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John Keller
Keller's Fedora
Happily retired, living under a new name with his wife and daughter, Keller thought he was out of the murder-for-hire business. Until he got the call from his old employer, asking him to tackle the most unusual assignment of his career. The client's wife is having an affair, and Keller's been hired to get rid of her lover. But who is this mysterious lover? The husband doesn't know—he only knows that she has one, and he wants the man dead.It's an opportunity for Keller to try his hand at the private eye game, investigating the adulterous spouse. And yes, he does buy himself a new hat for the occasion, a fedora worthy of any film noir detective. But in this puzzling situation, with more than one potential lover in the picture and more than one potential solution, is Keller going to be a black hat or a white hat—or something in between…? One of MWA Grand Master Lawrence Block's greatest creations, Keller is the two-time Edgar Award-winning star of Hit Man, Hit List, Hit Parade, Hit and Run, and Hit Me.
118 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2016
267 people are currently reading
258 people want to read
About the author
Lawrence Block
745 books3,028 followersLawrence Block has been writing crime, mystery, and suspense fiction for more than half a century. He has published in excess (oh, wretched excess!) of 100 books, and no end of short stories.
Born in Buffalo, N.Y., LB attended Antioch College, but left before completing his studies; school authorities advised him that they felt he’d be happier elsewhere, and he thought this was remarkably perceptive of them.
His earliest work, published pseudonymously in the late 1950s, was mostly in the field of midcentury erotica, an apprenticeship he shared with Donald E. Westlake and Robert Silverberg. The first time Lawrence Block’s name appeared in print was when his short story “You Can’t Lose” was published in the February 1958 issue of Manhunt. The first book published under his own name was Mona (1961); it was reissued several times over the years, once as Sweet Slow Death. In 2005 it became the first offering from Hard Case Crime, and bore for the first time LB’s original title, Grifter’s Game.
LB is best known for his series characters, including cop-turned-private investigator Matthew Scudder, gentleman burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr, globe-trotting insomniac Evan Tanner, and introspective assassin Keller.
Because one name is never enough, LB has also published under pseudonyms including Jill Emerson, John Warren Wells, Lesley Evans, and Anne Campbell Clarke.
LB’s magazine appearances include American Heritage, Redbook, Playboy, Linn’s Stamp News, Cosmopolitan, GQ, and The New York Times. His monthly instructional column ran in Writer’s Digest for 14 years, and led to a string of books for writers, including the classics Telling Lies for Fun & Profit and The Liar’s Bible. He has also written episodic television (Tilt!) and the Wong Kar-wai film, My Blueberry Nights.
Several of LB’s books have been filmed. The latest, A Walk Among the Tombstones, stars Liam Neeson as Matthew Scudder and is scheduled for release in September, 2014.
LB is a Grand Master of Mystery Writers of America, and a past president of MWA and the Private Eye Writers of America. He has won the Edgar and Shamus awards four times each, and the Japanese Maltese Falcon award twice, as well as the Nero Wolfe and Philip Marlowe awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America, and the Diamond Dagger for Life Achievement from the Crime Writers Association (UK). He’s also been honored with the Gumshoe Lifetime Achievement Award from Mystery Ink magazine and the Edward D. Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer for Lifetime Achievement in the short story. In France, he has been proclaimed a Grand Maitre du Roman Noir and has twice been awarded the Societe 813 trophy. He has been a guest of honor at Bouchercon and at book fairs and mystery festivals in France, Germany, Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Spain and Taiwan. As if that were not enough, he was also presented with the key to the city of Muncie, Indiana. (But as soon as he left, they changed the locks.)
LB and his wife Lynne are enthusiastic New Yorkers and relentless world travelers; the two are members of the Travelers Century Club, and have visited around 160 countries.
He is a modest and humble fellow, although you would never guess as much from this biographical note.
Born in Buffalo, N.Y., LB attended Antioch College, but left before completing his studies; school authorities advised him that they felt he’d be happier elsewhere, and he thought this was remarkably perceptive of them.
His earliest work, published pseudonymously in the late 1950s, was mostly in the field of midcentury erotica, an apprenticeship he shared with Donald E. Westlake and Robert Silverberg. The first time Lawrence Block’s name appeared in print was when his short story “You Can’t Lose” was published in the February 1958 issue of Manhunt. The first book published under his own name was Mona (1961); it was reissued several times over the years, once as Sweet Slow Death. In 2005 it became the first offering from Hard Case Crime, and bore for the first time LB’s original title, Grifter’s Game.
LB is best known for his series characters, including cop-turned-private investigator Matthew Scudder, gentleman burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr, globe-trotting insomniac Evan Tanner, and introspective assassin Keller.
Because one name is never enough, LB has also published under pseudonyms including Jill Emerson, John Warren Wells, Lesley Evans, and Anne Campbell Clarke.
LB’s magazine appearances include American Heritage, Redbook, Playboy, Linn’s Stamp News, Cosmopolitan, GQ, and The New York Times. His monthly instructional column ran in Writer’s Digest for 14 years, and led to a string of books for writers, including the classics Telling Lies for Fun & Profit and The Liar’s Bible. He has also written episodic television (Tilt!) and the Wong Kar-wai film, My Blueberry Nights.
Several of LB’s books have been filmed. The latest, A Walk Among the Tombstones, stars Liam Neeson as Matthew Scudder and is scheduled for release in September, 2014.
LB is a Grand Master of Mystery Writers of America, and a past president of MWA and the Private Eye Writers of America. He has won the Edgar and Shamus awards four times each, and the Japanese Maltese Falcon award twice, as well as the Nero Wolfe and Philip Marlowe awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America, and the Diamond Dagger for Life Achievement from the Crime Writers Association (UK). He’s also been honored with the Gumshoe Lifetime Achievement Award from Mystery Ink magazine and the Edward D. Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer for Lifetime Achievement in the short story. In France, he has been proclaimed a Grand Maitre du Roman Noir and has twice been awarded the Societe 813 trophy. He has been a guest of honor at Bouchercon and at book fairs and mystery festivals in France, Germany, Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Spain and Taiwan. As if that were not enough, he was also presented with the key to the city of Muncie, Indiana. (But as soon as he left, they changed the locks.)
LB and his wife Lynne are enthusiastic New Yorkers and relentless world travelers; the two are members of the Travelers Century Club, and have visited around 160 countries.
He is a modest and humble fellow, although you would never guess as much from this biographical note.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 109 reviews
December 13, 2016
After Dot convinces him to come out of retirement for one last job, Keller has to play detective to figure out who the client wants eliminated, his wife's lover. Only things get complicated...
At the end of the last Keller book, I was hoping Block would let his hitman for hire rest. However, now I'm glad he didn't. Keller's Fedora was a fun read.
Keller's Fedora sees Keller buy a new hat and take the train north to bump someone off, leaving his wife and daughter in New Orleans. As with all Keller tales, the joy is in his interactions with Dot and in watching Keller use his ingenuity to get the job done.
Yeah, I sure was glad to see my favorite stamp-collecting hitman again. Block's writing is as crisp as ever, as slick as blood and brains on the head of a hammer. Keller's tender side and relationships with other characters set him apart from other killers for hire.
The case proved to be a tricky one but Keller and his fedora eventually got the job done. The first killer was easy enough and Keller figured out away to clean up the complications later, as he usually does.
Keller's Fedora is quite an enjoyable novella from one of my favorite living crime writers. Four out of five stars.
At the end of the last Keller book, I was hoping Block would let his hitman for hire rest. However, now I'm glad he didn't. Keller's Fedora was a fun read.
Keller's Fedora sees Keller buy a new hat and take the train north to bump someone off, leaving his wife and daughter in New Orleans. As with all Keller tales, the joy is in his interactions with Dot and in watching Keller use his ingenuity to get the job done.
Yeah, I sure was glad to see my favorite stamp-collecting hitman again. Block's writing is as crisp as ever, as slick as blood and brains on the head of a hammer. Keller's tender side and relationships with other characters set him apart from other killers for hire.
The case proved to be a tricky one but Keller and his fedora eventually got the job done. The first killer was easy enough and Keller figured out away to clean up the complications later, as he usually does.
Keller's Fedora is quite an enjoyable novella from one of my favorite living crime writers. Four out of five stars.
December 19, 2016
I’ve always thought that a man had to have a certain amount of class to pull off wearing a fedora, and Keller fits that profile even if he is a hired killer.
In this short novella Keller gets an interesting proposition. A potential client wants a hit man to take care of his wife’s lover, but he doesn’t know who it is. So the job involves doing some investigating before getting to the murder, and Keller finds himself so intrigued that he buys a new hat because he’s in a detective frame of mind. Things seem to go according to plan at first, but as usual it’s only the killing itself that goes smoothly for Keller.
I was a little hesitant about this because Block had taken Keller through a journey in the novels that seemed to end with his happy retirement, but that’s kind of turned into a semi-retirement which I worried might undercut the entire Keller story a bit. However, Block’s landed at an interesting place with Keller and how he feels about his work so that him dipping a toe back into murder-for-hire doesn’t seem that out of place or a contradiction of what came before.
A lot of the previous books were built off short stories in which Keller goes on gigs that take weird turns while his doubts about what kind of person he was bubbled up in interesting ways. (Any TV producers looking for a crime series to adapt for a show could do a lot worse than Keller.) So getting another installment in this form seems like a natural fit, and I've always loved Keller's tendency to drift off on musings and questions sparked by everyday things he encounters. So it was a genuine delight to be back in Keller’s head that was sporting a spiffy new lid.
In addition to being a fine piece of writing it also functions as great advertising for the hat industry because I wanted to rush out and buy a fedora while reading it.
In this short novella Keller gets an interesting proposition. A potential client wants a hit man to take care of his wife’s lover, but he doesn’t know who it is. So the job involves doing some investigating before getting to the murder, and Keller finds himself so intrigued that he buys a new hat because he’s in a detective frame of mind. Things seem to go according to plan at first, but as usual it’s only the killing itself that goes smoothly for Keller.
I was a little hesitant about this because Block had taken Keller through a journey in the novels that seemed to end with his happy retirement, but that’s kind of turned into a semi-retirement which I worried might undercut the entire Keller story a bit. However, Block’s landed at an interesting place with Keller and how he feels about his work so that him dipping a toe back into murder-for-hire doesn’t seem that out of place or a contradiction of what came before.
A lot of the previous books were built off short stories in which Keller goes on gigs that take weird turns while his doubts about what kind of person he was bubbled up in interesting ways. (Any TV producers looking for a crime series to adapt for a show could do a lot worse than Keller.) So getting another installment in this form seems like a natural fit, and I've always loved Keller's tendency to drift off on musings and questions sparked by everyday things he encounters. So it was a genuine delight to be back in Keller’s head that was sporting a spiffy new lid.
In addition to being a fine piece of writing it also functions as great advertising for the hat industry because I wanted to rush out and buy a fedora while reading it.
April 21, 2017
Lawrence Block has a number of series characters. With Keller's Fedora we catch up on Keller, who has starred in five previous novels and a number of Kindle only short stories (which I have not read) and will no doubt appear in a collection, that started with the book "Hit Man".
You do not necessarily need to read the earlier books to enjoy this novella, although you would be selling yourself short if you did not read them. All that one needs to know is that Keller is a hitman and receives his assignments from a cohort, a friend named Dot. By the way Keller is also a stamp collector professionally called a philatelist.
As the story begins Keller is at home in New York with his wife and daughter when Dot calls to give him a new assignment, or target. It seems that this rich guy with a trophy wife has discovered that his wife is being unfaithful and is in need of someone to exterminate her humpin buddy and not harm his beautiful wife. Keller must discover not only who the paramour is but then kill him.
Mr. Block is at his subtle and humorous best in this story that will make one laugh out loud in places as the story progresses, as of course Keller, soon realizing that the wife is overly amorous in her activities, so through no fault of his own, does in the wrong guy. He must begin his assignment all over again.
And yes, Keller does buy a new Fedora.
I believe this story must have been destined for an entry into the book "In Sunlight or In Shadow" which Mr. Block edited due to the multiple references to the art of Edward Hopper and the story just was either too funny or that the length became more than a short story is allowed. Lucky US.
For a good time, read this book.
This leatherbound hardcover copy is numbered 81 of 250 signed and numbered copies, signed by Lawrence Block.
You do not necessarily need to read the earlier books to enjoy this novella, although you would be selling yourself short if you did not read them. All that one needs to know is that Keller is a hitman and receives his assignments from a cohort, a friend named Dot. By the way Keller is also a stamp collector professionally called a philatelist.
As the story begins Keller is at home in New York with his wife and daughter when Dot calls to give him a new assignment, or target. It seems that this rich guy with a trophy wife has discovered that his wife is being unfaithful and is in need of someone to exterminate her humpin buddy and not harm his beautiful wife. Keller must discover not only who the paramour is but then kill him.
Mr. Block is at his subtle and humorous best in this story that will make one laugh out loud in places as the story progresses, as of course Keller, soon realizing that the wife is overly amorous in her activities, so through no fault of his own, does in the wrong guy. He must begin his assignment all over again.
And yes, Keller does buy a new Fedora.
I believe this story must have been destined for an entry into the book "In Sunlight or In Shadow" which Mr. Block edited due to the multiple references to the art of Edward Hopper and the story just was either too funny or that the length became more than a short story is allowed. Lucky US.
For a good time, read this book.
This leatherbound hardcover copy is numbered 81 of 250 signed and numbered copies, signed by Lawrence Block.
December 16, 2016
Veteran crimemeister Block has written more books than I can count, including five previous books featuring Keller, the stamp collecting assassin. The previous Keller books are episodic, covering a number of ‘hits’, each with its own intrigue. The act of murder itself is seldom covered, other than in passing, the focus being on the bigger picture: the place, the people and Keller’s thoughts and planning process. There is always a twist along the way.
This book comprises just one story, of novella length. When we saw Keller last he’d settled down and was enjoying retirement and family life: tooled up nowadays was strapping on a belt to hold his hammer and screwdrivers as he earned some extra cash by doing a bit of building work. But he’s drawn out of retirement by the interesting complexity of one more job. His bags packed, he’s off on a train to help one more victim meet his maker.
As always, things are not entirely straight forward and Keller has to use his imagination and ingenuity to bring this particular job to a conclusion. It’s fun, well conceived and, because it’s Lawrence Block, you can be assured it’s well written. I'm always happy to spend an hour or two in Keller’s company - he's a likeable killer. A short and satisfying read.
This book comprises just one story, of novella length. When we saw Keller last he’d settled down and was enjoying retirement and family life: tooled up nowadays was strapping on a belt to hold his hammer and screwdrivers as he earned some extra cash by doing a bit of building work. But he’s drawn out of retirement by the interesting complexity of one more job. His bags packed, he’s off on a train to help one more victim meet his maker.
As always, things are not entirely straight forward and Keller has to use his imagination and ingenuity to bring this particular job to a conclusion. It’s fun, well conceived and, because it’s Lawrence Block, you can be assured it’s well written. I'm always happy to spend an hour or two in Keller’s company - he's a likeable killer. A short and satisfying read.
June 12, 2024
3.5 stars
short review for busy readers: A novella extra to Block’s series about pensive hitman, John Keller. A highly enjoyable cop-less crime story with some fun twists. Decent body count (5).
in detail:
A tightly written, often funny, highly enjoyable story featuring a thoughtful “normal” guy who just happens to be a hired killer. He’s also a loving family man with a wife (in the know) and a young daughter (clueless). The fact he lives in New Orleans and takes Amtrak to Chicago instead of flying (he has his reasons) won me over to the character completely.
The plot revolves around a jealous husband in Chicago who believes his wife is cheating on him. He wants her lover removed from the picture…even if he doesn’t know who he is exactly.
Enter John Keller.
The way Keller goes about locating and dispatching the boyfriend, as well as tying off all the loose ends of the job is very fun to read, as are Keller’s thought trains and his overthinking the situations. The writing is straightforward and rather unadorned, but highly readable.
A good intro to the Keller series or a fun tidbit for fans. Either way, recommendable. I'm looking forward to reading more about Keller in the future!
short review for busy readers: A novella extra to Block’s series about pensive hitman, John Keller. A highly enjoyable cop-less crime story with some fun twists. Decent body count (5).
in detail:
A tightly written, often funny, highly enjoyable story featuring a thoughtful “normal” guy who just happens to be a hired killer. He’s also a loving family man with a wife (in the know) and a young daughter (clueless). The fact he lives in New Orleans and takes Amtrak to Chicago instead of flying (he has his reasons) won me over to the character completely.
The plot revolves around a jealous husband in Chicago who believes his wife is cheating on him. He wants her lover removed from the picture…even if he doesn’t know who he is exactly.
Enter John Keller.
The way Keller goes about locating and dispatching the boyfriend, as well as tying off all the loose ends of the job is very fun to read, as are Keller’s thought trains and his overthinking the situations. The writing is straightforward and rather unadorned, but highly readable.
A good intro to the Keller series or a fun tidbit for fans. Either way, recommendable. I'm looking forward to reading more about Keller in the future!
September 12, 2025
Keller's Final Hit
A review of the LB Productions eBook (May 17, 2016).
[3.5 bumped to a 4 out of sentiment]
Keller finally rides off into the sunset with this final appearance of Lawrence Block's wistful and somewhat neurotic hitman character. The character was mostly retired in the last full length book appearance Hit Me (Keller #5 - 2013) which was more about stamp auctions than it was about the occasional jobs that pulled Keller back in due to the economic recession at the time. Keller was then settled in New Orleans with a new identity, a wife and child after having to go on the run due to events in Hit and Run (Keller #4 - 2008).
Feeling a bit restless in his retirement, Keller is intrigued by a contract to take out the lover of a client's wife. The catch is that the client doesn't actually know the man's identity, so that Keller would have to investigate and discover that before he could complete the job. Feeling inspired by the private eye scenario, Keller goes out and buys a fedora hat which accompanies him along the journey. The job is in a suburb of Chicago and Keller rides an Amtrak train to get there, having some friendly banter with the porter along the way.
As with most of the Keller stories, there is a hitch which somewhat derails the job and Keller has to improvise his way out of the situation. In the end he returns home to New Orleans and his now settled life of retirement.
The front cover of the current LB Productions eBook. GR does not permit you to add alternate cover editions (ACEs) for Kindle eBooks for some reason. Image sourced from Amazon.
Addendum
There is a curious note in author Lawrence Block's short biography at the end of this eBook. It says that there was a Keller tv-series "in development" at the time (i.e. 2016). That show never materialized, perhaps because the Quarry TV-show (2016) based on the Max Allan Collins' hitman Quarry series of books (1976-2024) was not a success and was cancelled after a single 8-episode series. Producers probably didn't want to take a risk on a similar themed production.
Soundtrack
Keller takes a train from New Orleans to Chicago and back during this story, and there really is (or was) a train called the City of New Orleans as in the Arlo Guthrie song from the album Hobo's Lullaby (1972) which you can listen to on YouTube here or on Spotify here.
At one point, Keller obsesses about the Marty Robbins song "El Paso" from the album Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs (1959) which you can listen to on YouTube here or on Spotify here.
Trivia and Links
I read a considerable number of Lawrence Block's books in my pre-GR and pre-reviewing days. Probably 40 or so out of the 100+ that are available. That included all of the Matt Scudder books, several of the Bernie Rhodenbarrs, several of the Evan Tanners, several of the Kellers, a dozen or so standalones and some of the memoirs. There were even a few of the earlier pulp novels which were originally published under pseudonyms.
Lawrence Block (June 24, 1938 - ) considers himself retired these days, but still maintains an occasional newsletter with the latest issued in November 2024. That last newsletter links to a rare interview Block provided for a Turkish mystery magazine which you can read in English or Turkish here.
A review of the LB Productions eBook (May 17, 2016).
It was Nighthawks, perhaps the artist’s most iconic work, and while it had been on loan to the Whitney when he saw it, he seemed to remember that its actual home was a museum in Chicago. ... He found it cheering, actually. Loneliness, it assured him, was the human condition. It hadn’t singled him out.
[3.5 bumped to a 4 out of sentiment]
Keller finally rides off into the sunset with this final appearance of Lawrence Block's wistful and somewhat neurotic hitman character. The character was mostly retired in the last full length book appearance Hit Me (Keller #5 - 2013) which was more about stamp auctions than it was about the occasional jobs that pulled Keller back in due to the economic recession at the time. Keller was then settled in New Orleans with a new identity, a wife and child after having to go on the run due to events in Hit and Run (Keller #4 - 2008).
Feeling a bit restless in his retirement, Keller is intrigued by a contract to take out the lover of a client's wife. The catch is that the client doesn't actually know the man's identity, so that Keller would have to investigate and discover that before he could complete the job. Feeling inspired by the private eye scenario, Keller goes out and buys a fedora hat which accompanies him along the journey. The job is in a suburb of Chicago and Keller rides an Amtrak train to get there, having some friendly banter with the porter along the way.
As with most of the Keller stories, there is a hitch which somewhat derails the job and Keller has to improvise his way out of the situation. In the end he returns home to New Orleans and his now settled life of retirement.
The front cover of the current LB Productions eBook. GR does not permit you to add alternate cover editions (ACEs) for Kindle eBooks for some reason. Image sourced from Amazon.
Addendum
There is a curious note in author Lawrence Block's short biography at the end of this eBook. It says that there was a Keller tv-series "in development" at the time (i.e. 2016). That show never materialized, perhaps because the Quarry TV-show (2016) based on the Max Allan Collins' hitman Quarry series of books (1976-2024) was not a success and was cancelled after a single 8-episode series. Producers probably didn't want to take a risk on a similar themed production.
Soundtrack
Keller takes a train from New Orleans to Chicago and back during this story, and there really is (or was) a train called the City of New Orleans as in the Arlo Guthrie song from the album Hobo's Lullaby (1972) which you can listen to on YouTube here or on Spotify here.
At one point, Keller obsesses about the Marty Robbins song "El Paso" from the album Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs (1959) which you can listen to on YouTube here or on Spotify here.
Trivia and Links
I read a considerable number of Lawrence Block's books in my pre-GR and pre-reviewing days. Probably 40 or so out of the 100+ that are available. That included all of the Matt Scudder books, several of the Bernie Rhodenbarrs, several of the Evan Tanners, several of the Kellers, a dozen or so standalones and some of the memoirs. There were even a few of the earlier pulp novels which were originally published under pseudonyms.
Lawrence Block (June 24, 1938 - ) considers himself retired these days, but still maintains an occasional newsletter with the latest issued in November 2024. That last newsletter links to a rare interview Block provided for a Turkish mystery magazine which you can read in English or Turkish here.
January 7, 2024
Lawrence Block writes "Well, it took a while, but I'm delighted to tell you that my brand-new Keller novella, Keller's Fedora, is on sale right now at all Amazon sites. It's a Kindle Single, which assures it a heavy promotional push from the Amazonians."
This is indeed newsworthy as the author says it is an original poece of writing about Keller, we hate to love but find drawn to this no-nonsense contract killer. The previous ebooks have just been the stories taken from the novels so as a real fan it was a must to buy, imperative to read ASAP and now a joy to review.
In his promotion LB answers some questions:
What's the time frame? Is it a flashback, set during Keller's days as an Urban Lonely Guy in Manhattan?
No, it's present time, and he's living in New Orleans with his wife and daughter. Buying and selling stamps, rehabbing houses and flipping them. Leading a quiet and blameless life.
Then what's he doing taking assignments from Dot? I thought the man was retired.
Lady, I thought I was retired. Turns out we were both misinformed. And this particular assignment is a special challenge for Keller. He knows what he's supposed to do, but he doesn't know whom he's supposed to do it to. Before he can carry out his assignment, he has to make like a private detective.
A private detective? Keller as Sam Spade? Oh, that's where the fedora comes from!
Actually, the fedora comes from Peller & Smythe, Men's Clothiers, located on Canal Street at the edge of New Orleans' Vieux Carre. But that's why he buys it, and why he's wearing it when he boards that train to Chicago. And I'll tell you something, he looks damn good in it.
Beautifully written as though the author had never left him behind. Evokes earlier crime fiction as he plays PI. The story hangs on the hat but it is just a means to an end. A literary tool that says more than a simple prop but could become his undoing. I loved the sense of travel and the interactions with Keller and his wife and daughter. Surely such a family man can't keep on killing?
In this series read only books 1 - 5. 0.1 is in book 1 and 4.5 is in book 5. This would be book 5.5. A word of warning if you are fortunate enough to read this novella you will be unable not to rest until you have read the earlier books!
This is indeed newsworthy as the author says it is an original poece of writing about Keller, we hate to love but find drawn to this no-nonsense contract killer. The previous ebooks have just been the stories taken from the novels so as a real fan it was a must to buy, imperative to read ASAP and now a joy to review.
In his promotion LB answers some questions:
What's the time frame? Is it a flashback, set during Keller's days as an Urban Lonely Guy in Manhattan?
No, it's present time, and he's living in New Orleans with his wife and daughter. Buying and selling stamps, rehabbing houses and flipping them. Leading a quiet and blameless life.
Then what's he doing taking assignments from Dot? I thought the man was retired.
Lady, I thought I was retired. Turns out we were both misinformed. And this particular assignment is a special challenge for Keller. He knows what he's supposed to do, but he doesn't know whom he's supposed to do it to. Before he can carry out his assignment, he has to make like a private detective.
A private detective? Keller as Sam Spade? Oh, that's where the fedora comes from!
Actually, the fedora comes from Peller & Smythe, Men's Clothiers, located on Canal Street at the edge of New Orleans' Vieux Carre. But that's why he buys it, and why he's wearing it when he boards that train to Chicago. And I'll tell you something, he looks damn good in it.
Beautifully written as though the author had never left him behind. Evokes earlier crime fiction as he plays PI. The story hangs on the hat but it is just a means to an end. A literary tool that says more than a simple prop but could become his undoing. I loved the sense of travel and the interactions with Keller and his wife and daughter. Surely such a family man can't keep on killing?
In this series read only books 1 - 5. 0.1 is in book 1 and 4.5 is in book 5. This would be book 5.5. A word of warning if you are fortunate enough to read this novella you will be unable not to rest until you have read the earlier books!
June 18, 2016
If this keeps up, I may have to take up stamp collecting. A new Keller novella is always worth celebrating and when I saw several for sale as Kindle singles on Amazon, I snapped them all up. This one does not disappoint and has the usual waggish dialogue, puns, and stamps including Keller's own unique way of handling a ticklish problem.
May 24, 2016
It's always a treat to get something new from Lawrence Block and this Kindle Single novella is no exception. It's a short story involving loveable hit man Keller. We find him settled down in New Orleans with his wife and child, living a peaceful life, dealing stamps and doing the odd renovation job when out of the blue he gets a phone call from Dot offering him a 'job'. The 'hit' is not your run of the mill killing and therefore Keller accepts and heads off to Chicago. As usual not all goes to plan and Keller eventually has to improvise in order to get the job done. As for the title, Keller buys himself a hat !
This is a great little story with all the usual Keller trademarks. His idiosyncratic conversations with Dot and also his wife. The seemingly straightforward hit that turns out to be anything but and all told with great wit and ingenuity.
This is a great little story with all the usual Keller trademarks. His idiosyncratic conversations with Dot and also his wife. The seemingly straightforward hit that turns out to be anything but and all told with great wit and ingenuity.
May 19, 2016
I love Keller's.......er, Block's sense of humor. Wry, self-deprecating and on the macabre side, it's enough to make the reader laugh out loud but then catch themselves. I mean, really, what's funny about murder?
Keller. Lawrence Blocks laconic hit man makes a return in this novella that captures the essence of the character. If you appreciate a bit of gallows humor, run out and buy the full length Keller books. Well worth the time. I guarantee.
Keller. Lawrence Blocks laconic hit man makes a return in this novella that captures the essence of the character. If you appreciate a bit of gallows humor, run out and buy the full length Keller books. Well worth the time. I guarantee.
July 21, 2022
Lawrence Block is a former Mystery Writers of America Grand Master and even at eighty four he is still crafting sharp and stylish fiction. Keller’s Fedora features Block’s popular and strangely likable hit man. In this installment Keller has to dispatch a married woman’s lover-of course first he needs to find out who he is. Complications ensue. Four stars.
March 27, 2017
Keller in a more ruminative frame of mind. And wearing a fedora!
March 14, 2017
Beautifully composed novella. Anyone who has not read the earlier Keller books (such as myself) will want to find and read them. I highly recommend this short book as comic relief for anyone stuck in airport due to snowstorm, or more appropriately in a train station. From the selection of the hat to the visit to Chicago's Art Institute to pay homage to Hopper's Nighthawks where two diners are clad in Fedoras...big smiles. Keller, though retired and living happily in New Orleans with his wife and daughter, decides to take "one last" order to kill. His observations are hilarious, the characters bold and his final solution for the client memorable.
September 28, 2016
Keller’s Fedora by Lawrence Block is a Kindle Single stand-alone mystery short story. Published in 2016 it follows Keller (his real name) as he reverts to a long ago profession of hired assassin. He had pretty much retired from that type of work and had settled down with his wife (who knew he was an assassin) and his daughter (who didn’t know). The money he had saved from his assassin jobs allowed him to pursue his current love, stamp collecting.
But a call on a burner phone from his previous assignment agent, Dot, has him traveling to a small town in Illinois to act as a private detective in finding out who the boyfriend was who was spending a lot of time with the trophy wife of an older rich guy. First Keller will find him, then Keller will kill him.
When Keller finds and follows the wife he discovers that she likes to have free and frequent sex with anyone, such as the bag boy at the supermarket closest to her house. In the supermarket parking lot. Keller figures out immediately that it is not the bag boy who needs to be eliminated; he was just a momentary distraction for the bored wife. Keller spots a van arriving at the wife’s house. It goes into the garage for an afternoon. Harold, the van driver, then leaves and goes to a bar where he meets Pete and Roy. Keller enters the bar to hear the three of them discussing the charms of the trophy wife, Melanie. Keller now knows who he has to kill; he carries out the job and returns home.
Back in Illinois, husband Todd goes home early and finds that boyfriend Harold (deceased) has already been replaced by one of Harold’s friends. There is a phone call to Dot (assignment agent) and Keller is back on a train to Illinois to take care of the friend. He knows he will probably have to take care of more than one; the second person will be the other friend of Harold, either Pete or Roy.
But Keller makes a mistake. He enters a bar and finds the friends but they remember way too much about him. He feels he can no longer continue the job. But he does have an unused burner phone with only one number in the memory, the number of the client. A hint dropped in the right place might solve his problems.
This is a short story that is not fast-paced as far as action. It is highly entertaining to follow the mind twisting thoughts of Keller as he gets the job done despite mental meanderings through mostly irrelevant stuff. His mind was rarely on the job of an assassin. More frequently he commiserated with his daughter on the death of a white alligator at a nearby zoo.
Lawrence Block is a writer to always follow. All his books deliver a good, solid, pleasing reading experience.
But a call on a burner phone from his previous assignment agent, Dot, has him traveling to a small town in Illinois to act as a private detective in finding out who the boyfriend was who was spending a lot of time with the trophy wife of an older rich guy. First Keller will find him, then Keller will kill him.
When Keller finds and follows the wife he discovers that she likes to have free and frequent sex with anyone, such as the bag boy at the supermarket closest to her house. In the supermarket parking lot. Keller figures out immediately that it is not the bag boy who needs to be eliminated; he was just a momentary distraction for the bored wife. Keller spots a van arriving at the wife’s house. It goes into the garage for an afternoon. Harold, the van driver, then leaves and goes to a bar where he meets Pete and Roy. Keller enters the bar to hear the three of them discussing the charms of the trophy wife, Melanie. Keller now knows who he has to kill; he carries out the job and returns home.
Back in Illinois, husband Todd goes home early and finds that boyfriend Harold (deceased) has already been replaced by one of Harold’s friends. There is a phone call to Dot (assignment agent) and Keller is back on a train to Illinois to take care of the friend. He knows he will probably have to take care of more than one; the second person will be the other friend of Harold, either Pete or Roy.
But Keller makes a mistake. He enters a bar and finds the friends but they remember way too much about him. He feels he can no longer continue the job. But he does have an unused burner phone with only one number in the memory, the number of the client. A hint dropped in the right place might solve his problems.
This is a short story that is not fast-paced as far as action. It is highly entertaining to follow the mind twisting thoughts of Keller as he gets the job done despite mental meanderings through mostly irrelevant stuff. His mind was rarely on the job of an assassin. More frequently he commiserated with his daughter on the death of a white alligator at a nearby zoo.
Lawrence Block is a writer to always follow. All his books deliver a good, solid, pleasing reading experience.
May 6, 2018
This is either a short novella or an extended short story, but either way, it's a fun read. Even though this story does not depend critically on having read others, this is probably not the place to start with the John Keller series. To fully appreciate the context, one ought to have some background on the guy, more than is provided by the publisher's description. An assasin for hire, he remains relatively ethical. The only people he kills are those who probably deserve it. Even worse, his present wife endorses his line of work and has no qualms about occasionally helping him out. (If you have moral qualms with this or do not enjoy black humor, you may not enjoy this fictitious character or Block's inventive, warped sense of humor.)
This story has several twists, among which are that he first kills the wrong person and then has to figure out a way to have the right guy killed without his involvement.
The fedora hat plays an incidental role but is somehow connected with Block's appreciation of the famous Hopper painting Nighthawks. (Block himself is an amateur painter.) In fact, it was written around the time Block was putting together his anthology In Sunlight or In Shadow: Stories Inspired by the Paintings of Edward Hopper. Anybody know what the connection is or why this novella was not included there?
Kindle edition available "free" via Kindle Unlimited.
This story has several twists, among which are that he first kills the wrong person and then has to figure out a way to have the right guy killed without his involvement.
The fedora hat plays an incidental role but is somehow connected with Block's appreciation of the famous Hopper painting Nighthawks. (Block himself is an amateur painter.) In fact, it was written around the time Block was putting together his anthology In Sunlight or In Shadow: Stories Inspired by the Paintings of Edward Hopper. Anybody know what the connection is or why this novella was not included there?
Kindle edition available "free" via Kindle Unlimited.
July 3, 2016
Cleverly Done
I had been told about this series several times but have never gotten around to reading it before. When I saw the Kellerman shorts on kindle I decided to go for it. After this one I am definitely hooked, though I should probably examine why I find a hit man such a charming fellow.
Anyone who enjoys dry humor and clever mystery would enjoy this story, and it might just hook them as it has me.
I had been told about this series several times but have never gotten around to reading it before. When I saw the Kellerman shorts on kindle I decided to go for it. After this one I am definitely hooked, though I should probably examine why I find a hit man such a charming fellow.
Anyone who enjoys dry humor and clever mystery would enjoy this story, and it might just hook them as it has me.
August 30, 2016
In this novella, the semi-retired assassin called Keller rides the rails from New Orleans to Chicago in search of a trophy wife's lover. When Keller finds the man, there is a killing, but the story goes on taking an odd turn with Keller steering into the skid.
The interesting thing about Keller is that his mind wanders. Whether due to age or over-thinking, Keller second guesses everything and ponders the little inanities of life as he goes about his chosen profession.
Entertaining stuff.
The interesting thing about Keller is that his mind wanders. Whether due to age or over-thinking, Keller second guesses everything and ponders the little inanities of life as he goes about his chosen profession.
Entertaining stuff.
August 31, 2018
The prolific Lawrence Block has written book series about a recovering alcoholic private eye named Scudder and a bookish burglar named Bernie, but by far my favorite series from him concerns a killer named Keller.
The Keller books were usually a collection of short pieces, loosely linked. In each one, solitary New Yorker Keller would get an assignment from his acerbic contact Dot in White Plains and then go find and kill his target, usually dealing with lots of complications before and after that gave him and Dot a lot to talk about when he was done. Their chatter was the highlight of each book.
In the last Keller novel, though, he wound up being framed for a political assassination and had to ditch his life in NYC and for a while you didn't know if Dot had survived either. At last he resolved things and was able to create a new -- and better -- life in New Orleans under a new name. He got married and became a father and began a legit business rebuilding homes destroyed by Katrina. And meanwhile it turned out Dot was OK.
Although Keller is supposedly retired, this novella involves him pulling off one last hit -- and sure enough, there are complications. The title comes from his decision to buy a hat, which becomes important later in the story. I don't want to give too much away because you couldn't see any of the complications coming, but suffice to say Keller comes up with a clever -- albeit morally disturbing -- solution to his problems that allows him and Dot to keep the money for the hit in spite of how it all works out. And his wife is fine with it.
Although I liked this book, I would have liked it a lot more had it been longer. It's really kind of a glorified short story, with some long (and not all that necessary) riffs on riding a train and reading cliche detective novels and Edward Hopper's most famous painting and the lyrics of Marty Robbins' hit "El Paso." It would have made for a great first story in the next Keller collection. Oh well.
The Keller books were usually a collection of short pieces, loosely linked. In each one, solitary New Yorker Keller would get an assignment from his acerbic contact Dot in White Plains and then go find and kill his target, usually dealing with lots of complications before and after that gave him and Dot a lot to talk about when he was done. Their chatter was the highlight of each book.
In the last Keller novel, though, he wound up being framed for a political assassination and had to ditch his life in NYC and for a while you didn't know if Dot had survived either. At last he resolved things and was able to create a new -- and better -- life in New Orleans under a new name. He got married and became a father and began a legit business rebuilding homes destroyed by Katrina. And meanwhile it turned out Dot was OK.
Although Keller is supposedly retired, this novella involves him pulling off one last hit -- and sure enough, there are complications. The title comes from his decision to buy a hat, which becomes important later in the story. I don't want to give too much away because you couldn't see any of the complications coming, but suffice to say Keller comes up with a clever -- albeit morally disturbing -- solution to his problems that allows him and Dot to keep the money for the hit in spite of how it all works out. And his wife is fine with it.
Although I liked this book, I would have liked it a lot more had it been longer. It's really kind of a glorified short story, with some long (and not all that necessary) riffs on riding a train and reading cliche detective novels and Edward Hopper's most famous painting and the lyrics of Marty Robbins' hit "El Paso." It would have made for a great first story in the next Keller collection. Oh well.
June 2, 2022
Ran across this on my Kindle app and was in the mood to reread it. Still enjoyable. Keller still has the knack to show up life's absurdities.
August 25, 2024
Not bad. A quick read of a man with an interesting job. Had just enough twist and turns to keep you interested but the book wasn’t long enough for significant plot development.
March 6, 2017
A darkly witty tale of a kill-for-hire that, as always, went a bit wrong
tl;dr at Overall, as always
With this short story/novelette Block expands the story of Keller, a hitman-philatelist, who comes out of retirement for a peculiar job. It's completely standalone though, requiring no prior knowledge of the character, so it's a damn good primer for anyone wondering if reading about him is worth it.
Keller has to do double the work in this, as he has to not just kill the target, but identify who it is first. Block uses this to his advantage, writing some playful jokes at the expense of old pulp PIs and Raymond Chandler novels, teasing the tropes of those old books but showing his respect for them at the same time. The standard story beats are thrown away (which is lampshaded in a phone conversation with the hero's handler Dot), the expected outcome is just the tip of the iceberg, and our anti-hero prefers inner-monloguing about "things that rhyme with El Paso" instead of the overplayed beats like "the dame was trouble" and the hardships of being a killer-for-hire.
This is also way funnier than you might expect, as Keller and Dot enjoy matching wits in their conversations and, even when he's alone with his thoughts, the protagonist is no slouch in the humour department either.
The story is light, but engaging, the writing is good, though there were a couple of clunky sentences. Special mention goes to the ridiculous "He slept until he woke up", which is so outlandish that it might just be part of the joke.
And it's a very short book, so it is definitely worth your time if you are looking for something to take in one bite to satiate your hunger for crime novels.
Overall, fun and funny with a curiously offbeat narrator. A perfect quick read for anybody who enjoys the crime genre.
ARC received from the publisher via Netgalley
tl;dr at Overall, as always
With this short story/novelette Block expands the story of Keller, a hitman-philatelist, who comes out of retirement for a peculiar job. It's completely standalone though, requiring no prior knowledge of the character, so it's a damn good primer for anyone wondering if reading about him is worth it.
Keller has to do double the work in this, as he has to not just kill the target, but identify who it is first. Block uses this to his advantage, writing some playful jokes at the expense of old pulp PIs and Raymond Chandler novels, teasing the tropes of those old books but showing his respect for them at the same time. The standard story beats are thrown away (which is lampshaded in a phone conversation with the hero's handler Dot), the expected outcome is just the tip of the iceberg, and our anti-hero prefers inner-monloguing about "things that rhyme with El Paso" instead of the overplayed beats like "the dame was trouble" and the hardships of being a killer-for-hire.
This is also way funnier than you might expect, as Keller and Dot enjoy matching wits in their conversations and, even when he's alone with his thoughts, the protagonist is no slouch in the humour department either.
The story is light, but engaging, the writing is good, though there were a couple of clunky sentences. Special mention goes to the ridiculous "He slept until he woke up", which is so outlandish that it might just be part of the joke.
And it's a very short book, so it is definitely worth your time if you are looking for something to take in one bite to satiate your hunger for crime novels.
Overall, fun and funny with a curiously offbeat narrator. A perfect quick read for anybody who enjoys the crime genre.
ARC received from the publisher via Netgalley
March 16, 2017
Keller's Fedora by Lawrence Block- Another great Keller story from Lawrence Block. Keller is the stamp collecting hitman who just can't stop because it's what he's good at. For this job, Keller doesn't even know who he's suppose to kill, so he must do some detective work first, following the client's wayward wife around until he zeroes in on who he thinks is the interloper. Then it's time to act. But as usual, life interferes with well-set plans and problems arise. Most of the violence is done off stage and the story is really an examination of the quiet, shy man as he goes about his chosen assignment, methodically with little emotion. Block's tight prose and gallows humor make for a wonderful enjoyable read.
June 13, 2018
Was delighted to discover this story by Lawrence Block that I hadn't read. I've read all the Hit Man series plus all the Matt Scudder and most of the Bernie Rhodenbarr. Matt Scudder stories will always remain my favorites but I like the others, too.
April 22, 2017
This novella is a worthy entry in the Keller series--good banter and some nice complexity for such a routine mission.
May 19, 2016
It's always good to see that Keller is doing well and keeping both of his avocations going. I do miss those long and meandering conversations on Dot's porch in White Plains, but their somewhat disjointed conversations on a burn phone partly make up for the lemonade-fueled porch chats of yesteryear. This story has all of the requisite Keller -- stamps, a job, a hitch, and an out-of-the-box solution. Keller remains as jaunty as his new fedora and while I might not vote for him for president, I'd gladly have a beer with him.
June 2, 2016
Love Keller... can't help myself. Lawrence Block is awesome and his characters always draw me in. I've been a fan of Keller since he premiered in Playboy many, many years ago and I'm happy that Block continues to keep us up to date on what Keller's up to now.
Keller's Fedora, while short, was a great read and gave Keller some new experiences - being a PI for a moment. Entertaining read and perfect during a day of flying across the country!
Keller's Fedora, while short, was a great read and gave Keller some new experiences - being a PI for a moment. Entertaining read and perfect during a day of flying across the country!
May 23, 2016
Keller is just such a guilty pleasure for me!! Here's this hit man, and he's just a regular guy with a wife and a daughter and every so often his buddy Dot calls and he goes off and does his job. I really love the matter-of-fact quality in Lawrence Block's writing because his stories just wouldn't work near as well otherwise.
May 25, 2016
An expected pleasure
I like the new Keller. I've liked all the Keller stories, and they've progressed to a new level. Always a surprise, and always delightful!
I like the new Keller. I've liked all the Keller stories, and they've progressed to a new level. Always a surprise, and always delightful!
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