Hit Parade CD (John Keller Mysteries) [Audiobook, Unabridged] [Audio CD]

Lawrence Block (Author, Reader)

Book Description

Series: John Keller Mysteries | Publication Date: July 3, 2006

The New York Times bestselling author and master of the modern mystery returns with a fierce and poignant new novel featuring his acclaimed killer-for-hire, Keller. John Keller is everyone's favorite hit man. He's cool. Reliable. A real pro: the hit man's hit man. The inconvenient wife, the business partner, the retiree with a substantial legacy. He's taken care of them all, quietly and efficiently.

Keller's got a code of honor, though he'd never call it that. And he keeps the job strictly business. But while Keller might be a pragmatic and crack assassin, he's also prone to doubts and loneliness just like everybody else. And though he's got Dot, his wisecracking contact and sometimes confidante, these days, it doesn't seem to be enough.

Keller's been at this business a long while. Just maybe it's time to pack it in. Only problem is, retirement takes money. And to get money, he's got to go to work...

Hit Parade, the third novel featuring the fascinating Keller, displays the hallmarks that distinguish Lawrence Block's award-winning fiction: the intelligence, the clever plotting, the humor, the tricky twist and ironic turns, the darkness and emotional complexity -- and, above all else, the humanity.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Block's latest collection of darkly funny, morally ambiguous short tales featuring the philatelist–hit man John Keller and his wisecracking "manager," Dot, is being called a novel. This disingenuous designation is clarified in the published version by separate story titles, which are missing from the otherwise unabridged audio version. The loosely linked stories are flowed like a continuous novel, but one with plot line and characters shifting without much warning. It's an unnecessary distraction from Block's brilliantly twisted tales, otherwise happily enhanced by the author's droll, surprisingly effective narration. Not only has Block created one of crime fiction's more remarkable protagonists—a hired assassin who is somehow likable without the need of redemption by penance, charm or even regret—he proves to be an excellent audio interpreter of his antihero's sometimes hilarious homicidal capers. The author's voice is reedy and a bit nasal, but he knows his characters and his timing is impeccable. The best episode (identified in the print edition as "Keller the Dogkiller") is so cleverly and wickedly convoluted, with the Keller-Dot recaps so deliriously funny, that it alone is worth the price of the package, especially with Block's distinctive voice taking us through every hairpin twist and turn with an air of sublime nonchalance.
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About the Author

Lawrence Block is one of the most widely recognized names in the mystery genre. He has been named a Grand Master of the Mystery Writers of America and is a four-time winner of the prestigious Edgar and Shamus Awards, as well as a recipient of prizes in France, Germany, and Japan. He received the Diamond Dagger from the British Crime Writers' Association—only the third American to be given this award. He is a prolific author, having written more than fifty books and numerous short stories, and is a devoted New Yorker and an enthusiastic global traveler.

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Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: HarperAudio; Unabridged edition (July 3, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060897929
• ISBN-13: 978-0060897925
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 5.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,977,346 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lawrence Block (b. 1938) is the recipient of a Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America and an internationally renowned bestselling author. His prolific career spans over one hundred books, including four bestselling series as well as dozens of short stories, articles, and books on writing. He has won four Edgar and Shamus Awards, two Falcon Awards from the Maltese Falcon Society of Japan, the Nero and Philip Marlowe Awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America, and the Cartier Diamond Dagger from the Crime Writers Association of the United Kingdom. In France, he has been awarded the title Grand Maitre du Roman Noir and has twice received the Societe 813 trophy.

Born in Buffalo, New York, Block attended Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Leaving school before graduation, he moved to New York City, a locale that features prominently in most of his works. His earliest published writing appeared in the 1950s, frequently under pseudonyms, and many of these novels are now considered classics of the pulp fiction genre. During his early writing years, Block also worked in the mailroom of a publishing house and reviewed the submission slush pile for a literary agency. He has cited the latter experience as a valuable lesson for a beginning writer.

Block's first short story, "You Can't Lose," was published in 1957 in Manhunt, the first of dozens of short stories and articles that he would publish over the years in publications including American Heritage, Redbook, Playboy, Cosmopolitan, GQ, and the New York Times. His short fiction has been featured and reprinted in over eleven collections including Enough Rope (2002), which is comprised of eighty-four of his short stories.

In 1966, Block introduced the insomniac protagonist Evan Tanner in the novel The Thief Who Couldn't Sleep. Block's diverse heroes also include the urbane and witty bookseller--and thief-on-the-side--Bernie Rhodenbarr; the gritty recovering alcoholic and private investigator Matthew Scudder; and Chip Harrison, the comical assistant to a private investigator with a Nero Wolfe fixation who appears in No Score, Chip Harrison Scores Again, Make Out with Murder, and The Topless Tulip Caper. Block has also written several short stories and novels featuring Keller, a professional hit man. Block's work is praised for his richly imagined and varied characters and frequent use of humor.

A father of three daughters, Block lives in New York City with his second wife, Lynne. When he isn't touring or attending mystery conventions, he and Lynne are frequent travelers, as members of the Travelers' Century Club for nearly a decade now, and have visited about 150 countries.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lawrence Block-king of the killer books, July 12, 2006

By 

Richard Cumming "dick" (the heartland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hit Parade CD (John Keller Mysteries) (Audio CD)

Contract killer John Keller has been at it for a long time, methodically rubbing out his victims while attempting to fill in the holes in his vintage stamp collection. Keller is thinking about retirement but he has been spending so much money on postage stamps that he needs to work even harder. He stalks a baseball player all around the country, waiting for him to attain some statistical milestones before fulfilling the contract. He enjoys the ballgames and picks up some Turkish postage stamps along the way. He checks in with Dot to update her on the progress of his work, she is his contact with various death brokers and Block keeps his dark subject very light and breezy. The real joy of this audiobook is that Larry Block is the reader. The book is great, his reading is dead on and a sweet thing to hear. The combination of zingy writing read by a real master makes this audiobook a real treat!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but a challenge, August 31, 2006

By 

J. Cochran (McLean, VA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Hit Parade CD (John Keller Mysteries) (Audio CD)

The main character, Keller, is interesting and Block certainly is creative in the situations he creates and resolves. It keeps your interest. With respect to the material, the only criticism I really have is that his dialogues between Dot & Keller seem to carry too much explanation; in other words they are constantly explaining to each other what they meant to say, which is often obvious. Further, you'd think 2 people who had worked together so long and had a face-to-face relationship would have found a smoother communication style.

With respect to the audio, I found the quality of his voice a little grating and the irritation not fade over multiple discs. Further, and this is related only to the audio, Block's narration did not offer much distinction between his dialogue as Keller and his dialogue as Dot thus causing some confusion as to who was speaking at times. I have listened to about 25 audio books and usually, the narrators chance pitch or inflection a little to distinguish characters. Block is not very good at this.