The Retaliators (Matt Helm, #17) By Donald Hamilton
I've said before that these harken back to books I read in my blazing (or at least smoldering) youth. The Executioner, The Destroyer,The Terminator and others. I missed this series again as mentioned before because of the terrible movies. I was a huge fan of Bond, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., I Spy, and in general Spy/fi. Too bad I missed these, well maybe not. They were here to be read now. I've not found a lot of light (yeah it's violent but I mean here it's a one sitting read) yet interesting reads, literary voices I like lately.
Anyway, I recommend all these. I'd suggest you consider starting from the beginning of the series as some adventures do harken back to earlier ones.
Anyway, here we have a more intricate plot. It's really well built, with many twists and turns some of which really do give a couple of surprises this time.
Cool. Recommended, enjoy. English the whole series is awesome, knock-off james bond, completely misogynistic English Mrs O'Hearn asked curiously Did you take your money out? I mean, the part that didn't belong there?
Naturally, I said. As much as I could without attracting attention. I expect to use part of it, like Roger, for necessary expenditures, but I'm sure as hell going to make the guy who framed me eat whatever's left. Civilized forbearance isn't a habit with guys like Roger and me, Mrs. O'Hearn. I'm afraid we're just natural-born, eye-for-an-eye, tooth-for-a-tooth retaliators. English We find Mr. Helm at his bank in Santa Fe withdrawing around $8K to purchase a four-wheeled drive vehicle (SUV) in preparation for the upcoming hunting season. The teller was busy updating his passbook since Helm hadn’t been in Santa Fe for over a year. The passbook returned, Helm notices an extra $20K he had no notion of depositing. Calling Mac, he finds that another $20K had been deposited to his Washington account. Mac played along alerting Helm that their internal security (BIS) was on to this and looking for him. A female driver, Clarissa O’Hearn picked him up saying his hotel was monitored. Her brother Jack, another operator, was also being framed in the same way. Helm picked up his new SUV, or carryall as he called it, heading out of Santa Fe with Clarissa in tow. A BIS agent was also in tow, who Helm trapped, questioned, discovering that Jack had been killed by the BIS, and took along with Clarissa as hostage number two, heading to Mexico where he released the man. So much for the setup of the story. As the story progresses, it is clear that the BIS intends to kill Helm. He was sent south to put the touch on an enemy agent but things have become much more complicated. Something odd is going on in Baja, perhaps connected with the BIS problem, and Helm needs to figure out what it is, preferably before he’s dead. A revolution? English I love all the Matt Helm books, and this is no exception - it's delightfully devious. Matt's been framed for taking bribes, but that's not the kind of thing he takes lying down. But he also has a mission to bring to a successful conclusion, and he never walks out on a job. As always, he's faced with double-dealing and duplicity, and has trouble telling friends from foes. So - what else is new? Huge fun, plenty of actions and more red herrings than a season of Murder, She Wrote. English
Matt Helm is unexpectedly rich, and he doesn't like it. Twenty thousand mysterious dollars appear in his bank account, but this is no time for celebration. Another secret agent with an unexplained surplus is murdered, and Helm figures he better work out who his benefactor is before he becomes the next target. The Retaliators (Matt Helm, #17)
Another excellent story, full of action & confusion. It's not until the very last pages that Helm learns exactly what is going on. In the meantime, he's suspected by his own government & has several other groups to worry about too. The retaliator reference runs through the story line perfectly.
On to The Terrorizers! English Quite a twisty mystery runs through this one. Matt does have the information he needs, no one is trustworthy, & his own government is out to get him, but has to do the job anyway. The various clues & motivations throughout were masterfully done. As usual, so were the guns. Not gun-porn, just tools of the trade properly used.
I really liked the theme of the book. Some folks are retaliators & Hamilton shows off a variety throughout. There's a scheming woman, a British mercenary, & Helm's coworkers. None of them take insult lightly & how they respond is interesting.
All these books are told in the first person & Rudnicki's voice is perfect as a narrator. Unfortunately, I'll now have to wait quite a while for any more. English It has been a long time since I read a Matt Helm book and I really enjoyed this one. Plenty of action, intrigue, and twists. You really don't get the whole story until the end. These are nothing like the movies and not as fantastical as the Bond stories, which I'm a fan of as well. One thing to keep in mind when reading these is when they were written. Helm is very much a product of his time. Still, I could easily see a nice modern action flick made based on this story that would be as good as any other today. Would be nice to see a new, less campy Matt Helm movie, not that I don't enjoy the Dean Martin movies for what they are. English I just finished MATT HELM #17: THE RETALIATORS, a great installment in the series. This novel followed a string of tepid, over-long, and convoluted Helm installments apparently designed to showcase Donald Hamilton’s nautical knowledge. I’m thankful that the series found its legs again in THE RETALIATORS.
In this novel, MATT HELM and two assassin colleagues are on-the-run and suspected of treason after internal investigators discover large cash deposits into their bank accounts. The action quickly turns to Mexico where the seeds of the plot against Helm and his co-workers were planted. Many double-crosses and compelling characters surface. Blood flows. Matt gets laid.
This book was nominated for an Edgar award for Best Paperback Original. For my part, I’m glad he series is back on track. I look forward to the next one... English I started re-reading this series last summer, when I bought the first 16 at a library fair,for what I am sure was a great bargain. I'm not reading them on after another, I mix in all kinds of things. I do manage about one,sometimes two, a month.
I you're expecting James Bond you will disappointed. If your interested in tight, deadly action these are great reads. Mr Hamilton's Matt Helm is more cowboy then playboy and leads a violent life with no apologies.
This is one of the better stories with Helm not only having to deal with a master assassin,but also the fake morality of his own government, and the tricky diplomatic situation of making his touch on Mexican soil.
I'm getting to the point in the run where I dont always have the next one readily available,but when I find the next book it goes right on my reading pile. English