Max Allan Collins’ series about Nathan Heller mixes his fictional detective with real people, skillfully weaving him into historical mysteries with the author’s own explanation for what REALLY happened. Heller has been involved in the Lindbergh baby kidnapping, had a relationship with Amelia Earhart before her disappearance, knew “fan dancer” Sally Rand, among other cases.
I’ve read seven of the novels and have three more in my TBR pile(a couple and the short story collections I’ve never come across). I decided to feature the first Heller title, TRUE DETECTIVE, in this week’s Forgotten Books post. It won the 1984 Shamus for best PI hardcover(he also won in 1992 for STOLEN AWAY, the Heller about the Lindbergh kidnapping).
Early in this one, Heller is still a detective with the Chicago PD when he gets pulled into an attempt on Mafia boss Frank Nitti’s life. While not averse to a little graft(this is Chicago in the depression, Heller draws the line when forced to kill a young hood in the raid and then told he would have to back the other cops’ story.
He then quits to do what he’d always wanted: to be a private eye.
All the real life people he meets would be too numerous to mention, but we’ll go with the main few. Elliot Ness is his best friend. He rents an office from boxer Barney Ross. His first client is Al Capone, hired to body guard Chicago mayor Cermak while he’s in Florida from a hit by Nitti(Capone doesn’t think the publicity would be good for his organization).
There, he’s peripherally involved in the assassination attempt on President-elect Roosevelt and the wounding of Cermak by the killer. Not to mention all the attendant rumors about what really went on that day.
It’s all seamlessly melded into a story by Collins that gives one a slice of life during those times. Heller meets actor George Raft while looking for his girl friend’s missing brother in a subplot that eventually ties in with it all. One meeting brought a smile as, during that hunt, he goes on a tour of speakeasies with a young radio sportscaster that would someday become President himself. The girl friend, while never named, goes on to become a well-known actress I thought I recognized.
The book is full of photographs of the people involved, as well as snaps of the Chicago World’s Fair being planned at the time. I had a grand time reading this one and recommend it, as well as the whole Heller series.
Not The Baseball Pitcher 