Carnal Hours

A Nathan Heller Novel

By: Max Allan Collins

Narrated by: Dan John Miller

In July 1943, Nate Heller flies to Nassau where multimillionaire Sir Harry Oakes wants dirt dug up on Count De Marigny, the playboy who has married Harry’s beautiful, underage daughter, Nancy. But the investigation has barely begun when Sir Harry turns up dead in bed - burned to death in a real-life locked-room mystery - and Heller is soon working for Nancy, whose husband faces murder charges.

Chicago P.I. Heller is on his most intriguing - and dangerous - mission yet in this devilishly clever thriller filled with surprising twists and sharp turns. With the world at war, the peaceful Bahamas provide an ironic, idyllic backdrop for Nazis, the mafia, and two lovely women: one a native girl, the other an aristocratic Englishwoman. Heller is aided by a certain British secret service agent (“Fleming... Ian Fleming”), and encounters along the way the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Meyer Lanksy, and Perry Mason’s creator, Erle Stanley Gardner.

Listen to another title in the Nathan Heller series.©2011 Max Allan Collins (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"No one can twist you through a maze with the intensity and suspense of Max Allan Collins. A classic.” (Clive Cussler, author of Raise the Titanic)

Great Detective, Great History

Another superb outing for Nate Heller and one of the most intriguing. A fascinating historical mystery, heretofore unsolved, interwoven with greatly crafted, real historical characters and the irrepressive Detective Heller. Mr. Collins is at his best in not only giving us an exciting adventure, but conjuring up a vivid portrait of a beautiful, albeit backwater, part of the world during WWII. Dan Miller continues to bring Heller (and all the others) to life.

Nate goes to the Bahamas

Before this book I’d never heard of Sir Harry Oakes and his murder. and I didn’t know much about the Bahamas and the role it played in WWII.

Throw in PI Nate Heller and you have the makings of a good story. I really enjoyed it.

A Very Nice Heller Novel

I hadn't heard much about the Harry Oakes affair, so I enjoyed this entry in the Heller series as both a well written, gripping noir crime story, and my first real introduction to the Oakes mystery. A very much recommended read.

Diane Is No Lady

After five previous audio listens, I am well familiar with the style of the Collins Nate Heller novels and the smooth delivery of Dan John Miller. Number Six in the series entitled Carnal Hours does not disappoint. In fact, I found it one of the more entertaining tales with Mr. Heller. Nate is called to the Bahamas to assist a wealthy tycoon in proving his son in law is no good for his daughter. Nate, to his credit says he is not interested, but when big bucks are thrown his way....well what is a guy to do. As you would expect from a Collins story, investigating the chicanery of the son in law is only the beginning of this twisted tale of murder, intrigue, and a british spy thrown in for good measure.

As with any Nate Heller story, there are plenty of fictional and real life people involved to make it more than interesting. There is Earl Stanley Gardner, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Meyer Lansky, and Ian Fleming acting very much like a certain british super spy for good measure. And of course, Heller's buddy Eliot Ness makes a brief appearance. Every time I hear Miller performing as Ness, I smile at his almost spot on imitation of Robert Stack who played the role in the fifties tv show "The Untouchables". Great fun listen and, as per usual, a twist at the end as Heller solve the whodunit.

Real life mystery; fictionalized P.I. Terrific

The is the fourth book in the Nate Heller series that I have read. I hadn't known about Harry Oates and all the politics and intrigue surrounding his murder. Taking place in the Bahamas, it's a fun ride with Nate and Erle Stanley Gardner, Ian Fleming, Meyer Lansky, and others, some infamous, some noteworthy. I don't know where the history stops and the fiction starts, but Collins does an especially good job of weaving Nate into the story. It's a remarkable feat. I knew it would end unresolved, although it seems that Collins also couldn't decide who done it. Well narrated, although I find Heller too much of a wise guy to last.

Fabulous story, Awesome weaving, Excellent staging...

Well read, fabulously written and superbly presented. It is a gripping tale of the real murder of Sir Harry Oakes... the twists and the turns of the investigation, the characters involved and the appalling Miami Police Captains’ frame up. Suspenseful. Fascinating. Sexy. Funny. And enjoyable.
Carnal Hours is worth every second you listen. Brilliant work!

Excellent entry into an excellent series

This time Heller is in the Bahamas working another real life case from history. One I wasn't familiar with. Definitely worth a listen! Excellent mystery with plenty of action.

Some good, some not so much.

I'm currently on a bender of listening to all of the Nate Heller series in their proper order. One of the best series I've ever had the pleasure of "reading" - the first 2 were amazing, the 3rd, 4th and 5th each had brought a certain twist or plot line that overpowered any feeling of hearing the same story over and over again; however the 6th lacked a bit more in terms of storyline and character development. I believe not having Nitti involved hurt the story more than I would have expected. Of course he was deceased by this time in Heller's life, but his absence was noticed in more ways than one.

Overall, I'd recommend listening to it for Dan John Miller's excellent narration (yet again) if nothing else. Especially if you're reading the series in order as I am. I'm definitely hoping the 7th book grabs my attention more though!