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Nathan Heller #3
The Million Dollar Wound
From a foxhole on Guadalcanal (shared with Barney Ross) to the glitzy underworld of Hollywood in the '40s, Nate Heller fights his memories and the Mob.Something happened at the Canal, something Heller's blocking out. What he can't block, though, is the wound he received--the "million-dollar wound," the one that got him home. Back in the States, and back in Chicago, he becomes involved once again with Frank Nitti during the gang boss' last violent days, and with the gangland attempts to take over the movie unions.The homefront is every bit as violent as the war-torn Pacific, and even the solace of Sally Rand can do nothing to ease Heller, who is haunted by the death of a friend in Guadalcanal, and surrounded by the mayhem of gangland murders.
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First published February 1, 1986
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About the author
Max Allan Collins
812 books1,327 followersReceived the Shamus Award, "The Eye" (Lifetime achievment award) in 2006.
He has also published under the name Patrick Culhane. He and his wife, Barbara Collins, have written several books together. Some of them are published under the name Barbara Allan.
Book Awards
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1984) : True Detective
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1992) : Stolen Away
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1995) : Carnal Hours
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1997) : Damned in Paradise
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1999) : Flying Blind: A Novel about Amelia Earhart
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (2002) : Angel in Black
Japanese: マックス・アラン・コリンズ
or マックス・アラン コリンズ
He has also published under the name Patrick Culhane. He and his wife, Barbara Collins, have written several books together. Some of them are published under the name Barbara Allan.
Book Awards
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1984) : True Detective
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1992) : Stolen Away
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1995) : Carnal Hours
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1997) : Damned in Paradise
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1999) : Flying Blind: A Novel about Amelia Earhart
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (2002) : Angel in Black
Japanese: マックス・アラン・コリンズ
or マックス・アラン コリンズ
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
April 7, 2019
Nathan Heller is Max Allan Collins' invention. Heller is a fictional character who interacted throughout the twentieth century with interesting figures and in controversial situations ranging from Eliot
Ness' war on organized crime to Marilyn Monroe's last days. As bizarre and silly as the concept sounds in the abstract, in Collins' capable hands, the concept actually works and works well.
In this novel, which is the third of the "Nitti" era Heller novels, Heller and his buddy, ex-boxer Barney Ross, enlist in the marines. Both are too old to enlist, but they lie about their age and enlist anyway. Collins takes the pair through the drunken evening that ended with Heller enlisting and to Camp Pendleton, where they underwent basic training. The pair then head out to Guadalcanal to an incredible play-by-play foxhole fight with the Japanese army. The action is so intense, you actually feel as if you are watching a war movie, not reading (or listening) to a novel.
I had already read about how Heller "met" Monroe and the Kennedys years later, but I assumed that Barney was just another character in the story, not a real-life celebrity. Ross (aka Beryl Rosofsky) was
actually a world champion in three weight divisions and decorated veteran of World War II where he fought Guadalcanal and killed nearly two dozen enemy troops in one night. His father had wanted him to
become a rabbi, but after his father was killed resisting a robbery, Ross became a street brawler and then a professional boxer. Never knocked out in 81 fights, he finished his career with 72 wins and is consistently ranked as one of the best fighters of all time.
The story then takes a wounded Heller (wounded in that great battle at Guadalcanal) back to the states where he slowly puts together who he is and is discharged so that he can testify against reputed mobster Frank Nitti.
The rest of the book follows Heller through Chicago and Hollywood as he deals with organized crime's entry into the Hollywood unions. For me, the best parts were the war stories and Heller's recovery, but,
by all means, read the whole book, it's all good.
Ness' war on organized crime to Marilyn Monroe's last days. As bizarre and silly as the concept sounds in the abstract, in Collins' capable hands, the concept actually works and works well.
In this novel, which is the third of the "Nitti" era Heller novels, Heller and his buddy, ex-boxer Barney Ross, enlist in the marines. Both are too old to enlist, but they lie about their age and enlist anyway. Collins takes the pair through the drunken evening that ended with Heller enlisting and to Camp Pendleton, where they underwent basic training. The pair then head out to Guadalcanal to an incredible play-by-play foxhole fight with the Japanese army. The action is so intense, you actually feel as if you are watching a war movie, not reading (or listening) to a novel.
I had already read about how Heller "met" Monroe and the Kennedys years later, but I assumed that Barney was just another character in the story, not a real-life celebrity. Ross (aka Beryl Rosofsky) was
actually a world champion in three weight divisions and decorated veteran of World War II where he fought Guadalcanal and killed nearly two dozen enemy troops in one night. His father had wanted him to
become a rabbi, but after his father was killed resisting a robbery, Ross became a street brawler and then a professional boxer. Never knocked out in 81 fights, he finished his career with 72 wins and is consistently ranked as one of the best fighters of all time.
The story then takes a wounded Heller (wounded in that great battle at Guadalcanal) back to the states where he slowly puts together who he is and is discharged so that he can testify against reputed mobster Frank Nitti.
The rest of the book follows Heller through Chicago and Hollywood as he deals with organized crime's entry into the Hollywood unions. For me, the best parts were the war stories and Heller's recovery, but,
by all means, read the whole book, it's all good.
September 5, 2021
The most challenging Nate Heller book that I have read. By "challenging," I mean that Max Allan Collins has, by construction and content, set the bar very high. We are jumping between Chicago in the late 1930s and early 1940s. There are stops in a DC hospital and war in the South Pacific. For a while, I wondered if this was going to be a Heller in combat "one off" or a long interlude. Expect the "hard case" descriptions, such as:
"Hiya," Dixie said, just barely looking at me, but she was the kind of girl who could load an hour of promise into a split second of glance."
and,
"There was a time when Stege despised me. He had me pegged as a crooked cop, which was true to a point, but by Chicago standards I was a piker..."
The title doesn't register in our current vernacular. Back in WW II it meant "hitting the jackpot" or getting a ticket home from the war front. Collins weaves the U.S.A. at war well with the continuing intertwining of mobster Frank Nitti and Heller. Heller, who is already a flawed person, suffers his "million dollar wound" fighting along side Barney Ross in the jungles of Guadalcanal in one of the bloodiest and longest encounters of the war. For both him and America, that battle was a turning point. Heller is now flawed in both physiological and psychological ways. Collins is a master at handling all the elements of this story with actual historical figures and events. He succeeds at making me care what happens to Heller, Ross, Nitti and others.
The ending is both satisfying and surprising as the book's title can be taken in more than one way.
[Now that the "Nitti era is over in this series we will see what Collins finds to keep the excitement level just as high.]
"Hiya," Dixie said, just barely looking at me, but she was the kind of girl who could load an hour of promise into a split second of glance."
and,
"There was a time when Stege despised me. He had me pegged as a crooked cop, which was true to a point, but by Chicago standards I was a piker..."
The title doesn't register in our current vernacular. Back in WW II it meant "hitting the jackpot" or getting a ticket home from the war front. Collins weaves the U.S.A. at war well with the continuing intertwining of mobster Frank Nitti and Heller. Heller, who is already a flawed person, suffers his "million dollar wound" fighting along side Barney Ross in the jungles of Guadalcanal in one of the bloodiest and longest encounters of the war. For both him and America, that battle was a turning point. Heller is now flawed in both physiological and psychological ways. Collins is a master at handling all the elements of this story with actual historical figures and events. He succeeds at making me care what happens to Heller, Ross, Nitti and others.
The ending is both satisfying and surprising as the book's title can be taken in more than one way.
[Now that the "Nitti era is over in this series we will see what Collins finds to keep the excitement level just as high.]
February 6, 2018
This is a great detective novel. Of the three in this ceries this was my favorite. I highly recommend this ceries to all.
Enjoy and Be Blessed.
Diamond
Enjoy and Be Blessed.
Diamond
November 14, 2021
After almost getting killed during a hit, Nathan Heller finds himself in the Marines, and sent to Guadalcanal, where there's heavy action.
When he gets back to Chicago, he has a lot of trouble re-adjusting. He gets sucked into another case, which continues from previous history.
Pretty good. Not as heavy on the conspiracy angle as others in the series.
When he gets back to Chicago, he has a lot of trouble re-adjusting. He gets sucked into another case, which continues from previous history.
Pretty good. Not as heavy on the conspiracy angle as others in the series.
August 23, 2022
This is the third novel in Collins' Nate Heller series and the third of the Frank Nitti trilogy. In this one, Nate starts out in a hospital with amnesia, not knowing who he is or why he is in the hospital. Then with the help of hypnotism, he remembers his experiences on Guadalcanal with his friend, boxer Barney Ross during WWII and that he is a detective from Chicago. The book goes on to describe the horrors of Guadalcanal and then flashes back to before the war and Nate's being paid to get involved in the rackets of the unions in Hollywood where the mob is using the unions to extort money. This operation is supposedly being run by Frank Nitti, the mobster who took over the Chicago gangs from Al Capone. Robert Montgomery, the actor wants Nate to infiltrate the mob so they eventually can let go of the unions in Hollywood. Along the way, Nate also is reunited with Sally Rand, the burlesque dancer and others from the previous excellent novels, True Dectective and True Crime.
When he returns from the war, he is called to testify against the mob in Chicago although he is very reluctant to do so. Although Nitti is the mob boss, Nate has always respected him. This was a very good novel combining historical fact and fiction. Most of the characters in the book were actual people and Collins weaves a very real-life story that I would highly recommend. I'll be reading more in the Nate Heller series!
When he returns from the war, he is called to testify against the mob in Chicago although he is very reluctant to do so. Although Nitti is the mob boss, Nate has always respected him. This was a very good novel combining historical fact and fiction. Most of the characters in the book were actual people and Collins weaves a very real-life story that I would highly recommend. I'll be reading more in the Nate Heller series!
August 29, 2023
This is a truly amazing book for anyone familiar with Chicago and the era of crime bosses. I read this third book of a series first and will backtrack before long to read other books of the series. I found the war scenes early in the book some of the most gripping battlefield action I have ever read.
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April 6, 2019
An excellent conclusion to the Nitti trilogy, with both familiar and unfamiliar figures from the times. Heller convincingly solves some rubouts with surprising ease. The plot is unpredictable, chronologically and geographically jumpy yet cohesive due to its central concrns.
August 20, 2013
In his introduction to the book Collins says that many readers view this as the best of the Heller novels. While I haven't read enough of the Heller books to make this judgement myself, it is certainly ambitious in scope. The settings range from Guadalcanal to Hollywood and, or course, Chicago. The story recounts the fate of several characters from his earlier Heller books, including Frank Nitti, Sally Rand, and Barney Ross, which provides some closure (although Collins went on to write many more Heller books). As always, Collins provides a valuable afterword detailing his research and where his fiction departed from fact. Recommended!
February 20, 2017
Good read ! Enjoyed this conclusion to the story of Frank Nitti and the "Outfit". These books are simply fun and well done. Plus one gets a bit of a history lesson as part of the deal. Solid 4 stars!
March 21, 2019
I recently finished "The Million-Dollar Wound," the third book in the Nate Heller series and, like the two previous books, it is a terrific historical mystery. It's 1943 and Heller is a medically-discharged Marine after seeing combat on Guadalcanal (having received the wound of the title). He's back to being a private eye, readjusting to civilian life and dealing with post-combat stress. Among other things, Heller does some digging into Mob-related crime involving Hollywood. He also has a final encounter with crime boss Frank Nitti. I really enjoy Max Allan Collins' writing, and I look forward to reading the next Nate Heller novel.
August 11, 2017
Big MAC Meal
MAC wrote two characters in separate noir series - Quarry and Nate Heller. I have read all of Quarry, but this is my first Heller. It won't be my last. Collins writes with ease and fluidity and tells a mean tale. This novel, his last of three related Heller stories about Frank Nitti is absolutely top drawer.
The only qualms I have about it are MAC's habit of name dropping - featuring well known characters like Eliot Ness and Barney Ross as best friends of Heller. But other than that, this tale is engrossing, complex, rewarding and more eye opening. In a way, it is like a plainly written James Ellroy story, quite a bit like LA Confidential. It is the tale of how Frank Nitti was brought down in wartime Chicago, and our hero's role in the drama. It has a dazzling opening section featuring our hero and Barney Ross as Marines in the Pacific theatre of war. Then it settles back into more comfortable Chicago mob territory.
MAC displays a tight grip on the history (like Lehane in Boston and Ellroy in LA), and tells his story with the usual economy and skill. Probably not the best place to start Heller, but a damn fine noir. One of the best I've read.
MAC wrote two characters in separate noir series - Quarry and Nate Heller. I have read all of Quarry, but this is my first Heller. It won't be my last. Collins writes with ease and fluidity and tells a mean tale. This novel, his last of three related Heller stories about Frank Nitti is absolutely top drawer.
The only qualms I have about it are MAC's habit of name dropping - featuring well known characters like Eliot Ness and Barney Ross as best friends of Heller. But other than that, this tale is engrossing, complex, rewarding and more eye opening. In a way, it is like a plainly written James Ellroy story, quite a bit like LA Confidential. It is the tale of how Frank Nitti was brought down in wartime Chicago, and our hero's role in the drama. It has a dazzling opening section featuring our hero and Barney Ross as Marines in the Pacific theatre of war. Then it settles back into more comfortable Chicago mob territory.
MAC displays a tight grip on the history (like Lehane in Boston and Ellroy in LA), and tells his story with the usual economy and skill. Probably not the best place to start Heller, but a damn fine noir. One of the best I've read.
February 18, 2020
Heller is back in the last of the "Nitti Trilogy." The books opens with Heller recovering from wounds he suffered in WWII. Heller joined up along with pal Barney Ross (Ross really did join up when he was well past draft age) after a long night of drinking. He also finds he's to be called by a grand jury investigating Frank Nitti's role in labor racketeering in the film industry. This, of course, takes us to a flashback to the late 30s and Heller getting caught up in that very labor racketeering doing work for both Robert Montgomery against the the Outfit and Willie Bioff the mob backed manipulator of the Stagehands Union. We then flash back forward to the last days of Frank Nitti as Collins has Heller tie together a number of threads that run through the first three books. Along the way we see old friends like Barney Ross and Sally Ride. And we get to see Heller growing his detective agency.
Overall this was a good conclusion to Nitti's era. There was one coincidence in it of Edgar Rice Burroughsian proportions. And it really wasn't necessary for the story to work. So that wasn't so great. But it was a good read and we saw some real growth in both Heller and Ross.
Overall this was a good conclusion to Nitti's era. There was one coincidence in it of Edgar Rice Burroughsian proportions. And it really wasn't necessary for the story to work. So that wasn't so great. But it was a good read and we saw some real growth in both Heller and Ross.
December 18, 2012
The Nathan Heller books are a perfect blend of fact and fiction, and the third book in the series does not disappoint. Heller returns to Chicago from Guadalcanal and gets involved in some nefarious dealings with organized crime, labor unions and Hollywood. Heller is a hard-boiled PI who effectively plays all the angles, cozying up to law enforcement, mob bosses, and celebrities. He is entirely fictitious, but nearly every other character in these stories existed, and the events in the book are well researched. When facts cannot be proven, the author carefully speculates, based on his extensive research (nicely credited in the epilogue of each book). Since the books are designed to be Heller's 'memoirs' I'm not sure I agree with the author's decision to start this book with a flash forward to a point shortly after Heller's Marine duty, but that's a minor gripe. Overall, I love this series.
October 11, 2017
Little did I know when I plunked myself down in the car to listen to an old pulp fiction/mystery that you can nod off and still enjoy this noir story, often described as the last book in the "Frank Nitti" trilogy. Set in the '30's and '4os, P.I. Nate Heller name-drops his way through Chicago gangland and WWII, offering some of the best descriptions of "dames" and 20th century Chicago ever. He should have been dead a million times over but...
January 10, 2014
It took a little bit to get into it. First time really seeing the demons Heller is dealing with from anything. It just takes time to weave it into the narrative. The book does have one of the better endings of the series. Always like the mix of history and fiction. Collins does a great job mixing the two.
February 19, 2020
This was an excellent book! It shows how Nate Heller changes as a result of his experience in the Marines and what he experienced on Guadalcanal. This also concludes the relationship that he has with Frank Nitti. When he tells another cop that he didn't necessarily like Nitti, but that he knew him, that struck a chord with me.
June 28, 2016
I agree with the author that this was the best of the Nitti trilogy of Heller books - describing his war service, then setting up the story back in 1939 to give context for the denouement in 1942-43. Cleverly weaving Heller into real events
November 16, 2021
Another Nate Heller hard boiled gem.
This time the story opens with Nate dealing with the aftereffects of WWII Guadalcanal in a stateside hospital, where he and Barney lived through some things that they'd rather not remember. Nate makes his way back to Chicago, where the old ways still hold, where Frank Nitti still runs the city. Some unfinished business that started out in Hollywood before the war follows Heller back home, and before too long he is back working both sides of the law as only he can.
Many old friends return, this one is a bit more introspective than the celebrity-fest of the previous novel, but still a good old fashioned gangster novel as that age of Chicago comes to a close.
This time the story opens with Nate dealing with the aftereffects of WWII Guadalcanal in a stateside hospital, where he and Barney lived through some things that they'd rather not remember. Nate makes his way back to Chicago, where the old ways still hold, where Frank Nitti still runs the city. Some unfinished business that started out in Hollywood before the war follows Heller back home, and before too long he is back working both sides of the law as only he can.
Many old friends return, this one is a bit more introspective than the celebrity-fest of the previous novel, but still a good old fashioned gangster novel as that age of Chicago comes to a close.
March 29, 2024
I realize this story is full of real people, none of which I knew about except Al Capone (and he is not in it just talked about) Robert Montgomery and Eliot Ness.
I appreciated the photographs, but did not enjoy the time jumps. Why can't the chronology just flow? One of these days I am going to rip a book apart and resort the timeline.
This involves mobsters from Chicago - who also infiltrate the Hollywood, California movie making industry. That part I did enjoy, but the war in Guadalcanal was difficult to read. In the extreme.
Nate Heller may be a great investigator, but I hope now that the Nitti years are over that he will face something more interesting to me to investigate.
I borrowed a copy from the public library.
I appreciated the photographs, but did not enjoy the time jumps. Why can't the chronology just flow? One of these days I am going to rip a book apart and resort the timeline.
This involves mobsters from Chicago - who also infiltrate the Hollywood, California movie making industry. That part I did enjoy, but the war in Guadalcanal was difficult to read. In the extreme.
Nate Heller may be a great investigator, but I hope now that the Nitti years are over that he will face something more interesting to me to investigate.
I borrowed a copy from the public library.
March 26, 2025
Heller goes to war. This is the third book in the Nitti trilogy where Heller gets involved with the Chicago Outfit again. But first, he and his boxer buddy go to Guadalcanal as marines and things don't go great for either one. Heller is inexplicably catnip (the one woman who DOESN'T try to sleep with him is a standout), despite looking awful and being clearly aged by the war. Its pretty grim stuff but handled reasonably well. Collins' conceit of putting as many real world famous people in the story as possible is pushing the limits of credibility, but it makes for interesting historical reading.
April 1, 2018
Another Great Nathan Heller Novel
A private eye of the noire genre combined, with a touch of Guadalcanal, in a well written historical novel about Chicago crime. Nate's character continues to evolve and mature following his experiences as a Marine in battle. Definitely worth the read.
A private eye of the noire genre combined, with a touch of Guadalcanal, in a well written historical novel about Chicago crime. Nate's character continues to evolve and mature following his experiences as a Marine in battle. Definitely worth the read.
July 13, 2019
Does not disappoint!
Classic Matt Helm from MAC. As with all in the series, one wonders just how true the telling, though Collins goes to great lengths in his epilogues to spell it out.
Classic Matt Helm from MAC. As with all in the series, one wonders just how true the telling, though Collins goes to great lengths in his epilogues to spell it out.
October 1, 2021
Max Allan Collins sure can write a fantastic mob novel. This is one of my favorites ever and while it is fiction it reads so much like non fiction. If you’re a mob buff, this is definitely the book for you.
August 1, 2023
I'm late to the party with these Nathan Heller books, but damn they're good. Of the first three books, this one is my favorite (although all three were fantastic) by a narrow margin. I can't recommend this series highly enough for lovers of noir fiction and/or the other works of Max Allan Collins.
May 23, 2018
Love this series
July 16, 2020
Entertaining but not noteworthy
Jumped from ww2 to the mob. Kind of confusing. Never could decide what the book was about. Too many characters.
Jumped from ww2 to the mob. Kind of confusing. Never could decide what the book was about. Too many characters.
February 26, 2021
It was OK but I thought there was too much name dropping of historical figures that made things slightly confusing. I actually liked the section about Nate and Barney's war experiences the best.
December 23, 2022
Fun follow up to true crime, a personal favorite. This entry isn't as good, Hard to follow in a few spots. But still very good.
August 20, 2023
Totally believable. Sucks you right in to that world. Fast paced.
May 10, 2024
This was everything you could ask for in a hard boiled detective novel. I look forward to reading more of these.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews