I have read quite a few of the Matt Scudder novels, but this is a new book with a new (anti-hero?) Keller.
Keller is a semi-retired contract killer and philatelist. The tone is (I never know what this word means) laconic; the killings are never graphic or emotional but purely functional; in fact, Keller often reverts to his former occupation to finance stamp purchases.
It is quite funny; the first killing ordered by a cuckolded husband goes wrong as he has got back with his wife who Keller kills, framing the husband accidentally as her murderer. In the 2nd he poisons a corrupt prelate with some expensive (poisoned) whiskey and worries that the guy won’t drink but gift it to superiors in the church and could end up being drunk by the Pope.
He also has amusing dialogues with his partner and also the intermediary who subcontracts the killings to him. They discuss having a child as the target (which they won’t do) but realise that if they turn it down another contractor won’t have the same scruples.
It is a good light but clever read and you learn a lot about philately. There are lots more Keller books, apparently, (this is number 8), although I would have thought that the theme would exhaust itself fairly quickly.
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