Kiss Me, Deadly

First edition (publ. Dutton)

Kiss Me, Deadly (1952) is Mickey Spillane's sixth novel featuring private investigator Mike Hammer. The novel was later adapted into the film Kiss Me Deadly in 1955.

Plot summary

Chapter 1: Speeding down a mountain road coming back from Albany NY, PI Mike Hammer almost runs over a woman hitch hiking in the middle of the road. After Mike's car skids to a stop, she gets in the car and they drive to Manhattan only later to be run off the road by gangsters, who set out to torture the woman for information which she fails to tell them and knocks poor Mike semi-unconscious. Later, both Mike and the woman are stuffed into Mike's car and pushed over a cliff.[1]

Chapters 2-6: Recovering in the hospital, Mike wakes to the sound of Velda's voice. After his release from the hospital, Mike meets with the FBI. Mike learns from Pat Chambers that the woman, Berga Torn was the mistress of Carl Evello. She was to testify at a committee hearing after she was released from the sanitorium. Velda's visit to Mike brings bad news, his PI licence was revoked by the Feds. Pat gives Mike the address of Berga Torn in Brooklyn. Berga had a roommate named Lily Carver, who just moved out of the apt. Mike gets Lily's address from the super and heads on over to her place. Protecting herself with a hand gun, Lily lets Mike inside her apt. Lily was scared to death with all the strangers confronting her with questions about Berga, but Lily doesn't know a thing. After Lily calms down, Mike tells her to get her things together and come over to his place.[2]

Chapters 7-11: Mike seeks more info from Ray Diker of the Globe about the individuals Velda had reported on. One of whom is Dr. Martin Soberin, Berga's former medical doctor who put her in the sanatorium. Mike finally pays a visit to Carl Evello in Yonkers and meets Carl's half-sister Michael Friday. Afterward, Mike goes home and is over powered by two gangsters and made to drive them in his newly acquired car. Using a ploy of an overlooked bomb still in his car, Mike manages to escape his captors. Velda, having worked undercover, gives Mike the key to Billy Mist's apt. So, Mike goes to check it out. Then Mike goes to Al Affia's place on 47th, listed under the name Tony Todd, where it appears a struggle had taken place. Mike has learned that Berga's former friend Nicholas Raymond (formerly Raymondo) was holding back $2M from the gang. Mike heads on back to his place only to be abducted once again by two gangsters and taken to a place to be tortured. Mike, tied to bed posts, face down, breaks free of his bonds and kills his captors.[3]

True to the tradition of Mickey Spillane novels, Kiss Me, Deadly ends (Chapters 12 & 13) in true Mike Hammer fashion.

References

  1. ↑ Spillane, Mickey (2001). The Mike Hammer Collection, Vol. 2, Kiss Me,Deadly. 375 Hudson St., New York, New York 10014: New American Library div. of Penguin Putnam Inc. pp. 349–357. ISBN 0-451-20425-5.
  2. ↑ Spillane, Mickey (2001). The Mike Hammer Collection, Vol. 2, Kiss Me,Deadly. 375 Hudson St., New York, New York 10014: New American Library div. of Penguin Putnam Inc. pp. 358–400. ISBN 0-451-20425-5.
  3. ↑ Spillane, Mickey (2001). The Mike Hammer Collection, Vol. 2, Kiss Me,Deadly. 375 Hudson St., New York, New York 10014: New American Library div. of Penguin Putnam Inc. pp. 401–489. ISBN 0-451-20425-5.


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