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Quarry #15
Killing Quarry
The hitman hero of the acclaimed series Quarry on Cinemax returns with an all-new assignment. By Quarry's creator, the award-wining author of Road to Perdition!
Quarry, star of 13 previous novels, a comic book and the acclaimed Cinemax TV series, returns in an all-new assignment that takes the hitman's hitman into uncharted territory, when he finds out that for the first time someone has taken out a hit on him. And is the mysterious killer assigned to hit the hitman someone from Quarry's past? Maybe even a past lover...?
Quarry, star of 13 previous novels, a comic book and the acclaimed Cinemax TV series, returns in an all-new assignment that takes the hitman's hitman into uncharted territory, when he finds out that for the first time someone has taken out a hit on him. And is the mysterious killer assigned to hit the hitman someone from Quarry's past? Maybe even a past lover...?
224 pages, Paperback
First published November 12, 2019
53 people are currently reading
234 people want to read
About the author
Max Allan Collins
803 books1,321 followersReceived the Shamus Award, "The Eye" (Lifetime achievment award) in 2006.
He has also published under the name Patrick Culhane. He and his wife, Barbara Collins, have written several books together. Some of them are published under the name Barbara Allan.
Book Awards
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1984) : True Detective
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1992) : Stolen Away
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1995) : Carnal Hours
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1997) : Damned in Paradise
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1999) : Flying Blind: A Novel about Amelia Earhart
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (2002) : Angel in Black
Japanese: マックス・アラン・コリンズ
or マックス・アラン コリンズ
He has also published under the name Patrick Culhane. He and his wife, Barbara Collins, have written several books together. Some of them are published under the name Barbara Allan.
Book Awards
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1984) : True Detective
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1992) : Stolen Away
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1995) : Carnal Hours
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1997) : Damned in Paradise
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1999) : Flying Blind: A Novel about Amelia Earhart
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (2002) : Angel in Black
Japanese: マックス・アラン・コリンズ
or マックス・アラン コリンズ
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
November 12, 2019
Quarry’s back in town and the fun is ready to start. Collins has mastered the short, witty, style of the Quarry and it seems that no matter how many he puts out, they are just tremendous fun.
Originally conceived in the Seventies and then returned to decades later, Quarry was an ex-Vietnam war hero who returned stateside a few days early only to find the Dear John letter hadn’t been mailed yet. He was recruited by the legendary broker to do the only thing he had been trained to do: kill.
As the series went on, Quarry turned the tables on the Broker and, with his list of contacts, sought out targets and offered to get rid of the hitmen out to get them for a price. It’s now years later and Quarry is up to his same old tricks - only the target is a little too close for home.
This novel is a race car rounding those tight curves and about the only complaint I have with it is that it’s over all too quickly, leaving the reader desperate for more of the same. The writing is tight. The humor is dry and witty. Violent, sexy, suspenseful. Definitely worth reading.
The landscape around Lake Geneva is familiar to Quarry readers. And, if like me, you’ve already perused all the other Quarry books, you are not going to be disappointed at the twists and turns.
Originally conceived in the Seventies and then returned to decades later, Quarry was an ex-Vietnam war hero who returned stateside a few days early only to find the Dear John letter hadn’t been mailed yet. He was recruited by the legendary broker to do the only thing he had been trained to do: kill.
As the series went on, Quarry turned the tables on the Broker and, with his list of contacts, sought out targets and offered to get rid of the hitmen out to get them for a price. It’s now years later and Quarry is up to his same old tricks - only the target is a little too close for home.
This novel is a race car rounding those tight curves and about the only complaint I have with it is that it’s over all too quickly, leaving the reader desperate for more of the same. The writing is tight. The humor is dry and witty. Violent, sexy, suspenseful. Definitely worth reading.
The landscape around Lake Geneva is familiar to Quarry readers. And, if like me, you’ve already perused all the other Quarry books, you are not going to be disappointed at the twists and turns.
March 30, 2020
I'm a longtime fan of Max Allan Collins' Quarry series. Ever since I read THE LAST QUARRY years ago I've been hooked and have chased down every book to feature the hitman with a heart, devouring them with the same enthusiasm as Quarry devotes to his love life - which is a lot.
In KILLING QUARRY, we see the return of QUARRY'S DEAL character Lu; a sexy murderess who has Quarry in her sights. Why? The list. We know Quarry's living the life of selective murder, picking and choosing his targets based on the Brokers list of hitmen. Don't be fooled, Quarry isn't performing a service for the public good; there's good money in taking out a hit-team and profiting off the intended victim's paranoia - and that's exactly how this latest installment kicks off.
As per the author intro, KILLING QUARRY, takes place approximately a year before QUARRY'S VOTE and sees Quarry tracking and staking out another hitman only to discover the intended victim is him! When Lu appears in Kill Bill fashion, showering Quarry in a deluge of blood and brain matter, after having killed her partner who was subsequently trying to kill Quarry, the murky waters of professional murder become even more complex.
Readers familiar with the series will know what to expect while first time readers (yes, this does read perfectly well as a standalone) will be in for a fun, pulpy ride of bullets, broads, and brawls.
In KILLING QUARRY, we see the return of QUARRY'S DEAL character Lu; a sexy murderess who has Quarry in her sights. Why? The list. We know Quarry's living the life of selective murder, picking and choosing his targets based on the Brokers list of hitmen. Don't be fooled, Quarry isn't performing a service for the public good; there's good money in taking out a hit-team and profiting off the intended victim's paranoia - and that's exactly how this latest installment kicks off.
As per the author intro, KILLING QUARRY, takes place approximately a year before QUARRY'S VOTE and sees Quarry tracking and staking out another hitman only to discover the intended victim is him! When Lu appears in Kill Bill fashion, showering Quarry in a deluge of blood and brain matter, after having killed her partner who was subsequently trying to kill Quarry, the murky waters of professional murder become even more complex.
Readers familiar with the series will know what to expect while first time readers (yes, this does read perfectly well as a standalone) will be in for a fun, pulpy ride of bullets, broads, and brawls.
March 24, 2024
Quarry is pure entertainment to read. I enjoyed this installment immensely.
A contract has been taken out on Quarry and the hitman is definitely not who you think it is nor is the one who took the contract out on him. Wowser.
Quarry is in peril but he has help keeping him safe AND people he thought he could trust were the worst offenders of his trust! The end was perfect and I’m glad Quarry lives to see another day.
A contract has been taken out on Quarry and the hitman is definitely not who you think it is nor is the one who took the contract out on him. Wowser.
Quarry is in peril but he has help keeping him safe AND people he thought he could trust were the worst offenders of his trust! The end was perfect and I’m glad Quarry lives to see another day.
November 4, 2019
The author sent me a copy of this novel in exchange for a review.
First, I wonder how many people understood the title is a reference to the popular Bill O'Reilly series "Killing X"? This sly humor is what sets this series apart from other of this type.
Quarry is on the case, surveilling and tracking a hitman, only to find that the target is himself! One of the hitters is a rare female assassin, one sharing a past with Quarry.
The two assassins start investigating not really trusting one another, but sleeping together anyway.
Everything builds nicely to a great climax. The solution made sense, and the ending really swerved me. I was expecting something very different.
Another great book in the series. Usually, I think Quarry works best in the Disco era, but this one, set in the 80s, is really good.
First, I wonder how many people understood the title is a reference to the popular Bill O'Reilly series "Killing X"? This sly humor is what sets this series apart from other of this type.
Quarry is on the case, surveilling and tracking a hitman, only to find that the target is himself! One of the hitters is a rare female assassin, one sharing a past with Quarry.
The two assassins start investigating not really trusting one another, but sleeping together anyway.
Everything builds nicely to a great climax. The solution made sense, and the ending really swerved me. I was expecting something very different.
Another great book in the series. Usually, I think Quarry works best in the Disco era, but this one, set in the 80s, is really good.
February 2, 2022
I thought I read all the Quarry books narrated by Stephen Rudnicki, but somehow I missed this one. It was fun, but MAC took a few too many liberties with reality for me. He starts out with a huge coincidence & then more mix things up like a bad conspiracy theory. It just got too unbelievable even with Rudnicki's wonderful narration & Quarry's snark.
It's no better than a 2.5 star read, but I'll round up to 3 stars. It's a fun series.
It's no better than a 2.5 star read, but I'll round up to 3 stars. It's a fun series.
March 11, 2020
One of the better Quarry's, although they are all good. Like the others this one bounces us to another time in Quarry's life, this time the mid-1980s. Quarry always reminds me of Parker, but unlike Parker, Quarry is a little less of a psychopath and makes a lot more mistakes. Definitely one of the best books of 2019.
January 15, 2022
A wierd one. Collins changes up the formula (which, honestly, needed a bit of freshening after a baker's dozen volumes) by making Quarry practically inept. He keeps getting jumped, ambushed, fooled, and snuck up on. There is still some good hitman action to be found, however.
October 25, 2019
By now, fans of the “Quarry” series know that each new book will deliver a fast-moving plot with a mystery for their hitman hero to unravel – as well as plenty of dark humor coming from the first-person narration. What distinguishes the newest installment, “Killing Quarry,” are the ingredients it adds to this formula, one of which is hinted at in the title. (I received an advance review copy.)
By my count, this is the 14th tale from Max Allan Collins about the former Vietnam veteran whose real name we never learn, who makes his living as a hitman. But this is the first time Quarry himself has been the target of a contract by someone who wants him dead. Putting Quarry on the defensive is a welcome change, as the hunter becomes the hunted. The key question is who wants him dead – and why.
The fun in these books is not the solution to the mystery so much; that would mean you’ve reached the end. It’s watching Quarry figuring everything out, and how the characters he meets along the way help or hinder him (sometimes both). What fans of the series will especially enjoy is that “Killing Quarry” brings back Lu, a female member of Quarry’s profession who tangled with him in a previous novel.
Lu is one of the best-developed characters in this series. The dialogue between her and Quarry is especially well written. Collins gives us a number of quieter scenes in which it’s just Quarry and Lu having a conversation. These segments are as compelling as the more action-oriented scenes that drive the plot forward – largely because the inescapable question in the back of Quarry’s mind (and the reader’s) is whether Lu will turn out to be the one who wants him dead. That she’s every bit his equal in skill set makes the prospect of a final showdown between them suspenseful. That these two cold-blooded killers seem so … perfect for each other raises the stakes even more.
Over the years, the books have been written out of chronological order. They fall into two general periods. The earlier stories, which take place during the 1970s, have Quarry working as a hitman for a shady character called “the Broker.” Later, Quarry becomes an entrepreneur of sorts. Having obtained a list of his fellow killers for hire, Quarry follows a hit man to his next job, plays detective to identify the intended target and offers his services (for a hefty fee) to remove the hitman and the person who hired him. (Think of Robin Hood as Martin Scorsese might have imagined him.)
“Killing Quarry” takes place during the latter period. It’s one of Collins’ best, but if you’re new to this series, I’d recommend first reading “Quarry’s Deal,” the book that introduced Lu.
By my count, this is the 14th tale from Max Allan Collins about the former Vietnam veteran whose real name we never learn, who makes his living as a hitman. But this is the first time Quarry himself has been the target of a contract by someone who wants him dead. Putting Quarry on the defensive is a welcome change, as the hunter becomes the hunted. The key question is who wants him dead – and why.
The fun in these books is not the solution to the mystery so much; that would mean you’ve reached the end. It’s watching Quarry figuring everything out, and how the characters he meets along the way help or hinder him (sometimes both). What fans of the series will especially enjoy is that “Killing Quarry” brings back Lu, a female member of Quarry’s profession who tangled with him in a previous novel.
Lu is one of the best-developed characters in this series. The dialogue between her and Quarry is especially well written. Collins gives us a number of quieter scenes in which it’s just Quarry and Lu having a conversation. These segments are as compelling as the more action-oriented scenes that drive the plot forward – largely because the inescapable question in the back of Quarry’s mind (and the reader’s) is whether Lu will turn out to be the one who wants him dead. That she’s every bit his equal in skill set makes the prospect of a final showdown between them suspenseful. That these two cold-blooded killers seem so … perfect for each other raises the stakes even more.
Over the years, the books have been written out of chronological order. They fall into two general periods. The earlier stories, which take place during the 1970s, have Quarry working as a hitman for a shady character called “the Broker.” Later, Quarry becomes an entrepreneur of sorts. Having obtained a list of his fellow killers for hire, Quarry follows a hit man to his next job, plays detective to identify the intended target and offers his services (for a hefty fee) to remove the hitman and the person who hired him. (Think of Robin Hood as Martin Scorsese might have imagined him.)
“Killing Quarry” takes place during the latter period. It’s one of Collins’ best, but if you’re new to this series, I’d recommend first reading “Quarry’s Deal,” the book that introduced Lu.
April 13, 2024
A Hit on the Hitman
Review of the Titan Books / Hard Case Crime Kindle eBook edition (November 12, 2019) published simultaneously with the Hard Case Crime paperback and Skyboat Media audiobook.
This is Quarry #15, a late entry in the long-running Quarry series (1976-2022) about an anti-hero hitman. After a betrayal, the anonymous character (Quarry simply being a trademark nickname) turned the tables on the various middleman brokers and the contract hitmen by stalking the stalkers and taking his fees from the planned victims. The prolific novelist and comic book author Max Allan Collins (761 books to his credit on Goodreads! 😲) returns periodically to this protagonist, but usually places the settings back in the late 1900s rather than aging the character up to the present day.
Thus Killing Quarry finds the hitman in retirement and running a motel resort. But suddenly it appears that he himself is being stalked by hired killers possibly in search of payback for his disruptions of the status quo. Eventually he manages to join forces with another character who is perhaps seeking retirement and together they end up infiltrating a summit of contract brokers. Will they manage to breakup the conspiracy and not turn on each other by the end? Never count Quarry out even when the chips appear to be down.
I read Killing Quarry from picking it up as a $1.99 Kindle Deal of the Day and after enjoying some recent books by Scott Von Doviak from Hard Case Crime.
Trivia and Links
Killing Quarry is part of the Hard Case Crime (2004-) series of new works, reprints, and posthumous publications of the pulp and noir crime genre founded by authors Charles Ardai and Max Phillips. GR's Listopia is not complete (as of April 2024) and the most current lists of publication can be found at Wikipedia or the Publisher's own Official Site.
Review of the Titan Books / Hard Case Crime Kindle eBook edition (November 12, 2019) published simultaneously with the Hard Case Crime paperback and Skyboat Media audiobook.
She leaned in. “We should’ve stopped this shit ten years ago. We could have, you know. If we’d just disappeared then, who would have cared?”
“But we didn’t.” I shrugged. “Maybe this is a second chance.”
“Maybe. But we’re going to have to kill some people.”
I shrugged again. “I’m okay with that.”
She shrugged. Sipped. “So am I.”
This is Quarry #15, a late entry in the long-running Quarry series (1976-2022) about an anti-hero hitman. After a betrayal, the anonymous character (Quarry simply being a trademark nickname) turned the tables on the various middleman brokers and the contract hitmen by stalking the stalkers and taking his fees from the planned victims. The prolific novelist and comic book author Max Allan Collins (761 books to his credit on Goodreads! 😲) returns periodically to this protagonist, but usually places the settings back in the late 1900s rather than aging the character up to the present day.
Thus Killing Quarry finds the hitman in retirement and running a motel resort. But suddenly it appears that he himself is being stalked by hired killers possibly in search of payback for his disruptions of the status quo. Eventually he manages to join forces with another character who is perhaps seeking retirement and together they end up infiltrating a summit of contract brokers. Will they manage to breakup the conspiracy and not turn on each other by the end? Never count Quarry out even when the chips appear to be down.
I read Killing Quarry from picking it up as a $1.99 Kindle Deal of the Day and after enjoying some recent books by Scott Von Doviak from Hard Case Crime.
Trivia and Links
Killing Quarry is part of the Hard Case Crime (2004-) series of new works, reprints, and posthumous publications of the pulp and noir crime genre founded by authors Charles Ardai and Max Phillips. GR's Listopia is not complete (as of April 2024) and the most current lists of publication can be found at Wikipedia or the Publisher's own Official Site.
August 6, 2020
Just ok👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
I love the series, but Quarry is escaping death a little too much lately. Dude is getting away like the tv series Batman!! And if these trained killers don't stop monologuing and just PULL THE DANG TRIGGER!!!😄😄😄
Buy it, read it and enjoy.👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥
I love the series, but Quarry is escaping death a little too much lately. Dude is getting away like the tv series Batman!! And if these trained killers don't stop monologuing and just PULL THE DANG TRIGGER!!!😄😄😄
Buy it, read it and enjoy.👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥
August 2, 2020
This is one of those books you can sit down in a day and finish it. Its throwback to those action packed guns and sex pulp novels of the 70's and 80's. The problem with Collin's books is that you get wrapped up in a very entertaining plot and its hard to put down. The fun in these books is not the solution to the mystery it's watching hitman Quarry figure everything out. Its great fun and a solid retro pulp fiction novel. Enjoy!
December 12, 2019
Quarry’s back! And this time HE’S the target.
And boy, his face is red! He just wants to make sure that remains a figure of speech.
For the last few books, Quarry has been using a Kill List he got from his old boss (may he rest in peace) to drum up business for himself. He’s out of the killing business—well, not entirely—and into the hero biz—as long as there’s a payday.
That comes to an end when he finds out his life is the latest life he’s going to save. All bets are off as Quarry scrambles to kill those who are out to kill him. In the process, he discovers how much his cushy life owning an easy-going lodge/diner means to him.
I love the Quarry books. There’s something about the easy narrative that just streams throughout the story. The novels are always equal parts action, introspection, and smart-assery. Quarry’s sense of humor is notable, and not always appropriate, but this story is set in the 1980s and things weren’t as politically correct in those days.
The appearance of Lu, a hitwoman who has crossed paths with Quarry before, is a welcome addition to the narrative. Quarry and Lu are quite the package when they’re together, and I enjoyed watching them work and play off each other throughout the story.
As always, Collins weaves in social politics and history into the narrative, and even though the Playboy Club in Chicago didn’t end up getting used as it was in the book, it’s still amusing to think what-if. Collins is a great what-if author.
Collins’s wry observations of life then and now are spot-on and cutting, and they always give me something to think about because those years were formative for me in a lot of ways as well. Reading the Quarry books is like having that sarcastic older brother I never had, the one who would egg me on to enjoy life and not take things too seriously—until the bullets started flying. And even then, life’s a little more exciting and fun.
The Quarry books are a guilty pleasure for me, and I suspect they are for Max Allan Collins as well. They should be.
This book ends the “hit list” sequence of Quarry novels, so I wonder where the author will end up next with the series. I don’t think Collins, or I, have seen the last of Quarry. At least, I hope not.
And boy, his face is red! He just wants to make sure that remains a figure of speech.
For the last few books, Quarry has been using a Kill List he got from his old boss (may he rest in peace) to drum up business for himself. He’s out of the killing business—well, not entirely—and into the hero biz—as long as there’s a payday.
That comes to an end when he finds out his life is the latest life he’s going to save. All bets are off as Quarry scrambles to kill those who are out to kill him. In the process, he discovers how much his cushy life owning an easy-going lodge/diner means to him.
I love the Quarry books. There’s something about the easy narrative that just streams throughout the story. The novels are always equal parts action, introspection, and smart-assery. Quarry’s sense of humor is notable, and not always appropriate, but this story is set in the 1980s and things weren’t as politically correct in those days.
The appearance of Lu, a hitwoman who has crossed paths with Quarry before, is a welcome addition to the narrative. Quarry and Lu are quite the package when they’re together, and I enjoyed watching them work and play off each other throughout the story.
As always, Collins weaves in social politics and history into the narrative, and even though the Playboy Club in Chicago didn’t end up getting used as it was in the book, it’s still amusing to think what-if. Collins is a great what-if author.
Collins’s wry observations of life then and now are spot-on and cutting, and they always give me something to think about because those years were formative for me in a lot of ways as well. Reading the Quarry books is like having that sarcastic older brother I never had, the one who would egg me on to enjoy life and not take things too seriously—until the bullets started flying. And even then, life’s a little more exciting and fun.
The Quarry books are a guilty pleasure for me, and I suspect they are for Max Allan Collins as well. They should be.
This book ends the “hit list” sequence of Quarry novels, so I wonder where the author will end up next with the series. I don’t think Collins, or I, have seen the last of Quarry. At least, I hope not.
November 30, 2019
"Killing Quarry" is the 14th "Quarry" prose novel by Max Allan Collins. The author claims his was the first-ever hitman protagonist. The "Quarry" series, named after the hitman in question (code-named "Quarry" in the sense of a hollow hole dug deep into cold rock) began in the 1970s. And it's still going strong after many long hiatuses and a recent mediocre TV adaptation on Cinemax--which was canceled after one season. The continuation of the series of books is great news for Quarry fans like myself. I was concerned the failure of the "Quarry" TV show might end the book series as well.
It's too bad there aren't more top-shelf Hard Case Crime novels like this one. Sadly, most of the Hard Case Crime novels I've read were from manuscripts left in a drawer somewhere by famous (and semi-famous) authors that should have been left in that drawer. Those drawers probably should have been nailed shut as well, to prevent the manuscripts from doing harm to humankind.
But the Quarry novels are awesome. Let's not have any misunderstandings about that.
"Killing Quarry" is a kinda-sorta sequel to "Quarry's Deal," the third novel in the series. A character readers met in that novel, the alluring female hit-person, Lu, returns after a decade (in the Quarry timeline) for more sex and violence in Quarry's world. The complication? The "bad guys" know what quarry has been up to--killing his former hitmen colleagues and those who hired them. Eventually, this causes complications for Quarry. The deadly kind.
Unlike most of the novels in this series, "Killing Quarry" takes place in Quarry's own backyard of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
This novel has a pretty decent "the story so far" chapter to start off with, which means even those new to the world of Quarry can jump in and not get too lost. And the edition I read also had the first chapter of "Quarry's Deal," where readers first met Lu.
Quarry novels are ones I almost always devour quickly and are some of the (very) few books I read that I wish were longer instead of shorter. That's high praise from me. If you read my other reviews, you know what I'm talking about.
It's too bad there aren't more top-shelf Hard Case Crime novels like this one. Sadly, most of the Hard Case Crime novels I've read were from manuscripts left in a drawer somewhere by famous (and semi-famous) authors that should have been left in that drawer. Those drawers probably should have been nailed shut as well, to prevent the manuscripts from doing harm to humankind.
But the Quarry novels are awesome. Let's not have any misunderstandings about that.
"Killing Quarry" is a kinda-sorta sequel to "Quarry's Deal," the third novel in the series. A character readers met in that novel, the alluring female hit-person, Lu, returns after a decade (in the Quarry timeline) for more sex and violence in Quarry's world. The complication? The "bad guys" know what quarry has been up to--killing his former hitmen colleagues and those who hired them. Eventually, this causes complications for Quarry. The deadly kind.
Unlike most of the novels in this series, "Killing Quarry" takes place in Quarry's own backyard of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
This novel has a pretty decent "the story so far" chapter to start off with, which means even those new to the world of Quarry can jump in and not get too lost. And the edition I read also had the first chapter of "Quarry's Deal," where readers first met Lu.
Quarry novels are ones I almost always devour quickly and are some of the (very) few books I read that I wish were longer instead of shorter. That's high praise from me. If you read my other reviews, you know what I'm talking about.
January 15, 2020
can not go wrong with a Quarry book. again great story and love the quarry character. Keep the books coming Max. loved it.
Want to read
September 7, 2023Can't read anymore current thrillers - they are doing my head in - so having a go at this book
December 28, 2025
Finally the return of Lu, the female contract killer who was Quarry’s love interest back in Quarry’s List, one of the books actually written in the 1970s.
December 27, 2019
Fairly routine outing for Quarry but a much better book than the last few Quarry entries. Very quick read. Waiting for Collins to get back to a Heller book or something new to show off his immense talent. Seems bogged down with the Quarry books and the Spillane books.
September 23, 2019
Everyone’s favorite professional killer is back in Killing Quarry, the 15th adventure of the Vietnam sniper turned hitman by Max Allan Collins.
This adventure falls into the “list” era of Quarry adventures when he is searching out other professional killers and eliminating them — for a fee. It’s a return to the early days of this series that first started in the 1970s, but with a twist. When Quarry tracks this killer, he ends up following him back to his Wisconsin stomping ground and finds that he is the target. It seems someone has figured out his scheme and is tired of their killers and clients getting offed.
As I wrote that last paragraph, I realized just how absurd this premise is. It requires a pretty big suspension of disbelief to accept that Quarry would just happen to track the right killer at the right time. In fact, that points to just what a skilled writer MAC is at this point. Yeah, it bothered me a little at the back of my mind as I read, but the story was moving at such a pace, it’s easy to toss that aside and follow the story.
A female killer from Quarry’s past shows up at an opportune time to help Quarry, and there’s the typical death and sex to keep you reading. Still, what appears to be a relatively straightforward tale has enough twists and turns to keep the story going to a satisfying conclusion.
The decision to have Quarry as the target pays off in some nice ways as it leaves Quarry off his game throughout the book and ups the stakes for our hero(?). That helps to keep the book feeling fresh, something that’s never easy to do in a series that has extended across this many books and more than 40 years.
This adventure falls into the “list” era of Quarry adventures when he is searching out other professional killers and eliminating them — for a fee. It’s a return to the early days of this series that first started in the 1970s, but with a twist. When Quarry tracks this killer, he ends up following him back to his Wisconsin stomping ground and finds that he is the target. It seems someone has figured out his scheme and is tired of their killers and clients getting offed.
As I wrote that last paragraph, I realized just how absurd this premise is. It requires a pretty big suspension of disbelief to accept that Quarry would just happen to track the right killer at the right time. In fact, that points to just what a skilled writer MAC is at this point. Yeah, it bothered me a little at the back of my mind as I read, but the story was moving at such a pace, it’s easy to toss that aside and follow the story.
A female killer from Quarry’s past shows up at an opportune time to help Quarry, and there’s the typical death and sex to keep you reading. Still, what appears to be a relatively straightforward tale has enough twists and turns to keep the story going to a satisfying conclusion.
The decision to have Quarry as the target pays off in some nice ways as it leaves Quarry off his game throughout the book and ups the stakes for our hero(?). That helps to keep the book feeling fresh, something that’s never easy to do in a series that has extended across this many books and more than 40 years.
February 10, 2025
Max Allan Collins is capable of writing serious, high-minded, "literary fiction". Works like Road to Perdition or A History of Violence show this. More often he writes down and dirty, fun, crime novels that revel in their own seediness. The Quarry series is mostly of the latter variety, although the short lived television series based on the Quarry novels is definitely elevated television.
The Quarry novels are often formulaic and serve as an anti whodunit. As Quarry is a hitman, no heart of gold here, the books are a how will he do it or how will he get away with it. As a general rule, it is safe to pick up most Quarry novels anywhere in the series as they tend to stand alone just fine. However, Killing Quarry may be the single most continuity minded of all the Quarry novels and one would do well to have read several of the preceding titles. In this go 'round, someone from Quarry's past has put out a contract on him. Further, another figure from Quarry's past shows up and may either be in on it or there to help him out.
The book takes off like a rocket, and never slows down until the end. It's a great deal of fun and has all the sex and violence one might wish for.
It's not a weighty or intellectual read, but not everything needs to be.
The Quarry novels are often formulaic and serve as an anti whodunit. As Quarry is a hitman, no heart of gold here, the books are a how will he do it or how will he get away with it. As a general rule, it is safe to pick up most Quarry novels anywhere in the series as they tend to stand alone just fine. However, Killing Quarry may be the single most continuity minded of all the Quarry novels and one would do well to have read several of the preceding titles. In this go 'round, someone from Quarry's past has put out a contract on him. Further, another figure from Quarry's past shows up and may either be in on it or there to help him out.
The book takes off like a rocket, and never slows down until the end. It's a great deal of fun and has all the sex and violence one might wish for.
It's not a weighty or intellectual read, but not everything needs to be.
November 18, 2019
Let me assure you at the outset of this review that Quarry does not get killed, the title and its fetching cover notwithstanding. I’m not giving anything away here, so no spoiler alert. In his Author’s Note, Max Allan Collins is quick to point out that while the Quarry series is sequential, his writing of the novels and their subsequent publication (by the absolutely indispensable Hard Case Crime imprint) are not. Thus, he notes, KILLING QUARRY takes place before the previously published QUARRY’S VOTE.
The trick here is to weave sufficient suspense into a story where readers know that everything is going to be all right. Collins pulls this off, and quite successfully. Of course, there are heaping doses of violence and explicit sexual situations peppered throughout the book, as if we needed incentive to keep going (we certainly don’t).
For those unfamiliar with the series, Quarry, formerly a Marine sniper in Vietnam, uses his skill set in the book’s present --- the latter third of the 20th century --- as a paid hitman. He started off in the service of a mysterious entity known as the Broker, but eventually terminated their agreement (along with the Broker) and became a freelancer, utilizing the Broker’s files anonymously for his own benefit and creating his own clientele.
Quarry is in the middle of scoping out a new target, a fellow assassin, when he discovers that he himself has been targeted. This sets up all sorts of intriguing situations, including one in which Quarry is reunited with an old and deadly flame who he cannot entirely trust, though it does not hinder either of them from giving that fire an extra flicker or two. It also allows Collins to set up a few scenarios that border on the fantastic, but in their setting --- ’50s-style pulp noir --- are not out of place at all. In addition, readers are provided with a lot of deep and interesting background into Quarry’s home and the surrounding environs.
Along the way, there are plenty of twists, turns and double- and triple-crosses as we head toward an explosive conclusion --- which, for the reasons noted above, Quarry survives, though not everyone else does.
At just under 200 pages, this instant classic has something for everybody. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a shoutout to Paul Mann, who designed the front and back covers and whose talent is exceeded only by his own imagination. I wouldn’t mind a bit if this series, which harkens back to a past and better era, went on forever.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
The trick here is to weave sufficient suspense into a story where readers know that everything is going to be all right. Collins pulls this off, and quite successfully. Of course, there are heaping doses of violence and explicit sexual situations peppered throughout the book, as if we needed incentive to keep going (we certainly don’t).
For those unfamiliar with the series, Quarry, formerly a Marine sniper in Vietnam, uses his skill set in the book’s present --- the latter third of the 20th century --- as a paid hitman. He started off in the service of a mysterious entity known as the Broker, but eventually terminated their agreement (along with the Broker) and became a freelancer, utilizing the Broker’s files anonymously for his own benefit and creating his own clientele.
Quarry is in the middle of scoping out a new target, a fellow assassin, when he discovers that he himself has been targeted. This sets up all sorts of intriguing situations, including one in which Quarry is reunited with an old and deadly flame who he cannot entirely trust, though it does not hinder either of them from giving that fire an extra flicker or two. It also allows Collins to set up a few scenarios that border on the fantastic, but in their setting --- ’50s-style pulp noir --- are not out of place at all. In addition, readers are provided with a lot of deep and interesting background into Quarry’s home and the surrounding environs.
Along the way, there are plenty of twists, turns and double- and triple-crosses as we head toward an explosive conclusion --- which, for the reasons noted above, Quarry survives, though not everyone else does.
At just under 200 pages, this instant classic has something for everybody. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a shoutout to Paul Mann, who designed the front and back covers and whose talent is exceeded only by his own imagination. I wouldn’t mind a bit if this series, which harkens back to a past and better era, went on forever.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
December 14, 2019
Quarry's fifteenth adventure begins in Illinois, where he has decided to tail another assassin whose name was on the list he stole from the Broker. Quarry's plan is to find out who has been marked as a potential target, then sell his services to that individual as a protector. There's a hefty fee if Quarry can eliminate the hit man, then another even more sizable payment if he can also identify and eliminate whoever paid for the hit.
It's all rather routine until the would-be assassin leads him right back to his own house: Quarry is the target.
Things spiral downward even further when Quarry realizes the female assassin (and Quarry's former lover) Lu is staking him out. Soon, the two of them find themselves at a gathering of brokers, and Quarry must try to learn which ones know who he is and are trying to kill him.
The tone of this novel felt different from the those that preceded it. It was more casual, relaxed, with lots of humor. Quarry breaks down the fourth wall and addresses the reader directly a few times.
Bringing back Lu, who appeared in the 1976 entry Quarry's Deal, was a stroke of genius. Besides The Broker, she is far and away the most memorable sidekick character in the series. Considerable tension in this plot stems from whether Quarry can really trust her; I am glad the author did not resolve this with an obvious and predictable answer.
Despite being set several decades in the past, the last few Quarry books had significant resonance with modern social issues (Quarry in the Black dealt with racial tensions in Ferguson, Missouri. Quarry's Climax, which was published on the heels of Hugh Hefner's passing, addressed the death of a prominent pornographer). This book, on the other hand, is just content to be a fun, breezy throwback to the series' roots. It's the most fun since The Wrong Quarry.
Here is a list of all the Quarry books in chronological sequence.
The Broker Years
1. The First Quarry
2. Quarry's Choice
3. Quarry’s War (graphic novel)
4. Quarry in the Black
5. Quarry's Climax
6. Quarry
The "Broker's List" Era
7. Quarry's List
8. Quarry's Deal
9. Quarry's Cut
10. Quarry's Ex
11. The Wrong Quarry
12. Quarry in the Middle
13. Killing Quarry
Quarry in Retirement
14. Quarry's Vote
15. The Last Quarry
(There was also an out of print collection of short stories--Quarry's Greatest Hits.)
It's all rather routine until the would-be assassin leads him right back to his own house: Quarry is the target.
Things spiral downward even further when Quarry realizes the female assassin (and Quarry's former lover) Lu is staking him out. Soon, the two of them find themselves at a gathering of brokers, and Quarry must try to learn which ones know who he is and are trying to kill him.
The tone of this novel felt different from the those that preceded it. It was more casual, relaxed, with lots of humor. Quarry breaks down the fourth wall and addresses the reader directly a few times.
Bringing back Lu, who appeared in the 1976 entry Quarry's Deal, was a stroke of genius. Besides The Broker, she is far and away the most memorable sidekick character in the series. Considerable tension in this plot stems from whether Quarry can really trust her; I am glad the author did not resolve this with an obvious and predictable answer.
Despite being set several decades in the past, the last few Quarry books had significant resonance with modern social issues (Quarry in the Black dealt with racial tensions in Ferguson, Missouri. Quarry's Climax, which was published on the heels of Hugh Hefner's passing, addressed the death of a prominent pornographer). This book, on the other hand, is just content to be a fun, breezy throwback to the series' roots. It's the most fun since The Wrong Quarry.
Here is a list of all the Quarry books in chronological sequence.
The Broker Years
1. The First Quarry
2. Quarry's Choice
3. Quarry’s War (graphic novel)
4. Quarry in the Black
5. Quarry's Climax
6. Quarry
The "Broker's List" Era
7. Quarry's List
8. Quarry's Deal
9. Quarry's Cut
10. Quarry's Ex
11. The Wrong Quarry
12. Quarry in the Middle
13. Killing Quarry
Quarry in Retirement
14. Quarry's Vote
15. The Last Quarry
(There was also an out of print collection of short stories--Quarry's Greatest Hits.)
October 22, 2019
I have read all the previous Quarry books and eagerly await each new novel, so I can't claim to be a totally unbiased reader. My favorite novels about the hitman are those where he is given an assignment which either takes him to an interesting location or mixes him with some unlikely characters. The least interesting books in the series are those that are set in Quarry's backyard or involve Quarry using the list of hitmen he obtained when he killed the Broker to track down potential victims of hitmen and warn them of their peril and promise to eliminate the problem (for a price). The ''list" novels just seem so strained and unlikely that it affects my enjoyment.
Killing Quarry is a "list" novel set in Quarry's neck of the woods in Wisconsin. It has a convoluted plot and the head slapping absurdity of a summit meeting of brokers for hired killers where they listen to spiels about Cayman Island money laundering. Early on, I was worried that this novel would go south and crash and burn.
And then came a character from Quarry's past to save the day and save the novel. I don't want to spoil the novel, so let me just say that the novel comes to life when this character enters and the book manages to override the plot absurdities and come alive with some action, some mystery and copious plot twists.
I salute Max Allan Collins for keeping the Quarry series alive and keeping it fresh with both new situations and variations on a theme. Killing Quarry doesn't rank with my favorite Quarry novels, but it does provide solid pulpy entertainment for the reader.
Killing Quarry is a "list" novel set in Quarry's neck of the woods in Wisconsin. It has a convoluted plot and the head slapping absurdity of a summit meeting of brokers for hired killers where they listen to spiels about Cayman Island money laundering. Early on, I was worried that this novel would go south and crash and burn.
And then came a character from Quarry's past to save the day and save the novel. I don't want to spoil the novel, so let me just say that the novel comes to life when this character enters and the book manages to override the plot absurdities and come alive with some action, some mystery and copious plot twists.
I salute Max Allan Collins for keeping the Quarry series alive and keeping it fresh with both new situations and variations on a theme. Killing Quarry doesn't rank with my favorite Quarry novels, but it does provide solid pulpy entertainment for the reader.
January 12, 2020
Originally published at BORG.com.
Killing Quarry–Max Allan Collins puts Quarry in the crosshairs in latest novel
Review by C.J. Bunce
Forty-three years after author Max Allan Collins published his novel Quarry’s Deal in 1976, he has penned the sequel, Killing Quarry, what he calls the last of a sub-series of his famous anti-hero Quarry’s exploits selling his hitman services to targets of other hitmen. Killing Quarry is available now from Hard Case Crime, the 15th novel of the Vietnam vet whose return from the service wasn’t at all what he expected, and the subject of his own Cinemax series, Quarry, reviewed here at borg last year. Collins has finished or co-authored nearly as many crime novels with crime writer Mickey Spillane posthumously, reflecting the prolific nature of Collins’ crime writing and expertise, plus Collins’ noteworthy Road to Perdition, five other book series and countless tie-in novels. Killing Quarry is great fun, a solid retro fix, and true throwback to those action-packed, guns and sex pulp novels of the 1970s.
Review continued here.
Killing Quarry–Max Allan Collins puts Quarry in the crosshairs in latest novel
Review by C.J. Bunce
Forty-three years after author Max Allan Collins published his novel Quarry’s Deal in 1976, he has penned the sequel, Killing Quarry, what he calls the last of a sub-series of his famous anti-hero Quarry’s exploits selling his hitman services to targets of other hitmen. Killing Quarry is available now from Hard Case Crime, the 15th novel of the Vietnam vet whose return from the service wasn’t at all what he expected, and the subject of his own Cinemax series, Quarry, reviewed here at borg last year. Collins has finished or co-authored nearly as many crime novels with crime writer Mickey Spillane posthumously, reflecting the prolific nature of Collins’ crime writing and expertise, plus Collins’ noteworthy Road to Perdition, five other book series and countless tie-in novels. Killing Quarry is great fun, a solid retro fix, and true throwback to those action-packed, guns and sex pulp novels of the 1970s.
Review continued here.
November 22, 2019
I think that I might be the wrong guy to reviews books like Killing Quarry. I like these type of books too much. I like a gray While I enjoy series like Jack Reacher, I find the character a little bland. Quarry, Parker, Michael Connelly's detective Harry Bosch or Robert Crais' Cole and Pike are all gray. They have a little willingness to do whatever is necessary. Quarry unlike Bosch or Cole and Pike is a bit darker, a former hit-man. He still has traces of a conscious. In Killing Quarry he is once again presented with a bit of an ethical dilemma. He ends up paired with Lu a return character from an earlier Quarry novel. I enjoy where the story goes and how the characters develop. I like the pacing and the fact that who is the 'bad guy' is in question the entire book. This is a super fast and easy read. If you like Max Allan Collins other books then you will like this. I love this. I hope Collins keeps writing Quarry for awhile longer.
December 17, 2019
Thanks to Hard Case Crime for the free early copy in exchange for my honest review
With this being just shy of 250 pages, I’ll try to keep this review fairly brief. This is book fourteen in the Quarry series. While that sounds daunting to start in this late, I feel like you could get away with it. You’ll miss out on some background on Quarry, our “hitman’s hitman” but it’s still fairly easy to follow along. I’ve always loved having the kind of anti-hero as our “hero” in books – you don’t want to root for the hitman, but you can’t help it!
This has the action and mystery that you want in a Hard Case Crime novel and exactly what we’ve come to expect in the Quarry series. I’m amazed that this series has been going on for so long and that the books are still just as quick to get through and completely engaging. If you want a good crime fiction series to get into, then I highly recommend this one!
With this being just shy of 250 pages, I’ll try to keep this review fairly brief. This is book fourteen in the Quarry series. While that sounds daunting to start in this late, I feel like you could get away with it. You’ll miss out on some background on Quarry, our “hitman’s hitman” but it’s still fairly easy to follow along. I’ve always loved having the kind of anti-hero as our “hero” in books – you don’t want to root for the hitman, but you can’t help it!
This has the action and mystery that you want in a Hard Case Crime novel and exactly what we’ve come to expect in the Quarry series. I’m amazed that this series has been going on for so long and that the books are still just as quick to get through and completely engaging. If you want a good crime fiction series to get into, then I highly recommend this one!
January 20, 2020
This book is over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek, and thoroughly enjoyable for those who enjoy lines like "Red bled down into the white-topped earth like a cherry snowcone". In the second chapter of Quarry's life, he has found a way to capitalize on his skills as an professional assassin. But now, he finds he is the target. This leads to to rekindled romance with a fellow killer and they successfully remove the threat to Quarry's life. The story is refreshingly tight - only about 200 pages in length in my paperback version.The dialogue is very good - not quite Elmore Leonard good - and reminiscent of the witty and sex-tinged repartee found in the old James Bond films (but not found in the Bond books). The plot moves quickly with some surprising turns that kept this reader's interest throughout. According to the author, this is the last book chronologically regarding this part of Quarry's life, though he has reserved the right to fill in time gaps with new books. I hope he does!
March 12, 2025
I'm a big fan of Max Allan Collins and his hardboiled writing style. This is another chapter featuring Quarry, the hitman who targets other hitmen (and assorted bad guys).
We start out with a pretty big coincidence. Using the Broker's list of contract killers, Quarry goes to stake out a hitman in nearby Chicagoland so he can follow him to his next assignment and offer the victim a chance to turn the tables. Lucky for Quarry, the killer takes off on assignment before he even gets a chance to settle in. Unlucky for Quarry, the killer's next assignment seems to be Quarry himself. After a close call that he survives thanks to an old friend, Quarry needs to figure out who put the hit out on him, and why. When bodies seem to start piling up, Quarry attends a broker's convention to figure out who's gunning for him... but will he survive that conference?
Hard, fast violence. Raunchy sex. Double-crosses and hidden motives. And Lu is back! Just another fun outing with Quarry.
We start out with a pretty big coincidence. Using the Broker's list of contract killers, Quarry goes to stake out a hitman in nearby Chicagoland so he can follow him to his next assignment and offer the victim a chance to turn the tables. Lucky for Quarry, the killer takes off on assignment before he even gets a chance to settle in. Unlucky for Quarry, the killer's next assignment seems to be Quarry himself. After a close call that he survives thanks to an old friend, Quarry needs to figure out who put the hit out on him, and why. When bodies seem to start piling up, Quarry attends a broker's convention to figure out who's gunning for him... but will he survive that conference?
Hard, fast violence. Raunchy sex. Double-crosses and hidden motives. And Lu is back! Just another fun outing with Quarry.
February 17, 2020
It isn't the best of the Quarry novels, but it is still worth picking up. This book is basically the sequel to one of the best Quarry stories of all time (QUARRY'S DEAL) But if I were to rank this book in the list of the Quarry stories from worst to best, I would put this somewhere in the middle (no pun intended as you will soon find out). Here is how I would rank them.
15. Quarry's Vote
14. Quarry In The Black
13. Quarry's Choice
12. Quarry's Climax
11. The First Quarry
10. The Last Quarry
9. Killing Quarry
8. Quarry's List
7. Quarry's Cut
6. Quarry's War (Graphic Novel)
5. The Wrong Quarry
4. Quarry's Deal
3. Quarry
2. Quarry's Ex
1. Quarry In The Middle
I know a lot of Quarry readers out there will disagree with my list (especially because I put VOTE as my least favorite) but then again, like Quarry, I was never one to follow the crowd
15. Quarry's Vote
14. Quarry In The Black
13. Quarry's Choice
12. Quarry's Climax
11. The First Quarry
10. The Last Quarry
9. Killing Quarry
8. Quarry's List
7. Quarry's Cut
6. Quarry's War (Graphic Novel)
5. The Wrong Quarry
4. Quarry's Deal
3. Quarry
2. Quarry's Ex
1. Quarry In The Middle
I know a lot of Quarry readers out there will disagree with my list (especially because I put VOTE as my least favorite) but then again, like Quarry, I was never one to follow the crowd
January 8, 2021
This is an odd book.
It is the first person telling of the day to day life of a professional hitman. Solid writing makes it more compelling than its dry delivery would suggest. This is a long running series and more then anything by the end I was curious about why both for the reader and the writer. There is no clear hook. It’s not romantic, action packed, mysterious, suspenseful. It’s like a diary but of a hitman so fundamentally more interesting then most diaries would be. The best part is that Collins does not give the protagonist a noble purpose or a tragic backstory. This alone is refreshing and keeps this from turning to dredge. Honesty I’m suspending judgement. It is defiantly a niche book but I’m interested in reading an early work before passing judgement on if it’s my niche.
It is the first person telling of the day to day life of a professional hitman. Solid writing makes it more compelling than its dry delivery would suggest. This is a long running series and more then anything by the end I was curious about why both for the reader and the writer. There is no clear hook. It’s not romantic, action packed, mysterious, suspenseful. It’s like a diary but of a hitman so fundamentally more interesting then most diaries would be. The best part is that Collins does not give the protagonist a noble purpose or a tragic backstory. This alone is refreshing and keeps this from turning to dredge. Honesty I’m suspending judgement. It is defiantly a niche book but I’m interested in reading an early work before passing judgement on if it’s my niche.
October 27, 2019
If you like hard-boiled crime fiction, you can't get anything better than Max Allan Collins. This is his latest book about a semi-retired hitman, called by some as Quarry. Others call him, Jack. Nobody really knows him, though. Yes, he has hard edges, but as the narrator, he can see the funny side of the situation. The author is masterful in describing details that make you actually see the setting in your mind. The action is riveting. If you haven't read any of the Quarry books, you don't need to start with the first one, just jump into this one. It is a stand-alone. But do read this one, and the others books, too. Quarry books are a little guilty fun.
I was given an advanced review copy in order to write a review, but the opinions are mine.
I was given an advanced review copy in order to write a review, but the opinions are mine.
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