Revenger/Stark 1: Funeral Rites by Joseph Hedges

Revenger/Stark 1
Funeral Rites
by Joseph Hedges (Terry Harknett)
1973 Sphere

John Stark, serving a sentence for robbery, is sprung from prison by the mysterious Company for unclear reasons.  He learns that his girlfriend, Carol Burnett (?!) was turned into a heroin addict to control her, and through her control Stark.  Things don't go as planned, and Stark sets off on a kill crazy revenge spree.

This series was reportedly ordered as an Executioner cash-in, but there's a lot more of Parker, with some British Noir and even a little Kitchen Sink mixed in.  Stark is unusual for a men's adventure hero - he had never killed or fired a gun before, and even lived with his parents at the time of his arrest.  I was expecting a mob hitman, but I think he was just the driver in a single job.

You can tell Harknett was pantsing it for the plot, with Stark running around with no clear direction, though I'm a fan enough of Harknett's writing style to go along for the ride.

Paperback from Abebooks