The Assassinator

David H. Vowell was a television writer for shows including Mod Squad, Mannix, and Adam-12. His paperback fiction output appears to be a couple noir books written in French, a Dragnet TV tie-in and this slim Los Angeles police procedural novel, The Assassinator, from 1975. 

Our narrator is a tough and cynical LAPD nameless detective who is investigating a series of seemingly random gunshot murders of people on the streets of Los Angeles getting their heads blown off by a shooter. The first three victims were a low-level dope dealer, a loan shark and a transsexual prostitute. 

The cop conducts a good and logical investigation allowing one interview to open the door to the next one. He also shares his evolving theory of the case as the reader rides along. The term “serial killer” was first used in 1974 - a year before The Assassinator was published, but the author never uses it here. Nevertheless, this is definitely a serial killer novel. And a damn good one at that. 

The narration is really interesting and at times, some of the best I’ve read. However, there’s very little dialogue in the novel. The narrator just tells the reader the substance of what was said in most conversations - back and forth. It’s an odd choice that gives the novel the feel of a story being told to you by a guy sitting on the next barstool. 

The mystery’s solution is weird and a bit out of left field but, upon reflection, satisfying. Mostly, I was left wishing Vowell had written more original crime fiction because The Assassinator is pretty awesome, and I can’t recall reading a book quite like it. At 138 pages, it’s the perfect short paperback to break a reading slump. Recommended.