Kill Me, Darling

A Mike Hammer Novel

By: Mickey Spillane, Max Allan Collins

Narrated by: Stacy Keach

Length: 6 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's Summary

The course of true love never did run smooth for PI Mike Hammer. His secretary and partner, Velda, has walked out on him without explanation, and Mike is just surfacing from a four-month bender. But then an old cop turns up murdered - a cop who once worked with Velda on the NYPD Vice Squad. What's more, Mike's pal, Captain Pat Chambers, has discovered that Velda is in Florida, now the moll of gangster and drug runner Nolly Quinn.

Hammer hits the road and drives to Miami, where he enlists the help of a horse-faced newspaperman and a local police detective. But can they find Velda in time? And what is the connection between the murdered vice cop in Manhattan and Mike's ex turned gun moll in Florida?

©2015 Mickey Spillane (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

A Masterpiece from Two Masters and Great Narration

Just finished listening to, "Kill Me, Darling," by Max Allan Collins, from an unfinished manuscript by Mickey Spillane, read by Stacy Keach.
If you've never read, or heard a hard-boiled, noir, crime detective novel this book would be a fantastic place to start.
This work has it all: a hard-as-nails, hard drinking, cynical, yet soft, all-masculine, ladies' man protagonist prone to both violence, vengeance and murder, the inimitable PI Mike Hammer, Dames, dames, dames (some of whom are cops, some of whom are strippers, some of whom...well, I won't spoil THAT), cops, grizzled cops, good cops, bad cops, dirty cops, drugs, alcohol, lots and lots of alcohol, gangster, Italian gangsters, Jewish gangsters, drugs (did I mention drugs?), double/crosses, fists, lots of hard-punching fists, guns, sharks, boats, death, LOTS of death, more dames, fedoras, shoulder holsters, Miami, Miami Beach, New York City, classy joints, seedy joints, whiskey-soaked, ink-stained, cynical journalists (my favorite part!), an incredible narrator in Stacy Keach (he played Hammer for several years on TV, and he has the perfect world-wearily voice to bring life and depth to the character), and one helluva surprise ending that completely explains the title, but one that you will never see, or hear, coming, just like the bright orange sunburst flash of a silenced .22!
This is a modern masterpiece.

Highly recommended!!

Clever, suspenveful entertainment well delivered

Mickey Spillane masterfully ties multiple, very distinctive parts together into a solved puzzle that is a beautiful portrait of a mystery told through Stacey Keach's superb narration. Very entertaining.

A reall MH zinger

It’s a little difficult to track with all the names but it is absolutely worth the emphasis! Highly recommended!

Another Finger Gripper

As usual keep me interested and on the edge of my seat. Mickey and Mike never disappoint me.

best Hammer book I've read

Hammer seems to have gotten better with age. In this installment I have found a sympathetic character in Hammer, great, descriptive and evocative writing that is a pleasure all on its own, and a story that is as enjoyable as the test. I can now say I am a fan.

Miami action

Velda, Hammer’s business partner/live interest leaves and sends him on a 4 month bender. Then his NYPD buddy tells him Velda is in Miami and as long as he’s going there could he do some groundwork for a case he's working. And it turns out the case and Velda are interwtined.

A shorter book, it’s action packed from start to finish. Enjoy

great book, great reader

another excellent Mike Hammer book read by Stacy Keach , he does a fantastic job

boredom

I have other audible books by Mickey Spillane, but this is the worst one.of them all
without supporting actors, Stacey Keith is very boring. I could only listen to four chapters, it was that boring I do not recommend it to anyone who have had previous copies of Mickey Spillane audible books kill me darling did exactly that it was killing me to listen to it

Mike Hammer is alive and well

Would you consider the audio edition of Kill Me, Darling to be better than the print version?

Stacy Keach... Mike Hammer is alive and well... and living in South Beach... Miami Beach, Florida

Who was your favorite character and why?

The Hammer... of course

A thrill

Some lovely lines in this. Very enjoyable and a beautiful performance indeed. Will try another