The One Minute Assassin

by: Troy Cook

Published by: Capital Crime Press

Reviewed by Elysabeth Eldering

John Black is his own man. He doesn’t like to take a political stand on anything. His whole life has revolved around politicians–his mother being a senator and his sister running for governor–and he will do anything to avoid the political world.

This particular election is different though. John’s sister is running for Governor of California along with at least a hundred more yokels who want the spot. Then things take a turn, the contenders start dropping off–dying of “natural causes” or seeming suicides or “accidents.” The turning point for John to be involved in the political campaign is when someone makes an attempt on the life of his sister, his niece and her best friends because of a witnessed attempt of the brake lines being cut.

John and his partner try to find the mastermind behind the peon who made the attempt, because identification wasn’t that difficult by the girls, since the “beanpole” person who cut the brake line to make it look like an accident wasn’t all too smart.

John’s mother steps in and tells him he has to keep the Black name on the ballot by stepping in for his sister. Not what John wants nor needs in trying to find the person behind the attempt on his sister’s life. The old saying “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer,” come to mind when John is placed on the ballot for his sister’s sake, all courtesy of a law from the 1800s that was rarely used and had never been reversed.

I had a very difficult time associating the title of the story with the ending or much else in the story. Still not sure how the title The One Minute Assassin fits the story. Overall, it was a good story, although the author reveals too many clues throughout to keep one on the edge of their seat. The clues allowed me to know too early who is the mastermind behind the failed death attempts .

Armchair Interviews says: A good bit of humor and sarcasm are used throughout the story—all in a good mix.

Author’s Web site: http://www.TroyCook.net