I have looked back on unposted reviews and found a review written 13 years ago of a Nelson DeMille book. I find myself with mixed emotions reading DeMille books. Some are excellent and others I find mediocre. Wild Fire manages to be both.
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6. - 416.) Wild Fire by Nelson DeMille – While Detective John Corey and FBI agent wife, Kate Mayfield, are enjoying a lovely weekend in Long Island during the ColumbusDay Weekend their colleague, Harry Muller is captured while attempting surveillance on the Custer Hill Club in the Adirondacks. The tension level rachets up when the Club leader, Bain Maddox, discloses his plan to set off four suitcase nuclear bombs in American cities to prompt Wild Fire, the secret American plan to retaliate against an Islamic nuclear attack by destroying the Muslim world with 122 nuclear bombs. Monday morning John and Kate learn of the death of Harry and head north. They quickly determine it was not a hunting accident. Through clever and determined investigation they find out over the next 36 hours that planes have left with no passengers and some unusual freight, that an ELF (extremely low frequency) transmitter has been constructed at the Club and a Russian nuclear physicist has come to the club. (I did find it dragging in the middle. There is an unnecessary distracting section about staying at The Point, a very expensive resort in which John demonstrates a sterotypical American disdain for France and French cooking.) In the American tradition of the team of two they do not share their information. Only when there is the prospect of a nuclear attack in America does Kate start sharing. They head to the final confrontation without backup or outside assistance. If correct, the dysfunctional nature of American law enforcement in the continuing unwillingness to share information makes future terrorist attacks inevitably successful. De Mille provides an imaginative driving conclusion. (Jan. 31/08)
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I really liked your comment about the novel managing to be both excellent and mediocre, Bill. I've read books like that, too. This one does sound as though it's got some solid thriller aspects, which can make a book great. Interesting that you thought it dragged a bit in the middle. I think that's one thing that can really take away from a book: too much 'padding' in the middle, or going off on tangents. Still, I can see why some parts of the book appealed to you. And I'm vrey glad you had a good visit with your family.
ReplyDeleteMargot: Thanks for the comment. I am less interested in apocalyptic conspiracies than when I was younger.
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