Rating: 
Summary: Fast Paced, Suspenseful
Review: This was my first Nelson DeMille, aside from having seen the movie The General's Daughter, and I will now look to his books when I want page turning suspense. The protagonist in this book is John Corey, a NYC cop who is on leave because of gunshot wounds. He is at his uncle's beach house relaxing when a nearby friend calls to him for advicw in the mysterious murder of a local couple, who happen to be friends of John's. The deceased couple worked on Plum Island, known for the conduction of biohazardous and chemical research. While most detectives believe the case is related to the Gordon's discovering and then trying to steal and sell a vaccine, Corey follows another idea, that of pirates and hidden treasures. Paralleling information about both Plum Island and the legends of pirates makes this book an interesting read in addition to its level of suspense. Corey is an interesting character full of cynicism and wit. My only complaint is that sometimes the book is a bit wordy, and could have been edited down a lot. Regardless, if you want a fast paced, good suspense novel, don't hesitate to pick up Plum Island. You won't put it down!
Rating:
Summary: This is "Plum" good readin'
Review: I'm glad I read this. It was my first Demille book and won't be my last. I've already started The Gold Coast, and so far I like it even more. This is a story told by an NYPD detective who is recouperating from bullet wounds in one of the ritzy areas of Long Island. It involves murder, buried treasure, love (or perhaps more accurately, lust), greed, and biological warfare agents. Demille's use of dialog and voice of narration is great. It was so refreshing to read this after trudging through a Clancy novel. He must average two wisecracks a page. And I found all of them to be funny. That's probably why I like his writing style so much. Maybe it's not for everybody. I have a feeling there's more than a few women would get a little steamed by some of his remarks. This isn't a short read and there's not always a lot of action, but the story and writing style make it a page turner. Demille is now one of my favorites and I look forward to reading more of his work.
Rating: 
Summary: The book's beauty lies in the details.
Review: I have attempted to read this book on many occassions but somehow I have never been able to get past a certain point with all of the details. But Nelson DeMille is my absolute favorite author and I knew that if I just kept holding on the pay off would be big. This book is true to form. It is slow to develop both in terms of the plot and the characters. But once this book takes hold (like all of DeMille's for me) you cannot put it down. The last 200 pages are suspenseful and funny. I should say the entire book is funny even though about death as seen through the eyes of Det. Corey. Why 5 stars if I had to struggle through the first half of the book? Well, DeMille has huge payoffs and this one did not disappoint. All of the details mean something and add to the ultimate enjoyment. I have never been disappointed in DeMille book. So if you like books that slowly place the dots and then connects them (through a sarcastic NYPD detective)this book is for you.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining read
Review: This was a very entertaining read. Admittedly, the first half of the book was slow and kind of dragged along, but the second half was really good and the last 100 pages or so was great. The main character and narrator, Detective John Corey, was a great character. I thoroughly enjoyed his wit and found him to be a very likeable and humanistic character. The other main characters in the book were also likeable (except the villain(s), of course). Corey is drawn into a homicide case while taking time off from the NYPD after having been shot in the line of duty. Initially deciding to lend a hand as a favor to a friend and because he was an acquaitance of the victims--two scientists from the biological research facility Plum Island--the investigation soon becomes personal as he's drawn deeper into the investigation. As this is my first Nelson DeMille novel, I don't know if this book is characteristic of his other novels, but if this book is indicative of his other works, I'm looking forward to reading them. For an entertaining (boat)ride on the high seas, I definitely recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: I thought this book was great.
Review: I've read all the DeMille I can get my hands on, and this one was one of my favorites. It's the first book in a set of two, The Lion's Game as its companion book (and which is a smidge better than this one, even!). I like DeMille because at his best, his characters are smart and sassy, and the stories are cohesive, with serious subject matter presented with a touch of the absurd; the seriousness doesn't become so grave so as to obliterate any enjoyment of the story or his use of words. This story exemplifies exactly what I mean... once you begin reading, it's like riding over rapids. The water just rushes on, makes you laugh, and occasionally you stop, startled, when something bumps a bit more than you expected. In this particular story, our main character (NYC investigator Paul Corey) is recovering on Long Island from some gunshot wounds, and he gets involved in the local double homicide of two scientists who work on Plum Island, a contagious disease research center right off of the coast. Of course, Paul is (in his own mind at least) smarter and savvier than any of the local yokels, even the pretty detective Beth Penrose, who's in charge of the investigation (although properly, she's not local, either). The fact that the scientists worked with some of the most lethal pathogens on earth rises all sorts of speculation that they were being evil and subversive to assist some less-friendly nation with the wiping out of the human race, but Corey in all his infinite and dubious wisdom, uncovers an alternative theory that's much less lethal -- at least for greater mankind -- but all the more intriguing for those who love history and treasure hunts. I enjoyed this book. Most voracious readers would, too.
Rating:
Summary: A fun read
Review: This was fun. The main character (John Corey) is an over-confident wise-guy detective who thinks he's God's gift to women. His arrogance is funny. The pace of the book is very good. It's 500 pages, but it's still a quick read. There were a few flaws, but they were minor. Corey is meant to be recovering from a gunshot wound (through the lung?) but throughout the book he exerts himself way beyond what he should be able to do. DeMille fails to explain the origins of a vital letter at the end. Some sequences are not believable, like the speedboat ride through a hurricane, where the characters are still able to carry on a light-hearted conversation despite being blasted with smashing waves and hurricane winds. Overall, it was well worth the read. I laughed out loud several times. This was my first DeMille, but I'll be looking for more.
Rating:
Summary: A ripping read and wonderful murder mystery! Great!
Review: "Plum Island" is probably my favorite detective novel of all time. No surprise here: DeMille is my favorite author, and in Plum Island he does not let us down. DeMille has two general modes for his writing: deadly serious (e.g. "The Charm School"; "Word of Honor") and somewhat humorous (e.g. "The General's Daughter" "The Gold Coast"). Plum Island falls into the latter catagory, which is not to say that it does not have its serious moments. I am saying that it is absolutely hilarious at times, even if it is a murder mystery. The plot is simple enough (no spoilers here). Detective John Corey is recovering from a gunshot wound in a rustic part of Long Island. Two of his friends are murdered, and the local law enforcement officer asks for Corey's help. The two victims worked at a top-secret Federal germ warfare facility, so things quickly get very complicated. More would be telling, but I guarantee that the ending is unpredictable and does not disappoint. The story moves along at a brisk but not hurried pace, never drags, and hold the reader's interest absolutely. John Corey is one of those unforgettable characters that only very talented authors (like DeMille) are capable of creating. DeMille's marvelous sense of humor is never far away despite this being a murder mystery, and this lightens things up without trivializing it. DeMille's prose is peerless, and it is hard to imagine anyone not enjoying this novel. Plum Island deserves every one of the five stars I gave it. Read it and I imagine that you will agree with me!
Rating:
Summary: Good murder mystery
Review: Ok, I have to sound sexist here, but I don't mean too. I enjoy DeMille's works a lot more than I do the several mystery books I've reviewed by women authors. Perhaps it is a point of view thing. 'Plum Island' wasn't as good as "The General's Daughter" and "Up Country" in my opinion, but it is a very good mystery and very well written. Are men just better writers for men and women just better for women? Or is DeMille just a master and some of the others I've read just plain good? I don't know, but I know that I can't get enough of this guy's writing, and I've been sharing his paperbacks with my mother, who burns through them as well. If I have any complaints about this book, and where I found it fell short of being as good as the others, is that the ending had a little too much violence. I don't mean this in the way of description, I just found the antagonist's actions to be too much over the edge. He wasn't developed enough as a character for me to believe he'd act as he did. However, the skill at with which DeMille handles the protagonist is enough to keep this book at a "5" and it still comes with a strong recommendation.
If you enjoy mysteries, cop/detective novels and suspense, this book will not disappoint.
Rating:
Summary: Well-executed, Interesting - but not Outstanding
Review: Well-executed, Interesting - but not Outstanding Having thoroughly enjoyed DeMille's _Lion's Game_, what better book to read than to catch up on the prequel? _Plum Island_ begins with Detective John Corey's recuperation (wounded in the line of duty) at his Uncle's home on picturesque Long Island. Within moments, his friend - the local police chief - has presented him with an opportunity to view a crime scene. Two neighbors - husband and wife - have been shot at their nearby home. Interestingly, the couple both happened to have been employed by the U.S. Agriculture Department's Plum Island facility, specializing in animal-borne infectious diseases. Given the nature of the work - and its applicability to bio-terrorism - CIA and FBI officials start showing up. The small-town police chief needs a competent detective to help determine what's happened. Thus, the visit to Corey's house. Before long, Corey is swept into a mystery of intriguing proportions: were the victims attempting to sell the tools for bio-warfare and double-crossed... or something else entirely? While Corey is unable to work effectively with the government investigators -given his unoffical stature and lack of security credentials - he stumbles on a plausible, quite interesting, and perhaps fatal (for him) - reason for the crime. It took me several attempts to grind through the first 70 pages... while not initially as engaging as its successor, once it did grab me, it was pretty darn good. DeMille can, and mostly has, written more compelling material, but even at four stars, it's well beyond what most other authors can ever hope to accomplish.
Rating:
Summary: If you read for fun, this is the one.
Review: There's nothing better than picking up a book and reading for the simple pleasure of the entertainment. If you like mystery, adventure, sarcasm, laughter and a touch of danger, Plum Island is for you. This is a well written book that affords pretty accurate insight into what men really think, but don't say. This book delivers it all. A page turner that will keep you laughing, while having its sad points along the way. I sincerely hope that Det John Corey becomes a DeMille regular.
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