The Assassin From Stavanger

In 15th Century England, a secret Star Chamber met to decide the interests of the Crown and the course of history. Lord Harold McMann, a critic of the government’s adventurism into Iraq, is struck down by a sniper’s bullet, and two unassuming detectives are assigned to the case for their propensity to fail. One of the detectives is diagnosed with terminal cancer and makes his partner promise to kill him, but his friend and partner can’t bring himself to it, and he makes a deal with the suspected assassin to kill his partner instead. It’s Kill or be killed.

In 15th Century England, a secret Star Chamber met to decide the interests of the Crown and the course of the nation. They dispensed justice as they saw fit. The Chamber was officially abolished in 1641. Lord Harold McMann, a critic of the government’s adventurism into Iraq and its dependence on oil, is struck down by a sniper’s bullet. Two unassuming detectives are assigned to the case: John Dimond––a divorcee, and his partner, Jack Muldown––a bachelor approaching retirement. They were selected because of their propensity to fail. Muldown is diagnosed with terminal cancer and makes his partner promise to kill him when he can no longer care for himself. But Dimond can’t bring himself to kill his friend. Evidence of the assassin discovered by the Crime Scene Investigators leads to Muldown’s old nemesis from his orphanage days. The nuns referred to him back then as The Left Hand of God. Dimond makes a deal with the assassin to kill his partner. In exchange, the police files and those of his employers would all disappear. For over 400 years The Star Chamber never hesitated to murder anyone who threatened to interfere with the destiny of England and its people. It’s Kill or be killed.

Norman Gerard worked through college directing theater. At 28 he was a first call IATSE Director of Photography. He lectured at Art Center College and directed the film for Exxon’s Pavilion at EPCOT. Among his other books are the historical and political thrillers: THE WRECK OF THE ALAMO and THE DUNSMORE DOSSIER. He also wrote murder-mystery, SPIDER, and a non-fiction journal, THE DEMISE OF THE AMERICAN INDEPENDENT FILM MOVEMENT—about the digital age, the meaning of intellectual property in the era of rampant legal and illegal piracy. From 1996 to ’98 he wrote, produced and directed two feature films: SNAKE SKIN JACKET and THE MURDER IN CHINA BASIN. Norman continues to write movie scripts and novels.