The Mackinac Incident: A Thriller

by Len McDougall

A survival expert’s skills are put to the test when he is confronted by a team of al-Qaeda-trained terrorists hell-bent on destruction.

Fifteen miles off the coast of New Brunswick, Canada, a Soviet-era diesel submarine off-loads four men before being intercepted by a U.S. Navy vessel patrolling the area. The men make up a team of al-Qaeda-trained specialists skilled in the black arts of terrorist warfare and are headed by a man who has billions of dollars in oil money with which to indulge his murderous fantasies. What they do next will determine the fates of thousands of Americans.

Rod Eliot, an aging ex-con turned survival expert, stands between them and one of the most devastating plots ever hatched by the deviated mind of a killer: to blow up the five-mile-long Mackinac Bridge and detonate enough plutonium to contaminate the area for decades. When an encounter with the bomb-toting terrorists occurs deep in the woods of the Upper Peninsula, Eliot finds himself in a dangerous cat-and-mouse game with no alternative but to go head-to-head with these murderers. Rod may be the only person who can stop them. But he’s in over his head.

Due to Eliot’s checkered past, law enforcement officials have him pegged for the crimes that unfold over the next few days. Only one, a seasoned FBI agent who is on his trail, thinks Eliot is innocent and is willing to prove it.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction

272 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2013

About the author

Len McDougall is a full-time outdoor writer, professional photographer, and illustrator with more than thirty years’ experience in the North Woods. His books include Tracking and Reading Sign, The Complete Tracker, Practical Outdoor Survival and The Self-Reliance Manifesto. He lives in Paradise, Michigan.

Reviews

[Judith E · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a fun read when a story takes place in your neck of the woods and I live smack dab in the middle of this one.

Author McDougall has nailed the locale of the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the independent Yooper mind set. I appreciated that he did not overwrite this thriller and kept it an easy and entertaining read. I do take umbrage of the very offensive racial slur the author contributes to a corrupt official and I’ve never heard a Yooper stoop to this level. Otherwise, a good taste of what it’s like to live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

[Rochelle Roth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 15 of the year is finally done! I was super excited for this book that I picked up a few months back at the @toledolibrary Friends of the Library sale because it was a thriller, something that I’ve been really interested in lately and because it was about a terrorist attack on the Mackinac Bridge, a bridge I’ve traveled over so many times in my childhood and adulthood I have lost count.

It’s about this group of terrorists that have a plan to blow up Mackinac Bridge in the most popular day of the year, Labor Day, when they have their annual bridge walk. A local survival instructor crosses them while he’s teaching 3 local people in the Woods close by and he catches on to what they are planning to do and makes it his mission to stop the bombing.

The author, Len McDougall, is an actual survivalist in Paradise, Michigan (not too far from Mackinac) and this is his first non-fiction novel he has written.

It has all the action and intrigue a thriller novel needs and I had to finish it to see if he catches said terrorists and what becomes of them all so I really liked that. It’s written well and totally makes sense however, maybe being a female I didn’t connect to it as much as I could have? Just the little things he adds in the story was a little too much for me. At one point he explains someone twisting another persons testicles and breaking them and how it was easy for him to do it because he had enough strength in his arm to break eatable nuts in his hand and I just didn’t understand why that was at all important in the story or why that was added and it seemed like he did that in a lot of the chapters.

I am going to rate this 3.5 stars because although it was a good story and written well, it just wasn’t one I will pick up again and recommend to most of my friends or family however I may pass it on to my husband or dad and see what they think.

[wally · Rating 3 out of 5]

just finished this one, the 16th of september 2018...makes a kind of sense now, that they close the bridge to vehicle traffic during the annual labor day bridge walk. first from mcdougall for me, i liked it, three stars good read. thought some things could have been tightened up a bit. a needless death at one critical point in the story. seems like there'd have been more communication at the law enforcement level. but all-in-all a great story, enjoyed it.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mackinac Incident is an exciting action thriller set in northern Michigan. Mr. McDougall has gotten most of his details about the area, the people who live in the Upper Peninsula, and survival equipment exactly right. Since I have lived in Michigan all of my life, and have had a cottage west of Saint Ignace, I am interested in any novel that takes place in the Straits area, There is really only one troubling incorrect fact. I just can't understand why Mr. McDougall states in his novel that the Labor Day walk across The Mackinac Bridge starts in Mackinaw City, when it has always started in Saint Ignace.

Most of the book is action with a capital A, without much concern with developing the personalities of the characters in the book. The author does spend a bit of time attempting to give a depth to some of the people, but the only one that you really feel that you get to know is Rod Eliot. The author seems to have modeled Rod's life after his own. As I was researching some facts for this review, I discovered that Mr. McDougall has immersed himself into his work. Mr. McDougall grew up in northern Michigan and now lives in the Paradise, Michigan area. He has written several books on tracking and survival in the wilderness and teaches survival classes in the north woods. He also has had some run-ins with the local law enforcement. Rod Eliot's life is nearly identical. So I guess that many of the ideas that Rod professes will hold true for Mr. McDougall.

Overall this is a very readable and enjoyable first novel. I give it 4 stars out of 5 and a Thumbs Up.

I received this Digital Review Copy for free from Edelweiss.com.

[Diane Malone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a thriller, a real page=turner. An upsetting book because it is so realistic. Involves a terrorist plot, a maverick tracker, and an FBI agent who gets there too late. All in the woods of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It evoked feelings in me similar to those I had reading Deliverance all those years ago -- lost in the woods with homicidal crazy men on the loose.

[Rashel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I lived in the location of the book (Sault Ste. Marie and St. Ignace) for over 30 years and enjoy reading fiction about my hometowns. I look for accuracy to make it more realistic and this book was very accurate when it came to the places and the area. I appreciate that the author used Mackinaw and Mackinac correctly.
After 9/11, there was speculation about the possibility of a bombing on the Mackinac Bridge, so this book definitely felt real.
There were some far-fetched areas - like when they were on the bridge - but, it is fiction after all. The author did make fun of local police, but that isn't far fetched.
Overall, it was a good book. It held my attention and was a quick read. Unfortunately, the ending felt rushed and abrupt. I would have liked a bit more. The epilogue was also a bit short.
If you are from the area, I do recommend it. It is a great summer read, especially if you are traveling the bridge.

[Bengy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 really. This wasn't my type of book at all but I still overall enjoyed it. The beginning was interesting enough to keep me reading but after the main explosion happened I was kinda over it. Like neither Rodney nor Coyler nor any of the worthless detectives/officers did what they were trying to do. And don't even get me started on that sniper. Aziz had won overall so the hero of the book (Rodney Elliott) had ultimately failed. What saved this book for me was his death, although it was sad, and I really...really DID NOT want him to die, his last words were somewhat comedic in a grim nature and I really appreciate that from characters. My favorite character was Shannon, she was super smart and cool. Overall thank you McDougall for writing this book that I didn't think I'd like but actually did.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book because I'm a Troll from Michigan. (fyi: Trolls live in lower Michigan, below the bridge. Yoopers live above the bridge in the Upper Peninsula or U. P. which became yoo pers, Yoopers)
I've crossed the Mackinac Bridge and visited the U. P. many times in my life. I have to admit, I've never once thought about terrorists blowing up the bridge. And now I'll never cross the Mighty Mac again without thinking about it blowing up from under me!
This book is very thorough with terrorist viewpoints and how they come to hate Americans and the USA that justify, in their minds, the murdering of innocent people.
It is sobering. It is frightening. It's a good book and certainly gives you something to think about!

[Jodi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was interesting enough to keep my attention. I thought there were parts that were a little unbelievable but the story was good and it had great details in it from northern Michigan. I thought the end was rushed and it could have had more detail. It was a good book. I'd read something else from him in the future, but probably wont read this book again.

[Tony Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

The first book was really, really good. A real page turner. The author is not afraid to present an excellent story. My wife and I had just returned from a vacation to this part of Michigan and had seen the bridge, island and city. Very accurate. The picture painted was very realistic. Get this book and read it!

[Lucie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose this book because it's setting is familiar to me. All I can see is wow, just wow! Mostly plot driven, this book was impossible to set down. I read it in one day. Not his first book, but Len McDougall's first novel, all I can say is I hope he ventures into novel writing again!

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've read this year. I started this book with a lot of preconceived ideas about how the book would go and Mr. McDougall promptly threw them all out. I was pleasantly surprised by it. Would love to read more novels from him.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I’m from Michigan, it was fun to read about all the familiar places that I have visited. I’ve even walked the bridge. The year I walked it, people were concerned about a bomb. Scary. I just wished the ending would have been different.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced

We just left Mackinac and whitefish point when I picked up this book. Scary thought after just crossing the bridge. I'm not sure I liked the ending, but couldn't put this book down. It does have some violent scenes that were difficult to read.

[Ronald Anderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don't bother

The plot is pretty good but the writing is stupid. Don't know why writers want to make their characters seem like complete idiots but they do. It's just not beleivable and that ruins the book.

[Mary Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This quick read is necessary if you are from Michigan and love a thriller. I was not thrilled with the ending but was engaged from the first page until the last. It is extremely violent, so avoid it if you are squeamish.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being from Michigan it is always fun reading a book that takes place where you live.

[Lois Brozak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

Good action book with b
Dai




Good book with fairly accurate description of the local area of the story. Action filled and rather unpredictable

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real page-turner. Hope this never happens for real.

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked reading the book because I'm familiar with the area but just when it was getting good, I was near the end and then the book was over. It left me wanting more.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked but not loved this book

Good book, writing has good flow and characters were interesting enough; I guess I am just not nuts about the ending.

[Rose R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Live in Michigan and have been to Mackinaw and crossed the bridge many times and this was very realistic. Very scary and I am sure I will think about this book next time I am “up north”.

[Ron Raymond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never would have thought the Big Mac would have fallen under a terrorist objective.
Interesting to read about all those towns in the U.P. that I've grew up knowing about.

[Marg Meldrum · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn’t finish it.

[Cindy Koch-Krol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the kind of thriller I love. The hero is a bad person, and the terrorist is a despicable person! And there is an FBI agent who knows about what's going on but can't seem to get ahead of the situation and the local cops all try hard but they have their own prejudices that they aren't even trying to overcome. It all adds up to an nice short entertaining read. I had to read the ending twice because it ends rather abruptly, but yet it was a satisfying ending. It maybe could have been done a little better. I think Mr. McDougall had an opportunity to amp up the drama in the end by having a standoff with the terrorist while calling in the bomb squad, but the ending was still satisfying.

One reviewer said that the bios were endless at the beginning, but I found them interesting. I often wonder why a person born in the United States would want to join Isis or Al qaeda, or other anti-American terrorist groups, Mr. McDougall got into the mindset of this disturbing set of people.

I cross the bridge on average of twice per month in my travels, and I will never again cross it without thinking about how vulnerable it might be to attack. I sure hope the Bridge Authorities have read this book and taken precautions against this actually happening! Good read! Thank you sir!

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rod gets involved in a terrorist plot while living in the hills of Michigan. He can't stop the bomb but he can disrupt the terrorists schedule and works with an FBI agent to stop a second bombing. A good thrill and shows how easily towns can be targeted. An opportunity to continue with another thriller.

[Keith B · Rating 2 out of 5]

While an interesting piece for those familiar with the area, the story leaves much to be desired. Survival tips a plenty but stereotyped characters and some gross misrepresentation of Upper Michigan/Canadian cities and lifestyles. Will try another if he writes more but won't go further if similar.

[Nikki Kenworthy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting. People have been talking about this story's plot happening in real life for years!

[Ingrid457 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lots of interesting details but the book felt flat to me.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick read and it was just ok. It just didn't have too much meat to it. The characters weren't very developed so it was hard to feel any connection. Interesting idea for a book.