5 comments about Dangerous Women: Original Stories from Today's Greatest Suspense Writers.

1. Having learned to trust editor Penzler's tastes over the years through reading installments of The Best American Mystery Stories and The Best American Crime Writing, and such memorable anthologies as Murder For Revenge and Murder and Obsession, I eagerly anticipated reading his latest offering, Dangerous Women. After reading the first few tales, I knew the master hadn't lost his touch. Of course, when you're dealing with the work of writers of the stature of Ed McBain ("Improvisation"), Joyce Carol Oates ("Give Me Your Heart"), Elmore Leonard ("Loudly and Pretty Boy"), and Nelson DeMille ("Rendezvous"), it's hard to go wrong.
   
   Although the "old dependables" above deliver some truly memorable tales (DeMille's entry, about a female Vietcong sniper, is especially gripping), they by no means outshine any of the other thirteen stories, including Michael Connelly's "Cielo Azul," featuring his popular characters Harry Bosch and Terry McCaleb, Jeffrey Deaver's surprising "Born Bad," Anne Perry's oddly touching "Sneaker Wave," and John Connelly's macabre "Mr. Gray's Folly." Penzler delivers plenty of variety, enough to satisfy almost any taste.
   
   In his introduction, reflecting on Sherlock Holmes' and Nero Wolfe's views on women, the editor notes:
   
   "...neither Holmes nor Wolfe ever met the dangerous women on these pages. They would have been shocked and appalled. But, as I predict you, too, will be, they would have been fascinated."
   
   Penzler's prediction is entirely accurate. Acknowledging that it's still very early in the year, I'd have to say that he's compiled a certain contender for Best Anthology of 2005.



2. Dangerous Women is an audiobook anthology of original short stories featuring femme fatales and deadly anti-heroines. Some written in the spirit of ancient legends, others very much owing their heritage to modern popular culture, these women range from seductive to murderous to superbly manipulative. Featuring stories by Ed McBain, Joyce Carol Oates, Michael Connelly, and many more, these suspenseful tails are sure to keep the listener guessing about what's in store - whether for the predatory female or the males who come too close. 10 CDs, approximately 11.5 hours, unabridged.



3. With a few exceptions, I am disappointed in this collection of shorts. Great concept but what a bunch of lousy submissions apart from Jeffery Deaver's 'Born Bad'. The book is worth it just for this story.
   
   Did these, for the most part well known and highly regarded writers, do a quickie favor for the editor? It would appear so. The average reader will be able to guess at the ending about a paragraph into the story. Second, the "dangerous women" seem to be stuck on sadism against men originating in lack of or too much of - you got it, sex. And finally, apart from one or two selections, the shorts derive their plot line from mainly noirish elements...cops, tough guys...bleak urban landscapes, and yes...dangerous femmes fatales...give me a break.
   
   You want dangerous women? See Barbara Stanwyck in Double Indemnity or read the novel by James Cain.



4. Otto Penzler has knows how to build to a climax, that's for sure, and of all the hot noir anthologies he's put together, this could be the best. Kudos for stating the obvious (aren't all women dangerous?).
   
   Two of the stories in this anthology (BORN BAD & HIS LORD AND MASTER) are up for Edgar Awards in 2006, and that's just the tip of the...iceberg, so to speak. Laura Lippman's story might be my personal fave, but then again I AM a girl and many men would not be up to this one - be forewarned, boys. Nelson DeMille's story is fabulous. So is Elmore Leonard's. Come to think of it, I didn't meet a story in this book that I did not like.
   
   The writing is fabulous and groundbreaking from start to finish. The entire book is brimming with great writing and sometimes disturbingly surprising sensual undertones.
   
   Incredible here-and-now entertainment of the though-provoking kind. Highly recommended.



5. A sensational collection of short stories with great female characters by leading authors including Connelly, Deaver, McBain, Lippmann, Leonard, Perry. Like all compilation collections by different authors you have superb masterpieces along with stories which aren't that great. There are enough masterpieces within though to make Dangerous Women a must read!
   
   The first story Improvisation by Ed McBain starts of with the response by a beautiful blonde (Jessica) to a guy's (Will) bar pickup line of "What do we do for a little excitement tonight?" "Why don't we kill somebody?" Will thinks she's flirting and as she pints out an unattractive loner woman to be the victim he suggests ways how they do this then still thinking its all a game asks the victim to join them.
   
   Improvisation is not the only masterpiece within. Laura Lippman's Dear Penthouse Forum (A First Draft) has a stranded passenger who needs to sleep overnight in the terminal being offered money for a hotel by an older good samaritan lady which his conscience just won't let him take. She then offers him to stay in her guestroom at her nearby house he decides he can do this since he'll give the lonely woman certain favours in return.
   
   Rendevous by Nelson De Mille has a Vietnam veteran recounts the tale of a beautiful sniper who targets the squad he led on patrol as lieutenant and they feared more than any male counterpart.
   
   Ian Rainkin's Soft Spot has a pathetic prison censor named Denis who reads all incoming and outgoing mail. Like all the guards he would like a piece of the beautiful Selina who is the wife or jailed mobster Blaine. Becoming obsessed with her he learns she is having an affair and is selling Blaine's house obviously about to do a runner. He may well be able to blackmail her for his pleasure to keep certain things from her husband.
   
   Born Bad by Jeffry Deaver has a daughter who never got along with her parents who chose never to raise a hand to discipline her. As she got older they became more and more disappointed in her rebellious lifestyle. Now she is grown up, the mother is a widow and has tracked down her daughter. The daughter has accepted to see her but the mother does not know if she has accepted because she has turned her life around or if the rage has developed further and she will want to kill her.
   
   If you enjoyed this collection and are looking for more sensational books with great female characters also check out either the Jessica Jones or Anna Fehrbach series by Christopher Nicole. Gerald Hammond has also written his fair share of great female leads. Kate White's Bailey Wiggins character is another series worth checking out as well.

5 comments about Charm School.

1. I was stationed in Moscow in 1989, right after "Charm School" came out. It was something of a cult hit among the Embassy community, with people actively competing to find the most ridiculous, inauthentic scene in the book.
   
   There were a lot of candidates for that title, needless to say. My favorite was the scene where Embassy officers were having a drink in the secure conference room, while looking out over the spires of the Kremlin. Other than the fact that there was no bar in the conference room, the conference room had no windows, and the Embassy had no view of the Kremlin -- well, you get the idea.
   
   I started underlining and commenting on the inaccuracies and logical errors in the book, but stopped at about page fifty when I realized there wasn't enough space in the margin. This book was obviously done in a hurry with little or no research about the basics, such as the layout and staffing of the U.S. Embassy, the geography and politics of the Soviet Union, and the grammar and vocabulary of the Russian language.
   
   The greatest problem with the book, however, was its sensationalist treatment of the POW-MIA question. At the time the book came out, this was a very serious issue in US-Soviet relations and there was no need for uninformed storytelling and mythmaking to confuse the matter further.
   
   I am a big fan of good historical fiction, such as the various Flashman novels by George MacDonald Fraser which, in contrast to "Charm School," are well written, show evidence of a deep knowledge of the subject matter, and are works of fiction from which you can sometimes learn an actual fact or two. "Charm School" does not pass any of these tests, even though I'm sure it made the author a boatload of money. My advice: don't waste your time.



2. The Charm School opens with a young American tourist, Gregory Fisher, driving in the Soviet Union's countryside in the 1980s. He makes an "illegal" stop to do some sightseeing and come across an American POW, recently escaped from a secret KGB training school where they force over 300 American POW's to teach Russians to think, act, and talk like Americans. There's no way Fisher could take the man with him to Moscow without them both being caught. Fisher calls the US Embassy as soon as he gets to his hotel and tells them what the man told him, but the KGB gets to Fisher before the US Embassy can.
   
   Sam Hollis and Lisa Rhodes are the two diplomats who took the call. The Soviets insist that Fisher never checked into his hotel and in fact never reached Moscow, but was killed in when his car missed a turn and went off the road. Sam and Lisa volunteer to go retrieve the body in a ruse to get near the Charm School. They end up killing two guards and fleeing from the KGB after meeting Commander Burov, who unbeknownst to them is in charge of the school.
   
   The story action slows down now but you get a good picture of life in the Soviet Union, and also of life in an embassy. Though many of the Russian peasants don't agree with their government, they are powerless to do anything about it. The government is basically ruling by terror - there is no such thing as a fair trial in the Soviet Union. You read how the common man lives day by day, paycheck to paycheck. The houses are run down, buildings are dilapidated, and the quality of life is very poor compared with Western standards. People will wait for hours in lines for fresh milk.
   
   We are introduced to a Soviet officer who has given Sam Hollis much inside information. He offers Sam a list of over 3,000 names of Russians who have gone through the Charm School and are now living in America, in key positions in exchange for safe passage to the West for he and his granddaughter.
   
   Sam and Lisa are soon declared persona non gratis by the Soviet Union and must leave. Predictably, their plane is grounded by a mysterious bomb threat and they are transferred to a Soviet Military helicopter where they are taken to the Charm School and given two choices - become instructors or be tortured and shot.
   
   I won't spoil the ending for you, but I will say that though at times the book was predictable (though still enjoyable), the ending caught me completely by surprise and was perhaps a little sad.
   This book is definitely a thriller. The beginning of the book kept you on the seat of your pants to find out what happens next, and the last two hundred pages or so were constant page turners. The only thing I didn't like, as with all Nelson DeMille novels, was the frequent foul language and the occasional sex scene, which really doesn't add anything to the story at all. That's why I only gave it 3 stars.



3. This novel is simply chilling. It is one of the top books I have read in a long time, and it takes you deep inside the old Soviet Union. This is a good read for anyone young enough to not remember these times. Amazing book, one of my favorites.



4. This is definately a 'don't put down until I'm finished" book! Mr. Demille has done an excellant job of creating a story that could or could not be true with Viet Nam era POWs.
   It was very hard to stop reading because the plot just keeps getting more suspenseful!
   I commend Mr. Demille on such a thrilling book and I really look forward to reading more of his action packed, attention getter novels!
   Richard A. Smith (author: ONE STANDS ALONE)



5. When "The Charm School" first appeared in 1988, the Cold War was almost over, though no one knew it at the time. A good guys vs. bad guys story line pushed a lot of American buttons at that time and could be read uncritically. Times have changed a bit since the disintegration of the Eastern Bloc and the guilty pleasure of blowing holes in the KGB baddies isn't quite as intense. More to the point, Nelson DeMille's over the top scenario in "The Charm School" of a handful of American agents battling Soviet villains on the latters' home turf isn't easy to swallow from this distance in time.
   
   Having registered those criticisms of the book, I have to say that DeMille has a real talent for nuanced characters and, of course, fast-paced action. He does a good job of keeping the story line moving through the 600+ pages of this very long novel. That this book is still in print--I read the 2005 reprint--is testimony to its strengths and to DeMille's reputation as a writer of popular fiction.
   
   I have read only one other DeMille book, but I suspect that there are probably better, more recent ones that the fan of action novels could start with.

3 comments about The Lion's Game.

1. Abridged audio -- in paperback. Original printing 2000)
   
   When you read or listen to The Lions Game, keep in mind that this book was written well before the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
   
   The Lions Game is not about terrorists flying airplanes into the twin towers killing thousands, but about a single terrorist on a mission of revenge. After his bloody entrance into the U.S. and absorption into the country, The Lion leaves a trail of very specific murders across the United States, heading to his final act of revenge.
   
   John Corey, formerly NYPD homicide, now with a special task force on terrorism, is feeling his way around his new assignment (and partner) while trying to analyze the next move of the Lybian terrorist, save lives and figure out his own love life, quite a bit to handle for just one guy!
   
   Nelson DeMille has brought us another entertaining yet thought-provoking action novel that is well worth the time it takes to read or listen to the unabridged version.
   
   I listen to a lot of books on audio. But, I almost never listen to and very much dislike abridgements. They do a great disservice to the author even though authors have to approve the abridged versions of their books. Still, it's a little like just listening to the refrain of a song, you miss the essence of the creator's intentions.
   
   Armchair Interviews says: Good listening.



2. The only thing Detective John Corey knows about a serial killer called 'The Lion' is that he is a young Arab who will stop at nothing in his quest for revenge against the Americans who bombed Libya and killed his family. "The Lion's Game" is a suspenseful thriller that presents a roller coaster ride of plot twists peppered with a cast of truly memorable characters. Boyd Games provides a superb narration of Nelson DeMille's riveting thriller in this flawlessly recorded, 8 CD, 8.59 hour audiobook which will easily prove to be an enduringly popular addition to any community library audiobook collection.



3. very good listening i enjoy demills writting but listening to his book was a great thing to do on a trip to fla.

1 comments about The Nelson DeMille Collection: Volume 3: The General's Daughter, Cathedral, and The Talbot Odyssey.

1. For those who like DeMille this is a pleasant little collection of audio books for your listening enjoyment. As with all abridged versions you are not getting the full character of the book but then thses are not up to the standard of DeMille's later books so not much is lost in the trimming. I found this collection to be good adventure yarns and feel this compilation is a great deal $$$wise. bg

5 comments about Up Country.

1. Listening to this audio book compelled me to write a review. Overall an awesome story and audio book -- I highly recommend it. This despite the lead character who has to be the most arrogant, conceited, self-centered, thoughtless, stupid and `socially blind' (I can't think of the words here) character I've ever seen in a story. `Paul' (his name) almost manages to completely ruin an otherwise breath taking story.
   
   He is a completely unbelievable and over the top character. The type that is a boy scout as far as `truth and justice' (this is okay) while at the same time, is the unstoppable force who does the most stupid things no matter what he is up against or, despite what the consequences will be to himself or other people. One inch away from himself and his girl friend being tortured then killed, he does everything in his power to enrage and spit in the face of his capturers and he does this every chance he can in ways that are so stupid and simply ridiculous that it makes you shake your head and roll your eyes. And of course, for reasons never made clear, he always gets away with it. It is definitely the same character from the Generals Daughter only this time, he's on steroids.
   
   What the author was thinking I can't imagine but what you're left with is the feeling that this character is the author's alter ego therefore making the author arrogant and conceited beyond belief (sorry Mr. DeMille but that's what comes across to us).
   
   Normally it would be good for a character to have this much impact -- good or bad -- on the reader but this isn't the way of it here IMHO. His stupidity and arrogance ruins an otherwise awesome story. If you could edit out the leading character, it would be a far better book.
   
   Also, the way the book ends makes no sense to us though this may be our fault for just not understanding it. I would have re-listened to the end but cringing at the stupidity of the main character prevents me. If anyone can tell us why they told their bosses that they had hidden the evidence instead of telling them the truth, please let us know. Telling the truth seemingly would have let them both off the hook as far as everything goes and, the truth is almost sure to come out anyway! Lieing the way they did only gets them in trouble and puts them in great danger. Make no sense to us anyway. I'd love to understand what the thinking was here.
   
   Also the book ends with all the loose ends... remaining loose ends and I never like that kind of cop out. Does he get the girl or return to his former squeeze? Does he or the Vietnam Secret Police go after the murderer placing themselves in mortal danger? And so on...
   
   Finally, the Nelson DeMille has many brilliant works and is one of my favorite authors. However, in this book, he has the opportunity to pull off some really cool knock-the-reader-for-a-loop situations in several places and, at least for myself, you can even feel them coming up on you...but no, zip, nothing but the flattest uninteresting thing happens. Well at least I thought so but, this kind of thing is probably not fair or even proper to bring up (perhaps the main character has rubbed off on me a little!).
   
   RW



2. Up Country is Nelson Demille's suspense thriller set in post-Vietnam. Full of exciting escapes and tense drama, Demille takes the reader on a dangerous adventure through a country teaming with ghosts from previous wars. Superbly researched. Brilliantly paced. A must read for DeMille fans.
   
   Donald Gallinger is the author of The Master Planets



3. As someone who is too young to know much about Vietnam from personal experience, this book provided me a great historical escape into Vietnam and the effect it had on the men who were there. It is a little slow in places, but it still provides a great story and great historic context. It also explains a great deal about what it is currently like in Vietnam. This is not a high octane action book, but it is very powerful and creates a great setting.



4. That's besides the pompous main character's use of racial slurs, which the Vietnamese by and large dismiss as the mouthing-offs of immature children. Name calling doesn't impress them much. What troubled me more about this book were the many errors in language, culture, customs, etc. that it made me wonder how an experienced author like Mr. DeMille failed to catch these in his research. He did not acknowledge any Vietnamese person at the end, so I would have to deduce that no Vietnamese person was consulted for a book that was 90% about everything Vietnam and Vietnamese. So you can learn from this mistake, Mr. DeMille, let me point out a few of the errors you made.
   
   1. Ethnographical error: There are NO Montagnards in northern Vietnam. Montagnards are a generic grouping of a few dozen ethnic groups living exclusively in the Central Highlands of southern Vietnam.
   
   2. Linguistic error: "Biet" means "to know," but the author seems to think that it means "to understand" (the word for which is "hieu"). "Biet" is misused not only by the non-Vietnamese speaking main character, but also by the "native" Vietnamese characters in the book.
   
   3. Cultural error: Vietnamese women are properly respected in Vietnamese culture. They are not ignored when men talk (what?). They do not walk on their knees with bowed heads to bring tea to their husbands (ridiculous!). I'm surprised Mr. DeMille missed the patriarchal/matriarchal balance of Vietnamese culture, despite having spent time there both as a combat soldier and when researching for this book. Read about the Trung Queens and Lady Trieu Au, Mr. DeMille, and you'll understand what I mean. Vietnamese culture is not at all like the more strictly patriarchal cultures in the Sinosphere.
   
   4. Personal name error: There is no Vietnamese name spelled "Lee." The nearest sounding equivalents are "Ly" and "Le."
   
   5. Locality description error: Hoi An is NOT a Chinese town. It was once a Cham port, which attracted settlers from all over Asia, including different groups of Chinese, but also Japanese, Indians, Malays, and the majority Vietnamese.
   
   6. Historical error: The Citadel of Quang Tri was built in 1824 during the reign of the famously Francosceptic Emperor Minh Mang. It was NOT built by the French, who didn't successfully occupy the city for another 4+ decades.
   
   And on and on it goes. Next time, just have someone who understands the subject culture edit your manuscript first, Mr. DeMille. Yes?



5. Retired CID Officer Paul Brenner is called by his superior to return to Vietnam to find a North Vietnamese solder who witnessed an American Captain murdering an American Lieutenant in 1968. Brenner knows that there has to be more to the situation (and there is) but he takes on the challenge and returns to Communist Vietnam. His task is daunting but he receives help from the beautiful and mysterious expat Susan Weber.
   
   Now the beginning and ending of the book focus on this issue while the middle strays more into the realm of Brenner's past tours of duty in Vietnam (in 1968 and 1972), the history of the war, and culture and geography of Vietnam. The last few hundred pages are great. I liked most of the middle although I could see others getting bored (if you aren't into the history and culture of Vietnam). I did get a little bored with the narrative when Paul and Susan were finishing their travels around central Vietnam. The other part of the book that was somewhat disappointing was the ambiguous ending.
   
   I think Up Country is a more heartfelt and thought-provoking novel than its predecessor The General's Daughter. It raises complex issues of law and order, justice and duty during war. In this way, its similar to DeMille's earlier classic work Word of Honor. It was interesting to compare and think about the issues and situations presented in both. But for me, Up Country didn't reach my three favorite DeMille novels (Word of Honor, Lion's Game, Gold Coast).

5 comments about Night Fall.

1. Basic to decent plot writing is to DO SOMETHING with the elements that are introduced. This book drags us through a slow slow slow introduction of elements, and does NOTHING with any of them. The story HAS NO ENDING. A shameful waste of the reader's time.



2. This book was so boring and drawn out. The first 300 pages were so repetitive that they could have been condensed to 75 pages....Hating not to finish any book I trudged on hoping.... but nothing. At page 400 I just couldn't waste anymore time with this book so I stopped and skipped to the last 50 pages. Sadly, I was able to pick up the story from there and then when I finally thought something was actually going to happen, Mr. DeMille used a national tragedy to end this horrible book leaving unanswered questions and dangling storylines...Having suffered lose in 9/11 I find his use of this event insensative and cheap. Mr. DeMille should be ashamed and it certainly does give hope to any amatuer writers because if he could get this published than anyone could.



3. In my opinion this was a very skillfully crafted story and the pages turned quickly. If you enjoy police procedurals and anything regarding the terrorist activity prior to 9/11 you will very likely enjoy this book. I found the main character's humor very entertaining and added a lot to the story. I found the premise of the plot to be very believable and that the investigation proceeded in a plausible manner. I do agree with some of the criticism that the end came sudden and a bit too easy, and I would have found it more palatable had the author not given credit to someone at the end of the work that gave him an easy way out of the problematic corner he had painted himself into with his plot. No matter. In the end, I found this to be a most enjoyable book and would recommend it to anyone that enjoys a well told mystery.



4. Nelson DeMille has for years been one of my favorite authors, gotta love that bad-boy Corey...but if this had been my first DeMille read I probably would not bother again. The ending is disappointing and flat, and seemed like a cop-out on unraveling the controversy. This novel just doesn't hold your interest as most of his work does, plus terrorism is not a plotline I find interesting. Something is missing here, and it could be due to the fact-based plot. I will continue to read DeMille. When he gets it right it's great.



5. I will try to make this review as helpful as possible without wasting much more of my time thinking about this book. I do, however, feel the need to steer people clear of this one.
   
   I wonder if DeMille had to meet a certain word count for his publisher. It is slow and VERY repetitive, taking its time to (very) slowly deliver the plot. It takes him a good 600 pages to build up to the climax and by the time I got there I was very curious to see how this was going to unfold.
   
   Instead, the author takes such a cheap way out -- none of the loose ends are tied up. Well, maybe one...but barely. It's almost as if he wrote himself into a corner that he couldn't get out of. I am tempted to explain DeMille's incredibly cheap way out but I won't in case you choose to form your own opinion.
   
   DeMille's writing style is decent. Sometimes funny, sometimes juvenile. His narrative is pretty good, but his dialogue can be pretty cringe-worthy (but not nearly as bad as Baldacci's).
   
   The book is a long way to go with virtually no payoff. This is the first book of DeMille's that I have read, so perhaps fans of his will like it.

2 comments about The Nelson DeMille Collection: Volume 1: The Gold Coast, Spencerville, and By the Rivers of Babylon.

1. DeMille is a great story teller and knows how to build to a thrilling climax. These abridged audio CDs are perfect for car trips or flights. Makes the time pass quickly and enjoyably.



2. For those who like DeMille this is a pleasant little collection of audio books for your listening enjoyment. As with all abridged versions you are not getting the full character of the book but then thses are not up to the standard of DeMille's later books so not much is lost in the trimming. I liked Volume 2 a little more but all in all, I found this collection to be good adventure yarns and feel this compilation is a great deal $$$wise. bg

2 comments about The Nelson DeMille Collection: Volume 2: Plum Island, The Charm School, and Word of Honor.

1. My favorite author puts together a great trio of books. My all time favorite Charm School brings you back to the cold war days wondering how this hasn't been made into a movie. Plum Island is more current, but one of the more exciting and thrilling efforts of DeMille. Lastly Word of Honor is in the middle (chronologically) and is one of his "sleeper" titles that you will truly enjoy.
   
   This is a great value at this price.



2. I'm a great fan of DeMille and you can always count on him to get your $worth of entertainment. The books in this collection are just not his best so I didn't feel cheated in buying the abridged version. The narrator was excellent, the stories are entertaining and in the shortened version, they don't drone on too long for you to loose interest. If you are looking for a few hours of diversion while stuck in traffic or to keep you occupied until the sleeping pill kicks in - this is a good choice. bg

5 comments about Wild Fire.

1. You don't sleep once you start this funny, suspense filled, sexy, gotta read one more page book. one of the best ever. Wayne



2. I liked this book, and I usually chuckled at most of John Corey's wisecracks, though I can see how their frequency can annoy some readers. (As far as that goes, you're either endeared to the Corey character or you're not. My advice is to just roll your eyes, like Kate, and get on with the rest of the book!) Anyway, my only criticism of the book is that I felt the lightbulb over John's head went on a little to easily and a little too suddenly. The story seemed to go from John and Kate not getting it to suddenly figuring out the general idea (though not all its specifics) of the dastardly scheme, almost out of nowhere. I would have liked a little more development on that score. Otherwise, on balance, I enjoyed the book.



3. A very good and timely tale. Lots of twists and turns. DeMille is one of my favorites.



4. Traditionally, DeMille has written excellent thrillers with unexpected plot twists & generally witty dialogue between Corey and the antagonists. This book has absolutely none of those characteristics.
   
   Plot:
   
   Fiction writers are generally afforded a lenient artistic license allowing them to stitch otherwise ludicrous plots together. This book takes those liberties and abuses them to the fullest. Under no circumstances is the plot of this novel made believable to the reader. Proper writing along with effective plot development can make nearly any scenario appear realistic, DeMille fails miserably at this task.
   
   Characters:
   
   Corey is not up to his usual self in the book. The other characters offer no intrigue. Unlike the villains in his other books, Bain offers us no insight as to why he is such a lunatic. His cache of supporters are all merely "present", there is no effort on DeMille's part to explain to the readers why they have all gone mad.
   
   Dialogue:
   
   This is the worst part of the book. I will not elaborate, however it should be obvious to most readers that this book was rushed into publication. The dialogue is awful. In fact, nothing significant happens between the 1st two chapters and the last 2 chapters. Everything in-between is filler material (consisting primarily of weak dialogue).



5. I was very excited when this book was offered as a prize in my library's summer reading program. I had often seen this author in the bookstores and had never read him, so I thought it was a great opportunity. I selected this book and eagerly began reading.
   
   After finishing this book, my primary reaction is that I will never read another. The only thing that saved this from receiving a one star rating was the premise. The general story was great and I thought I was in for a wonderful read, only to be greatly disappointed. The writing is very, very bad. The dialogue is stilted and the main characters "solve" the problem in a way that has no plausabiliy.
   
   I was a bit concerned close to the beginning where a federal agent has been caught trespassing and is brought into a meeting of the "bad guys" where the entire plot is explained to him. This is supposed to be a meeting of the major players who have been involved since the beginning, but the leader of the ring explains things like one would do a group of elementary school children. They also immediately begin feeling uncomfortable about what they are going to do even though this has been in the works for years. What a contrived situation.
   
   The hero of the book (John Corey) also is totally unrealistic and very irritating the farther along you read in the book. While some wisecracks make sense and help develop his character, there is NOTHING said in the dialogue that doesn't result in a wisercack. At some point, facing proabable death (and the death of his wife), I think he would have SOME serious thoughts or ideas. It just doesn't ring true. He also manages to "solve" the mystery/problem without much data and magically figures the whole thing out.
   
   If this is representative of his work, I'll not be reading another. There are too many good books in the world to waste time on this !

No comments about The Gate House.