Dark Men: A Silver Bear Thriller (Silver Bear Thrillers) [Hardcover]

Derek Haas (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 15, 2011 | Series: Silver Bear Thrillers

The latest thriller featuring the sleek and sinister Silver Bear—from leading Hollywood scriptwriter Derek Haas.

Columbus has retired. or so he thinks. He and his lover, Risina, a mysterious rare-book dealer, have fled to a tiny Italian coastal village where no one knows their names. And yet Columbus has trouble letting go.

His paranoia is justified when, one day, he notices a suspicious man following him, and within days he’s back in Chicago trying to figure out why his old fence has been kidnapped and maybe even killed. The ransom note left behind demands Columbus by name.

The Silver Bear must now sever this last link with his dark past if he and Risina are to ever have hope at a new life. yet Risina seems to show a remarkable knack for the kill herself . . . and perhaps there won’t be a chance for turning back.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"At the start of Haas's solid third Silver Bear thriller, the assassin known as Columbus has retired.  Then Columbus learns that his former fence, Archibald Grant, has been kidnapped, and that a ransom note demands Columbus's return.  Poetic prose helps propel a plot... keeps readers guessing throughout." - Publisher's Weekly

"Haas brings his cold, canny professional hit man back in this cold, canny thriller. Intricate and fascinating. Heartless Columbus offers cold comfort on dark nights." - Kirkus Reviews

"When push comes to shove, the bullets don't just fly. They find their targets." - New Jersey Star Ledger

"The assassin who calls himself Columbus and plies his trade in a devastatingly cool series is back. It's a pleasure to watch him go up against an adversary with a modus operandi even more diabolical than his own." - The New York Times

About the Author

Derek Haas is the author of the the bestselling novel The Silver Bear and its sequels Columbus and Dark Men. Derek also co-wrote the screenplays for 3:10 to Yuma, starring Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, and Wanted, starring James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, and Angelina Jolie. His forth-coming film The Double, starring Richard Gere and Martin Sheen, will be out in 2011. Derek lives in Los Angeles.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Pegasus; 1 edition (December 15, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1605982717
• ISBN-13: 978-1605982717
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #105,181 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Derek Haas is the author of the bestselling novel THE SILVER BEAR and its follow-up COLUMBUS. The third book in his Silver Bear series, DARK MEN, is out now. Derek also co-wrote the screenplays for 3:10 TO YUMA, starring Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, and WANTED, starring James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, and Angelina Jolie. He co-wrote and produced THE DOUBLE, starring Richard Gere, Topher Grace and Martin Sheen. He is the creator of the website popcornfiction.com, which promotes genre short fiction. His short story, "Shake," was bought by Bruckheimer Films. Derek lives in Los Angeles. Interact with Derek and other fans at http://derekhaas.com, follow him on twitter at popcornhaas, or facebook friend him.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great read for all mystery/thriller fans., December 14, 2011

By 

M. Lignor (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dark Men: A Silver Bear Thriller (Silver Bear Thrillers) (Hardcover)

This thriller really makes you change your mind about your usual "hit man." At the beginning of the book the main character, a hit man known as "Columbus" has retired from his job and, along with his lady friend, Rosina, has come to a very peaceful setting in an Italian village on the sea. They are reasonably happy but Columbus is missing his former profession and has a lot of trouble just enjoying life without ducking bullets and living normally.



One day, while shopping in the village, Columbus notices a man following him and when he faces the man, finds out that his former fence, Archibald Grant (the person that finds work for assassins) has been kidnapped and a ransom note was left stating: Bring Columbus home, or you'll get Grant back in a way you won't like. Columbus and Rosina travel back to Chicago to find Archie and see who wants him back in the city and why. He finds that it is very difficult to escape his past and meets up with a few really odd folks who are connected with Archie's kidnapping. These people are hit men and women too and have some extremely different styles of living. Columbus has to deal with these people while trying to find Archie and starts eliminating people until eventually coming face to face with the culprit. There is a lot of action and when the reader finds out the identity of the Dark Men it's a bit of a surprise.



This book is very fast-paced and you have to pay attention not to lose the many clues left for Columbus. The author, Derek Haas, has also written The Silver Bear and Columbus featuring this main character and also writes screenplays such as 3:10 to Yuma and Wanted. Also, adding to Mr. Haas' writing credits is a film entitled The Double, that is available as one of the best of 2011 starring, among others, Richard Gere and Martin Sheen. Mr. Haas is a master in keeping everyone guessing as to who is doing what to who. A great story for all mystery/thriller fans.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another great thriller, January 11, 2012

By 

WBM - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dark Men: A Silver Bear Thriller (Silver Bear Thrillers) (Hardcover)

This book is a real page-turner as you enter the world of contract killers, fences and the dark men behind the scenes pulling the strings. The hunter becomes the hunted as Columbus searches for a fellow hit man who's trying to take him out. I've read all three books in the Silver Bear series and highly recommend this latest one.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Real Treat!, January 10, 2012

By 

Elias Madias - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dark Men: A Silver Bear Thriller (Silver Bear Thrillers) (Hardcover)

Columbus is back. Once again Haas takes us on a compelling journey where the adrenaline flows so fast, you can feel your fingers tremble as you turn every page. Like the other books in this series, we're plunged deep into a mystery in a world consisting of hitmen and their fences, but what differentiates this book from the others in the series (and from others in this genre) is the presence of Columbus' lover, Risina. Columbus for the first time is accountable to someone other than himself, and thusly along with the traditional whodunit elements comes a struggle to adapt; and his efforts to be a man in a relationship in his line of work are front and center . We see both him and Risina wrestle with their lives as individuals and as a couple; and whether they must become different people in order to stay together. A classic dilemma in extraordinary circumstances. It's this struggle that drives the story as much as the plot. Watching Columbus wrestle with his newfound maturity, and whether to let it flourish or to push it back below the surface is just as gripping as the mystery of who's going to end up at the wrong end of a gun. With "Dark Men", Haas has his readers grow with his character, even if Columbus kicks and screams a bit along the way.