Genre renaissance man Max Allan Collins is wearing a new hat these days as Patrick Culhane, author of adventure-crime thrillers. His latest is an old-fashioned World War II navy drama (think Caine Mutiny). Drawing on the war experiences of his father, Culhane tells the story of a midwestern musician called up after Pearl Harbor. Ensign Peter Maxwell likes directing the navy choir, but he wants to see action and lands a posting as a junior officer on board an ammunitions ship, which turns out to have an African American crew led by a hard-assed, racist captain. After the ship’s home port in San Francisco is blown up (a real-life tragedy), and its second in command is killed, Maxwell finds himself caught in the middle of a potential mutiny and forced to investigate a murder, just as he sets sail across the Pacific. Culhane melds shipboard melodrama, WWII action, and solid amateur sleuthing into an infectiously readable adventure. Yes, some of the plot is predictable, and a few of the characters are familiar types, but it all runs smoothly, much in the manner of Herman Wouk. Old-school storytelling delivers great entertainment. --Bill Ott
“This remarkable piece of sustained storytelling is the best of the trilogy.” (Ellery Queen )
“Smooth and imaginative.” (Publishers Weekly (starred review) )
“Collins masterfully blends fact and fiction into a compelling tale that transcends the historical thriller.” (Jeffrey Deaver )
“[P]lenty of blazing .45 action.” (Kirkus Reviews )
“Collins is a consumate storyteller.” (Booklist )
“A serious social chronicle. . . . It’s also serious fun.” (New York Times Book Review, praise for MILLION DOLLAR WOUND )
“Fast, breezy fun. [C]leverly concocted!” (New York Times, praise for CARNAL HOURS )
“An explosive, action-packed blockbuster…destined to rank right up there with “The Godfather” series when all is said and done.” (Detroit Free Press )
“A unique private eye series with a believable, enduring hard-boiled hero.” (Los Angeles Times, praise for ANGEL IN BLACK )
“Collins is in a class by himself...a page-turner of a story...a fitting sequel to Road to Perdition.” (S.J. Rozan, author of Absent Friends )
“No one can twist through a maze with the intensity and suspense of Max Allan Collins.” (Clive Cussler, praise for Black Hats )
“No one can twist through a maze with the intensity and suspense of Max Allan Collins. A classic.” (Clive Cussler, praise for CARNAL HOURS )
“[F]ast-moving.” (Washington Post )
“Collins fills his story with period detail, juicy mob stories and characters, but the best part...is its heart (Chicago Sun-Times )
“Nobody writes about war era crime in Chicago as well as Collins... A delight for fans...and newcomers.” (Chicago Sun-Times )
“A worthy followup to Road to Perdition--tangy, authentic, and exciting.” (Leonard Maltin )
“[C]ompelling mix of history, bloodshed and retribution...Readers will eat it up and beg for more.” (Publishers Weekly )
“A novel of the Lindbergh kidnapping by the master of ‘true-crime’ fiction. Don’t miss it!” (Publishers Weekly, praise for STOLEN AWAY )
“A compelling and shameful piece of American history...gripping...(a) glimpse into a largely unknown period and a segment of the Greatest Generation that deserved more respect then and still does.” (Associated Press )
“Collins effortlessly weaves his historical material into a fast-moving narrative.” (Booklist )
“Simply open the book. The pages turn themselves. A fine novel by a fine writer.” (John Lutz, author of The Night Watcher )
“The ride on this road just gets better and better...and wilder!” (Mickey Spillane )
