In an era of post-Watergate paranoia, even the government's assassins can't be sure of the rules in this elaborate mind-game from British author Branton (The House of Whacks). Contract killer John Decker is aging, and his Postman's death has cut him off from the network and knowledge of what's happening. A younger hitman named Olsen who tracks him may be the Contender waiting to take his place. Or maybe not. Spinning words with grace and ease, the author has fun with this loose scenario in a Diary of a Hitman
mold, but quickly gives the impression he's making it up page by page. "There could be four other Deckers wondering why their drops had gone cold of a sudden, or he could be the only one. It was a fact of the Life that you didn't know." But somehow in this world of secrecy the amusing story that Olsen has found a wino using his information drop-site as a toilet has gotten around to all the killers. Readers who crave intellectual romps could enjoy the ride, but fans of the hitman genre who prefer a growing body count may be distressed to find that Branton's killers seem intent on talking their victims to death. (Mar. 1)
Forecast:Hard-boiled fans may prefer the late Jean-Patrick Manchette's
The Prone Gunman (Forecasts, Nov. 11), which both tweaks the form and has great assassination scenes.
