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Wrong Man Down: A Millie Henshawe Novel
Millie Henshawe--intrepid, smart-talking, gay ex-GI--is the field agent (hired gun) for Continental Removals, LLC, in Boston, a niche firm catering to very special clients. Millie's well-honed skills are tested when the unexpected happens and the hired gun becomes the target! A pitch-black comic novel. Gallows humor and dead-on dialogue.
This fun, off-beat, murder mystery introduces wacky, unconventional characters. Millie's boss Ralph Klammer and his assistant Mary Michael Mulloy, who founded Continental Removals around the time of the Vietnam war with Ralph's mother, Sheila. Their assassin out-fitter and clean-up guy, Mr. Moustakas, Jauncey Chambers, the off-kilter driver for Millie's first hit who thinks the whole set-up is just like the movies. And then there's Ray Roth, a sad-sack gambler who leads Millie to an unlikely story and the unsettling truth about the business.
The author keeps the reader guessing with zany zig-zags in the plot, and the dialogue pops with energy and invention. Whether it's Jauncey's be-bop cadences, the Mob-speak of thugs, or the high-wire improvisations of Ralph when he, Millie, and Mary Mike get together for postmortems, the punchy dialogue sets a new standard in fun murder mysteries.
Wrong Man Down is the first Millie Henshawe novel in the series, followed by Who's Who Among the Dead. These novels upend and reinvent the genre of crime fiction. Millie, the killer, is also the detective: she is the one who understands everybody's story, figures out all the details of the fiendishly complicated plots, and explains how everything fits together.
Part of the fun comes with the off-beat, original characters she meets. There's Jauncey Chambers in Wrong Man Down, the off-kilter driver for her first target who thinks the whole set-up is just like the movies. And there's Ray Roth, a sad-sack gambler who tells Millie an unlikely story that nevertheless leads to the unsettling truth underlying the entire plot.
This fun, off-beat, murder mystery introduces wacky, unconventional characters. Millie's boss Ralph Klammer and his assistant Mary Michael Mulloy, who founded Continental Removals around the time of the Vietnam war with Ralph's mother, Sheila. Their assassin out-fitter and clean-up guy, Mr. Moustakas, Jauncey Chambers, the off-kilter driver for Millie's first hit who thinks the whole set-up is just like the movies. And then there's Ray Roth, a sad-sack gambler who leads Millie to an unlikely story and the unsettling truth about the business.
The author keeps the reader guessing with zany zig-zags in the plot, and the dialogue pops with energy and invention. Whether it's Jauncey's be-bop cadences, the Mob-speak of thugs, or the high-wire improvisations of Ralph when he, Millie, and Mary Mike get together for postmortems, the punchy dialogue sets a new standard in fun murder mysteries.
Wrong Man Down is the first Millie Henshawe novel in the series, followed by Who's Who Among the Dead. These novels upend and reinvent the genre of crime fiction. Millie, the killer, is also the detective: she is the one who understands everybody's story, figures out all the details of the fiendishly complicated plots, and explains how everything fits together.
Part of the fun comes with the off-beat, original characters she meets. There's Jauncey Chambers in Wrong Man Down, the off-kilter driver for her first target who thinks the whole set-up is just like the movies. And there's Ray Roth, a sad-sack gambler who tells Millie an unlikely story that nevertheless leads to the unsettling truth underlying the entire plot.
289 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 26, 2020
About the author
Jerry Masinton
1 book8 followersBorn in LaVeta Colorado and still a mountain boy at heart, though living in the flatlands. Taught American Literature at the University of Kansas for many years, retired and discovered my true calling -- writing darkly comic mysteries. Father of two, grandfather of nine, great-grandfather of one, all of whom keep life surprising, interesting, and sometimes dumbfounding.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 4, 2020
Wrong Man Down reinvents the mystery novel.
It starts with “No fucking way was Millie going to shoot the guy in the men’s room at Kansas City International.” “Millie,” is Millie Henshawe, the cool, smart, professional assassin for Continental Removals, a contract agency in Boston for “removing” targets. The target here is Sheldon Kukich, a former shooter and gang boss from Toronto, who is due in on a Southwest flight from New York. And Millie is waiting for him outside Gate 67, armed with Glock, a silencer, and an Epipen that she’s tucked into a fake baby bump. She doesn’t know why someone is paying good money to whack Kukich. And doesn’t care––it’s business, no bio, no backstory, thank you.
The phone rings. It’s her boss, Ralph Klammer, at Continental Removals. There’s been a complication. The target was supposed to pick up his luggage, walk out of the airport, cross the street to the parking garage, and take a bullet from the Glock while bending over the trunk of his car. Word now was that Kukich has hired a limo to pick him up outside. So, she’ll have to snuff the driver as well. The plane arrives. All the passengers exit the gate. So do the attendants. No Kukich––at least no one who fits his description. Maybe he got wise, Millie figures. Maybe missed the flight. Then she sees him: “… an old guy in a wheelchair, blanket over his knees, head down, being pushed out of the jet-way by an airport employee.” Millie says to herself, “That’s pathetic … that’s fucking pathetic.”
If the reader is expecting a regular who-done-it, they will instead be treated to what will become a classic. In Wrong Man Down, Jerry Masinton has written a mystery that challenges and plays with every convention of the genre though its multifaceted and absorbing elements: a spine-tingling thriller; a colorful cast of underworld characters who munch on Dunkin Donuts while jawing about the hit on Kukich that has long spiraled out of control; myriad unpredictable plot turns into blind alleys, comical confrontations, and sudden, riveting actions; and revelations that make the reader trash what they think they know.
At the center is Millie, a complex, almost cubist persona whose character depends on the angle of view: a dispassionate hit-woman; street smart yet stylishly sophisticated; ice cold on the job yet passionately intimate with her lover, Mandy, a stunning model. And she drives a Silverado pickup truck with a rebuilt C10 Vortex V-8 engine.
Also at the heart of Wrong Man Down is the gang at Continental Removals: Ralph, who inherited the business from his mother; Mary Mike, who plans assignments with Ralph and once chided him “this isn’t a nail salon. We do removals.”; and Mr. Moustakas, who does clean-up. At times, especially during their convoluted hashing and rehashing of an operation, they could be mistaken for the gang that couldn’t shoot straight, except, in the end, Millie’s Glock doesn’t miss. And it is in the dialogue––alternately smart, snappy, jocular, and hilarious––where Wrong Man Down achieves brilliance in juxtaposing the ordinariness of the banter with the chilling reality of the topic: a cold-blooded contract killing. The brilliance is also in how the chit chat is layered, often the direct recounting of conversations between characters three deep––he said what she said what he said. Immersed in this dialogue, the reader becomes a willing accomplice in nonchalant murder by unremarkable, workaday people.
As a noire novel, Wrong Man Down is reminiscent of the best of Raymond Chandler and Elmore Leonard, exploding on the literary scene as the freshest genre in mystery writing.
It starts with “No fucking way was Millie going to shoot the guy in the men’s room at Kansas City International.” “Millie,” is Millie Henshawe, the cool, smart, professional assassin for Continental Removals, a contract agency in Boston for “removing” targets. The target here is Sheldon Kukich, a former shooter and gang boss from Toronto, who is due in on a Southwest flight from New York. And Millie is waiting for him outside Gate 67, armed with Glock, a silencer, and an Epipen that she’s tucked into a fake baby bump. She doesn’t know why someone is paying good money to whack Kukich. And doesn’t care––it’s business, no bio, no backstory, thank you.
The phone rings. It’s her boss, Ralph Klammer, at Continental Removals. There’s been a complication. The target was supposed to pick up his luggage, walk out of the airport, cross the street to the parking garage, and take a bullet from the Glock while bending over the trunk of his car. Word now was that Kukich has hired a limo to pick him up outside. So, she’ll have to snuff the driver as well. The plane arrives. All the passengers exit the gate. So do the attendants. No Kukich––at least no one who fits his description. Maybe he got wise, Millie figures. Maybe missed the flight. Then she sees him: “… an old guy in a wheelchair, blanket over his knees, head down, being pushed out of the jet-way by an airport employee.” Millie says to herself, “That’s pathetic … that’s fucking pathetic.”
If the reader is expecting a regular who-done-it, they will instead be treated to what will become a classic. In Wrong Man Down, Jerry Masinton has written a mystery that challenges and plays with every convention of the genre though its multifaceted and absorbing elements: a spine-tingling thriller; a colorful cast of underworld characters who munch on Dunkin Donuts while jawing about the hit on Kukich that has long spiraled out of control; myriad unpredictable plot turns into blind alleys, comical confrontations, and sudden, riveting actions; and revelations that make the reader trash what they think they know.
At the center is Millie, a complex, almost cubist persona whose character depends on the angle of view: a dispassionate hit-woman; street smart yet stylishly sophisticated; ice cold on the job yet passionately intimate with her lover, Mandy, a stunning model. And she drives a Silverado pickup truck with a rebuilt C10 Vortex V-8 engine.
Also at the heart of Wrong Man Down is the gang at Continental Removals: Ralph, who inherited the business from his mother; Mary Mike, who plans assignments with Ralph and once chided him “this isn’t a nail salon. We do removals.”; and Mr. Moustakas, who does clean-up. At times, especially during their convoluted hashing and rehashing of an operation, they could be mistaken for the gang that couldn’t shoot straight, except, in the end, Millie’s Glock doesn’t miss. And it is in the dialogue––alternately smart, snappy, jocular, and hilarious––where Wrong Man Down achieves brilliance in juxtaposing the ordinariness of the banter with the chilling reality of the topic: a cold-blooded contract killing. The brilliance is also in how the chit chat is layered, often the direct recounting of conversations between characters three deep––he said what she said what he said. Immersed in this dialogue, the reader becomes a willing accomplice in nonchalant murder by unremarkable, workaday people.
As a noire novel, Wrong Man Down is reminiscent of the best of Raymond Chandler and Elmore Leonard, exploding on the literary scene as the freshest genre in mystery writing.
January 1, 2021
Reviewers Note: I was given free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
You know this gal loves her historical fiction, but sometimes ya need to take a break and snack on a different genre. When this book popped into my inbox, I knew I wanted to read it. It did not disappoint.
The story snags you on the first sentence then delivers a plot full of unexpected twist and turns, just what you want in a good thriller. Keeping a tight rein on the narrative, the author doesn't let his characters ruin the story with impossible or unbelievable actions.
What really makes this a great book though are the characters. Millie and her donut connoisseur boss Ralph and other goofball co-workers are a treat. Millie is a contrast in character. On one hand she's a cold blooded killer. But she's also a great friend, lover, and show compassion to a pair of unexpected characters who need a helping hand.
But wait, there's, more, the pages come alive with a colorful cast of characters, shady targets, unwitting bystanders, and double crossing clients. The dialogue is dark, funny and smartly written.
The delicious narrative zips along in this well edited, fast paced book. It was a quick two day read as I couldn't wait to finish. The story ends with a final satisfying twist that will leave you hungry for the sequel and a cream-filled cannoli!
Thank you to author Jerry for giving me a copy of his book.
My rating: I give this book ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 stars
You know this gal loves her historical fiction, but sometimes ya need to take a break and snack on a different genre. When this book popped into my inbox, I knew I wanted to read it. It did not disappoint.
The story snags you on the first sentence then delivers a plot full of unexpected twist and turns, just what you want in a good thriller. Keeping a tight rein on the narrative, the author doesn't let his characters ruin the story with impossible or unbelievable actions.
What really makes this a great book though are the characters. Millie and her donut connoisseur boss Ralph and other goofball co-workers are a treat. Millie is a contrast in character. On one hand she's a cold blooded killer. But she's also a great friend, lover, and show compassion to a pair of unexpected characters who need a helping hand.
But wait, there's, more, the pages come alive with a colorful cast of characters, shady targets, unwitting bystanders, and double crossing clients. The dialogue is dark, funny and smartly written.
The delicious narrative zips along in this well edited, fast paced book. It was a quick two day read as I couldn't wait to finish. The story ends with a final satisfying twist that will leave you hungry for the sequel and a cream-filled cannoli!
Thank you to author Jerry for giving me a copy of his book.
My rating: I give this book ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 stars
January 11, 2022
I struggle with how to rate this one. In the end, 3 stars, some of it my own fault.
When I asked for this book from NetGalley, I knew it was about a woman hitman (hitperson?). But somehow the callousness with which EVERY character treated killing people just... bothered me.
That said, there were actually some structural things in the book that didn't sit quite right with me. It was hard to process the fashion clothing name-dropping that wound all through the book. I mean, I get that the main character's girlfriend was "into" fashion (no spoilers, but she clearly didn't wear much of anything for her actual work). But it was a little hard to believe Millie fashion name-dropping in her own head as she got ready to kill someone. It felt out of character.
Much of the action happens by the mid-point of the book. There's then a really long section where Millie recounts what happened to her boss. It's like the end of "Murder, She Wrote" (or any TV murder-mystery) where they show video of the freshly-caught guilty person in the act, with voice over of the crime solver. But in this book it goes on and a bit and you just need to go along for the ride.
But it was an easy quick read, and despite all my complaining above, I mostly enjoyed it.
When I asked for this book from NetGalley, I knew it was about a woman hitman (hitperson?). But somehow the callousness with which EVERY character treated killing people just... bothered me.
That said, there were actually some structural things in the book that didn't sit quite right with me. It was hard to process the fashion clothing name-dropping that wound all through the book. I mean, I get that the main character's girlfriend was "into" fashion (no spoilers, but she clearly didn't wear much of anything for her actual work). But it was a little hard to believe Millie fashion name-dropping in her own head as she got ready to kill someone. It felt out of character.
Much of the action happens by the mid-point of the book. There's then a really long section where Millie recounts what happened to her boss. It's like the end of "Murder, She Wrote" (or any TV murder-mystery) where they show video of the freshly-caught guilty person in the act, with voice over of the crime solver. But in this book it goes on and a bit and you just need to go along for the ride.
But it was an easy quick read, and despite all my complaining above, I mostly enjoyed it.
October 19, 2020
This novel is describes as an offbeat murder mystery with unconventional wacky characters.
Certainly a different read for me. However, since I just finished a very emotional story, I thought this might be a fun change.
Author Jerry Masinton certainly seems like a unique character. He is an emeritus Profession of English teaching American Literature at the University of Kansas.
He has retired and he states that he has found his true passion writing darkly comic mysteries.
His second Millie Henshawe “Who’s Who Among the Dead” is in the works!!
Want to thank NetGalley and Anamcara Press for this early release granted in exchange for an honest professional review. Publishing Release Date scheduled for November 28, 2020
Certainly a different read for me. However, since I just finished a very emotional story, I thought this might be a fun change.
Author Jerry Masinton certainly seems like a unique character. He is an emeritus Profession of English teaching American Literature at the University of Kansas.
He has retired and he states that he has found his true passion writing darkly comic mysteries.
His second Millie Henshawe “Who’s Who Among the Dead” is in the works!!
Want to thank NetGalley and Anamcara Press for this early release granted in exchange for an honest professional review. Publishing Release Date scheduled for November 28, 2020
September 4, 2022
SEPTEMBER
by
Jerry Masinton
Finish date: 04 September 2022
Genre: CF
Rating: F
Review: Wrong Man Down (ISBN: 9781941237380)
Bad news: Wrong Man Down (2022) - AWFUL!!
This is a debut CF by Jerry Masinton. He taught modern literature
at the University of Kansas for 34 years.
Millie... gay ex-GI—is the field agent (hired gun).
Sorry, but sometimes gay ex-GI scenes were cringeworthy!
#WasteOfMyReadingTime
by
Jerry MasintonFinish date: 04 September 2022
Genre: CF
Rating: F
Review: Wrong Man Down (ISBN: 9781941237380)
Bad news: Wrong Man Down (2022) - AWFUL!!
This is a debut CF by Jerry Masinton. He taught modern literature
at the University of Kansas for 34 years.
Millie... gay ex-GI—is the field agent (hired gun).
Sorry, but sometimes gay ex-GI scenes were cringeworthy!
#WasteOfMyReadingTime
March 9, 2022
Failed plans
Crooked cops, the mob, and a hired hit woman . This book has it all. When hired to do a job, the hit woman gets double crossed by the client. Being too smart for the mob, the hit woman catches on and stops the danger before it gets out of control. Now she has to go back and tie up loose ends.
#GoodreadsGiveaway
Crooked cops, the mob, and a hired hit woman . This book has it all. When hired to do a job, the hit woman gets double crossed by the client. Being too smart for the mob, the hit woman catches on and stops the danger before it gets out of control. Now she has to go back and tie up loose ends.
#GoodreadsGiveaway
August 11, 2021
A fun, exciting crime romp with amazing characters you'll remember! Looking forward to the second in the series.
December 16, 2020
It's been a long time since I've felt the need to carry a book around with me just so I could read it every chance I got. I finished this in two days.
The author really has a talent for characterisation. Within a paragraph of the introduction of a new character I could already picture them in my head.
Rarely seen nowadays, the book was actually written in good English and there were no plot holes. It wasn't until I reached the blurb at the end that I discovered that the author is an emeritus Professor of English, which I guess explains the quality of the writing.
The story twists are reasoned and explained in a depth that wouldn't be out of place in a Reacher novel. The device used t o justify the giving of these explanations is very clever. I' won't reveal it here but suffice to say that doughnuts play an important part.
This book was a departure from my normal fare and as I'm sure you've picked up I really enjoyed it.
The author really has a talent for characterisation. Within a paragraph of the introduction of a new character I could already picture them in my head.
Rarely seen nowadays, the book was actually written in good English and there were no plot holes. It wasn't until I reached the blurb at the end that I discovered that the author is an emeritus Professor of English, which I guess explains the quality of the writing.
The story twists are reasoned and explained in a depth that wouldn't be out of place in a Reacher novel. The device used t o justify the giving of these explanations is very clever. I' won't reveal it here but suffice to say that doughnuts play an important part.
This book was a departure from my normal fare and as I'm sure you've picked up I really enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews