Nick Carter-Killmaster


Nick Carter-Killmaster is a series of spy adventures published from 1964 until 1990, first by Award Books, then by Ace Books, and finally by Jove Books. At least 261 novels were published. The character is an update of a pulp fiction private detective named Nick Carter, first published in 1886.
No actual author is credited for the books, with the Nick Carter name being used as a house pseudonym. Volumes varied between first-person and third-person narratives. Authors known to have contributed entries in the series are Michael Avallone, Valerie Moolman, Manning Lee Stokes, Dennis Lynds, Gayle Lynds, Robert J. Randisi, David Hagberg, and Martin Cruz Smith. The name Nick Carter was acknowledged by the series as having been inspired by the early 20th century pulp fiction detective of the same name in the 100th Killmaster volume which included an essay on the earlier Nick Carter and included a Nick Carter detective short story alongside a Killmaster adventure.
The title character of the series serves as Agent N3 of AXE, a fictional spy agency for the United States government. The novels are similar to the literary James Bond novels—low on gadgets, high on action. Sexual encounters in particular are described in detail.

The character

The definitive description of Nicholas J. Huntington Carter is given in the first novel in the series, Run, Spy, Run. Carter is tall, lean and handsome with a classic profile and magnificently muscled body. He has wide-set steel gray eyes that are icy, cruel and dangerous. He is hard-faced, with a firm straight mouth, laugh-lines around the eyes, and a firm cleft chin. His hair is thick and dark. He has a small tattoo of a blue axe on the inside right lower arm near the elbow—the ultimate ID for an AXE agent. At least one novel states that the tattoo glows in the dark. Carter also has a knife scar on the shoulder, a shrapnel scar on the right thigh. He has a sixth sense for danger.
Carter served as a soldier in World War II, then with the OSS, before he joined his current employer AXE.
Carter practices yoga for at least 15 minutes a day. Carter has a prodigious ability for learning foreign languages. He is fluent in English, Cantonese, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Portuguese, Putonghua, Russian, Sanskrit, Spanish and Vietnamese. He has basic skills in Arabic, Hindustani, Japanese, Korean, Romansch, Swahili, and Turkish. In the early novels, Carter often assumes a number of elaborate disguises in order to execute his missions.

Weapons and paraphernalia

Nick Carter uses three main weapons during the course of the series, all of which are named, and have histories. The gun, Wilhelmina, is a stripped-down German Luger. In the earliest stories, Carter got the gun off a German officer during a harrowing mission during World War II. Later stories state that he has had a series of Lugers, all named Wilhelmina. The knife, Hugo, is a pearl-handled 400-year-old stiletto crafted by Benvenuto Cellini. The blade retracts into the handle, and the knife is worn on a special sheath on the wrist, designed to release it into the user's hand with a simple muscle contraction. The third member of the triad is Pierre, a poison gas bomb, which is a small egg-shaped device, usually carried in a pocket but sometimes as a "third testicle" at his scrotum. Activated with a simple twist, it would, within seconds, kill anyone or anything that breathed its odorless and colorless gas.
Carter often takes with him other weapons as the mission demands. These have included:
Carter has used a variety of equipment in the novels, most of which have nicknames. These have included:
The agency Carter works for is described as being smaller and far more secret than the CIA, mostly concerned with assassinations. In the first novel of the series, Run, Spy, Run, AXE is described as "the trouble-shooting arm of the US secret services". AXE headquarters are located in the 6th floor offices of a building in DuPont Circle, Washington, DC under the cover of the Amalgamated Press and Wire Service. AXE is purported to contain several different departments with specific functions including Editing —headed by Geoffrey Poindexter—which, among other things, creates false biographies for agents and provides appropriate props ; Documents—whose role is to plant stories in the media to support specific activities and create false identification and travel documents; Records—which provides background information on suspects; and Operations—which provides logistic support for specific missions. AXE has a branch office near Columbus Circle, New York City and affiliate offices in countries around the world.
Agents are given code designations; Carter's N3, which has at least once been stated as standing for Number three, identifies him as one of the elite Killmasters. It has been stated in some novels that there are four Killmasters in AXE, with Carter the most senior. The meaning of the code N3 is described differently in different novels—sometimes it is Carter's personal designation, other times it is considered a rank, with N1 being the highest, while in other novels we are told that Carter is the third Killmaster to have worked for AXE, with both his predecessors having been killed in action.
In the first novel in the series, AXE is described as comprising 24 agents. They are identified by alpha-numeric code. The following agents/codes have been described:
codenamebookdate
A2unnamedHanoi1966
A4unnamedFraulein Spy1964 October
A7Alec Greenberg; based in AXE's London officeThe Weapon of Night1967
A12using pseudonym "Alfred"Fraulein Spy1964 October
A24unnamedRun, Spy, Run1964 February
B5unnamedHanoi1966
B12unnamed, but nicknamed "Vitamin"Fraulein Spy1964 October
C4unnamedFraulein Spy1964 October
D5Dan Eigerbased in Iraq, killed in The Weapon of Night1967
E14Red TurnerA Bullet for Fidel1965 March
H19Hakim Sadek, Egyptian policeman and academicThe Weapon of Night1967
K7unnamedRun, Spy, Run1964 February
J2unnamed; briefs Carter on his trip to JapanThe China Doll1964 April
J20Jean Paul TurnierThe Terrible Ones1966 May
L32Hank PetersonOperation Moon Rocket1968
N1unnamedstated killed in The Red Guard1967
N1unnamedstated killed in Temple of Fear1968
N1Stuart HampleThe Peking Dossier1975
N1David Hawkin Trouble in Paradise1978
N1Theodore Salonikosdies in Hide And Go Die1983
N2unnamedstated killed in The Red Guard1967
N2unnamedstated killed in Temple of Fear1968
N3Nick Carter--
N4unnamedstated killed in Temple of Fear1968
N5unnamed; an inexperienced agentTemple of Fear1968
N5McLaughlinDr. Death1975
N6Joe Banksstated dead in Six Bloody Summer Days1975
N6 or N7Tom BoxerMacao1969
N7Clay VincentAgent Counter-Agent1973
N7unnamedstated dead in Hide And Go Die1983
N12John SparksUnder the Wall1978
N12unnamedstated dead in Hide And Go Die1983
N17Dennis Gordondies in The Golden Bull1981
N17Bill QualleyHide And Go Die1983
N30Kiki Pedersondies in Trouble in Paradise1978
N86Sean Singerrecruited in Hide And Go Die1983
N92Penelope Taylorknife trained by N86 in Ruby Red Death1990
P3David Trainormurdered in A Bullet for Fidel1965 March
P4unnamed, described as a mole in the KremlinSafari for Spies1964 August
P21Martha RyersonRhodesia1968
Q7Ellie HarmonHanoi1966
Z4Zeke, works in the AXE Psycho LabHanoi1966

Novels

N.B.: The listing here is in series order
  1. Run, Spy, Run A101F by Michael Avallone/Valerie Moolman
  2. The China Doll A105F by Michael Avallone/Valerie Moolman
  3. Checkmate in Rio A110F by Valerie Moolman
  4. Safari for Spies A114F by Valerie Moolman
  5. Fraulein Spy A118F by Valerie Moolman
  6. Saigon A122F by Michael Avallone/Valerie Moolman
  7. A Bullet for Fidel A130F by Valerie Moolman
  8. The 13th Spy A139F by Valerie Moolman
  9. The Eyes of the Tiger A152F by Manning Lee Stokes
  10. Istanbul A157F by Manning Lee Stokes
  11. Web of Spies A163F by Manning Lee Stokes
  12. Spy Castle A166F by Manning Lee Stokes
  13. The Terrible Ones A172F by Valerie Moolman
  14. Dragon Flame A173F by Manning Lee Stokes
  15. Hanoi A182F by Valerie Moolman
  16. Danger Key A183F by Lew Louderback
  17. Operation Starvation A197F by Nicholas Browne
  18. The Mind Poisoners A198F by Lionel White/Valerie Moolman
  19. The Weapon of Night A215F by Valerie Moolman
  20. The Golden Serpent A216F by Manning Lee Stokes
  21. Mission to Venice A228X by Manning Lee Stokes
  22. Double Identity A229X by Manning Lee Stokes
  23. The Devil's Cockpit A238X by Manning Lee Stokes
  24. The Chinese Paymaster A239X by Nicholas Browne
  25. Seven Against Greece A247X by Nicholas Browne
  26. A Korean Tiger A248X by Manning Lee Stokes
  27. ' A260X by Manning Lee Stokes
  28. The Red Guard A261X by Manning Lee Stokes
  29. The Filthy Five A276X by Manning Lee Stokes
  30. The Bright Blue Death A277X by Nicholas Browne
  31. Macao A294X by Manning Lee Stokes
  32. Operation Moon Rocket A295X by Lew Louderback
  33. Judas Spy A325X by William L Rohde
  34. Hood of Death A326X by William L Rohde
  35. Amsterdam A366X by William L Rohde
  36. Temple Of Fear A367X by Manning Lee Stokes
  37. 14 Seconds to Hell A376X by Jon Messmann
  38. The Defector A405X by George Snyder
  39. Carnival for Killing A406X by Jon Messmann
  40. Rhodesia A409X by William L Rohde
  41. The Red Rays A423X by Manning Lee Stokes
  42. Peking & The Tulip Affair A424X by Arnold Marmor
  43. The Amazon A441X by Jon Messmann
  44. Sea Trap A442X by Jon Messmann
  45. Berlin A455X by Jon Messmann
  46. The Human Time Bomb A456X by William L Rohde
  47. The Cobra Kill A495X by Manning Lee Stokes
  48. The Living Death A496X by Jon Messmann
  49. Operation Che Guevara A509X by Jon Messmann
  50. The Doomsday Formula A520X by Jon Messmann
  51. Operation Snake A559X by Jon Messmann
  52. The Casbah Killers A560X by Jon Messmann
  53. The Arab Plague A583X by Jon Messmann
  54. Red Rebellion A584X by Jon Messmann
  55. The Executioners A598X by Jon Messmann
  56. Black Death A631X by Manning Lee Stokes
  57. Mind Killers A655X by Jon Messmann
  58. Time Clock of Death A656X by George Snyder
  59. Cambodia A686X by George Snyder
  60. The Death Strain A703S by Jon Messmann
  61. Moscow A710S by George Snyder
  62. Jewel of Doom A744S by George Snyder
  63. Ice Bomb Zero A787S by George Snyder
  64. Mark of Cosa Nostra A847S by George Snyder
  65. The Cairo Mafia AN1001 by Ralph Eugene Hayes
  66. Inca Death Squad AN1016 by Martin Cruz Smith
  67. Assault on England AN1030 by Ralph Eugene Hayes
  68. The Omega Terror AN1033 by Ralph Eugene Hayes
  69. ' AN1055 by Martin Cruz Smith
  70. Strike Force Terror AN1056 by Ralph Eugene Hayes
  71. ' AN1075 By Richard Hubbard
  72. Night of the Avenger AN1079 by Chet Cunningham
  73. Butcher of Belgrade AN1109 by Ralph Eugene Hayes / Larry Powell
  74. Assassination Brigade AN1121 by Thomas Chastain
  75. The Liquidator AN1127 by Richard Hubbard
  76. The Devil's Dozen AN1133 by Martin Cruz Smith
  77. The Code AN1146 by Larry Powell
  78. Agent Counter-Agent AN1147 by Ralph Eugene Hayes
  79. Hour of the Wolf AN1157 by Jeffrey Wallman
  80. Our Agent in Rome is Missing AN1160 by Al Hine
  81. The Kremlin File AN1165 by Willis T Ballard
  82. Spanish Connection AN1166 by Bruce Cassidy
  83. Death's Head Conspiracy AN1178 by Robert Colby
  84. The Peking Dossier AN1217 by Linda Stewart
  85. Ice-trap Terror AN1227 by Jeffrey Wallman
  86. ' AN1239 by Ralph Eugene Hayes
  87. Massacre in Milan AN1251 by Al Hine
  88. Vatican Vendetta AN1263 by George Snyder / Ralph Eugene Hayes
  89. Sign of the Cobra AN1270 by James Fritxhand
  90. The Man Who Sold Death AN1297 by Lawrence VanGelder
  91. The N3 Conspiracy AQ1332 by Dennis Lynds
  92. Beirut Incident AQ1333 by Forrest V Perrin
  93. Death of the Falcon AQ1354 by Jim Bowser
  94. The Aztec Avenger AQ1356 by Saul Wernick
  95. The Jerusalem File AQ1400 by Linda Stewart
  96. Dr. Death AY1424 by Craig Nova
  97. Counterfeit Agent AQ1439 by Douglas Marland
  98. Six Bloody Summer Days AQ1449 by DeWitt S Copp
  99. The Z Document AQ1460 by Homer H Morris
  100. The Katmandu Contract AQ1479 by Jim Bowser
  101. The Ultimate Code AQ1486 by William Odell
  102. ' AQ1512 by Marilyn Granbeck
  103. Green Wolf Connection AQ1546 by Dennis Lynds
  104. ' AQ1559 by Dee Stuart / Ansel Chapin
  105. The List AQ1556 by Jim Bowser
  106. The Fanatics of Al Asad AQ1575 by Saul Wernick
  107. The Snake Flag Conspiracy AQ1576 by Saul Wernick
  108. The Turncoat AQ1581 by Leon Lazarus
  109. The Sign of the Prayer Shawl AQ1590 by David Hagberg
  110. The Vulcan Disaster AQ1600 by George Warren
  111. A High Yield in Death AQ1609 by Jim Bowser
  112. The Nichovev Plot AQ1623 by Craig Nova
  113. Triple Cross AQ1636 by Dennis Lynds
  114. The Gallagher Plot AQ1647 by Saul Wernick
  115. Plot for the Fourth Reich AQ1655 by Bob Latona
  116. Revenge of the Generals by Saul Wernick
  117. Under the Wall by DeWitt S Copp
  118. The Ebony Cross AQ1683 by Jack Canon
  119. Deadly Doubles by Lawrence VanGelder
  120. Race of Death by David Hagberg
  121. Trouble in Paradise by Robert Derek Steeley
  122. Pamplona Affair by Dee Stuart/Ansel Chapin
  123. The Doomsday Spore by George Warren
  124. The Asian Mantrap by William Odell
  125. Thunderstrike in Syria By Joseph Rosenberger
  126. The Redolmo Affair by Jack Canon
  127. The Jamaican Exchange by Leon Lazarus
  128. Tropical Deathpact by Bob Stokesberry
  129. The Pemex Chart by Dwight V Swain
  130. Hawaii by Daniel C Prince
  131. The Satan Trap by Jack Canon
  132. Reich Four by Fred Huber
  133. The Nowhere Weapon by William Odell
  134. Strike Of The Hawk by Joseph L Gilmore
  135. Day Of The Dingo by John Stevenson
  136. And Next The King by Steve Simmons
  137. Tarantula Strike by Dan Reardon
  138. Ten Times Dynamite by Frank Adduci jr
  139. Eighth Card Stud by Robert E. Vardeman
  140. Suicide Seat by George Warren
  141. ' by Ron Felber
  142. War From The Clouds by Joseph L Gilmore
  143. Turkish Bloodbath by Jerry Ahern
  144. The Coyote Connection by Bill Crider/Jack Davis
  145. The Q Man by John Stevenson
  146. The Society Of Nine by Jack Canon
  147. The Ouster Conspiracy by David Hagberg
  148. The Golden Bull by John Stevenson
  149. The Dubrovnik Massacre by Henry Rasof/Stephen Williamson
  150. The Solar Menace by Robert E. Vardeman
  151. The Strontium Code by David Hagberg
  152. Pleasure Island by Robert J Randisi
  153. Cauldron Of Hell by Mike Jahn
  154. The Parisian Affair by H Edward Husenburger
  155. Chessmaster by Robert J Randisi
  156. The Last Samurai by Bruce Algozin
  157. The Puppet Master by David Hagberg
  158. The Dominican Affair by David Hagberg
  159. The Damocles Threat by David Hagberg
  160. Earth Shaker by Robert E. Vardeman
  161. The Treason Game by Joseph L Gilmore
  162. Deathlight by Jerry Ahern
  163. The Israeli Connection by Robert Derek Steeley
  164. Norwegian Typhoon by Robert E. Vardeman
  165. The Hunter by David Hagberg
  166. ' by David Hagberg
  167. Appointment In Haiphong by David Hagberg
  168. Retreat For Death by David Hagberg
  169. The Mendoza Manuscript by Robert J Randisi
  170. The Death Star Affair by Jack Canon
  171. Doctor DNA by Robert E. Vardeman
  172. The Christmas Kill by Joseph L Gilmore
  173. The Greek Summit by Robert J Randisi
  174. The Outback Ghosts by Robert E. Vardeman
  175. Hide And Go Die by Jack Canon
  176. The Kali Death Cult by Robert E. Vardeman
  177. Operation Vendetta by Joseph L Gilmore
  178. The Yukon Target by Robert E. Vardeman
  179. The Death Dealer by Jack Canon
  180. The Istanbul Decision by David Hagberg
  181. The Decoy Hit by Robert J Randisi
  182. Earthfire North by David Hagberg
  183. The Budapest Run by Jack Canon
  184. Caribbean Coup by Robert J Randisi
  185. The Algarve Affair by Jack Canon
  186. Zero-Hour Strike Force by David Hagberg
  187. Operation Sharkbite by Jack Canon
  188. Death Island by David Hagberg
  189. Night of the Warheads by Jack Canon
  190. Day of the Mahdi by Gayle Lynds
  191. by Jack Canon
  192. Death Hand Play by David Hagberg
  193. The Kremlin Kill Jack Canon
  194. The Mayan Connection by Gayle Lynds
  195. San Juan Inferno by Joseph L Gilmore
  196. Circle of Scorpions by Jack Canon
  197. The Blue Ice Affair by Ron Felber
  198. The Macao Massacre by Jack Canon
  199. Pursuit of the Eagle by Gayle Lynds
  200. The Vengeance Game by David Hagberg
  201. Last Flight to Moscow by Joseph L Gilmore
  202. The Normandy Code by Jack Canon
  203. White Death by Gayle Lynds
  204. The Assassin Convention by Joseph L Gilmore
  205. Blood of the Scimitar by Jack Canon
  206. The Execution Exchange by Dennis Lynds
  207. The Tarlov Cipher by Jack Canon
  208. Target Red Star by Jack Canon
  209. The Killing Ground by David Hagberg
  210. The Berlin Target by Jack Canon
  211. Mercenary Mountain by Dennis Lynds
  212. Blood Ultimatum by Ron Felber
  213. The Cyclops Conspiracy by Dennis Lynds
  214. Tunnel for Traitors by Jack Canon
  215. The Samurai Kill by Dennis Lynds
  216. Terror Times Two by Jack Canon
  217. Death Orbit by David Hagberg
  218. Slaughter Day by Jack Canon
  219. The Master Assassin by Dennis Lynds
  220. Operation Petrograd by David Hagberg
  221. Crossfire Red by Jack Canon
  222. Blood of the Falcon By Dennis Lynds
  223. Death Squad by Jack Canon
  224. The Terror Code by Jack Canon
  225. Holy War by Jack Canon
  226. Blood Raid by Jack Canon
  227. East of Hell by David Hagberg
  228. Killing Games by Jack Canon
  229. Terms of Vengeance by Jack Canon
  230. Pressure Point by Jack Garside
  231. Night of the Condor by Gardner F. Fox
  232. The Poseidon Target by Jack Canon
  233. The Andropov File by Jack Garside
  234. Dragonfire by David Hagberg
  235. Bloodtrail to Mecca by Jack Canon
  236. Deathstrike by Jack Garside
  237. Lethal Prey by David Hagberg
  238. Spykiller by David Hagberg
  239. Bolivian Heat by Jack Canon
  240. The Rangoon Man by Jack Canon
  241. Code Name Cobra by Jack Garside
  242. Afgan Intercept by Jack Garside
  243. Countdown to Armageddon by Jack Canon
  244. Black Sea Bloodbath by Jack Garside
  245. The Deadly Diva by Jack Canon
  246. Invitation to Death by David Hagberg
  247. Day of the Assassin by Jack Canon
  248. The Korean Kill Jack Canon
  249. Middle East Massacre by Jack Canon
  250. Sanction to Slaughter by Jack Garside
  251. Holiday in Hell by Jack Canon
  252. Law of the Lion by Shelly Loewenkopf
  253. Hong Kong Hit by Jack Canon
  254. Deep Sea Death by Jack Garside
  255. Arms of Vengeance by Shelly Loewenkopf
  256. Hell-Bound Express by Jack Canon
  257. Isle of Blood by Jack Canon
  258. Singapore Sling by Jack Garside
  259. Ruby Red Death by Jack Garside
  260. Arctic Abduction by Jack Garside
  261. Dragon Slay by Jack Canon