The One Minute Assassin [Paperback]

Troy Cook (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The author's debut, 47 Rules of Highly Effective Bank Robbers (2006), was a comic caper novel reminiscent of Westlake or Hiaasen. Cook's second novel, which also spoofs a well-known business-book title, proves that he's definitely worthy of appearing on the same shelves as those two genre giants. A candidate for California governor has stumbled on a unique way to ensure victory: someone is killing the other candidates. It falls to John Black, whose sister (one of the candidates) has been targeted by the nameless nut job, to find out who has been taking the phrase dirty politics to a whole new level. This is an extremely entertaining novel: the election, which features a large number of mostly eccentric candidates, is clearly modeled on the free-for-all California election that put Arnold Schwarzenegger into office, and Black, a former private investigator, is a strong protagonist. While not as laugh-out-loud funny as 47 Rules, this novel is consistently entertaining, with plenty of amusing moments and offbeat characters. Pitt, David

Product Details

• Paperback: 287 pages
• Publisher: Capital Crime Press (September 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0977627640
• ISBN-13: 978-0977627646
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,481,479 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Politicians, assassins, Russian Mafia, etc., October 21, 2007

By 

Fred Camfield (Vicksburg, MS USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The One Minute Assassin (Paperback)

The recall of a corrupt administration has left California politics wide open. It seems like everyone files for the office of governor, but someone is determined to win. Some of the leading candidates start to have "accidents." A couple inept criminals, Barry and his sidekick Nails, are helping things along with the assistance of Sparky, a studio special effects technician with a knack for blowing things up and access to weapons from the studio props department.

When an attempt is made on the life of the Los Angeles mayor, her brother John and his dangerous associcate Harley are drawn into events. Harley is a modern day vigilante wirh his own means for dealing with bad guys.
The story has lots of action as various people are shot or shot at. There is an added complication when a 16-year old friend of John's niece wants to crawl into his bed.

John has never liked politicians, an attitude that has given him a problem with his mother who is a US Senator, but he is thrust into events to aid his sister and protect his niece. He acquires a friend in the media along the way.

The story is an action adventure suitable for light reading. It is well written and will hold your attention as it winds towards a blazing finish. The story has language, some sexual content mainly by reference, and considerable violence. I would rate it PG-13.

5.0 out of 5 stars John Black has my vote in 2012, August 5, 2009

By 

Sandra D. Tooley (Indiana) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The One Minute Assassin (Paperback)

John Black is an ex-P.I. who, along with Harley, an Aussie sidekick, have their own way of dealing with society's bottom feeders. Although John despises politics, his mother is California's senator and his sister is mayor and one of 100 candidates for governor. Someone starts killing off the top contenders and when his sister's car is bombed and she's left in a coma, John and Harley do what they can to find out who is behind it. There are two hitmen who just can't get a break as their hilarious antics put them in the crosshairs of John and the man who hired them. If you like Victor Gischler's GUN MONKEYS, you will love THE ONE MINUTE ASSASSIN.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good story, September 17, 2007

By 

Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The One Minute Assassin (Paperback)

John Black is his own man. He doesn't like to take a political stand on anything. His whole life has revolved around politicians-his mother being a senator and his sister running for governor-and he will do anything to avoid the political world.

This particular election is different though. John's sister is running for Governor of California along with at least a hundred more yokels who want the spot. Then things take a turn, the contenders start dropping off-dying of "natural causes" or seeming suicides or "accidents." The turning point for John to be involved in the political campaign is when someone makes an attempt on the life of his sister, his niece and her best friends because of a witnessed attempt of the brake lines being cut.

John and his partner try to find the mastermind behind the peon who made the attempt, because identification wasn't that difficult by the girls, since the "beanpole" person who cut the brake line to make it look like an accident wasn't all too smart.

John's mother steps in and tells him he has to keep the Black name on the ballot by stepping in for his sister. Not what John wants nor needs in trying to find the person behind the attempt on his sister's life. The old saying "Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer," come to mind when John is placed on the ballot for his sister's sake, all courtesy of a law from the 1800s that was rarely used and had never been reversed.

I had a very difficult time associating the title of the story with the ending or much else in the story. Still not sure how the title The One Minute Assassin fits the story. Overall, it was a good story, although the author reveals too many clues throughout to keep one on the edge of their seat. The clues allowed me to know too early who is the mastermind behind the failed death attempts.

Armchair Interviews says: A good bit of humor and sarcasm are used throughout the story--all in a good mix.