The Good Killer

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I put this on my "Get At Library" list based on a laudatory WSJ review. After only a couple chapters, I put Harry Dolan's other novels on that list too. It's pretty good.

Sean and Molly live in Houston, but it's clear from the get-go they have something to hide. Molly's off to Montana for some mind-clearing yoga and horseback riding, and Sean's apprehensive. There are bad people out there that would do them harm if they knew where they were.

But Molly turns out to not be the problem. On a whim, Sean heads to the mall to shop, and runs into what they call an active shooter situation. Sean fits into the "good guy with a gun" role perfectly. Unfortunately, mall security cameras catch him on video, which is broadcast nationwide. And the local cops would like to question him as well. But he realizes the publicity will blow his cover, and he'd prefer to avoid law enforcement too. So instead of basking in goodwill and fame, he abandons Houston, taking off to Montana to retrieve Molly.

So: Not only are the cops after him, but also the bad guys. What follows is an intricate ballet of road-tripping, violence, threats, near-misses. And a thrilling climax, of course.

Sean's no angel. His reason for being on the lam is eventually revealed, and it's not because he's avoiding paying a parking ticket. But compared to the bad guys after him…

Lots of fun. I've seen Harry Dolan compared to Elmore Leonard, and that's fine company to be in.


Last Modified 2024-01-23 2:49 PM EDT