Book Review: The Hit

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

The Hit     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Jere Hoar
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Noir
Context, 2003, $24.95, 292 pp.

Before Nam and wealthy Tom Morris, Kinnerly was Luke Carr’s beloved. After Nam and her marriage to Morris, Kinnerly remains his passion upon his return to the back woods of Mississippi. However, though they share illicit moments she claims only occurs when he desires sexual release. Luke knows all he has in the world is his bow and arrow and Adel the bird dog.

Before Kinnerly reentered his life, Luke decided that Morris owes him for stealing her so he plans reparations by taking the wealthy man’s art collection. However, his perfect crime fails to consider his need for Kinnerly, who claims abuse; nor the call for him, the Iceman, to perform a hit no different than the confirmed nineteen he killed as an LBJ grunt in Nam. However, the simple hit turns into a series of twisted fiascos as Luke struggles to hide the crime with more crimes.

This Mississippi Noir could easily star McMurray and Stanwick as readers will enjoy the classic relationship between the disturbed vet and his femme fatale manipulator double crossing him. Through his first novel, Jere Hoar shows strong skills by writing an action-packed story line done in flashbacks using “notebooks” as chapters while Luke resides in a VA hospital driving his psychiatrist crazy. The cast is classic Noir and even the vividly descriptive rural setting feels right as this well written crime thriller should be a hit to sub-genre fans.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner