Jack Dana Returns In Louis Begley's 'Kill And Be Killed' - 27 East

Arts & Living

Arts & Living / 1341448

Jack Dana Returns In Louis Begley's 'Kill And Be Killed'

icon 2 Photos

author on Mar 29, 2016

With his new book, “Kill and Be Killed,” (Nan Talese/Doubleday, $25.95, 288 pp), Sagaponack’s Louis Begley has put another notch in his Glock.

The book is a sequel to last year’s “Killer Come Hither.” Both books are thrillers. The genre is a significant departure for Mr. Begley, whose serious novels explore the inner lives of the upper crust of New York society. His methods are subtle and psychologically acute. In “Kill and Be Killed” the action is less subtle. It takes place in a world of mayhem and revenge and it doesn’t take long for the bodies to start piling up. These books are “entertainments”—the distinction is made by English novelist Graham Greene—yet they are by no means trivial. Moral questions are raised and there is an undercurrent of grief.

Mr. Begley’s first novel, “Wartime Lies,” was a winner of the PEN/Ernest Hemingway Foundation Award, a National Book Award Finalist and a National Book Critics Circle Finalist.

He is the author of the great comic novel “About Schmidt” and its sequels, “Schmidt Delivered” and “Schmidt Steps Back.” (The movie “About Schmidt” was loosely—very loosely—based on Mr. Begley’s novel of the same name.)

Mr. Begley has also written scholarly books about Kafka, “The Tremendous World I Have Inside My Head,” and about the Dreyfus affair, “Why the Dreyfus Affair Still Matters.”

The multi-talented Mr. Begley is a retired attorney, a former partner in the distinguished firm of Debevoise and Plimpton LLP and practiced international law as head of its European division.

In “Killer Come Hither” we were introduced to Jack Dana, a Yale graduate and classics scholar who, after 9/11, decided that he owed it to his country to enlist in the Marines. After three tours in the Middle East his military career was ended by a sniper who shattered his pelvis. While he was recovering from his injuries in Walter Reed Hospital he began writing his first novel. When published it became an immediate best-seller. Though it is better to begin with “Killer, Come Hither,” it isn’t necessary. Mr. Begley includes sufficient back story.

“Kill And Be Killed” opens with Jack on the Venetian island of Torcello. He is recovering from having killed the hired thug who brutally assassinated his uncle Harry, and from having been rejected by the love of his life, Kerry Black, the brilliant attorney who was his uncle’s protégée. Jack hopes to win her back, but events take a turn for the worse when Jack learns that Kerry has died from a drug overdose, contrary to everything he thinks he knew about her. He is devastated and immediately suspects that she has been murdered.

Jack then begins getting threatening notes. Soon he himself is pursued on Torcello by someone with an unlikely weapon, a crossbow. But Jack is no pantywaist. He fought in Iraq and is a master of the martial art Krav Maga, a particularly deadly Israeli form of self-defense. He neatly avoids the shafts from the crossbow, bests his assailant easily in hand-to-hand combat and dumps his body, weighted with an anchor, into the lagoon.

Jack knows the source of the evil that had killed Uncle Harry, had killed Kerry and is threatening to kill him. It is Abner Brown, half legitimate Texas businessman, half “Napoleon of crime.” His politics are “to the right of Genghis Khan.” He is a man who uses his ill-gotten gains to advance right-wing causes, but also to fund terrorists in the Middle East and engage in human trafficking. Jack and Kerry, using information gathered by Uncle Harry, had gone a long way toward undoing all his criminal activity. But so far Brown is still free and has managed to successfully hide the worst of it.

But Kerry’s best friend, the beautiful Heidi Krohn, approaches Jack with the certain knowledge that Kerry had another file, even more damaging than anything they had found thus far. The fact that she had this file, and that she was killed on the day before she was to appear before a grand jury investigating Brown, helps to explain why Brown only now had Kerry murdered, and why Jack was being threatened himself. The likelihood is that Brown believes Jack had a copy of the file.

The danger ratchets up quickly. Jack’s housekeeper is attacked and beaten to within an inch of her life. An attempt is also made on Heidi’s life. Goons in ski masks follow Jack on his morning run in Central Park. But Jack continues to pursue the hired killer whom he believes has been hired to toy with him and instill fear before he actually kills him. He leaves jolly messages on Jack’s phone, “We play now. Kill later.”

“Kill and Be Killed” is a humdinger. The final confrontation between Jack and Abner Brown is unforgettable.

Louis Begley will appear at Canio’s Books in Sag Harbor on Saturday, April 9, at 5 p.m.

You May Also Like:

Springs Artist Fitzhugh Karol Debuts Outdoor Sculpture Show at Duck Creek

The Arts Center at Duck Creek will present “Fitzhugh Karol: On the Grounds,” a site-specific ... 8 Jul 2025 by Staff Writer

La Goulue Sur Mer Arrives in Southampton, With a Dash of Chaos and a Side of Style

“Is it true?” said the anxious DM on my Instagram account. “Is La Goulue really ... by Steven Stolman

Art on a Line: Guild Hall’s Clothesline Sale Hangs Tough for 2025

Guild Hall’s beloved Clothesline Art Sale returns on Saturday, July 19, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The annual event, a Hamptons tradition since 1946, transforms the museum’s lawn into a sea of original artwork — hung on clotheslines — and offers visitors the chance to purchase local art at accessible prices. Jackson Pollock once sold a painting at the sale for $250, and past participants have included Lee Krasner, Alfonso Ossorio, Elaine and Willem de Kooning and other art-world icons. The event continues to offer a rare opportunity for the public to view and purchase work by East End ... by Staff Writer

The Climate-Friendly Fitness Routine

“Live simply so that others might simply live” — Mahatma Gandhi The first time I ... by Jenny Noble

Joy Behar Gets the Last Laugh in ‘My First Ex-Husband' at Bay Street Theater, July 14-19

Emmy Award-winning comedian and co-host of “The View,” Joy Behar stars in “My First Ex-Husband,” a bold, funny and heartfelt new play based on true stories from her life. The limited engagement runs July 14 through 19, at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor. With razor-sharp wit and no filters, “My First Ex-Husband” explores the messy, hilarious truths of love, sex and relationships. Adapted from Behar’s personal experiences, the show is both deeply personal and widely relatable. Behar will appear on stage on July 14, 18 and 19. Also appearing nightly, July 14 through 19, are Veanne Cox, a Tony-nominated ... by Staff Writer

Experience the Rhythms of Brazil With Nilson Matta’s Voyage Quartet

Grammy-nominated bassist Nilson Matta will lead his Brazilian Voyage Quartet at The Church on Friday, July 25, at 6 p.m. The concert is part of Hamptons JazzFest. The group features acclaimed guitarist Chico Pinheiro and offers a rich exploration of samba, bossa nova and modern Brazilian jazz. Matta, a founding member of the renowned Trio da Paz and longtime collaborator with Yo-Yo Ma on the Grammy-winning “Obrigado Brazil” project, is known for blending traditional Brazilian rhythms with contemporary jazz. His lyrical bass playing and deep rhythmic connection have earned him international acclaim. Guitarist Chico Pinheiro, recognized as a leading voice ... by Staff Writer

At the Galleries for July 10, 2025

Montauk The Depot Art Gallery, at the Montauk railroad station at the corner of Flamingo ... by Staff Writer

Round and About for July 10, 2025

Fireworks Shelter Island Fireworks The Shelter Island fireworks will be held on Saturday, July 12, ... by Staff Writer

Curtis Institute of Music Alumni and Faculty To Perform in East Hampton on July 22

Talented alumni and faculty from the world-renowned Curtis Institute of Music will tour the East Coast this summer, with a concert scheduled for Tuesday, July 22, at 7 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of East Hampton. The event is presented by Music for Montauk. The program features beloved melodies ranging from Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess” to works by Brahms and de Falla. Performers include mezzo-soprano Katie Trigg, violinist Elissa Lee Koljonen, pianist Hanchien Lee, and Curtis Institute President and violist Roberto Díaz. The concert program includes: Manuel de Falla’s “Suite Populaire Espagnole,” performed by Díaz (viola) and Lee (piano); ... by Staff Writer

'Bonnie & Clyde' Cast and Crew Announced for Bay Street Musical

Bay Street Theater has unveiled the complete cast and creative teams for its pulse-pounding musical ... 7 Jul 2025 by Staff Writer