# Hitman Anders and the Meaning of It All

By Jonas Jonasson

Profile: https://hahafiction.com/books/hitman-anders-and-the-meaning-of-it-all-96b7dcc5/

At a shabby Swedish hotel, a newly released killer finds business partners in an atheist former vicar and a receptionist. They know how to turn his reputation into income from gangsters. His discovery of religion leaves them looking for a new business plan.

## What makes it funny?

After his conversion, Anders enters charity shops with huge donations. The staff recognize a terrifying killer, thanks to the publicity his partners arranged, and have trouble seeing him as a generous customer.

### The comedy at work

Anders takes giving seriously while his partners prefer receiving. Their attempts to profit from his reputation keep running into his increasingly inconvenient interest in doing good.

### Try this if…

Readers who enjoy irreverent farce about religion and money may be drawn to this criminal partnership. The English Student found the approach less funny than it intended, while singling out the charity-shop scene as a successful piece of nonsense.

### Good to know

Physical violence and mockery of religious institutions are part of the comedy. Rachel Willson-Broyles translated the book from Swedish.

## What to expect

- Genre: Contemporary & literary · Crime & thriller
- Kind of humor: Dark comedy · Farce · Satire
- The atmosphere: Irreverent
- Format: Novel

## A few distinguishing details

- A criminal enterprise disrupted by religious conversion
- A feared killer who frightens charity-shop staff by donating

## Sources & further reading

- Book information: [Ebook listing](https://openroadmedia.com/ebook/hitman-anders-and-the-meaning-of-it-all/9780062458186)
- Review: [Independent review](https://englishstudens.com/2016/04/22/review-hitman-anders-and-the-meaning-of-it-all)