Review: Sharper Security

I read the short story Hitchhiking Killer for Hire, written by Thomas Sewell, and was rewarded with more than I had expected. Well plotted, with one of the best flashback sequences I have read in a short story, this little tale ties together no fewer than three time streams to form a action-packed story of a man ambushed for seemingly no reason, a man walking away from a military career tarnished by his code of honor, and a man who, driven by that honor, takes vengeance not for himself, but an innocent victim of the gang that attacked him.

The story is the set-up for a series of novels about Sam Harper, the hero of this short story, and I am looking forward to reading those soon. Reminiscent of Louis L'amour, Sewell's writing is tight, character filled, and fun to read. My favorite sequence involved the almost silent take-down of three people supposed to be guarding a house with a cast-iron skillet…