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The Erection Set
The Erection Set introduces Mickey Spillane's greatest hero yet--Dogeron Kelly, a walking bomb of a man who explodes into block-busting action at the drop of a gun or a lift of a skirt as he goes after a multi-million-dollar mob with vengeance on his mind and burning hate in his heart.
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1972
24 people are currently reading
189 people want to read
About the author
Mickey Spillane
316 books446 followersMickey Spillane was one of the world's most popular mystery writers. His specialty was tight-fisted, sadistic revenge stories, often featuring his alcoholic gumshoe Mike Hammer and a cast of evildoers who launder money or spout the Communist Party line.
His writing style was characterized by short words, lightning transitions, gruff sex and violent endings. It was once tallied that he offed 58 people in six novels.
Starting with "I, the Jury," in 1947, Mr. Spillane sold hundreds of millions of books during his lifetime and garnered consistently scathing reviews. Even his father, a Brooklyn bartender, called them "crud."
Mr. Spillane was a struggling comic book publisher when he wrote "I, the Jury." He initially envisioned it as a comic book called "Mike Danger," and when that did not go over, he took a week to reconfigure it as a novel.
Even the editor in chief of E.P. Dutton and Co., Mr. Spillane's publisher, was skeptical of the book's literary merit but conceded it would probably be a smash with postwar readers looking for ready action. He was right. The book, in which Hammer pursues a murderous narcotics ring led by a curvaceous female psychiatrist, went on to sell more than 1 million copies.
Mr. Spillane spun out six novels in the next five years, among them "My Gun Is Quick," "The Big Kill," "One Lonely Night" and "Kiss Me, Deadly." Most concerned Hammer, his faithful sidekick, Velda, and the police homicide captain Pat Chambers, who acknowledges that Hammer's style of vigilante justice is often better suited than the law to dispatching criminals.
Mr. Spillane's success rankled other critics, who sometimes became very personal in their reviews. Malcolm Cowley called Mr. Spillane "a homicidal paranoiac," going on to note what he called his misogyny and vigilante tendencies.
His books were translated into many languages, and he proved so popular as a writer that he was able to transfer his thick-necked, barrel-chested personality across many media. With the charisma of a redwood, he played Hammer in "The Girl Hunters," a 1963 film adaptation of his novel.
Spillane also scripted several television shows and films and played a detective in the 1954 suspense film "Ring of Fear," set at a Clyde Beatty circus. He rewrote much of the film, too, refusing payment. In gratitude, the producer, John Wayne, surprised him one morning with a white Jaguar sportster wrapped in a red ribbon. The card read, "Thanks, Duke."
Done initially on a dare from his publisher, Mr. Spillane wrote a children's book, "The Day the Sea Rolled Back" (1979), about two boys who find a shipwreck loaded with treasure. This won a Junior Literary Guild award.
He also wrote another children's novel, "The Ship That Never Was," and then wrote his first Mike Hammer mystery in 20 years with "The Killing Man" (1989). "Black Alley" followed in 1996. In the last, a rapidly aging Hammer comes out of a gunshot-induced coma, then tracks down a friend's murderer and billions in mob loot. For the first time, he also confesses his love for Velda but, because of doctor's orders, cannot consummate the relationship.
Late in life, he received a career achievement award from the Private Eye Writers of America and was named a grand master by the Mystery Writers of America.
In his private life, he neither smoked nor drank and was a house-to-house missionary for the Jehovah's Witnesses. He expressed at times great disdain for what he saw as corrosive forces in American life, from antiwar protesters to the United Nations.
His marriages to Mary Ann Pearce and Sherri Malinou ended in divorce. His second wife, a model, posed nude for the dust jacket of his 1972 novel "The Erection Set."
Survivors include his third wife, Jane Rodgers Johnson, a former beauty queen 30 years his junior; and four children from the first marriage.
He also carried on a long epistolary flirtation with Ayn Rand, an admirer of his writing.
His writing style was characterized by short words, lightning transitions, gruff sex and violent endings. It was once tallied that he offed 58 people in six novels.
Starting with "I, the Jury," in 1947, Mr. Spillane sold hundreds of millions of books during his lifetime and garnered consistently scathing reviews. Even his father, a Brooklyn bartender, called them "crud."
Mr. Spillane was a struggling comic book publisher when he wrote "I, the Jury." He initially envisioned it as a comic book called "Mike Danger," and when that did not go over, he took a week to reconfigure it as a novel.
Even the editor in chief of E.P. Dutton and Co., Mr. Spillane's publisher, was skeptical of the book's literary merit but conceded it would probably be a smash with postwar readers looking for ready action. He was right. The book, in which Hammer pursues a murderous narcotics ring led by a curvaceous female psychiatrist, went on to sell more than 1 million copies.
Mr. Spillane spun out six novels in the next five years, among them "My Gun Is Quick," "The Big Kill," "One Lonely Night" and "Kiss Me, Deadly." Most concerned Hammer, his faithful sidekick, Velda, and the police homicide captain Pat Chambers, who acknowledges that Hammer's style of vigilante justice is often better suited than the law to dispatching criminals.
Mr. Spillane's success rankled other critics, who sometimes became very personal in their reviews. Malcolm Cowley called Mr. Spillane "a homicidal paranoiac," going on to note what he called his misogyny and vigilante tendencies.
His books were translated into many languages, and he proved so popular as a writer that he was able to transfer his thick-necked, barrel-chested personality across many media. With the charisma of a redwood, he played Hammer in "The Girl Hunters," a 1963 film adaptation of his novel.
Spillane also scripted several television shows and films and played a detective in the 1954 suspense film "Ring of Fear," set at a Clyde Beatty circus. He rewrote much of the film, too, refusing payment. In gratitude, the producer, John Wayne, surprised him one morning with a white Jaguar sportster wrapped in a red ribbon. The card read, "Thanks, Duke."
Done initially on a dare from his publisher, Mr. Spillane wrote a children's book, "The Day the Sea Rolled Back" (1979), about two boys who find a shipwreck loaded with treasure. This won a Junior Literary Guild award.
He also wrote another children's novel, "The Ship That Never Was," and then wrote his first Mike Hammer mystery in 20 years with "The Killing Man" (1989). "Black Alley" followed in 1996. In the last, a rapidly aging Hammer comes out of a gunshot-induced coma, then tracks down a friend's murderer and billions in mob loot. For the first time, he also confesses his love for Velda but, because of doctor's orders, cannot consummate the relationship.
Late in life, he received a career achievement award from the Private Eye Writers of America and was named a grand master by the Mystery Writers of America.
In his private life, he neither smoked nor drank and was a house-to-house missionary for the Jehovah's Witnesses. He expressed at times great disdain for what he saw as corrosive forces in American life, from antiwar protesters to the United Nations.
His marriages to Mary Ann Pearce and Sherri Malinou ended in divorce. His second wife, a model, posed nude for the dust jacket of his 1972 novel "The Erection Set."
Survivors include his third wife, Jane Rodgers Johnson, a former beauty queen 30 years his junior; and four children from the first marriage.
He also carried on a long epistolary flirtation with Ayn Rand, an admirer of his writing.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
July 6, 2017
As I recall that was Mickey Spillane's wife on the dust jacket cover.,
October 16, 2022
What is it about Interpol that makes me lose interest in the crime? It must be the inter not the pol. I don't get excited when the bad guys have names like The Turk, Le Fleur, and the Guido brothers. European crime is mostly backstory. Dog Kelly is back in NY and his enemies are going to catch heat.
Disappointingly, much of the book is a flaccid story about Dog settling his grandfathers estate. Interspersed are a few eruptions of badassery
Disappointingly, much of the book is a flaccid story about Dog settling his grandfathers estate. Interspersed are a few eruptions of badassery
"his teeth broke like dry matzos"and goodassery
"So pick a hole, Rose told me."But not nearly enough of this.
October 23, 2014
This is a stand alone book, not Mike Hammer or Tiger Mann series - which means I liked it better than most. It's also based on a short story, "The Bastard Bannerman" which can be found in The Tough Guys, a collection of 3 short stories.
Spillane changed all the names & expanded the short story by tossing in number of different threads - basically everything he could think of plus the kitchen sink. There's a European connection, a movie, a dying company, rotten family, lost love(s), renewed friendships, old connections & much more. The action is nonstop up to the very last page. Lots of fun.
I've re-read most of Spillane's novels. They're hoaky, dated & fun. I don't care for the Tiger Mann books much. He gets really hoaky with them - tough guy who screws around on his virginal fiancee but loves her so much he aches. The later Mike Hammer books go that way too. Mike Hammer ranks a little higher with me, but not a lot.
I enjoy Spillane's stand alone stories more. The love interests are about as bad, but less detailed. The heroes are just as tough & the plots are fair with lots of action. They're a good, quick read.
Spillane changed all the names & expanded the short story by tossing in number of different threads - basically everything he could think of plus the kitchen sink. There's a European connection, a movie, a dying company, rotten family, lost love(s), renewed friendships, old connections & much more. The action is nonstop up to the very last page. Lots of fun.
I've re-read most of Spillane's novels. They're hoaky, dated & fun. I don't care for the Tiger Mann books much. He gets really hoaky with them - tough guy who screws around on his virginal fiancee but loves her so much he aches. The later Mike Hammer books go that way too. Mike Hammer ranks a little higher with me, but not a lot.
I enjoy Spillane's stand alone stories more. The love interests are about as bad, but less detailed. The heroes are just as tough & the plots are fair with lots of action. They're a good, quick read.
February 6, 2008
I bought this book coz it had a nekkid lady on the cover and it was only 50 cents at the half-price bookstore. It turned out to be my favorite Mickey Spillane novel. Just as hard boiled as Mike Hammer and Tiger Mann, but not nearly as overwrought. More of a coolness to it than the pulp trash that made Spillane famous. And there's lots of fucking.
September 28, 2010
God knows, I tried.
I looked at the title and thought, "A sense of humor!" And I looked at the earnest early-twenties young woman holding that idiotic pose for the camera and thought, "It was the sixties--sexism was king." So when multiple references to Hefner's exploitation of very young women cropped up throughout the novel, I thought, "Yeah, Spillane knew what it really was."
And the truth is, Spillane did know: he knew how to write, he knew how to target his audience, he knew how to give his characters multiple facets and contradictory needs driving them fighting and kicking to their inevitable doom.
He also knew how to swear. Okey-dokey. It must have been some pretty hot stuff in his day, fuckety fuck fuck. You betcha.
But I still couldn't get through it. The minute we got into italicized "reflections" upon the protagonist, "Dog," ascribed to the gratuitously naked young woman decorating the scene of Dog's reunion with his old buddy, reflections intended solely to hammer home the point that this Dog is some sexy kind of "Dog". . .I'm sorry. I gave up.
And that was on page 10.
I did flip through the book to see how characters were developed and to the last pages to see if I could tell how well he'd structured his plot. But all I got out of the finale was a complex explanation of the solution and--cover your eyes if you're squeamish--the protagonist and his hot babe pausing in mid-coitus to shoot the arms, legs, and head off an intruder, and then (I'm so sorry) enthusiastically resuming their conjugal activities.
With enthusiastic swearing.
Ever wonder where Elmore Leonard learned his craft? Well, hey. Now you know.
I looked at the title and thought, "A sense of humor!" And I looked at the earnest early-twenties young woman holding that idiotic pose for the camera and thought, "It was the sixties--sexism was king." So when multiple references to Hefner's exploitation of very young women cropped up throughout the novel, I thought, "Yeah, Spillane knew what it really was."
And the truth is, Spillane did know: he knew how to write, he knew how to target his audience, he knew how to give his characters multiple facets and contradictory needs driving them fighting and kicking to their inevitable doom.
He also knew how to swear. Okey-dokey. It must have been some pretty hot stuff in his day, fuckety fuck fuck. You betcha.
But I still couldn't get through it. The minute we got into italicized "reflections" upon the protagonist, "Dog," ascribed to the gratuitously naked young woman decorating the scene of Dog's reunion with his old buddy, reflections intended solely to hammer home the point that this Dog is some sexy kind of "Dog". . .I'm sorry. I gave up.
And that was on page 10.
I did flip through the book to see how characters were developed and to the last pages to see if I could tell how well he'd structured his plot. But all I got out of the finale was a complex explanation of the solution and--cover your eyes if you're squeamish--the protagonist and his hot babe pausing in mid-coitus to shoot the arms, legs, and head off an intruder, and then (I'm so sorry) enthusiastically resuming their conjugal activities.
With enthusiastic swearing.
Ever wonder where Elmore Leonard learned his craft? Well, hey. Now you know.
February 3, 2012
I had to rate this 1 star for literature's sake, but if you're intelligent enough to understand the difference between objectively good writing and objectively bad writing (think James Joyce vs Twilight), this book is extremely entertaining for all the wrong reasons.
Mickey Spillane is the most ham-handed, awkward, and arrogant person to ever put words onto a piece of paper. Now, that alone is not an insult, more of an explanation of "style" really. Because he is so out of touch with the concepts of story and character development, everything he writes is pure gold, like reading a 14 year old girls diary. It's super dramatic and you can tell it means a lot to the writer, but it just isn't relate-able to any normal person.
That being said, Spillane was the Stephenie Meyer of his day, one of the world's best-selling authors (still), that just happened to not actually understand how books are written and that every main character needn't be a thinly veiled version of one's self.
Mickey Spillane is the most ham-handed, awkward, and arrogant person to ever put words onto a piece of paper. Now, that alone is not an insult, more of an explanation of "style" really. Because he is so out of touch with the concepts of story and character development, everything he writes is pure gold, like reading a 14 year old girls diary. It's super dramatic and you can tell it means a lot to the writer, but it just isn't relate-able to any normal person.
That being said, Spillane was the Stephenie Meyer of his day, one of the world's best-selling authors (still), that just happened to not actually understand how books are written and that every main character needn't be a thinly veiled version of one's self.
December 23, 2024
Somehow this book came across as just trying to hard to be 'hard boiled'. The dialogue mostly came across as totally over the top and was full of odd phrases and metaphors. For me this works in smaller doses, either as a short story, or part of a longer one, but got tiring here.
April 11, 2023
WTF
Please tell me this was a satire. I missed out on a ton of nasty indiscriminate sex, misogyny, and drugs by not being alive in 1972, apparently. I sure could have used some of those 70's drugs to help me plow through the stilted, horrifying tough-guy type dialog in this rag. If I had to read about how another tough but foxy broad ended up being a whore because she loved sex so much, I would have had to go soak my brain in bleach. Yech.
Please tell me this was a satire. I missed out on a ton of nasty indiscriminate sex, misogyny, and drugs by not being alive in 1972, apparently. I sure could have used some of those 70's drugs to help me plow through the stilted, horrifying tough-guy type dialog in this rag. If I had to read about how another tough but foxy broad ended up being a whore because she loved sex so much, I would have had to go soak my brain in bleach. Yech.
June 11, 2011
The main character in this story is possibly the most macho man I have ever read about. His name is Dogeron Kelly (called "Dog" even though he isn't black) and he is fast with a gun, a lady killer, and just plain ready for anything. He can kill three armed killers without a problem. He cures a woman suffering the psychological side affects of rape...with his penis. And his most amazing feat is his ability to get free sex from a hooker, because she wants him so bad.
This all seems like the set up for a fun exploitation story. Unfortunately, the dialogue is ridiculous and contrived. Maybe Spillane was trying to tap into the hip lingo of the early 70's. But the words fall flat. This is no fun especially since there is a lot more talking than action.
The cover is great though. The title is cool too, even though I have no idea what it has to do with the story I just read. I'll finish my review with a quote from the very last paragraph in the book: "Sharon smiled and turned the old brass ring around so it looked like a cheap wedding band. "Shut up and fuck me," she said, "like a dog.""
This all seems like the set up for a fun exploitation story. Unfortunately, the dialogue is ridiculous and contrived. Maybe Spillane was trying to tap into the hip lingo of the early 70's. But the words fall flat. This is no fun especially since there is a lot more talking than action.
The cover is great though. The title is cool too, even though I have no idea what it has to do with the story I just read. I'll finish my review with a quote from the very last paragraph in the book: "Sharon smiled and turned the old brass ring around so it looked like a cheap wedding band. "Shut up and fuck me," she said, "like a dog.""
May 21, 2017
This book seems like Mickey might've been tasked to write a novel for publication to meet demand from the over-sexed, tawdry industry back in 1972, so he took his most excellent novel 'The Deep' (1961), twisted it into something nasty and demeaning, and regurgitated it into this book. Lesson learned. No more Spillane's from the '70s or later for me. =o\
August 10, 2024
I’m done with over-rated Mickey Spillane. I keep giving him one more chance. Every story gets worse and more cliched. Dont understand the hype on this guy at all. I bought a whole set of novels on Ebay. Im collecting ‘em all and bringing them to local library sale. Not wasting another momemt on these books.
March 24, 2015
The sexual mores were dated, but otherwise it was a reasonable airline read. In a few places I was thinking, "Yeah, like that's gonna happen," but, after all, it's a story to pass the time with and enjoy for what it is.
May 9, 2014
This is the first book written by Mickey Spillane I ever read, a long time ago, and I think it still holds up today. There are a few things that make this novel seriously dated, but its themes and pure, hard boiled attitude can still be seen from the works of Andrew Vachss (another favorite author I need to look up here!) to the graphic novel noir of Frank Miller's SIN CITY. With a minimum of polishing and updating in all the right places, in fact, this would make a powerhouse of a cinematic thriller...but if that ever happened, please please PLEASE don't take the kids to watch THE ERECTION SET if it's ever made into a movie. As it stands solely in book form, you should still steer the young ones away from it, too! In case you couldn't tell by the title alone, it's only for adults, and in a way that's so over the top it borders on self-parody!
The ball starts rolling when mystery man and hardcase Dogeron Kelly -- or just plain Dog, he won't take offense -- returns home to New York with a suitcase full of money and mysterious intentions. It seems that he dropped off the face of the earth years ago after doing his bit in the military, and many thought he was dead. Some HOPED he was, and it's for them his return will come as a rude, earth-shaking surprise...and that's just the way he wants it. Dog is the bastard outcast of a rich family, and he's back for his piece of the inheritance in the wake of his grandfather's death. However, there's a morals clause in the will that states if he hasn't been of upright chraacter in any way (you know, breaking any of the Ten Commandments), he won't get his money.
His 'legitimate' siblings made Dog's life hell as a kid and they're more than ready to go to any lengths to prove he hasn't been moral...but to make things fair, Dog's granddad ensured that the rest of the family has to hold up under the same morals clause, or they'll lose *their* share of the will! Is it all Dog wants, just to come home again and settle some old scores? A gorgeous redhead, Sharon Cass, turns out to have a personal stake in the situation...and a growing, needful interest in Dog. Everyone involved will ultimately ask the same questions. Who is Dog Kelly, and where has he been all these years? How did he come into so much money in his own right? And why are shadowy forces trailing him...looking for the right moment to kill him?
It's not unusual to have the protagonist of the story narrate things, which happens in THE ERECTION SET, and Dog is an agreeable hero in the same spirit as hard boiled heroes of the genre Mickey Spillane himself made famous! He's tougher than a brick wall and has a strong code of honor...and he's as good at brutalizing and killing thugs as he is making a woman hot under her collar. And Mickey makes us want to root for Dog as he faces the forces arrayed against him in spite of the mystery surrounding him. Sharon is a great romantic interest for him, and she has her own share of surprises for Dog and the reader! My only complaint is that the reveals could have used more buildup...they mostly happen like 'Boom! Here's what you didn't know!' And that's it, no clues or teases beforehand or anything.
Again, this novel is over-the-top...that needs to be stressed, okay? Mickey Spillane didn't write this to put kids to sleep! There's plenty of foul language, brutality, violence, and sex. This is a guy's novel, the kind where we dudes read vicariously about an idealized, tough-yet-tender hero doing the sorts of things that folks in civilized society would call incorrect. The kind of guy John Wayne played in most of his movies, a bulwark of machismo who never made any apologies for what he was; you either took him as he was or you left him. Make no mistake, though, this is still a novel ladies can enjoy if you're in adventurous mood, too! Guy or dame, if you can take a man's man like Dog Kelly, who is typical of the tough guys Spillane wrote about, then THE ERECTION SET is for you!
The ball starts rolling when mystery man and hardcase Dogeron Kelly -- or just plain Dog, he won't take offense -- returns home to New York with a suitcase full of money and mysterious intentions. It seems that he dropped off the face of the earth years ago after doing his bit in the military, and many thought he was dead. Some HOPED he was, and it's for them his return will come as a rude, earth-shaking surprise...and that's just the way he wants it. Dog is the bastard outcast of a rich family, and he's back for his piece of the inheritance in the wake of his grandfather's death. However, there's a morals clause in the will that states if he hasn't been of upright chraacter in any way (you know, breaking any of the Ten Commandments), he won't get his money.
His 'legitimate' siblings made Dog's life hell as a kid and they're more than ready to go to any lengths to prove he hasn't been moral...but to make things fair, Dog's granddad ensured that the rest of the family has to hold up under the same morals clause, or they'll lose *their* share of the will! Is it all Dog wants, just to come home again and settle some old scores? A gorgeous redhead, Sharon Cass, turns out to have a personal stake in the situation...and a growing, needful interest in Dog. Everyone involved will ultimately ask the same questions. Who is Dog Kelly, and where has he been all these years? How did he come into so much money in his own right? And why are shadowy forces trailing him...looking for the right moment to kill him?
It's not unusual to have the protagonist of the story narrate things, which happens in THE ERECTION SET, and Dog is an agreeable hero in the same spirit as hard boiled heroes of the genre Mickey Spillane himself made famous! He's tougher than a brick wall and has a strong code of honor...and he's as good at brutalizing and killing thugs as he is making a woman hot under her collar. And Mickey makes us want to root for Dog as he faces the forces arrayed against him in spite of the mystery surrounding him. Sharon is a great romantic interest for him, and she has her own share of surprises for Dog and the reader! My only complaint is that the reveals could have used more buildup...they mostly happen like 'Boom! Here's what you didn't know!' And that's it, no clues or teases beforehand or anything.
Again, this novel is over-the-top...that needs to be stressed, okay? Mickey Spillane didn't write this to put kids to sleep! There's plenty of foul language, brutality, violence, and sex. This is a guy's novel, the kind where we dudes read vicariously about an idealized, tough-yet-tender hero doing the sorts of things that folks in civilized society would call incorrect. The kind of guy John Wayne played in most of his movies, a bulwark of machismo who never made any apologies for what he was; you either took him as he was or you left him. Make no mistake, though, this is still a novel ladies can enjoy if you're in adventurous mood, too! Guy or dame, if you can take a man's man like Dog Kelly, who is typical of the tough guys Spillane wrote about, then THE ERECTION SET is for you!
January 27, 2020
I have generally enjoyed Mickey Spillane's stories. The epitome of hard-boiled, both in the life he led and in his writing style, Spillane keeps the reader on edge with his terse language and unexpected plot twists. In "The Erection Set" (I'll have a hard time looking at metal toy construction sets the same way again) he doesn't disappoint.
Dogeron ("Dog") Kelly has returned to the United States after a mysterious post-war life in Europe, ostensibly to collect his $10,000 as the bastard heir of a wealthy small town industrialist. There's more, much more, to it though; he has a number of relationships in New York that don't seem associated with his youth; there are shady sorts tracking him, and he's brought a suitcase full of money, instead of clothing, with him.
Spillane doles out the story slowly, which keeps you guessing and makes it hard to put the book down. But the language his characters used during the sex scenes very nearly made me do just that: put the book down.
I probably should have expected it, given the oh-so-subtle double entendre of the title and characters' names. Even Wikipedia noted that this specific book is "in the Jacqueline Susann mold" - and I'd say that's very uncomplimentary to Ms. Susann. Could have been a solid crime novel, but the crudity of sexual encounters knocked it out of the running for me.
Dogeron ("Dog") Kelly has returned to the United States after a mysterious post-war life in Europe, ostensibly to collect his $10,000 as the bastard heir of a wealthy small town industrialist. There's more, much more, to it though; he has a number of relationships in New York that don't seem associated with his youth; there are shady sorts tracking him, and he's brought a suitcase full of money, instead of clothing, with him.
Spillane doles out the story slowly, which keeps you guessing and makes it hard to put the book down. But the language his characters used during the sex scenes very nearly made me do just that: put the book down.
I probably should have expected it, given the oh-so-subtle double entendre of the title and characters' names. Even Wikipedia noted that this specific book is "in the Jacqueline Susann mold" - and I'd say that's very uncomplimentary to Ms. Susann. Could have been a solid crime novel, but the crudity of sexual encounters knocked it out of the running for me.
February 7, 2016
I'm 10% done with The Erection Set: I had been searching for this book for several months as it was highly recommended to me to read. Finally found it in a Kindle addition. Just started it and love the voice.
January 31, 2018
The following text will contain some kind of spoilers, be warned. I don't however think it'll be much of an issue... you shouldn't really waste your time reading this book anyway.
And I do hate to sound that cruel. But, dudes and gals, it's bad. At least my own experience with it was.
The main reason why I didn't like this book is because it's pretty misogynistic. I'm pretty sure you're going to think something like "well, with that title and cover, what did you expect?", but no, the title or the cover aren't even descriptive of the actual book. I was indeed expecting a book about men having random sex with strippers while they dealt with some sort of mafia shit or something, based on the plot summary. But no, there are actual, female characters in this book that aren't strippers. But these women are portrayed in such a vacant way, it's sad and infuriating. They're simply not interesting characters, not one of them. Their sole function (here's the shocker) is... sex. The "main female character" is, of course, a virgin only by the one hole that apparently matters. She's experienced everything else, but magically decided to save vaginal intercourse for someone she claims to love. Other than that, she doesn't really have a purpose. She doesn't really help the main guy, or does so in pretty insignificant ways. Chapter by chapter, you find yourself reading about the mystery of her supposed virginity. The rest of the gal pals? An older columnist who is obsessed with younger men and gossip (God forbid she could be an interesting writer of some sort), and a frigid who finds that the only solution to her problem was to (drum rolls, please) fuck the main character! Yes, you counted right, I mentioned three characters. There are other three women on the book who at some point are told to get naked, with the sole purpose of being humiliated, and the other one married the "right men" (not quoting, just stating these would be wealthy men). The one remaining woman is the protagonist's mother, who is, of course, the only respectable one.
The rest of the story is just... meh. There's like a bit of everything, which can be really good, but it doesn't connect as well as it should, which ends up being really bad. In this book, other than sex, you can find a man looking to get an inheritance, some sort of mafia that comes out of nowhere, police action, a poor orphan whose parents were martyrs against the rich family, business crap that is incredibly dull, a lot of family drama no one would give a crap about, one gay character who is an asshole, some fuckin' foul language, and New York City (where else?).
There is some hand-to-hand violence, and that's the only part where it gets somewhat good. That's what gets this book a second star.
Oh, the book must have felt my dislike because it got torn apart (through no fault of my own, I assure you) right before I was finishing its last pages.
Oh well. Good riddance.
And I do hate to sound that cruel. But, dudes and gals, it's bad. At least my own experience with it was.
The main reason why I didn't like this book is because it's pretty misogynistic. I'm pretty sure you're going to think something like "well, with that title and cover, what did you expect?", but no, the title or the cover aren't even descriptive of the actual book. I was indeed expecting a book about men having random sex with strippers while they dealt with some sort of mafia shit or something, based on the plot summary. But no, there are actual, female characters in this book that aren't strippers. But these women are portrayed in such a vacant way, it's sad and infuriating. They're simply not interesting characters, not one of them. Their sole function (here's the shocker) is... sex. The "main female character" is, of course, a virgin only by the one hole that apparently matters. She's experienced everything else, but magically decided to save vaginal intercourse for someone she claims to love. Other than that, she doesn't really have a purpose. She doesn't really help the main guy, or does so in pretty insignificant ways. Chapter by chapter, you find yourself reading about the mystery of her supposed virginity. The rest of the gal pals? An older columnist who is obsessed with younger men and gossip (God forbid she could be an interesting writer of some sort), and a frigid who finds that the only solution to her problem was to (drum rolls, please) fuck the main character! Yes, you counted right, I mentioned three characters. There are other three women on the book who at some point are told to get naked, with the sole purpose of being humiliated, and the other one married the "right men" (not quoting, just stating these would be wealthy men). The one remaining woman is the protagonist's mother, who is, of course, the only respectable one.
The rest of the story is just... meh. There's like a bit of everything, which can be really good, but it doesn't connect as well as it should, which ends up being really bad. In this book, other than sex, you can find a man looking to get an inheritance, some sort of mafia that comes out of nowhere, police action, a poor orphan whose parents were martyrs against the rich family, business crap that is incredibly dull, a lot of family drama no one would give a crap about, one gay character who is an asshole, some fuckin' foul language, and New York City (where else?).
There is some hand-to-hand violence, and that's the only part where it gets somewhat good. That's what gets this book a second star.
Oh, the book must have felt my dislike because it got torn apart (through no fault of my own, I assure you) right before I was finishing its last pages.
Oh well. Good riddance.
October 12, 2020
I first saw this book at about 7 years old and the cover caught my eye as I perused the comic books at the store in the Pre-Read Bookstore in College park in Orlando 50 years ago. Shocking view! For some reason that one book was often out for all to see, as I well recall. Decades later, out of emotion, I bought a copy for a few bits. Half a century later I've now read the book with the cover.
Wish i hadn't.
Yuck!
What a rotten book.
This is a fictional account of characters with sexual problems and some tale of a former military guy who seems to have turned underworld bad guy out to get a stash of cash out of family members due to a death in the family. The former should have been excised and focus should have been the latter. That is if Spillane could write a coherent story. The continuous over-sexed plot nearly hides really bad writing and story telling.
I found the characters pretty empty...except for the sexual stuff. I didn't care or like any of them. The other element is an immense amount of violence. Wish all that might've happened at the very beginning and wiped out the cast and ended the book.
The characters are poorly defined or explained. The settings are more loosely written than not. The plot is a mess and preposterous. Dialogue hardly separates one character from another.
Spillane writes in such a spotty way, that scenes seem more detached and others part of another story. I wonder if Spillane was ill writing this. The writing seems of one who is just throwing words and scenes together. I never felt engaged in the book. It's all very distant. An editor seems to have been left out of the production.
Bottom line: i don't recommend this book. 2 out of ten points.
Wish i hadn't.
Yuck!
What a rotten book.
This is a fictional account of characters with sexual problems and some tale of a former military guy who seems to have turned underworld bad guy out to get a stash of cash out of family members due to a death in the family. The former should have been excised and focus should have been the latter. That is if Spillane could write a coherent story. The continuous over-sexed plot nearly hides really bad writing and story telling.
I found the characters pretty empty...except for the sexual stuff. I didn't care or like any of them. The other element is an immense amount of violence. Wish all that might've happened at the very beginning and wiped out the cast and ended the book.
The characters are poorly defined or explained. The settings are more loosely written than not. The plot is a mess and preposterous. Dialogue hardly separates one character from another.
Spillane writes in such a spotty way, that scenes seem more detached and others part of another story. I wonder if Spillane was ill writing this. The writing seems of one who is just throwing words and scenes together. I never felt engaged in the book. It's all very distant. An editor seems to have been left out of the production.
Bottom line: i don't recommend this book. 2 out of ten points.
October 3, 2021
I gotta say, this book is hypersexed even for Mickey Spillane. And that is saying A LOT. It got to the point that it kind of reminded me of, well, me. In particular for my book Strip, which I pitched as Jim Thompson and Richard Stark making a baby and leaving it in the care of Spillane. Good to see I wasn't entirely full of crap.
This one follows Dog, a former WWII fighter pilot and European blackmarketer coming home to get a lousy inheritance from his family of 10K. Which also reminds me of Stark, in particular The Hunter, when Parker goes out of his way just to get a paltry sum owed to him. But Dog has a lot of tricks up his sleeve, and he's not just there for that inheritance. He makes a few friends but a whole lot of new enemies, too, and there are some pretty shocking scenes of violence. In one instance he shoves an ice pick through a man's scrotum. In another he rips someone's ear off. This is my kind of read. I have my usual complaint about racism, sexism, homophobia, etc. But that's nothing new.
One other complaint. There are a few strings still left dangling. But something happens in the end that almost reminds me of a scene from Drive Angry, which made me laugh and forgive the stuff that didn't get finished up. It's a long book by Spillane standards, so I can get why he didn't go down certain paths. I can't recommend this book to many, but if you're like me and can dig crazy sex and violence, then have at it.
This one follows Dog, a former WWII fighter pilot and European blackmarketer coming home to get a lousy inheritance from his family of 10K. Which also reminds me of Stark, in particular The Hunter, when Parker goes out of his way just to get a paltry sum owed to him. But Dog has a lot of tricks up his sleeve, and he's not just there for that inheritance. He makes a few friends but a whole lot of new enemies, too, and there are some pretty shocking scenes of violence. In one instance he shoves an ice pick through a man's scrotum. In another he rips someone's ear off. This is my kind of read. I have my usual complaint about racism, sexism, homophobia, etc. But that's nothing new.
One other complaint. There are a few strings still left dangling. But something happens in the end that almost reminds me of a scene from Drive Angry, which made me laugh and forgive the stuff that didn't get finished up. It's a long book by Spillane standards, so I can get why he didn't go down certain paths. I can't recommend this book to many, but if you're like me and can dig crazy sex and violence, then have at it.
April 18, 2024
This seems more like pulp fiction than a serious novel. It's pretty bad: 2 bill-stars, not worthy.
Almost everything is weird in this book. Our protagonist is Dogeron Kelly, aka "Dog". He's really egotistic and obnoxious. Most of the dialogue is staccato, rapid fire. That's one fun part of the book. There's also some good sex and ultra-violence. But most of the book just sort of ambles along mindlessly.
The plot is all over the place. It's absurd and hard to follow. I almost wish I could comment on all the weird stuff that happens. Almost. I like where one of the bad guys thanks "Dog" for sleeping with his wife because now she's all sexed up and wants to sleep with him. (snort) And spoiler alert: The ending includes one of the strangest plot twists I've ever read. As Dog's scheme is about to fail, he is saved by the appearance of a silver anti-gravitational ball. Now, how this saves him and where it comes from aren't explained. It's all unintentionally funny.
QOTD
“I appreciate that, kitten. I covered all the exits except you.”
“Would you have killed me too?”
“Nope. Women are for kissing, not killing.”
“You’re sexy,” she said, changing the subject again.
- Dog Kelly and the ladies, Erection Set
It's a strange trip, but not a good read. thanks...yow, bill
January 19, 2018
I was curious about Spillane as I have heard of but never really read any of his work. Well I guess I got that off my list.
Lots of male sexual fantasy with an obsession for matching pubic hair. Pretty good story line but sprinkled with to much macho chest pounding and not enough character development. It was all about him I guess.
Exactly what I expected from this book. You can, judge a book by its cover, in this case.
Lots of male sexual fantasy with an obsession for matching pubic hair. Pretty good story line but sprinkled with to much macho chest pounding and not enough character development. It was all about him I guess.
Exactly what I expected from this book. You can, judge a book by its cover, in this case.
October 9, 2019
Um livro à Mickey Spillane.
Duvido que se escrevam, hoje em dia, livros com personagens tão politicamente incorrectas, principalmente, na forma como tratam as mulheres.
Este, porém, é um livro de 1972 e é como tal que tem que ser lido.
Fez-me estar até altas horas da noite para avançar na sua leitura.
Valeu a pena.
Duvido que se escrevam, hoje em dia, livros com personagens tão politicamente incorrectas, principalmente, na forma como tratam as mulheres.
Este, porém, é um livro de 1972 e é como tal que tem que ser lido.
Fez-me estar até altas horas da noite para avançar na sua leitura.
Valeu a pena.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2021
Classic Spillane
Very poor Kindle version, with lousy chapter breaks.
The story was more crudely worded in some parts than most of Spillane's writings, but the characters are classic Mickey Spillane. Worth having in my collection, and fun to reread now and again.
Very poor Kindle version, with lousy chapter breaks.
The story was more crudely worded in some parts than most of Spillane's writings, but the characters are classic Mickey Spillane. Worth having in my collection, and fun to reread now and again.
December 27, 2023
what a classic
I read this book a very long time ago and enjoyed it immensely! Funny seeing all the same errors in grammar were never touched! Truly kept the book original. It would never be a best seller in today’s world but who really cares. A true classic!
I read this book a very long time ago and enjoyed it immensely! Funny seeing all the same errors in grammar were never touched! Truly kept the book original. It would never be a best seller in today’s world but who really cares. A true classic!
August 20, 2025
Dogeron Kelly has come to town to right some wrongs. People call him Dog, and that's the way he likes it. If you don't mind babes being called dames or dolls and a few other politically incorrect niceties, suck up the atmosphere and enjoy the ride. It's classic Spillane.
August 3, 2020
Read in 1981. Brutal crime novel.
May 30, 2023
A very enjoyable reading experience. Loved turning the pages.
July 21, 2017
From the seductive cover featuring wife #2 (Sherri) to the pounding climax, this book is all-out tough guy action through and through. Could Spillane create a character tougher and nastier than Hammer?
Maybe. Dogeron Kelly is the meanest, toughest hombre in town. And he's back in NYC after twenty years away. And, as the taxi driver notes sagely, he's loaded for bear. He's ready for action whether its with his fists or with a woman.
It's the sixties or perhaps early seventies and apartments are just filled with "big beautiful brunette(s) who slithered over the carpet like opening the centerfold of Risqué magazine." This book is raw, edgy, seamy, and chockfull of sexual innuendo.
Spillane was one of the greatest of all the hardboiled writers as demonstrated by the brilliant poetry of his Mike Hammer novels. Dogeron Kelly is a nice diversion, but its not Hammer. There are moments where "Dog" is just as lightning-fast violent as Hammer and as nonchalant at it, too. Those are perhaps the best parts of the book. Anyone who messes with Dog is left drooling in a puddle of blood or worse.
As compared to Hammer, Dog is always on the prowl with women and they just can't keep their hands off him. There is quite a bit of innuendo.
There are several plot lines here, but essentially Dog spent twenty years in Europe following Workd War 2, making a fortune on the dark side of the street and, although he thinks he's retired, there are syndicate forces back there who are not ready to let go of him, not ready to let him walk away. He's also tormented by childhood demons of a well-heeled family he can't stand and hell will have to freeze over before he will let his relations walk off with his inheritance.
Stand clear when Dog is mad. He's out to cause trouble to anyone who makes trouble for him.
Don't make this your first Spillane novel or your last. It is a wild and crazy read, but plot-wise and atmosphere-wise, it can't hold a candle to the greatness of the Hammer novels.
Maybe. Dogeron Kelly is the meanest, toughest hombre in town. And he's back in NYC after twenty years away. And, as the taxi driver notes sagely, he's loaded for bear. He's ready for action whether its with his fists or with a woman.
It's the sixties or perhaps early seventies and apartments are just filled with "big beautiful brunette(s) who slithered over the carpet like opening the centerfold of Risqué magazine." This book is raw, edgy, seamy, and chockfull of sexual innuendo.
Spillane was one of the greatest of all the hardboiled writers as demonstrated by the brilliant poetry of his Mike Hammer novels. Dogeron Kelly is a nice diversion, but its not Hammer. There are moments where "Dog" is just as lightning-fast violent as Hammer and as nonchalant at it, too. Those are perhaps the best parts of the book. Anyone who messes with Dog is left drooling in a puddle of blood or worse.
As compared to Hammer, Dog is always on the prowl with women and they just can't keep their hands off him. There is quite a bit of innuendo.
There are several plot lines here, but essentially Dog spent twenty years in Europe following Workd War 2, making a fortune on the dark side of the street and, although he thinks he's retired, there are syndicate forces back there who are not ready to let go of him, not ready to let him walk away. He's also tormented by childhood demons of a well-heeled family he can't stand and hell will have to freeze over before he will let his relations walk off with his inheritance.
Stand clear when Dog is mad. He's out to cause trouble to anyone who makes trouble for him.
Don't make this your first Spillane novel or your last. It is a wild and crazy read, but plot-wise and atmosphere-wise, it can't hold a candle to the greatness of the Hammer novels.
March 1, 2017
Very fast paced.
May 4, 2015
Boy, this book was a task to get through.
There were no clear goals or obstacles to overcome, no clear story, and a lack of strong characterization. This book read like a draft that was still being tweaked; ideas from a brainstorm.
Even the title doesn't have anything to do with the 'story.'
The main character was Dogeron Kelly, usually called 'Dog' for short. He's described as having a crew cut and a face that is hawk-like, and is middle-aged. I'm assuming this character is based on Mickey Spillane himself. Dog always has women of all ages swooning over him and is always witty. Also, he seems to be an illegitimate child who is the heir of an estate which other people want to get their hands on - although, again, that part isn't quite clear.
I didn't get a sense of the environment the characters inhabit in this novel. I found myself trying to keep up with all the characters, even the minor ones which are given names and don't seem to actually move the 'plot' forward. (Of course, I use the term 'plot' very loosely). I found it difficult to figure out the locales Dog visited. For example, he's dealing with Italian criminals at one point and I wasn't clear whether or not he was still in New York - I believe he's in New York for majority of the novel - or Europe.
Even though the book overall is pretty poor, there was a particular scene that still stood out as iffy: Dog is lead to the restroom of a diner by another character. This 'other character' (I forget his name and I forget whether he was a cop or just another one of Dog's acquaintances) takes Dog's gun and shoots it at the toilet, then hands it back to Dog. Now, even though there is no clear reason why that little exchange happened, Dog and the 'other character' walk out of the restroom, no one else in the diner is said to be frightened by this gunshot except Dog's pretty blonde companion.
While I'm probably going to read Spillane's other novels, especially his Mike Hammer novels, I don't see myself coming back to this particular book for a second read. I actually was attracted to this novel by the original cover and the title. And, while the cover gave an idea of how the women where in the novel: sexy, blonde, described in detail (especially when they were naked) that was the extent of their characters.
There were no clear goals or obstacles to overcome, no clear story, and a lack of strong characterization. This book read like a draft that was still being tweaked; ideas from a brainstorm.
Even the title doesn't have anything to do with the 'story.'
The main character was Dogeron Kelly, usually called 'Dog' for short. He's described as having a crew cut and a face that is hawk-like, and is middle-aged. I'm assuming this character is based on Mickey Spillane himself. Dog always has women of all ages swooning over him and is always witty. Also, he seems to be an illegitimate child who is the heir of an estate which other people want to get their hands on - although, again, that part isn't quite clear.
I didn't get a sense of the environment the characters inhabit in this novel. I found myself trying to keep up with all the characters, even the minor ones which are given names and don't seem to actually move the 'plot' forward. (Of course, I use the term 'plot' very loosely). I found it difficult to figure out the locales Dog visited. For example, he's dealing with Italian criminals at one point and I wasn't clear whether or not he was still in New York - I believe he's in New York for majority of the novel - or Europe.
Even though the book overall is pretty poor, there was a particular scene that still stood out as iffy: Dog is lead to the restroom of a diner by another character. This 'other character' (I forget his name and I forget whether he was a cop or just another one of Dog's acquaintances) takes Dog's gun and shoots it at the toilet, then hands it back to Dog. Now, even though there is no clear reason why that little exchange happened, Dog and the 'other character' walk out of the restroom, no one else in the diner is said to be frightened by this gunshot except Dog's pretty blonde companion.
While I'm probably going to read Spillane's other novels, especially his Mike Hammer novels, I don't see myself coming back to this particular book for a second read. I actually was attracted to this novel by the original cover and the title. And, while the cover gave an idea of how the women where in the novel: sexy, blonde, described in detail (especially when they were naked) that was the extent of their characters.
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