Neon Mirage

Neon Mirage is, as most of Max Allan Collins’ thrillers featuring Nate Heller, intriguing historical fiction—judged improbable by some, but meticulously researched enough to offering an interesting hypothesis on how events “went down.” Sometimes, I am drawn to his novels by the historical situation.......more

Three of my favorites genres intersect in the Nate Heller series: mystery, historical fiction and a touch of alternate history. The series makes its way from Prohibition Chicago (with Ness, Capone and Nitti) to the JFK assassination. It's clever, well-written and grounded in fact. This time around,......more

The fourth in Max Allan Collins’ Nate Heller series…Collins and his family are diligent in their research into their forays into historical fiction and they are spit on here in “Neon Mirage,” the story of the rise of Bugsy Siegel’s desert dream for Las Vegas…The mobster history, as well the tone and......more

More of a historical than a PI or mystery novel, but it keeps you guessing as to the inevitable once you figure out the setup. I'm unclear about the resolution of the story and the significance of a major historical figure who I don't recall being present to that point.......more

It's been less than two months since I finished Collins' "Nitti trilogy." I didn't stay away long from following the further adventures of Nate Heller, P.I. Why? Because Collins is a writer who has all the skills and knows how to use them, even in what is probably the longest running noir tribute to......more