Beat the Reaper

By Josh Bazell

Dr. Peter Brown is on his way to work when a man tries to mug him, because he "can see the blue scrub pants under my overcoat, and the ventilated green plastic clogs, so he thinks I've got drugs and money on me." Huge mistake on the mugger's part as Peter proceeds to break the man's arm and smash his face in. Peter is not just a doctor, he is an ex-mafia hit man.
The novel proceeds as we follow Peter the doctor/killer on his rounds dealing with patients and popping various pills to keep himself going and as he slowly acquaints the reader with his past and how he became a hit man.
His past is very complicated, with roots in the old country and the murders of his grandparents, which sort of pushed him into a friendship with the son of a mob lawyer. The son, who has the unlikely nickname of Skinflick, introduces Peter, then known as Pietro Brnwa, to his dad and the dad sets Peter up to kill the men who killed his grandparents, launching Peter on his career as a hit man.
After years as a hit man and lots of complications which we read about as flashbacks through the story, Peter turns against Skinflick and his father and enters witness protection and thus starts on the road to his new career as doctor in a New York hospital, supposedly to make up for all the murders he committed by now saving lives. Too bad for Peter that one of his patients turns out to be an old Mafioso who recognizes Peter and rats him out before Peter can prevent him. The last part of the novel deals with Peter fighting for his life against the thugs sent to take him out.

This was a compelling read, especially the parts about Peter's time in the hospital dealing with the patients and medical staff; in fact that is the best part of the story. The part dealing with the mafia thugs and Peter's career as a killer were gross, disgusting and disturbing and were really too much for me. I didn't care for those parts at all, it was all just too horrible. Still the story was interesting even if too yucky for my taste and I read in just a few days.

For another review see the Houston Chronicle review by Barbara Liss.

New Words

Omertà: a code of silence practiced by the Mafia; a refusal to give evidence to the police about criminal activities. 'Mob omertà bullshit runs both ways --the old guys blackmail the new guys, and the new guys finger the old guys.'

Vuarnets: a brand of sunglasses. 'I cut down on the Old Europe mannerisms and started dressing shaggy-preppy, with Vuarnets and a coral necklace.'