Rating:  Summary: Highly Entertaining! Review: Demille has done it again! Plum Island has it all for those looking for an exciting book to enjoy at the beach or anyplace else you go to escape and relax. It's loaded with well-developed characters, hot action scenes and light, breezy dialogue. The plot is always enteraining and fast-paced; although at times, a bit predictable. DeMille's latest is well-worth your investment but don't expect it to be in the same league as Word Of Honor, The Gold Coast and The Charm School
Rating:  Summary: Plum Island is Plum Good Reading Review: This was my second Nelson Demille novel. The first was The General's Daughter. I fell in love with Demille and his quick wit that all of his characters possess. I love the sarcasm that was present in The General's Daughter and was even more pleased when I found that Plum Island was packed full of sarcasm and intrigue. He is one of my most favorite authors now. I have begun to buy every Demille book that I can find.
Rating:  Summary: Energetic and entertaining Review: At the start of this book Nelson De Mille says that concerning the United States Department of Agriculture Animal Disease Center at Plum Island, he has taken a "small amount of literary licence regarding the island and the work done there." In this age of terrorism, genuine fear and paranoia, one wonders just how much licence the author took. Previously we would have expected exaggeration; now we almost hope he played it down. John Corey is both hero and anti-hero. A Manhattan homicide detective badly wounded in the line of duty, he is convalescing at his uncle's house on Long Island. Friends of Corey's, an attractive couple of research scientists, are murdered. They worked on Plum Island, where dangerous biochemical experiments are performed. Corey's friend, the local township police chief, Sylvester Maxell, hires him to help on a consulting basis. Corey's efforts seem to comprise equal parts of consulting and insulting. He has a "wiseass" attitude, which is amusing to read, but his motivation for so much sarcasm is not clear. Maybe it goes with his profession. Immediately, different levels of government converge on the case. The CIA and the FBI behave in usual enigmatic fashion. However, Corey is more than ingenious, and he continues to make headway on his own despite subsequent efforts from higher-ups to lock him out of the investigation. The female detective in charge of the county's investigation at first gives him a hard time and then works with him. Corey is tough and cynical, and he is also good looking, constantly attracting attractive women. It is fun to follow his exploits in this department while he narrows the chase from feasible red herrings. Increasingly puzzling and frightening events escalate relentlessly. In this story, DeMille's characters appear somewhat more archetypal than in some of his other tales, and the final denouement is longer than it has to be. But the plot is instructive and the prose highly readable.
Rating:  Summary: A first- and last-time DeMille reader Review: Somehow this book ended up on my bookshelf, and as I was desperate for something to read on a trip, I gave it a go. The story itself was fairly interesting and well-done; in fact, it kept me reading (barely) despite my extreme dislike of the main character, John Corey. Corey's arrogance, chauvinism, and often inappropriate wisecracking was quite tiresome and even offensive on several occasions. The character himself admits to all these faults, but that does not make them any easier to bear nor does it excuse them. I also disliked much of Corey's behavior, and I was appalled by his treatment of the villain in the climax. Violence and other destructive acts certainly have their place in novels as integral elements of a story or character, but in this case I did not find Corey's behavior at all motivated or justified. Frankly, I find it disturbing that a character like this is seen as a "hero".
Rating:  Summary: DeMille is Awesome! Review: Nelson Demille is awesome! This is the first DeMille book I have read, and I couldn't put it down. As soon as I finished it I started The Lion's Game. I am an avid Clancy reader, but I wanted something that wasn't so technical. I picked up this book and was not disappointed. I fact I may have even liked it more than Clancy. I have never read another author with DeMille's ability to make the words seem to jump off the page. It was like watching a movie in my mind. The plot was awesome and plausible, the characters were very realistic, and the dialogue was the best I have ever read. I seamed as if I was there. Great story. Highly recommended. If it is the first DeMille book you read, I can bet it won't be your last.
Rating:  Summary: Better than The Lion's Game Review: This book came before the above mentioned title, but I read it second. I believe this book, which stars Detective John Corey, more than Lion's Game (which I gave 4 stars) becuase it's more to the point. They do not spend as much time traveling around doing not much of anything. As is usual for DeMille books, the plot is interesting, original, and draws you into the book. You want to sit up all night reading, and before you know it, it's three in the morning.
Rating:  Summary: If you like NELSON DeMILLE, you'll love this book. Review: John Corey is the quintessential, New York City detective. I have known a few and DeMille captures their style perfectly. I enjoy his interactions with people and his attitude. As a fisherman, I am familiar with the area (Plum Island) therefore I can attest to the exacting detail of the NorthFork region of Long Island in which this novel is set. Because I enjoyed this book so much I am now reading DeMille's "The Lions Game" in which Detective Corey is also the main character, and have ordered "Up Country" DeMille's latest.
Rating:  Summary: A Great Escape Read Review: My first DeMille novel, probably wont be my last. Telling a story from the first person or occasionally modified where the character refers to himself has its limitations, but DeMille seems to do it right. He was able to keep my attention so that I finished this 574 page book in about two days. This is a murder mystery with a strongly human side (I found myself quite saddened by the loss of a character I liked) and a humorous side (often just too much but I have known people like this, full of sarcasm and bad puns, people who love to tease people that annoy them, very New York). Detective John Corey is sort of Columbo with more muscle. Though he he's recovering from a gunfight that almost ended his life, he seems to have more than enough testosterone to do deeds of daring do, along with his courageous female associate. The assortment of nasty people and bad guys is also well drawn. Social commentary is strong in this book: DeMille's characters, especially Corey, are able to verbalize what a lot of people feel about bureaucrats, scientists, power trippers, social climbers, and various other characteristics that indicate that many people are missing the point of living a normal human life. If you like a good escape for a while with a few choice barbs thrown in, this book is for you. Some of the action is fairly graphic
Rating:  Summary: John Corey - you either love him or hate him Review: Nelson DeMille introduces the main character of John Corey in Plum Island, who is later used in The Lion's Game. John is witty, sarcastic, and chauvenistic, which you either love or hate. Personally, I got a kick out of following John through his investigation and pursuit of the bad guys, and thought that John's flaws kept a good human quality to the book when so many books have a nearly flawless main character. A good read, which DeMille improves upon in The Lion's Game.
Rating:  Summary: Compelling!! Review: John Corey has all the characteristics of a great detective! Witty, charming, sarcastic, and intelligent. I wouldn't want to go up against him. When I first started reading, I was not interested in "scientists" (no offense) but, Nelson Demille never ceases to capture my attention!! Mr Demille drips just enough information at each turn of the page to keep you reading. I was impressed that the historical facts were not twisted as are many other fictional books. I finished this book in one evening. When it ended, I gasped. What a shocking finish. This book needs a sequel!!
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