When you crack open one of Hamilton's Matthew Helm novels, you can rest assured that you are reading a Hardboiled realistic spy story that puts all the tales of super-agents with fancy gadgets and flying cars to shame. Always well-written and absorbing, these novels are fun to read and always hard to put down once you start.

Threateners is one of the later Helm novels and, like some of the other later novels in the series, has a semi-retired Helm back in New Mexico, playing house, working on firing ranges, playing with his dog. But Helm is one of those guys for whom trouble is always around the corner and pretty soon he is in the midst of gunfire, bombings, interagency disputes, secrets, and bodyguard duty. That coalesces with a whirlwind tour of South America, complete with secret rendevouses, drug lords, and other things.

While this novel is quite enjoyable, it just misses the mark with the endless rendevouses and secrets that seem to have no point. The plot builds up but seems to sizzle a bit more than it should. That being said, you won't go wrong in picking up any Helm novel including this one.
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Leave it to Hamilton t introduce me to a new shooting sport. One of the things I like best about his books is his thorough knowledge of the material. In this case, it is a new-to-me type of target shooting with .22's & a wonderful tour of South America. As usual, the plot is convoluted, but Helm keeps his eye on the ball.

On to the final, published (there's one more that Hamilton wrote just before he died) Matt Helm book, #27, [b:The Damagers|1580917|The Damagers (Matt Helm, #27)|Donald Hamilton|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266838798s/1580917.jpg|1573734] ( )