Killer Move: A Novel

Michael Marshall

Jun 2011 · Harper Collins

About this ebook

Stephen King hailed Michael Marshall's novel Straw Men as “a masterpiece . . . brilliantly written and scary as hell.” Now, Marshall returns with this latest unnerving tale—a creepy, fast-paced thriller that grips you from the first page straight through to its shocking end.

Bill Moore already has a lot, but he wants more . . . much more.

He's got a lucrative job selling condos in the Florida Keys, a successful wife, a good marriage, a beautiful house. He also has a five-year plan for supersuccess, but that plan has begun to drag into its sixth year without reaping its intended rewards. So now Bill's starting to mix it up—just a little—to accelerate his way into the future that he knows he deserves.

Then one morning Bill arrives at work to find a card waiting for him, with no indication who it's from or why it was sent. Its message is just one word: modified.

From that moment on, Bill's life begins to change.

At first, nothing seems very different. But when things begin to unwind rapidly, and one after another, people around Bill start to die, it becomes increasingly clear that someone somewhere has a very different plan for Bill's future. Confused and angry, Bill begins to fight against this unseen force until he comes to a terrifying, inescapable realization: Once modified, there's no going back.

Ratings and reviews

Every now and then an author creates a book that is truly unique and causes the reader to think about what is being said. John Hunter is released from prison after serving sixteen years for a crime he didn't commit. He's had plenty of time to plan his revenge for the people who framed him. Bill Moore is a real estate agent in Florida. He's successful and loves his wife but wants more. He has a plan to succeed in a certain time but he's beyond that time frame. One day he notices a paper on his desk with the word "MODIFIED" on it. He doesn't think anything more but soon a series of things happen that change his life. Something is on his computer that his wife sees and becomes very upset. There is a missed business meeting but the man's secretary denies ever making the apponintment and then he becomes a suspect with a man goes missing. Michael Marshall has written an intelligent novel that is a puzzle that the reader must solve. What is the relationship between John Hunter, the missing man and Bill Moore? It takes a while before the reader finds a connection and the action moves along at a breakneck pace that seduces the reader and yet, nothing is as it seems. The author brings up good points about greed in society and that the wealthy feel as though they won't be held accountable for their actions. The dialogue is right on but only the two main characters are fully developed. The plot is complicated and unpredictable and yet it is still unimaginably addictive.

John Hunter has served time in a Florida jail for a crime he didn't commit. Now, he is out of jail and looking for vengeance. One problem with this is that the people he seeks out for doing him in are wealthy, connected, and have been playing a nasty game for years. John kidnaps David Warner, one of the group's members, and people begin dying or disappearing, but it is not all John's fault. Meanwhile, real estate agent Bill Moore gets himself involved in the middle of this maelstrom. Bill sees himself as on top of the world with a beautiful wife and home and an opportunity to start his own real estate agency, but he finds himself accused of sending off-color emails and also of taking lewd photos of a female fellow realtor and his loving wife, Stephanie, furious with him, disappears. Bill finds note cards that announce he is modified. People like his office staffer Janine are not what they seem. Will Bill survive being "modified"? The road he saw himself taking in life has been changed beyond belief. "Killer Move" is a well-written, well-edited thriller that will keep the reader absorbed throughout the story. It will also keep the reader looking out nearby windows and making certain that all doors are locked. Characters change from innocent nothings to bad guys deeply involved in game playing. John Hunter is an especially interesting character as at first he is the victim seeking revenge, but then he becomes one of the victims in this story where even law enforcement officers are corrupted. He and Bill Moore find themselves "modified". Their paths in life haven't turned out quite the way they planned. Creepy? Yes, "Killer Move" will challenge readers to question the road of life they have chosen for themselves. The reader will find a lot to think about as they read "Killer Move."

Thoroughly enjoyed this book.

About the author

Michael Marshall is the author of the trilogy that includes The Straw Men, The Upright Man, and Blood of Angels, as well as the stand-alone novels The Servants, The Intruders, Bad Things, and Killer Move. He also works as a screenwriter for clients in London and Los Angeles, and is currently writing a television pilot set in New York City. He lives in London, England, with his wife and son.