I,Sniper by Stephen Hunter

Four 60's era radicals (an actress and ex-wife of a media magnate, a pair of Chicago profs, and a comedian of sorts) are gunned down from a distance under difficult circumstances, victims of a professional sniper. The FBI jumps in quickly and all clues lead to the disgruntled top Vietnam era sniper who kills himself as the feds close in. The head of the investigative unit, Nick Memphis, thinks it's best if someone not too close looks over the evidence to make sure the case is clean so the book on this serial killer can be closed. The suspected killer is buried in the rain with few present.

Because the case involves a sniper, Memphis calls on another sniper he's worked with in the past. Marine Gunny Bob Lee Swagger is probably #3 in kills from Vietnam with as keen an eye for detail as he has for the kill. What bothers him is the perfection of each kill. This needed the new sighting technology that a 60-something retiree on the gun show-autograph and snapshot circuit probably wouldn't have. Through some sound reasoning and some tiny bits of evidence, Swagger and the techies at the Bureau decide the high-tech scope used in the murders is the revolutionary iSniper 911.

Swagger gets himself placed into one of the classes, trying to get a list of prior students who would have the skills and the scope. But this only helps direct Swagger's attention to think the Chicago victims were the real targets and the other 2 were distractions. Using his Marine connections, he hooks up with a Chicago cop and starts thinking he is right, especially after a Chi-town street shootout where a couple gang bangers learn the hard way that age and experience trumps youth and firepower. Swagger's attention turns toward the ex-husband of the actress.

Once Swagger zeros in on T.T. Constable, the story line changes from logic and reasoning to manhunting, deceit, manipulation, gunplay with downright surprising and gasp-out-loud plot twists. Over the last half of the book, Swagger has to convince his 60ish year old body he can rally his old sniper skills and treachery to defeat a younger, better equipped, and larger force to get at the damning evidence that will bring T.T. in and exonerate the memory of the buried sniper.

This is my first Hunter book, and no way will it be my last. Normally it takes 3-4 books to get into my power rotation, but Hunter is in . . . right now. Maybe it's because Swagger is 'my age', but I think he is a much more interesting character than Lee Child's Jack Reacher or Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp. I, Sniper is the latest Swagger book. The first was Point of Impact (1993), which was the source material for "Shooter" starring Mark Wahlberg (I remember it being cool, but will have to see it again-but after reading this, he's too young) and looks like there are 4-5 in between. Even has a short series of what appears to be Bob Lee's father, Earle. Hunter is the retired movie critic for The Washington Post and has a book of reviews of the 100 most violent movies (Violent Screen).

You should love Hunter's detail of the sniper's craft, the executed plans, and don't forget the rifles. Remember how everyone loved Clancy's detail of big-time military hardware? Hunter does the same with long range rifles. The other thing that will keep you glued to the story is just when you think Bob Lee has gotten himself into a corner, we find that he planned for just this eventuality (but didn't tell us) and we applaud his ingenuity.

[You'll grin at first mention of some characters: the murdered actress is Joan Flanders (J.F. get it?), T.T. Constable (T.T. get it?). OK, Jack Strong isn't William Ayers. But it's still fun. (the last line of the acknowledgements is 'I love Turner Classic Movies.") ]

When the accused Marine is exonerated and re-buried at Camp Lejeune, practically the entire sniper community turns out, except for Swagger. No one knows where he is. "After all, he is a sniper. You aren't supposed to know where he is."

East Coast Don