The Killers (Hemingway short story) Add a review

"The Killers" is a short story by Ernest Hemingway, first published in Scribner's Magazine in 1927 and later republished in Men Without Women, Snows of Kilimanjaro, and The Nick Adams Stories. Set in 1920s Summit, Illinois, the story follows recurring Hemingway character Nick Adams as he has a run-in with a pair of hitmen, who are seeking to kill a boxer, in a local restaurant.

Historians have some documents showing that the working title of the piece was "The Matadors". Hemingway received $200 (equivalent to $3,620 in 2024) for the story, and told F. Scott Fitzgerald he submitted it solely "to see what the alibi would be" should it be rejected. Hemingway's depiction of the human experience, his use of satire, and the themes of death, friendship, and the purpose of life have contributed to make "The Killers" one of his most famous and frequently anthologized short stories, and it has been adapted or referenced in various other works since its initial publishing.