MAX ALLAN COLLINS - QUARRY'S DEAL (1976)

Synopsis/blurb….

Behind the doors of an illegal casino, will Quarry find Lady Luck or a lady killer? As part of his plan to target other hitmen, Quarry follows one from steamy Florida to the sober Midwest. But this killer isn't a man at all: she's a sloe-eyed beauty, as dangerous in bed as she is deadly on the job. Has Quarry finally met his match? The longest-running series from Max Allan Collins, author of Road to Perdition, and the first ever to feature a hitman as the main character, the Quarry novels tell the story of a paid assassin with a rebellious streak and an unlikely taste for justice. Once a Marine sniper, Quarry found a new home stateside with a group of contract killers. But some men aren't made for taking orders and when Quarry strikes off on his own, God help the man on the other side of his nine-millimeter.

I read Quarry’s Deal, the third book in the author’s series about a hitman back in March. 6 or 7 months on from that, I can’t actually recall too much about it.

I know I liked it but plot points and resolution evaded me until I flicked back through the kindle edition I read. (I don’t think the fact that I can’t remember a lot deflects from the fact that I really enjoyed reading it. I have a list of absolute favourite books in my head and I could name ten easily but I couldn’t give you a bundle of information about them, other than recalling the warm fuzzy glow I had when reading them.)

Quarry’s a hitman and here he’s poacher turned gamekeeper. He’s endeavouring to stop a fellow professional from doing her job and bag a fee from her intended target for stopping the hit and finding out who arranged it.

In our first paragraph, Quarry’s having sex with a willing participant at a swinger’s resort, where’s he’s undercover and stalking his target. Tough job ain’t it?

An unintended but necessary killing later, Quarry’s in pursuit of Glenna Cole back to the mid-west. Keep your friends close (Quarry doesn’t have any) and your enemies closer. Before too long Quarry, playing the role of Jack is getting down and dirty with Lucille (Glenna). A great twist – he knows who she is, but does she know who he is?

I really like Collins’ style of writing. There’s an economy about his prose that helps move the story on and which keeps you turning the pages – curious to see what happens next. Plenty of action, great dialogue and a lot of tension and suspense with a main character who you really root for.

With the benefit of a second look – really enjoyable and an urgent reminder that I need to get back to this series soon. There’s only another 10 or so books to get to - happy reading ahead!

4.5 from 5

The first two in the series were previously read and enjoyed – Quarry and Quarry’s List.

Bought on kindle a few years ago.

Read in March, 2016