The Perfect Kill

21 Laws for Assassins

What is the definition of assassination? Robert B. Baer’s boss at the CIA once told him, “It’s a bullet with a man’s name on it.” Sometimes assassination is the senseless act of a psychotic, a bloodletting without social value. Other times, it can be the sanest and most humane way to change the course of conflict—one bullet, one death, case closed. Assassination has been dramatized by literature and politicized by infamous murders throughout history, and for Robert Baer, one of the most accomplished agents to ever work for the CIA, it’s a source of endless fascination, speculation, and intrigue.

Over several decades, Baer served as an operative, from Iraq to New Delhi and beyond; notably, his career was the model for the acclaimed movie Syriana. In The Perfect Kill, he takes us on a serpentine adventure through the history of political murder; its connections to, and differences from, the ubiquitous use of drones in state-sponsored killing; his firsthand experience with political executions; and his decades-long cat-and-mouse hunt, across the Middle East and Europe, for the most effective and deadliest assassin of the modern age. A true maverick with an undeniably captivating personal story, Baer pulls back the curtain on the underbelly of world politics and the quiet murderers who operate on the fringe of our society.

Interesting

Really enjoyed this unusual topic, a good blend of history, politics and personal experiences. I'm glad I listened to it.

Not terrible but have heard better

The story seems to go all over the place and then randomly circles back to the main antagonist. Very ADHD.

Good, a little bit sporadic though

It was a great look into political homicide. I've never even thought about it political homicide on a serious level. But this book was very intriguing. I must say though, it was really sporadic and a little hard to follow at times. Wish he would've tried to make it more chronological.

I found it interesting

I have found interesting all of Bob Baer’s books ! This kept my attention
And curiousness about the topic and times for the entire book.

great way to narrate

narrator was awesome. he made the author sound like the gruff man that wrote all those stories. the way this was organized into 21 tips was brilliant. weaving the story throughout was the best way to tell. so many ex-cia stories are boring retellings. this one stands out head & shoulders!