Martin Muntor
Martin Muntor is a fictional character and cult hero in the thriller novels Gasp! and the re-written version, Find Virgil, by Frank Freudberg.
Character information
Muntor is a broken-down news editor in Philadelphia whose diagnosis of terminal lung cancer spurs him to take revenge on the U.S. tobacco industry. Muntor's plan is to kill 400 innocent people with cyanide-laced cigarettes in an effort to gain publicity and destroy the businesses that make tobacco products. Muntor also targets Nick Pratt, the CEO of TobacCo, Inc. When Muntor launches his attacks, they are many times more effective than he had anticipated. The nation becomes obsessed with the unfolding events, Muntor taunts the FBI and news organizations, and issues ultimata to tobacco industry leaders. Nick Pratt, in turn, dispatches a private investigator to find the man who identifies himself as "Virgil". As Muntor's advancing cancer lessens his ability to continue his campaign, he offers a deal to the FBI and the industry: if the cigarette manufacturers put up $100 million for cancer research then he will stop the murders. In the end, as the authorities close in, Muntor corners Pratt. But instead of killing Pratt as planned, Muntor commits suicide by taking a deep drag on the poisoned cigarette he was going to force Pratt to smoke.Creator
Frank Freudberg is a novelist, journalist and ghostwriter. His novels Gasp, Find Virgil and Baby Please Don’t Go examine underdogs and their battles with forces seemingly more powerful than they are. Freudberg lives in Wayne, Pennsylvania near Philadelphia.He has contributed to or been written about by Reuters, Associated Press, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Der Spiegel and others. His work has been mentioned in many notable publications including Time, Newsweek, and The Guardian.