The Ethical Assassin

{{Short description|American novel}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}

{{Infobox book

| name = The Ethical Assassin

| author = David Liss

| image = File:The Ethical Assassin.jpg

| caption = First edition

| published = 2006 (Ballantine Books)

}}

The Ethical Assassin is a 2006 novel written by David Liss{{cite news |title='The Ethical Assassin' is a killer rant |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/books/reviews/2006-03-22-audio-ethical-assassin_x.htm |work=USA Today |date=22 March 2006 |accessdate=22 October 2010 }}{{cite news |title=Sales Can Be Murder |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/02/AR2006030201488.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=5 March 2006 |accessdate=22 October 2010 }} that revolves around Lemuel (Lem) Atlick, a door to door encyclopedia salesman who is caught in the middle of an assassination and becomes a sole witness. The novel is a major departure from the series of economic history adventures Liss had previously written and a venture into black humor and modern satire.