”..it’s that very familiar bone-jarring violence, nonstop action, and hard-boiled sarcastic ripostes….a vicarious thrill ride down Memory Lane, back to a time when justice and mercy were a lot less easy to come by and more arbitrary.” - New York Journal of Books

“KILLING TOWN has all of the elements that made Spillane and Hammer the multimedia icons of the mid-20th century and beyond. It is strongly recommended as Exhibit A for how the job of writing the hard-boiled detective novel is fittingly and properly done.” - Book Reporter

“an electrifying read” – San Francisco Book Review - 4-star review

“All the raw power and violence of I, the Jury are on display in Killing Town. This never before published “first draft” of Mike Hammer takes the reader on high-octane joy ride. My head is still spinning! GRADE: A-” - George Kelley

Mickey Spillane

Mickey Spillane was the legendary crime writer credited with igniting the explosion of paperback publishing after World War II. His Mike Hammer novels fed the public’s appetite for sexy, violent, straight-talking crime stories. He also starred as Mike Hammer in The Girl Hunters. Mickey Spillane died at the age of 88 in 2006.

Max Allan Collins

Max Allan Collins was named a Grand Master in 2017 by the Mystery Writers of America. He is a three-time winner of the Private Eye Writers of America’s Life Achievement award. His graphic novel Road to Perdition became the Academy Award-winning film directed by Sam Mendes and starring Tom Hanks. His other comics credits include the syndicated strip Dick Tracy, Batman, and his own Ms. Tree and Wild Dog (with artist Terry Beatty).

He has completed fourteen Mike Hammer novels begun by the late Mickey Spillane, and his Hammer audio novel The Little Death with Stacy Keach won a 2011 Audie. Recently, he adapted the first of his Nathan Heller novels into a ten-part audio drama, True Noir.

For five years, he was the sole licensing writer for TV’s CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, creating best-selling novels, graphic novels, and video games. His movie tie-in novels have appeared on the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists, including Saving Private Ryan, Air Force One, and American Gangster.

Max has written and directed two documentaries and seven feature films, including the Lifetime movie Mommy (1996); he scripted The Expert, a 1995 HBO World Premiere, as well as the film-festival favorite The Last Lullaby (2009), based on his Quarry novels. The Quarry novels were also adapted as a 2016 TV series by Cinemax, for which Max wrote two scripts. Collins’ properties have also been optioned by Skydance, Lionsgate, and CBS Films. His most recent self-scripted/directed indie films are Mickey Spillane’s Encore for Murder (2022), Blue Christmas (2023), and Death by Fruitcake (2024).

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.