Max Allan Collins

"The thrilling history of the torso murderer. The tale of the ‘Untouchable’ who got Al Capone but failed to solve his goriest case." —Dan Jones, The Sunday TimesIn the spirit of Devil in the White City comes a true detective tale of the highest standard: the haunting story of Eliot Ness's forgotten final case–his years-long hunt for "The Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run," a serial killer who terrorized Cleveland through the Great Depression. “After helping to put Al Capone behind bars, lawman Eliot Ness came to Cleveland, where he did battle with a vicious killer. ... Even Ness was stumped trying to apprehend the ‘torso murderer’ responsible for a series of ghoulish killings. ... The authors have done Ness justice." —Wall Street JournalIn 1934, the nation’s most legendary crime-fighter–fresh from taking on the greatest gangster in American history–arrived in Cleveland, a corrupt and dangerous town about to host a world's fair. It was to be his coronation, as well as the city's. Instead, terror descended, as headless bodies started turning up. The young detective, already battling the mob and crooked cops, found his drive to transform American policing subverted by a menace largely unknown to law enforcement: a serial murderer.Eliot Ness's greatest case had begun. Now, Max Allan Collins and A. Brad Schwartz–the acclaimed writing team behind Scarface and the Untouchable–uncover this lost crime epic, delivering a gripping and unforgettable nonfiction account based on decades of groundbreaking research.Ness had risen to fame in 1931 for leading the “Untouchables,” which helped put Chicago’s Al Capone behind bars. As Cleveland's public safety director, in charge of the police and fire departments, Ness offered a radical new vision for better law enforcement. Crime-ridden and devastated by the Depression, Cleveland was preparing for a star-turn itself: in 1936, it would host the "Great Lakes Exposition," which would be visited by seven million people. Late in the summer of 1934, however, pieces of a woman’s body began washing up on the Lake Erie shore–first her ribs, then part of her backbone, then the lower half of her torso. The body count soon grew to five, then ten, then more, all dismembered in gruesome ways.As Ness zeroed in on a suspect–a doctor tied to a prominent political family–powerful forces thwarted his quest for justice. In this battle between a flawed hero and a twisted monster–by turns horror story, political drama, and detective thriller–Collins and Schwartz find an American tragedy, classic in structure, epic in scope.

The hitman hero of the acclaimed Cinemax series comes out of retirement for another nail-biting suspense thriller from the author of ROAD TO PERDITION. YOU’RE CORDIALLY INVITED TO CELEBRATE 50 YEARS OF MURDER… Since his first appearance in 1976, Max Allan Collins’ quintessential killer-for-hire, Quarry, has starred in 17 novels, two films, a graphic novel, and a Cinemax TV series -- and with QUARRY’S REUNION, he reaches a milestone never before achieved by any character in American crime novels: a series that has continued for 50 years. To celebrate, MWA Grand Master Collins is taking Quarry somewhere he’s never gone before: back home, to the town in Ohio where he grew up, before his tour of duty in Vietnam and his even bloodier experiences Stateside. An old high-school girlfriend summons Quarry for his 50th reunion – but old times take a back seat when bullets start to fly. Thrilling, moving, and revealing, this new installment in Quarry’s Edgar and Shamus Award-nominated saga delivers a powerful capstone to the killer’s career – and a perfect entry point for readers new to Quarry’s story.

Hardboiled noir that picks up where legendary author Dashiell Hammett left off, telling the story of iconic private eye Sam Spade and the quest for the priceless Maltese Falcon. THE GREATEST PRIVATE EYE OF ALL TIME RETURNS TO FINISH THE JOB Legendary mystery writer Dashiell Hammett only wrote one novel about detective Sam Spade: The Maltese Falcon, the most famous private eye story ever told. But the case was never really solved - the priceless golden, bejeweled bird that men and women had been dying to possess turned out to be a fake. Now, Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Max Allan Collins (author of Road to Perdition) brings closure to this crime classic, reuniting all the surviving members of the original cast alongside femme fatales, crooked collectors, and greedy gangsters for one more thrilling, deadly chase through the streets, wharves, morgues, bars, and back alleys of 1920s San Francisco - and finally answers the question, Whatever became of the Maltese falcon...?

The very first assignment of the legendary hit man known as Quarry, star of the Cinemax TV series, a feature film, a comic book, and 16 novels!Discover the never-before-told story of Quarry’s first job: infiltrating a college campus and eliminating a professor whose affair with one of his beautiful, young students is the least of his sins…BIG MAN ON CAMPUSCrime fiction readers know Quarry, the ruthless killer-for-hire, from Max Allan Collins’ acclaimed novels – most recently the Edgar Award finalist QUARRY'S BLOOD and QUARRY'S RETURN, which told the story of the assassin’s struggles in retirement.But where did Quarry's story start? In THE FIRST QUARRY, the best-selling author of ROAD TO PERDITION takes us back to the beginning, revealing the never-before-told story of Quarry’s first job: infiltrating a college town and eliminating a professor whose affair with one of his beautiful, young students is the least of his sins…

Notorious hitman Quarry, star of the Cinemax series, comes out of retirement for one last assignment when a media mogul hires him to assassinate a beautiful young…librarian? Twists and sexy surprises abound as Quarry delivers justice in his violent but principled fashion.THE BOOK THAT IGNITED THE QUARRY REVIVAL!The ruthless professional killer known as Quarry long ago disappeared into a well-earned retirement. But now a media magnate has lured the restless hitman into tackling one last lucrative assignment. The target is an unlikely one: Why, Quarry wonders, would anyone want a beautiful young librarian dead?Discover the volume that brought Quarry back after an 18-year hiatus and inspired a feature film, a Cinemax series, a comic book, and 10 more novels.

Mike Hammer’s deadly final adventure challenges everything we knew about the enduring noir detective in this gripping finale with a shocking twist.The concluding Hammer novel begins with a 21st-century funeral before flashing back to summer, 1973.Nine years after the events of Dig Two Graves, Hammer takes another unlikely vacation - this time on Long Island to help look after his partner Velda Sterling’s seventeen-year-old sibling, Mikki.Mikki must deal with the attention of two boys vying for her affection – Hammer preferring the good kid from a wealthy family over the long-haired doper with an Easy Rider vibe. When Mikki gets hooked on heroin, Hammer – filled with contempt for dope dealers – goes on a rampage. He will find those behind the drug racket and teach them what shooting up is all about.But a final resolution awaits him in the future at that funeral...

The hitman hero of the acclaimed Cinemax series comes out of retirement when his daughter, a true-crime writer, is abducted by the subject of one of her books. A nail-biting suspense thriller from the author of ROAD TO PERDITION. MWA Grand Master Max Allan Collins’ longest-running series, which inspired the show on Cinemax, makes a ferocious return following the Edgar Award-nominated QUARRY’S BLOOD as aging hitman Quarry is forced to come out of retirement when his true-crime-author daughter is abducted by one of the killers she’s written about. Perfect for fans of Liam Neeson thrillers and authors such as Lee Child.

Acclaimed “True Crime” detective Nathan Heller, whose cases have sold more than 1 million copies, returns to uncover the secrets behind Robert F. Kennedy’s 1968 assassination in this brand-new novel from bestselling ROAD TO PERDITION author Max Allan Collins.A HELL OF A FINALE TO A DECADE OF ASSASSINATIONIt began with John F. Kennedy in 1963. Then Malcolm X in 1965. Martin Luther King in April 1968. And then, in June of the same year, President Kennedy’s brother Robert fell before an assassin’s bullets at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.But how many shooters were there, really? And who sent them? In this astonishing, meticulously researched novel, bestselling author Max Allan Collins – Mystery Writers of America Grand Master – takes Nathan Heller, “Private Eye to the Stars,” from the scene of the crime to Hollywood’s seediest haunts, from strip joints to Washington D.C.’s corridors of power to a deadly desert showdown outside Las Vegas, all in pursuit of the truth about a conspiracy that may have put the wrong man in jail, let the real killers go free, and snuffed out the life of a man poised to become the next president of the United States.

True Crime detective Nathan Heller returns in a brand new case that connects a millionaire's kidnapped child to Robert F. Kennedy's campaign to bring down union boss Jimmy Hoffa. Nathan Heller, star of MWA Grandmaster Max Allan Collins' most acclaimed series of novels (more than 1 million copies sold to date!), comes to Hard Case Crime for the first time in an all-new thriller drawn from the pages of history. A millionaire's son is kidnapped and private eye Heller is called in to help. But when half of the record $600,000 ransom goes missing, Heller must wade through a morass of deception and depravity to blow the lid off a notorious crime whose consequences reach into the corridors of power in Washington D.C., where Bobby Kennedy works tirelessly to take down crooked union boss Jimmy Hoffa....

Acclaimed “True Crime” detective Nathan Heller, whose cases have sold more than 1 million copies, returns to uncover the secrets behind Robert F. Kennedy’s 1968 assassination in this brand-new novel from bestselling ROAD TO PERDITION author Max Allan Collins. A HELL OF A FINALE TO A DECADE OF ASSASSINATION It began with John F. Kennedy in 1963. Then Malcolm X in 1965. Martin Luther King in April 1968. And then, in June of the same year, President Kennedy's brother Robert fell before an assassin's bullets at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. But how many shooters were there, really? And who sent them? In this astonishing, meticulously researched novel, bestselling author Max Allan Collins - Mystery Writers of America Grand Master - takes Nathan Heller, "Private Eye to the Stars," from the scene of the crime to Hollywood's seediest haunts, from striptease joints to Washington D.C.'s corridors of power to a deadly desert showdown outside Las Vegas, all in pursuit of the truth about a conspiracy that may have put the wrong man in jail, let the real killers go free, and snuffed out the life of a man poised to become the next president of the United States.

Winter 1964. After a hit-and-run accident nearly kills her mother, Mike Hammer's partner (both in life and the PI business), Velda Sterling, learns her father is not who she thought he is. Seeking to uncover her true, troubling heritage, Velda and Mike travel to Phoenix, Arizona-and sunny Dreamland Park, where retired law enforcement officers protect and corral notorious criminals held under Witness Protection. Mike and Velda find themselves swept up in escalating violence, fueled by the missing millions from an armored-car robbery, which leads them to a deadly midnight confrontation in a cemetery-where secrets are buried and open graves await.

Nolan must rob every store in a mall in one night - or his girlfriend dies. Two Nolan novels from Grandmaster Max Allan Collins, collected in one volume for the first time. Nolan and Jon have put their lives of crime behind them - but when a cruel adversary from their past resurfaces, they're forced back into the heist game with a brutal ultimatum: pull off an insanely ambitious overnight robbery or Nolan's kidnapped lover won't live to see the morning. Appearing in bookstores for the first time in 35 years, this is Nolan's biggest and deadliest job - and Mad Money also features, for the first time ever in the same volume, the bonus full-length novel Mourn the Living, offering a look back at Nolan's early years as a professional thief.

There has never been a full-length biography of Mickey Spillane, the most popular and influential mystery writer of his era--until now.Beginning in 1947 with I, the Jury, and continuing with his next six novels, Spillane quickly amassed a readership in the tens of millions, becoming the bestselling novelist in the history of American publishing. Surrounded by controversy for the overt violence and suggestive sexual content of his iconic Mike Hammer private eye novels, Spillane was loathed by critics but beloved by his readers.There is, however, more to Spillane's life than the books. He also starred as Hammer in a movie, was a circus performer, worked with the FBI in capturing a notorious criminal, and starred in Miller Light beer commercials that were so popular they ran for a quarter of a century.Max Allan Collins became Spillane's friend and collaborator, continuing the Mike Hammer series for years after the author's death, building upon unfinished manuscripts the writer left behind. Now, with co-author James Traylor, Collins has produced the first comprehensive and authoritative profile of the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master. It is a must-read for any fan of the author--or of the generations of crime writers that were influenced by his work.

True Crime detective Nathan Heller returns in a brand new case that connects a millionaire's kidnapped child to Robert F. Kennedy's campaign to bring down union boss Jimmy Hoffa. Nathan Heller, star of MWA Grandmaster Max Allan Collins' most acclaimed series of novels (more than 1 million copies sold to date!), comes to Hard Case Crime for the first time in an all-new thriller drawn from the pages of history. A millionaire's son is kidnapped and private eye Heller is called in to help. But when half of the record $600,000 ransom goes missing, Heller must wade through a morass of deception and depravity to blow the lid off a notorious crime whose consequences reach into the corridors of power in Washington D.C., where Bobby Kennedy works tirelessly to take down crooked union boss Jimmy Hoffa....

Legendary crime writer Mickey Spillane's celebrated tin-star hero Caleb York returns in the explosive Western saga by New York Times bestselling author Max Allan Collins. This time, Sheriff York will have to keep his wits about him as he goes toe-to-toe with a powerful cattle baroness who is manipulative, clever, and out for revenge... Inspired by the timeless Westerns of John Wayne and the hardboiled heroes of classic crime fiction, bestselling legends Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins turn up the heat on their tin-star tough guy Caleb York--in a gun-blazing showdown with two women ranchers calling the shots... It starts with an abusive, drunken young scoundrel who resists arrest, holds a barmaid hostage, and gets what he deserves from the blazing .44 of Sheriff Caleb York. The New Mexico lawman doesn't regret taking such deadly action, but the late youth's powerful mother, cattle baroness Victoria Drummond, seems bound to feel differently. To York's surprise, Victoria takes the news with stoic resignation--all she asks of him is a favor: help her convince Willa Cullen--the love of Caleb's life--to sell her the spread that Willa's late father had carved out of the wilderness. Willa, every bit as strong-willed as her rival, refuses to give up her land without a fight. Sheriff York anticipates an ugly showdown brewing with himself in the dangerous middle. And before he can stop it from escalating, the seductive cattle queen sends an army of hired guns to Sugar Creek, the sole source of water available for Willa's herd. York finds himself caught in the crossfire of a savage shoot-out between Willa's cowboys and Victoria's gunfighters. No matter who wins, it's going to be a bloodbath... In a climax in the tradition of Spillane's classic I, the Jury, York must face a beautiful deadly female who promises heaven but intends hell, while the devils in her employ plan to remove Caleb York from God's good earth.

Mike Hammer hits his 75th anniversary hard, after the disappearance of Velda, in this brand new case set between Kiss Me, Deadly and The Girl Hunters, based on an unproduced screenplay from Mickey Spillane’s archives. Celebrating the 75th anniversary of Mike Hammer, and including five brand new short stories, read the lost story of Velda's disappearance after Kiss Me, Deadly. A thrilling ride for fans new and old.

A BEST-SELLING AUTHOR MICKEY SPILLANE COLLECTION OF LONG-THOUGHT-LOST HARDBOILED TALES.All of Spillane's classic ingredients-betrayal, sex, gangsters, and, of course, revenge-are in one place for the first time and told in his trademark muscular prose. Readers familiar with Spillane will revel in the purity of these granite-hard crime stories that provide everything they expect and more from their favorite author. Those new to the works of the biggest selling mystery writer of the 20th century will discover Spillane's one-of-a-kind world of killers, femme fatales, and heroes more dangerous than meat-hook-wielding psychopaths... A total of ten of Spillane's rarest adventures are included in this collection, so be sure to put it at the top of your must-read list Often imitated, never equaled, Mickey Spillane and his creations are always unique and exciting. A true delight for crime fiction fans, this edition is sure to become a collector's item.Stand Up and Die includes: Stand Up and Die, Together We Kill, The Girl Behind the Hedge, The Pickpocket, I'll Die Tomorrow, Everybody's Watching Me, Tomorrow I Die, Hot Cat, The Gold Fever Tapes, and Tonight I Die-A Mike Hammer Story.

Has Nolan met his match? MWA Grandmaster Max Allan Collins’ veteran thief faces off against a cold-blooded femme fatale in this double-length adventure originally published as two complete novels and unavailable in stores for three decades.“Pulp fiction doesn’t get much better.” Sunday Times SOMETIMES YOU BURY THE PAST. SOMETIMES IT BURIES YOU. Every professional thief knows you never return to the scene of a crime. But what if you’re forced to? In this intense heist story – appearing in bookstores for the first time in three decades – MWA Grandmaster Max Allan Collins brings veteran thief Nolan and his young partner in crime Jon back to rob the same bank they targeted in their debut novel, TWO FOR THE MONEY, at the behest of an embezzling executive and a femme fatale with dollar signs where her soul should be. And those aren’t the only figures resurfacing from the past either – the ruthless Comfort clan is back to even old scores, and some members of the Outfit are packing bullets with Nolan’s name on them. With all these forces marshalled against him, can even the toughest professional hardcase come out on top?

The hitman hero of the acclaimed series Quarry on Cinemax returns for his final fight. By Quarry's creator, the award-wining author of Road to Perdition! At the very end of his bloody, clandestine career, the professional hitman known as Quarry - star of the Cinemax TV miniseries of the same name - receives a visit from a beautiful young woman who seems to have uncovered all his carefully hidden secrets. But what does she want? To expose him? To blackmail him? To get him to come out of retirement to kill someone for her? This brand new installment in Hard Case Crime's longest-running series -- the final installment in the chronology, taking place even after THE LAST QUARRY - will give readers a thrilling look at the last act of Quarry's professional life.