Jack Dana is an interesting man. He is educated, wealthy, a successful author and a decorated war hero. He enjoys good food and fine wine, and has a beautiful New York apartment near Central Park, as well as a house in Sag Harbor. He would be a fascinating dinner companion, but I certainly would not want him to be my friend. For all of his success, wealth and achievements, Jack has significant friendship issues, as most of his pals end up dead.

Readers were introduced to Jack in Louis Begley’s thriller, KILLER, COME HITHER. Jack is a veteran of post-9/11 military service whose experiences became the basis for a successful literary career. He confronts the death of his beloved uncle Harry, a New York attorney who was his surrogate father and mentor. It’s reported as a suicide, but he believes otherwise. After some detective work, Jack discovers that Harry was murdered because he had unearthed a criminal enterprise unknowingly operating through his law firm. Jack spends the balance of the pages of KILLER, COME HITHER avenging Harry’s death.

"That KILL AND BE KILLED is simply an extension of KILLER, COME HITHER is not a bad thing, as it retains the enjoyable characteristics of its precursor. Lovers of New York will enjoy the scenes of the city wonderfully portrayed by Begley."

Or does he? As KILL AND BE KILLED opens, Jack has taken refuge on the tiny island of Torcello in the Venetian lagoon. This is the venue he has chosen to recover from the physical and emotional wounds from the revenge extracted for Harry’s murder. He lured Harry’s killer to his Sag Harbor home and then killed him in a manner similar to Harry’s death. Along the way, he left a few other dead bodies in New York City. The circumstances surrounding Jack’s conduct caused his love, Kerry, a New York attorney, to end their romance. Her parting words to Jack were “I can’t stand the way you smell when you touch me, you smell of blood.”

While the hitman who took Harry’s life has been dealt with, Abner Brown, the criminal mastermind whose activities were exposed by the combined efforts of Harry, Jack and Kerry, remains very much alive. In Italy, Jack receives the news that Kerry has died, apparently from a drug overdose. The facts surrounding her death are contrary to everything Jack believes, or thinks he knows, about her life. Fueled by rage and revenge, he returns to New York to avenge Kerry’s death and to finally eliminate Brown from the scene. 

The line between Begley’s two novels is unbroken. KILLER, COME HITHER ends with a revenge killing, and KILL AND BE KILLED begins the same way. With the exception of the opening scenes in Italy, the book takes place entirely in Manhattan and Sag Harbor. The cast of characters introduced in the previous title returns here with two additions. Detective Rod Walker plays a minor role investigating the brutal beating of Jack’s housekeeper. He also believes that Jack is being less than forthright with the details and motive for the crime. Investigating Kerry’s death introduces Jack to Heidi Krohn, a fellow attorney who shares many of Kerry’s traits. Vibrant, a little crazy and a hard-driving lawyer, she will play an important role as Jack avenges Kerry’s death. 

That KILL AND BE KILLED is simply an extension of KILLER, COME HITHER is not a bad thing, as it retains the enjoyable characteristics of its precursor. Lovers of New York will enjoy the scenes of the city wonderfully portrayed by Begley. The characters are interesting and the lines between good and evil clearly marked. We know Jack will win, but occasionally he needs a little luck and help. Seeing the rich and famous get their comeuppance can be a guilty pleasure. While it appears that Jack has accomplished avenging the murders of his friends, one wonders if there are more of these adventures in Begley’s repertoire.