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In 1989, a teenaged classmate showed me a book he was reading. I think the book cover showed a man in military fatigues on a green background. However, that was actually the third book in a trilogy, and my friend was interested in whether I would be interested in reading all three, so he started telling about the plot of the first book, since that would be where I would start. I never actually saw the first or second books; I decided I wasn't that interested, so he never brought them in, before he moved away a couple months later.

What I remember him telling me about the first book was that it took place in an overpopulated future dystopia, where the main character is being hunted by a female assassin. I think the idea was that overpopulation was such a problem that the authorities tended to turn a blind eye to murders. However, somehow the assassin and her target fall in love, and the target's wife is conveniently removed from the picture. (She tries to attack her cheating spouse with one of the assassin's weapons and mishandles it, leading to her own demise.)

What book series was this?

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This sounds something like the 'Victim' Series by Robert Sheckley.

Starting with The 10th Victim, it was the first of a trilogy that also included 1987's Victim Prime and 1988's Hunter/Victim.

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    First, The 10th Victim is a better fit, since at least it has the hunter and victim the right way 'round for the question, but I don't recall any of the jealous wife stuff. Second, none of the covers of the third book Hunter/Victim are remotely close.
    – DavidW
    Commented Dec 25, 2021 at 4:15
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    If (as Wikipedia says) "Seventh Victim" is a short story and The 10th Victim a novel (based on a film, based on "Seventh Victim"), then The 10th Victim is likely the version my friend had. That cover for Hunter/Victim looks right though, so if you edit your answer to talk about The 10th Victim, I'll accept it.
    – Buzz
    Commented Dec 25, 2021 at 18:48
  • Updated as requested.
    – Dosco Jones
    Commented Dec 25, 2021 at 18:59
  • @DoscoJones - You appear to have linked to the wiki article about the film, whereas OP seems to be asking about a novel (presumably the novelisation of the film or its sequels). I've corrected the links for you
    – Valorum
    Commented Dec 25, 2021 at 19:22
  • I believe that the novel came before the film, but I'm not sure of that. Both were preceded by the story "The Seventh Victim"
    – David Siegel
    Commented Dec 25, 2021 at 19:29

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