Majic Man

A Nathan Heller Novel

By: Max Allan Collins

Narrated by: Dan John Miller

It’s 1949 in Washington, D.C., and Secretary of Defense James Forrestal, convinced he has been targeted for murder, hires Chicago P.I. Nate Heller for protection. Heller must deal with Beltway infighting, Communist paranoia, Israeli agents, and a mysterious military group called the Majestic Twelve in his journey to protect Forrestal. With his client locked away in a mental ward, Heller begins to doubt his own sanity as he explores reports of flying saucers landing near the tiny desert town of Roswell, New Mexico.

Taking his unique brand of historical fiction to the highest seats of our country’s power structure, Max Allan Collins delivers a sordid tale long on wit and rich in detail. When Forrestal suspiciously commits “suicide,” the Chicago P.I. uncovers a top-secret, reprehensible alliance between the U.S. government and a Nazi cabal. With a supporting cast that includes Harry Truman, Teddy Kollek, Jack Anderson, and Drew Pearson, Majic Man is a who’s who of American post-war history.

©2011 Max Allan Collins (P)2012 Brilliance Audio

Critic reviews

“Heller possesses a refreshingly gritty underside, reflected in a past that encompasses a stay in the psychiatric ward, perjury, and sensitive casework for the highest levels of society and government. There’s magic of a literary kind here: full-bore suspense coupled with an ingenious take on an overworked pop-historical touchstone.” ( Publishers Weekly)

Roswell and flying saucers

The author's books in this series are interesting if nothing else. Not so much edge of your seat thrillers but interesting takes on mysteries that we have heard of even if we don't know the details.. This book fits into that scenario to a T. The author states at the beginning of the book that he mixes fact with fiction liberally to make a good story. That he does.

Clever

Beyond good. As pleasing as other Heller books. Endings always a surprise with historical tie corolation.

Great Story And A Plausible Solution To Roswell

I am a long time fan of Max Allan Collins, especially his series of historical fiction mysteries featuring Nathan Heller. Majic Man is a very good entry in the series generally, and it has perhaps one of the most likely solutions surrounding the supposed crash landing of a space ship in Roswell, New Mexico of which I've personally ever heard. The author, as ever, manages to capture the people, time and place so vividly that I feel as though I am there, in the moment. And his talent of intermingling exhaustively researched history and speculative fiction, along with general mystery fiction, is readily evident in Majic Man. Highly recommended by this reader.

Very clever and refreshing. Courageous, brilliant

You will have to read this to see why this book is a relevant and smart book that elevates genre fiction for the next generation who all seek truth and insight with their entertainment after a post-modern malaise of propaganda.

Rockwell Revisited

This is another solid entry into the Nate Heller mythos. Called to DC initially to investigate a major political figures wife's claim of being followed, Nate is pulled into an intense political thriller that takes him from the nations capitol and westward to Rockwell, NM. What unravels is another take on the mysterious "saucer crashing" that took place in post WWII Rockwell. As always, Collins blends in fact and fiction seamlessly as Nate finds himself in the middle of politics and corruption at the highest government level.

Dan John Miller keeps the action moving along with a solid reading of the novel and continues to be the perfect voice of our hero. A very enjoyable listen from start to finish.

Interesting fictional account of the Roswell crash.

Mr Collins places Nate Heller in the events surrounding the aftermath of the ufo crash in Roswell. Decent entry into the Heller series, even the worst is better than most books. Give it a read.