DAVID CALLAN

       Callan is an assassin working for British Intelligence.
       The actual agency for which he works is a small one in the Intel community known only as the Section. It is run by a man known as Hunter, more of a title for the head of the Section than an actual name. The Section's job is to remove those posing a threat to Britain's security, be it through extortion, arrest, or death. Callan's job is the killing part and he has been the best they've had.
       As the series opens, Callan has been away for many months, sacked by Hunter for being too interested in the why of someone's death than the how or when. Working as a bookkeeper for a man who doesn't like him has had its toll on Callan so when Hunter calls him back, he is ready to answer. Not eager, perhaps, as he still dislikes his profession, but ready.
       Callan is described by Hunter as a cold-blooded killer and in many regards that is the truth but Callan may dispatch quickly and cleanly when the time comes, he definitely does not like it, hence his annoying (to Hunter) habit of making sure that the target deserves being removed. This reticence means an assignment often takes longer than his boss would like but once Callan knows the killing is justified, it happens.
       Like many in his profession, Callan is a loner. He has no steady love interest and very few friends, if any. He has very little contact with his fellows at the Section. Since he is also not a heavy drinker nor a gambler nor a womanizer, it is very hard for his distractors to find anything wrong with him but his perceived cold personality. This, though, is despite the fact that Callan can see the humor in far more than his workmates, albeit with a good deal more cynisism.
       The one steady companion that Callan has, if that is the proper word, is Lonely, a mousey incredibly skittish member of the underworld who is never brave enough to make anything of himself, even illegally, but who is as ubiquitous as can be. Hence Lonely knows far more than most people would imagine and is an excellent source of information for Callan, as well as being able to come up with the odd gun or bug or whatever the operative is needing.
       It would be obvious to any paying close enough attention that Callan has some strange affection for Lonely, despite the fact that the meek little man perpetually has a foul odor about him. Lonely likewise probably would admit liking Callan if he was not so totally in fear of the man. This fear is perpetrated by Callan to force Lonely in doing whatever Callan needed.
       Callan knows enough about himself to admit he is not a very nice man but with his own set of morals, he also knows that despite his killing people for a living, he is still basically a good man.

       Mr. Mitchell gave the spy-fi community two excellent agents; Callan and Craig (written as James Munro). I thank the man sincerely for both. There are obvious similarities in both men as they are both killers for British Intelligence, but there are far away enough differences to make them both uniquely interesting.
       I recommend both. Craig might be a bit more interesting, albeit less consistent in his life. Callan, however, is a great example of a man who is very good at doing something he very much would rather not.
       The television show from which the books eventually came was every bit as gray and dismal in atmosphere as the novels but they sure were fun and Edward Woodward can make anything better.