Just thought I'd make my own feeble contribution to the
theme. I finished Lawrence Block's _Hit List_ last night, an
interesting, often very funny, book about a hitman named
Keller. Near the end of the book, Keller actually takes time
out from his work to perform jury duty and is selected to
serve. He is impaneled (sp?) for a case involving a stolen
VCR that was sold to an undercover policeman. During his
weekends away from the case, which lasts a couple of weeks,
he makes trips to Baltimore, casing a hit, and actually
performs the hit while there on a weekend trip. Later, after
the trial ends, the woman who sends him on his hits points
out the irony of his performing a hit while at the same time
serving on the jury and Keller can't see it. According to his
point of view, the hit is his "job" and serving on the jury
is his "duty." Admittedly, the book isn't all that
hardboiled, but it is an interesting addition to this
subgenre of crime fiction (see also Loren D. Estleman's
Macklin books and Max Allan Collin's Quarry series--any
others I'm leaving out?).
Craig Larson Trinidad, CO
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