BULLETS, BROADS, BLACKMAIL & BOMBS >> Tough Guys Don’t Play Nice

This column has a pissed-off Brit, a detective who gets really mad and one super-aggravated spy. In other words, three books I’ve been meaning to cover for a long time — especially the first one, which I finally got my hands on a copy of after years of looking. So sit back and bask in all the bad-assness that is about to go down.

GET CARTER by Ted Lewis — Originally published under the title JACK’S RETURN HOME, this 1970 book is one of the best British crime novels ever written. Hell, I’ll go out on a limb and say without a doubt that the movie version and THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY are two of the best British crime films ever made. What is truly outstanding about the book is how little of it was cut for the film.

There are some differences that are understandable, such as the use of flashbacks in the novel, which gives you a clearer picture of Jack Carter’s relationship with his brother Frank. The story deals with Jack going to his hometown to bury his dead brother, who died under mysterious circumstances that Jack can’t believe — that Frank was drunk and drove off a cliff — since Frank was not a drinker at all.

As soon as he gets into town, Frank starts laying out feelers about his brother’s death, all the while people are not really that helpful, to the point where Jack ruffles a few too many feathers and his bosses want him back ASAP.

What is great is that Carter is a much more sadistic bastard in the book. While the shotgun is so synonymous in the movie, Carter uses a knife more often in the novel. But don’t fret: The shotgun is there in those key scenes most people remember — namely, the morning where Carter gets a very rude awakening from some of his associates from London. But again, the book is a different beast, since it’s made more clear how Carter is being used by rival bosses of the town to their own advantage. Still, it’s as bleak as the film and just as stark.

The ending is a bit different from the film since — spoiler alert! — there were two other books with Carter as the main character — end of spoiler. Lewis reeks of authenticity, which makes this book so terrific. There are some great cultural references thrown in which gave me a smile — namely, of some writers who influenced Lewis. It looks like a who’s who of some of the authors I’ve covered.

Do yourself a favor: If you only know GET CARTER as a film, find this book and read it. I just wish it were easier to find over here, since mine was a very fitting British import. Oh, and if you are only familiar with that disaster remake, then you are just clueless.

A DEADLY SHADE OF GOLD by John D. MacDonald — Travis McGee makes a return to this column with what could be called a great introduction to new readers, especially since this 1965 book hits all the high points you’d expect from the series: McGee traveling to various destinations, his exploits with many a pretty lady, and his determination in finding out who killed his friend who turned up after three years.

His name was Sam Taggert and he came to see Travis with a proposition. But before he could say “Aztec gold figurines,” someone took a knife to him and cut him up pretty badly. Now, that is something that surely pisses off our favorite Beach bum-cum-Don Quixote. It seems that Taggert got mixed up with the wrong crowd while working in Mexico. This sets off McGee as he figures out the truth behind it all, by first heading to New York City to find out about these mysterious idols that Taggert had; they were part of some collection held by the rich Garcia family in the town where Taggert was working.

So McGee devises a very laissez-faire type of plan of heading down to Mexico with one thing on his mind: revenge. But as soon as he makes some progress, it only opens to a much wider problem. MacDonald could have easily finished the story in what would have been the final conflict in Mexico — where someone explains the whole story of Taggert’s adventures down there — but no. Once McGee learns of the horrific things Taggert did, he won’t stop until everyone involved is brought to his own brand of justice.

There are some patches that could probably have been trimmed, but it can be forgiven, since MacDonald enjoys taking his time with his creation. Like McGee himself, he is never in a rush unless a gun is pointed at his head. Even for those folks who think they need to start a series from the start, this book is still a great welcome mat to such a beloved series.

THE RETALIATORS by Donald Hamilton — Matt Helm a traitor! That is what some agency in the U.S. government believes in this 1976 installment, since he has come into some unexpected money into his account — namely, 20 grand, which is a shock to Helm himself when he went to the bank to retrieve some money to buy a new truck.

But Helm was not the only agent to have been placed with a traitor tag; there were two others: one who was killed while in custody, and one who has high-tailed it to Mexico. When Helm gets in contact with his boss, they play a very careful game on the phone where Helm’s boss slips the information needed while it sounds as if he is accusing Helm of being a double agent. Once again, Hamilton shows why I come back to his series so many times, for the sheer badassery of one Matthew Helm.

It seems someone is setting up Helm and his fellow agents to take a massive fall, with it being tied somehow to a Mexican general and a mysterious corporation that all have some idea of having Baja become its own country. Helm is saddled with a woman who was the sister of the now-dead agent, and she came to his rescue at a crucial moment before being picked up by a rival agency. The story follows these two as they make it into Mexico, with Helm very keen on finding out what is going on with the knowledge of some hired gun named Ernemann, who was responsible for these deposits of cash.

This book, like a good amount of the earlier ones, does reference an earlier adventure, THE MENACERS. Nothing major is discussed, but a character from the book makes a reappearance this time out. To go further into this tangent would ruin the story and ending. Also, it shows never play our cold-blooded spy for a fool, because as much of a bastard as he is, his boos is even worse when it comes to revenge.

Next time: that Eddy Grant song The Clash covered. —Bruce Grossman

Buy them at Amazon.

OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF DONALD HAMILTON:
• THE AMBUSHERS by Donald Hamilton
• THE BETRAYERS by Donald Hamilton
• THE DEVASTATORS by Donald Hamilton
• THE INTERLOPERS by Donald Hamilton
• THE INTIMIDATORS by Donald Hamilton
• IRON MEN AND SILVER STARS edited by Donald Hamilton
• LINE OF FIRE by Donald Hamilton
• THE MENACERS by Donald Hamilton
• THE MONA INTERCEPT by Donald Hamilton
• MURDERERS’ ROW by Donald Hamilton
• NIGHT WALKER by Donald Hamilton
• THE POISONERS by Donald Hamilton
• THE RAVAGERS by Donald Hamilton
• THE SHADOWERS by Donald Hamilton
• THE TERMINATORS by Donald Hamilton
• TEXAS FEVER by Donald Hamilton
• THE VANISHERS by Donald Hamilton

OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF JOHN D. MACDONALD:
• THE DEEP BLUE GOOD-BY by John D. MacDonald
• THE GIRL, THE GOLD WATCH & EVERYTHING by John D. MacDonald
• NIGHTMARE IN PINK by John D. MacDonald
• A PURPLE PLACE FOR DYING by John D. MacDonald
• SOFT TOUCH by John D. MacDonald
• A TAN AND SANDY SILENCE by John D. MacDonald
• WHERE IS JANICE GANTRY? by John D. MacDonald