After being out of print for too long, one of my favorite series characters is returning. Matt Helm is a "counter assassin" for the U.S. Government. He began his career in World War II, and picks it up again during the height of the cold war. He works for a one man shop run by a gentelman named Mac. His career runs the gamut from World War II to the First Desert Storm. There is a final Matt Helm novel, that has been written but never published. Hopefully with larger numbers of sales, it will be.
Death of a Citizen, the first book in the series is an excellent introduction to Matt, his history, and what motivates him. There is also an excellent female death fetish scene at the climax of the book. I give it
Why do I like the series? Aside from the obvious plots, action and noir style writing in the first person. I love the examination of a different mindset, that of a professional killer. He makes a persuasive case (at least to me) for his own personal morality, a morality that allows him to deliberately kill people (women as well as men) without becoming a monster.
In the Wrecking Crew, he responds to the famale lead, who asks isn't he worried that if we descend to the level of the assassin Caeselius, are we any better than he is?
'I made an impatient gesture. "What the hell makes everybody feel so superior to this fellow Caeselius? As far as I can make out, he's a bright ruthless guy working like hell for his country, just like I am a bright, ruthless guy working for mine. ... He's responsible for the deaths of a couple of people I'd rather have seen keep on living. ...
But as far as feeling superior to the guy, nuts! I'm perfectly happy to be on his level, doll. Its the level of a tough, courageous man who could probably make a better living selling automobiles, or insurance, or whatever they sell in Russia, but prefers to serve his country in the front lines, such as they are today. I don't hate him. I don't despise him. I don't look down upon him, as everybody else seems to, from some kind of higher moral plane. i'm just prepared to kill him, when and if I get instructions to do so ...'
And so it goes on for 27 novels. Do not make the mistake of thinking of the series as being anything like the Dean Martin movies. I have read some Mickey Spillane, and if you like Mike Hammer, I think you'll like Matt Helm.