"The gangster" by Clive Cussler & Justin Scott. This book is published by Michael Joseph in 2016 and has 400 pages. This is Book 9 of 'Issac Bell' series.
Year is 1906. A new type of criminal organization seems to be in operation. An all rounder who is in kidnapping, ransom, counterfeiting and explosives. To add to this there is a plot to assassinate US President Teddy Roosevelt by a wealthy businessman. Isaac Bell leads the charge.
Who is behind the gang? Who wants the President dead? Is the same person behind both?
There are two plots. Extortion and Assasination. They take a long time to converge. The story keeps you interested but slackens occasionally. The century old story does not bore you and you remain rooted.
This is the story when Issac Bell is still to become the chief investigator of Van Dorn detective agency. Story takes place in booming America where development is supported by Italian labor.
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Bell adventures always have locomotives as modes of transport and many times used for climax chase. This book has locomotives but uses ice yatch for the climax chase. A novelty.
I have always maintained that Bell adventures are hundred year old high tech fictions. This one is no exception. Author has to be credited for this. Bell adventures have a story pattern. There is a villain who is otherwise a respected figure that does villainy on the sides. It's identity is not a secret for the readers but the characters are unaware. Bell unearths the identity and saves the disaster at the end.
Identity of Gangster is not a suspense. Neither is the identity of mastermind of Assasination. However Bell takes his time to unearth the identities.
Why did I read this book? Clive Cussler.
What I didn't like? Brief climax sequence.
What did I like? Genre of period high tech fiction. Writing.
Read it if you are a Cussler or Bell fan.
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