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A Lars and Shaine Novel #1
The Devil Doesn't Want Me
For the last seventeen years, Lars—a hitman for an East Coast crime family—has been on the hunt for Mitch the Snitch. Mitch, an accountant who turned on Lars’s employer, is living in witness protection and has been evading Lars for almost two decades.
In comes Trent, a young gun who has been sent to replace the aging gun for hire. With his old boss gone, Lars realizes he has lost the desire to kill his long-time target.
When things come to a head with Trent, Lars finds himself on the run with Mitch’s teenage daughter Shaine, trying to stay one step ahead of angry mobsters and the FBI, as they make their way from New Mexico to California.
Praise for THE DEVIL DOESN’T WANT
“ The Devil Doesn’t Want Me is a runaway train of violence and mayhem, packed full with a collection of one-of-a-kind characters all speeding toward an explosive and inevitable end. Beetner is a maestro with his action scenes, filling the novel with cinematic set pieces, but the real heart of his story is Lars, an aging hit man forced to confront his own morality as the world goes to hell around him. A great read.” —Owen Laukkanen, author of The Professionals and Criminal Element
“Eric Beetner is quickly becoming one of my favorite new crime writers, and The Devil Doesn’t Want Me is a perfect example of why. If you’re a fan of fast paced, well-written hardboiled crime fiction, you’re going to love this book. Beetner is the real deal, and I can only hope this is just the start of what we can expect from him in the future.” —John Rector, author of The Cold Kiss and Already Gone
“Told with heart, humor, and sizzling cinematic prose, Eric Beetner’s The Devil Doesn’t Want Me is crime fiction at its most entertaining and marks the arrival of a bold new talent.” —Peter Farris, author of Last Call for the Living
“This book is like if you took Lawrence Block’s famous hitman, Keller, and made him the lovechild of Elmore Leonard and Quentin Tarantino.” — Criminal Element
“I found the story awesome, with characters you will love to hate and hate to love.” —Bookloons reviews
“In the wrong hands this story could have been a cliché-ridden minefield. Author Eric Beetner, however, is incredibly adept at crafting characters who defy their expected roles. An incredibly enjoyable story that has more depth than your typical hitman/mob shoot-em-up.” —Book Reviews by Elizabeth A. White
“Eric Beetner is a writer to watch—and to read. With sharp wit and interesting insight—and a huge dose of skill—Beetner takes you on rare literary trips, introducing you to a world of criminals, lost souls and losers. With The Devil Doesn’t Want Me , he delivers in spades with a fun, fast-paced and action-packed tale of a badass who might be losing his touch. With blossoming characters and a storyline you can’t predict, The Devil Doesn’t Want Me is a true delight.” —Greg Bardsley, author of Cash Out
“The pulp/noir genre should be absolutely thrilled to have such a great voice added to their team. If you’re a fan of the genre, The Devil Doesn’t Want Me is right up your alley.” —Josh K. Stevens, author of Bullets Are My Business
“Hell of a crime novel and highly recommended.” — Spinetingler Magazine
“ The Devil Doesn’t Want Me has all the elements that one needs for a great commercial thriller, but it has rare ingredients that make it a work of its own. Unique characters thrown into a nice linear plot that takes plenty of sharp turns and keeps you guessing. I thought I know where this baby was going when it started, but I had no idea.” —Tom Pitts, author of Piggyback
In comes Trent, a young gun who has been sent to replace the aging gun for hire. With his old boss gone, Lars realizes he has lost the desire to kill his long-time target.
When things come to a head with Trent, Lars finds himself on the run with Mitch’s teenage daughter Shaine, trying to stay one step ahead of angry mobsters and the FBI, as they make their way from New Mexico to California.
Praise for THE DEVIL DOESN’T WANT
“ The Devil Doesn’t Want Me is a runaway train of violence and mayhem, packed full with a collection of one-of-a-kind characters all speeding toward an explosive and inevitable end. Beetner is a maestro with his action scenes, filling the novel with cinematic set pieces, but the real heart of his story is Lars, an aging hit man forced to confront his own morality as the world goes to hell around him. A great read.” —Owen Laukkanen, author of The Professionals and Criminal Element
“Eric Beetner is quickly becoming one of my favorite new crime writers, and The Devil Doesn’t Want Me is a perfect example of why. If you’re a fan of fast paced, well-written hardboiled crime fiction, you’re going to love this book. Beetner is the real deal, and I can only hope this is just the start of what we can expect from him in the future.” —John Rector, author of The Cold Kiss and Already Gone
“Told with heart, humor, and sizzling cinematic prose, Eric Beetner’s The Devil Doesn’t Want Me is crime fiction at its most entertaining and marks the arrival of a bold new talent.” —Peter Farris, author of Last Call for the Living
“This book is like if you took Lawrence Block’s famous hitman, Keller, and made him the lovechild of Elmore Leonard and Quentin Tarantino.” — Criminal Element
“I found the story awesome, with characters you will love to hate and hate to love.” —Bookloons reviews
“In the wrong hands this story could have been a cliché-ridden minefield. Author Eric Beetner, however, is incredibly adept at crafting characters who defy their expected roles. An incredibly enjoyable story that has more depth than your typical hitman/mob shoot-em-up.” —Book Reviews by Elizabeth A. White
“Eric Beetner is a writer to watch—and to read. With sharp wit and interesting insight—and a huge dose of skill—Beetner takes you on rare literary trips, introducing you to a world of criminals, lost souls and losers. With The Devil Doesn’t Want Me , he delivers in spades with a fun, fast-paced and action-packed tale of a badass who might be losing his touch. With blossoming characters and a storyline you can’t predict, The Devil Doesn’t Want Me is a true delight.” —Greg Bardsley, author of Cash Out
“The pulp/noir genre should be absolutely thrilled to have such a great voice added to their team. If you’re a fan of the genre, The Devil Doesn’t Want Me is right up your alley.” —Josh K. Stevens, author of Bullets Are My Business
“Hell of a crime novel and highly recommended.” — Spinetingler Magazine
“ The Devil Doesn’t Want Me has all the elements that one needs for a great commercial thriller, but it has rare ingredients that make it a work of its own. Unique characters thrown into a nice linear plot that takes plenty of sharp turns and keeps you guessing. I thought I know where this baby was going when it started, but I had no idea.” —Tom Pitts, author of Piggyback
276 pages, Paperback
First published October 23, 2012
10 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
About the author
Eric Beetner
105 books120 followersBIO:
Eric Beetner has been hailed as “the new maestro of noir,” by Ken Bruen and “The 21st Century’s answer to Jim Thompson” by LitReactor.
He has written more than 2 dozen novels and his short stories has been featured in over 30 anthologies and along the way he’s been nominated for an ITW award, a Shamus, Derringer and three Anthony awards. He’s won none of them.
Novels include There and Back, All The Way Down, Two In The Head, Rumrunners, The Devil Doesn't Want Me and many more.
For more visit ericbeetner.com
Eric Beetner has been hailed as “the new maestro of noir,” by Ken Bruen and “The 21st Century’s answer to Jim Thompson” by LitReactor.
He has written more than 2 dozen novels and his short stories has been featured in over 30 anthologies and along the way he’s been nominated for an ITW award, a Shamus, Derringer and three Anthony awards. He’s won none of them.
Novels include There and Back, All The Way Down, Two In The Head, Rumrunners, The Devil Doesn't Want Me and many more.
For more visit ericbeetner.com
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 5, 2017
4 stars!
Action packed, fast paced tale of a hitman given an assignment he can't seem to be able to fulfill.
He's a killer, alright ...he's just lost the zeal for this particular assignment given that he's been assigned a "helper" he doesn't much care for.
I loved this.
Totally original but the writing on occasion reminded me of both Duane Swierczynski and Charlie Stella.
Highly recommended.
This ain't highbrow lit - this is a big-time fun read.
It's as much fun as you can have in 272 pages.
Without a prescription.
February 15, 2018
Like many book lovers, I buy a lot of books. Sometimes I buy a book and don’t read it right away. If you’re a bookaholic, you’re probably the same. It’s hard to know why. Sometimes a book needs to sit awhile. Percolate.
It was like that with Eric Beetner’s “The Devil Doesn’t Want Me”. I’ve been sitting on this book for months and waited…for what I don’t know. Finally, I picked it up and started in. Let me tell you, once you start this one, you won’t stop. You’ll be cancelling plans, calling in sick to work, telling your wife/girlfriend/boyfriend/whatever that you have a headache so you’ll have a bit more time to read the exploits of Lars and Shaine.
Lars is a seasoned hit man whose life gets thrown upside down due to circumstances outside of his control. He’s the kind of man who wants to be in control, so he takes it back. Taking it back means the body count rises and rises.
Like the ’66 Mustang he’s so fond of, this book is a great ride. I don’t want to get much into the plot details because I’m not the sort of asshole who ruins a book by telling you details that you would have rather waited to learn on your own. Let me just say that you should read this one.
I’m glad to say that there’s two sequels and though there’s a chance that those books will sit unread on my shelf for a few months before I finally pick them up, but I doubt it. I won’t be able to wait that long. Eric Beetner is the real deal.
It was like that with Eric Beetner’s “The Devil Doesn’t Want Me”. I’ve been sitting on this book for months and waited…for what I don’t know. Finally, I picked it up and started in. Let me tell you, once you start this one, you won’t stop. You’ll be cancelling plans, calling in sick to work, telling your wife/girlfriend/boyfriend/whatever that you have a headache so you’ll have a bit more time to read the exploits of Lars and Shaine.
Lars is a seasoned hit man whose life gets thrown upside down due to circumstances outside of his control. He’s the kind of man who wants to be in control, so he takes it back. Taking it back means the body count rises and rises.
Like the ’66 Mustang he’s so fond of, this book is a great ride. I don’t want to get much into the plot details because I’m not the sort of asshole who ruins a book by telling you details that you would have rather waited to learn on your own. Let me just say that you should read this one.
I’m glad to say that there’s two sequels and though there’s a chance that those books will sit unread on my shelf for a few months before I finally pick them up, but I doubt it. I won’t be able to wait that long. Eric Beetner is the real deal.
March 5, 2017
This is a road-trip novel in the mould of the best of them as aging hit-man Lars attempts to make his last hit in Albuquerque, Mitch the Snitch, who he has been tailing unsuccessfully for seventeen years. He is Beetner's anti-hero, but his writing has the reader siding with him, despite his 43 kills so far.
This is also noir, and the body count may involve your calculator. It is fast paced and action packed. Personally I prefer my noir more subtle, but that's not to say I didn't enjoy this, and will seek out more from his backlist.
This is also noir, and the body count may involve your calculator. It is fast paced and action packed. Personally I prefer my noir more subtle, but that's not to say I didn't enjoy this, and will seek out more from his backlist.
July 27, 2017
Eric Beetner’s top-notch novel, “The Devil Doesn’t Want Me,” is proof positive that we have entered another golden age of crime fiction. This book is so good that it is not at all clear what Beetner could possibly do as an encore. It has a hardboiled feel to it, but is firmly planted in a modern electronic age.
It is the story of an old hand at contract killing, Lars, who has been chasing down “Mitch the Snitch” for the family for seventeen years, sometimes coming close to finding him, but always just missing. Lars is the consummate professional killer, calm, cool, dispassionate. He has never wavered from his mission all these years and, in the hot desert land of New Mexico, he may be coming close. Lars had had no life outside the hunt for all these years and musically he is stuck in the early eighties heavy metal era. Curiously, this professional hitman also does yoga to keep limber.
Enter the young gun, Trent, who has no respect for Lars’ professional ways and can only see that through nearly two decades, Lars has not gotten the job done. Within days, iphone earbud-wearing Trent who has no respect for Van Halen or Motley Crue, finds his target and prepares to execute.
There is tension between these two men, one an ancient, withered man from another decade, another an unprofessional goofball bent on using modern technology. Lars doesn’t like being replaced and doesn’t like a hit being done unprofessionally- at the wrong time with the target’s family watching. Lars doesn’t like collateral damage. And, when the smoke clears, Trent may have gotten the kill, but Lars is off and running with Mitch’s not-so-cute, not-so-worldly, teenage daughter. From the old gun-young gun yin and yang of Trent and Lars facing off, you now have added to it the old hitman and young, innocent teenager driving cross-country with all the guns of the family and the FBI trained on them.
This is one terrific book and was an absolute joy to read from beginning to end. The prose is tight. The action is intense. The story is filled with humor. It is hard-edged and gritty and it just works real well. Could actually see this being made into a movie.
It is the story of an old hand at contract killing, Lars, who has been chasing down “Mitch the Snitch” for the family for seventeen years, sometimes coming close to finding him, but always just missing. Lars is the consummate professional killer, calm, cool, dispassionate. He has never wavered from his mission all these years and, in the hot desert land of New Mexico, he may be coming close. Lars had had no life outside the hunt for all these years and musically he is stuck in the early eighties heavy metal era. Curiously, this professional hitman also does yoga to keep limber.
Enter the young gun, Trent, who has no respect for Lars’ professional ways and can only see that through nearly two decades, Lars has not gotten the job done. Within days, iphone earbud-wearing Trent who has no respect for Van Halen or Motley Crue, finds his target and prepares to execute.
There is tension between these two men, one an ancient, withered man from another decade, another an unprofessional goofball bent on using modern technology. Lars doesn’t like being replaced and doesn’t like a hit being done unprofessionally- at the wrong time with the target’s family watching. Lars doesn’t like collateral damage. And, when the smoke clears, Trent may have gotten the kill, but Lars is off and running with Mitch’s not-so-cute, not-so-worldly, teenage daughter. From the old gun-young gun yin and yang of Trent and Lars facing off, you now have added to it the old hitman and young, innocent teenager driving cross-country with all the guns of the family and the FBI trained on them.
This is one terrific book and was an absolute joy to read from beginning to end. The prose is tight. The action is intense. The story is filled with humor. It is hard-edged and gritty and it just works real well. Could actually see this being made into a movie.
February 26, 2013
This is basically a more fun version of No Country For Old Men. Probably a more fair comparison (in terms of fun) would be to Duane Swierczynski, because these books are just fun. Like noir, but without the complete sense of dread.
Obviously since Lars is a hit man, we're not supposed to root for him...but try not to. Seriously. He's one of the most uncompromisingly moral characters I've seen in ages, which, yes, is very ironic. But while his profession requires him to kill people (and let's not mince words: murder people), he's adamant that there are lines he won't cross. Which is why Shaine ends up on the road with him, as opposed to dead in a ditch somewhere.
That was actually the only part of the story I'm not sure I understood. I don't completely buy the fact that Shaine would just get in the car with Lars. (She does consider not going with him, but quickly opts out of that and she ends up trusting him pretty quickly. I wasn't the most popular kid either, but I would've had other options besides "hit man who went after my dad.")
But that's a minor thing and it didn't affect my fondness for the book at all. Highly recommended.
Obviously since Lars is a hit man, we're not supposed to root for him...but try not to. Seriously. He's one of the most uncompromisingly moral characters I've seen in ages, which, yes, is very ironic. But while his profession requires him to kill people (and let's not mince words: murder people), he's adamant that there are lines he won't cross. Which is why Shaine ends up on the road with him, as opposed to dead in a ditch somewhere.
That was actually the only part of the story I'm not sure I understood. I don't completely buy the fact that Shaine would just get in the car with Lars. (She does consider not going with him, but quickly opts out of that and she ends up trusting him pretty quickly. I wasn't the most popular kid either, but I would've had other options besides "hit man who went after my dad.")
But that's a minor thing and it didn't affect my fondness for the book at all. Highly recommended.
April 14, 2017
One part "The Mechanic" and one part "The Professional," Eric Beetner's kickoff to the Lars & Shaine series is violent, action-packed crime fiction done right. I had a devil of a good time reading this gem. Usually the hardboiled genre doesn't get me whipped into a lather due to a lack of action--I am primarily an action-adventure reader/writer--but Beetner serves up plenty of shootouts and fisticuffs that make this more of an action-crime novel than a straight-up hardboiled entry. And for that I say, God bless him and pass the ammo.
The pace never flags--seriously, some crime novels move slower than a turtle crawling uphill through molasses, but Beetner is way too good to let that happen--and the dialogue is smart, crisp, and laced with dark humor. And then there's the endgame twist ... yeah, I never saw it coming. Sucker got me good and I was happy for the sledgehammering.
Anyway, stop reading this review and beat feet to grab yourself a copy of "The Devil Doesn't Want Me." You'll be glad you did.
The pace never flags--seriously, some crime novels move slower than a turtle crawling uphill through molasses, but Beetner is way too good to let that happen--and the dialogue is smart, crisp, and laced with dark humor. And then there's the endgame twist ... yeah, I never saw it coming. Sucker got me good and I was happy for the sledgehammering.
Anyway, stop reading this review and beat feet to grab yourself a copy of "The Devil Doesn't Want Me." You'll be glad you did.
July 18, 2018
a joy to read !
now i need some negra suprema ...
now i need some negra suprema ...
February 26, 2014
Here’s a great read for fans of the hit-man genre. Hell, here’s a great read for anyone who likes a good tale that’s well told.
Eric Beetner takes a number of clichés and twists them until they become new and fresh.
Lars has been working in the one hit for seventeen years. During that time he’s kept his killing skills sharp and has taken up yoga to keep his body keen. He’s been hanging around New Mexico in the hope that he’ll finally complete the contract put out by his employer Nikki Senior.
Unfortunately for Lars, Nikki Junior is in the process of taking over the family and he’s not showing his father the respect that he might. Nikki Junior hires a young buck, Trent, to get together with Lars so that the job can finally get done.
The relationship between Lars and Trent is a tricky one. Maybe that’s always the way when the next generation steps up. Thing is, Trent has his ways and means even if he is young, foolish and uncouth. He’s soon leading the way to Mitch the Snitch and the hit that Lars has been waiting to make for so many years of his life is finally about to happen.
Nothing plays out as might have be expected by this reader or by any of the characters involved. You’ll know what I mean when you get there (and get there you should).
The upshot is that Lars ends up on the run with Mitch’s daughter, being chased by Trent and all of Nikki Senior’s resources. Which is just the beginning of Lars’s problems. His past (and a very interesting one he has, too) is to catch up with him, the FBI poke in their noses and the relationship with the teenager (Shaine) is far from easy.
There are a number of layers to the story. I’d pick out the battle between the old and new as one strong theme and the relationship between parents and children as another. Most of all, I’d pick out the fast pace of the story and the way the characters and settings are so well handled. As an example, I’ll highlight the way the description of the heat and environment of the desert had me sweating and reaching for cold drinks. He really nails the atmosphere through his characters – Lars has grown used to it and has altered his pace accordingly, Shaine has never known anything else and Trent is hitting the wall for the first time. This means that the description flows within the story itself and never gets in the way, which takes some doing.
The whole piece is very entertaining and the outcome ties everything up in a very satisfying (and rather unexpected) way. There’s also an opening for a sequel here. I can see this moving in to the territory of Leon by Luc Besson and doing something rather special. I wonder if Mr Besson’s busy just now.
Mr Besson? Mr Besson...
Eric Beetner takes a number of clichés and twists them until they become new and fresh.
Lars has been working in the one hit for seventeen years. During that time he’s kept his killing skills sharp and has taken up yoga to keep his body keen. He’s been hanging around New Mexico in the hope that he’ll finally complete the contract put out by his employer Nikki Senior.
Unfortunately for Lars, Nikki Junior is in the process of taking over the family and he’s not showing his father the respect that he might. Nikki Junior hires a young buck, Trent, to get together with Lars so that the job can finally get done.
The relationship between Lars and Trent is a tricky one. Maybe that’s always the way when the next generation steps up. Thing is, Trent has his ways and means even if he is young, foolish and uncouth. He’s soon leading the way to Mitch the Snitch and the hit that Lars has been waiting to make for so many years of his life is finally about to happen.
Nothing plays out as might have be expected by this reader or by any of the characters involved. You’ll know what I mean when you get there (and get there you should).
The upshot is that Lars ends up on the run with Mitch’s daughter, being chased by Trent and all of Nikki Senior’s resources. Which is just the beginning of Lars’s problems. His past (and a very interesting one he has, too) is to catch up with him, the FBI poke in their noses and the relationship with the teenager (Shaine) is far from easy.
There are a number of layers to the story. I’d pick out the battle between the old and new as one strong theme and the relationship between parents and children as another. Most of all, I’d pick out the fast pace of the story and the way the characters and settings are so well handled. As an example, I’ll highlight the way the description of the heat and environment of the desert had me sweating and reaching for cold drinks. He really nails the atmosphere through his characters – Lars has grown used to it and has altered his pace accordingly, Shaine has never known anything else and Trent is hitting the wall for the first time. This means that the description flows within the story itself and never gets in the way, which takes some doing.
The whole piece is very entertaining and the outcome ties everything up in a very satisfying (and rather unexpected) way. There’s also an opening for a sequel here. I can see this moving in to the territory of Leon by Luc Besson and doing something rather special. I wonder if Mr Besson’s busy just now.
Mr Besson? Mr Besson...
January 11, 2013
Road trip. Geezer noir. Assassin attrition. Combat yoga. Killer soundtrack. Awesome.
Beetner takes hard-boiled and really has fun with it, primarily through the protagonist's inner commentary - and it's all pulled off because Lars is just so damn likeable and relatable. It doesn't matter that he's a career assassin, pushing fifty and living in New Mexico and I'm none of those things; underneath it all, he's just a guy. He's got to deal with an arrogant kid less than half his age telling him he can do his job better. He has to deal with the fact that in at least one respect, the kid is right. He has to deal trying to speak the language of a teenage girl. He has to accept that he's not the man he was twenty years ago. He has to adapt to new technology.
He also has to deal with a lot of gunplay. Okay, that's not as relatable, but being readers of hard boiled crime fiction, we're still right there with him. And the hard-boiled elements are all there, in spades; Beetner has written a fast, violent criminal road trip with, yes, assassin attrition and combat yoga.
Plus there's that killer soundtrack!
Beetner takes hard-boiled and really has fun with it, primarily through the protagonist's inner commentary - and it's all pulled off because Lars is just so damn likeable and relatable. It doesn't matter that he's a career assassin, pushing fifty and living in New Mexico and I'm none of those things; underneath it all, he's just a guy. He's got to deal with an arrogant kid less than half his age telling him he can do his job better. He has to deal with the fact that in at least one respect, the kid is right. He has to deal trying to speak the language of a teenage girl. He has to accept that he's not the man he was twenty years ago. He has to adapt to new technology.
He also has to deal with a lot of gunplay. Okay, that's not as relatable, but being readers of hard boiled crime fiction, we're still right there with him. And the hard-boiled elements are all there, in spades; Beetner has written a fast, violent criminal road trip with, yes, assassin attrition and combat yoga.
Plus there's that killer soundtrack!
November 19, 2012
The Devil Doesn't Want Me has all the elements that one needs for a great commercial thriller, but it has rare ingredients that make it a work of it's own. Unique characters thrown into a nice linear plot that takes plenty of sharp turns and keeps you guessing. I thought I know where this baby was going when it started, but I had no idea.
October 4, 2021
I’ve been wanting to read all kinds of mob fiction books and this one doesn’t disappoint. Has the classic story of a hitman for the mob and a job that goes bad and is truly exciting. Stephen King came out with Billy Summers this year about a hitman and I saw a lot of similarities but this one was better. Can’t wait to read the 2nd and 3rd.
September 15, 2025
Beetner is great, he delivers an excellent story with great characters and a believable story. Definitely in the noir genre of mysteries, he tells this story about some creepy characters that don’t deserve our empathy or sympathy…it’s fun and interesting. I will keep reading his works.
October 21, 2023
Uber cool start to a really great series.
Read
November 13, 2012Who ever thought killing two girls would be less of a cock-up than keeping one alive? – Lars
Most people would certainly think killing two people would cause significantly more problems than not killing one. Then again, most people aren’t 47-year-old mob hitman Lars. Killing’s what he does, and he’s damn good at it. Well, he was until recently anyway.
For the past seventeen years he’s been on the trail of Mitchell “Mitch the Snitch” Kenney, an accountant who turned on Lars’s employer, Nikki Senior, resulting in half a dozen members of “the family” going to prison. Mitch got the Witness Protection treatment from the feds, and at Nikki Senior’s behest Lars has been patiently hunting Mitch down ever since.
Time’s a bastard, however, and both Lars and Nikki Senior are getting old. This doesn’t cause too much grief for Lars, who’s settled into a life of isolation, yoga, and listening to 70′s hard rock while moving throughout the Southwest in his quest to find Mitch.
Nikki Senior’s having more of an issue, specifically with his issue, Nikki Junior. Seems Junior’s ready to take over the family business, and he’s not keen to wait until the old man actually shuffles off this mortal coil. Junior’s making a power-play, and one of his first orders of business is to tie up loose ends…namely, “Mitch the Snitch” and Lars. Junior thinks Lars is a relic, and decides the best way to kill off the old blood is with new; enter hotshot up-and-comer wannabe hitman Trent.
Lars reluctantly accepts the “hand off” of the Mitch assignment to Trent, figuring he’ll babysit the disrespectful punk for a week – not like the kid’s gonna actually find Mitch – and then walk away, retire from the business. Except Trent does come through with a location for Mitch, and Lars realizes he no longer has the desire to kill the guy. Trent’s gung-ho to get the job done, and things go spectacularly sideways when the hitters realize Mitch has a teenage daughter no one seemed to know about. Suddenly Lars finds himself at odds with the family and on the run with a sixteen-year-old wise beyond her years.
In the wrong hands this story could have been a cliché-ridden minefield. Author Eric Beetner, however, is incredibly adept at crafting characters who defy their expected roles. Lars is neither a washed-up has-been nor a stone cold killing machine, doesn’t have an addiction problem, isn’t instantly charmed by his young companion, and doesn’t immediately come up with a sure-fire plan to save the day. He does, however, draw on his twenty-seven years of experience, including some creative use of yoga, to keep one step ahead of the pack on their heels, and has a realistically awkward relationship with Mitch’s daughter, Shaine. Throughout, Shaine hits all the right notes while cycling through a mood carousel of grief, anger, excitement, boredom, and good old fashioned cranky teenager.
There’s no question that Lars and Shaine are in very real danger and blood flows liberally in The Devil Doesn’t Want Me, but there’s also a significant vein of intelligent, sarcastic humor that runs through the book as well. The initial meeting between Lars and Trent is a visual made for the screen — Lars is less than impressed with Trent’s mirrored shades, nose ring, baggy jeans, and rockstar jewelry assortment — and Trent’s ambition and attitude far outweigh his experience and competence, leading to some amusing, if painful, on the job learning.
And despite the fast paced action as the story unfolds in a path of death and destruction from New Mexico to Las Vegas to Los Angeles, at its core The Devil Doesn’t Want Me is a story about relationships and how time and age affects them. Lars and Nikki Senior are from a generation where things like honor, respect and a code of behavior meant something, whereas young guns Trent and Nikki Junior are all about flash over substance and instant, materialistic gratification. It makes for a deadly clash of philosophy. The age gap is also apparent in Lars’s fumbling interactions sixteen-year-old Shaine, his devotion to the “vintage” sounds of bands like AC/DC, Van Halen (the good stuff, none of that Van Hagar crap), Led Zeppelin, and his inability to use a smart phone.
It all adds up to an incredibly enjoyable story that has more depth than your typical hitman/mob shoot-em-up. I certainly hope Beetner has plans to revisit the characters in The Devil Doesn’t Want Me, because Lars makes an extremely appealing lead and I’d love to follow the “retired” hitman on a few more adventures.
Most people would certainly think killing two people would cause significantly more problems than not killing one. Then again, most people aren’t 47-year-old mob hitman Lars. Killing’s what he does, and he’s damn good at it. Well, he was until recently anyway.
For the past seventeen years he’s been on the trail of Mitchell “Mitch the Snitch” Kenney, an accountant who turned on Lars’s employer, Nikki Senior, resulting in half a dozen members of “the family” going to prison. Mitch got the Witness Protection treatment from the feds, and at Nikki Senior’s behest Lars has been patiently hunting Mitch down ever since.
Time’s a bastard, however, and both Lars and Nikki Senior are getting old. This doesn’t cause too much grief for Lars, who’s settled into a life of isolation, yoga, and listening to 70′s hard rock while moving throughout the Southwest in his quest to find Mitch.
Nikki Senior’s having more of an issue, specifically with his issue, Nikki Junior. Seems Junior’s ready to take over the family business, and he’s not keen to wait until the old man actually shuffles off this mortal coil. Junior’s making a power-play, and one of his first orders of business is to tie up loose ends…namely, “Mitch the Snitch” and Lars. Junior thinks Lars is a relic, and decides the best way to kill off the old blood is with new; enter hotshot up-and-comer wannabe hitman Trent.
Lars reluctantly accepts the “hand off” of the Mitch assignment to Trent, figuring he’ll babysit the disrespectful punk for a week – not like the kid’s gonna actually find Mitch – and then walk away, retire from the business. Except Trent does come through with a location for Mitch, and Lars realizes he no longer has the desire to kill the guy. Trent’s gung-ho to get the job done, and things go spectacularly sideways when the hitters realize Mitch has a teenage daughter no one seemed to know about. Suddenly Lars finds himself at odds with the family and on the run with a sixteen-year-old wise beyond her years.
In the wrong hands this story could have been a cliché-ridden minefield. Author Eric Beetner, however, is incredibly adept at crafting characters who defy their expected roles. Lars is neither a washed-up has-been nor a stone cold killing machine, doesn’t have an addiction problem, isn’t instantly charmed by his young companion, and doesn’t immediately come up with a sure-fire plan to save the day. He does, however, draw on his twenty-seven years of experience, including some creative use of yoga, to keep one step ahead of the pack on their heels, and has a realistically awkward relationship with Mitch’s daughter, Shaine. Throughout, Shaine hits all the right notes while cycling through a mood carousel of grief, anger, excitement, boredom, and good old fashioned cranky teenager.
There’s no question that Lars and Shaine are in very real danger and blood flows liberally in The Devil Doesn’t Want Me, but there’s also a significant vein of intelligent, sarcastic humor that runs through the book as well. The initial meeting between Lars and Trent is a visual made for the screen — Lars is less than impressed with Trent’s mirrored shades, nose ring, baggy jeans, and rockstar jewelry assortment — and Trent’s ambition and attitude far outweigh his experience and competence, leading to some amusing, if painful, on the job learning.
And despite the fast paced action as the story unfolds in a path of death and destruction from New Mexico to Las Vegas to Los Angeles, at its core The Devil Doesn’t Want Me is a story about relationships and how time and age affects them. Lars and Nikki Senior are from a generation where things like honor, respect and a code of behavior meant something, whereas young guns Trent and Nikki Junior are all about flash over substance and instant, materialistic gratification. It makes for a deadly clash of philosophy. The age gap is also apparent in Lars’s fumbling interactions sixteen-year-old Shaine, his devotion to the “vintage” sounds of bands like AC/DC, Van Halen (the good stuff, none of that Van Hagar crap), Led Zeppelin, and his inability to use a smart phone.
It all adds up to an incredibly enjoyable story that has more depth than your typical hitman/mob shoot-em-up. I certainly hope Beetner has plans to revisit the characters in The Devil Doesn’t Want Me, because Lars makes an extremely appealing lead and I’d love to follow the “retired” hitman on a few more adventures.
January 12, 2014
"Can I help you with that? he asked calmly". This was the calm and cool response when Lars, veteran hitman, has a gun pulled on him by a sixteen year old girl. Lars has worked for Nikki Senior, East Coast Crime Boss, his whole life. After seventeen years of hunting Mitch the Snitch, Nikki Junior thinks it is time to bring in some young blood to help Lars get this job done. In comes a cocky teen, Trent, with only four kills under his belt to "show" old-timer Lars how it is done. Ear buds, nose ring, and complete disrespect does not play out well with Lars, who is ordered to show Trent the ropes.
Immediately, Trent finds Mitch the Snitch and puts a bullet in him. Unfortunately, Mitch's sixteen year old daughter witnesses the murder, Trent has no problem pulling the gun on the girl and Lars. Years of experience and yoga training keeps Lars twenty steps ahead of this new pup. Lars saves the girl and they start their quest to freedom. After making a few stops in Arizona, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles, Lars figures he will get the girl to her uncle's house and he will gather all his money from his banks and retire. Of course, nothing is that easy. He encounters many thugs trying to kill him, Trent nipping at his heels, and the FBI gets involved on this chase.
Eric Beetner writes well-paced, exciting novels peppered with humorous dialogue throughout the whole story. The witty exchange will have you laughing and the fight scenes will have you cheering out loud. Everything is well researched and spot on, from the types of guns and ammunition used in fights to the correct yoga positions that Lars uses to relax. I need to mention that Lars is one of my favorite characters in the many books that I have read. I am very picky when it comes to reading a well edited book and hoping the writer can keep the details accurate. Beetner scores perfection across the board on all points. I will, definitely, add more Beetner books to my collection and I cannot wait to read all of them. He, also, has excellent taste in music.
Immediately, Trent finds Mitch the Snitch and puts a bullet in him. Unfortunately, Mitch's sixteen year old daughter witnesses the murder, Trent has no problem pulling the gun on the girl and Lars. Years of experience and yoga training keeps Lars twenty steps ahead of this new pup. Lars saves the girl and they start their quest to freedom. After making a few stops in Arizona, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles, Lars figures he will get the girl to her uncle's house and he will gather all his money from his banks and retire. Of course, nothing is that easy. He encounters many thugs trying to kill him, Trent nipping at his heels, and the FBI gets involved on this chase.
Eric Beetner writes well-paced, exciting novels peppered with humorous dialogue throughout the whole story. The witty exchange will have you laughing and the fight scenes will have you cheering out loud. Everything is well researched and spot on, from the types of guns and ammunition used in fights to the correct yoga positions that Lars uses to relax. I need to mention that Lars is one of my favorite characters in the many books that I have read. I am very picky when it comes to reading a well edited book and hoping the writer can keep the details accurate. Beetner scores perfection across the board on all points. I will, definitely, add more Beetner books to my collection and I cannot wait to read all of them. He, also, has excellent taste in music.
June 16, 2013
Lars is a hit man for an East Coast crime family, but for the past seventeen years he’s been living in the desert trying to locate Mitch the Snitch who is in the witness protection system. Then comes Trent, an up and coming hit man who has located Mitch the Snitch and together they go after Mitch. But Lars hasn’t conflicting feelings when he sees Mitch and his daughter. Trent wants to kill everyone, including Lars but is too hyper and although gets Mitch, Lars gets the drop on him and takes off with the daughter. He tries to find a safe haven for the teenager while trying to collect money he has stored around the county and keeping one step ahead of the mob.
When I began reading this book, I wasn’t sure if it would be entertaining, but was I wrong? Although Lars is a criminal and Shaine, the teenager gets to be a pain, together they make an interesting couple. And I have to say Trent to wanna-be wise ass hit man is the comic relief. This story has humor, action and feeling. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
When I began reading this book, I wasn’t sure if it would be entertaining, but was I wrong? Although Lars is a criminal and Shaine, the teenager gets to be a pain, together they make an interesting couple. And I have to say Trent to wanna-be wise ass hit man is the comic relief. This story has humor, action and feeling. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
July 30, 2014
Eric Beetner is favorite author of mine. You can always expect unique intriguing characters, balls to the wall action from page one, and a twisted plot that you never think will unwind itself. Yet by the time you reach the end, you'll be more than satisfied, and hungry for more with melancholy that the story is finished.
But you don't have to wait long for another Beetner yarn to sink your teeth into, the man's a story churning robot who seems to crank out novellas faster than lightning. He's a beast. Harkens back to the old pulp era writers who got paid per word and could pump out a novel in a weekend. There's plenty of Beetner goodness awaiting you.
Do yourself a favor and grab this book (and all his others) and be prepared to take a bullet flying road trip from New Mexico to California in one wild and action packed adventure.
I think another Beetner novel was published as I wrote this review. :)
But you don't have to wait long for another Beetner yarn to sink your teeth into, the man's a story churning robot who seems to crank out novellas faster than lightning. He's a beast. Harkens back to the old pulp era writers who got paid per word and could pump out a novel in a weekend. There's plenty of Beetner goodness awaiting you.
Do yourself a favor and grab this book (and all his others) and be prepared to take a bullet flying road trip from New Mexico to California in one wild and action packed adventure.
I think another Beetner novel was published as I wrote this review. :)
April 27, 2013
The Devil Doesn’t Want Me is a noir, road trip story, tracking the flight of an aging hitman and the daughter of his long-term target as they make their way from New Mexico to Los Angeles. The story is well plotted, with Lars becoming increasing reflexive and the action and tension building as the tale unfolds, and the resolution is nicely played out. There were a couple of points where Lars’ judgement seemed a little off, especially the sojourn into Las Vegas, but they did not detract from the story and worked to create an entertaining set of events. The telling is all show, with a nice mix of dialogue and action, and is darkly humorous at times. The characterisation is strong, as are the social relations between Lars and his younger rival, and with the daughter. Overall, a fun and entertaining read that makes one dream of dashing across the desert in a 66 Mustang.
November 7, 2012
Eric Beetner's "The Devil Doesn't Want Me" is a hardboiled thrill ride that is a fantastic addition to the pulp/noir genre. His plot line buzzes along like an electric razor and keeps the reader not only on the edge of their seat, but also guessing at every turn and waiting for the next twist. Each character is well thought out and their behaviors are perfectly executed by Beetner. One often forgets that the protagonist they're rooting for is a professional killer. Even the antagonist becomes someone you love to hate. The pulp/noir genre should be absolutely thrilled to have such a great voice added to their team. If you're a fan of the genre, "The Devil Doesn't want Me" is right up your alley.
December 31, 2013
A solid noir-ish thriller in the vein of This Gun For Hire only with an aging yoga aficionado in place of Alan Ladd and an obnoxious 16yo filling in for Veronica Lake. An enjoyable read, but I could never take the threat to Lars seriously ([name redacted] instead served primarily for comic relief), and so the plot lacked tension. [PSEUDOSPOILER] The FBI scenes likewise amounted to little: we were given to understand early on that Ford was in no way an estimable field agent, and the Feds didn't figure at all in the end. Beetner has nothing like Elmore Leonard's ear and the depictions of the Mob felt cliched (then again, what do I know about the Mob?), but these deficiencies didn't prevent me from devouring this book in two sittings, so Beetner is clearly doing something right!
June 13, 2013
Eric Beetner is really good at establishing a premise and then setting it in motion -- at high speed.
There's a lot more going for this book, though. There are engaging characters on both sides of the ledger: for a hitman, it's remarkable how much sympathy Lars generates. Shaine is an entirely believable teenage girl. Trent is the best obnoxious jerk (supply your own stronger words) that I've encountered in a long time. That's by no means all.
Plus, the dialogue and many other images show a great sense of sly humor.
There's a lot more going for this book, though. There are engaging characters on both sides of the ledger: for a hitman, it's remarkable how much sympathy Lars generates. Shaine is an entirely believable teenage girl. Trent is the best obnoxious jerk (supply your own stronger words) that I've encountered in a long time. That's by no means all.
Plus, the dialogue and many other images show a great sense of sly humor.
October 7, 2013
Old hit man who may have lost an inch off his fastball is sent a younger hotshot to help him close an outstanding contract. They don’t get along, but they get together to do the job, which is where things go haywire. I’ll not spoil anything, but suffice to say the books starts with a dynamic that reminded me of Armand and Richie from Elmore Leonard’s Killshot (one of my Leonard favorites) and segues seamlessly into a smart chase/action movie where everything is believable.
January 21, 2014
Eric Beetner breathes new life into the old hit-man-on-his-last-job story. On the one hand, you get fast-paced, yoga-filled action (seriously). On the other, the relationship between Lars and Shaine, a teenage girl with no one left to turn to, brings out the fatherly instincts of the most black-hearted of readers (like me). I also like how much Lars despises the "new" style of hit man--personified in the moronic, mock-gangsta Trent. Highly recommended for fans of hardboiled/noir genres.
October 5, 2015
A fantastic thrill ride of a tale about a veteran hit man on his way out. A fantastic crime tale but also a great story about a special bond formed between an odd couple. There were some excellent surprises along the way and the action never quit. Beetner is one of the best lesser known authors writing today. Do yourself a favor and pick this, or any of his other stuff up immediately. You will not be disappointed.
January 19, 2014
But I want you to read my full review at lurid-lit.com.
July 11, 2016
The first book by Beetner that I've read and it was very good. Good chemistry despite the awkward pairing of the old guy with the 14 year old girl. I'm looking forward to the next in this series.
April 16, 2017
Killer book, pun absolutely intended.
Propulsive, moving from action to action with no time to slow down. This was a great read, full of chaos, bloodshed and a healthy dose of sarcasm and cynicism. Love the odd couple pairing of Lars and Shaine, and am excited to see that there is at least one more book (and hopefully a whole more to come) in the series.
This can rank right up there with some of the other current masters of fun, hard-boiled violence- your Todd Robinson, SW Lauden and Duane Swiercynskis, if you will.
Propulsive, moving from action to action with no time to slow down. This was a great read, full of chaos, bloodshed and a healthy dose of sarcasm and cynicism. Love the odd couple pairing of Lars and Shaine, and am excited to see that there is at least one more book (and hopefully a whole more to come) in the series.
This can rank right up there with some of the other current masters of fun, hard-boiled violence- your Todd Robinson, SW Lauden and Duane Swiercynskis, if you will.
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