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Plum Island Nelson DeMille Books

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Plum Island Nelson DeMille Books

Not nearly as good as the reviews would lead you to believe -- unless you really enjoy silly juvenile behavior. As usual, DeMille puts together a good story and he knows how to write -- but he absolutely ruins the book with the obnoxious character of John Corey. I've read a number of DeMille's more recent books and expected (and received) Corey's typical excessive smartass comments -- well, I knew what I was getting into, so that's not even a critique. This one, however, goes even farther over the top. There was a heavy emphasis on Corey's sex drive (Neanderthal competition for women that I've never witnessed by any man anywhere in my entire life), to the point I was just disgusted with it, and his behavior (e.g., deliberately vandalizing things with an axe because he was angry) would get him fired from any police agency anywhere.


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Plum Island Nelson DeMille Books Reviews

First let me say that I started the Corey series with Lions Game and continued as each new book was published. Then I bought this one..the first in the series.

If I was a new reader of the Corey series, I am not sure I would have continued the series. The story was ok and character development was fine, except for the female detective..she seemed rather shallow. But what really annoyed me was Coreys lack of ability to answer a question without being sarcastic or making a joke. It got tiresome halfway through the book.Also the idea that boat drivers can yell at one another, in a hurricane, and be heard. As a boater I can tell you that would not be so unless you were side by side, which was not the case in this book.
I've read many of Nelson Demille's novels and decided to go back to this first John Corey story recently. It is a book I believe that I read at some point in the past, probably shortly after it was first published in 1997.

John Corey is one of those characters that can be found in many stories of this type - irreverent and smart-alecky, a rule breaker who somehow still manages to cleverly solve the case even while pissing off his boss and half of the people around him. Oh, and not to forget he has an eye for the ladies and manages to partner up with an attractive female at some point in each story, often leading to some degree of romantics along the way.

So it is formulaic in that sense, but enjoyable as these stories usually are. The setting in this case is Long Island, bringing in some of the wealth that inhabits the area, as well as a secret U.S. Government lab residing on, you guessed it, Plum Island. Plus - buried treasure! (The skull and crossbones on the book cover should be a giveaway to that aspect of the story). Altogether there are plenty of story elements to keep it interesting, and DeMille writes well and it is an easy read with enough suspense to keep the reader motivated to the end.
This was my second Nelson DeMille book. I previously read The Gold Coast, which I loved. But Plum Island was only okay.

I have two reservations about it. First, this time out I didn't find the sarcastic, jokey narrative funny. The Gold Coast's narrator-protagonist was also kind of like that, but it was more restrained and not distracting there (in fact, it was a pleasure in that book). Here, it was over the top. I found John Corey to be obnoxious at times and simply not funny. (Example I didn't know that haughtily referring to yourself in the French -- "Moi" -- is a real hoot; must be because John Corey does it all the time).

Second, it just wasn't that strong as mysteries go. It unfolds in a very linear way, no twists or turns, really. Corey uncovers clues and reaches big conclusions way too easily, and by about 55-60% into the book, you can pretty much see where it's going.

I give it three stars because it has its occasional charms. It wins a few points for a good setting which is easy to envision, and frankly a good hook that dominates the first 100 pages or so -- the story had a promising set up at the get go. But it was only okay after that. I don't expect to read any more John Corey novels, but I probably will try The Gold Coast's sequel, The Gate House.
Plum Island is the third of this author's books I have now read and I am hooked. i'm working on number four now and enjoying every minute. He's a great writer with a mix of knowledge of investigative work, inter-agency conflicts (all true), sarcasm and great humor. the self-deprecating humor of his John Corey and other lead characters, is a true skill. clearly, Mr. DeMille does extensive research on his topics and locations. i actually did some fact checking on things I hadn't known before and found that he took real facts, local lore, geography and procedures, mixing them into a carefully crafted story that rings true and holds my interest. That is not always easy because I am an extensive reader and have experience in the fields of which he writes. But he has hooked me and I am ordering more of his work. This author has made it to my personal Hit Parade.
I love the John Corey books. this isn't the best of them but any John Corey is worth the read. And this has an interesting mystery at the center of it. When two scientists at a highly restricted germ warfare lab on Plumb Island are killed, John Corey is the only person who doesn't buy the theory that they were trying to sell their latest discovery to the highest bidder and that he should keep it hushed for the sake of national security. But, this turns out to be incorrect and the real reason is a straight up cop-shop mystery with the patented Corey humor pushing the story along. Like a lot of the Corey books, this isn't action packed, it's a deductive mystery with some memorable characters and that's fine with me.
Not nearly as good as the reviews would lead you to believe -- unless you really enjoy silly juvenile behavior. As usual, DeMille puts together a good story and he knows how to write -- but he absolutely ruins the book with the obnoxious character of John Corey. I've read a number of DeMille's more recent books and expected (and received) Corey's typical excessive smartass comments -- well, I knew what I was getting into, so that's not even a critique. This one, however, goes even farther over the top. There was a heavy emphasis on Corey's sex drive (Neanderthal competition for women that I've never witnessed by any man anywhere in my entire life), to the point I was just disgusted with it, and his behavior (e.g., deliberately vandalizing things with an axe because he was angry) would get him fired from any police agency anywhere.