A Different Lie
A Novel
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
From acclaimed author and screenwriter Derek Haas comes a unique and thrilling twist on a family story—what happens when an elite assassin becomes a father?
Now a new dad, the infamous Silver Bear finds himself staying up late to give a bottle and changing diapers—all while leading the double life of a contract killer. The struggle is not with his conscience. He enjoys his gig. But a child forces him to weigh selfishness versus safety. Continue in his line of work, and he’ll always wonder if he's putting his child’s life at risk. When the next assignment comes, both Columbus and his partner Risina are surprised to find that the mark is another assassin: a brash, young man named Castillo. An assassin on the rise, he’s responsible for slaying a high profile CEO. As Columbus closes in on his target, he realizes that Castillo is a younger version of himself. It's almost like looking in a mirror. Castillo has even studied Columbus' work. Yet as much as Columbus sees himself in this young man, his assignment is clear. Then, Castillo learns that his hero and unwitting mentor has a family—a revelation with enormous ramifications. Now that he knows Columbus’s weakness, he will go after it and exploit it. Just as Columbus would have done...
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Haas's absorbing fourth thriller featuring the contract killer known as Columbus (after 2011's Dark Men) tests the proposition expressed in the book that "lies are popular and truth is the uninvited guest who spoils the party." Columbus is enjoying the domestic life he has built in Manhattan with his wife, Risina, who researches the lives of his intended marks, and their three-year-old son, Pooley, when he receives an assignment to kill another assassin, 18- or 19-year old Castillo. Known for the ability to slip into any location unseen, Castillo is already responsible for killing numerous people, including a federally protected witness, a state senator, an ambassador, and a businessman in Florence. After Risina compiles Castillo's dossier, Columbus plans his strategy, traveling initially to Spain. Suspense builds around whether Columbus can complete the assignment, return unharmed, and resume an everyday life with Risina and Pooley, or whether that plan is a pipe dream. The well-constructed conclusion packs a powerful punch.