Play Audiobook Sample
Hit Parade Audiobook
Play Audiobook Sample
(3.01) - 1,007 listener ratings
Quick Stats About this Audiobook
Total Audiobook Chapters:
Longest Chapter Length:
Shortest Chapter Length:
Average Chapter Length:
Audiobooks by this Author:
Publisher Description
The New York Times bestselling author and master of the modern mystery returns with a fierce and poignant new novel featuring his acclaimed killer-for-hire, Keller. John Keller is everyone's favorite hit man. He's cool. Reliable. A real pro: the hit man's hit man. The inconvenient wife, the business partner, the retiree with a substantial legacy. He's taken care of them all, quietly and efficiently.
Keller's got a code of honor, though he'd never call it that. And he keeps the job strictly business. But while Keller might be a pragmatic and crack assassin, he's also prone to doubts and loneliness just like everybody else. And though he's got Dot, his wisecracking contact and sometimes confidante, these days, it doesn't seem to be enough.
Keller's been at this business a long while. Just maybe it's time to pack it in. Only problem is, retirement takes money. And to get money, he's got to go to work...
Hit Parade, the third novel featuring the fascinating Keller, displays the hallmarks that distinguish Lawrence Block's award-winning fiction: the intelligence, the clever plotting, the humor, the tricky twist and ironic turns, the darkness and emotional complexity -- and, above all else, the humanity.
Download and start listening now!
"I listened to the audio version of this one, which is read by Lawrence Block. It was a huge pleasure. He reads without overdoing, almost in a distanced, poetry-reading voice, which is perfect for this character and this series. As always, the conversations between Dot and Keller are sublime."
— Beth666ann (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
-
“With the publication of Hit Parade, [Block] cements another star on his walk of fame.”
— Washington Post Book World -
“Block writes in the same terse, laconic style that his antihero employs, with rat-a-tat dialogue and a matter-of-fact attitude toward the business of death. Should Hollywood attempt to revive the sly, dark ‘Alfred Hitchcock Presents’ anthology, Keller’s adventures would be a fine blueprint. With two other classic series under his belt, Block has accomplished what few other mystery writers have: a detective trifecta.”
— Washington Post -
“Sheer pleasure.”
— Seattle Times -
“Block’s quirky Keller novels are a cult favorite of crime fiction fans. Who knew contract killing could be so much fun?”
— Barnes & Noble, editorial review -
“Not only has Block created one of crime fiction’s more remarkable protagonists—a hired assassin who is somehow likable without the need of redemption by penance, charm, or even regret—he proves to be an excellent audio interpreter of his antihero’s sometimes hilarious homicidal capers…his timing is impeccable…Block’s distinctive voice tak[es] us through every hairpin twist and turn with an air of sublime nonchalance.”
— Publishers Weekly (audio review) -
“Fascinating character development…Block…provides an excellent narration.”
— Library Journal (audio review) -
“The humor is even more deadpan than usual, and the vignettes are quirky diversions…Block’s legion of fans will savor his subtle wit, his consummate narrative skills, and his idiosyncratic method of celebrating the lives of working folks in America.”
— Booklist
Hit Parade Listener Reviews
-
" Read half of it, bit it still hadn't gone anywhere or developed anything, so I stopped wasting my time. "
— Mic, 2/2/2014 -
" Very disappointing. Not really a book at all read like a bunch of vignettes that had been tucked away and there was a decision to string them all together with very little effort to create a cohesive story. I'm surprised Block let it go out. "
— Michael, 1/31/2014 -
" A series of slightly connected short stories involving Keller, Block's professional hit-man who is just like you and me except that he earns his living killing people. The amiable relationship between Keller and his agent Dot wears a little thin for me, although their interplay has some of the fun of the "Burglar Who..." series. What's interesting about these stories is watching how many variations Block can devise on the same plot--Keller is hired to kill somebody, and (usually) does. Block is like Mozart when it comes to variations--he seems endlessly and effortlessly inventive, and almost always entertaining. "
— Jon, 1/29/2014 -
" Difficult to imagine enjoying a book about a sociopathic hit man who has a conscience, but I did. Clever touches abound. Keller, the killer for hire, frets about things that even normal (?) people do. It's a good read. "
— Carl, 1/21/2014 -
" Nothing too memorable, but an entertaining read nonetheless. "
— Luke, 1/19/2014 -
" Hit Parade is like the previous 2 Keller books. It's not what I'd call a heart-stopper, yet it's interesting enough to keep me reading. I can't seem to put them down yet I'm not sure why. They are just about an average guy living in an apartment who takes up stamp collecting and has a job as a hitman. He certainly treats it just like a job, it's nothing interesting or entertaining to him, just a job. This one does dip into his childhood at one point and we see his emotions leak into his work a bit. Easy read but enjoyable. "
— Lindsey, 1/14/2014 -
" This book was ok,but not as good as the other 2.This one end weird, Keller seems to be losing it. "
— Jeanette, 1/12/2014 -
" Read by the author. I almost didn't get beyond the first disc--the author's voice seemed very strained, and all the sports talk--baseball and horse racing--didn't grab me. By disc 2 I was totally hooked by Block's subtle originality. "
— Gigi, 12/9/2013 -
" Block's Keller novels are dependable light reads. This one though (the third I've read out of four written) left me with more of a chill. "
— Rick, 12/7/2013 -
" A different little book I picked up at a garage sale for a quarter. The story of a professional hit man. Each chapter is another assignment. Entertaining, easy reading, and somewhat unusual. "
— Becky, 11/10/2013 -
" Keller is definitely my favourite hitman. I love that these books aren't gory, and that with each story you get more insight into the man and his relationships (with Dot, dogs, and stamps)! "
— Sarah, 5/17/2013 -
" i bought it thinking i was getting the burglar series; if i'd know Block wrote a series about a hit man, i would have realized my mistake when i read the title. :) due to mixed-up expectations, it wasn't as funny as i expected -- a bit more introspection mixed in with the humor. but it works. "
— Maura, 4/12/2013 -
" Narrated by Lawrence Block. A book about an assassin really cannot get any better than this. "
— Deby, 10/14/2012 -
" This is number 3 in the Hit Man series. I love the writing style and have read several of his books in other series as well. "
— Connie, 8/21/2012 -
" Keller, the introverted killer, does it again. Excellent, a page-turner that is at the core a character study. "
— Thorsten, 7/9/2012 -
" Felt like a collection of short stories that had been linked. Keller remains an interesting character, an introspective hit man. Loved the ending of the book, with Keller caring more about the fate of the rabbits in an audio book than about the woman he just killed. "
— Lois, 4/30/2012 -
" Worst of the series. Too much about sports and stamps :P I'd stop reading the series but the fourth one comes highly recommended. "
— Random, 12/22/2011 -
" The hitman is more human and faces some interesting quandaries... Interesting way to choose whether to accept a job or not... "
— Jeff, 12/4/2011 -
" Narrated by Lawrence Block. A book about an assassin really cannot get any better than this. "
— Deby, 4/27/2011 -
" Hit Parade was more episodic than I remember the previous Keller books being, but I still really enjoyed it. It follows the same formula as the other books in the series, but sometimes a formula is just about perfect. Why mess with it? "
— Patrick, 3/5/2011 -
" This book was okay but the end just didn't end right. "
— Jeanette, 2/19/2011 -
" Keller is definitely my favourite hitman. I love that these books aren't gory, and that with each story you get more insight into the man and his relationships (with Dot, dogs, and stamps)! "
— Sarah, 1/19/2010 -
" Felt like a collection of short stories that had been linked. Keller remains an interesting character, an introspective hit man. Loved the ending of the book, with Keller caring more about the fate of the rabbits in an audio book than about the woman he just killed. "
— Lois, 11/30/2009
About Lawrence Block
Lawrence Block is the recipient of a Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America and a New York Times bestselling author. His prolific career spans over one hundred books, including four bestselling series and dozens of short stories and articles. He has won multiple Edgar, and Shamus awards, two Falcon Awards from the Maltese Falcon Society of Japan, the Nero and Philip Marlowe Awards, the Cartier Diamond Dagger from the Crime Writers Association of America, and many others. Aside from being a mystery writer, he has also written a number of episodes for television, including two episodes of the ESPN series Tilt; he also cowrote the screenplay for the film My Blueberry Nights, starring Norah Jones. Block currently lives in New York City with his wife, Lynne.