The Mike Hammer Collection, Volume III

If you love a good "who done it" this series it excellent and old school.

This has been an excellent series of reprints, and all the credit goes to Max Allan Collins for jumping onboard the revived interest in Hard-Boiled detective fiction since Frank Miller's Sin City. But, I feel, it is time for the series to end. The first two volumes of the series reprinted Spillane's initial six novels, which are deservedly the most well-known and notorious due to Spillane's now-classic 'Hard-Boiled' narrative style, and his unflinching portrayal of sex and violence that was unheard of in popular fiction at the time. This third volume is good as well, but I feel, in all fairness to the character of Mike Hammer and the reading audience, should be the final volume in the series. The first two novels in this volume represent Spillane's return to writing Mike Hammer, after taking a decade-long hiatus from the character after joining the Jehovah's Witnesses. The third novel is actually the second Mike Hammer novel he ever wrote, but declined to publish at the time due to the strong demand for a Mike Hammer novel loaded with bullets, booze, and broads, to follow up to his initial novel. He instead published The Twisted Thing in the 1960s after the two novels that announced Mike Hammer's return. I feel The Twisted Thing is a strong work in itself, although possibly more akin to a Marlowe or Poirot novel. And it represents a good coda to the series of reprints issued thus far. The next novel in the Mike Hammer series is when the series went downhill in my opinion. Hammer fighting a bunch of free-lovig hippies is somehow incongruent with the elements that make Hammer, well, Hammer. Hammer appears old, and extremely out of his element in this next novel, and becomes increasingly more so as the later novels drag on, seemingly just to give Spillane a paycheck. IMHO, it is akin to Roger Moore assuming the Bond mantle after Connery and Lazenby. Gone are the leisure suit escapades of Bond thoughout country clubs and other chic pre-seventies environs. Bond, played by Moore, just doesn't seem to be one with his environment and the 1970s proved to be no place for James Bond to inhabit. Just as the late 1960s prove to be no place for Hammer, once he consciously enters into them in the 10th novel. The events and situations novels in the Mike Hammer Collection Volume 3 could occur in the same post-war 1940s/50s world that Hammer previously occupied. But no so, starting with The Body Lovers, all the way until the later novels where Hammer goes after Islamic terrorists in post-911 New York City.Please, Max Allan Collins, end the reprint series now. I would like to keep these three volumes proudly beside by Hammett, Chandler, and Cain collections without adding others. Thanks for all the hard work and dedication you've put into getting these three volumes published.

I have loved all three volumes of this collection. In fact, I came to Amazon tonight looking to see if I could find out when volume four of this collection would be available. While I was here, I thought I would give my two cents on Mike Hammer and these collections. I can't say enough about them and think that everyone involved has done an amazing job. Obviously Mickey Spillane did a great job creating these stories that are still captivating fans a half century later. I truly feel that these collections reflect that. I've lent them to a couple of friends who have gone on to purchase them as well.I read a review on here that calls for an end to this series and although I recognize everyone's right to their opinion I couldn't disagree more. Honestly, I respect Spillane for taking Hammer beyond the post-war world that birthed him and not being afraid to let the world beat our hero up a bit while doing it. Spillane could have locked Hammer in that time forever (other authors have done it). I think it is best that he didn't though. Hammer has always been a larger than life character; His very existence is predicated on his values even when society in general does not share those values. Spillane allowed the world (and its values) to change around Hammer although Hammer himself never really did. This constancy made his stand for those values even more interesting to read.I personally hope that this series continues until all of the Hammer books are reprinted! I'll buy every volume.

It is a pleasure having these novels in one book! Fast and fun… the good ol’ days.

This volume of books about Mike Hammer have added to his violent nature and joy of killing lots of cursing and almost explicit sex. Many people like the cursing, but it adds nothing to the story and in most places seem completely out of context. I've nothing against cursing since I do a lot of it myself. I've certainly nothing against sex, especially the way these sex sessions are described! Try not to get worked up. The stories are still fast moving action from the first page to the last with twists and turns you'd never expect. All of these reasons are why I enjoy them so much and will heap high praise on Mickey Spillane's stories. I've never read any mystery that equals or even comes close to the action and events Mickey Spillane authors.

I have read all three volumes. The first three a long time ago, before I had my Kindle. If you like good stories, these are for you. Spillane is simply a great writer. Simple, straight forward, and spell-binding. Sure the stories are a little out of date, and the way he treats women is inexcusable. But the writing is good. Want to be a writer, you could not go wrong emulating him. People don't talk like Mike Hammer any more, and some may say they never did. I can tell you, born and raised in New York, that they did. Some still do. Read it with an open mind in the spirit of the time it was written, but read Spillane. I would read these volumes in order, as Volume 3 will make little sense of you don't.

Very exciting fast paced Reads. Plots are excellent. Recommend higjly.

If your an older fellow like i am (57) you have heard of Micky. I've been a reader all my life and I've read a lot of books. This is the first time I've read a Mike Hammer yarn. It Was Great! Mickey has a way with words! You have to love that tough guy prose that Micky wrote.If your looking for that tough guy, Private Eye, Brother, you have to read Micky. These three stories are pretty good, the middle one being a little slower than the other two but still a great read.

Good

have all the mickey spillane books and bought this to renew some. They are the classic hardbitten detective stories that are still enjoyable to read even now.

Takes me back to my youth,great books then and still very enjoyable now,couldnt put them down and liked them all over again.

It's good to see this series reprinted after such a long time

diappointed