What do you think?
Rate this book
Nathan Heller #18
The Big Bundle
True Crime detective Nathan Heller returns in a brand new case that connects a millionaire’s kidnapped child to Robert F. Kennedy’s campaign to bring down union boss Jimmy Hoffa.
Nathan Heller, star of MWA Grandmaster Max Allan Collins’ most acclaimed series of novels (more than 1 million copies sold to date!), comes to Hard Case Crime for the first time in an all-new thriller drawn from the pages of history. A millionaire’s son is kidnapped and private eye Heller is called in to help. But when half of the record $600,000 ransom goes missing, Heller must wade through a morass of deception and depravity to blow the lid off a notorious crime whose consequences reach into the corridors of power in Washington D.C., where Bobby Kennedy works tirelessly to take down crooked union boss Jimmy Hoffa…
Nathan Heller, star of MWA Grandmaster Max Allan Collins’ most acclaimed series of novels (more than 1 million copies sold to date!), comes to Hard Case Crime for the first time in an all-new thriller drawn from the pages of history. A millionaire’s son is kidnapped and private eye Heller is called in to help. But when half of the record $600,000 ransom goes missing, Heller must wade through a morass of deception and depravity to blow the lid off a notorious crime whose consequences reach into the corridors of power in Washington D.C., where Bobby Kennedy works tirelessly to take down crooked union boss Jimmy Hoffa…
298 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 6, 2022
28 people are currently reading
243 people want to read
About the author
Max Allan Collins
811 books1,325 followersReceived the Shamus Award, "The Eye" (Lifetime achievment award) in 2006.
He has also published under the name Patrick Culhane. He and his wife, Barbara Collins, have written several books together. Some of them are published under the name Barbara Allan.
Book Awards
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1984) : True Detective
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1992) : Stolen Away
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1995) : Carnal Hours
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1997) : Damned in Paradise
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1999) : Flying Blind: A Novel about Amelia Earhart
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (2002) : Angel in Black
Japanese: マックス・アラン・コリンズ
or マックス・アラン コリンズ
He has also published under the name Patrick Culhane. He and his wife, Barbara Collins, have written several books together. Some of them are published under the name Barbara Allan.
Book Awards
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1984) : True Detective
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1992) : Stolen Away
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1995) : Carnal Hours
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1997) : Damned in Paradise
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1999) : Flying Blind: A Novel about Amelia Earhart
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (2002) : Angel in Black
Japanese: マックス・アラン・コリンズ
or マックス・アラン コリンズ
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
October 23, 2022
Nathan Heller is Max Allan Collins’ secret time machine. He uses Heller to explore the Twentieth Century from Frank Nitti and the Chicago Mob to the Lindbergh kidnapping and from Marilyn’s last days to what happened on that damn grassy knoll. The Big Bundle explores the Greenlease kidnapping, which, at the time, was a national sensation and included the largest ransom ever demanded, ever paid, and half of that Bundle of cash disappeared into thin air when the two punch drunk losers who pulled it off were captured. Apparently, rumours circulated for years about what happened to three hundred thousand missing big ones. Some said a crooked police officer made off with it. Some said it was the motel owner. Some said the hooker who was involved. Others were certain the St. Louis Mob got their hands on it and siphoned it into Hoffa’s pension fund. It was one of the great mysteries of the time.
There are two parts to this story. In the first half, Collins plays it straight and tells the story of what happened, mostly found in the press and literature, except he injects Heller into it, involving him in the ransom payoff. This all sets the stage for the second half five years later. As congressional hearings rage over organized crime, Heller is hired to return to the scene of the crime and figure out what happened and who benefitted. No one really wants him to dig up old memories and he’s treading where he really doesn’t belong, something that perhaps isn’t worth what he’s being paid.
As with all the novels in this amazing series, the writing is top-notch, the story flows well, and there are fireworks.
There are two parts to this story. In the first half, Collins plays it straight and tells the story of what happened, mostly found in the press and literature, except he injects Heller into it, involving him in the ransom payoff. This all sets the stage for the second half five years later. As congressional hearings rage over organized crime, Heller is hired to return to the scene of the crime and figure out what happened and who benefitted. No one really wants him to dig up old memories and he’s treading where he really doesn’t belong, something that perhaps isn’t worth what he’s being paid.
As with all the novels in this amazing series, the writing is top-notch, the story flows well, and there are fireworks.
December 13, 2022
Nate Heller is back at it when he is called into Saint Louis to help in a kidnapping. The young son of the biggest Cadillac dealer in the Midwest is the abductee. The ransom is 600 G's back when that was real money.
Nate helps find the perpetrators, and when the money is taken to the police station, half of it is missing, raising a huge stink. Nate's just as glad to be on the outside looking in.
In the second half of the book, Heller finds himself back on the case, several years later. Bobby Kennedy is investigating Hoffa, and thinks that the missing 300G's might have gone into the Teamster's pension fund to be laundered. Hoffa fears that may well be the case. Heller goes to find out. I thought it odd a cynic like Heller wouldn't question Bobby's motives.
Once more into the breach brings danger, deceit and death.
Wholly satisfactory.
Nate helps find the perpetrators, and when the money is taken to the police station, half of it is missing, raising a huge stink. Nate's just as glad to be on the outside looking in.
In the second half of the book, Heller finds himself back on the case, several years later. Bobby Kennedy is investigating Hoffa, and thinks that the missing 300G's might have gone into the Teamster's pension fund to be laundered. Hoffa fears that may well be the case. Heller goes to find out. I thought it odd a cynic like Heller wouldn't question Bobby's motives.
Once more into the breach brings danger, deceit and death.
Wholly satisfactory.
November 8, 2022
The year is 1953, and Bobby Greenlease, six years of age, is kidnapped. The ransom is the largest in American history at $600,000 ($6,670,000 in 2022). The Big Bundle is a work of historical fiction split into two distinct parts. Part one consists of Mr. Collins injecting his P.I. Nathan Heller into the Greenlease kidnapping and catching the perpetrators. The hang-up? Half of the ransom is missing.
Part two of the novel takes place five years later. Nate Heller is back on the case, hired by multiple parties to track the missing half of the ransom.
Mr. Collins gives readers solid writing, tight dialogue, and an immersive 1950s environment.
Part two of the novel takes place five years later. Nate Heller is back on the case, hired by multiple parties to track the missing half of the ransom.
Mr. Collins gives readers solid writing, tight dialogue, and an immersive 1950s environment.
November 4, 2022
Loved this book. Have been reading Max Allan Collins from day one and somewhere have the hardback of his first Nathan Heller True Crime(or Detective). Reading the Heller books is like taking a walk through the crime and corruption of the mid twentieth century where real life characters interact with fictional ones. And this book is no different. It tells the story of the real life kidnapping of young Bobby Greenlease and the search by Heller for the ransom. In searching for the ransom, Heller takes us through a tour of the criminal underbelly of St. Louis /Washington and other locales. The writing is hard boiled and the book moves quickly.If you like noir/hard boiled detective novels, or historical fiction, or a combination of all three this book is for you. Highly recommended!(and I was provided a ARC by Hard Case Crime which in no way influenced this review.
February 1, 2023
Highly recommended. Although I have read over 50 max Allan Collins books, this is only the second in his Nathan Heller series. I'm not sure why I've avoided them. As is the case in these books, the story is based upon real events and historical figures. I confess to liking to start a series and work my way chronologically through them, but The Big Bundle works just as well as a standalone.
The book is structured in two parts: part one takes place in 1953 and covers the Greenlease kidnapping; part two takes place five years later and deals with what happened to missing money. The book is exciting, written in MAC's descriptive style. The action takes place primarily in Kansas City and St.Louis.
I received my copy as part of an author giveaway (thanks MAC!) in return for an honest review.
The book is structured in two parts: part one takes place in 1953 and covers the Greenlease kidnapping; part two takes place five years later and deals with what happened to missing money. The book is exciting, written in MAC's descriptive style. The action takes place primarily in Kansas City and St.Louis.
I received my copy as part of an author giveaway (thanks MAC!) in return for an honest review.
May 13, 2023
The Big Bundle brings Max Allan Collins's Nate Heller to Hard Case Crime, and also, for the first time, into my life. I am a huge, huge fan of MAC, but have to admit that Quarry and Nolan have been my focus as I make my way through his extensive catalogue. Nevertheless, I was extremely excited when I received the digital ARC in an email from Hard Case Crime. As I've said before, in many places, seeing that HCC logo means I'm in for a treat. This one was no exception. Weaving together fact and fiction, The Big Bundle tells an exciting story from start to finish with amazing characters. I'm sure if I knew more about the real-world events, I might have gotten more out of the story, but I don't think it's necessary to enjoy the novel. And as for finding my way into the Heller-verse with the 18th installment, I didn't feel lost at all, only filled with a desire to go back and dive into all that has come before. I will most certainly be doing that as I wait for the next book.
Special thanks to Hard Case Crime, Titan Books and Edelweiss Plus for the digital ARC.
Special thanks to Hard Case Crime, Titan Books and Edelweiss Plus for the digital ARC.
January 26, 2023
I was able read this as a digital arc for an honest review. I was super excited to read this. Max Collins is a personal favorite of mine and the Heller series is his best. Meticulous research goes into the writing of these tales, but that doesn’t overwhelm the narrative, it merely informs it. Big Bundle didn’t disappoint. I’ll be rereading it the proper way when the hardcover comes out in Jan.
December 10, 2022
In 1953, six-year-old Bobby Greenlease, the son of a multi-millionaire auto dealer was kidnapped from a Catholic pre-school located in Kansas City, Missouri. The ransom demand was the largest in American history at the time, $600,000 (the titular “big bundle”). Enter private investigator Nathan Heller, who’s worked with movie stars, mob bosses, and presidents and been on the periphery of some of the biggest national secrets and scandals of U.S. history. Heller quickly works the case on behalf of young Billy’s parents, following the money to solve it and find some sort of justice for Billy’s family.
But not complete justice as it turns out. Five years have passed and less than half of the ransom money has been recovered. It’s now 1958 and Nathan Heller once again finds himself working the case, this time to try and discover what happened to the missing dough. Can it be tied up in Jimmy Hoffa’s exploits even as Robert Kennedy seeks to find some way to charge Hoffa with a crime? Or perhaps a cab driver who took one of the original kidnappers to the Coral Court Motel had tipped off local mobster Joseph G. Costello. Or maybe a couple of dirty cops are behind it all.
This is the eighteenth book in Max Allan Collins’ Nate Heller series. The very first novel, True Detective, was written back in 1983 and won the Shamus award for best PI novel that year. While there might be some benefit in reading them in order, they were not written/published in chronological order so each novel can easily stand alone. These books are hard-boiled, true-crime detective novels with a fascinating protagonist. Indeed, Heller himself, doesn’t always take the high road but tends towards shades of gray. Regardless, he’s a man seeking justice, even though, just like in history, he doesn’t always find it. These novels are extremely well-researched and to read one is to absorb real history of the middle of the American 20th century in a very readable and enjoyable way.
Despite this being the eighteenth novel in the series it is the first to be published by Hard Case Crime which seems like the perfect match. I had a wonderful time reading it and am now kicking myself for not having read each and every one of the others in the series. But, I will be sure to remedy that.
But not complete justice as it turns out. Five years have passed and less than half of the ransom money has been recovered. It’s now 1958 and Nathan Heller once again finds himself working the case, this time to try and discover what happened to the missing dough. Can it be tied up in Jimmy Hoffa’s exploits even as Robert Kennedy seeks to find some way to charge Hoffa with a crime? Or perhaps a cab driver who took one of the original kidnappers to the Coral Court Motel had tipped off local mobster Joseph G. Costello. Or maybe a couple of dirty cops are behind it all.
This is the eighteenth book in Max Allan Collins’ Nate Heller series. The very first novel, True Detective, was written back in 1983 and won the Shamus award for best PI novel that year. While there might be some benefit in reading them in order, they were not written/published in chronological order so each novel can easily stand alone. These books are hard-boiled, true-crime detective novels with a fascinating protagonist. Indeed, Heller himself, doesn’t always take the high road but tends towards shades of gray. Regardless, he’s a man seeking justice, even though, just like in history, he doesn’t always find it. These novels are extremely well-researched and to read one is to absorb real history of the middle of the American 20th century in a very readable and enjoyable way.
Despite this being the eighteenth novel in the series it is the first to be published by Hard Case Crime which seems like the perfect match. I had a wonderful time reading it and am now kicking myself for not having read each and every one of the others in the series. But, I will be sure to remedy that.
August 29, 2022
THE BIG BUNDLE is an enjoyable hard-boiled noir that feels incredibly authentic.
The book follows the true events of the Bobby Greenlease kidnapping that took place in 1953, but creates a fictional story involving private eye Nathan Heller. The real life events and characters are used to create an adventure for the fictional character of Heller to be at the center of it all. Creative liberties are taken all around, several real people are combined into new characters, but the core of what happened in reality is still there at the heart of the story. Heller interacts with Robert Kennedy, Jimmy Hoffa, and other notable gangland figures, to find out what happened to the kidnapped boy and the unrecovered half of the ransom money. His investigation takes him into the belly of the underworld as he travels between Chicago, LA, and St. Louis looking for the truth.
Max Allan Collins writes sharp action, snappy dialog, and fascinating characters. The story moves along at a brisk pace and never lags or feels long. It's a page turner for sure.
Although this is book the 18th in the series, it's the first Nathan Heller book I've read. It stands on its own pretty well and I had no problem getting to know Heller rather quickly. There were some events and characters from previous books that were alluded to, but rather than being confusing it just made me want to go back and read the other books, which I intend to do. I want more Nathan Heller stories!
Highly recommended for fans of hard-boiled, noir detective mysteries.
Thanks to the publisher Hard Case Crime for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for this honest review.
The book follows the true events of the Bobby Greenlease kidnapping that took place in 1953, but creates a fictional story involving private eye Nathan Heller. The real life events and characters are used to create an adventure for the fictional character of Heller to be at the center of it all. Creative liberties are taken all around, several real people are combined into new characters, but the core of what happened in reality is still there at the heart of the story. Heller interacts with Robert Kennedy, Jimmy Hoffa, and other notable gangland figures, to find out what happened to the kidnapped boy and the unrecovered half of the ransom money. His investigation takes him into the belly of the underworld as he travels between Chicago, LA, and St. Louis looking for the truth.
Max Allan Collins writes sharp action, snappy dialog, and fascinating characters. The story moves along at a brisk pace and never lags or feels long. It's a page turner for sure.
Although this is book the 18th in the series, it's the first Nathan Heller book I've read. It stands on its own pretty well and I had no problem getting to know Heller rather quickly. There were some events and characters from previous books that were alluded to, but rather than being confusing it just made me want to go back and read the other books, which I intend to do. I want more Nathan Heller stories!
Highly recommended for fans of hard-boiled, noir detective mysteries.
Thanks to the publisher Hard Case Crime for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for this honest review.
October 24, 2022
The latest entry in the Nate Heller historical mystery series is based on a 1953 kidnapping and murder. Heller is hired to assist in recovering a young boy who has been kidnapped. A $600,000 ransom is delivered but the kidnappers don't return the boy. Following a hunch, Heller uses his underworld contacts to find and expose the kidnappers, facilitating their capture and conviction for a terrible crime. But only half the ransom was found. Five years later, Heller is drawn back into the case by Jimmy Hoffa, Robert Kennedy, and the boy's father who wants to know the truth.
Collins is an expert in weaving a fictional tale from historical events and personalities. Even though I wasn't familiar with the actual event, I was absorbed in Heller's investigation, the incompetent kidnappers, the accommodating mobsters and bent cops, and a grieving family. If you're a fan of private eye novels, this is a book for you.
I received an ARC of The Big Bundle by Max Allan Collins from the publisher.
Collins is an expert in weaving a fictional tale from historical events and personalities. Even though I wasn't familiar with the actual event, I was absorbed in Heller's investigation, the incompetent kidnappers, the accommodating mobsters and bent cops, and a grieving family. If you're a fan of private eye novels, this is a book for you.
I received an ARC of The Big Bundle by Max Allan Collins from the publisher.
November 6, 2022
3.5 stars :: I was lucky to get this free ARC from Hard Crime books and I’m so glad I did. This was good, granted not ‘Five Decembers’ good, which is my favorite and nothing has yet to match it, but this was still really good.
Nate Heller is hired by a wealthy family to find their kidnapped son. After a series of botched ransom hand-offs, and timid detectives, Nate uses his underworld contacts to find the missing boy and is lead through a maze of false identities, crooked cops, gangsters, and a money trail all the way to Washington DC. If you like your books fast with a lot of twists, you’ll like ‘The Big Bundle’.
Nate Heller is hired by a wealthy family to find their kidnapped son. After a series of botched ransom hand-offs, and timid detectives, Nate uses his underworld contacts to find the missing boy and is lead through a maze of false identities, crooked cops, gangsters, and a money trail all the way to Washington DC. If you like your books fast with a lot of twists, you’ll like ‘The Big Bundle’.
July 12, 2023
As a mystery and history lover, this book hit every mark to me. It reads like a classic noir film. The descriptions and world building were phenomenal. Heller’s sarcastic comments to himself were so funny, especially when he was in danger. I can’t wait to read more Nathan Heller mysteries!
March 13, 2025
With his second to most recent published case, Nathan Heller moves to Hard Case Crime (a fitting home for him) and takes on the case of the kidnapping and murder of Bobby Greenlease. In September of 1953 six year old Bobby Greenlease, the son of the biggest Cadillac dealer in the midwest, was picked up from his parochial school by a woman claiming to be his Aunt. Shortly thereafter a ransom of $600,000 ($7.1 million in 2025 dollars), the largest to that date in the U.S., was demanded for his return. Collins has brought Nate Heller in to the case, both the kidnapping itself and the subsequent search for half the ransom, which was never found.
As I've said before, my enjoyment of Heller's cases increase as my prior knowledge of the case decreases. Since I had never heard of the Greenlease kidnapping, this was like catnip to me. And while there was just a tiny bit of Bobby Kennedy and of Jimmy Hoffa in this one, after three novels centered on the Kennedys having one that was mostly Kennedy free was incredibly refreshing. In fact there was a dearth of celebrity involvement or cameos in this one. Yeah...the folks involved in the Greenlease case. And a handful of St. Louis and Kansas City mob figures, but none of those folks are remotely household names. Other than the short appearances by Bobby Kennedy, Hoffa and Drew Pearson the biggest true celeb appearance is a cameo by Chuck Berry playing his music in a nightclub in St. Louis...and he doesn't even get a speaking part.
This is also one of the most linear Heller novels of all. It is broken in to two parts, which hearkens back to the earliest days of the series. The first part dealing with the kidnapping and murder itself and the second half set five years later in 1958 as Heller follows up on the missing $300,000 of the ransom money. A very strong entry in a very strong P.I. series and a great way to debut Heller at Hard Case.
As I've said before, my enjoyment of Heller's cases increase as my prior knowledge of the case decreases. Since I had never heard of the Greenlease kidnapping, this was like catnip to me. And while there was just a tiny bit of Bobby Kennedy and of Jimmy Hoffa in this one, after three novels centered on the Kennedys having one that was mostly Kennedy free was incredibly refreshing. In fact there was a dearth of celebrity involvement or cameos in this one. Yeah...the folks involved in the Greenlease case. And a handful of St. Louis and Kansas City mob figures, but none of those folks are remotely household names. Other than the short appearances by Bobby Kennedy, Hoffa and Drew Pearson the biggest true celeb appearance is a cameo by Chuck Berry playing his music in a nightclub in St. Louis...and he doesn't even get a speaking part.
This is also one of the most linear Heller novels of all. It is broken in to two parts, which hearkens back to the earliest days of the series. The first part dealing with the kidnapping and murder itself and the second half set five years later in 1958 as Heller follows up on the missing $300,000 of the ransom money. A very strong entry in a very strong P.I. series and a great way to debut Heller at Hard Case.
April 2, 2023
Once again, Collins tells a tale that will thrill his readers and break their hearts. The death we all knew was coming still hit like a punch in the gut. The fact that he can still pull this off halfway through the book is an amazing testament to Collins' ability as a writer that really lifts him to the level of Storyteller with his various awards merely acknowledging that skill.
This is a tale of an older Heller, with all of the creaks and groans you'd expect. When the time comes to pistol whip a thug or beat someone to death, this is still the Nate Heller we've known for over 20 years now.
One slight spoiler here: Nate kills a man with a hammer in a particularly graphic manner. I think Spillane would have appreciated it.
All said, this is a must read for anyone who loves Collins, pulp, old-school detectives, and true crime fiction.
Find it! Buy it! READ IT!
This is a tale of an older Heller, with all of the creaks and groans you'd expect. When the time comes to pistol whip a thug or beat someone to death, this is still the Nate Heller we've known for over 20 years now.
One slight spoiler here: Nate kills a man with a hammer in a particularly graphic manner. I think Spillane would have appreciated it.
All said, this is a must read for anyone who loves Collins, pulp, old-school detectives, and true crime fiction.
Find it! Buy it! READ IT!
November 21, 2022
I am late to the party. The Big Bundle is my first dive into Nate Heller’s hard-boiled world of mobsters, crooked cops, and colorful lowlifes (courtesy of Hard Case Crime sending me an ARC). It won’t be my last.
The story, based on the true story of the 1953 kidnapping of six-year-old Bobby Greenlease, has all the satisfying twists and turns of classical film noir. Outside of the boy’s family, everybody is morally dubious. The story starts as a classical PI job. Nate Heller is hired by the family to help with the ransom payment – the big bundle of the title. Max Allan Collins’s writing is straightforward, clipped, efficient, propulsive. Later, the morass of corruption surrounding the case swamps the narrative. Half of the ransom money has gone missing. The book takes a Chandlerian confusing and exhilarating Big Sleep turn. Mobsters of various stripes make cameo appearances, we get to peek at congressional hearings – RFK vs. Hoffa – and Heller’s loyalties are inevitably murky. Who exactly is he working for? Where is the money? It doesn’t really matter because the prose sings, like this:
“I went up steep cement stairs as cracked as the skin of the old men in rockers on the wide porches of leaning gingerbread houses where even the most foolish Hansel or Gretel would never risk entry.”
Or we come across a casual character description that leaves a lasting impression:
“His smile was something a guy with no sense of humor had learned to do.”
We get plot resolution of course, Collins doesn’t let the reader down, but it’s the writing that wows. A mix of toughness, irony and tenderness. Everybody involved in the boy’s kidnapping can’t help thinking about their own kids and getting emotional, some for real, some for show. Nate Heller isn’t immune. To the point that he gets irritated when goons keep tearing up:
“Well, please don’t cry. There’s been enough of that.”
I didn’t cry, I had too much fun hopping into Max Allan Collins’s time machine. It happens to be a gorgeous shark-finned Cadillac.
The story, based on the true story of the 1953 kidnapping of six-year-old Bobby Greenlease, has all the satisfying twists and turns of classical film noir. Outside of the boy’s family, everybody is morally dubious. The story starts as a classical PI job. Nate Heller is hired by the family to help with the ransom payment – the big bundle of the title. Max Allan Collins’s writing is straightforward, clipped, efficient, propulsive. Later, the morass of corruption surrounding the case swamps the narrative. Half of the ransom money has gone missing. The book takes a Chandlerian confusing and exhilarating Big Sleep turn. Mobsters of various stripes make cameo appearances, we get to peek at congressional hearings – RFK vs. Hoffa – and Heller’s loyalties are inevitably murky. Who exactly is he working for? Where is the money? It doesn’t really matter because the prose sings, like this:
“I went up steep cement stairs as cracked as the skin of the old men in rockers on the wide porches of leaning gingerbread houses where even the most foolish Hansel or Gretel would never risk entry.”
Or we come across a casual character description that leaves a lasting impression:
“His smile was something a guy with no sense of humor had learned to do.”
We get plot resolution of course, Collins doesn’t let the reader down, but it’s the writing that wows. A mix of toughness, irony and tenderness. Everybody involved in the boy’s kidnapping can’t help thinking about their own kids and getting emotional, some for real, some for show. Nate Heller isn’t immune. To the point that he gets irritated when goons keep tearing up:
“Well, please don’t cry. There’s been enough of that.”
I didn’t cry, I had too much fun hopping into Max Allan Collins’s time machine. It happens to be a gorgeous shark-finned Cadillac.
December 16, 2022
I received an ARC of this book from Max Allan Collins and it did not disappoint! This will please long time fans of Nate Heller as well as first time readers. The true crime case was interesting and complex. It’s a bit of a slow burn but the final act is extremely satisfying. Collins expertly explores the reality that acts of evil haunt those who commit them. Crime truly doesn’t pay and your sins will find you out. I highly recommend this novel if you want to dive into the Heller series.
April 22, 2023
Part history lesson, part nostalgia, "The Big Bundle" is also pretty entertaining. Nathan Heller is a classic "noir" detective, a throwback to another age. Max Allan Collins moves Nate easily and authentically through a world of mobsters, politicians, and influence. The dialogue is worthy of Mickey Spillane's legacy and the plot in "The Big Bundle" moves along with action and a nice mix of historical references to spice up the fiction (or maybe it is the other way around). This is a good palette cleanser between reading other genres and, despite the fact that Heller is a recurring character, you really don't need the other books to keep up with this one.
November 3, 2022
It was my good fortune to read an advance copy of Max Allan Collins’s upcoming novel with Hard Case Crime, The Big Bundle. This is the latest in his series of Nathan Heller novels. A fictionalized version of a historical kidnapping plot, this hardboiled tale was my first taste of Collins and Heller, but it will not be my last.
Told in a crisp, concise style, reminiscent of the great crime stories that Collins clearly loves, the novel inserts fictional detective Nathan Heller into the real life kidnapping and murder of Bobby Greenlease, the six year old son of Robert Greenlease Sr., a multi-millionaire auto dealer in 1953. The case featured what was at that time the largest ransom ever paid in U.S. history ($600,000 – around $6 million in today’s numbers).
Expertly weaving Heller through the ins and outs of the case, interacting with all of the actual people (savory and otherwise) involved, the story involves the crime and its resolution, and then, after a 5 year gap, a related mystery related to the ransom money.
Heller’s narration never fails to entertain, and the telling of the mystery and its solving is masterful. The various criminal elements are depicted in spectrum from amoral to immoral. Full of gumshoes, molls, corrupt cops, gangsters, and saucy dames, this novel is a fantastic read. The book will be published by Hard Case Crime on December 6, 2022.
Told in a crisp, concise style, reminiscent of the great crime stories that Collins clearly loves, the novel inserts fictional detective Nathan Heller into the real life kidnapping and murder of Bobby Greenlease, the six year old son of Robert Greenlease Sr., a multi-millionaire auto dealer in 1953. The case featured what was at that time the largest ransom ever paid in U.S. history ($600,000 – around $6 million in today’s numbers).
Expertly weaving Heller through the ins and outs of the case, interacting with all of the actual people (savory and otherwise) involved, the story involves the crime and its resolution, and then, after a 5 year gap, a related mystery related to the ransom money.
Heller’s narration never fails to entertain, and the telling of the mystery and its solving is masterful. The various criminal elements are depicted in spectrum from amoral to immoral. Full of gumshoes, molls, corrupt cops, gangsters, and saucy dames, this novel is a fantastic read. The book will be published by Hard Case Crime on December 6, 2022.
December 7, 2022
The Big Bundle is another must-read winner from Hard Case Crime. It’s a book that intrigues, confuses and puzzles you, but then leaves you completely satisfied, if shaking your head. It’s convoluted, complex, complicated – and utterly compelling. The dialogue, wordplay and locations are authentic and stunning, making you feel as if you are right in the middle of a classic noir movie. Our hero, former detective from Chicago and now private eye to the stars Nathan Heller, isn’t all that much of a hero, but he has a way about him and you can’t turn away. His world is dark and dangerous, with an edgy surprise always just around the corner and a connection to the underworld. Most of the people he knows aren’t very nice, including the politicians and government officials. When the story starts Nate has been hired to find a millionaire businessman’s son, an investigation that takes him across the country and reveals connections that would never have been imagined. A few years later he is again hired by that millionaire businessman, this time to find out who was behind the kidnapping. Same bad people, same connections, same danger.
I had never read a Nathan Heller story before, something I will remedy shortly. Excellent isn’t a good enough word. The Big Bundle is a mystery that goes on and twists around and comes back around. It just rolled along, so smooth, so well-plotted, so expertly written, I couldn’t wait to find out how it ended, but I didn’t want it to end. You get little inklings and all the hints are there for you, but you can’t quite get your arms around the mystery, the crime. But when it’s laid out for you it makes perfect sense. Real people and real history are seamlessly woven into the story, so much so that you might just stop and wonder if Nick Heller was a real guy you somehow forgot about from your history books. And even if the story is dark, the descriptions of people, places and things were vivid and often funny: laugh-out-loud funny, subtly funny, ironically funny.
I always want to read whatever new book Hard Case Crime publishes, and after finishing The Big Bundle I realized I wanted to read everything Max Allan Collins has written to date. Might take a while but definitely worth the time! He is a new-to-me author, which seemed amazing because after visiting his website I know I’ve watched or listened to or read so many things he created or had a hand in. There is a bonus “I Owe Them One” section listing the true life references for this story and it is as fascinating as the book itself.
I was sent a free book and am voluntarily leaving this honest review. I cannot recommend it highly enough and all opinions are my own.
I had never read a Nathan Heller story before, something I will remedy shortly. Excellent isn’t a good enough word. The Big Bundle is a mystery that goes on and twists around and comes back around. It just rolled along, so smooth, so well-plotted, so expertly written, I couldn’t wait to find out how it ended, but I didn’t want it to end. You get little inklings and all the hints are there for you, but you can’t quite get your arms around the mystery, the crime. But when it’s laid out for you it makes perfect sense. Real people and real history are seamlessly woven into the story, so much so that you might just stop and wonder if Nick Heller was a real guy you somehow forgot about from your history books. And even if the story is dark, the descriptions of people, places and things were vivid and often funny: laugh-out-loud funny, subtly funny, ironically funny.
I always want to read whatever new book Hard Case Crime publishes, and after finishing The Big Bundle I realized I wanted to read everything Max Allan Collins has written to date. Might take a while but definitely worth the time! He is a new-to-me author, which seemed amazing because after visiting his website I know I’ve watched or listened to or read so many things he created or had a hand in. There is a bonus “I Owe Them One” section listing the true life references for this story and it is as fascinating as the book itself.
I was sent a free book and am voluntarily leaving this honest review. I cannot recommend it highly enough and all opinions are my own.
December 10, 2022
Una novela negra con tintes históricos al más estilo de Ellroy y bastante a su altura.
Cuando Bobby Greenlease es secuestrado su padre contrata a Nate Heller para que lo ayude a rescatar al niño. Los secuestradores exigen el rescate más grande de la historia hasta ese momento 600 mil dólares y esto hace que la mafia y toda clase de políticos se involucren en el asunto.
Seis años después la mitad del dinero sigue sin aparecer e información apunta a qué Jimmy Hoffa puede estar involucrado, eso es lo que deberá investigar a petición de Bobby Kennedy.
Una historia en la que nada es lo que parece y todos parecen estar involucrados.
Editorial @hard_case_crime
Páginas 306
✅ La novela es, de cierta manera, una novela histórica pero es también un Hard Boiled de pura cepa, la forma en que Max Allan Collins lo logra es impresionante.
✅ La fuerza con la que recrea a los personajes históricos es brutal, no tanto porque los recree de forma fiel a como fueron, sino porque los crea de.la forma en la que pueden encajar y funcionar en la historia.
✅ Las descripciones y la narrativa realmente te transportan a Los Angeles en los cincuenta y es maravilloso.
✅ La novela tiene un ritmo fenomenal. A pesar de que los capítulos no son cortos son bastante ágiles y te mantiene dando vuelta a las páginas sin parar.
✅ La novela está basada en un crimen real estadounidense y en varios personajes de la historia de ese país. A priori podría dar la impresión de que sí no conoces la historia no vas a entender muchas cosas, pero no es así. El trabajo de Collins es tan bueno que sin dar demasiadas explicaciones todo queda perfectamente claro.
❌ Esto es una cuestión de gusto totalmente personal, no me gustan las notas en las que te cuenta que fue de cada personaje 20 años después, creo que sí no es parte de la novela es mejor no incluirlo, pero eso es un detalle mínimo.
💫 8,5/10 bastante recomendable de lo mejor que hay en novelas True crime.
Cuando Bobby Greenlease es secuestrado su padre contrata a Nate Heller para que lo ayude a rescatar al niño. Los secuestradores exigen el rescate más grande de la historia hasta ese momento 600 mil dólares y esto hace que la mafia y toda clase de políticos se involucren en el asunto.
Seis años después la mitad del dinero sigue sin aparecer e información apunta a qué Jimmy Hoffa puede estar involucrado, eso es lo que deberá investigar a petición de Bobby Kennedy.
Una historia en la que nada es lo que parece y todos parecen estar involucrados.
Editorial @hard_case_crime
Páginas 306
✅ La novela es, de cierta manera, una novela histórica pero es también un Hard Boiled de pura cepa, la forma en que Max Allan Collins lo logra es impresionante.
✅ La fuerza con la que recrea a los personajes históricos es brutal, no tanto porque los recree de forma fiel a como fueron, sino porque los crea de.la forma en la que pueden encajar y funcionar en la historia.
✅ Las descripciones y la narrativa realmente te transportan a Los Angeles en los cincuenta y es maravilloso.
✅ La novela tiene un ritmo fenomenal. A pesar de que los capítulos no son cortos son bastante ágiles y te mantiene dando vuelta a las páginas sin parar.
✅ La novela está basada en un crimen real estadounidense y en varios personajes de la historia de ese país. A priori podría dar la impresión de que sí no conoces la historia no vas a entender muchas cosas, pero no es así. El trabajo de Collins es tan bueno que sin dar demasiadas explicaciones todo queda perfectamente claro.
❌ Esto es una cuestión de gusto totalmente personal, no me gustan las notas en las que te cuenta que fue de cada personaje 20 años después, creo que sí no es parte de la novela es mejor no incluirlo, pero eso es un detalle mínimo.
💫 8,5/10 bastante recomendable de lo mejor que hay en novelas True crime.
February 2, 2023
Nate Heller is a tough guy. By 1953, he is a pretty well-known PI. Life Magazine did a story about him. He is the PI to the stars. When the son of the biggest Cadilac dealer in the Midwest gets kidnapped, Heller gets called to Kansas City to help.
This is Collins' 17th Heller story. They are historical mysteries. The first was set in 1932 when Heller got involved in the Lindberg kidnapping. Collins has worked his way up to the fifties and sixties. The novels are all filled with actual historical characters. Jimmy Hoffa and Bobby Kennedy deal with Heller.
The story is based on the 1953 Greenlease kidnapping in Saint Louis. It was a notorious crime at the time. The actual FBI agents, motel owners, hookers and small-time crooks from that case appear in this story. Collins has a fascinating appendix where he discusses his sources and how he treated the various real persons in this fictional book.
All that stuff is in the background. The story is an exciting tough guy detective story. The kidnapping plot has all the tension from trying to recover the boy alive. Heller is not a saint. He makes deals with crooked cops. He has connections and relationships with the mob.
Collins is the master of low life midwestern cities. In these books, as well as in his other series of "Quarry" stories, Collins gets the shabby, violent and sad world of run down strip clubs, small time drug dealers, crooked cabbies and everyone hustling for an angle.
The second half of the book jumps to 1958. Heller gets hired to try to find out what happened to $300,000 of the ransom money from the 1953 kidnapping. The story takes him to St. Louis. Heller is in the middle. Kennedy thinks the money has been funneled into Hoffa's Teamster's fund. Hoffa wants to show the opposite. All of the low lifes and corrupt cops who were around the money in 1953 swear they know nothing, until they all start to tell bits and pieces of the story.
Collins is wonderful at slowly letting Heller unravel a tricky and sordid story. The ending is well done.
This is a first-rate addition to this series. It can easily be read as a standalone without having read the other books.
This is Collins' 17th Heller story. They are historical mysteries. The first was set in 1932 when Heller got involved in the Lindberg kidnapping. Collins has worked his way up to the fifties and sixties. The novels are all filled with actual historical characters. Jimmy Hoffa and Bobby Kennedy deal with Heller.
The story is based on the 1953 Greenlease kidnapping in Saint Louis. It was a notorious crime at the time. The actual FBI agents, motel owners, hookers and small-time crooks from that case appear in this story. Collins has a fascinating appendix where he discusses his sources and how he treated the various real persons in this fictional book.
All that stuff is in the background. The story is an exciting tough guy detective story. The kidnapping plot has all the tension from trying to recover the boy alive. Heller is not a saint. He makes deals with crooked cops. He has connections and relationships with the mob.
Collins is the master of low life midwestern cities. In these books, as well as in his other series of "Quarry" stories, Collins gets the shabby, violent and sad world of run down strip clubs, small time drug dealers, crooked cabbies and everyone hustling for an angle.
The second half of the book jumps to 1958. Heller gets hired to try to find out what happened to $300,000 of the ransom money from the 1953 kidnapping. The story takes him to St. Louis. Heller is in the middle. Kennedy thinks the money has been funneled into Hoffa's Teamster's fund. Hoffa wants to show the opposite. All of the low lifes and corrupt cops who were around the money in 1953 swear they know nothing, until they all start to tell bits and pieces of the story.
Collins is wonderful at slowly letting Heller unravel a tricky and sordid story. The ending is well done.
This is a first-rate addition to this series. It can easily be read as a standalone without having read the other books.
January 31, 2023
The Best in the Series!
Author Max Allan Collins has outdone himself with the latest entry in the Heller series offering what is destined to become a classic in the private eye genre.
For those unfamiliar with the series, Nate Heller is a private eye, and depending on the novel one will encounter him in one of many decades, dealing with a mystery that has the fictional detective encountering historical figures in stories true to the events and periods.
This novel takes place in the 50’s. The first section has the head of the A-1 Detective Agency hired to bring a kidnap victim home safely. After these events play out the novel jumps five years where Heller is back around the same case, this time trying to locate missing ransom money that was never returned.
Along the way, Heller rubs elbows with persons known and notorious in the period as well as well known historical figures such as Bobby Kennedy and Jimmy Hoffa. The plot alone is worth the read, but the author’s writing craft is what makes this story come alive.
Collins knows how to bring the reader out of a dark period and re-engage said reader with the story. After a darker conclusion to the first section he opens up the second in a different setting that lifts the story back onto a level that brings the book back to a thrilling page turning.
Finally, Heller’s first person voice is one of the best in private eye literature. His comments and observations are a delight to read and asides, whether over crying or Cadillacs had me laughing out loud.
The good news about the Heller novels is that they do not have to be read in order (chronological or published) and the reader can pick up any one of these books and be fully up to speed with what is going on. If this is your first one or not, enjoy it. The Big Bundle is now my favorite in the series and one I look forward to reading again. It is that good.
Author Max Allan Collins has outdone himself with the latest entry in the Heller series offering what is destined to become a classic in the private eye genre.
For those unfamiliar with the series, Nate Heller is a private eye, and depending on the novel one will encounter him in one of many decades, dealing with a mystery that has the fictional detective encountering historical figures in stories true to the events and periods.
This novel takes place in the 50’s. The first section has the head of the A-1 Detective Agency hired to bring a kidnap victim home safely. After these events play out the novel jumps five years where Heller is back around the same case, this time trying to locate missing ransom money that was never returned.
Along the way, Heller rubs elbows with persons known and notorious in the period as well as well known historical figures such as Bobby Kennedy and Jimmy Hoffa. The plot alone is worth the read, but the author’s writing craft is what makes this story come alive.
Collins knows how to bring the reader out of a dark period and re-engage said reader with the story. After a darker conclusion to the first section he opens up the second in a different setting that lifts the story back onto a level that brings the book back to a thrilling page turning.
Finally, Heller’s first person voice is one of the best in private eye literature. His comments and observations are a delight to read and asides, whether over crying or Cadillacs had me laughing out loud.
The good news about the Heller novels is that they do not have to be read in order (chronological or published) and the reader can pick up any one of these books and be fully up to speed with what is going on. If this is your first one or not, enjoy it. The Big Bundle is now my favorite in the series and one I look forward to reading again. It is that good.
November 5, 2022
After first meeting Nate Heller in "True Detective" back in 1983, this reader has eagerly read each of Max Allan Collins' novels featuring the life and times of a former Chicago cop who goes on to meet some of 20th centuries' most famous and most infamous as his employment eventually morphs into the owner of the A-1 Detective Agency with several branches in the United States.
The Heller novels are notable for Collins' extensive research that bring the felons and politicos of the years of each of the books to life. (And sometimes felons and politicos describe the same person.). Heller has gone on to solve real life historical mysteries, and even occasionally bedded some well known women, not widely known as femme fatales.
"The Big Bundle" is set somewhat mid career for Heller as he is called into to investigate the kidnapping of a child of a wealthy businessman. Heller had investigated another kidnapping that made worldwide news twenty years earlier, thus his presence in this job makes perfect sense.
There is a moral principle that Heller follows which determines how much of his investigations remain strictly legal, but always justifiable. Here Heller deals with small time hoodlums, famous union bosses, and a young politician about to make his name as he investigates organized crime.
Heller himself hints that the union boss, the politician, and he will meet again, and perceptive readers will likely have some inking how those meetings will turn out, and change the course of American history.
Readers do not have to start with Heller's first "memoir.". What's certain is that nearly 40 years after his first appearance, the author and his creation have not lost any of their power to entertain and put a new spin on twentieth century history and the mysteries and crimes which have brought us into the twenty first century.
The Heller novels are notable for Collins' extensive research that bring the felons and politicos of the years of each of the books to life. (And sometimes felons and politicos describe the same person.). Heller has gone on to solve real life historical mysteries, and even occasionally bedded some well known women, not widely known as femme fatales.
"The Big Bundle" is set somewhat mid career for Heller as he is called into to investigate the kidnapping of a child of a wealthy businessman. Heller had investigated another kidnapping that made worldwide news twenty years earlier, thus his presence in this job makes perfect sense.
There is a moral principle that Heller follows which determines how much of his investigations remain strictly legal, but always justifiable. Here Heller deals with small time hoodlums, famous union bosses, and a young politician about to make his name as he investigates organized crime.
Heller himself hints that the union boss, the politician, and he will meet again, and perceptive readers will likely have some inking how those meetings will turn out, and change the course of American history.
Readers do not have to start with Heller's first "memoir.". What's certain is that nearly 40 years after his first appearance, the author and his creation have not lost any of their power to entertain and put a new spin on twentieth century history and the mysteries and crimes which have brought us into the twenty first century.
October 27, 2022
Two recommendations: read both the beginning quote by Ross MacDonald (it captures the major theme within this book) and the author's closing section, "I owe them one", which highlights the source of the details included in the book.
To begin, thank you Hard Case Crime for the ARC prior to final publication in December. Roughly the first half of the book sets the reader up for the second half. A boy is kidnapped and his wealthy father asks Nate Heller to help deal with the complicated arrangements needed to bring the boy home. All does not go well and the two main kidnappers are arrested and subsequently executed.
The second half of the book is much more interesting and connects Heller's actions with mobsters, corrupt teamsters and policemen, and the usual array of characters that populate Collins's books (all of which I love). Bobby Kennedy, Jimmy Hoffa, and the boy's father separately hire Heller to track down a significant portion of the money collected by the kidnappers. Heller is in the midst of the action throughout the book and succeeds in keeping Kennedy, Hoffa, and the father satisfied with his work. No spoilers on what ultimately happens.
Hats off to the author for a well-written and exciting book!
4.5 stars rounded down
To begin, thank you Hard Case Crime for the ARC prior to final publication in December. Roughly the first half of the book sets the reader up for the second half. A boy is kidnapped and his wealthy father asks Nate Heller to help deal with the complicated arrangements needed to bring the boy home. All does not go well and the two main kidnappers are arrested and subsequently executed.
The second half of the book is much more interesting and connects Heller's actions with mobsters, corrupt teamsters and policemen, and the usual array of characters that populate Collins's books (all of which I love). Bobby Kennedy, Jimmy Hoffa, and the boy's father separately hire Heller to track down a significant portion of the money collected by the kidnappers. Heller is in the midst of the action throughout the book and succeeds in keeping Kennedy, Hoffa, and the father satisfied with his work. No spoilers on what ultimately happens.
Hats off to the author for a well-written and exciting book!
4.5 stars rounded down
November 3, 2022
I am too young to remember the Bobby Greenlease kidnapping but old enough to have enjoyed the B & W movies featuring Philip Marlowe and Sam Spade, which is exactly where Max Allan Collins brought me with Nathan Heller in The Big Bundle. The PI to the stars is brought in to assist after the kidnapping of young Bobby Greenlease Jr, the son of a wealthy Cadillac dealer. The story rattles along at a great pace introducing us to characters from fiction and real life, from lowlife criminals to corrupt cops, union bosses to States Attorneys. The book is in two parts set in 1953 and 1958 and the descriptions of the period really establish the look, feel and almost smell of the era. The pace of the story is unrelenting and while it is a fictional account of real events, the first thing you want to do when you finish is go an research what really happened. It’s a sign of a great story that you are left satisfied but still wanting more.
May 10, 2023
Why does Heller tell us the brand names of his clothing all of the time? Did those companies pay the author to have them constantly repeated? Weird… And why are there so many names dropped in book two? Designer labels for book one, famous names for book two. The shift button must have been working overtime when this tale was typed out!
Book One is titled “Kansas City Shuffle”, in October of 1953. Book Two is five years later, and titled “St. Louis Blues”. Both are about the real life kidnapping of Bobby Greenlease, just a fictionalized account of it, based on facts. The first book is the kidnapping itself, and the second is Heller following the missing ransom money. It's a good story, and despite all of the proper noun name dropping, a decent read. I had never heard of this kidnapping before, so this was a new case for me!
Book One is titled “Kansas City Shuffle”, in October of 1953. Book Two is five years later, and titled “St. Louis Blues”. Both are about the real life kidnapping of Bobby Greenlease, just a fictionalized account of it, based on facts. The first book is the kidnapping itself, and the second is Heller following the missing ransom money. It's a good story, and despite all of the proper noun name dropping, a decent read. I had never heard of this kidnapping before, so this was a new case for me!
March 24, 2023
Very well written. The addendum at the end explains all the research that went into re-creating an era (mainly the 1950s in St. Louis) and the basics of a notorious, and impactful, true crime. The author artfully filled in around these bones. I plan on reading another book by Max Allan Collins. My biggest beef, which is perennial for me with books by many different authors, is that I have a hard time keeping track of the large cast of characters. Maybe it's just my aging brain.
November 23, 2024
This goes to show the truth is stranger than fiction. Amazing story based on the truth of a horrible tragedy and what happened to the missing $300,000. Max Allan Collins is one of the best. It was an incredible read that I didn't want to put down or even end. Nathan Heller is one of my all-time favorite characters. Best I've read in some time!
February 5, 2023
Robert Greenlease is one of the richest men around the Kansas City area for miles and miles. In fact, he is one of the wealthiest in the entire Midwest. So a ransom amount of $600,000 for his 11-year-old son, Bobby, shouldn’t seem all that crazy. But it’s 1953, so that is actually a fortune. But Greenlease doesn’t care about the money; he just wants his son back.
That’s where Nathan Heller of Chicago’s A-1 Detective Agency comes in. Heller has gained himself a bit of a reputation. After all, he was instrumental in solving the Lindbergh case, which keeps coming back to haunt him. He has quite a name to live up to. To be honest, he doesn’t even try to discourage people from believing that he gets things done with no regard as to how. Heller has been on both sides of the law, so he knows how the world works. And he has a mind for these tangled-up cases. But the Greenlease case is a tricky one.
The FBI, naturally, takes the lead role in the kidnapping. That’s fine with Heller --- but only until things start to go sideways. What happens when agents botch their cases? It’s not pretty, and Heller understands all too well how a small misstep can lead to a big fatal fall. When the expected call comes in with instructions on where and how to deliver the ransom, there’s a nasty fumble on the deal. For some reason, the kidnappers fail to locate the money. And the next attempt doesn’t go a lot better. Are these people toying with Greenlease?
The fuzzy voice on the phone leads Heller to conclude that the caller is drunk. He has a really bad feeling about this case. He himself has a son, which makes it sort of personal. Snatching a kid is out-of-bounds bad to him. In fact, while trying to solve the case, everyone he interviews says the same thing. The dough has blood on it; no one wants to touch money stolen off of a child abduction.
Half of the ransom is recovered, but what happened to the other $300,000? Of course, the FBI marked it so it won’t be easy to spend --- or launder. There’s no shortage of suspects. This is a time when crooked cops weren’t so rare. And the mob was having its heyday. Could it be that maybe Jimmy Hoffa had a hand in it? There might be more than one reason Bobby Kennedy was hard at work investigating the union boss, trying to get enough dirt on him to take him down. Even Kennedy has enlisted Heller’s help.
Heller, though, knows Hoffa, the extent of his reach and when to tiptoe lightly. There are rules out on the streets, and Heller is the first to play by them. He talks to Hoffa like he talks to anyone who might have a connection. Even the dames. He enjoys talking to the dames a lot more than the guys. But the question remains: Where is Bobby Greenlease?
Nathan Heller is a classic PI working in an era that had lots of crime, no cell phones, a fondness for kidnapping and violence, and women hanging all over the tough guys. Max Allan Collins’ THE BIG BUNDLE is a story about a rough-and-tumble case that wraps all of that together, with Heller at the helm, getting the ladies and getting beat up. It doesn’t get much more fun --- and cringeworthy --- than this.
Reviewed by Kate Ayers
That’s where Nathan Heller of Chicago’s A-1 Detective Agency comes in. Heller has gained himself a bit of a reputation. After all, he was instrumental in solving the Lindbergh case, which keeps coming back to haunt him. He has quite a name to live up to. To be honest, he doesn’t even try to discourage people from believing that he gets things done with no regard as to how. Heller has been on both sides of the law, so he knows how the world works. And he has a mind for these tangled-up cases. But the Greenlease case is a tricky one.
The FBI, naturally, takes the lead role in the kidnapping. That’s fine with Heller --- but only until things start to go sideways. What happens when agents botch their cases? It’s not pretty, and Heller understands all too well how a small misstep can lead to a big fatal fall. When the expected call comes in with instructions on where and how to deliver the ransom, there’s a nasty fumble on the deal. For some reason, the kidnappers fail to locate the money. And the next attempt doesn’t go a lot better. Are these people toying with Greenlease?
The fuzzy voice on the phone leads Heller to conclude that the caller is drunk. He has a really bad feeling about this case. He himself has a son, which makes it sort of personal. Snatching a kid is out-of-bounds bad to him. In fact, while trying to solve the case, everyone he interviews says the same thing. The dough has blood on it; no one wants to touch money stolen off of a child abduction.
Half of the ransom is recovered, but what happened to the other $300,000? Of course, the FBI marked it so it won’t be easy to spend --- or launder. There’s no shortage of suspects. This is a time when crooked cops weren’t so rare. And the mob was having its heyday. Could it be that maybe Jimmy Hoffa had a hand in it? There might be more than one reason Bobby Kennedy was hard at work investigating the union boss, trying to get enough dirt on him to take him down. Even Kennedy has enlisted Heller’s help.
Heller, though, knows Hoffa, the extent of his reach and when to tiptoe lightly. There are rules out on the streets, and Heller is the first to play by them. He talks to Hoffa like he talks to anyone who might have a connection. Even the dames. He enjoys talking to the dames a lot more than the guys. But the question remains: Where is Bobby Greenlease?
Nathan Heller is a classic PI working in an era that had lots of crime, no cell phones, a fondness for kidnapping and violence, and women hanging all over the tough guys. Max Allan Collins’ THE BIG BUNDLE is a story about a rough-and-tumble case that wraps all of that together, with Heller at the helm, getting the ladies and getting beat up. It doesn’t get much more fun --- and cringeworthy --- than this.
Reviewed by Kate Ayers
February 5, 2023
Robert Greenlease is one of the richest men around the Kansas City area for miles and miles. In fact, he is one of the wealthiest in the entire Midwest. So a ransom amount of $600,000 for his 11-year-old son, Bobby, shouldn’t seem all that crazy. But it’s 1953, so that is actually a fortune. But Greenlease doesn’t care about the money; he just wants his son back.
That’s where Nathan Heller of Chicago’s A-1 Detective Agency comes in. Heller has gained himself a bit of a reputation. After all, he was instrumental in solving the Lindbergh case, which keeps coming back to haunt him. He has quite a name to live up to. To be honest, he doesn’t even try to discourage people from believing that he gets things done with no regard as to how. Heller has been on both sides of the law, so he knows how the world works. And he has a mind for these tangled-up cases. But the Greenlease case is a tricky one.
The FBI, naturally, takes the lead role in the kidnapping. That’s fine with Heller --- but only until things start to go sideways. What happens when agents botch their cases? It’s not pretty, and Heller understands all too well how a small misstep can lead to a big fatal fall. When the expected call comes in with instructions on where and how to deliver the ransom, there’s a nasty fumble on the deal. For some reason, the kidnappers fail to locate the money. And the next attempt doesn’t go a lot better. Are these people toying with Greenlease?
The fuzzy voice on the phone leads Heller to conclude that the caller is drunk. He has a really bad feeling about this case. He himself has a son, which makes it sort of personal. Snatching a kid is out-of-bounds bad to him. In fact, while trying to solve the case, everyone he interviews says the same thing. The dough has blood on it; no one wants to touch money stolen off of a child abduction.
Half of the ransom is recovered, but what happened to the other $300,000? Of course, the FBI marked it so it won’t be easy to spend --- or launder. There’s no shortage of suspects. This is a time when crooked cops weren’t so rare. And the mob was having its heyday. Could it be that maybe Jimmy Hoffa had a hand in it? There might be more than one reason Bobby Kennedy was hard at work investigating the union boss, trying to get enough dirt on him to take him down. Even Kennedy has enlisted Heller’s help.
Heller, though, knows Hoffa, the extent of his reach and when to tiptoe lightly. There are rules out on the streets, and Heller is the first to play by them. He talks to Hoffa like he talks to anyone who might have a connection. Even the dames. He enjoys talking to the dames a lot more than the guys. But the question remains: Where is Bobby Greenlease?
Nathan Heller is a classic PI working in an era that had lots of crime, no cell phones, a fondness for kidnapping and violence, and women hanging all over the tough guys. Max Allan Collins’ THE BIG BUNDLE is a story about a rough-and-tumble case that wraps all of that together, with Heller at the helm, getting the ladies and getting beat up. It doesn’t get much more fun --- and cringeworthy --- than this.
Reviewed by Kate Ayers
That’s where Nathan Heller of Chicago’s A-1 Detective Agency comes in. Heller has gained himself a bit of a reputation. After all, he was instrumental in solving the Lindbergh case, which keeps coming back to haunt him. He has quite a name to live up to. To be honest, he doesn’t even try to discourage people from believing that he gets things done with no regard as to how. Heller has been on both sides of the law, so he knows how the world works. And he has a mind for these tangled-up cases. But the Greenlease case is a tricky one.
The FBI, naturally, takes the lead role in the kidnapping. That’s fine with Heller --- but only until things start to go sideways. What happens when agents botch their cases? It’s not pretty, and Heller understands all too well how a small misstep can lead to a big fatal fall. When the expected call comes in with instructions on where and how to deliver the ransom, there’s a nasty fumble on the deal. For some reason, the kidnappers fail to locate the money. And the next attempt doesn’t go a lot better. Are these people toying with Greenlease?
The fuzzy voice on the phone leads Heller to conclude that the caller is drunk. He has a really bad feeling about this case. He himself has a son, which makes it sort of personal. Snatching a kid is out-of-bounds bad to him. In fact, while trying to solve the case, everyone he interviews says the same thing. The dough has blood on it; no one wants to touch money stolen off of a child abduction.
Half of the ransom is recovered, but what happened to the other $300,000? Of course, the FBI marked it so it won’t be easy to spend --- or launder. There’s no shortage of suspects. This is a time when crooked cops weren’t so rare. And the mob was having its heyday. Could it be that maybe Jimmy Hoffa had a hand in it? There might be more than one reason Bobby Kennedy was hard at work investigating the union boss, trying to get enough dirt on him to take him down. Even Kennedy has enlisted Heller’s help.
Heller, though, knows Hoffa, the extent of his reach and when to tiptoe lightly. There are rules out on the streets, and Heller is the first to play by them. He talks to Hoffa like he talks to anyone who might have a connection. Even the dames. He enjoys talking to the dames a lot more than the guys. But the question remains: Where is Bobby Greenlease?
Nathan Heller is a classic PI working in an era that had lots of crime, no cell phones, a fondness for kidnapping and violence, and women hanging all over the tough guys. Max Allan Collins’ THE BIG BUNDLE is a story about a rough-and-tumble case that wraps all of that together, with Heller at the helm, getting the ladies and getting beat up. It doesn’t get much more fun --- and cringeworthy --- than this.
Reviewed by Kate Ayers
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews