The Ravagers

The Matt Helm Series, Book 8

By: Donald Hamilton

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki

Length: 5 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

It was not a peaceful way to die, but there was nothing Matt Helm could do for his fellow agent. He had found him in a Canadian motel room - his once-handsome face eaten away, corroded by acid. Scratch one agent. The women wouldn't be lining up for him now. But it created further problems. The most likely culprit was a woman Helm had orders to protect - no matter what the cost.

Originally released in the era of the James Bond novels, the Matt Helm novels were considered grittier and more realistic than Bond, garnering them critical praise and an ardent audience. This eighth installment in the series is a riveting adventure full of clever plot twists and fierce action.

©1964 Donald Hamilton (P)2015 Skyboat Media, Inc.

with out doubt one of the best!

this is certainly one of the best helm 📚, and ,as usual, an excellent reading, i certainly enjoy this series of audio books,and look forward to the next installment!!

The ravagers

Oh, how I have missed reading macho, hard boiled detective / spy stories! this audio book reminded me of the books I read 40 years ago.

Fantastic voice fitting the character. 

Page Turner. Makes you sit in the edge of your seat. Believable character. The speaker does an excellent job bringing the character to life. 

Excellent. A high point in the series.

What did you love best about The Ravagers?

I loved the situation Matt was in. He even makes a joke about how typical it is early on in the book. Things go completely side ways and stay that way the whole book. It was a very odd and potentially disastrous set of rules.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Matt's objective was different this time due to some events. It was interesting to see the hero we have come to love with a different goal. His professionalism REALLY shines in this book.

Have you listened to any of Stefan Rudnicki’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Excellent as always. I cant say enough about his contribution to the series in audio form.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Just a private eye.

Any additional comments?

This was a very interesting change of pace without feeling out of place. Matt's orders and the ethical questions he is presented with REALLY flesh out his character. The author does not disappoint by letting Matt fall to typical tropes of the genre.

Words have changed meaning

Really enjoy the series, but the word rape have changed a lot in meaning since then, any way it can be replaced with something suitable to our time, like ravage?

The iron men of the undercover profession!

Helm is sent to check on a tardy agent Greg Green, and found him, his face destroyed by acid. Checking in with Mac, Helm is to take over for agent Green. He is to gain Genevieve Drilling’s confidence. She is traveling east on the Trans Canada Highway with her daughter Penelope in a pickup and house trailer. She is suspected of making off with sensitive documents from her physicist husband, and possibly killing agent Green. She is also to meet with a man named Hans Reuter, not his real name, who is an enemy agent. Helm, aka David Kletinger, poses as a private detective hired by her husband, Herbert Drilling to ask Genevieve if she would send Penelope back home. Covertly, he is to determine if she had anything to do with the other accusations and her involvement with Reuter. So much for the setup of the story. Agents of various organizations are very interested in Genevieve Drilling. Elaine Harms is one such agent. Speaking of agents, Hans Reuter was high on the interest list. All these people are connected and to be chaperoned by Helm, who has his orders to follow through to the end. Will all Mac’s orders come to fruition? Surprises?

the adventure goes on

the adventure goes on Hope more to hear and having fun with this character in his avengers.