The Hitman's Guide to Housecleaning by Hallgrimur Helgason

The Hitman's Guide to Housecleaning

by Hallgrimur Helgason

With some 66 hits under his belt, Tomislav Bokšić, or Toxic, has a flawless record as hitman for the Croatian mafia in New York. That is, until he kills the wrong guy and is forced to flee the States, leaving behind the life he knows and loves. Suddenly, he finds himself on a plane hurtling toward Reykjavik, Iceland, borrowing the identity of an American televangelist named Father Friendly. With no means of escape from this island devoid of gun shops and contract killing, tragicomic hilarity ensues as he is forced to come to terms with his bloody past and reevaluate his future.

Reviewed by thepunktheory on

2 of 5 stars

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The book starts of pretty funny and entertaining. But soon it sinks deeper into old clichés and then ends really forseeable. The ideas actually are original but they don't come across like that. It seems rather boring and kind of old. After the about one-third the book becomes predictable. You can almost tell exactly how the story will go on and finally end. There is no thrill and the writer didn't manage to suck you into the story.
What I liked is the description of Iceland. You get a pretty good impression of this country, a setting that usually isn't chosen. But still there is no chance the few plus points can outweigh the negative aspects of this novel. It's a quick read, nothing special. A book that is okay to read but don't expect too much.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 23 September, 2013: Finished reading
  • 23 September, 2013: Reviewed