Customer Reviews

Murderers' Row

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Matt Helm may or may not have killed a fellow agent. While the investigation goes on, he is to finish out her mission. The mission-rescue a kidnapped scientist, kill him if you can't. Complications-Helm has the scientist's young daughter tagging along. Posing as a hitman, he runs into various shady characters who cover for him and then try to hire him. The Chesapeake Bay locale is different and put to good use. The climax features a sailboat (with Matt a prisoner on board) on stormy seas out to meet a Russian trawler.

Murderers' Row lived up to my memories (so many things I read years ago haven't. For example, a lot of H.P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard seems moldy to me now).

Murderers' Row is the 5th in the series. By this point, Helm's character and background have been well-established. He's prone to introspection but not self-doubt. He's good at takings orders but isn't above going his own way when said orders interfere with one of his assignments. And he's a professional, methodical and cold-blooded when need be. The books are told in the first person and they're dialogue-driven; there's a lot of talk about what has happened, what needs to happen or what is going to happen. Surprisingly, the book isn't full of action. When action does occur, it's described in a very matter-of-fact way - no Chandleresque mixed metaphors here. If you're only familiar with the character through the atrocious Dean Martin spy spoofs of the `60s, set aside your distaste and give one of the books a try.

Matt is on a brutal undercover mission. Mac feels he has gone beyond reason by murdering one of his own agents and orders him to be kept under surveillance -- possibly removed from the service. But in spite of everything, Matt Helm manages to survive and handle the bad guys once again. You'll like this book!

A classic Matt Helm book. This is a great story in the classic genre. It is simple to read and will keep you wanting more.