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Sharon McCone #15
A Wild and Lonely Place
It's worth a $1 Million reward to Sharon McCone if she catches the man called the Diplo-bomber, who has set off bombs at consulates all over the U.S. Now he's in San Francisco--and that's McCone's turf. When he misses his latest target, the embassy of a small Arab emirate, McCone's on the spot--and soon discovers some disturbing things about this strange, forbidding embassy. One is the American woman kept a virtual prisoner there by her Arab mother-in-law.
The other is a mischievous, lonely nine-year-old girl who's in grave danger not only from the terrorist but also from her estranged playboy father. Went the child disappears, McCone follows her trail to a desolate Caribbean island. Here McCone's rescue mission takes her dangerously close to death and the hidden motive behind the Diplo-bomber's explosions. Now, with a child's life hanging in the balance, what McCone plans to do may either be called cold-blooded murder...or justice.
The other is a mischievous, lonely nine-year-old girl who's in grave danger not only from the terrorist but also from her estranged playboy father. Went the child disappears, McCone follows her trail to a desolate Caribbean island. Here McCone's rescue mission takes her dangerously close to death and the hidden motive behind the Diplo-bomber's explosions. Now, with a child's life hanging in the balance, what McCone plans to do may either be called cold-blooded murder...or justice.
326 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
63 people are currently reading
514 people want to read
About the author
Marcia Muller
165 books723 followersMarcia Muller is an American author of mystery and thriller novels.
Muller has written many novels featuring her Sharon McCone female private detective character. Vanishing Point won the Shamus Award for Best P.I. Novel. Muller had been nominated for the Shamus Award four times previously.
In 2005, Muller was awarded the Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master award.
She was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Birmingham, Michigan, and graduated in English from the University of Michigan and worked as a journalist at Sunset magazine. She is married to detective fiction author Bill Pronzini with whom she has collaborated on several novels.
Muller has written many novels featuring her Sharon McCone female private detective character. Vanishing Point won the Shamus Award for Best P.I. Novel. Muller had been nominated for the Shamus Award four times previously.
In 2005, Muller was awarded the Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master award.
She was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Birmingham, Michigan, and graduated in English from the University of Michigan and worked as a journalist at Sunset magazine. She is married to detective fiction author Bill Pronzini with whom she has collaborated on several novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
November 25, 2018
I was ready for a comfort read, which meant diving back into the McCone series that I have been slowing revisiting. I know I read this sometime around the late 1990s, but darn if I remembered any of it. I starting thinking of this as Muller's Unabomber book and for the most part, I enjoyed it. These older books have "held up" to varying degrees, but this one is probably the most dated thus far given all the technology and early Internet talk. When Mick started explaining to Sharon what e-mail was I got a good chuckle. I, myself, had gotten my first e-mail address right around the time this book was first published, and it's amazing how much of the early online days I had forgotten or blocked out as technology has progressed at light speed. Nowhere near a highlight of the series for me, but I did enjoy it.
June 19, 2020
Sharon McCone is helping a friend who serves on a federal task force investigating a series of bombings against diplomatic properties. The latest attacks seem to e focused on teh San Francisco consulate of Azad.
But she's also being pulled into a direction she is not quite comfortable with, working with a private agency that is offering security to the consulate. And what she sees happening in the consulate has McCone seeing red.
It makes for a heady brew where ultimately McCone realizes that she is on her own with only her rules and instincts to guide her.
The McCone character is starting to grow on me. Still not a favorite character and sometimes the dialogue can be distracting as it waivers between 50s style hard boiled to sometimes unrealistically naive, but the stories are usually pretty good and this one will keep readers hooked to the storyline and guessing right up to the last minute as to what will happen and who is the cause.
But she's also being pulled into a direction she is not quite comfortable with, working with a private agency that is offering security to the consulate. And what she sees happening in the consulate has McCone seeing red.
It makes for a heady brew where ultimately McCone realizes that she is on her own with only her rules and instincts to guide her.
The McCone character is starting to grow on me. Still not a favorite character and sometimes the dialogue can be distracting as it waivers between 50s style hard boiled to sometimes unrealistically naive, but the stories are usually pretty good and this one will keep readers hooked to the storyline and guessing right up to the last minute as to what will happen and who is the cause.
March 9, 2024
Another stimulating mystery by Muller, showing her growth as an author. The Sharon McCone stories are getting more involved and fast paced as they go.
August 13, 2008
A WILD AND LONELY PLACE - Ex
Muller, Marcia - 15th in series
PI Saron McCone investigates a terrorist bombing at the Consulate of an Arab Emirate. Sharon is thinking only of the million-dollar-reward--until she meets the consul general's daughter. When the girl disappears, Sharon risks everything to save her.
Muller gets better and better.
Muller, Marcia - 15th in series
PI Saron McCone investigates a terrorist bombing at the Consulate of an Arab Emirate. Sharon is thinking only of the million-dollar-reward--until she meets the consul general's daughter. When the girl disappears, Sharon risks everything to save her.
Muller gets better and better.
December 31, 2013
A bomber is concentrating on the Azadis consul, and McCone wants to protect nine year old Habiba. Burt before she can get her to a safe place, Habibia is kidnapped and her mother killed--by Habiba's own father!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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February 23, 2008Good PI & terrorist tell.
March 31, 2011
action packed, interesting advance of series characters
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March 8, 2015Xxq
May 21, 2024
***MINOR SPOILERS ***
This book is part of the Sharon McCone series. It can be read as a standalone as references to events or characters that appear in other books are explained.
Sharon McCone is a private detective who is asked by a friend, Adah, to help with a case involving a terrorist. The terrorist has been bombing different embassies or consulates. Sharon finds out that the consulate in San Francisco for the fictional Middle Eastern country of Azad has been threatened. She is asked by a security firm to assist with the case as well and has to choose between assisting her friend, Adah, and helping the security firm. She chooses the security firm due to the access it gives her which means she cannot share information with her friend. This causes a little tension between them.
The story involves digging into the reasons for the different bombings and trying to find a link, as well as a layered family situation. One of the residents of the consulate is a little girl, Habiba. Sharon and the little girl take an instant liking to each other. When the little girl gets involved in a dangerous situation, Sharon’s priority becomes rescuing her.
Throughout the case/rescue mission, Sharon meets several interesting characters. I thought that the characters had depth. The pace of the story is good and the dialogue is realistic. Sharon makes a mistake or two in solving the case which I thought was realistic, but there was one towards the end that I thought involved jumping to a conclusion which I thought she should have been more careful about.
I liked this book and plan to try to read more books in the series.
This book is part of the Sharon McCone series. It can be read as a standalone as references to events or characters that appear in other books are explained.
Sharon McCone is a private detective who is asked by a friend, Adah, to help with a case involving a terrorist. The terrorist has been bombing different embassies or consulates. Sharon finds out that the consulate in San Francisco for the fictional Middle Eastern country of Azad has been threatened. She is asked by a security firm to assist with the case as well and has to choose between assisting her friend, Adah, and helping the security firm. She chooses the security firm due to the access it gives her which means she cannot share information with her friend. This causes a little tension between them.
The story involves digging into the reasons for the different bombings and trying to find a link, as well as a layered family situation. One of the residents of the consulate is a little girl, Habiba. Sharon and the little girl take an instant liking to each other. When the little girl gets involved in a dangerous situation, Sharon’s priority becomes rescuing her.
Throughout the case/rescue mission, Sharon meets several interesting characters. I thought that the characters had depth. The pace of the story is good and the dialogue is realistic. Sharon makes a mistake or two in solving the case which I thought was realistic, but there was one towards the end that I thought involved jumping to a conclusion which I thought she should have been more careful about.
I liked this book and plan to try to read more books in the series.
September 7, 2024
This wasn’t awful; instead, it was just meh. Lately, Ilike this series just enough to keep reading it.
Sharon McCone takes a job as a consultant to a security agency. Someone is bombing embassies, consulates, and other facilities, and no one knows who it is.
When terrorists threaten a San Francisco consulate, Sharon gets involved to protect a particularly precocious nine-year-old girl who is a prisoner in the place along with her booze-saturated mother and strict, unaffectionate grandmother.
My biggest complaint with the book is its singularly forgettable plot. I’m glad I’ve written what I have, because by tomorrow, I’ll barely remember whether I read this, and that forgetfulness will force me to check this site to refresh my memory.
Sharon McCone takes a job as a consultant to a security agency. Someone is bombing embassies, consulates, and other facilities, and no one knows who it is.
When terrorists threaten a San Francisco consulate, Sharon gets involved to protect a particularly precocious nine-year-old girl who is a prisoner in the place along with her booze-saturated mother and strict, unaffectionate grandmother.
My biggest complaint with the book is its singularly forgettable plot. I’m glad I’ve written what I have, because by tomorrow, I’ll barely remember whether I read this, and that forgetfulness will force me to check this site to refresh my memory.
October 22, 2018
I actually knew the Diplo-bomber before Sharon did this time! Well, she did have it narrowed down to two-- but then picked the wrong one and I knew it!!! A good read with some major suspense and adventure in the air and at airports. I especially enjoy seeing how Sharon's relationships with RKI, Hy and Mick are changing -- while the friendship with Adah is evolving. The usual favorites -- Hank and Anne-Marie, Ted, Rae, Charlotte and even Gregg Marcus-- are also around to help out. And we get to meet Craig Morland and Habiba.
October 8, 2021
Wonderful entertaining listening 🔰😀.
Another will written romantic thriller adventure mystery novel by Marcus Muller book 15 in the Sharon McCone Series with lots of interesting will developed characters. The story line is set in San Francisco and the Caribbean as Sharon McCone races to rescue a nine year old girl 👧from very bad 👎men. Back in San Francisco she must catch a bomber solving several mysteries. I would recommend this novel and series to readers of mysteries.Enjoy the adventure of reading or listening to books 📚 2021
Another will written romantic thriller adventure mystery novel by Marcus Muller book 15 in the Sharon McCone Series with lots of interesting will developed characters. The story line is set in San Francisco and the Caribbean as Sharon McCone races to rescue a nine year old girl 👧from very bad 👎men. Back in San Francisco she must catch a bomber solving several mysteries. I would recommend this novel and series to readers of mysteries.Enjoy the adventure of reading or listening to books 📚 2021
March 14, 2022
Parts of this book were excellent, other parts went into far too much detail and included one too many 'bad' things happening in a row to actually be believable. Mystery was well resolved, though. I've read several of her books so far, remember reading some when they first came out years ago. I like the concept of a female detective, for sure, but Muller doesn't have the same style as Grafton, guess these books remind me of her without being nearly as good as most of the Alphabet series, at least in my opinion.
December 21, 2021
I'm still catching up with the Sharon McCone series. Sharon gets involved with trying to uncover the Dipla-bomber who is bombing consulates all over the U.S. One particular embassy soon becomes a focus and McCone's work turns to rescue of the daughter-in-law and grandchild of the ambassador. While I have a special place for the McCone series... I've discovered that these books are best saved for special McCone times. I've got one more to read out of sequence and I'm definitely saving it.
April 24, 2023
A well crafted mystery. Many times Sharon has an epiphany that is not shared with the reader and even when you go back to the pertinent info, there is no clue. Sharon is from the era of bad ass detectives who don't seem to be afraid of anything, an empowering persona to read
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2024
Great stories, but
These are great stories but the books are not properly edited. Many words are not spelled correctly. It's very distracting and takes away the fun of the story. Otherwise, I enjoy these mysteries!!
These are great stories but the books are not properly edited. Many words are not spelled correctly. It's very distracting and takes away the fun of the story. Otherwise, I enjoy these mysteries!!
April 23, 2019
Read 2007
August 25, 2020
A bit dated, 1995, but still a fun and suspenseful mystery
October 18, 2020
So far, the best of the Sharon McCone series.
May 23, 2021
Could not put it down!!
From the beginning this book was a thriller I couldn’t put down. Worth your while reading this one. Don’t pass it up.
From the beginning this book was a thriller I couldn’t put down. Worth your while reading this one. Don’t pass it up.
August 12, 2021
4.1/5☆
I wanna read moaaaarrr-
I wanna read moaaaarrr-
January 5, 2022
Sharon McCone strikes again.
August 29, 2023
3.3 stars. The last half saved my rating; starts very slowly. Some very interesting characters...too many? Lots of different locations...too many?
February 4, 2024
Enjoyed some references to San Francisco. Detective was too super powered, too unlikely to be real to me.
November 3, 2025
I loved it! This series just keeps getting better.
June 21, 2017
Well, how did I miss this thriller in the 90's?
August 9, 2019
A good story as usual. Onward.
January 3, 2017
Well holy hell, I have a new lady detective to love.
June 22, 2014
#16 in the Sharon McCone series. Finalist 1996 Macavity Award for Best Novel. Sharon continues the dramatic sea change in her career started with Wolf in the Shadows (1993). She's left the All Souls Legal Cooperative, she and boyfriend Hy share a cottage on the California coast and she has soloed with her new pilot license. This time out she forms an uneasy alliance with security group RKI - encountered in Wolf in the Shadows. Wide ranging and very readable series entry.
Sharon McCone series - A series of bombings at embassies, consulates and U.N. delegation offices in the U.S. over the last five years is the work of someone the feds and the San Francisco police call the Diplo-bomber. A $1-million reward has been offered, and Sharon signs on with the slick security office of RKI, where her boyfriend Hy Ripinski is loosely connected, to investigate. Recently targeted is the local consulate of Azad, a small Arab emirate; during an interview with the woman consul general, Sharon meets her granddaughter Habiba, whose isolated loneliness reminds Sharon of her own childhood. Unmet is Habiba's father, who disappeared years before, apparently after getting in gambling trouble. More bombings, a murder and a kidnapping lead Sharon to a small Caribbean island, a dramatic late-night rescue and then a desperate flight from Miami to California as she tries to stay a step ahead of the kidnappers. The Diplo-bomber case promises more violence and, not incidentally, craters the career of a policewoman friend before its resolution.
Sharon McCone series - A series of bombings at embassies, consulates and U.N. delegation offices in the U.S. over the last five years is the work of someone the feds and the San Francisco police call the Diplo-bomber. A $1-million reward has been offered, and Sharon signs on with the slick security office of RKI, where her boyfriend Hy Ripinski is loosely connected, to investigate. Recently targeted is the local consulate of Azad, a small Arab emirate; during an interview with the woman consul general, Sharon meets her granddaughter Habiba, whose isolated loneliness reminds Sharon of her own childhood. Unmet is Habiba's father, who disappeared years before, apparently after getting in gambling trouble. More bombings, a murder and a kidnapping lead Sharon to a small Caribbean island, a dramatic late-night rescue and then a desperate flight from Miami to California as she tries to stay a step ahead of the kidnappers. The Diplo-bomber case promises more violence and, not incidentally, craters the career of a policewoman friend before its resolution.
July 25, 2011
This book in the Sharon McCone series by Marsha Muller is an old one; I have a book club edition from 1995. However, it was perfect for reading during a heat wave. I love Sharon McCone. She's gutsy, but worries about her courage, is down to earth, and really cares about people. Muller's stories are tight yet detailed, full of wonderfully described scenery yet stays on point, and she lets Sharon accept help when necessary but also lets her solve things on her own when she can. In other words, McCone is one smart cookie but not to proud to accept help.
This story involves the issue of diplomatic immunity and how it is abused by some countries. Of course, Muller makes up a country for an embassy, but it all sounds very real. In this case, McCone reluctantly signs on for a contract job with RKI, the company Hy, her lover, partially owns and works for. She doesn't really approve of RKI's way of doing things, but she needs the information only they can get, so when Hy's partner offers to work with her on locating a character based on the Unibomber, she takes him up on it. Her motive for continuing in a dangerous mission is to protect an innocent but clever nine-year-old girl.
The story goes from California to the Caribbean and back again. The book is a page turner and although I suspected who the bad guy was, I wasn't real sure until nearly the end. If you've missed this one, I highly recommend it. Good beach reading!
This story involves the issue of diplomatic immunity and how it is abused by some countries. Of course, Muller makes up a country for an embassy, but it all sounds very real. In this case, McCone reluctantly signs on for a contract job with RKI, the company Hy, her lover, partially owns and works for. She doesn't really approve of RKI's way of doing things, but she needs the information only they can get, so when Hy's partner offers to work with her on locating a character based on the Unibomber, she takes him up on it. Her motive for continuing in a dangerous mission is to protect an innocent but clever nine-year-old girl.
The story goes from California to the Caribbean and back again. The book is a page turner and although I suspected who the bad guy was, I wasn't real sure until nearly the end. If you've missed this one, I highly recommend it. Good beach reading!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews