Bye Bye, Baby

A Nathan Heller Novel, Book 13

By: Max Allan Collins

Narrated by: Dan John Miller

Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

Marilyn Monroe, the ultimate goddess of the silver screen, is at the peak of her popularity, internationally famous, universally admired by women and desired by men. But she’s also famously insecure and temperamental and is being pilloried in the press for delaying the production of Something’s Got to Give. When the head of Twentieth Century Fox threatens to cancel her contract, Monroe hires “PI to the stars” Nathan Heller to tap her phones and record calls that might affect legal action.

Less than three months later, Monroe is dead from an overdose and, officially, a suicide. But Heller isn’t buying it. He knows that in the weeks before, the star was anything but suicidal. He knows, too, about her affair with JFK, about the secret connections between the Kennedys and the Mob… and about Bobby Kennedy’s blood feud with Jimmy Hoffa. In short, Heller knows too much to accept this bum rap on a beautiful, gifted woman.

So he investigates, though his efforts might enrage some very famous, very powerful, very dangerous people. But they can’t keep Heller from finding out the astounding truth behind Marilyn Monroe’s untimely demise….

©2011 Max Allan Collins (P)2011 Brilliance Audio

Outstanding narration.

Good story and of particular interest to those of us who grew up in the time depicted. What made the book a fantastic listen was the narrator. His characterization of the voices was outstanding. Definitely a book to listen to more than once!

Who Killed Marilyn?

As I continue listening to the Max Collins series featuring private eye Nate Heller, we are finally reaching a point in history that rings a bell of familiarity. As a youngster growing up in the late fifties and on into the sixties, the characters and storyline bring back memories of the events of the time. Perhaps this is why Bye, Bye, Baby maintained my interest level from start to finish.

With this outing, Nate becomes embroiled in the goings on with the last days and death of Marilyn Monroe. I have to unabashedly admit that Marilyn was my first fantasy dreamgirl. I can still remember the shock of hearing her death and feeling crushed. It would be years later before I heard the fabled and controversial storyline around her death.

In Mr. Collins tale, our hero Nate is not only a personal friend of Marilyn, but she also becomes one of his many conquests of real life sex sirens dating all the back to Sally Rand. While this piece of fiction is becoming more and more unbelievable, it does not take away from the fun of the overall listen. What takes place here is a fictionalized account of the many rumors surrounding the last few days of Marilyn's life as Nate finds himself right in the middle of the before and after events. The supporting cast includes Frank Sinatra, John and Bobby Kennedy, Hugh Hefner, Peter Lawford with many other well known names of the time both famous and infamous scattered throughout the tale. One of the most interesting fictional characters is Flo Kilgore, a very thinly veiled nom de plume for Dorothy Kilgallen who also met a questionable suicide death after her questioning of the investigation of Monroe's death. While that is not specifically covered in this outing, I suspect there will more of Miss Kilgore in the next Heller novel.

This is a great listen and I highly recommend it. Dan John Miller does his normal excellent job reading and playing our lead hero, Nate Heller in the first person. I have already looked ahead to see the next novel centers around the Kennedy clan. If that one is as good as Bye Bye Baby, it will be another sure fire hit. In the meantime, enjoy this one.

MM, one of a kind

This is my favorite so far in the Nate Heller series. Marilyn Monroe died when I was a kid. I did see some of her movies then and like most of the world thought she was great. I was saddened when she died and followed the story as JFK and RFK were implicated in her life. I really enjoyed the author's version of what happened.

Overreached Her Place

good use of historical files and notes. Good entertainment, not sure where fact and fiction blend, and it makes you want to investigate more of this background.
Reader is a long fave of mine, see him in Nora Roberts Blood Brothers, outstanding job and good entertainment.
Good series, for Audible 50% sales
Will seek more.
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