Cussler, who made a name for himself more than 30 years ago with his Dirk Pitt thrillers, has lately been working with a variety of coauthors. With Scott, he wrote the second Isaac Bell thriller, The Wrecker (2009), which followed The Chase (2007). The Bell series has constituted a definite comeback for Cussler, whose previous novels were starting to feel a bit lethargic. This latest Bell adventure, set in 1908, continues the hot streak. Bell, the private investigator who bears more than a passing similarity to Sherlock Holmes (he's a master of disguise with a keen intellect and a knack for seeing the truth behind the misdirection), is called in to consult on a case involving the apparent suicide of a top designer of military weapons. The dead man's daughter suspects foul play, and soon Bell is convinced she's right, but can he unmask the villains and keep himself alive? Well, of course he can, but the fun is in seeing how he does it—and Cussler and Scott provide us with a ton of fun. This is a fine thriller, rich in character, period detail, and suspense. --David Pitt
Description:
One man wants to destroy the world.
One man can save it.
Isaac Bell is on the case.
From Publishers Weekly
Set in 1908, bestseller Cussler and Scott's action-packed third adventure featuring Isaac Bell, head operative of the Van Dorn Detective Agency, leaves behind the railroad theme of the first two books (The Chase and The Wrecker), focusing instead on the espionage-riddled world of warship and armament manufacturing in the buildup to WWI. Someone is murdering the leading lights of America's naval research and development. When the indefatigable Bell looks into the supposed suicide of chief gun designer Arthur Langner, he uncovers a succession of possible international suspects, all of whom are attempting to disrupt America's development of a fleet of dreadnought battleships. Bell clashes with old enemies and new until the climactic battle, where he must stop a massive submarine attempting to sink the navy's newest battleship. The expanded area of interest will attract new readers to this exciting series in the Cussler franchise. (June)
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From Booklist
Cussler, who made a name for himself more than 30 years ago with his Dirk Pitt thrillers, has lately been working with a variety of coauthors. With Scott, he wrote the second Isaac Bell thriller, The Wrecker (2009), which followed The Chase (2007). The Bell series has constituted a definite comeback for Cussler, whose previous novels were starting to feel a bit lethargic. This latest Bell adventure, set in 1908, continues the hot streak. Bell, the private investigator who bears more than a passing similarity to Sherlock Holmes (he's a master of disguise with a keen intellect and a knack for seeing the truth behind the misdirection), is called in to consult on a case involving the apparent suicide of a top designer of military weapons. The dead man's daughter suspects foul play, and soon Bell is convinced she's right, but can he unmask the villains and keep himself alive? Well, of course he can, but the fun is in seeing how he does it—and Cussler and Scott provide us with a ton of fun. This is a fine thriller, rich in character, period detail, and suspense. --David Pitt