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Matt Helm #3
Matt Helm: The Removers
“If you were working for a criminal organization you’d be called enforcers.
‘Removers’ is a good word...”
It is a year since his reactivation and counter- agent Matt Helm, code name Eric, gets a call from his ex-wife, asking for help. Soon he’s torn between the neurotic urges of a gangster’s headstrong daughter and the remnants of his former life. There’s also his day job: enemy agent Martel must be ‘removed’ before he can threaten national security—or the lives of Helm’s family.
"Donald Hamilton has brought to the spy novel the authentic hard realism of Dashiell Hammett; and his stories are as compelling, and probably as close to the sordid truth of espionage, as any now being told." —New York Times
“Helm is about as credible a figure as one can find in the espionage genre.” —The New Republic
“Helm is a genuinely tough and tough-minded protagonist… your reading diet lacks essential vitamins if you overlook him.” —New York Times
“The appearance of a new Matt Helm story is always good news.” —Chicago Tribune
“This series by Donald Hamilton is top-ranking American secret agent fare, with its intelligent protagonist and an author who consistently writes in high style. Good writing, slick plotting and stimulating characters, all tartly flavored with wit” —Book Week
“With Matt Helm, Donald Hamilton helped start the spy adventure genre. I welcome the reissue of these books so that readers can experience this mythic hero." —David Morrell, New York Times bestselling author of Murder as Fine Art
“Fast, tightly written, brutal, and very good…” —Milwaukee Journal
‘Removers’ is a good word...”
It is a year since his reactivation and counter- agent Matt Helm, code name Eric, gets a call from his ex-wife, asking for help. Soon he’s torn between the neurotic urges of a gangster’s headstrong daughter and the remnants of his former life. There’s also his day job: enemy agent Martel must be ‘removed’ before he can threaten national security—or the lives of Helm’s family.
"Donald Hamilton has brought to the spy novel the authentic hard realism of Dashiell Hammett; and his stories are as compelling, and probably as close to the sordid truth of espionage, as any now being told." —New York Times
“Helm is about as credible a figure as one can find in the espionage genre.” —The New Republic
“Helm is a genuinely tough and tough-minded protagonist… your reading diet lacks essential vitamins if you overlook him.” —New York Times
“The appearance of a new Matt Helm story is always good news.” —Chicago Tribune
“This series by Donald Hamilton is top-ranking American secret agent fare, with its intelligent protagonist and an author who consistently writes in high style. Good writing, slick plotting and stimulating characters, all tartly flavored with wit” —Book Week
“With Matt Helm, Donald Hamilton helped start the spy adventure genre. I welcome the reissue of these books so that readers can experience this mythic hero." —David Morrell, New York Times bestselling author of Murder as Fine Art
“Fast, tightly written, brutal, and very good…” —Milwaukee Journal
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1961
42 people are currently reading
213 people want to read
About the author
Donald Hamilton
101 books107 followersDonald Hamilton was a U.S. writer of novels, short stories, and non-fiction about the outdoors. His novels consist mostly of paperback originals, principally spy fiction but also crime fiction and Westerns such as The Big Country. He is best known for his long-running Matt Helm series (1960-1993), which chronicles the adventures of an undercover counter-agent/assassin working for a secret American government agency.
Hamilton began his writing career in 1946, fiction magazines like Collier's Weekly and The Saturday Evening Post. His first novel Date With Darkness was published in 1947; over the next forty-six years he published a total of thirty-eight novels. Most of his early novels whether suspense, spy, and western published between 1954 and 1960, were typical paperback originals of the era: fast-moving tales in paperbacks with lurid covers. Several classic western movies, The Big Country and The Violent Men, were adapted from two of his western novels.
The Matt Helm series, published by Gold Medal Books, which began with Death of a Citizen in 1960 and ran for 27 books, ending in 1993 with The Damagers, was more substantial.
Helm, a wartime agent in a secret agency that specialized in the assassination of Nazis, is drawn back into a post-war world of espionage and assassination after fifteen years as a civilian. He narrates his adventures in a brisk, matter-of-fact tone with an occasional undertone of deadpan humor. He describes gunfights, knife fights, torture, and (off-stage) sexual conquests with a carefully maintained professional detachment, like a pathologist dictating an autopsy report or a police officer describing an investigation. Over the course of the series, this detachment comes to define Helm's character. He is a professional doing a job; the job is killing people.
Hamilton was a skilled outdoorsman and hunter who wrote non-fiction articles for outdoor magazines and published a book-length collection of them. For several years he lived on his own yacht, then relocated to Sweden where he resided until his death in 2006.
Hamilton began his writing career in 1946, fiction magazines like Collier's Weekly and The Saturday Evening Post. His first novel Date With Darkness was published in 1947; over the next forty-six years he published a total of thirty-eight novels. Most of his early novels whether suspense, spy, and western published between 1954 and 1960, were typical paperback originals of the era: fast-moving tales in paperbacks with lurid covers. Several classic western movies, The Big Country and The Violent Men, were adapted from two of his western novels.
The Matt Helm series, published by Gold Medal Books, which began with Death of a Citizen in 1960 and ran for 27 books, ending in 1993 with The Damagers, was more substantial.
Helm, a wartime agent in a secret agency that specialized in the assassination of Nazis, is drawn back into a post-war world of espionage and assassination after fifteen years as a civilian. He narrates his adventures in a brisk, matter-of-fact tone with an occasional undertone of deadpan humor. He describes gunfights, knife fights, torture, and (off-stage) sexual conquests with a carefully maintained professional detachment, like a pathologist dictating an autopsy report or a police officer describing an investigation. Over the course of the series, this detachment comes to define Helm's character. He is a professional doing a job; the job is killing people.
Hamilton was a skilled outdoorsman and hunter who wrote non-fiction articles for outdoor magazines and published a book-length collection of them. For several years he lived on his own yacht, then relocated to Sweden where he resided until his death in 2006.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
March 5, 2023
The early 1960s and the tough-guy spy hero is all the rage. Take James Bond and make him tougher, utterly pragmatic and more taciturn and you’ve got a good idea about what makes Matt Helm tick. It’s also why he’s destined to remain a lone wolf through the course of this long series of books.
The third book in the Matt Helm series, written in 1961, just for interest's sake, and the split between Helm and his wife, Beth, is complete. But not quite 100% complete when he gets a call from her, asking him to come to her Nevada ranch where there has been some trouble for her and the family.
He’s given the green light from Mac, his handler, who identifies a target in the Reno area, an agent who needs to come under some scrutiny and, if necessary, be removed from the board.
So he reunites with Beth, meets his kids and her new husband, whom he discovers with the height of irony, is a former spy, the exact reason for his divorce from Beth.
In short order, Helm mixes it with organized crime thugs, beds a gorgeous young woman, cops a knock or two to the head and finds himself staring down the wrong end of a pistol. He also manages to foil what appears to be a planned terrorist attack while blowing a big hole in a drug operation.
The Removers is one of the better Matt Helm action thrillers with very little time wasted on unnecessary emotional reflection. This provides more focus on one violent confrontation after the other to ensure there is no chance of becoming bored. You just hang on, safe in the knowledge that Helm is going to come out on top, perhaps with an extra scar or two for his troubles.
This is a short, fast paced spy thriller. Because it’s set in the 1960s, mid-Cold War, you know exactly who the enemy is as well as the height of the stakes. Great old-school escapist reading.
The third book in the Matt Helm series, written in 1961, just for interest's sake, and the split between Helm and his wife, Beth, is complete. But not quite 100% complete when he gets a call from her, asking him to come to her Nevada ranch where there has been some trouble for her and the family.
He’s given the green light from Mac, his handler, who identifies a target in the Reno area, an agent who needs to come under some scrutiny and, if necessary, be removed from the board.
So he reunites with Beth, meets his kids and her new husband, whom he discovers with the height of irony, is a former spy, the exact reason for his divorce from Beth.
In short order, Helm mixes it with organized crime thugs, beds a gorgeous young woman, cops a knock or two to the head and finds himself staring down the wrong end of a pistol. He also manages to foil what appears to be a planned terrorist attack while blowing a big hole in a drug operation.
The Removers is one of the better Matt Helm action thrillers with very little time wasted on unnecessary emotional reflection. This provides more focus on one violent confrontation after the other to ensure there is no chance of becoming bored. You just hang on, safe in the knowledge that Helm is going to come out on top, perhaps with an extra scar or two for his troubles.
This is a short, fast paced spy thriller. Because it’s set in the 1960s, mid-Cold War, you know exactly who the enemy is as well as the height of the stakes. Great old-school escapist reading.
April 15, 2018
April2018 Helm certainly isn't much of a father, but he does take some of his responsibilities seriously. Hamilton did a great job portraying him as a cold, pragmatic guy.
July2015Matt helm isn't a superman & he's kind of a curmudgeon - certainly opinionated - without much in the way of scruples. Very real & gritty, brought into focus by Stefan Rudniki even better than in print. Several times during the book, Rudniki's sarcastic highlighted the text perfectly, especially at the end.
One of the best scenes was the description of an Afghan hound going after a jackrabbit. Obviously Hamilton not only watched such a scene, but knew such a dog & appreciated it. The dog was very, very well done. That's always a real plus. He's not much on horses, but I suppose there wasn't much to say.
The plot was believable, especially back in 1961, but isn't out of place today. The characters were well done, too. Excellent read.
July2015Matt helm isn't a superman & he's kind of a curmudgeon - certainly opinionated - without much in the way of scruples. Very real & gritty, brought into focus by Stefan Rudniki even better than in print. Several times during the book, Rudniki's sarcastic highlighted the text perfectly, especially at the end.
One of the best scenes was the description of an Afghan hound going after a jackrabbit. Obviously Hamilton not only watched such a scene, but knew such a dog & appreciated it. The dog was very, very well done. That's always a real plus. He's not much on horses, but I suppose there wasn't much to say.
The plot was believable, especially back in 1961, but isn't out of place today. The characters were well done, too. Excellent read.
April 12, 2017
Any time I come off of reading a particularly intense, or intensely disappointing, book, my inclination is to reach for something that doesn't require lots of concentration and is dependably good. Now that they're available in Kindle format, Donald Hamilton's Matt Helm series fills both of those requirements admirably (this being the third of 27).
Those not familiar with the books may remember the motion pictures starring the late, great Dean Martin; four of them, I believe, were released from 1966 to 1969. The first book, for the record, was published in 1960 (Death of a Citizen), and Hamilton passed away in 2006. Reading the books now (or re-reading, since I read a couple way back when but have long since forgotten which ones) is interesting for two reasons: First and foremost, they're just plain good "secret agent" novels. The other is the time frame; it's fun to see what's changed over the years since 1960 (when I was a college freshman, BTW) as well as what hasn't. Hearing a woman called "baby" or noting Helm's preference for those who wear skirts- ideally with nylon stockings covering their legs - is reminiscent of the old gumshoe books of the '40s and '50s. The espionage game, on the other hand, is pretty much same old, same old.
And Helm is right in the middle of that game here. After enjoying a few years' respite making a living mostly as a photographer to support a wife and children, his wife Beth became quite unhappy to learn what he really did for a living in all those years before she came on the scene and realized he had a heart behind his shoulder holster. Unable to come to terms with that, she divorced him six months ago; and now, looking for something to bring meaning to his life once again, he's been reactivated.
So has Beth, in a way; she's remarried, this time to an English gentleman who owns a large ranch somewhere outside of Reno, Nevada. Helm's kids live with their mother, as does her new husband's grown son. But now, she's reaching out - sending a note to Helm's boss, Mac, to say she needs her ex-husband's help. Mac passes along the message with one of his own: As long as Helm (code name: Eric) is going to be in the area, how about checking out a young, inexperienced agent? As they discuss the assignment, they agree that Helm and his ilk are not considered "enforcers," but rather "removers" - from hence cometh, I smartly perceive, the title of the book.
The young agent, alas, doesn't have much to offer about his assignment except that he was tracking an enemy agent named Martell, who's now working for a local mobster under an assumed name. And wonder of wonders, the mobster just happens to be the man for whom Beth's husband used to work (most likely as - you guessed it - a remover just like Helm).
The plot gets thicker and the action picks up as the book moves along - coming to an end that signals a major change in the direction of Helm's life going forward. That, in fact, is one of the most enjoyable parts of this series - watching how events that happen in one book shape what happens in the future. Just for the record, the books I've read so far can stand alone, but I'm sure I'm getting the biggest bang for my bucks - as would other readers, IMHO - by taking it one step at a time. They're short steps, I hasten to add; I polished this one off in just one day.
Those not familiar with the books may remember the motion pictures starring the late, great Dean Martin; four of them, I believe, were released from 1966 to 1969. The first book, for the record, was published in 1960 (Death of a Citizen), and Hamilton passed away in 2006. Reading the books now (or re-reading, since I read a couple way back when but have long since forgotten which ones) is interesting for two reasons: First and foremost, they're just plain good "secret agent" novels. The other is the time frame; it's fun to see what's changed over the years since 1960 (when I was a college freshman, BTW) as well as what hasn't. Hearing a woman called "baby" or noting Helm's preference for those who wear skirts- ideally with nylon stockings covering their legs - is reminiscent of the old gumshoe books of the '40s and '50s. The espionage game, on the other hand, is pretty much same old, same old.
And Helm is right in the middle of that game here. After enjoying a few years' respite making a living mostly as a photographer to support a wife and children, his wife Beth became quite unhappy to learn what he really did for a living in all those years before she came on the scene and realized he had a heart behind his shoulder holster. Unable to come to terms with that, she divorced him six months ago; and now, looking for something to bring meaning to his life once again, he's been reactivated.
So has Beth, in a way; she's remarried, this time to an English gentleman who owns a large ranch somewhere outside of Reno, Nevada. Helm's kids live with their mother, as does her new husband's grown son. But now, she's reaching out - sending a note to Helm's boss, Mac, to say she needs her ex-husband's help. Mac passes along the message with one of his own: As long as Helm (code name: Eric) is going to be in the area, how about checking out a young, inexperienced agent? As they discuss the assignment, they agree that Helm and his ilk are not considered "enforcers," but rather "removers" - from hence cometh, I smartly perceive, the title of the book.
The young agent, alas, doesn't have much to offer about his assignment except that he was tracking an enemy agent named Martell, who's now working for a local mobster under an assumed name. And wonder of wonders, the mobster just happens to be the man for whom Beth's husband used to work (most likely as - you guessed it - a remover just like Helm).
The plot gets thicker and the action picks up as the book moves along - coming to an end that signals a major change in the direction of Helm's life going forward. That, in fact, is one of the most enjoyable parts of this series - watching how events that happen in one book shape what happens in the future. Just for the record, the books I've read so far can stand alone, but I'm sure I'm getting the biggest bang for my bucks - as would other readers, IMHO - by taking it one step at a time. They're short steps, I hasten to add; I polished this one off in just one day.
December 24, 2018
“The Removers,” first published in 1961, was the third book in the top- notch Matt Helm series, featuring what critics referred to as the hard-boiled spy, particularly when compared to the more genteel Bond series by Fleming. This is probably the best of the early Helm novels and is a solid plotted book with very little meandering. It actually as a story has less connection to spy fiction than to hardboiled tough guy novels, but perhaps that is what I like about it.
Here, Helm is now fully divorced from Beth, who could not handle the fact that the man she had thought was a puttering photographer/ writer had a past as one of the deadliest agents ever to fight against the Nazis in the European theater. Called out of retirement because of ghosts from his past, Helm could no longer hide the truth from Beth, who reeled in horror at the violence he had been involved in. She is now remarried and lives on a ranch in Nevada, somewhere near Reno. When Helm responds to her call for help, he finds that the new husband is a tough character in his own right and that dealings with the local hoods threaten the safety of Helm’s ex-wife and children.
The well-executed story is filled with tough guy situations and menacing thugs. This is a book primarily about gangsters and thugs and protecting family in the wild west. Of course, there is a young knockout for Helm to get involved with. It is action-packed and filled with tension. Throughout the entire novel, Hamilton doesn’t hit a wrong note even once. It is that well-written.
Here, Helm is now fully divorced from Beth, who could not handle the fact that the man she had thought was a puttering photographer/ writer had a past as one of the deadliest agents ever to fight against the Nazis in the European theater. Called out of retirement because of ghosts from his past, Helm could no longer hide the truth from Beth, who reeled in horror at the violence he had been involved in. She is now remarried and lives on a ranch in Nevada, somewhere near Reno. When Helm responds to her call for help, he finds that the new husband is a tough character in his own right and that dealings with the local hoods threaten the safety of Helm’s ex-wife and children.
The well-executed story is filled with tough guy situations and menacing thugs. This is a book primarily about gangsters and thugs and protecting family in the wild west. Of course, there is a young knockout for Helm to get involved with. It is action-packed and filled with tension. Throughout the entire novel, Hamilton doesn’t hit a wrong note even once. It is that well-written.
February 25, 2023
Others have discussed the plot. This whole mission is personal for Matt. Really enjoyed this one and I recommend the audio book version as well.
June 28, 2024
Nicely plotted with some decent action. Helm is an engaging lead, even if some of the attitudes in the book are unpleasantly dated.
May 20, 2017
Excellent Matt Helm. Helm gets a letter from his ex-wife asking for help. To his surprise he finds that her current husband is in the same business that he his, which was the very reason his wife left him.
September 12, 2015
I suppose you'll get tired of me waxing nostalgic whenever I review one of these. I tend to mention each time that when I was young and innocent and then young and not so innocent I liked books of what were called the spy-fi genre and the "men's action" genre but missed these because of the "crappy movies" made using the character's name.
I do this each time as I never know if the people reading my review of the later books have read my reviews of the earlier books.
Anyway...Helm is a good character. He's not James Bond and he's really not Dean Martin or Tony Franciosa. If these are your picture/picture of Matt Helm then please, just forget those. They don't even remotely resemble The Matt Helm.
Helm is a laconic, taciturn even terse assassin. He does the jobs he's sent on, makes the "touches" he's ordered to make and just on occasion saves the world...or maybe just the nation.
Here his lack of judgement from the past comes back to haunt Helm in the form of his ex-wife who left him (with their kids) when she found out he hadn't actually spent the war (WWII) behind a desk not doing any nasty killing. As helm himself points out people seem okay with bombers dropping bombs on entire populations but take out one specific person and you're evil.
With the inclusion of more personal problems and....a younger female co-protagonist this is a little different from the earlier outings of our "hero". Though Matt is still himself and his personality is the same. he'll do what's necessary to get the job done even if that means always being alone.
As it turns out these are actually a cut above a lot of the spy/action/thriller fiction they are contemporary with. I can recommend them with the caveat that they show some very non-PC attitudes (especially where some of the female characters are concerned). Some will have no problem with this others will hate it. decide for yourself.
Enjoy.
I do this each time as I never know if the people reading my review of the later books have read my reviews of the earlier books.
Anyway...Helm is a good character. He's not James Bond and he's really not Dean Martin or Tony Franciosa. If these are your picture/picture of Matt Helm then please, just forget those. They don't even remotely resemble The Matt Helm.
Helm is a laconic, taciturn even terse assassin. He does the jobs he's sent on, makes the "touches" he's ordered to make and just on occasion saves the world...or maybe just the nation.
Here his lack of judgement from the past comes back to haunt Helm in the form of his ex-wife who left him (with their kids) when she found out he hadn't actually spent the war (WWII) behind a desk not doing any nasty killing. As helm himself points out people seem okay with bombers dropping bombs on entire populations but take out one specific person and you're evil.
With the inclusion of more personal problems and....a younger female co-protagonist this is a little different from the earlier outings of our "hero". Though Matt is still himself and his personality is the same. he'll do what's necessary to get the job done even if that means always being alone.
As it turns out these are actually a cut above a lot of the spy/action/thriller fiction they are contemporary with. I can recommend them with the caveat that they show some very non-PC attitudes (especially where some of the female characters are concerned). Some will have no problem with this others will hate it. decide for yourself.
Enjoy.
December 7, 2020
The third book in the series find Matt Helm becoming reacquainted with his ex-wife Beth and his children after receiving an unsolicited message from her asking for his help. In a bit of a stretch, the visit to Beth’s new husband’s ranch happens to coincide with an espionage mission to track down a criminal formerly known as Martel. It turns out that Martel has replaced Beth's new husband as an enforcer with a local mobster. Matt meets and seduces an alluring younger woman named Moira, who turns out to be the mobster's daughter, leading to some interesting exchanges between the two women. The danger to his family, making the danger personal, failed to soften up Matt. He is just and cold-blooded and ruthless as ever, which I thought was a nice touch in keeping up character consistency. Coincidences aside, I thought that this was a great book, fast moving with several unexpected twists. Hamilton’s writing is strong as he continues to flesh out the Matt Helm character with Helm's clever insights and observations. This reminded me a lot of how John D. MacDonald fleshed out Travis McGee in that excellent series. Five stars.
September 1, 2010
This is the third in Hamilton's Matt Helm series. The books--the first three, anyway--are nothing like the goofy Dean Martin movies of the 70s. These are hard-boiled spy/crime novels--a mixture of John D. MacDonald and Ian Fleming without the Blofeldian bad guys. The first three books make an effective trilogy as Helm (1) leaves home to reenter the spy game overseas, (2) brings the spy game back home to his wife, and then (3) tries to help her out of a dangerous situation with the mob. (Put them together and they're still fewer pages than most bestselling thrillers today.) I've heard that the later books in the series get too elaborate, but I love the first three books.
March 15, 2020
THE REMOVERS is the third novel in the Matt Helm series. I bought several of these earlier in the year, mainly to look for any evolution of the Helm character as the series progresses. In this third novel I can see tiny traces of some semblance of humanity in the character, but his cold-blooded killer psyche is still overwhelmingly dominant. The author, through his Helm character, is definitely misogynistic, and that alone precludes me from recommending this book, or the series, to anyone.
I will admit that Hamilton writes a fast moving story with plenty of suspense and twists. There’s no fluff or filler, at least not so far.
A note on character evolution: John D. MacDonald’s Travis McGee character is the exemplar of a character who grows over the course of a series. He starts off more or less in the Matt Helm mold in the first three novels of the series, but gradually and noticeably evolves into a modern day “good guy” (I’ll refrain from using the term “knight errant” that is frequently used to describe characters in action books. I don’t believe it fits McGee, nor most other characters to whom it is applied.) I still hope Matt Helm will evolve as the series progresses, but in the meantime, I’ll enjoy the ride.
I will admit that Hamilton writes a fast moving story with plenty of suspense and twists. There’s no fluff or filler, at least not so far.
A note on character evolution: John D. MacDonald’s Travis McGee character is the exemplar of a character who grows over the course of a series. He starts off more or less in the Matt Helm mold in the first three novels of the series, but gradually and noticeably evolves into a modern day “good guy” (I’ll refrain from using the term “knight errant” that is frequently used to describe characters in action books. I don’t believe it fits McGee, nor most other characters to whom it is applied.) I still hope Matt Helm will evolve as the series progresses, but in the meantime, I’ll enjoy the ride.
September 27, 2020
The Removers is my third Matt Helm novel and the best so far. The cover blurbs call it "a tense and often cruel story . . . brutal and very good . . .". So it is, but it's Helm's wry first-person narrative and his ambivalence about being a spy that make this series distinctive. Plus Hamilton has a structure that maximizes suspense down pat. There are none of the doldrums that crop up even in James Bond novels; you're on a roller coaster to the end.
I notice also that with this series Hamilton veered away from a more sober focus on the human condition that characterized earlier, non-series works, The Steel Mirror predominantly, but even more standard thrillers like Date with Darkness and Night Walker. Also The Big Country, if it's anything like the movie with Gregory Peck. I'm wondering if he ever regained any of that in later works. We'll see.
I notice also that with this series Hamilton veered away from a more sober focus on the human condition that characterized earlier, non-series works, The Steel Mirror predominantly, but even more standard thrillers like Date with Darkness and Night Walker. Also The Big Country, if it's anything like the movie with Gregory Peck. I'm wondering if he ever regained any of that in later works. We'll see.
December 7, 2022
Just finished this one. It was a fun read. The protecting your family bit with a twist. I do like the character a lot. Definitely a go to. Matt fits right in with the rest of the gang. The Executioner, The Specialist, and the S.O.B's. give it a definite 3 3/4 's
May 12, 2014
THE REMOVERS is one of my favorite Matt Helm novels. Matt gets to use his superpower twice in this novel. Matt Helm's superpower is his ability to extricate himself from hopeless situations. In the typical Matt Helm novel, he allows himself to be captured and rendered helpless by his adversaries; he then gets loose and raises hell. In THE REMOVERS he is captured twice, once intentionally, once not so much.
Please note that this is the third Matt Helm novel, and the total count of how many times Matt has been rendered helpless and then escaped is three; three for three; first novel = 0; second novel = 1; third novel = 2.
Copyright 1961, several years before the first John D. Travis McGee novel came out, the writing is in no sense politically correct, so it will offend female readers and possibly male readers as well.
As is usual for Matt Helm novels, a bit of additional suspension of disbelief is required, but I don't mind, I like the way Donald Hamilton writes. Here Matt unofficially goes to help his ex-wife out of a jam, and gets officially involved with gangsters and a foreign spy smuggling radioactive devices.
@hg47
Please note that this is the third Matt Helm novel, and the total count of how many times Matt has been rendered helpless and then escaped is three; three for three; first novel = 0; second novel = 1; third novel = 2.
Copyright 1961, several years before the first John D. Travis McGee novel came out, the writing is in no sense politically correct, so it will offend female readers and possibly male readers as well.
As is usual for Matt Helm novels, a bit of additional suspension of disbelief is required, but I don't mind, I like the way Donald Hamilton writes. Here Matt unofficially goes to help his ex-wife out of a jam, and gets officially involved with gangsters and a foreign spy smuggling radioactive devices.
@hg47
October 23, 2014
Helm's ex-wife needs help, so he shows up in Reno, Nevada & finds himself in the middle of a mess with a local mobster, a foreign agent, his ex & her new husband. Hamilton contrasts a variety of characters & brings an ironic twist to the entire story in a masterful manner.
As usual, his descriptions of the countryside are fantastic. Having spent a bit of time in the area, I know that he did. He manages to quickly & thoroughly paint a picture of the area so that you feel as if you know the place. No extraneous details or extra words, yet a full description.
See these pages for more of Hamilton's work, about him, & the latest releases.
http://www.matthelmbooks.com/intro.html
http://www.benish-industries.com/hami...
http://goodreadergonebad.net/donaldha...
As usual, his descriptions of the countryside are fantastic. Having spent a bit of time in the area, I know that he did. He manages to quickly & thoroughly paint a picture of the area so that you feel as if you know the place. No extraneous details or extra words, yet a full description.
See these pages for more of Hamilton's work, about him, & the latest releases.
http://www.matthelmbooks.com/intro.html
http://www.benish-industries.com/hami...
http://goodreadergonebad.net/donaldha...
August 25, 2020
More enlightenment about the personal life of agent Matt Helm.
November 7, 2020
Matt Helm is a roughed up American version of James Bond. He gets called up to investigate his ex-wife's current husband's secret business affairs.
September 17, 2018
8.5/10
240 pages
240 pages
March 5, 2014
A tightly written thriller. I enjoy the no-nonsense attitude of Matt Helm, a much more realistic spy than Nick Carter or James Bond. As the blurb on the back of the book says, "Matt Helm is as tough an operative as ever crushed a Russian spy's kidney with a crowbar." My kind of espionage fiction: tough and unsentimental.
March 6, 2011
Love the MATT HELM series. Yes, it's dated, but still a blast. Each is well written, and thoroughly enjoyable. Great beach reads if you can find copies!
October 9, 2016
That was awesome.
November 6, 2019
In this third book of the series, author Donald Hamilton reunites the character of Matt Helm with his ex-wife & family. Helm had been married to his ex-wife Beth for 15 years before being reactivated as an agent for a secret government agency during the 1st book of the series. That adventure ultimately cost Helm his marriage and his wife & children have newly resettled at a ranch in Reno owned by Beth's new husband Duke Logan. It turns out that Duke was a British agent with a past similar to that of Helm.
Beth takes Matt up on his departing offer of help upon their divorced as it turns out that she & her new husband find themselves being threatened by a gangster named Fredericks. Helm's boss Mac allows him to go sort things out with the stipulation that he make himself available to help out another agent named Paul whose been assigned to assess a former Soviet spy named Martell who is now undercover as one of Fredericks's enforcers. At first Helm simply believes he's been sent on a vacation of sorts but once his fellow agent Paul is killed, it becomes clear that Mac really sent him to first discover what Martell truly has planned and then to eliminate him.
Matters are complicated once Helm discovers that his ex-wife's new family has been threatened not just by the gangster Fredericks but also by Martell, the former Soviet spy. Helm also befriends and beds Frederick's daughter Moira, who he constantly refers to as "kid" a number of times, which becomes a bit disconcerting as a 21st century reader even though the Moira character is of age in the book.
The decision of Helm's ex-wife to re-marry a man with a similar background despite that background having been the reason for her initial divorce gets explored to great effect. Hamilton seems to understand that his characters are full of contradictions despite their principles. Beth married Duke knowing full well that he was like Matt in ways that shattered her previous marriage. Moira knows that Matt may have to kill her abusive father but genuinely tries to help him despite her desire to keep her father alive. Matt still cares enough about Beth to show up when she calls upon him for help but there are limits he's unwilling to cross. A psychologist would have a field day with the characters in this book.
There's a scene in this book that reminded me of a sequence in Casino Royale where Bond is chasing after Vesper and her kidnappers. For a moment Bond thinks he may not catch up and he is willing to let Vesper be brutalized because from his point of view (which is wrong just to be clear), she deserved it for letting herself get caught. The thought only lasts a brief moment, and Vesper is ultimately unharmed (at least not by her assailants). The Removers takes that scenario and unrelentingly lets it play out. I'm not sure a contemporary writer would make the same choices that Hamilton does in this book, but it does make for a thrilling read while at the same time reinforcing the very nature of noir or thriller protagonists as antiheroes. When Beth expects her ex-husband to become her hero, the reality that he isn't one sinks in both for her and for us as readers.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read although I think I enjoyed Death of a Citizen & The Wrecking Crew slightly more despite having the chance to see Helm temporarily reunited with his former family. Much like Bond, Helm is a problematic character. Since the book is told from his point of view, we're able to read what's on his mind during his retelling. As I've said in previous reviews, there are a number of cringe-worthy moments, but the books themselves are quite well constructed thrillers. Whereas Fleming's narration allowed for some figurative distance between the narrator and Bond as the protagonist, Hamilton's Matt Helm first person narrative erases that invisible line. This is purely Helm's point of view and so when the narrative gets intense, we're experiencing it as Helm does rather than from a figurative distance as is the case with Bond. As a reader, I enjoyed this Helm adventure but there were also times I missed the benefits of distance.
Beth takes Matt up on his departing offer of help upon their divorced as it turns out that she & her new husband find themselves being threatened by a gangster named Fredericks. Helm's boss Mac allows him to go sort things out with the stipulation that he make himself available to help out another agent named Paul whose been assigned to assess a former Soviet spy named Martell who is now undercover as one of Fredericks's enforcers. At first Helm simply believes he's been sent on a vacation of sorts but once his fellow agent Paul is killed, it becomes clear that Mac really sent him to first discover what Martell truly has planned and then to eliminate him.
Matters are complicated once Helm discovers that his ex-wife's new family has been threatened not just by the gangster Fredericks but also by Martell, the former Soviet spy. Helm also befriends and beds Frederick's daughter Moira, who he constantly refers to as "kid" a number of times, which becomes a bit disconcerting as a 21st century reader even though the Moira character is of age in the book.
The decision of Helm's ex-wife to re-marry a man with a similar background despite that background having been the reason for her initial divorce gets explored to great effect. Hamilton seems to understand that his characters are full of contradictions despite their principles. Beth married Duke knowing full well that he was like Matt in ways that shattered her previous marriage. Moira knows that Matt may have to kill her abusive father but genuinely tries to help him despite her desire to keep her father alive. Matt still cares enough about Beth to show up when she calls upon him for help but there are limits he's unwilling to cross. A psychologist would have a field day with the characters in this book.
There's a scene in this book that reminded me of a sequence in Casino Royale where Bond is chasing after Vesper and her kidnappers. For a moment Bond thinks he may not catch up and he is willing to let Vesper be brutalized because from his point of view (which is wrong just to be clear), she deserved it for letting herself get caught. The thought only lasts a brief moment, and Vesper is ultimately unharmed (at least not by her assailants). The Removers takes that scenario and unrelentingly lets it play out. I'm not sure a contemporary writer would make the same choices that Hamilton does in this book, but it does make for a thrilling read while at the same time reinforcing the very nature of noir or thriller protagonists as antiheroes. When Beth expects her ex-husband to become her hero, the reality that he isn't one sinks in both for her and for us as readers.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read although I think I enjoyed Death of a Citizen & The Wrecking Crew slightly more despite having the chance to see Helm temporarily reunited with his former family. Much like Bond, Helm is a problematic character. Since the book is told from his point of view, we're able to read what's on his mind during his retelling. As I've said in previous reviews, there are a number of cringe-worthy moments, but the books themselves are quite well constructed thrillers. Whereas Fleming's narration allowed for some figurative distance between the narrator and Bond as the protagonist, Hamilton's Matt Helm first person narrative erases that invisible line. This is purely Helm's point of view and so when the narrative gets intense, we're experiencing it as Helm does rather than from a figurative distance as is the case with Bond. As a reader, I enjoyed this Helm adventure but there were also times I missed the benefits of distance.
September 29, 2024
In the Matt Helm series we hear a lot about Helm's ex-wife, Beth. But mostly he speaks of her in the past tense. He reminisces about his marriage to Beth, how she witnessed him committing an unspeakable act in "Death of a Citizen," filed for divorce in "The Wrecking Crew," and, after remarrying, asked for his help in "The Removers." Of the three books, "The Removers" is the only one where she's really central to the action. In this one, her new husband--Nevada rancher Larry Logan, who has his own violent past--is being pressured by his former boss, a racketeer named Big Sal Fredericks, to do a job for him. Logan's three new stepchildren are being threatened to get him to comply, and Beth calls in Matt to take care of the situation.
In "The Removers" we finally get to know Beth Helm--now Beth Logan. And she doesn't come off very well. At times she's all prim and proper. At other times she's catty and hysterical. She makes poor decisions, and she's useless in a crisis. As Helm puts it at one point, "I couldn't trust Beth to look after a tame rabbit." Helm realizes that he can't expect her to act like a trained agent, but he does wish that he could count on her as he would "any woman with courage and good sense."
Of course, Helm is a recent divorcee, which may be coloring his first-person account of the events in "The Removers." But I've never gotten the sense from any of the Matt Helm books that we're supposed to think of him as an unreliable narrator. He may not be fully aware of everything that's going on in a particular adventure. He may get things wrong. But I believe that Donald Hamilton intends Helm's description of the events in any of the Matt Helm books to be an accurate account of what "really" happened.
Said events in "The Removers" revolve around the gangster Big Sal; Sal's henchman Fenn, who is really a Soviet agent; Sal's wild child daughter Moira (who leaves Beth in the dust when it comes to crisis situations) and various thugs and gunsels Helm encounters along the way. It all adds up to a fast-moving thriller, with some nice local color centered around Reno and the Nevada desert. And we also get a bit of insight into Helm's relationship with his ex.
In "The Removers" we finally get to know Beth Helm--now Beth Logan. And she doesn't come off very well. At times she's all prim and proper. At other times she's catty and hysterical. She makes poor decisions, and she's useless in a crisis. As Helm puts it at one point, "I couldn't trust Beth to look after a tame rabbit." Helm realizes that he can't expect her to act like a trained agent, but he does wish that he could count on her as he would "any woman with courage and good sense."
Of course, Helm is a recent divorcee, which may be coloring his first-person account of the events in "The Removers." But I've never gotten the sense from any of the Matt Helm books that we're supposed to think of him as an unreliable narrator. He may not be fully aware of everything that's going on in a particular adventure. He may get things wrong. But I believe that Donald Hamilton intends Helm's description of the events in any of the Matt Helm books to be an accurate account of what "really" happened.
Said events in "The Removers" revolve around the gangster Big Sal; Sal's henchman Fenn, who is really a Soviet agent; Sal's wild child daughter Moira (who leaves Beth in the dust when it comes to crisis situations) and various thugs and gunsels Helm encounters along the way. It all adds up to a fast-moving thriller, with some nice local color centered around Reno and the Nevada desert. And we also get a bit of insight into Helm's relationship with his ex.
May 1, 2025
Matt Helm gets tortured more than James Bond. Matt Helm seems more dangerous than James Bond. Matt Helm makes more mistakes than James Bond, but is fortunate enough to survive. Donald Hamilton’s Matt Helm novels are ideal Cold War fare and seem grittier than James Bond novels. Plus, the Matt Helm novels may have world-saving stakes in some of them, but it doesn’t seem like they are the huge stakes found in the Bond novels.
The Removers is one of the Helm novels that doesn’t have huge global stakes involved, though there are high stakes by the time every aspect is uncovered. The story begins with Helm on his way to help his ex-wife and three young children from that previous marriage. Her family faces problems from a Nevada gangster. It seems like this would be relatively straightforward for a covert operative like Helm, but it is complicated by his ex’s new husband’s pride and background, as well as the “real” mission that Matt’s boss, the inscrutable “Mac” has given him. He is supposed to find out why another experienced operative seems to be slumming in a racket that is beneath his skill set.
Add in some interpersonal complications and too much reliance on inexperienced associates, and you get some intriguing situations. There is also a very unexpected twist where a character does something incredibly brave and deadly before dying in said defiant act. Yet, Matt takes a few more wounds than necessary, demonstrating that it isn’t always a good thing to be a nice guy. Of course, it is such occasions as this that remind the reader that they shouldn’t judge Helm when he seems like a jerk. There just might be a reason for it.
When I was in high school, some of the airmen from the nearby Air Force Base used to kid me about liking James Bond better than Matt Helm. I’m starting to see what they saw. The set-ups for the plots seem far more realistic than the average Bond mission and the spycraft seems more realistic (despite Fleming’s background). To me, both are closer to pulp adventure than realistic thrillers, but both are worth reading. The Removers would definitely earn a plus to the star rating I’ve given it if I were allowed to give pluses on goodreads.
The Removers is one of the Helm novels that doesn’t have huge global stakes involved, though there are high stakes by the time every aspect is uncovered. The story begins with Helm on his way to help his ex-wife and three young children from that previous marriage. Her family faces problems from a Nevada gangster. It seems like this would be relatively straightforward for a covert operative like Helm, but it is complicated by his ex’s new husband’s pride and background, as well as the “real” mission that Matt’s boss, the inscrutable “Mac” has given him. He is supposed to find out why another experienced operative seems to be slumming in a racket that is beneath his skill set.
Add in some interpersonal complications and too much reliance on inexperienced associates, and you get some intriguing situations. There is also a very unexpected twist where a character does something incredibly brave and deadly before dying in said defiant act. Yet, Matt takes a few more wounds than necessary, demonstrating that it isn’t always a good thing to be a nice guy. Of course, it is such occasions as this that remind the reader that they shouldn’t judge Helm when he seems like a jerk. There just might be a reason for it.
When I was in high school, some of the airmen from the nearby Air Force Base used to kid me about liking James Bond better than Matt Helm. I’m starting to see what they saw. The set-ups for the plots seem far more realistic than the average Bond mission and the spycraft seems more realistic (despite Fleming’s background). To me, both are closer to pulp adventure than realistic thrillers, but both are worth reading. The Removers would definitely earn a plus to the star rating I’ve given it if I were allowed to give pluses on goodreads.
May 23, 2024
This is not the Matt Helm you may have seen portrayed by Dean Martin in several goofy spy-spoofs. This Matt Helm is the original - and he's the polar opposite of the film-Helm, the original is tough as nails - easily on par with the early James Bond. Hamilton tells his stories in the first-person narrative - and I very much enjoyed being along for the ride in Matt Helm's mind. He has a sharp mind, he's acerbic, he fights (and fights well) when he has to, he knows his weapons, likes his women - but none of it feels cheap - he's a character and yes, let's remember that he's a character written in 1960. So he's not exactly politically correct - and there are more than a few moments when what he says and does makes you smile.
In the third of Hamilton's Matt Helm novels - Helm reconnects with his ex and kids, in a fashion. The first book saw him married - and the relationship ended when his wife knew about his past and his work (and brutal dedication to it). The second book saw him abroad - by the third, the divorce has happened and, in fact, his wife has married a new man, a farmer of sorts in Reno, Nevada.
She gets in touch because there's trouble. Helm's ex-wife's husband was a heavy in his past, there's a drug lord, and the drug lord's lovely daughter (pretty young, but Helm doesn't mind), there are the kids and a rabbit-hunting hound and a baddie whose undercover. As always, Matt Helm rises to the challenges, fights the good fight by any means necessary, doesn't hesitate to kill - and ends up getting the job done once he's stepped over a few bodies and puddles of blood. To my mind, because it was personal with his ex there - this wasn't quite as satisfying as the first and the second outing - but still, hey, this is Matt Helm and I'd love to see him go toe-to-toe with Jack Reacher. They're very much alike - except that Matt officially has license to kill and does so without hesitation.
In the third of Hamilton's Matt Helm novels - Helm reconnects with his ex and kids, in a fashion. The first book saw him married - and the relationship ended when his wife knew about his past and his work (and brutal dedication to it). The second book saw him abroad - by the third, the divorce has happened and, in fact, his wife has married a new man, a farmer of sorts in Reno, Nevada.
She gets in touch because there's trouble. Helm's ex-wife's husband was a heavy in his past, there's a drug lord, and the drug lord's lovely daughter (pretty young, but Helm doesn't mind), there are the kids and a rabbit-hunting hound and a baddie whose undercover. As always, Matt Helm rises to the challenges, fights the good fight by any means necessary, doesn't hesitate to kill - and ends up getting the job done once he's stepped over a few bodies and puddles of blood. To my mind, because it was personal with his ex there - this wasn't quite as satisfying as the first and the second outing - but still, hey, this is Matt Helm and I'd love to see him go toe-to-toe with Jack Reacher. They're very much alike - except that Matt officially has license to kill and does so without hesitation.
July 5, 2024
There is something satisfying about a Matt Helm novel. This one is not as good as others, and I didn't care much for the basic plot. Helm's ex-wife sends a message asking for help and it turns out his children have been threatened. Helm's boss hasn't been 100% honest (are all intelligence chiefs such scoundrels at times?) and there is a real spy mission for Helm to take over from a more junior operative. The ex-wife's new husband is a retired mercenary type, which leads her to wonder aloud to Helm is she is subconciously attracted to nice men with a violent side.
Still, it is a Matt Helm novel, and Helm is all we expect him to be. He is tough and cynical at times, and able to compartmentalize his emotions and compassion. He gets the girls, though Hamilton avoids graphic sexual descriptions, and he isn't above using them to accomplish his mission. Usually, in most Helm novels, he is betrayed by a woman he trusts and beds, but that is not the case this time around, with the ex-wife only partially fulfilling that role.
Hamilton must have been a car afficianado, as he constantly describes his opinion of various cars like a Buick, a Chrysler, a Mercedes, and a Jaguar. It is interesting to read his opinions filtered through Helm's thoughts.
The one actual complaint I have is about the places Hamilton chose to end chapters. Some of them just seem to be poorly chosen, in the middle of a scene that continues on when the reader turns the pages. Why break the scene in the middle? If it had been for a television script and there was a need to be a breaking place for commercial sponsorship then I would understand. He writes very short chapters with the occasional odd chapter break, perhaps for the purpose of keeping the chapters short.
Even though this one was not as good as the others I've read-- this still was a pleasureable read and I won't complain... I still enjoyed it and didn't feel that my time was wasted.
Still, it is a Matt Helm novel, and Helm is all we expect him to be. He is tough and cynical at times, and able to compartmentalize his emotions and compassion. He gets the girls, though Hamilton avoids graphic sexual descriptions, and he isn't above using them to accomplish his mission. Usually, in most Helm novels, he is betrayed by a woman he trusts and beds, but that is not the case this time around, with the ex-wife only partially fulfilling that role.
Hamilton must have been a car afficianado, as he constantly describes his opinion of various cars like a Buick, a Chrysler, a Mercedes, and a Jaguar. It is interesting to read his opinions filtered through Helm's thoughts.
The one actual complaint I have is about the places Hamilton chose to end chapters. Some of them just seem to be poorly chosen, in the middle of a scene that continues on when the reader turns the pages. Why break the scene in the middle? If it had been for a television script and there was a need to be a breaking place for commercial sponsorship then I would understand. He writes very short chapters with the occasional odd chapter break, perhaps for the purpose of keeping the chapters short.
Even though this one was not as good as the others I've read-- this still was a pleasureable read and I won't complain... I still enjoyed it and didn't feel that my time was wasted.
August 3, 2020
The Removers finds Hamilton back in the groove again. His characterization of Helm and the return of his ex-wife Beth as a supporting character, make for a richer stew of anger and resentment in which the ugly violence of gangsters and secret agents swims.
While still soured by Hamilton's reflexive sexism and disdain for women... there is also a break from it, as much as we are likely to see, in the character of Moira, the sexy daughter of an old school Reno gangster. As much as she is the male, fantasy projection of youth and sexuality, she is written with real character and agency... a personality that shows a grudging respect for an independent mind with actual wants and needs, not just a reflection of what the man want.
It serves well, for Helm's inevitable betrayal and use of her... showing just how much of a hard guy he is... he'll hurt anyone to get the job done... is all the more ugly and callous.
This novel has more supporting characters and shows a level of human error by Helm, in a complex plot of drug dealing and cold war conspiracy that is actually quite compelling. It certainly is fun to read of a world stripped of digital technology and instant communication. Things were much more personal, back then.
Worth the read, with all the caveats for the aggressive misogyny you will encounter.
While still soured by Hamilton's reflexive sexism and disdain for women... there is also a break from it, as much as we are likely to see, in the character of Moira, the sexy daughter of an old school Reno gangster. As much as she is the male, fantasy projection of youth and sexuality, she is written with real character and agency... a personality that shows a grudging respect for an independent mind with actual wants and needs, not just a reflection of what the man want.
It serves well, for Helm's inevitable betrayal and use of her... showing just how much of a hard guy he is... he'll hurt anyone to get the job done... is all the more ugly and callous.
This novel has more supporting characters and shows a level of human error by Helm, in a complex plot of drug dealing and cold war conspiracy that is actually quite compelling. It certainly is fun to read of a world stripped of digital technology and instant communication. Things were much more personal, back then.
Worth the read, with all the caveats for the aggressive misogyny you will encounter.
December 12, 2023
Matt is contacted by his ex-wife, who has remarried; she needs his help. She has married a former enforcer who is being pressured to engage in some drug trafficking.
As it happens, the agency is interested in taking out a foreign agent named Martel, who happens to be working for a mobster named Fredericks. Helm has a fling with Moira Fredericks. She wishes to anger her father. She has an Afghan hound, a big but gentle dog, that saves their lives at one point.
Logan, Beth’s new husband, makes the run to Mexico to retrieve the drugs, once he knows his wife has been taken. Beth and Helm are held and eventually tortured. Beth creates a scene screaming and clawing at her ex at one point. It is enough of a distraction for Helm to prepare for the arrival of the rest of the mob.
I liked this better than the first two in the series. Helm is, again, talking about his age and abilities incessantly. At least no women were killed in this story.
As it happens, the agency is interested in taking out a foreign agent named Martel, who happens to be working for a mobster named Fredericks. Helm has a fling with Moira Fredericks. She wishes to anger her father. She has an Afghan hound, a big but gentle dog, that saves their lives at one point.
Logan, Beth’s new husband, makes the run to Mexico to retrieve the drugs, once he knows his wife has been taken. Beth and Helm are held and eventually tortured. Beth creates a scene screaming and clawing at her ex at one point. It is enough of a distraction for Helm to prepare for the arrival of the rest of the mob.
I liked this better than the first two in the series. Helm is, again, talking about his age and abilities incessantly. At least no women were killed in this story.
April 28, 2018
Matt Helm is the sort of action hero that makes Jack Reacher or Jason Bourne look like wimps. These novels, written in the early '60s, set the pattern for the many tough, ruthless action heroes that were to follow. This is the 3rd in the series and I have to say it is the weakest so far: #1 was a good yarn, #2 somewhat less so; this one (#3) seems a bit flimsy. Still, unlike modern thrillers, which often go on long after the author has run out of ideas, at least this is only about 230 pages long. All in all, a slight but entertaining potboiler.
September 3, 2021
I liked this book when a high school student but really like it now. I did not realize at the time that Hamilton sets up three different fathers with violent pasts or presents and endangers their children. While two of these subplots are fuller than the other and while Hamilton could certainly have made more of this theme than he does, I have to give him credit for going as deep as he does. Most writers of series thrillers lets the action do all the work. This is a good attempt if not wholly successful.
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