Days of Drums

by Philip Shelby

In this fast and furious, but overly calculated thriller, a female Secret Service agent is set up to take the fall for the assassination of a powerful senator. As a child, little Holland Tylo endured a "spray of blood" from the body of her father, also a U.S. senator, when he was pierced by an assassin's bullets. This traumatic event, in Shelby's hands, is supposed to explain not only why Tylo grew up to become a Secret Service agent but also why she is so driven to find the killer of Senator Charles Westbourne, who is slain after insisting that Tylo, who's guarding him, let him have a little privacy. Primed to take the fall for Westbourne's death, Tylo turns out to be the unwitting owner of a computer disk that contains the dead man's smoking-gun evidence against powerful members of the government?and the killer knows this, because Tylo is trusting the wrong people. But instead of turning into a cat-and-mouse game or a gritty procedural, the novel quickly comes to resemble only a fleshed-out screenplay, where the seen-it-before plot has Tylo framed for murder, branded as a rogue agent and sent into hiding?from where, with the help of a few loyal friends, she attempts to clear her name, reveal the conspiracy and bring the killer and the guilty to justice. This is thriller-writing by the numbers?a lot of drive and a lot of energy, but very little heart or feeling for devastating events, like the death of a lover; there are too many unflattering echoes of the movie In the Line of Fire, as well. If Shelby (Oasis of Dreams, 1992) set out to write a novel destined to become a soulless but action-filled movie blockbuster, he's succeeded.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Crime, Thriller

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[David Dax]

Just finished this book, and for the life of me could not figure out why the title. It sounded like something really significant was going on. Instead it was just a cat and mouse game with numerous suspensions of disbelief. The initial premise seemed promising, but the object of everyone's pursuit was nothing more than a "McGuffin." It would have been good for Mr. Shelby to actually expand upon that subject to reveal what was going on in the development of the conspiracy. Instead the end was just a let-down. Perhaps Mr. Shelby's writing evolved in subsequent books -- this one being written earlier in his career.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a while to get into this book, then it just opened up and was a real thriller. Not an author I have read before, but liked the. characters, especially Holland, the gutsy newly Secret Service Agent.

[George K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Ο ιστός της αράχνης", εκδόσεις Plaza.

Βαθμολογία: 7/10

Το εξώφυλλο της ελληνικής έκδοσης παραπέμπει σε θρίλερ με ερωτικές προεκτάσεις, και καλά με πρωταγωνίστρια μια σέξι και μοιραία πράκτορα κλπ κλπ. Καμία σχέση όμως. Πρόκειται για ένα αμιγώς πολιτικό θρίλερ, με πολλή δράση, μπόλικες πολιτικές ίντριγκες και μηχανορραφίες και, πραγματικά, ελάχιστες και ασήμαντες ερωτικές στιγμές.

Στα της ιστορίας: Η νεαρή πράκτορας της Μυστικής Υπηρεσίας, Χόλαντ Τάιλο, είναι υπεύθυνη για την φύλαξη ενός γερουσιαστή, κατά την διάρκεια ενός δείπνου σε μια έπαυλη. Αυτή είναι η μεγάλη στιγμή της καριέρας της. Όμως ένας δολοφόνος καταφέρνει και σκοτώνει με άγριο τρόπο τον γερουσιαστή. Η Χόλαντ το παίρνει προσωπικά. Θα βρεθεί σε δύσκολη θέση και στην μέση μιας πραγματικά επικίνδυνης συνωμοσίας, που φτάνει στα ανώτερα κλιμάκια της εξουσίας, και θα έρθει αντιμέτωπη, μεταξύ άλλων, μ'έναν παρανοϊκό εκτελεστή. Η συνέχεια εκρηκτική...

Λοιπόν, αρκετά καλό θρίλερ, γεμάτο δράση, ένταση, συνωμοσίες, ανατροπές και εκπλήξεις στην πλοκή, με την ατμόσφαιρα να είναι ιδιαίτερα αγωνιώδης. Όμως κάποια πράγματα στην πλοκή δεν με έπεισαν τελικά, κάποιες κινήσεις των χαρακτήρων και κάποιες εξηγήσεις αυτών που συνέβησαν, μου φάνηκαν μη ρεαλιστικές και υπερβολικές. Επίσης δεν δέθηκα ιδιαίτερα με την πρωταγωνίστρια και οι υπόλοιποι χαρακτήρες δεν είχαν κάτι το ιδιαίτερο. Η γραφή σίγουρα ευκολοδιάβαστη, με δυναμικές και αρκετά γραφικές περιγραφές των σκηνών βίας, πάντως τίποτα το τρομερό.

Γενικά, πρόκειται για ένα θρίλερ που θα κρατήσει καλή παρέα στους λάτρεις των πολιτικών και συνωμοσιολογικών μυθιστορημάτων, χωρίς παρ'όλα αυτά να τους εντυπωσιάσει. Η πλοκή δεν είναι απόλυτα πειστική, οι χαρακτήρες όχι ιδιαίτερα ενδιαφέροντες και η γραφή τίποτα το ιδιαίτερο. Όμως υπάρχουν πολλές δυνατές σκηνές και ατελείωτη ένταση.

[Tom Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I did not rate this book very high, it did give me a better appreciation for the art of writing. I am a big fan of Vince Flynn and have read about 10 of his books in the Mitch Rapp series, which have a similar plot to this book, involving crooked politicians, assassins and plenty of killings. Reading Vince’s books everything just flows, with the character and plot development pulling you in to the story and making it tough to put down. The best way I can describe reading Shelby’s book, in comparison, is that it is clunky. To many characters appear early in the book without knowing how they really relate to others, leading to a little confusion. It works itself out later but still impedes the flow. Then the story is moving along when there are a few lines of text that don’t seem to fit or are worded in some awkward way that makes you stop and go what? It may just be due to the authors experience or style but it really makes me appreciate how hard it is to write a good novel.

[Irv Kantrowitz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a lot of murder and intrigue. There is a person who enjoys killing people. There is also a group of congressmen who want to control how the government is run. One congressman keeps a diary of dirty deeds. This was a complicated story that is enjoyable to read.

[Everett Corder · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started pretty slow but once it picked up was interesting! Lots going on, especially in part 3, to make you want to keep reading. Not my favorite ever, but a good read.

[Isolde Oneil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story very fast paced writing. Will check out his other books.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being from Chicago, nothing surprises me about politics or what happens in Washington, D.C. I thought this thriller was interesting, well paced and plausible. One never knows who the bad guys are.

[John (JC) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nail biting to the end.

[Susan Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent thriller - will make a great movie.

[Paul Close · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting debut. Interesting characters, fairly believable situations, and good suspense.

[Mike]

April 2001

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had just finished an awful to the point of being funny thriller when I found this in the discard box outside a used bookstore. When I saw it had the same average Goodreads rating as the aforementioned I jumped in anyway. Glad I did.

Holland Tylo is a rookie Secret Service Agent assigned to a high profile Senator. When he is killed on her watch, she either sinks or swims with her career. Her aggressive self advocacy and some good allies help her vindicate herself

This is a well written page turner, with well drawn characters, more than a few plot twists and plenty of action. Hard to put down and highly recommended. Written in 1996 so that explains the discard box. This is a good thriller.

[Partridge Public]

Shelby, Philip

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the 2nd time I read this book and I could read it over and over again. It was cleverly put together and I couldn't pass up an author with my same last name.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really suspenseful story.

[Tom Britton · Rating 5 out of 5]

a very well made thriller,a lots of twist and turns and a great ending

[Patricia Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book on revenge out there!!

[Jim Moffett · Rating 5 out of 5]

02-00

[Babete · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um thriller cheio de suspense, uma história muito visual!

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great thriller. Well put together. Nice twists and turns. Will make a good movie.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Karen book club

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good political thriller although a bit too "Star Chamber" oriented. Decent read to while-away a few days

[Gerry Durisin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Complicated political thriller involving the President, Senators, Secret Service and an ex-Secret Serviceman turned assassin. Until the end, never sure just WHO are the good guys here.

[Jackie Simons]

Read 4/96

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent story.

[Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad read, but the author threw in a lot of incidental characters, which had me thumbing back to figure out who the hell a particular person was and how they figured into the story. The author also had a couple of glaring, sloppy errors of fact near the end of the book, of which he should have known better or an astute editor should have caught. One referenced the Speaker's rostrum in the Senate chamber. And, not to introduce a spoiler, but the President referenced resignations near the end. It doesn't happen that way.

[Zory]

great book. full of politics, betrayal and action.
if you love thriller and detective stories this is the book for oyu