The Prone Gunman

Also available in a movie tie-in edition, titled The Gunman.

“His books are all action, unfolding with a laconic efficiency that would make his killers proud.”The Economist

Martin Terrier is a hired killer who wants out of the gameso he can settle down and marry his childhood sweetheart. After all, that’s why he took up this profession! But “the company” won’t let him go: they have other plans. Once again, the gunman must assume the prone firing position. A tour de force, this violent tale shatters as many illusions about life and politics as it does bodies. Jean-Patrick Manchette subjects his characters and the reader alike to a fierce exercise in style.

This tightly plotted, corrosive parody of “the success story” is widely considered to be Manchette’s masterpiece, and was named a New York Times “Notable Book.” The Prone Gunman is a classic of modern noir.

“For Ma