The Wrecking Crew

The Matt Helm Series, Book 2

By: Donald Hamilton

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki

The second installment in the legendary Matt Helm thrillers.

Matt Helm, code name Eric, has been recently reactivated as an operative for a secret American government organization after 15 years as a sedentary photographer and family man in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In his first assignment after returning to the service, he is sent to Sweden to eliminate Caselius, a long-time enemy agent. In order to do so, he must leave a trail of bodies in his wake.

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.

©1960, 2013 Donald Hamilton (P)2014 Skyboat Media, Inc.

Incredible

What made the experience of listening to The Wrecking Crew the most enjoyable?

A combination of the Narrator and how well the character Matt Helm is written.

What did you like best about this story?

How clever, cold and pragmatic Matt is while still being a human believable character. He doesn't have any obligatory humanizing traits yet never feels like a superhero.

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

Other Matt Helm novels. Just as amazing.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. It started off a little spread out. Then it was a litttttleee hard to follow. However when it all started coming together, near the last third, I just couldn't stop listening.

Any additional comments?

Matt is truly a professional and a joy to ride along with. The well illustrated tension makes his skill much more respectable. As a Clancy fan, Matt Helm is not quite as technical as I like BUT it makes up for it with soul and interesting yet believable characters.

Definitely enjoying this series

Very enjoyable series. It reminds me a lot of the Jack Reacher series. Smart dude who thinks things thru carefully and is very thoughtful. We get a lot of details, as we do with Jack Reacher novels. The fact that these books were written back in the '60 - '90 era doesn't take away from the books. It's kind of funny to remember how women were treated back then and how things have changed. I'm continuing with the series.

One note - they are short books - 5 hours and I listen at 1.1 speed, so that makes them about 4 1/2 hours, which isn't worth a credit, but they are free in the Plus Catalogue, if you are a member with that privilege.

greatest spy novels ever written great actor

If you could sum up The Wrecking Crew in three words, what would they be?

great characters/plot

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

constant surprise yet always convincing

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

his Helms series is always superb

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes and no. I wanted it to last forever.

Any additional comments?

I hope that Rudnicki will get round to Hamilon's The Interlopers, one of the greatest of all spy thrillers.

the series is really great

the series is really great I like how he gets the characters to work together and make sense of how they think

Fantastic - On par with Bond

Entertaining as hell.

Cold war spy adventures in the vein of James Bond without the gimmicks. lI's been called a grittier and more realistic James Bond, but with all espionage ,action, fun, pretty girls, and sexy women that characterized the pulp fiction including the Bond novels or the time.

The protagonist is a down to earth and more human than the Bond character, and makes him much more accessible.

It is refreshing! Pure fun and storytelling without the subtext and overt lectures that infect contemporary literature and media.

Though written quite a while ago, it reads as if it could have been written yesterday.