The First Quarry

Collins, Max Allan. The First Quarry. Hard Case Crime. 2008 204p.pap. MYST ~ An amalgam of hard sex, harder violence, bodily functions, and belly laughs, this fun, fast read will leave readers craving the next installment. Recommended. Background: This adventure in Collins's series featuring the enigmatic hit man Quarry serves as prequel to his previous books and digs into the character's roots. Home from serving as a marine sniper in Vietnam, Quarry (not his real name) discovers that his wife has been unfaithful, murders her lover, and turns hired gun. His first assignment is the murder of K.J. Byron, a best-selling author and professor-with a seemingly endless supply of nubile female students willing to raise their grades through extracurricular activities. The father of one of the professor's students wants Byron dead, and Quarry is happy to oblige. The usual complications ensue in the form of the professor's vengeful wife, rival hoods, and a sleazy PI, who make Quarry's lethal debut more involved than a simple bullet through the heart.-Mike Rogers, LJX/Library Journal.