The Spy by Clive Cussler

"The Spy" by Clive Cussler and Justin Scott. This book is published by Penguin books in 2011 and has 472 pages. This is the 3rd novel of Isaac Bell series.

The year is 1908. A number if murders take place. They are made to look like accidents. The men who are murdered are brilliant minds of US ship building. Men who specialized in ship design, armor design , gun design, turbine design etc. All of them are related to 'The great white fleet' of USA.

Van Dorn detective agency is requested to investigate and determine if these are murders. Their star investigator Isaac Bell is roped in. Isaac Bell's investigation leads to 'The spy' whose identity is a mystery.

What is 'Hull 44'? What does he want? How are American gangsters and Chinese gangs related? What are they after? Who is 'The Spy'?

Isaac Bell adventures are period adventures. It's the time when cables were used for fast communication, telephones were rarity and mobiles were not invented. Aeroplanes did not exist. Trains were fastest mode of transport and fast cars were called locomobil. Creating an atmosphere of 1908 in a thriller is not easy. Author does it easily.

Clive Cussler has delivered another thriller. I particularly like Isaac Bell thrillers because it is more difficult to write a thriller without gizmos and HiFi weapons. Although reader is used to modern day gadgets, he does not find them lacking in these books. Reader is transported to 1908.

The story has a constant pace. The suspense is maintained. Although you know who the spy is in later part of the book you don't understand why he is doing it. Time leap of ten years at the end of book seemed unnecessary. All the ingredients of thriller are present in this book. There are train and car chases, boat and submarine chases, beautiful ladies, suspense and fights. All in all its a good thriller.

It's a  good book. Read for a change if you are a first timer. Read it if you are an Isaac Bell fan.

Shadow Hunter by Jeffery Archer.

"Shadow Hunter", by Jeffery Archer.

The story is set in cold war era. A nuclear submarine captain, whose father is presumed dead in a submarine accident long ago,  learns about multiple infidelities of his wife; latest being a Russian spy. He learns this just before his departure with his submarine for a major NATO exercise near Russian waters, on a special mission.        

Can he cope up with the breach of trust? What can he do about the security breach on top of it? Has he a plan?  What are his intentions? Defect or destroy?  Can his best friend and captain of another nuclear submarine help?

What does it have anything to do with future of Russia and who rules her? What would happen to Peristroika and Glasnost?

The books explores life on a nuclear submarine, cutoff from outside world for weeks. The chain of command, technical details, submarine protocols are explained in detail and give us a sneak peak in another world.

Pace of the story is fairly uniform and you want to read till end, however you can guess the end.  International politics and Russia's internal politics is captured and used aptly. Climax could have been made more interesting.

A good book to read but not a must read.

Pacific Vortex by Clive Cussler.

"Pacific Vortex", by Clive Cussler. A Dirk Pitt adventure.  Actually this was Cussler's first Pitt adventure but was published much later.

A nuclear submarine goes missing in an area, notorious for ship disappearances, known as pacific vortex, and is presumed drowned & lost.       

Dirk is on vacation in Hawai and finds a message capsule from this submarine. An attempt is made on his life by beautiful red head. Dirk expresses doubt about the veracity of capsule message. He eventually becomes part of navy expedition to search & salvage the sub.

Do they find her? Has she drowned naturally or is there a conspiracy? Has it anything to do with missing scientists? Is there any relation with Canoli, an island civilization drowned centuries ago or kidnap of Admirals daughter? What daredevil adventures does Dirk do? What is Pacific Vortex & the truth behind pacific vortex? Can Dirk unravell the mystery with his intelligence, wits and fertile  imagination?

Pace of the story is steady. If this was the 1st novel written by Cussler it has come pretty well. Character of Summer should have been given more space.

An OK read.