The Hit Parade

"Don't forget to floss."

Yesterday Publishers Weekly Daily ran a special on Mulholland Books with a crapload of original content from its authors, including Michael Robotham on the top robberies of all time, Lawrence Block on Matthew Scudder, Mark Billingham on the perils of writing a series, Marcia Clark and Sebastian Rotella on how their previous day jobs influenced their writing, and then finally me with a quick rundown of "Great (Hit) Men I Have Known." I know I forgot a bunch of favorites (Thomas Perry's own "Butcher's Boy," comes to mind, as well as Block's Keller and Allan Guthrie's Park, the hitman who is afraid of blood). But that's the problem with these kinds of lists. You remember half a dozen more the moment  you hit "send."

So help me out here, before some creators send their creations after me. Who are your favorite fictional hit men?

(Photo from the wonderful Mr. Peel's Sardine Liqueur.)