UPGUNNED by David J. Schow

Finished Su 6/17/12

It's a duel of wills between a fashion photographer and a deadly assassin that's an electric ride from start to finish. And along the way, the reader is treated to a wealth of information about photography, weapons, film-making, and the 'shadow world' of hired killers.
Elite LA fashion photographer, Elias McCabe, is kidnapped by a hit-team and forced to photograph an influential SWAT team leader in compromising sexual situations. Yet when the man accidentally dies, they finish the lurid smear campaign using the man's corpse. At the end of the encounter,  McCabe escapes when Gun Guy, the hit-team leader, is partially blinded in a darkroom accident. What follows is a vicious game of  'cat and mouse' which kept me reading through the night. Wildly Entertaining!!

Elias McCabe- fashion photographer and artist

Clavius- McCabe's mentor and owner of the apartment where the opening scenes occur

Nasja Tarasova- East European model who has sex with McCabe, and this causes his lover, Char(Charlene Glades), to leave him. She
left on a recording device to catch McCabe, but it also inadvertently recorded the assassination team.

Gun Guy (Chambers)- One of the names used by the team leader. Also, Mister Kimber (Kimber is the name of the fancy weapon that Gun Guy uses, and McCabe steals)

Cognac, Bulldog, Blackhawk- Three members of Gun Guy's team. Cognac is a prostitute, and the other two are hired muscle.

Mal Boyd- (Male, Boy Child- he organized the hit)

Dominic Sharps- Head of the Los Angeles Police Department's Special Tactical Wing

Joey- Assistant to McCabe in his photographic studio. He is covered with comic book monster tattoos.

Mason Stone- He is the famous actor on the set of 'Vengeance Is'. Reminded me of Michael Douglas.

Tripp Bergin- Director of the film, and allows McCabe to come to NYC to be the set photographer on the film. This gives McCabe a destination to escape the assassination team.

Arly Zahorin- This guy is the video photographer on the movie set.

Cap Weatherwas- He is the world renown expert of guns and is the 'go to' guy on film sets. He teaches McCabe about how to use a weapon. His company is called, 'Fire When Ready'.

Julian Hightower- McCabe's alias when he heads east to work on the film.

The Salon- A super trendy nightclub in NYC which features a collection of freaks like an old time sideshow.

Roddy Caperton- Alias used by McCabe when he finally kills Mal Boyd who is ultimately responsible for everything.