Blood and Thunder

A Nathan Heller Novel

By: Max Allan Collins

Narrated by: Dan John Miller

Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

Presidential candidate - and force of nature - Huey Long, the “Kingfish,” is in fear for his life. After Nathan Heller delivers the former Louisiana governor a bulletproof vest, the Kingfish hires the Chicago private eye to investigate death threats from political rivals. Soon Heller runs head-on into an IRS investigation seeking millions skimmed from state workers for Huey’s “de-duct box”... and into the arms of the ex-governor’s lovely ex-mistress.

When the charismatic politician is shot down by a seemingly crazed doctor, Heller gets a new employer - the insurance agency fighting a double-indemnity claim from Long’s widow. Was the Kingfish truly the victim of assassination, or accidentally killed by his own bodyguards? A classic P.I. thriller built on historical fact, Max Allan Collins’ Blood and Thunder showcases Huey Long in all his gaudy glory, while delving deep into the heart of the deadliest swamps of Louisiana’s mob-infested politics.

Listen to another title in the Nathan Heller series.

©2012 Max Allan Collins (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Collins’s sense of place and time is unerringly acute, and he happily indulges in recreating Long’s fiery stump style. Although Collins has carved out a mystery subgenre that he occupies nearly alone, he and his detective would be a tough act to follow.” ( Publisher’s Weekly)

Huey

In this book the author takes us into the last few months of the life of Hueyy Long, the Louisiana political power broker that was shot and killed in 1935. Nate Heller is called into action first as a Huey bodyguard then as an insurance investigator to determine who actually killed Huey.

I'd heard of Huey Long before but didn't really know much about his life. This book brought to light his life and times. That part of it was pretty interesting.

This was an enjoyable listen.

One of my Favorite Heller Novels

Every Nathan Heller novel I've read has been a very well researched and just truly engrossing read, and Blood and Thunder is right there with them, and is also one of my favorite entries in the series. I feel like we've recently and are still in a period of time in which our own Huey P. Long is running roughshod in America even out of office, so aside from how incredibly interesting a story Huey Long's was during his time and looking back, this is a very timely read today. I cannot recommend it more.

Blue Hawaii

Our hero Nate Heller is pulled into another crime story this time away from the streets of Chicago to the beaches of Hawaii. As the plot unfolds, we find murder, a reported rape, and a courtroom drama all captured prior to the fall of Pearl Harbor of WWII. For the outing, Nate is joined by the famous defense attorney Clarence Darrow and a cast of many others both real and fictionalized. Dan John Miller again captures the the tone and voice of Nate Heller just right for a great enjoyable listen.

ANOTHER GREAT "NATHAN HELLER" BOOK

I know, I know.....I've said a kazillion times how much I really like this series. But there are quite a few of them and I keep buying them. As I've said before, these books are only as interesting as the life of the real historic figure chosen by Max Allan Collins to insinuate his "film noir" gumshoe in the middle of. No one can deny that former Louisiana Governor and US Senator was a bigger-than-life personality. As usual, P.I. Heller is in the thick of things during Long's assassination and the subsequent investigation. What I particularly like about Collins' approach is that he presents an alternate motive or ending to the actual event that's believable. The story is well-researched with great dialogue. Narrator Dan John Miller gives the irreverent, womanizing Heller an "aw-shucks" boyish charm that I have yet to become weary of. Start at Book 1 of the series - grow and "grow up" with the most personable shamus since Raymond Chandler's "Philip Marlowe", Dashiell Hammett's "Sam Spade", and Mickey Spillane's "Mike Hammer".