Michael Goodine reviewed The Prone Gunman by Jean-Patrick Manchette
Review of 'The Prone Gunman' on 'GoodReads'
4 stars
What if Marlowe was a killing machine...
Paperback, 155 pages
English language
Published June 1, 2002 by City Lights Books.
Martin Terrier is a hired killer who wants out of the game — so he can settle down and marry his childhood sweetheart. After all, that's why he took up this profession! But "the company" won't let him go: they have other plans. Once again, the gunman must assume the prone firing position. A tour de force, this violent tale shatters as many illusions about life and politics as it does bodies. Jean-Patrick Manchette subjects his characters and the reader alike to a fierce exercise in style. This tightly plotted, corrosive parody of "the success story" is widely considered to be Manchette's masterpiece, and was named a New York Times "Notable Book" in 2002. The Prone Gunman is a classic of modern noir.
What if Marlowe was a killing machine...