The character Mike Hammer first provoked readers in 1947. Induced from Mickey Spillane's imagination, Hammer and his detective stories were admits the first paper backs to seduce audiences into varied opinions about love, lust, violence, crime, integrity, greed and the pursuit of meaning.
"King of the Weeds" released in May is the last novel Spillane wrote (co-wrote). He died in 2006. How did Spillane co-write a novel seven years after his death? He's very clever and an amazing writer. Author Max Allan Collins has collaborated on several novels with Spillane including "King of the Weeds." The notes in the book state that Jane, Spillane's wife was told by him that when he dies there will be a treasure hunt around here. (Meaning Spillane household.) Spillane, years before his death instructed his wife to give all his manuscripts to Collin's, he'll know what to do he said. Indeed Collins did.
"King of the Weeds" is a sequel to 1996's "Black Alley" which I have not read, nor any other of Spillane's novels. So many books, so little time. Collins notes at the beginning of the book claim not having read "Black Alley" before reading "King of the Weeds" will not hinder ones understanding of "...Weeds" and he's right.
Suspense and action are presented with class and posh in this novel. Despite it's predictability, Hammer's guile on survival, including being shot point blank in the chest and surviving is very clever.
The book depicts Hammer as an aging PI with a long term girl friend Velda, and one year his fiancé whom Hammer describes as a timeless good looking older women. Her health regime consists of no smoking, moderate drinking and the gym every other day. "...Weeds" has a solid story line and vivid character development which enriches the imagination.
There are two main plots in this book. Hammer is researching whether a man in jail, Rodolph Olaf, aka The Bowery Bum Slayer is innocence for the serial killings of gay men. Hammer and his wife are also among the extremely few who know exactly where $89 billion in cash is hidden. Hammer and his woman Velda have even taken a few $100,000 for them selves.
The $89 billion is mafia money that has been stashed away in a cave large enough for trucks to drive in and out to stash the money, which the mafia has been doing since 1929. Needles to say, there's a lot of groups and individuals who want Hammer's knowledge of the location of the cash. Unsavory folks have nefarious methods in their attempts to attain the money.
The conclusion of the book was very unexpected and somewhat disturbing, but that's life, it sucks and is marvelous at the same time; four stars for "King of the Weeds."
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