Book Review: True Crime

Reviewed By: Jon Jordan - Crime Spree Magazine - RAM

True Crime     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Max Allan Collins
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Historical   Private Investigator
Series: Nathan Heller # 2
Tor Books, 1984

Max Allan Collins is one of my favorite authors. And the Nate Heller series is my favorite of his work. The books are all based on fact and then fictionalized with Heller added into the mix. And in the course of the stories Collins uses Heller to present his take on events that really happened. Fun stuff, and well researched.

In True Crime, Nate Heller is hired to tail a woman by a jealous husband. Through a series of events Nate finds the extremely wanted John Dillinger, and ultimately ends up being present while Dillinger is gunned down at the Biograph...... or was it really Dillinger? As the book moves on Nate asks Frank Nitti for a little favor, and ends up driving Ma Barker to go see her famous sons. This leads to some interesting times with some other famous gangsters.

The whole book is wonderful and I read it in two sittings. It just drew me right in. It moves along fast and following Heller on his investigations is like being allowed to see a secret world. This is a must read for anyone interested in mob history or just reading a damn good book.

Jon Jordan - Crime Spree Magazine - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Jon Jordan - Crime Spree Magazine - RAM