Ask Not

By: Max Allan Collins

Narrated by: Dan John Miller

New York Times best-selling author Max Allan Collins has won multiple Shamus Awards for his detective novels featuring Nathan Heller. The third book in his JFK trilogy, Ask Not finds Heller investigating a bizarre string of deaths among the witnesses to JFK’s assassination—and tracing blame to LBJ’s right-hand man.

©2013 Max Allan Collins (P)2013 Recorded Books

Was JFK a conspiracy?

The author is very clear in all his books that they are works of fiction, this one being no different. I like how he takes mysteries that have different theories as to what exactly happened, puts his own spin on it and weaves fact with fiction. You are left to decide for yourself if you belief the version put forward in the books.

In this one, and maybe why I liked it, was the death of John F Kennedy. For all these years there have many theories as to what happened and the author does weave together a, in my opinion at least, a plausible explanation.

At the beginning of the book the author asks if you remember where you were when JFK got shot? I do, I was 12 years old and in the 6th grade, it was lunch time and our teacher came outside and told those of us standing there that the President had been shot. We went back into the classroom and listened on the radio until he was pronounced dead then school was let out early and we all went home. I then stuck myself in front of the TV watching the funeral proceedings that lasted the next several days. It was a very emotional time for everyone. That's probably why I liked this book so much.

JFK Conspiracy Revisited

I am a huge fan of the Nate Heller series and have listened to every one in order. Having grown accustomed to the clear and crisp reading by Dan John Miller, I can think of no one else that could take his place as THE voice of Nate. He captures the style and sarcastic wit of Nate perfectly.

Our latest outing of combining fact and fiction surrounds the investigation of the JFK assignation plot. Having listened to the Marilyn Monroe novel two installments prior (which is really well done, by the way), I was already familiar with Nate's involvement with the Kennedy clan. I was really pleased that Flo Kilgore (Dorothy Kilgallen) returns as a key participant in the storyline. Not quite sure why Mr. Collins does not use her real name since she is passed. In any event, she plays a big part in unraveling the conspiracy around JFK's death. As usual, Nate finds himself right in the thick of things.

This was solid trip down memory lane exploring the JFK conspiracy. While no one has officially admitted to the real plot, there is enough evidence to clearly show the "single gunman" report in the Warren Report was way off the mark. Listen for yourself to hear all the things that happened subsequently to all those who wanted to set the story straight. Having grown up during that period, it reveals how naïve we in public really were to the back office dealings of politicians, the mob, the CIA, and oil barrens who had everything to gain from JFK's death. Most of us are much more skeptical today in the 21st Century. Perhaps one of these days, we will see some light shed on all the unscrupulous activity around the 2020 Presidential election. Time will tell.

Outstanding!

Fantastic story, superb research, sensational writing... outstanding! This is yet another exceptional work by Max Allan Collins, and worth buying, reading and listening too.

To add to this fantastic work, Dan John Miller is once again an awesome narrator. Check it out!