Killshot

by Tom Alibrandi, Aman Dhesi (Illustrations)

Killshot Tate Coldiron, in his early fifties, with a Jack Daniel’s Green habit and two withered legs, has his car break down in Rochester, NY on his way to handball tournament in Cleveland. A former championship handball player; whose legs were broken 25 years earlier for hustling the wrong opponent; Coldiron has survived since by playing match games for money. Coldiron hustles a local player for a few bucks, in doing so seeing potential in the raw, but talented Barry West. He makes West an offer to train him and take him on the road to play match games for money against the best players in the country. West, tired of his job and life in Rochester, and with support from his girlfriend, Susan, agrees. Following a rigorous training period, during which Coldiron transforms his young protégé into a superior handball player, the two go on the road. Barry West puts together a fabulous string of victories, bringing in tens of thousands of dollars. However, Coldiron’s handball student resorts to doing anything to win, including hitting other players with the ball that travels over a hundred miles per hour. And West’s need to win at any cost supersedes his love for Susan, and his allegiance to Coldiron. After West maims a few more players—including some of Coldiron’s old handball friends—Tate, guided by his love for the purity of the game, decides he must take West out. He is forced to destroy the winning machine he created. It all comes down to one explosive and exciting match. It is winner takes all; a matter of love, life, and death.

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

Reviews

[Scott Vout · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 6th or 7th time I have read this book. I don't know why but I reread it every four or five years. It is probably my favourite book of all time. Again I don't know why.

It is nothing special really, a story written in 1979. It just caught my fancy back in the day and I keep going back to it. Like visiting that high school buddy that moved away and visits infrequently.

The main character, Coldiron grabs you and doesn't let go.
You are rooting for him right from the first chapter.

Like I said - I don't know why but I love this book