The Striker by Clive Cussler

"The Striker" by Clive Cussler with Justin Scott. This book is published by Penguin in 2014 and has 384 pages. This is a Isaac Bell mystery, but it's a prequel. This is Isaac Bell's first individual case in year 1902.

There is an accident of a train carrying coal out of the mine. Isaac Bell, disguised as a miner, tries to unsuccessfully stop it. Someone has sabotaged the train. Someone tries to incite a mob to kill Isaac and others. Someone is trying to pitch the miners against mine owners. It's not just the saboteur at work, it's a provocateur.

Can Isaac Bell crack his first independent case? Can he convince his boss Joseph Van Dorn that there is a provocateur?

Isaac Bell mysteries are period mysteries. They revolve around locomotives (rail and road). Coal and mining are essential ingredients in this book. Creating trouble between miners and owners, letting coal production come to stand still and buying mines cheap is an elaborate plot. However this plot had similarities with plot of his previous book 'The wrecker'.

The provocateur has the advantage of knowing the Van Dorns and monitoring their movements but Isaac Bell is disadvantaged as he does not know the identity and motivation of the provocateur (Well! That's why the game's on, isn't it?).

It's a classic case of a protégé gone bad, in this case it's the first protégé of Joseph Van Dorn. As you may have guessed he is pursued by latest protégé, Isaac Bell.

As usual Cussler has created atmosphere of  old time very convincingly and easily. Readers are transported in 1902 (a different world all together) and feel at home. There is also a time leap of 10 years in epilogue.

Narration is fast, dynamic and exciting. There is a right mix of action and emotion. The story has deception, sabotage, romance, chases, fights and detective work. In short all ingredients that make the book enjoyable are present.

Read it, it's different.

The Wrecker by Clive Cussler and Justin Scott

"The Wrecker" by Clive Cussler and Justin Scott. This is the second book of Isaac Bell series.

Issac Bell works for Van Dorn detective agency. He is tall, handsome and comes from a wealthy family. Unlike other Cussler thrillers which revolve around the theme of water, Issac Bell series revolve around automobiles. The story takes place in 1906-07.

Southern Pacific rail road company engages Van Dorn detective agency to investigate the series of sabotages, to their rail roads, resulting in accidents caused by a person known only as 'The Wrecker'. Isaac Bell is in charge of the investigation.

The wrecker is an expert and master of disguise. He has left no eye witness alive to reveal his identity. Isaac Bell is working with very little to no information. Osgood Henessey, the president of railroad, is a demanding man with a very beautiful daughter, Lilian. Bell is already engaged.

It appears that the wrecker is targeting the cascade cutoff and does not want the railroad to reach the cascade canyon bridge.

Why is the wrecker targeting Southern Pacific rail road company? Who is the wrecker? Is he anarchist, union leader, a bitter person? Is there a bigger transcontinental conspiracy?

Identity of The Wrecker is revealed to the readers when the story is at 25%. The cat and mouse game between wrecker and Bell is played out very well. Wrecker knows that Bell is hunting him but Bell does not know who the wrecker is. This wrecker is always a few steps ahead. Bell's approach to the case, his dedication to the job and his deduction is supplemented by vast resources of his agency and  authorization to travel on any train or charter any train for this case. In absence of phones all matters are handled by wires (telegrams).

There are high speed travels and locomotive chases. Trains run at 110 kmph speed. Train connections are obtained by reversing travel direction, by chartering an engine or a train, by chasing train with car and so on.  The book also has a down hill, down river dash in a dug out canoe In the climax. The book is full of speed thrills.

Van Dorn detective agency has offices and agents in every American city. This sounds improbable more than 100 years ago. It's said that Cussler has based the agency on a real outfit of that time.

Although the story is of old times, it's still a thriller and is full of action. It includes sabotage, spy, accidents, murders, investigation, high stakes poker, knives, swords, gun fight, love, lust and betrayal. Although the book is 576 pages long, you don't get bored.

It's a period thriller. Recommend reading.