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Paul Kavanagh #1
Such Men Are Dangerous
A very dangerous man. That's Paul Kavanagh, an ex–Green Beret with nothing but time on his hands—until he gets an offer to steal a shipment of tactical nuclear weapons form the US government—and finds himself a partner, George Dattner, who has the cold eyes of a trained killer. Each of these men alone is dangerous. But anyone who tries to stop them together is guaranteed not to come out of it alive!
1 pages, Audio CD
First published January 1, 1969
41 people are currently reading
331 people want to read
About the author
Lawrence Block
767 books2,983 followersLawrence Block has been writing crime, mystery, and suspense fiction for more than half a century. He has published in excess (oh, wretched excess!) of 100 books, and no end of short stories.
Born in Buffalo, N.Y., LB attended Antioch College, but left before completing his studies; school authorities advised him that they felt he’d be happier elsewhere, and he thought this was remarkably perceptive of them.
His earliest work, published pseudonymously in the late 1950s, was mostly in the field of midcentury erotica, an apprenticeship he shared with Donald E. Westlake and Robert Silverberg. The first time Lawrence Block’s name appeared in print was when his short story “You Can’t Lose” was published in the February 1958 issue of Manhunt. The first book published under his own name was Mona (1961); it was reissued several times over the years, once as Sweet Slow Death. In 2005 it became the first offering from Hard Case Crime, and bore for the first time LB’s original title, Grifter’s Game.
LB is best known for his series characters, including cop-turned-private investigator Matthew Scudder, gentleman burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr, globe-trotting insomniac Evan Tanner, and introspective assassin Keller.
Because one name is never enough, LB has also published under pseudonyms including Jill Emerson, John Warren Wells, Lesley Evans, and Anne Campbell Clarke.
LB’s magazine appearances include American Heritage, Redbook, Playboy, Linn’s Stamp News, Cosmopolitan, GQ, and The New York Times. His monthly instructional column ran in Writer’s Digest for 14 years, and led to a string of books for writers, including the classics Telling Lies for Fun & Profit and The Liar’s Bible. He has also written episodic television (Tilt!) and the Wong Kar-wai film, My Blueberry Nights.
Several of LB’s books have been filmed. The latest, A Walk Among the Tombstones, stars Liam Neeson as Matthew Scudder and is scheduled for release in September, 2014.
LB is a Grand Master of Mystery Writers of America, and a past president of MWA and the Private Eye Writers of America. He has won the Edgar and Shamus awards four times each, and the Japanese Maltese Falcon award twice, as well as the Nero Wolfe and Philip Marlowe awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America, and the Diamond Dagger for Life Achievement from the Crime Writers Association (UK). He’s also been honored with the Gumshoe Lifetime Achievement Award from Mystery Ink magazine and the Edward D. Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer for Lifetime Achievement in the short story. In France, he has been proclaimed a Grand Maitre du Roman Noir and has twice been awarded the Societe 813 trophy. He has been a guest of honor at Bouchercon and at book fairs and mystery festivals in France, Germany, Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Spain and Taiwan. As if that were not enough, he was also presented with the key to the city of Muncie, Indiana. (But as soon as he left, they changed the locks.)
LB and his wife Lynne are enthusiastic New Yorkers and relentless world travelers; the two are members of the Travelers Century Club, and have visited around 160 countries.
He is a modest and humble fellow, although you would never guess as much from this biographical note.
Born in Buffalo, N.Y., LB attended Antioch College, but left before completing his studies; school authorities advised him that they felt he’d be happier elsewhere, and he thought this was remarkably perceptive of them.
His earliest work, published pseudonymously in the late 1950s, was mostly in the field of midcentury erotica, an apprenticeship he shared with Donald E. Westlake and Robert Silverberg. The first time Lawrence Block’s name appeared in print was when his short story “You Can’t Lose” was published in the February 1958 issue of Manhunt. The first book published under his own name was Mona (1961); it was reissued several times over the years, once as Sweet Slow Death. In 2005 it became the first offering from Hard Case Crime, and bore for the first time LB’s original title, Grifter’s Game.
LB is best known for his series characters, including cop-turned-private investigator Matthew Scudder, gentleman burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr, globe-trotting insomniac Evan Tanner, and introspective assassin Keller.
Because one name is never enough, LB has also published under pseudonyms including Jill Emerson, John Warren Wells, Lesley Evans, and Anne Campbell Clarke.
LB’s magazine appearances include American Heritage, Redbook, Playboy, Linn’s Stamp News, Cosmopolitan, GQ, and The New York Times. His monthly instructional column ran in Writer’s Digest for 14 years, and led to a string of books for writers, including the classics Telling Lies for Fun & Profit and The Liar’s Bible. He has also written episodic television (Tilt!) and the Wong Kar-wai film, My Blueberry Nights.
Several of LB’s books have been filmed. The latest, A Walk Among the Tombstones, stars Liam Neeson as Matthew Scudder and is scheduled for release in September, 2014.
LB is a Grand Master of Mystery Writers of America, and a past president of MWA and the Private Eye Writers of America. He has won the Edgar and Shamus awards four times each, and the Japanese Maltese Falcon award twice, as well as the Nero Wolfe and Philip Marlowe awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America, and the Diamond Dagger for Life Achievement from the Crime Writers Association (UK). He’s also been honored with the Gumshoe Lifetime Achievement Award from Mystery Ink magazine and the Edward D. Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer for Lifetime Achievement in the short story. In France, he has been proclaimed a Grand Maitre du Roman Noir and has twice been awarded the Societe 813 trophy. He has been a guest of honor at Bouchercon and at book fairs and mystery festivals in France, Germany, Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Spain and Taiwan. As if that were not enough, he was also presented with the key to the city of Muncie, Indiana. (But as soon as he left, they changed the locks.)
LB and his wife Lynne are enthusiastic New Yorkers and relentless world travelers; the two are members of the Travelers Century Club, and have visited around 160 countries.
He is a modest and humble fellow, although you would never guess as much from this biographical note.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
June 11, 2019
This quick heist-oriented thriller is good, but I'm starting to realize that if I'm reading a Block book and it's not one of his Scudders, I'm not going to be happy. Again, this is a perfectly fine book, which I can recommend, but I've fallen in love with Matt Scudder and I don't care who knows about it!
February 8, 2021
I hate the 3* review, but I couldn’t find a way to give it a higher rating. It is a really gruesome story although a very talented one by Block. I just didn’t like any of the characters, especially the main character. Not all of us Vietnam vets were as crazy or cruel. It will haunt you so be warned. As another review said “Paul Kavanuagh, the main character, was a lunatic”. However Lawrence Block is a genus author of crime fiction, where did he get his ideas!
As I said before, Jim Sullivan’s narrative was awesome.
As I said before, Jim Sullivan’s narrative was awesome.
March 29, 2009
Lawrence Block wrote this military noir early in his writing career about Paul Kavanagh, an ex-Green Beret who retires from the trade. What's interesting is that Paul falls in love with his solitary, Crusoe-like life on a deserted Florida Keys island. George Dattner hunts up Paul and they plot to steal a shipment of nuclear weapons from the military in the Dakotas. Paul tells their caper in a low-keyed, conversational manner. He gets so far in, you're left wondering if he'll ever get back to his island paradise a million dollars richer. This novel is a brisk read, and one of the better retired-from-the-trade crime books. Don't expect flashy descriptions and over-the-top plotlines. Mr. Block is interested in his protagonist first.
April 22, 2015
I have enjoyed several Block novels, especially the burglar stories. I was uncomfortable reading about his professional killer, but this book is nuts. The protagonist is an ex green beret who has mental problems. He is convinced t steal US nuclear weapons to make a million dollars and along the way he murders american agents and young soldiers. I couldn't finish the book, it made me feel grimy. Block can write a good story but I ned to stick with protagonists I can be at least a little sympathetic to. I'm not sure who this book is aimed at -- maybe wing-nut survivalists or related head cases.
June 4, 2024
A really fun book by one of the best. Kavanagh is an ex Green Beret who tried to get on with the agency and was turned down now he is just biding time. He found a small island and claimed it as his own and is living the hermit life, beach bum version. However the agent who had to tell him he didn't make it, found him. He has an offer, a scheme to steal truck loads of dangerous munitions that will net them a million bucks each. Well Kavanagh didn't have anything else better to do.
Highly recommended, going to have to grab the other two books in the trilogy.
Highly recommended, going to have to grab the other two books in the trilogy.
February 13, 2024
A ruthless covert government operative. That’s pretty much it. Nothing amazing and nothing terrible.
January 6, 2021
Paul Kavanagh is a lunatic.
July 21, 2017
“Such Men Are Dangerous” is a 1969 stand-alone novel by Lawrence Block, although the original byline is by Paul Kavanagh. It is the story of a former ex-commando who completed his service in the Vietnam War, was rejected for a job by the CIA, found his calling as a Robinson Crusoe type guy on a tiny shack on a tiny Florida key with no social connections and nothing to do but fish, and is called out of his self- imposed retirement for one last job as a CIA-contractor to save the country from bad guys getting their hands on nuclear goodies. It is a sort of Robinson Crusoe meets James Bond meets Rambo kind of book. It took about a quarter to a third of the way through before the reader is given the meat of the story. Much of the first part of the book feels aimless and disconnected. Although somewhat interesting, you wonder what the point of the story is and where it is going until George Dattner finds Kavanagh on the small island and explains what the job is. It was quite a popular thing for authors in the late sixties, early seventies, to write spy novels or ex-commando soldier of fortune tales and this was Block’s foray into this genre. In the end, it was just okay.
July 27, 2017
This review pertains to the AudioGo CD, read by Fred Sullivan
Paul Kavanaugh, we are told, is a burnt-out soldier, home from Southeast Asia with time on his hands. He interviews with The Agency but is told that he is too volatile for employment. Kavanaugh retreats to a deserted island in the Keys, until The Agency comes to call. Or do they? Written by Lawrence Block, under the Kavanaugh name (the first of a three book series), this is similar in spirit to a Ross Thomas novel. Kavanaugh has a code; he will do some illegal things, most illegal things, but he believes in the balance of justice. This tale involves the heist of an arms shipment, which causes Kavanaugh to go undercover at a military base and to deal with unsavory characters. Reader Fred Sullivan does a good job with the fast pace of the narrative and with distinctive character voices. I tend not to listen to audios but this kept me in the car longer than I would sit ordinarily. This, although not great lit, was good enough to make me seek out the others in the series.
Paul Kavanaugh, we are told, is a burnt-out soldier, home from Southeast Asia with time on his hands. He interviews with The Agency but is told that he is too volatile for employment. Kavanaugh retreats to a deserted island in the Keys, until The Agency comes to call. Or do they? Written by Lawrence Block, under the Kavanaugh name (the first of a three book series), this is similar in spirit to a Ross Thomas novel. Kavanaugh has a code; he will do some illegal things, most illegal things, but he believes in the balance of justice. This tale involves the heist of an arms shipment, which causes Kavanaugh to go undercover at a military base and to deal with unsavory characters. Reader Fred Sullivan does a good job with the fast pace of the narrative and with distinctive character voices. I tend not to listen to audios but this kept me in the car longer than I would sit ordinarily. This, although not great lit, was good enough to make me seek out the others in the series.
February 11, 2015
Another early work from LB. I loved the main characters and the interplay between the two is the highlight here. The lowlight, i'm afraid, is the rest. So the book breaks down like this: first third is meeting the protagonists and scene setting and it's great; middle section is 'the rest' and it's ludicrous (I know you have to suspend disbelief but there are limits!); in the final third the protagonists are back together and it's top stuff again. Definitely worth catching for the good bits and essential reading if you're already an LB fan.
June 8, 2019
The backstory surrounding the writing of this book, included as an afterword, is as compelling as the book itself. Well, for us dyed-in-the-wool Block geeks anyway.
Written at a time when anti-heroes were starting to make a splash in all forms of entertainment, the story rests within the darker Block-worlds, Scudder vs. Bernie if you will. The protagonist, a war veteran turned misanthrope, is an intelligent nut-job - the personality one expects of a seriously psychotic Bond villain. Nonetheless, it’s hard not to cheer for him, no matter who gets slaughtered along the way.
Written at a time when anti-heroes were starting to make a splash in all forms of entertainment, the story rests within the darker Block-worlds, Scudder vs. Bernie if you will. The protagonist, a war veteran turned misanthrope, is an intelligent nut-job - the personality one expects of a seriously psychotic Bond villain. Nonetheless, it’s hard not to cheer for him, no matter who gets slaughtered along the way.
March 23, 2022
Read this based on the recommendation by Joe Hill in one of his introductions. Not bad at the beginning, okay at the end. But at some point in the middle it became just completely dumb and unbelievable. If you're looking for high testosterone action - but with some modicum of quality - this ain't it.
September 16, 2024
"Vacations are fun, but they're right. The best part is getting home again."
After ten years fighting in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, Paul Kavanagh needs to simplify his life. He withdraws to a little island in the Keys, stops wearing clothes, devotes his energy to fishing and exercise, and limits all human interaction to a single trip for supplies each week…
Until the day a CIA operative turns up with a request: Help your country by hijacking a cache of top-secret weapons from a military warehouse in South Dakota…
Paul tries to drown the man, three times, before deciding that this mission might be an interesting change of pace after all, a vacation of sorts…
This 1969 novel, which was published under the main character's name, is many things--heist caper, spy thriller, black comedy, nihilistic noir. Mostly, it is just a lot of fun. The story works so well because it is only gradually revealed just how psychotic Paul and his CIA handler George really are.
These are not normal people. Such men are, in fact, dangerous.
In his afterward, the author relates the anecdote of his wife's dinner guest who saw this book (with the original Paul Kavanaugh pseudonym) lying on a coffee table in 1988. The guest was a former CIA employee, and he insisted the novel had been written by a rogue spook and was based on real events. No amount of explanation could convince him Lawrence Block had written it. He said "Look, everybody at the Company knew about that guy. Wandered off the reservation, pulled some weird [stuff]. That's the book he wrote."
I alternated between my Kindle copy and the audiobook read by Fred Sullivan.
4.5 stars
After ten years fighting in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, Paul Kavanagh needs to simplify his life. He withdraws to a little island in the Keys, stops wearing clothes, devotes his energy to fishing and exercise, and limits all human interaction to a single trip for supplies each week…
Until the day a CIA operative turns up with a request: Help your country by hijacking a cache of top-secret weapons from a military warehouse in South Dakota…
Paul tries to drown the man, three times, before deciding that this mission might be an interesting change of pace after all, a vacation of sorts…
This 1969 novel, which was published under the main character's name, is many things--heist caper, spy thriller, black comedy, nihilistic noir. Mostly, it is just a lot of fun. The story works so well because it is only gradually revealed just how psychotic Paul and his CIA handler George really are.
These are not normal people. Such men are, in fact, dangerous.
In his afterward, the author relates the anecdote of his wife's dinner guest who saw this book (with the original Paul Kavanaugh pseudonym) lying on a coffee table in 1988. The guest was a former CIA employee, and he insisted the novel had been written by a rogue spook and was based on real events. No amount of explanation could convince him Lawrence Block had written it. He said "Look, everybody at the Company knew about that guy. Wandered off the reservation, pulled some weird [stuff]. That's the book he wrote."
I alternated between my Kindle copy and the audiobook read by Fred Sullivan.
4.5 stars
January 26, 2020
I am a huge Lawrence Block fan. I find his conversational style enjoyable and easy to read and easy on the ear. However, I found this work (originally published under the pseudonym of Paul Kavanaugh) one of his lesser efforts. The main character, Paul Kavanaugh, starts out likable enough but turns at first tedious as a narrator and then so immoral that it becomes difficult to like or identify with him. Block seems interested in creating an immoral anti-hero, but Paul remains an enigma. Block later created a great anti-hero with his hitman Keller. So chalk this up to an early effort and check it out only if you want to be a Block completist.
November 17, 2019
"You're the me I hate!"
Pretty good heist thriller! Reminded me a lot of the Parker novels by Richard Stark, which is a good thing! Paul Kavanagh retreats to Mushroom Key, a little island off the Florida coast after an unsuccessful job application. Totally off the grid! Then, a different job offer comes up, and...
Stolen military goods, bureaucratic incompetence, and the good ol' double cross(s) lead us along to a pretty good ending!
"Vacations are fun, but they're right. The best part is getting home again."
Pretty good heist thriller! Reminded me a lot of the Parker novels by Richard Stark, which is a good thing! Paul Kavanagh retreats to Mushroom Key, a little island off the Florida coast after an unsuccessful job application. Totally off the grid! Then, a different job offer comes up, and...
Stolen military goods, bureaucratic incompetence, and the good ol' double cross(s) lead us along to a pretty good ending!
"Vacations are fun, but they're right. The best part is getting home again."
February 5, 2020
I read this because Joe Hill casually mentioned it in his short stories collection "Full Throttle." I'm not really sure what I expected. I just found the book a bit boring and kind of a machismo pulp novel. Nothing wrong with that. It just wasn't really my cup of tea. I think if I were to read more of Block's stuff, I might enjoy it more. Perhaps I will do just that and give this on a higher rating after the fact. :)
June 29, 2018
VPL Audio
A 1969 work. Shows his working on the humorous mystery story. Guy gets turned down for the CIA after couple of tours in Nam. Then gets offered an assignment. Bit of a light read but typical of the era it was written in. Good to see the development of his later style. Was a good road trip book.
A 1969 work. Shows his working on the humorous mystery story. Guy gets turned down for the CIA after couple of tours in Nam. Then gets offered an assignment. Bit of a light read but typical of the era it was written in. Good to see the development of his later style. Was a good road trip book.
January 30, 2019
The writing does a good job of getting to the point. Short concise sentences. Dialogue the same. But sometimes I had to work a bit harder to follow the action because of the brevity. Interesting enough for a 3-star read but for the ending. It gets an extra celestial body because I was shocked and 'affected' how it finished.
May 24, 2019
I had read this book years ago when I was on a Lawrence Block reading jag, so I knew the storyline. But listening is a different experience and the story unfolded slowly as I listened over several days while driving back and forth to work. I will have to see how many more of these short novels Hoopla has available.
May 6, 2017
Not his best
The plot is very thin and not fully developed. The characters are not fleshed out wth their history. And provenance. Kind of dated with rather inexpertly presented military references.
Light years away from his later books.
The plot is very thin and not fully developed. The characters are not fleshed out wth their history. And provenance. Kind of dated with rather inexpertly presented military references.
Light years away from his later books.
June 25, 2023
I loved some of Block's books and some I don't. This is one of the ones I don't. The intro is very long and slow. I just didn't know how long Block was going to drag out the beginning before getting into the meat of the plot but I already didn't like the protagonist and gave it up at 15%.
March 15, 2025
A psychopathic misanthrope & ex-special forces 'nam vet is recruited by a pill-popping agency man for some non-agency business. Mindless pulpy men's adventure not at all suited for today's sensitive audience. Paul Kavanagh isn't close to Scudder, Rhodenbarr or even Keller.
August 18, 2018
The best of the classic crime library so far, through 8 books. Sorry, 7 books, I dumb.
May 19, 2020
Ugh! Not my favorite Lawrence Block. There was not one character in this book that was a decent hero .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2022
Gruesome
August 29, 2023
I read a spanish translation… awful, yet I guess the original is not that good
April 20, 2024
The beginning it the book- boring; the rest of the book-the only time I can remember hoping the protagonist dies.
April 23, 2024
I wish I could give this a 3.5. The writing is good, but it’s ultra macho and meanders a bit.
July 8, 2024
Great Thriller!
July 14, 2024
creepy
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews