Plum Island

Rating:
Summary: I loved this book with the exception of one thing:
Review: Our hero, John Corey, does a little bit too much spinning towards the end, turning what could have been a very believable murder mystery into a not so real scenario. Since the book is fairly factual in it's historical and geographical details, the reader comes to expect lots of fact, mixed in with all the good humor, the adventure, the fun, the mystery itself, and the unbelievable descriptions. When John Corey begins to take the homicide case on by himself (with the help of a female cop, Beth Penrose), the plot becomes shaky. In all, a wonderfully worthwhile read about a fabulous character, who is well developed and great to get to know. John Corey is a convalescing NYPD homicide cop, who finds himself involved, both personally and a little bit professionally, in a homicide case involving Plum Island, a very factual place with tons of history. Though way out of his jurisdiction and eventually out of his mind, the story is wild with action and absorbent with enough facts to keep you page turning. A great read, even when Nelson Demille, the author, does stretch it a bit.

Rating:
Summary: Two thumbs up!
Review: This is a great book. From the start you are engrossed in the story and will keep turning the pages until you have run out of time or reached the end of the book. The story line takes a suprising twist that is sure to have your imagination working in overdrive. The main character will make you laugh with his wit and his private thoughts. I grew very attached to the characters and wished the book was longer. I would like to see Mr. Deville put John Corey in more of his future books. This is a character that needs to have more adventures.

Rating:
Summary: A Peach of A Plum
Review: Nelson DeMille is the finest contemporary writer of suspense thrillers. His books are gripping tales which stay with a reader long after the stories have come to an end. One reason for this is DeMille's impeccable research--though his plots are fictional, the premises always are fact-based.

In PLUM ISLAND, DeMille sets the mystery on the very real, very dangerous, government germ repository located in the Long Island Sound--within ten miles proximity of millions of people. That's real, and that single detail takes this thriller out of the ordinary. In the process of solving the crimes, DeMille offers plenty of details about Plum Island (most of them terrifying in their implications)and a fair amount of true Long Island history, dating back to colonial times, when the region was part of the second town of the Plymouth Colony.

Combined with DeMille's facile writing style, the trail of murders he has concocted blended with actual fact makes for one of the two best thrillers on the market. The only contender for that title is the sequel to PLUM ISLAND.

Rating:
Summary: Meet John Corey!
Review: John Corey is a convalescing NYPD homicide cop in Long Island after gunshot wounds received in the line of duty. Corey does not like to play by the rules and his keen instinct lead him to solving the mystery of the murder of his two friends. Corey, while arrogant at times, is still a very likeable character for his undaunted determination for tracking down the killer.

This is my third Nelson Demille book after Charm School and Lion's Game, both of which I highly reccommend. Nelson Demille's strength is in his clever writing and humor. It is also a very good read if you enjoy murder mysteries. If you like John Corey, you should also go on to read Lion's Game, where John Corey tries to outwit a Libyan terrorist with a score to settle.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: After reading some of Mr. Demille's previous books, like The General's Daughter, Catherdral, and The Charm School, I found this book to be very disappointing. The premise and storyline were fine. His main character was over done. I grew tired of his sophmoric sense of humor. It spoiled the story for me. I think he was trying to imitate the main character from "The General's Daughter", a much better book and character...

Rating:
Summary: Wild Ride
Review: Convalescing from three bullet wounds on the North Fork of Long Island, NYPD cop John Corey is caught up in the murder of two friends. It's a wild ride, especially toward the end. There is plenty of action and the superior dialog that is DeMille's trademark. The story does bog down in a few places. The tour of the lab on Plum Island, for instance, was probably necessary to the story, but was a little tedious. However, the clever wit and humor of DeMille's writing helps to pull the reader along. John Corey is a great new character and I'm looking forward to reading his future adventures.

Rating:
Summary: One of Demille's Best
Review: I am an avid reader of Nelson DeMille, and this is one of the best books that he has ever written.

Rating:
Summary: Visions of Nasty Plums
Review: This is my first taste of the critically lauded Nelson DeMille, and I have to admit I think he's a little over-rated. "Plum Island" is a thinking man's mystery, which is not negative in the long run. However, the pace is amazingly slow, and the lead character, John Corey, can sometimes be a little egotistical and arrogant. The case itself is an original idea, but there are no real surprises and the denouement seems forced and lethargic.

Not a bad read, but nothing special.

Rating:
Summary: A Real Plum of a Novel
Review: Rarely do I read the same book over again. After all, there are so many novels and so little time. But I just finished PLUM ISLAND for a second reading, and enjoyed it as much as I did the first time around. Wisecracking NYPD detective, John Corey, who is recovering from biting three bullets on the job, recuperates at his uncle's waterfront summer home on Long Island. It is here that a couple who are recent acquaintances/friends of his are murdered in their nearby home. Thus begins one of the best mystery-adventure novels in modern fiction. The reader goes along with Corey for a wild roller-coaster of a ride to the end of the book. The novel is filled with so many thrills, laughs and adventure, that once I started reading it, it took practically an act of God for me to put it down (I read after I go to bed, so that meant lights out at 3-4 a.m.!). This was my first DeMille book but not my last. The problem is, has PLUM ISLAND jaded me to all other mystery novels? I'll let you know.

Rating:
Summary: The proverbial page turner -- for real!
Review: I hate the trite expression "page-turner", but that is the only way to adequately describe this book. The characters are bold, realistic, and very tangible. The storyline is gripping, with many tense moments. For a long book, the author does an incredible job keeping the reader hooked.

One thing I appreciated was that the author did not feel that he had to tie up every possible loose end in the book. There are various red herrings in the form of characters and sub-plots which remain dangling and unresolved through the end, although not to the point of being a nuisance, which actually adds to the book's character. The main character's constant obnoxious attitude gets somewhat maddening at times, but it is also a refreshing trait, nonetheless. I also found that I got so drawn in to some characters, that when devestation occurred, I felt deep remorse.

I read one other book by this author, was disappointed by it, and decided to give him another try with this book. I'm glad that I did. I will now read some of his others, as well. The book was a completely enjoyable reading experience.