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Killmaster #172
The Christmas Kill
A toy factory explosion in Japan sets the stage for another Hiroshima disaster!
When an old friend of Hawk's enlists his aid to check into a toy factory explosion in Hiroshima, Hawk send Nick Carter to Japan to handle the routine assignment. But when Nick is welcomed with a barrage of snipers' bullets at Tokyo International Airport, he begins to uncover an insane plot that threatens the lives of millions of Americans. It is up to him to destroy the group known as the Sons of August Six before they cause death and destruction across the American continent. Making the bombing of Hiroshima look like a mere fireworks display in comparison.
When an old friend of Hawk's enlists his aid to check into a toy factory explosion in Hiroshima, Hawk send Nick Carter to Japan to handle the routine assignment. But when Nick is welcomed with a barrage of snipers' bullets at Tokyo International Airport, he begins to uncover an insane plot that threatens the lives of millions of Americans. It is up to him to destroy the group known as the Sons of August Six before they cause death and destruction across the American continent. Making the bombing of Hiroshima look like a mere fireworks display in comparison.
213 pages, Paperback
First published January 28, 1983
25 people want to read
About the author
Nick Carter
1,058 books46 followersNick Carter is a house pseudonym used by Award, Ace, and later Jove, publishing for the series Nick Carter who later graduated to a special agent for the Killmaster novels, a series of 261+ spy adventures published from 1964 until late 1990s.
A great number of writers have written under the pen-name over the years, beginning in September 1886 when Nick Carter first appeared in the 'New York Weekly' in a 13-week serial, entitled 'The Old Detective's Pupil; or, The Mysterious Crime of Madison Square'.
The Nick Carter character was originally conceived by Ormond G. Smith, the son of one of the founders of Street & Smith, and realized by John R. Coryell.
A great number of writers have written under the pen-name over the years, beginning in September 1886 when Nick Carter first appeared in the 'New York Weekly' in a 13-week serial, entitled 'The Old Detective's Pupil; or, The Mysterious Crime of Madison Square'.
The Nick Carter character was originally conceived by Ormond G. Smith, the son of one of the founders of Street & Smith, and realized by John R. Coryell.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 26, 2025
I added The Christmas Kill to my TBR after finding it at a used book sale. According to the hype inside the book, Nick Carter is the American answer to James Bond. I was hooked and had to give it a read.
The book was initially released in the early 1980s; as such, it may come across as being racist and using negative stereotypes. While the stereotypes were annoying, I was able to overlook them while reading the story. Yes, I know such things are problematic and shouldn’t be avoided. But if we were to do that with every offensive book, we wouldn’t be able to read anything older than 20 years.
The action scenes were very reminiscent of James Bond, which is what I was looking for while reading The Christmas Kill. While this is book 172 in a series that contains 261 books, you can read it as a standalone. I haven’t read any other books in the series, but I don’t feel like I was missing anything.
Overall, if you read The Christmas Kill, don’t expect to read literature. It is purely for escapism and entertainment.
The book was initially released in the early 1980s; as such, it may come across as being racist and using negative stereotypes. While the stereotypes were annoying, I was able to overlook them while reading the story. Yes, I know such things are problematic and shouldn’t be avoided. But if we were to do that with every offensive book, we wouldn’t be able to read anything older than 20 years.
The action scenes were very reminiscent of James Bond, which is what I was looking for while reading The Christmas Kill. While this is book 172 in a series that contains 261 books, you can read it as a standalone. I haven’t read any other books in the series, but I don’t feel like I was missing anything.
Overall, if you read The Christmas Kill, don’t expect to read literature. It is purely for escapism and entertainment.
December 25, 2021
A fairly well written thriller overall. In this Carter is sent to Hiroshima Japan to help a friend of the boss with a problem at the toy factory the friend owns. Come to find out there is a organization that already knows Carter is coming, this group is working on a way to get revenge for the atomic bombs that landed on Japan. The toy factory is the instrument of that revenge in the most harebrained scheme ever. Carter of course has to stop it and somehow survive as well.
This series is basically American James Bond and overall from the ones I've read its pretty good. This one may be a lesser one but definitely not a bad way to waste some time.
This series is basically American James Bond and overall from the ones I've read its pretty good. This one may be a lesser one but definitely not a bad way to waste some time.
January 10, 2021
Not a cozy Christmas mystery as listed on some websites. This is cheap, sleazy, trashy pulp fiction like 1950s "real-detective" stories. Nick Carter is more like the Charles Bronson character in "The Mechanic" - not like James Bond. He "fixes" problems by eliminating (killing) them. The story takes place during October; the reference to Christmas in the title refers to a toy factory in Japan which manufactures toy robots for sale worldwide during the Christmas season.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews