The Interlopers

After the ridiculousness of the previous entry in the series, The Menacers, it is a relief to see Mr. Helm back on track in a much grittier, more typical adventure. He is asked to impersonate a dead courier for a communist spy ring, but his real mission is to act as bait for an assassin who needs to be put out of business. This involves a trek through British Columbia, a ferry trip to Alaska, and more shenanigans in the woods with a superior cast of characters -- the good guys, the bad guys, and the ones we (and Matt) aren't too sure about. And of course, a few of them are beautiful women. There are lots of twists and turns along the way and the bad guys (as always) talk way too much in front of the good guys when they have them tied show more up, but the story keeps moving along to its satisfying conclusion. The real tagline for this one would have to be "A dog is a man's best friend." show less

Lots of female characters in this installment. And there was even one that Matt didn't have sex with! She died in the end, of course, but still...

It's an interestingly plotted detailed spy novel written in the 60s with a main character who fits in his era.

I think if the Helm series had been written later, say in the 80s, it would have been a very good series - with less sexism and more violent action.

Another agency needs a gent that is 6'4" tall & 190 lbs that can take the place of a courier that is killed & continue his mission up the west coast from Washington state into Alaska. Helm fits the description & takes the job. As usual, his boss, Mac, never cooperates for free, so Helm winds up in some very interesting situations & with a dog for a partner.

As usual, Hamilton does a great job with the dog & the various guns. You can tell he's very familiar with both, although he doesn't beat you to death with detail.

It's a great journey & shows Helm off at his best. This is probably one of the very best books to read if you're trying to get a handle on Helm's character without reading the entire series. He's in perfect show more form. show less