Hero

A security guard flees from a professional killer after she gets on the bad side of an L.A. crime boss in this low-voltage chase thriller from Edgar winner Perry (The Left-Handed Twin). Justine Poole works for a private agency as a bodyguard for celebrities. As Poole returns a Hollywood power couple back to their Beverly Hills estate one evening, she confronts a band of home invaders on the premises, killing two. Hailed as a hero in the press but fired by her employer for causing a legal liability, Poole quickly becomes the target of journeyman assassin Leo Sealy, who’s hired by the mastermind behind the home invasion to track Poole down. Sealy considers it a simple job, but his bumbling start—he accidentally kills Poole’s boss, as well as an innocent bystander—provides the first in a slew of complications. For a cat-and-mouse chase, Perry sets a surprisingly unhurried pace. He mixes in welcome moments of dark humor throughout (Justine’s bumbling pursuit of a freelance journalist yields several laughs) but fails to keep the match lit through the story’s humdrum conclusion. Thin swipes at character development—neither Poole nor Sealy ever emerge as full-fledged personalities—don’t help. This won’t win Perry many new fans. Agent: Mel Berger, WME. (Jan.)