The Removers

Matt Helm, Book 3

By: Donald Hamilton

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki

The third installment in the legendary Matt Helm thrillers

A year after having been reactivated as a spy, Matt Helm receives a message from his ex-wife asking for his aid. The threat is an enemy agent named Martel, disguised as a mob hit man. To protect his family, Helm must remove the threat before his own children pay the ultimate price.

Originally released in the era of the James Bond novels, the Matt Helm novels were considered grittier and more realistic than Bond, garnering them critical praise and ardent fans.

©1961 Donald Hamilton (P)2014 Skyboat Media

Tough and brilliant bastard

Matt Helm is nothing like the spoof spy movies that starred Dean Martin in the title role. Remember the early James Bond? The man who was a consummate killer, cold-blooded to the point where he’d strangle a woman with her own bra? Well, that’s pretty close to the Matt Helm of Donald Hamilton’s novel. He’s tough, he focused on the kill, he’s smart and savvy but there’s no hint of debonaire about him. Unlike Bond, Helm is American and more down to earth and wry-humored. This was the third book in the long-running series and here it gets personal as he has to protect his ex and the children - but remember, he’s a tough bastard, the objective always comes first. Frankly, I’d love to watch these stories as Netflix (or some such) miniseries!

The removers

Hey...this was pretty good! the characters were very colorful and different from what I would have thought they'd be.

Enjoyed I really got into the listen

Great overall story line. A little wordy.
I’m going to follow the series. Lots of plots.

Good stories

I’m enjoying these stories that appear to be brought into current times by having them read into the new technology.
Thanks for thinking of it!

Getting better

I found the first two titles in the Matt Helm series disappointing. This, the third in the series, is more engaging. Perhaps the author is finally hitting his stride here. There are some plot howlers and other silliness that you have to look past. For example, the hero is capable of going for days without sleep. Suffering a concussion, and drinking a great deal of booze, do not impair his mental clarity or physical reflexes. On the other hand, the plot does put me on the edge of my seat eager to find out what will happen next. And that's the main reason for reading suspense fiction, so this book delivers where it counts.