series-hitman-as-protangonist/760882/15 "2016-07-26T18:02:40Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I went ahead and ordered the first _Butcher’s Boy_ of the series too. I’ll report back. Please do - I’ve never read that one, and it looks good. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2016, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-series-hitman-as-protangonist/760882/16 "2016-07-26T18:03:59Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > Keller is awesome. I came in the thread to recommend that series, only to find it in the OP. **[Keller’s Fedora](https://www.amazon.com/Kellers-Fedora-Kindle-Single-Lawrence-ebook/dp/B01FUX5DWQ#navbar)** is a new Kindle Single released recently. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2016, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-series-hitman-as-protangonist/760882/17 "2016-07-26T18:08:34Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > **[Keller’s Fedora](https://www.amazon.com/Kellers-Fedora-Kindle-Single-Lawrence-ebook/dp/B01FUX5DWQ#navbar)** is a new Kindle Single released recently. Holy shit. I never knew this existed. Thanks! A nice little reward for reading this thread. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2016, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-series-hitman-as-protangonist/760882/18 "2016-07-26T19:43:40Z")
The [Peter Brown](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1351359.Josh_Bazell)books by Josh Bazell ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2016, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-series-hitman-as-protangonist/760882/19 "2016-07-26T23:26:03Z")
Repairman Jack isn’t a hit man, but he is a certified bad ass. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-series-hitman-as-protangonist/760882/20 "2016-07-27T16:01:19Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Since I hadn’t heard of this Block series, I just ordered the first one for my Kindle. I’ll let you know what I think of it. I’m half way through the first of the Keller series. It’s really off-beat, and I really like it. I brought it to work today to sneaks in some brief reading while no one was looking. Keller is transitioning to a whole different person through this book. I’m looking forward to finding out the nature and scope of the changes. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/book-series-hitman-as-protangonist/760882.md?page=2)