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Isaac Bell #6
The Striker
Detective Isaac Bell returns in a remarkable new adventure from the #1 New York Times bestselling series.
It is 1902, and a bright, inexperienced young man named Isaac Bell, only two years out of his apprenticeship at the Van Dorn Detective Agency, has an urgent message for his boss. Hired to hunt for radical unionist saboteurs in the coal mines, he is witness to a terrible accident that makes him think something else is going on…that provocateurs are at work and bigger stakes are in play.
Little does he know just how big they are.
Given exactly one week to prove his case, Bell quickly finds himself pitted against two of the most ruthless opponents he has ever known—men of staggering ambition and cold-bloodedness who are not about to let some wet-behind-the-ears detective stand in their way.
It is 1902, and a bright, inexperienced young man named Isaac Bell, only two years out of his apprenticeship at the Van Dorn Detective Agency, has an urgent message for his boss. Hired to hunt for radical unionist saboteurs in the coal mines, he is witness to a terrible accident that makes him think something else is going on…that provocateurs are at work and bigger stakes are in play.
Little does he know just how big they are.
Given exactly one week to prove his case, Bell quickly finds himself pitted against two of the most ruthless opponents he has ever known—men of staggering ambition and cold-bloodedness who are not about to let some wet-behind-the-ears detective stand in their way.
402 pages, Paperback
First published March 5, 2013
671 people are currently reading
3491 people want to read
About the author
Clive Cussler
648 books8,545 followersCussler began writing novels in 1965 and published his first work featuring his continuous series hero, Dirk Pitt, in 1973. His first non-fiction, The Sea Hunters, was released in 1996. The Board of Governors of the Maritime College, State University of New York, considered The Sea Hunters in lieu of a Ph.D. thesis and awarded Cussler a Doctor of Letters degree in May, 1997. It was the first time since the College was founded in 1874 that such a degree was bestowed.
Cussler was an internationally recognized authority on shipwrecks and the founder of the National Underwater and Marine Agency, (NUMA) a 501C3 non-profit organization (named after the fictional Federal agency in his novels) that dedicates itself to preserving American maritime and naval history. He and his crew of marine experts and NUMA volunteers discovered more than 60 historically significant underwater wreck sites including the first submarine to sink a ship in battle, the Confederacy's Hunley, and its victim, the Union's Housatonic; the U-20, the U-boat that sank the Lusitania; the Cumberland, which was sunk by the famous ironclad, Merrimack; the renowned Confederate raider Florida; the Navy airship, Akron, the Republic of Texas Navy warship, Zavala, found under a parking lot in Galveston, and the Carpathia, which sank almost six years to-the-day after plucking Titanic's survivors from the sea.
In addition to being the Chairman of NUMA, Cussler was also a fellow in both the Explorers Club of New York and the Royal Geographic Society in London. He was honored with the Lowell Thomas Award for outstanding underwater exploration.
Cussler's books have been published in more than 40 languages in more than 100 countries. His past international bestsellers include Pacific Vortex, Mediterranean Caper, Iceberg, Raise the Titanic, Vixen 03, Night Probe, Deep Six, Cyclops, Treasure, Dragon, Sahara, Inca Gold, Shock Wave, Flood Tide, Atlantis Found, Valhalla Rising, Trojan Odyssey and Black Wind (this last with his son, Dirk Cussler); the nonfiction books The Sea Hunters, The Sea Hunters II and Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt Revealed; the NUMA® Files novels Serpent, Blue Gold, Fire Ice, White Death and Lost City (written with Paul Kemprecos); and the Oregon Files novels Sacred Stone and Golden Buddha (written with Craig Dirgo) and Dark Watch (written with Jack Du Brul).
Clive Cussler died at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona on February 24, 2020.
Cussler was an internationally recognized authority on shipwrecks and the founder of the National Underwater and Marine Agency, (NUMA) a 501C3 non-profit organization (named after the fictional Federal agency in his novels) that dedicates itself to preserving American maritime and naval history. He and his crew of marine experts and NUMA volunteers discovered more than 60 historically significant underwater wreck sites including the first submarine to sink a ship in battle, the Confederacy's Hunley, and its victim, the Union's Housatonic; the U-20, the U-boat that sank the Lusitania; the Cumberland, which was sunk by the famous ironclad, Merrimack; the renowned Confederate raider Florida; the Navy airship, Akron, the Republic of Texas Navy warship, Zavala, found under a parking lot in Galveston, and the Carpathia, which sank almost six years to-the-day after plucking Titanic's survivors from the sea.
In addition to being the Chairman of NUMA, Cussler was also a fellow in both the Explorers Club of New York and the Royal Geographic Society in London. He was honored with the Lowell Thomas Award for outstanding underwater exploration.
Cussler's books have been published in more than 40 languages in more than 100 countries. His past international bestsellers include Pacific Vortex, Mediterranean Caper, Iceberg, Raise the Titanic, Vixen 03, Night Probe, Deep Six, Cyclops, Treasure, Dragon, Sahara, Inca Gold, Shock Wave, Flood Tide, Atlantis Found, Valhalla Rising, Trojan Odyssey and Black Wind (this last with his son, Dirk Cussler); the nonfiction books The Sea Hunters, The Sea Hunters II and Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt Revealed; the NUMA® Files novels Serpent, Blue Gold, Fire Ice, White Death and Lost City (written with Paul Kemprecos); and the Oregon Files novels Sacred Stone and Golden Buddha (written with Craig Dirgo) and Dark Watch (written with Jack Du Brul).
Clive Cussler died at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona on February 24, 2020.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 407 reviews
April 13, 2013
Let me fill you in on a little-known fact: I am not - let me repeat that, not - a history buff. Back when I finished the first of what would be three basic freshman history classes in college, in fact, I changed my major simply so I could avoid taking the other two.
So when I saw the period setting of this book, the fifth in Clive Cussler's series featuring early 1900s detective Isaac Bell, I was more than a little reluctant to start reading. Then I learned that it takes place in and around the coal mines of West Virginia and Pennsylvania not far from my home at a time when labor unions were trying to gain a foothold. Vilified by mine owners, union organizers were targeted, roughed up and even killed as they attempted to win higher pay and safer conditions for workers in this extremely hazardous, but exceedingly profitable (for the owners), industry.
This is the fourth in the Bell series written in collaboration with author Justin Scott, an established writer of several novels under his own name and the pen name Paul Garrison - for whatever that is worth. I've read and enjoyed other books by Cussler, but none in this series; that, too, gave me pause until I found out it's really a prequel to the other four - the book in which Bell proves his bones as a private investigator.
Bell, who is relatively fresh out of an apprenticeship at the Van Dorn Detective Agency, is hired to find unionist saboteurs in the coal mines. In the process, he witnesses an accident that he believes wasn't an accident at all - and sets off to get to the truth. Doing so pits him against very ruthless and powerful people who, especially in the days of crooked politicians and coal industry magnates, will stop at nothing to keep the "working man" in his place and keep racking up enormous profits to fund their private yachts, elegant mansions, steamboats and gilded railroad cars.
I admit reading was a bit of a slogfest for me, but only because the dialogue is in keeping with the times (and yes, because of that aversion to history). But it was totally fascinating and expertly crafted; I'm sure a great deal of research went into the writing and many of the happenings are based - though perhaps loosely - on real events. It was quite interesting to see names of places very familiar to me: Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle, the Monongahela and Ohio rivers on which barges tote coal to big cities like Cincinnati (perhaps stopping for water in Steubenville, Ohio).
Heck, I even got a chuckle or two, such as when a powerful judge pronounced, "Nothing becomes Pittsburgh like the leaving of it!"
All in all, it's an excellent read - and for those who love history and whodunits, it's ideal. I know I'll take a break by reading a couple of other books in present-day settings, but this one was interesting enough that I'm actually considering giving the rest of this series a try.
So when I saw the period setting of this book, the fifth in Clive Cussler's series featuring early 1900s detective Isaac Bell, I was more than a little reluctant to start reading. Then I learned that it takes place in and around the coal mines of West Virginia and Pennsylvania not far from my home at a time when labor unions were trying to gain a foothold. Vilified by mine owners, union organizers were targeted, roughed up and even killed as they attempted to win higher pay and safer conditions for workers in this extremely hazardous, but exceedingly profitable (for the owners), industry.
This is the fourth in the Bell series written in collaboration with author Justin Scott, an established writer of several novels under his own name and the pen name Paul Garrison - for whatever that is worth. I've read and enjoyed other books by Cussler, but none in this series; that, too, gave me pause until I found out it's really a prequel to the other four - the book in which Bell proves his bones as a private investigator.
Bell, who is relatively fresh out of an apprenticeship at the Van Dorn Detective Agency, is hired to find unionist saboteurs in the coal mines. In the process, he witnesses an accident that he believes wasn't an accident at all - and sets off to get to the truth. Doing so pits him against very ruthless and powerful people who, especially in the days of crooked politicians and coal industry magnates, will stop at nothing to keep the "working man" in his place and keep racking up enormous profits to fund their private yachts, elegant mansions, steamboats and gilded railroad cars.
I admit reading was a bit of a slogfest for me, but only because the dialogue is in keeping with the times (and yes, because of that aversion to history). But it was totally fascinating and expertly crafted; I'm sure a great deal of research went into the writing and many of the happenings are based - though perhaps loosely - on real events. It was quite interesting to see names of places very familiar to me: Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle, the Monongahela and Ohio rivers on which barges tote coal to big cities like Cincinnati (perhaps stopping for water in Steubenville, Ohio).
Heck, I even got a chuckle or two, such as when a powerful judge pronounced, "Nothing becomes Pittsburgh like the leaving of it!"
All in all, it's an excellent read - and for those who love history and whodunits, it's ideal. I know I'll take a break by reading a couple of other books in present-day settings, but this one was interesting enough that I'm actually considering giving the rest of this series a try.
March 6, 2024
4.5 Stars for The Striker: Isaac Bell, Book 6 (audiobook) by Clive Cussler and Justin Scott read by Scott Brick.
In 1902, Isaac Bell is just starting his career at the Van Dorn Detective Agency. He is sent to Pittsburgh to stop the radical unionist that are sabotaging the coal mines. Instead he runs into a provocateur that has other motives and he must be stopped at any cost.
In 1902, Isaac Bell is just starting his career at the Van Dorn Detective Agency. He is sent to Pittsburgh to stop the radical unionist that are sabotaging the coal mines. Instead he runs into a provocateur that has other motives and he must be stopped at any cost.
April 8, 2013
Justin Scott and I have been friends for many years, and I am a big fan of much of his work. This series with Clive Cussler, starring the dashing detective Isaac Bell, is great good fun. Meticulous research into the swirling array of settings, modes of transportation, ladies' fashion - well, everything knits together to create vivid portraits of a time 100+ years ago. The details provide elegant ornament to a story that roars out of the gate and never stops bolting.
Isaac, a rising young star at the Van Dorn Detective Agency, if once again dashing all over the country to stop a huge conspiracy, this time one involving striking Pennsylvania coal miners, pitted against the biggest money man on Wall Street. The tycoon's utterly ruthless henchman sets out to destroy not only the fledgling miner's union, but Isaac Bell along with them.
Coal-fueled locomotives and steam paddle boats and charging horse carriages are among the means by which Bell races from one danger spot to another, as cool a customer as James Bond. The story hurtles nearly as fast.
It's a rollicking adventure, a classic page turner, the literary equivalent of the fabled Saturday-afternoon three-reeler. It's a fast read, and a total delight.
Isaac, a rising young star at the Van Dorn Detective Agency, if once again dashing all over the country to stop a huge conspiracy, this time one involving striking Pennsylvania coal miners, pitted against the biggest money man on Wall Street. The tycoon's utterly ruthless henchman sets out to destroy not only the fledgling miner's union, but Isaac Bell along with them.
Coal-fueled locomotives and steam paddle boats and charging horse carriages are among the means by which Bell races from one danger spot to another, as cool a customer as James Bond. The story hurtles nearly as fast.
It's a rollicking adventure, a classic page turner, the literary equivalent of the fabled Saturday-afternoon three-reeler. It's a fast read, and a total delight.
August 14, 2019
It gets rounded up to a 4 because it takes place in Pittsburgh, typical Issac Bell.
June 15, 2021
I have been a big Cussler fan since the 80s when I used to share the Cussler books I read with my father. Lately, I have not been reading many Cussler books and the last several ones I read I rated rather poorly on Goodreads. Well, I give this one 4 stars and I have to say I think the Isaac Bell series has become my favorite series of all the series that Cussler wrote and that are continuing under other authors ( Cussler died last year, in 2020).
"The Striker" is the sixth in the series, published in 2013 (yes, I know I'm way behind but I just picked it up at a library book sale earlier this month). It's a prequel as it is going back to Bell's earlier days. He's a young detective still learning the ropes with the Van Dorn detective agency. It's 1902, during the Teddy Roosevelt Administration, and Bell gets caught in the middle of the war between the workers and the capitalists. How Cussler and co-author Justin Scott brings the era to life is a big reason I enjoyed the book (and series). There's also an intriguing female character named Mary Higgins and, of course, the youthful Bell falls for her. As usual, there are ruthless villains and the two in this story were bad guys that I really wanted to see brought down.
A good thriller and a fast read (the 375 pages flew by!) and it looks like I will stick with this series.
"The Striker" is the sixth in the series, published in 2013 (yes, I know I'm way behind but I just picked it up at a library book sale earlier this month). It's a prequel as it is going back to Bell's earlier days. He's a young detective still learning the ropes with the Van Dorn detective agency. It's 1902, during the Teddy Roosevelt Administration, and Bell gets caught in the middle of the war between the workers and the capitalists. How Cussler and co-author Justin Scott brings the era to life is a big reason I enjoyed the book (and series). There's also an intriguing female character named Mary Higgins and, of course, the youthful Bell falls for her. As usual, there are ruthless villains and the two in this story were bad guys that I really wanted to see brought down.
A good thriller and a fast read (the 375 pages flew by!) and it looks like I will stick with this series.
August 20, 2018
3.5 stars.... I wasn’t thrilled with this book..
May 25, 2016
2.5 Stars
The Striker is the worst book in the Isaac Bell series, it just felt like an inferior copy of The Wrecker, with many of the plot details recycled. Justin Scott comes dangerously close to phoning this one in. It seemed like he ran out of ideas so he decided to do a prequel. He obviously didn't care about writing it, so you shouldn't care about reading it.
I will continue reading reading the series because I like all the characters and the world that Cussler and Scott have created, things can only go up from here.
The Striker is the worst book in the Isaac Bell series, it just felt like an inferior copy of The Wrecker, with many of the plot details recycled. Justin Scott comes dangerously close to phoning this one in. It seemed like he ran out of ideas so he decided to do a prequel. He obviously didn't care about writing it, so you shouldn't care about reading it.
I will continue reading reading the series because I like all the characters and the world that Cussler and Scott have created, things can only go up from here.
March 16, 2013
This is the 6th of Clive Cussler’s Isaac Bell Adventures which I have read. (Actually it is a prequel to the others.)
It sometimes seems that the series is caricature of detective novels, but they have been entertaining. Set in the early 1900’s, they contain many word pictures of technology of the time – cars, trains, planes, ships, movies, etc. – hence life at the time, which I have found very interesting. (The “current” lingo of that time period is charming.) It’s this detail – not the plots – that have kept me coming back.
“The Striker” pits the unions against the coal interests and, of course, evil Wall Street bankers.
For a first-time reader, this might be a 4-star book. For me, it has begun to feel that the series is written for adults yet in a juvenile style. Like most of Cussler’s novels, he takes a good formula and then rewrites it in book after book. While I have enjoyed the series. I think I’ve had enough. Thank you very much Clive.
It sometimes seems that the series is caricature of detective novels, but they have been entertaining. Set in the early 1900’s, they contain many word pictures of technology of the time – cars, trains, planes, ships, movies, etc. – hence life at the time, which I have found very interesting. (The “current” lingo of that time period is charming.) It’s this detail – not the plots – that have kept me coming back.
“The Striker” pits the unions against the coal interests and, of course, evil Wall Street bankers.
For a first-time reader, this might be a 4-star book. For me, it has begun to feel that the series is written for adults yet in a juvenile style. Like most of Cussler’s novels, he takes a good formula and then rewrites it in book after book. While I have enjoyed the series. I think I’ve had enough. Thank you very much Clive.
August 9, 2023
Great beginning and even better ending. But drawn out in the middle. Overall a fun read and an even better portrait of life in the early 1900’s
June 16, 2021
I've generally been souring on Clive Cussler. All the books are kind of the same. They're mind candy. Dirk Pitt, Juan Cabrillo, Kurt Austin, the Pitt kids. They're all the same guy. I don't go anywhere near the Pitt books anymore. Cabrillo and Austin, I'm looking to just get those guys occasionally. Isaac Bell is slightly different. He's the same kind of guy, but 100 years in the past. So I've got him a notch above.
Some of the same flaws are there, though, and my interest in this series has decreased. The initial effort -- THE CHASE -- blew me away. Then I've kind of cooled on them a bit over the next four. I have considered dropping the series. Too many of these books are too grand -- with the country or the world in danger. But this one worked for me. It was a smaller, neater problem, with characters on both sides of a coal labor dispute around Pittsburgh. I liked that. The villain didn't have a super power. And they went back 10 years for this one, which removed Bell's new wife from the story. I liked that a lot. She's gotten in the way in a lot of the recent efforts. With the Marion Morgan on ice for this one, it created the opportunity to work in a romance angle with a different lady, which was good. So I will give it a thumbs up.
Of the six Isaac Bell adventures, this one is either No. 2 or No. 3 (The Chase is first, and I can't recall if there's another one that's just a little better than this). Cussler (or the other author, who may have done more of the work) has a nice understanding of how a lot of the machines from that era worked. And there's a nice overlap in this book. The main villain is a Wall Street guy that Bell won a bunch of money against in a poker game in an earlier book. I can't remember which book that came from, but I remember the scene; it occurred on a train car. But whatever, I'm blabbering. If you like Cussler, you'll like this book.
Some of the same flaws are there, though, and my interest in this series has decreased. The initial effort -- THE CHASE -- blew me away. Then I've kind of cooled on them a bit over the next four. I have considered dropping the series. Too many of these books are too grand -- with the country or the world in danger. But this one worked for me. It was a smaller, neater problem, with characters on both sides of a coal labor dispute around Pittsburgh. I liked that. The villain didn't have a super power. And they went back 10 years for this one, which removed Bell's new wife from the story. I liked that a lot. She's gotten in the way in a lot of the recent efforts. With the Marion Morgan on ice for this one, it created the opportunity to work in a romance angle with a different lady, which was good. So I will give it a thumbs up.
Of the six Isaac Bell adventures, this one is either No. 2 or No. 3 (The Chase is first, and I can't recall if there's another one that's just a little better than this). Cussler (or the other author, who may have done more of the work) has a nice understanding of how a lot of the machines from that era worked. And there's a nice overlap in this book. The main villain is a Wall Street guy that Bell won a bunch of money against in a poker game in an earlier book. I can't remember which book that came from, but I remember the scene; it occurred on a train car. But whatever, I'm blabbering. If you like Cussler, you'll like this book.
August 21, 2015
While I normally enjoy the Isaac Bell adventures, this one really left me flat. There were scenes that were just really poorly created (Bell chases down and catches the bad guy in a cellar-- the confrontation there turns out stupid) and finally, the trick that authors Cussler and Scott contrive for Bell in the conclusion is just patently silly and almost as absurd as a toy cowboy hat one of my friends had that contained a trick weapon.
This is nothing more than pulp fiction, written in much the style of the adventure magazines of the era that these novels are set in. (This was Isaac Bell's first case, so kind of a prequel of sorts)-- I cannot remember reading one actual curse word--- I remember reading heck several times. The authors sort of leave to our imagination whether Isaac and Mary do more than just cuddle for warmth in a boxcar or if there really was more.... (they do sort of fall in love)
Another bothersome thing for me was how quickly Bell and the villain seemed to be able to get back and forth from Pittsburg and Chicago to New York, etc. via train, even if they were running on special limited private trains. The cross country stuff made me dizzy.
Finally, what really lowered the rating for this one was what happened to Mary... The authors made this looming end so blatantly obvious, the only question was would she escape it or not.
This is nothing more than pulp fiction, written in much the style of the adventure magazines of the era that these novels are set in. (This was Isaac Bell's first case, so kind of a prequel of sorts)-- I cannot remember reading one actual curse word--- I remember reading heck several times. The authors sort of leave to our imagination whether Isaac and Mary do more than just cuddle for warmth in a boxcar or if there really was more.... (they do sort of fall in love)
Another bothersome thing for me was how quickly Bell and the villain seemed to be able to get back and forth from Pittsburg and Chicago to New York, etc. via train, even if they were running on special limited private trains. The cross country stuff made me dizzy.
Finally, what really lowered the rating for this one was what happened to Mary... The authors made this looming end so blatantly obvious, the only question was would she escape it or not.
July 23, 2013
A prequel of sorts to the Isaac Bell series, the majority of the story takes place when Isaac is first starting out as a detective for the Van Dorn Agency. He is set to spy on the coal miners to see if any of them are going to strike, but when an instigator tries to frame the union, Bell's loyalties shift, and he finds himself looking for a much different target. Things continue to escalate, and if Isaac cannot find the provocateur before it is too late, there will be a blood bath from the fighting.
After being disappointed in the last book of this series, this story breathed new life into the characters and the story. A great read - exciting, and clean, as always :).
After being disappointed in the last book of this series, this story breathed new life into the characters and the story. A great read - exciting, and clean, as always :).
March 24, 2013
I love the back story of Issac Bell. Clive Cussler has once again given his readers what they want. At least this reader is very happy to see Issac as an inexperienced young dectective who is learning the ropes of from the best of the Van Dorn Detective Agency. The story is set in coal country in 1902. Strikers, Owners, Bankers all find themselves being weighed down by the union verses non-union troubles of the day. . . Take a ride on the Reading Railroad or on the barges sailing the three rivers areaand you will find excitement, fear and shady characters on any page you choose. . .
August 10, 2020
It was everything I expected it to be. Now I never have to read a Clive Cussler again.
October 22, 2023
Least favorite of this series. Just bleh
June 15, 2025
Started a little slow but I understand why. It’s amazing how 5 book into the series the author creates the backstory for the other books. Super cool and high action.
July 26, 2016
pg 38 --Van Dorn advising Issac Bell "And whatever you do, don't end up choosing sides."
...
"You have an eye for the downtrodden. Unlike most of the privileged class, you notice they exist. That sets you miles apart, which is commendable probably. But don't get yourself killed trying to upend the natural order of things/.
pg 144-- I'm adapting Dewey decimal system to Van Dorn requirement, Grady said. All the information in the world is worth nothing if we can't find it.
(Melvil Deweythe DDC in 1873 and had it published and patented in 1876.)
pg 146 Let me remind you that taking sides is no way to keep a clear eye.
pg 308 What made you so candid?
The manager straighten his shoulders. "Mark Twain says that he intends to move back to Cincinnati on Judgment Day because we're twenty years behind the times. Fine with me. I'm old-fashioned. I don't like stock traders who can afford private wires getting a jump on the fellow who has to use the public wire. ...
Point -of- view: 3rd person omnipatant
...
"You have an eye for the downtrodden. Unlike most of the privileged class, you notice they exist. That sets you miles apart, which is commendable probably. But don't get yourself killed trying to upend the natural order of things/.
pg 144-- I'm adapting Dewey decimal system to Van Dorn requirement, Grady said. All the information in the world is worth nothing if we can't find it.
(Melvil Deweythe DDC in 1873 and had it published and patented in 1876.)
pg 146 Let me remind you that taking sides is no way to keep a clear eye.
pg 308 What made you so candid?
The manager straighten his shoulders. "Mark Twain says that he intends to move back to Cincinnati on Judgment Day because we're twenty years behind the times. Fine with me. I'm old-fashioned. I don't like stock traders who can afford private wires getting a jump on the fellow who has to use the public wire. ...
Point -of- view: 3rd person omnipatant
July 10, 2013
Nicely written novel displaying the struggles of the working class versis the owners at the turn of the century. Isaac Bell looks back to his first lead case in 1902 for the Van Dorn detective agency. He found himself and his fellow detectives trying to stop conflicts between management and the worker while sorting out which one was creating the problems. You can feel the plight of the working individual while the greed of the power hungry clearly comes to life. Very enjoyable reading adventure.
March 16, 2013
Another good book from Clive Cussler, although I do think that the co-author Justin Scott wrote most of it. Still, the book was pretty decent and I think it was better than the last two Bell novels. The book was a little light on the action till the end. It was nice going back into Bell's early years as a detective also. All in all a welcome addition to the Isaac Bell series, but not as good as Cussler's earlier novels.
January 7, 2019
This book kinda takes you back to the beginning which I thought would be interesting! Only it wasn't. It's just a story, you know the characters are interesting from the previous books but in here they are not, and it just never had me involved like a couple of the previous Isaac Bell books did. This book can be skipped and not missed. I don't even think it did a good job with the coal strikes at that time.
January 16, 2014
Clive Cussler novels are the stories your uncle told you: Tall tales that have enough of a basis in fact to draw you in and then rapidly go off the rails of believability. True to form, this series gets less and less believable with every indestructible episode. It is entertaining and while the characters are shallow and don't get any better developed as the series progresses, it is a good time.
October 17, 2018
now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative book. i was hooked after the first page.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
October 21, 2016
Another action packed Issac Bell adventure that took place early on in his career. Interesting tidbits about the coal mining industry in the early twentieth century and the troubles between the unionists and non-unionists. Issac Bell stories are always a good quick read.
March 10, 2013
Another winner from Clive Cussler. I always enjoy his books. Looking forward to the next one this summer
March 11, 2013
I find that each of the Issac Bell novels get better and draw the reader more into early twentieth century America.
November 3, 2015
Another great, action-packed historical mystery, enjoyed the ended the ending & I enjoy this author's stories.
September 28, 2016
Somewhat of an origin story for Isaac Bell. He's so morally superior to everybody else he becomes insufferable. Cussler didn't have to revive that part of the dime novel experience.
June 11, 2023
Very funny, very unrealistic.
December 30, 2017
Vivid pro-union view of the tensions of the time. Congdon is evil, fanning tension and using social order rhetoric to enhance his wealth. Contrast him with Higgins, who wants to negotiate, get people what they need to survive, and see the best of humanity- well you get the idea. Some of the actions strikers take I could imagine being scared of or not understanding if I only heard of through the media. Barricading an area and being ready to battle police is intense.
Isaac Bell is skilled in detecting and leadership, but he's not fully seasoned yet. Wish Clarke makes some helpful suggestions. (About Wish, a sad look at alcoholism. He gets info, he even saves Isaac's life, but he's also getting tugged down by something his willpower can't overcome.) Issac doubts his own abilities at one point, but is reminded of what gives him his edge. Isaac isn't just a good detective because of his skill, energy, and determination. What makes Isaac shine is his compassion. He takes whoever he encounters seriously and tries to help. People see that and are willing to work with and/or give him information.
Henry Clay is an intriguing villain due to the connection through Van Dorn. Clay's got the same skills as Isaac, though Clay gets to people through manipulation. He's an anti-Isaac. Clay's arrogance makes him less interesting though. It seems like arrogance is part of being a thriller villain.
The plot has plenty of suspense. Can Isaac figure out who Clay is and stop him? Will Congdon go unmasked and unpunished? Can Isaac keep a conflict from exploding into war? Can Isaac survive run away trains, a steamboat built for war, and tough guys out for his head? There's also a feeling of tragedy which adds to suspense. If you've read the first book, which takes place after this one, Mary Higgins isn't in it. This strong, committed to the workers, radical (too radical in some ways) character who captures Isaac's heart isn't in other books. The question isn't whether something goes wrong, but how. This is a book where fighting evildoers has a cost.
Basically, not a perfect book because of the villain's arrogance and there is tragedy. Nevertheless, a suspenseful thriller with an interesting look at early 20th century U.S. The hero shines against despicable villains.
Isaac Bell is skilled in detecting and leadership, but he's not fully seasoned yet. Wish Clarke makes some helpful suggestions. (About Wish, a sad look at alcoholism. He gets info, he even saves Isaac's life, but he's also getting tugged down by something his willpower can't overcome.) Issac doubts his own abilities at one point, but is reminded of what gives him his edge. Isaac isn't just a good detective because of his skill, energy, and determination. What makes Isaac shine is his compassion. He takes whoever he encounters seriously and tries to help. People see that and are willing to work with and/or give him information.
Henry Clay is an intriguing villain due to the connection through Van Dorn. Clay's got the same skills as Isaac, though Clay gets to people through manipulation. He's an anti-Isaac. Clay's arrogance makes him less interesting though. It seems like arrogance is part of being a thriller villain.
The plot has plenty of suspense. Can Isaac figure out who Clay is and stop him? Will Congdon go unmasked and unpunished? Can Isaac keep a conflict from exploding into war? Can Isaac survive run away trains, a steamboat built for war, and tough guys out for his head? There's also a feeling of tragedy which adds to suspense. If you've read the first book, which takes place after this one, Mary Higgins isn't in it. This strong, committed to the workers, radical (too radical in some ways) character who captures Isaac's heart isn't in other books. The question isn't whether something goes wrong, but how. This is a book where fighting evildoers has a cost.
Basically, not a perfect book because of the villain's arrogance and there is tragedy. Nevertheless, a suspenseful thriller with an interesting look at early 20th century U.S. The hero shines against despicable villains.
July 2, 2017
Once you start reading, this book will demand your attention. Did I mention fast? Don't forget to take a breath every now and then
What the author(s) do with this series: Clive Cussler and Justin Scott know how to write a book. This is part of the series called the Isaac Bell Adventures. This paragraph applies to all books in this series. Isaac is an investigator for a private firm whose motto is that the always get their man The books are set in the early 1900’s and are based on the author’s fascination with the leading technologies of the time – things like fast (by their standards) trains, automobiles and ships. New technologies are introduced like aeroplanes and talking pictures. Depending on the book, many of the social issues of the day are woven into the story such as strikes and strike breakers, gangs running businesses, stock speculators and manipulators as well as later in the series the storm clouds of what will become World War I. The author is skilled at bringing in the details of how society works in that era, such as how beef makes it to NYC, or how different strata of society operate in SFO
Do you need to read this series in order: Probably not, but I think you will miss out on the character development of the protagonist and his lady friend.
Triggers: there is an ample supply of violence – in this book it’s at a “war time” level -- people die, from violence (fires, gun shots, bombs, crashes, knives, beatings, accidents). Some of the violence is directed at kids.
This book is where Isaac Bell is introduced and our detective is trying to keep a company afloat during st strikes and strike breaking in 1902. It’s also about trains including specials – private trains that carry the elite – about steamships like the Mississippi paddle wheelers and lots and lots of excitement and adventures. We also find out that our detective who comes from a very wealthy family, ran away to live with the circus with a childhood friend who was also from a very wealthy family.
What the author(s) do with this series: Clive Cussler and Justin Scott know how to write a book. This is part of the series called the Isaac Bell Adventures. This paragraph applies to all books in this series. Isaac is an investigator for a private firm whose motto is that the always get their man The books are set in the early 1900’s and are based on the author’s fascination with the leading technologies of the time – things like fast (by their standards) trains, automobiles and ships. New technologies are introduced like aeroplanes and talking pictures. Depending on the book, many of the social issues of the day are woven into the story such as strikes and strike breakers, gangs running businesses, stock speculators and manipulators as well as later in the series the storm clouds of what will become World War I. The author is skilled at bringing in the details of how society works in that era, such as how beef makes it to NYC, or how different strata of society operate in SFO
Do you need to read this series in order: Probably not, but I think you will miss out on the character development of the protagonist and his lady friend.
Triggers: there is an ample supply of violence – in this book it’s at a “war time” level -- people die, from violence (fires, gun shots, bombs, crashes, knives, beatings, accidents). Some of the violence is directed at kids.
This book is where Isaac Bell is introduced and our detective is trying to keep a company afloat during st strikes and strike breaking in 1902. It’s also about trains including specials – private trains that carry the elite – about steamships like the Mississippi paddle wheelers and lots and lots of excitement and adventures. We also find out that our detective who comes from a very wealthy family, ran away to live with the circus with a childhood friend who was also from a very wealthy family.
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