The Kill — Jonas Saul

The son of the most ruthless Mafia boss in eastern Canada is killed, and the father wants revenge. Darwin Kostas is a law-abiding Canadian, a writer with a new bride and a long list of phobias. His fear of the dark keeps him inside after the sun goes down. He also suffers from aichmophobia, an irrational fear of sharp and pointed objects. If confronted with a knife or a needle, his fear manifests as an out-of-control rage. He's also the man who accidentally killed the heir to the Fuccini syndicate. When the newlyweds honeymoon in Rome, a hit team follows. They keep waving things at Darwin--pointy things, like knives. He just can't control himself when that happens, and accidentally kills a few more 'made men.' The Mafia believes Darwin is a trained killer, hired to take them out, and declare all-out war on the neurotic novelist. Darwin returns to Toronto, but the hits keep coming, the FBI closes in, and a local biker gang offers Darwin their help. Darwin just wants to be left alone with a light on. 'The Kill' is book one of the Mafia Trilogy from Jonas Saul, the author of the Sarah Roberts series.