The Wrecking Crew

The Matt Helm Series, Book 2

By: Donald Hamilton

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki

The second installment in the legendary Matt Helm thrillers.

Matt Helm, code name Eric, has been recently reactivated as an operative for a secret American government organization after 15 years as a sedentary photographer and family man in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In his first assignment after returning to the service, he is sent to Sweden to eliminate Caselius, a long-time enemy agent. In order to do so, he must leave a trail of bodies in his wake.

Originally released in the era of the James Bond novels, the Matt Helm novels were considered grittier and more realistic than Bond, garnering them critical praise and an ardent audience.

©1960, 2013 Donald Hamilton (P)2014 Skyboat Media, Inc.

Definitely enjoying this series

Very enjoyable series. It reminds me a lot of the Jack Reacher series. Smart dude who thinks things thru carefully and is very thoughtful. We get a lot of details, as we do with Jack Reacher novels. The fact that these books were written back in the '60 - '90 era doesn't take away from the books. It's kind of funny to remember how women were treated back then and how things have changed. I'm continuing with the series.

One note - they are short books - 5 hours and I listen at 1.1 speed, so that makes them about 4 1/2 hours, which isn't worth a credit, but they are free in the Plus Catalogue, if you are a member with that privilege.

Incredible

What made the experience of listening to The Wrecking Crew the most enjoyable?

A combination of the Narrator and how well the character Matt Helm is written.

What did you like best about this story?

How clever, cold and pragmatic Matt is while still being a human believable character. He doesn't have any obligatory humanizing traits yet never feels like a superhero.

Have you listened to any of Stefan Rudnicki’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Other Matt Helm novels. Just as amazing.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. It started off a little spread out. Then it was a litttttleee hard to follow. However when it all started coming together, near the last third, I just couldn't stop listening.

Any additional comments?

Matt is truly a professional and a joy to ride along with. The well illustrated tension makes his skill much more respectable. As a Clancy fan, Matt Helm is not quite as technical as I like BUT it makes up for it with soul and interesting yet believable characters.

greatest spy novels ever written great actor

If you could sum up The Wrecking Crew in three words, what would they be?

great characters/plot

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

constant surprise yet always convincing

Have you listened to any of Stefan Rudnicki’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

his Helms series is always superb

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes and no. I wanted it to last forever.

Any additional comments?

I hope that Rudnicki will get round to Hamilon's The Interlopers, one of the greatest of all spy thrillers.

the series is really great

the series is really great I like how he gets the characters to work together and make sense of how they think

Fantastic - On par with Bond

Entertaining as hell.

Cold war spy adventures in the vein of James Bond without the gimmicks. lI's been called a grittier and more realistic James Bond, but with all espionage ,action, fun, pretty girls, and sexy women that characterized the pulp fiction including the Bond novels or the time.

The protagonist is a down to earth and more human than the Bond character, and makes him much more accessible.

It is refreshing! Pure fun and storytelling without the subtext and overt lectures that infect contemporary literature and media.

Though written quite a while ago, it reads as if it could have been written yesterday.

Words have changed meaning

Really enjoy the series, but the word rape have changed a lot in meaning since then, any way it can be replaced with something suitable to our time, like ravage?

Not like the movies at all

Not a huge surprise. This is something I discovered at a younger age when I read my first Ian Fleming book. Over all the story is still pretty good. A rather soft read that doesn’t tax the mind too much. Ran rather smoothly as stories go. Does sort of give you a glimpse into the world as it was in the sixties. Surprising how much things have changed. Even standards of how people dealt with each other. Half the stuff Matt Helm does in the book would have put him into jail today.

Great series.

I absolutely love these stories. Much better then 007 in my opinion, more authentic and personal.

Cold War in Sweden!

Matt Helm, “Eric” freelance photographer, and “reactivated” counter-agent, aka assassin. Helm’s first mission appears straightforward, go to Sweden to liquidate an enemy agent named Caselius. Upon arrival in Sweden, Helm’s contact Sarah Lundgren rudely described him as a “retread”, picked for this assignment for his civilian talents. Helm, earlier warned by Mac to be polite, said nothing but as she left he appraised her narrow, “prissy” behind. They were off to a glorious start. It became obvious that Sarah had a black and white view of the world. Her naiveté did not serve her well, as she became caught up in her own game. Helm moved on, continuing with his mission and his undercover guise as a photographer. It is interesting to note that Mac’s elite organization was coincidentally called The Wrecking Crew or M-Group as the Nazis called them. When things got too tough for the regular boys, they called them. According to Helm, when The Wrecking Crew eliminates a target it is called a “touch” as opposed to a hit, whack, grease, or bump off. Little tidbits of information distinguishing the man. Helm appears to be struggling with some psychological conflicts. When he was brought back into this life he seemed to fall right back into place, almost as if he missed it. Yet now he’s troubled or wrestling with the treachery that is inherent in his profession. Do his issues only revolve around women; his wife, Sarah, Lou? This is only the second volume of the series, and only Helm’s first assignment since returning, so I don’t know the character in such a short time. But something is going on in his head, and it can manifest in violence. Eventually, Helm will confront Caselius. After all, that’s the main plot of the story, isn’t it?

Tough as nails, a bit of Bond, a bit of Reacher

This is not the Matt Helm you may have seen portrayed by Dean Martin in several goofy spy-spoofs. This Matt Helm is the original - and he's the polar opposite of the film-Helm, the original is tough as nails - easily on par with the early James Bond. Hamilton tells his stories in the first-person narrative - and I very much enjoyed being along for the ride in Matt Helm's mind. He has a sharp mind, he's acerbic, he fights (and fights well) when he has to, he knows his weapons, likes his women - but none of it feels cheap - he's a character and yes, let's remember that he's a character written in 1960. So he's not exactly politically correct - and there are more than a few moments when what he says and does makes you smile.

In this second of Hamilton's Matt Helm novels - Helm's firmly back in business - and he's sent to Sweden to track down and kill a baddie. Naturally, there are women and thugs and fights and guns and more than a few deaths. Good story, a few twists - but overall it's just fun to go along with Helm - he delivers. Very much enjoyed the book. And I'll be the first to admit that I always loved the very goofy Dean Martin Matt Helm spoofs! There really is no connection - they bought the rights, kept the protagonist's name and took the titles of some of the novels - and the similarities end there.