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Jeremy Fisk #1
The Intercept: A Jeremy Fisk Novel
Four days before the dedication of the new Freedom Tower at ground zero in New York City, five passengers and a flight attendant bravely foil the hijacking of a commercial jet en route to the city. Thrust into the national spotlight, 'The Six' become instant celebrities, hailed for their bravery. But iconoclastic New York Police investigator Jeremy Fisk believes there's more to this than a simple open-and-shut terrorism case. Fisk - from the department's Intelligence Division - suspects that in reality this is an early warning signal that another potentially more devastating attack is imminent.
Fisk and his team spring into action, but as each promising new lead fizzles to nothing they realise that their opponents are smarter and more dangerous than anyone they've faced before. The seemingly invisible enemy is able to exploit every security weakness, anticipating Fisk's every move. And time is running out until ground zero day...
Fisk and his team spring into action, but as each promising new lead fizzles to nothing they realise that their opponents are smarter and more dangerous than anyone they've faced before. The seemingly invisible enemy is able to exploit every security weakness, anticipating Fisk's every move. And time is running out until ground zero day...
385 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 26, 2012
860 people are currently reading
4157 people want to read
About the author
Dick Wolf
14 books191 followersRichard Anthony "Dick" Wolf is an American producer, specializing in crime dramas such as Miami Vice and the Law & Order franchise. Throughout his career he has won several awards including an Emmy Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Wolf worked as an advertising copywriter at Benton & Bowles creating commercials for Crest toothpaste, all the while writing screenplays in the hopes of a film career. It was at this time that he briefly collaborated on a screenplay with Oliver Stone, who was also a struggling screenwriter at the time. He moved to Los Angeles after a few years and had three screenplays produced; one of these films, Masquerade starring Rob Lowe and Meg Tilly, was well received. He started his television career as a staff writer on Hill Street Blues and was nominated for his first Emmy for an episode (entitled "What Are Friends For?") on which he was the only writer. He moved from there to Miami Vice, where he was a supervising producer.
Wolf's Law & Order, which ran from 1990 to 2010, tied Gunsmoke for the longest-running dramatic show in television history, making it one of television's most successful franchises. It has been nominated for the most consecutive Emmy Awards of any primetime drama series. Wolf serves as creator and executive producer of the two current Law & Order drama series from Wolf Films and NBC Universal Television – Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: UK – and did so for the three that have been cancelled – Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: Trial by Jury and Law & Order: Los Angeles. In addition, he was the creator and executive producer of NBC's courtroom reality series Crime & Punishment, which chronicled real-life cases prosecuted by the San Diego District Attorney’s office.
Wolf's company also produced Twin Towers, the 2003 Academy Award-winning Short Documentary about two brothers, one a policeman and the other a fireman, who lost their lives in the line of duty on September 11, 2001. Wolf was also involved with the production of a theatrical documentary about the popular rock group The Doors, titled When You're Strange.
Wolf's personal honors include the Award of Excellence from the Banff Television Festival, the 2002 Creative Achievement Award from NATPE; the Anti-Defamation League’s Distinguished Entertainment Industry Award, the Leadership and Inspiration Award from the Entertainment Industries Council, the Governor’s Award by the New York Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the 1997 achievement award from the Caucus for Producers, Writers, and Directors, the 1998 Television Showman of the Year Award from the Publicists Guild of America, the 2002 Tribute from the Museum of Television and Radio, and a 2003 Special Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America.
Wolf is also an Honorary Consul general of Monaco and is actively involved in the principality’s prestigious annual Television Festival, and is its primary liaison with the entertainment community.
On March 29, 2007, Wolf received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7040 Hollywood Boulevard.
In addition to having been a classmate of former US President George W. Bush, Wolf was an employer of Fred Thompson, who sought the Republican nomination for President in 2008 with help of the national attention he gained playing the district attorney on Law & Order. Wolf supported Thompson in his bid, as he did Bush, as it has been reported that he contributed money to Thompson even before he officially announced he was running.
Wolf was credited with "Special Thanks" for the episode "Basic Lupine Urology" from "Season 3" of NBC's "Community", an homage to the style of his Law and Order series.
Wolf developed Chicago Fire, an drama about a group of men and women working at the Chicago Fire Department. The series was picked up by NBC in May 2012, and premiered on October 10, 2012, with meek numbers in the ratings and minimal reviews.
Wolf worked as an advertising copywriter at Benton & Bowles creating commercials for Crest toothpaste, all the while writing screenplays in the hopes of a film career. It was at this time that he briefly collaborated on a screenplay with Oliver Stone, who was also a struggling screenwriter at the time. He moved to Los Angeles after a few years and had three screenplays produced; one of these films, Masquerade starring Rob Lowe and Meg Tilly, was well received. He started his television career as a staff writer on Hill Street Blues and was nominated for his first Emmy for an episode (entitled "What Are Friends For?") on which he was the only writer. He moved from there to Miami Vice, where he was a supervising producer.
Wolf's Law & Order, which ran from 1990 to 2010, tied Gunsmoke for the longest-running dramatic show in television history, making it one of television's most successful franchises. It has been nominated for the most consecutive Emmy Awards of any primetime drama series. Wolf serves as creator and executive producer of the two current Law & Order drama series from Wolf Films and NBC Universal Television – Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: UK – and did so for the three that have been cancelled – Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: Trial by Jury and Law & Order: Los Angeles. In addition, he was the creator and executive producer of NBC's courtroom reality series Crime & Punishment, which chronicled real-life cases prosecuted by the San Diego District Attorney’s office.
Wolf's company also produced Twin Towers, the 2003 Academy Award-winning Short Documentary about two brothers, one a policeman and the other a fireman, who lost their lives in the line of duty on September 11, 2001. Wolf was also involved with the production of a theatrical documentary about the popular rock group The Doors, titled When You're Strange.
Wolf's personal honors include the Award of Excellence from the Banff Television Festival, the 2002 Creative Achievement Award from NATPE; the Anti-Defamation League’s Distinguished Entertainment Industry Award, the Leadership and Inspiration Award from the Entertainment Industries Council, the Governor’s Award by the New York Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the 1997 achievement award from the Caucus for Producers, Writers, and Directors, the 1998 Television Showman of the Year Award from the Publicists Guild of America, the 2002 Tribute from the Museum of Television and Radio, and a 2003 Special Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America.
Wolf is also an Honorary Consul general of Monaco and is actively involved in the principality’s prestigious annual Television Festival, and is its primary liaison with the entertainment community.
On March 29, 2007, Wolf received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7040 Hollywood Boulevard.
In addition to having been a classmate of former US President George W. Bush, Wolf was an employer of Fred Thompson, who sought the Republican nomination for President in 2008 with help of the national attention he gained playing the district attorney on Law & Order. Wolf supported Thompson in his bid, as he did Bush, as it has been reported that he contributed money to Thompson even before he officially announced he was running.
Wolf was credited with "Special Thanks" for the episode "Basic Lupine Urology" from "Season 3" of NBC's "Community", an homage to the style of his Law and Order series.
Wolf developed Chicago Fire, an drama about a group of men and women working at the Chicago Fire Department. The series was picked up by NBC in May 2012, and premiered on October 10, 2012, with meek numbers in the ratings and minimal reviews.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 922 reviews
June 19, 2014
This thriller is the first novel from Dick Wolf, the creator of the television series, Law and Order, and it introduces NYC police detective Jeremy Fisk. Fisk is a member of the department's Intelligence Division, New York City's mini-CIA, which is designed to combat terror threats to the most attractive target in the world.
The book opens with a flashback to an angry Osama Bin Laden trying to persuade his henchmen that in the wake of the 9/11 attack, they have to be smarter than your average stupid shoe bomber. Rather than repeating themselves, they have to take the infidel Americans by surprise and hit them at a point where they will least expect it and which will do the maximum amount of damage.
Some time later, a terrorist claiming to have a bomb attempts to break into the cockpit of a jetliner bound for NYC. It's a clever scheme that exploits a weakness in the airlines' cockpit security system, but the plot is foiled when several passengers attack and subdue the terrorist who, happily, turns out not to have a bomb after all.
The brave passengers become instant celebrities and everyone seems to be falling all over themselves, thankful that another terrorist plot has been foiled. But not Jeremy Fisk. To him, the whole incident of the ineffective hijacker seems a bit too easy and he speculates that it might just be a diversion from another attack that no one sees coming yet.
Fisk's concerns are made more anxious because the Fourth of July is approaching and along with it is coming the dedication of the new One World Trade Center at Ground Zero, which he realizes would make an excellent terrorist target. With his partner, Krina Gersten, Fisk mounts an around-the-clock effort to determine if, in fact, there's more to this episode than meets the eye. Of course, there will be.
This is a timely thriller and Wolf keeps the tension mounting and the reader turning the pages. The back cover suggests that this book is reminiscent of The Day of the Jackal, which is an all-time classic of this genre. The Intercept does not really rise to that level, but it is a very good read--perfect for a lazy summer's day at the beach.
The book opens with a flashback to an angry Osama Bin Laden trying to persuade his henchmen that in the wake of the 9/11 attack, they have to be smarter than your average stupid shoe bomber. Rather than repeating themselves, they have to take the infidel Americans by surprise and hit them at a point where they will least expect it and which will do the maximum amount of damage.
Some time later, a terrorist claiming to have a bomb attempts to break into the cockpit of a jetliner bound for NYC. It's a clever scheme that exploits a weakness in the airlines' cockpit security system, but the plot is foiled when several passengers attack and subdue the terrorist who, happily, turns out not to have a bomb after all.
The brave passengers become instant celebrities and everyone seems to be falling all over themselves, thankful that another terrorist plot has been foiled. But not Jeremy Fisk. To him, the whole incident of the ineffective hijacker seems a bit too easy and he speculates that it might just be a diversion from another attack that no one sees coming yet.
Fisk's concerns are made more anxious because the Fourth of July is approaching and along with it is coming the dedication of the new One World Trade Center at Ground Zero, which he realizes would make an excellent terrorist target. With his partner, Krina Gersten, Fisk mounts an around-the-clock effort to determine if, in fact, there's more to this episode than meets the eye. Of course, there will be.
This is a timely thriller and Wolf keeps the tension mounting and the reader turning the pages. The back cover suggests that this book is reminiscent of The Day of the Jackal, which is an all-time classic of this genre. The Intercept does not really rise to that level, but it is a very good read--perfect for a lazy summer's day at the beach.
November 12, 2025
I used the audio version of this book. Often times, that will put me to sleep if the story isn't interesting enough. Not the case with this one.
It concerned a post Osama bin Laden terrorist attack attempt in NYC with lots of plot twists you don't see coming.
Very good, indeed.
It concerned a post Osama bin Laden terrorist attack attempt in NYC with lots of plot twists you don't see coming.
Very good, indeed.
August 4, 2014
A tremendous first novel by the creator of the Law & Order series and my favorite new show this year- Chicago Fire!
A page turner from the get go, you will not be disappointed!
A page turner from the get go, you will not be disappointed!
December 5, 2013
“The Intercept” is an enjoyable thriller though it never quite soars. One of the main characters, Jeremy Fisk, didn’t come alive. Some of the minor characters were excellent however. It’s almost like Wolf has been spoiled on the set of Law and Order and was waiting for an exemplary actor to show up to flesh out Fisk’s role. Wolf uses the current de rigueur plot of Jihadists coming to America to wreak havoc. While there are a few plot twists you won’t see coming you will with most of them…or at least have a good guess. It would be hard for anyone to live up to the level of Wolf’s fame as a script writer. This creates massive hype for this debut novel debut. And this is a good debut, it’s just not stellar. I’m sure it didn’t help that I was re-reading Graham Greene’s “The Orient Express” at the same time as “Intercept”. Greene brings to mind other thriller classics I’ve read from writers such as Le Carre and Littell. This made me wonder if the Soviet Union and the Cold War somehow made for a better plot device than the current Middle East situation. Also, perhaps writers and many readers are less familiar with the Middle East in general and al-Qaeda specifically but wouldn’t that lack make for an even broader range of what would be possible to include in a plot? Wolf stuck to plot conventions in this regard. There are some incredible thriller writers productive today including Charles Cummings and Stephen Hunter. “The Intercept” doesn’t rise to their level in my opinion.
This review was based on an Advanced Readers Copy supplied by the publisher.
3.5/5 stars
This review was based on an Advanced Readers Copy supplied by the publisher.
3.5/5 stars
April 2, 2014
The Intercept by Dick Wolf is a 2012 William Morrow publication.
Right before a big fourth of July celebration in New York and a dedication at ground zero, a plane is nearly highjacked. Six people on board the jet come out the event as heroes. Jeremy Fisk is a long term dedicated detective. Events like this are what keeps him sharp and focused. You can never forget, not even for a moment and let your guard down.
As the six heroes are interviewed and begin getting star treatment from the press, Fisk and his partner, Krina Gersten know that the danger is far from over. A dangerous terrorist is on US soil and they know he has plans. As more information becomes available it appears that the attempted hijacking could have all been smoke and mirrors for a an even bigger event. Naturally, the fourth of July in New York City at ground zero would be too good to pass up.
This is the first book in a planned series by Dick Wolf the man behind the long running Law & Order series. I felt like this book was exactly what I would have expected from this author. We have the thoughts of the investigators , a few behind the scenes glimpes of "The Six" and their sordid personal lives, and the inner thoughts of terrorist and the delusions that propels them to sacrifice themselves for a cause they have long since lost the thread of. The suspense is built at a slow pace and increases with each section of the book, taking the reader on the same journey as all the people involved. You know what is going on, but the characters do not and this is always an effective tactic. Obviously, the plot was thought out and planned to unfold at a certain pace that will keep the reader interested. Once we realize just what is going on it really becomes a race against time. The tense atmosphere will begin to turn into a heavy feeling of dread. Fisk is a good guy that has gone through a lot in his career . He is a character that we will grow to like as further books are published. The place he sits in after all is said and done is not where we would have liked him to be, but hopefully, he will come out on the other side with a new direction and dedication to stopping these crimes against innocent people.
This is not a bad start to the series . I do think that to keep the Fisk series alive the author will have to really dig deep though and bring out more of the main characters inner demons and private lives that many enjoy knowing when reading a series. We need to care about the character and root for him to win. I think this book gives us just enough of an inside peek into Fisk's personal situation to have the reader developing a soft spot for him. Hopefully, Wolf will cash in on this momentum and raise the bar for the next book. This one gets an A. ( 4 stars)
Right before a big fourth of July celebration in New York and a dedication at ground zero, a plane is nearly highjacked. Six people on board the jet come out the event as heroes. Jeremy Fisk is a long term dedicated detective. Events like this are what keeps him sharp and focused. You can never forget, not even for a moment and let your guard down.
As the six heroes are interviewed and begin getting star treatment from the press, Fisk and his partner, Krina Gersten know that the danger is far from over. A dangerous terrorist is on US soil and they know he has plans. As more information becomes available it appears that the attempted hijacking could have all been smoke and mirrors for a an even bigger event. Naturally, the fourth of July in New York City at ground zero would be too good to pass up.
This is the first book in a planned series by Dick Wolf the man behind the long running Law & Order series. I felt like this book was exactly what I would have expected from this author. We have the thoughts of the investigators , a few behind the scenes glimpes of "The Six" and their sordid personal lives, and the inner thoughts of terrorist and the delusions that propels them to sacrifice themselves for a cause they have long since lost the thread of. The suspense is built at a slow pace and increases with each section of the book, taking the reader on the same journey as all the people involved. You know what is going on, but the characters do not and this is always an effective tactic. Obviously, the plot was thought out and planned to unfold at a certain pace that will keep the reader interested. Once we realize just what is going on it really becomes a race against time. The tense atmosphere will begin to turn into a heavy feeling of dread. Fisk is a good guy that has gone through a lot in his career . He is a character that we will grow to like as further books are published. The place he sits in after all is said and done is not where we would have liked him to be, but hopefully, he will come out on the other side with a new direction and dedication to stopping these crimes against innocent people.
This is not a bad start to the series . I do think that to keep the Fisk series alive the author will have to really dig deep though and bring out more of the main characters inner demons and private lives that many enjoy knowing when reading a series. We need to care about the character and root for him to win. I think this book gives us just enough of an inside peek into Fisk's personal situation to have the reader developing a soft spot for him. Hopefully, Wolf will cash in on this momentum and raise the bar for the next book. This one gets an A. ( 4 stars)
September 11, 2015
Who hasn’t seen at least one episode of Law and Order, the longest running scripted show on television? It’s been around, would you believe, since 1990. Dick Wolf, the creator of the show, is an award winning director, and producer. Now he's turned his hand to writing books, and he's proved that he can tell gripping stories no matter the medium.
In 2013, he released his first book THE INTERCEPT, and it took me a while to get around to reading it. (If you saw my to-be-read review pile, you would be afraid.) Once I did get to it, I read it in a few sittings. It was brilliant, and a masterful thriller debut.
Its not surprising that Wolf can write a page turning thriller/drama. He does wonders with a 40-minute television slot. Through that discipline, it’s clear he’s learned the craft of grabbing hold of a reader and not letting them go until the last page.
This year he’s released the second in the series THE EXECUTION—although you can read either of these books as a stand-alone. Both stories are a cross between a police procedural and a political thriller set in New York.
His protagonist, Jeremy Fisk, is an investigating officer from the department's Intelligence Division in New York, and he is the perfect, intelligent character on the wrong side of authority to take us on a thill ride.
The story setups are very good. In THE INTERCEPT a plane hijacking is foiled and the passengers who prevent it become instant celebrities. Fisk suspects there is more to this attempt than meets the eye, and that there is an even greater terrorist threat connected to it.
In THE EXECUTION, we follow on directly from the first book, and in the opening scenes, there are some grizzly, nasty chapters à la Breaking Bad involving a Mexican drug lord. Wolf introduces us to Detective Cecilia Garza of the Mexican intelligence agency, and she is a great foil for Jeremy Fisk.
Dick Wolf has become one of my favorite authors. I never miss an episode of Law and Order; in 24 years I’ve only ever missed a couple of episodes of any of the series. I won’t be missing any of his books either. He is an accomplished author and knows how to entertain in any format.
Thank you to Hachette Australia who supplied both these books to me in return for my honest opinion.
In 2013, he released his first book THE INTERCEPT, and it took me a while to get around to reading it. (If you saw my to-be-read review pile, you would be afraid.) Once I did get to it, I read it in a few sittings. It was brilliant, and a masterful thriller debut.
Its not surprising that Wolf can write a page turning thriller/drama. He does wonders with a 40-minute television slot. Through that discipline, it’s clear he’s learned the craft of grabbing hold of a reader and not letting them go until the last page.
This year he’s released the second in the series THE EXECUTION—although you can read either of these books as a stand-alone. Both stories are a cross between a police procedural and a political thriller set in New York.
His protagonist, Jeremy Fisk, is an investigating officer from the department's Intelligence Division in New York, and he is the perfect, intelligent character on the wrong side of authority to take us on a thill ride.
The story setups are very good. In THE INTERCEPT a plane hijacking is foiled and the passengers who prevent it become instant celebrities. Fisk suspects there is more to this attempt than meets the eye, and that there is an even greater terrorist threat connected to it.
In THE EXECUTION, we follow on directly from the first book, and in the opening scenes, there are some grizzly, nasty chapters à la Breaking Bad involving a Mexican drug lord. Wolf introduces us to Detective Cecilia Garza of the Mexican intelligence agency, and she is a great foil for Jeremy Fisk.
Dick Wolf has become one of my favorite authors. I never miss an episode of Law and Order; in 24 years I’ve only ever missed a couple of episodes of any of the series. I won’t be missing any of his books either. He is an accomplished author and knows how to entertain in any format.
Thank you to Hachette Australia who supplied both these books to me in return for my honest opinion.
June 28, 2014
This is a fun, fast-paced novel about two New York police detectives. The two of them become romantically involved, as they try to solve a terrorism case. A terrorist tries to take over an international airliner. Six people on board disable the terrorist, and become instant celebrities. But ... this is not the end of the case--it is just the beginning. Dick Wolf puts layer upon layer onto a thickening plot. The detectives just don't see the case as being "closed" just quite yet. They chase elusive shadows, as the terrorist plot is actually more clever and diabolical than they dared to suspect.
This is a book that is hard to put down. My only complaint is that toward the end, the plot becomes a bit too transparent. I was able to guess exactly what was going to happen in the end.
I didn't read this book--I listened to it as an audiobook. Peter Ganim did a creditable job with his narration, but didn't shine.
This is a book that is hard to put down. My only complaint is that toward the end, the plot becomes a bit too transparent. I was able to guess exactly what was going to happen in the end.
I didn't read this book--I listened to it as an audiobook. Peter Ganim did a creditable job with his narration, but didn't shine.
November 21, 2012
*Won through a Goodreads Giveaway*
When I receieved notification that I'd won this debut novel by the creator of my favorite show of all time, I couldn't have been happier. I love watching Law & Order marathons on Saturdays and Sundays, or on my Netflix. I am that much of a fan. Enough about me. The story features Jeremy Fisk who is a detective for the NYPD Intelligence Division. His main objective is to intercept valid threats of terrorism. He is good at his job catching radicals who wish to harm law abiding citizens in the name of their religious beliefs.
Although I am a fan of Dick Wolf he is not going to win any literary awards. This novel reads like an episode of Law & Order. It is very simple and straight to the point. I don't say that in a bad way. It is fast paced, gripping, and thrill inducing. Once I opened the book I was unable to put it down. I can see fans of international thrillers really enjoying this. I am a fan of that genre so he doesn't disappoint on that front.
The terrorist plot unfolding was the highlight of this book. Although I knew who was in on it, there were enough red herrings to keep me guessing until the last sixty pages or so. I almost feel that Wolf was more descriptive of the terrorists than his main star which leads me to what I didn't like about this book.
My only problem with the book is that the characters are pretty thin and some parts were predictable. I urge Dick Wolf to get more descriptive of his leading man. We readers like to know what drives this person. We want to know their history and what makes them tick. Wolf has proven with all his successful shows that he can write characters who are three dimensional. It would have been awesome if that was done in this debut novel.
Overall, I look forward to reading what's in store for this series. The Intercept: a Jeremy Fisk novel was a great way to kick off the beginning of a series with a character I hope to love some day. I appreciate the opportunity of reading this novel.
When I receieved notification that I'd won this debut novel by the creator of my favorite show of all time, I couldn't have been happier. I love watching Law & Order marathons on Saturdays and Sundays, or on my Netflix. I am that much of a fan. Enough about me. The story features Jeremy Fisk who is a detective for the NYPD Intelligence Division. His main objective is to intercept valid threats of terrorism. He is good at his job catching radicals who wish to harm law abiding citizens in the name of their religious beliefs.
Although I am a fan of Dick Wolf he is not going to win any literary awards. This novel reads like an episode of Law & Order. It is very simple and straight to the point. I don't say that in a bad way. It is fast paced, gripping, and thrill inducing. Once I opened the book I was unable to put it down. I can see fans of international thrillers really enjoying this. I am a fan of that genre so he doesn't disappoint on that front.
The terrorist plot unfolding was the highlight of this book. Although I knew who was in on it, there were enough red herrings to keep me guessing until the last sixty pages or so. I almost feel that Wolf was more descriptive of the terrorists than his main star which leads me to what I didn't like about this book.
My only problem with the book is that the characters are pretty thin and some parts were predictable. I urge Dick Wolf to get more descriptive of his leading man. We readers like to know what drives this person. We want to know their history and what makes them tick. Wolf has proven with all his successful shows that he can write characters who are three dimensional. It would have been awesome if that was done in this debut novel.
Overall, I look forward to reading what's in store for this series. The Intercept: a Jeremy Fisk novel was a great way to kick off the beginning of a series with a character I hope to love some day. I appreciate the opportunity of reading this novel.
October 26, 2012
Though THE INTERCEPT is a first novel, Dick Wolf is no stranger to thrillers. He's the creator and driving force behind the long running Law & Order franchise. The book is the first in series featuring NYPD detective Jeremy Fisk. He runs an anti-terrorism unit patterned after the CIA.
The fourth of July holidays are approaching when a plane hijacking is foiled by a handful of passengers, Those folks become instant media darlings, dubbed "The Six."
Fisk is the lead investigator on the incident and comes to believe something more is going on. The terrorist was stopped much to easily, the man breaks under interrogation very fast. He'd been armed with a knife and threatened to blow the plane up. The detonator he held was connected to nothing. No bomb.
Could it all have been a diversion?
Checking the flight list of passengers, there was another Saudi National aboard. He'd been cleared and was, gone, disappearing into New York City.
Several things were planned for the holidays, including a fireworks event, the dedication of the Freedom Tower at Ground Zero(both President Obama and former President Bush were to attend). Because of the new notoriety of "The Six," a meeting with Obama was arranged as well.
Fisk had three days to find one man in a city of eight million, a man it seemed was deliberately hiding.
Fine first novel.
The fourth of July holidays are approaching when a plane hijacking is foiled by a handful of passengers, Those folks become instant media darlings, dubbed "The Six."
Fisk is the lead investigator on the incident and comes to believe something more is going on. The terrorist was stopped much to easily, the man breaks under interrogation very fast. He'd been armed with a knife and threatened to blow the plane up. The detonator he held was connected to nothing. No bomb.
Could it all have been a diversion?
Checking the flight list of passengers, there was another Saudi National aboard. He'd been cleared and was, gone, disappearing into New York City.
Several things were planned for the holidays, including a fireworks event, the dedication of the Freedom Tower at Ground Zero(both President Obama and former President Bush were to attend). Because of the new notoriety of "The Six," a meeting with Obama was arranged as well.
Fisk had three days to find one man in a city of eight million, a man it seemed was deliberately hiding.
Fine first novel.
December 5, 2013
Very nicely done by the author! I think this book will appeal to anyone that likes police/detective stories, thrillers or war on terror books. I couldn't put the book down until done and I'll look for future books from this author.
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
January 25, 2013
Hang onto your hats for a rip-roaring, flying by the seat of your pants thriller- perfect for fans of ‘Homeland’ and ‘24‘. Dick Wolf, writer, director and producer (of ‘Law & Order’ fame) has come up trumps with this, his debut thriller, that I read in almost one sitting. Starting with the thwarted attempt of a suspected terrorist to hijack a flight heading for New York, the passengers and air stewardess (‘The Six’) that save the day find themselves dubbed as heroes, propelling them into the glare of the media. However, a humble NYPD investigator, Jeremy Fisk, questions the actions of this lone hijacker, and uncovers the fact that this is merely a distraction in a far wider reaching terrorist plot…
On the surface this could have denigrated to a bog-standard jingoistic thriller as America takes on the sinister activities of of Al-Queda, but the quality of Wolf’s plotting and attention to procedural detail really makes this an intelligent and compelling read. With a nail-biting use of suspense, Wolf unravels the layers behind the work of the U.S. intelligence agencies and the methods employ to track down suspected terrorists, as they plot to implement what could be the most devastating terror attack on U.S. soil since 9/11. I learnt a huge amount about the machinations and interdepartmental cooperation and operations between all branches of the US intelligence services under the umbrella of Homeland Security, and their daily struggle to contain the threat of terrorism.Throughout the course of the book, Wolf focuses on intelligence garnered in the wake of Osama Bin Laden’s death, and the careful study of material left behind which provides valuable clues to the imminence of an attack, whilst carefully laying a trail of red herrings and blind alleys for the reader as to who the bad guys really are and arousing our suspicions throughout. As Fisk and his cohorts endeavour to uncover the truth behind the plot, you can as a reader really feel the tension building to a fever pitch which ratchets up the pace and the need to keep those pages turning.
With the focus being so much on the pace of the plot and the procedural methods employed by Fisk and his colleagues, I was concerned that maybe the characterisation would suffer, but my fears were groundless. Fisk came across as an incredibly realistic and likeable character, and through his interation with his fellow investigator, Krina Gersten, on both a professional and personal level, it added an interesting fission to the main plot. Likewise, Wolf captures perfectly the characters of ‘The Six’ an unlikely band of, for the most part, normal people hurled into the glare of the media, and the personal way in which this affects them all and how they respond to this bewildering attention. There is a good interplay between this disparate group both with each other, and those that seek to keep them protected from the greater threat that their status as American heroes affords them. I also particularly enjoyed a sub plot involving a female ‘sleeping agent’ and her motivations for her actions, and the overall balance in the narrative of the power of belief in a cause, evident in the actions of those who participate in terrorism and those who seek to defeat the them. To Wolf’s credit the terrorists do not fall victim to the normal thriller stereotyping, and are not portrayed as monsters, but rather as individuals with a firm strength of belief in their route to martyrdom.
This was definitely a smarter-than-average terrorism centred thriller that genuinely kept me hooked throughout. Obviously, with Wolf’s accomplished career in television, the book would translate perfectly to the screen with an incredibly visual quality and perfectly weighted plot, that cries out for either a TV mini-series or a movie. All in all a deft and highly original thriller that is well worth a read and I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
July 25, 2015
This is the first in the author's series of three (so far) featuring NYPD detective and intelligence officer Jeremy Fisk. I've had the first two for a while now (next up is The Execution), and I finally found a lull in my stack of to-read books and decided to give the first one a whirl.
For those who may not be familiar with his name, Dick Wolf is the creator of TV's extremely popular and long-running Law and Order franchise (count me as a big fan who was upset at the cancellation of the original show). This is his first novel, and the first thing I'll happily emphasize is it does not read like a screenplay (but it would, IMHO, make a better-than-average motion picture). No, it reads like a book - just as it should - and a pretty darned good one at that.
Fisk is reminiscent of other action heroes - Brad Thor's Scot Harvath comes to mind mostly, I suppose, because I recently finished the most recent installment, Code of Conduct. Even the plot has a somewhat familiar ring to it: the good guys and gals trying to catch the bad ones who may have ties to the late Osama Bin Laden and are out to do dastardly things to the American infidels. Usually, that's a bit of a turn-off for me; I'm well aware of the threat and know it's a hot topic, but (maybe because of that) I'm less than enthusiastic when it's the theme of books I read for pleasure.
That said, author Wolfe manages to keep the concept fresh (and, thank goodness, doesn't set any scenes in Iran or Afghanistan). All the action, which heats up quickly, happens on U.S. soil and doesn't stop till the end. The whole thing begins as six passengers on an international flight to Newark, N.J, struggle with and subdue a would-be hijacker who apparently had planned to destroy New York City's new Freedom Tower before its official July 4 dedication. But all may not be what it seems; Fisk and officer (and love interest) Krina Gersten agree that the hijacker's confession may be a little too pat; could his actions be a diversion to cover up an even more serious plot? And if so, can they find out the real target in time to prevent a deadly post-9/11 disaster?
I've learned the answers, of course, but I'm not telling; if you want to know what happens, go read the book for yourself. My only "complaint," such as it is, is that the suspicions and conclusions Fisk reaches sometimes seem a bit beyond the human thinking process - but then maybe that's why they pay him the big bucks. But while that prompted a deduction in review stars (I'd give it 4.5 were it possible), I'm glad I finally read this one and for sure I won't keep the next one in the series on the back burner very long.
For those who may not be familiar with his name, Dick Wolf is the creator of TV's extremely popular and long-running Law and Order franchise (count me as a big fan who was upset at the cancellation of the original show). This is his first novel, and the first thing I'll happily emphasize is it does not read like a screenplay (but it would, IMHO, make a better-than-average motion picture). No, it reads like a book - just as it should - and a pretty darned good one at that.
Fisk is reminiscent of other action heroes - Brad Thor's Scot Harvath comes to mind mostly, I suppose, because I recently finished the most recent installment, Code of Conduct. Even the plot has a somewhat familiar ring to it: the good guys and gals trying to catch the bad ones who may have ties to the late Osama Bin Laden and are out to do dastardly things to the American infidels. Usually, that's a bit of a turn-off for me; I'm well aware of the threat and know it's a hot topic, but (maybe because of that) I'm less than enthusiastic when it's the theme of books I read for pleasure.
That said, author Wolfe manages to keep the concept fresh (and, thank goodness, doesn't set any scenes in Iran or Afghanistan). All the action, which heats up quickly, happens on U.S. soil and doesn't stop till the end. The whole thing begins as six passengers on an international flight to Newark, N.J, struggle with and subdue a would-be hijacker who apparently had planned to destroy New York City's new Freedom Tower before its official July 4 dedication. But all may not be what it seems; Fisk and officer (and love interest) Krina Gersten agree that the hijacker's confession may be a little too pat; could his actions be a diversion to cover up an even more serious plot? And if so, can they find out the real target in time to prevent a deadly post-9/11 disaster?
I've learned the answers, of course, but I'm not telling; if you want to know what happens, go read the book for yourself. My only "complaint," such as it is, is that the suspicions and conclusions Fisk reaches sometimes seem a bit beyond the human thinking process - but then maybe that's why they pay him the big bucks. But while that prompted a deduction in review stars (I'd give it 4.5 were it possible), I'm glad I finally read this one and for sure I won't keep the next one in the series on the back burner very long.
November 30, 2012
Scarier than anything Steven King has written to date.
Why? Because this could actually happen.
When an international flight to New York from Stockholm is "hijacked" by a jihadist, a handful of passengers spring into action to thwart the terrorist. Known as "The Six", these individuals are lauded as celebrities - coincidentally tying into New York's Fourth of July dedication of the newly finished Freedom Tower.
But was that the entirety of the terrorist plan?
Detective Jeremy Fisk begins to suspect that things go way deeper. But how deep? And in which direction? Time is running out to unravel the threads that will reveal the ultimate target - and the body count is rising along the way. His task is made even more difficult, because the quarry has no reservations about their own so-called "martyrdom".
Read this, be afraid. And pray that some copycat nut-job doesn't take a page from this particular playbook...
Mr. Wolf tells a gripping story, and I look forward to meeting up with Detective Fisk again- in further adventures.
Why? Because this could actually happen.
When an international flight to New York from Stockholm is "hijacked" by a jihadist, a handful of passengers spring into action to thwart the terrorist. Known as "The Six", these individuals are lauded as celebrities - coincidentally tying into New York's Fourth of July dedication of the newly finished Freedom Tower.
But was that the entirety of the terrorist plan?
Detective Jeremy Fisk begins to suspect that things go way deeper. But how deep? And in which direction? Time is running out to unravel the threads that will reveal the ultimate target - and the body count is rising along the way. His task is made even more difficult, because the quarry has no reservations about their own so-called "martyrdom".
Read this, be afraid. And pray that some copycat nut-job doesn't take a page from this particular playbook...
Mr. Wolf tells a gripping story, and I look forward to meeting up with Detective Fisk again- in further adventures.
March 21, 2013
Count me in as a fan of Hill Street Blues , Law and Order and all its spinoffs. Still, I was skeptical when it came to reading producer Dick Wolf's debut book Intercept. Sure, I figured he could write but scriptwriting does not necessarily translate to novel author. Happy to say, Dick Wolf makes the grade.
Intercept is a fast paced, well-plotted terrorist thriller set on the streets of post 9/11 New York after the death of Osama Bin Laden. These are streets Wolf knows well. In an interview he alludes that Intercept allows him to flesh the post 9/11 New York scene as this is where his tv program leaves off. A plot to blow-up a plane from Stockholm coming into NY is averted due to the heroic efforts of 6 passengers who take down the terrorist, initially thought to be working alone. "The Six" become symbolic heroes and all that is American as it is July 4th weekend, with firework festivities and a Ground Zero dedication planned. When it becomes apparent that a second terrorist, a Saudi National has escaped into the throngs of New Yorkers, he must be found before he executes his plot. Wolf introduces terrorist investigator Jeremy Fisk and his team (JTTF, Joint Terrorist Task Force), whose job it is to protect these 6, the visiting dignitaries including President Obama, and former President George W. Bush, the New York citizens, all within a limited time frame and with little information of the target.
You know this will be a series and that Jeremy Fisk will be returning. Usually I could care less if a character's story is continued. In the case of Intercept>/i> I'm willing to stick around for a least one more.
Intercept is a fast paced, well-plotted terrorist thriller set on the streets of post 9/11 New York after the death of Osama Bin Laden. These are streets Wolf knows well. In an interview he alludes that Intercept allows him to flesh the post 9/11 New York scene as this is where his tv program leaves off. A plot to blow-up a plane from Stockholm coming into NY is averted due to the heroic efforts of 6 passengers who take down the terrorist, initially thought to be working alone. "The Six" become symbolic heroes and all that is American as it is July 4th weekend, with firework festivities and a Ground Zero dedication planned. When it becomes apparent that a second terrorist, a Saudi National has escaped into the throngs of New Yorkers, he must be found before he executes his plot. Wolf introduces terrorist investigator Jeremy Fisk and his team (JTTF, Joint Terrorist Task Force), whose job it is to protect these 6, the visiting dignitaries including President Obama, and former President George W. Bush, the New York citizens, all within a limited time frame and with little information of the target.
You know this will be a series and that Jeremy Fisk will be returning. Usually I could care less if a character's story is continued. In the case of Intercept>/i> I'm willing to stick around for a least one more.
February 24, 2025
"This was a war waged by damaged individuals, making victims of the innocent. Trying to be the catcher in the rye, as Fisk had, was insanity. Then again, despite the Sisyphean aspect of the job, somebody had to do it. Or at least try."
I love Law & Order and I really enjoyed this police procedural/thriller/spy novel, my first one by Dick Wolf. The first half of the book is a bit predictable, but the second half takes off like a rocket so hold on to your seat. I think NYPD detective Jeremy Fisk and I will definitely meet again!
I love Law & Order and I really enjoyed this police procedural/thriller/spy novel, my first one by Dick Wolf. The first half of the book is a bit predictable, but the second half takes off like a rocket so hold on to your seat. I think NYPD detective Jeremy Fisk and I will definitely meet again!
September 8, 2013
Full Review http://www.milorambles.com/2013/08/11... - 3.5/5
Many of us have grown up with NBC’s Law & Order on the televisual box in one format or the other; after all it is the longest running drama in television history. We have Dick Wolf – creator - to thank for the long running series; we also have Dick Wolf to thank for his debut action thriller – The Intercept – but can he turn his hand to writing thrillers?
New York City, arguably the biggest and most valuable prize or scalp for terrorist groups around the world, is facing an unknown foe and it’s left to Jeremy Fisk to save the day. Introducing us to a new protagonist, Wolf has created an intellectual leading man in Frisk, a likeable character who isn’t without his problems. If Wolf is to develop this series – given that this is Jeremy Fisk #1 - then I’d like to see a deeper approach to the protagonist, I want him to carry baggage, to have demons, to have faults. I wanted a deeper leading man and although Wolf does a good job with him, in my personal opinion he could have gone deeper. Having said all that, I’d still want to work with him, Fisk that is!
I’ve noticed a number of books lately cashing in on the capture and death of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan and The Intercept is another example. The one thing I did like about Wolf’s use of the former al-Qaeda leader’s hideout was not so much the capture element but the intelligence gathering in Germany following the raid. I liked how he brought the storyline in and then developed it as the book progressed.
“We have failed to innovate.” Bin Laden exclaims following recent failures, the leader determined to make the West pay for their crimes. Unbeknown to Fisk he has a devious plan in place and what ensues is a terrific race against time to foil the extremists. Although Bin Laden appears for a brief moment, an aperitif to the main show, his introduction is a bold move – but it works. Even though a work of fiction my imagination got the better of me and I began wondering just what it was like to live in the famous Abbottabad compound.
That said I do think he could have done so much more with Bin Laden given his immense power and hold he had on millions of people throughout the world following September 2001. There is something missing in the book and I can’t quite put my finger on it.
The book is a very fast read and I managed to read the thriller in two – entertaining - short sittings, the narrative has a certain screenwriter appeal to it; in fact I’ll go further and say it reads just like a television screenplay but then given Wolf’s background this certainly won’t come as a surprise to anyone. I for one enjoyed this approach.
We are given short, sharp chapters, plenty of action, a few red herrings and numerous and eclectic characters to satisfy most. I’m not going to go too deep into the plot, but suffice to say I wanted a different ending! I enjoyed how he teased his audience with a well thought out arc, introducing characters to the plot, their backstory and why they did what they did – or didn’t do!
The storyline and plot building is well done and the dialogue is crisp and on point, the book is heavily dependent on dialogue but fortunately this is where Wolf excels. A well-crafted and multi layered thriller, The Intercept shows a great deal of promise both in Wolf’s approach to thriller writing and Fisk as his leading man. More please.
Many of us have grown up with NBC’s Law & Order on the televisual box in one format or the other; after all it is the longest running drama in television history. We have Dick Wolf – creator - to thank for the long running series; we also have Dick Wolf to thank for his debut action thriller – The Intercept – but can he turn his hand to writing thrillers?
New York City, arguably the biggest and most valuable prize or scalp for terrorist groups around the world, is facing an unknown foe and it’s left to Jeremy Fisk to save the day. Introducing us to a new protagonist, Wolf has created an intellectual leading man in Frisk, a likeable character who isn’t without his problems. If Wolf is to develop this series – given that this is Jeremy Fisk #1 - then I’d like to see a deeper approach to the protagonist, I want him to carry baggage, to have demons, to have faults. I wanted a deeper leading man and although Wolf does a good job with him, in my personal opinion he could have gone deeper. Having said all that, I’d still want to work with him, Fisk that is!
I’ve noticed a number of books lately cashing in on the capture and death of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan and The Intercept is another example. The one thing I did like about Wolf’s use of the former al-Qaeda leader’s hideout was not so much the capture element but the intelligence gathering in Germany following the raid. I liked how he brought the storyline in and then developed it as the book progressed.
“We have failed to innovate.” Bin Laden exclaims following recent failures, the leader determined to make the West pay for their crimes. Unbeknown to Fisk he has a devious plan in place and what ensues is a terrific race against time to foil the extremists. Although Bin Laden appears for a brief moment, an aperitif to the main show, his introduction is a bold move – but it works. Even though a work of fiction my imagination got the better of me and I began wondering just what it was like to live in the famous Abbottabad compound.
That said I do think he could have done so much more with Bin Laden given his immense power and hold he had on millions of people throughout the world following September 2001. There is something missing in the book and I can’t quite put my finger on it.
The book is a very fast read and I managed to read the thriller in two – entertaining - short sittings, the narrative has a certain screenwriter appeal to it; in fact I’ll go further and say it reads just like a television screenplay but then given Wolf’s background this certainly won’t come as a surprise to anyone. I for one enjoyed this approach.
We are given short, sharp chapters, plenty of action, a few red herrings and numerous and eclectic characters to satisfy most. I’m not going to go too deep into the plot, but suffice to say I wanted a different ending! I enjoyed how he teased his audience with a well thought out arc, introducing characters to the plot, their backstory and why they did what they did – or didn’t do!
The storyline and plot building is well done and the dialogue is crisp and on point, the book is heavily dependent on dialogue but fortunately this is where Wolf excels. A well-crafted and multi layered thriller, The Intercept shows a great deal of promise both in Wolf’s approach to thriller writing and Fisk as his leading man. More please.
January 25, 2013
4.5 When I was approached to review The Intercept, I thought I recognized this authors’ name. We are huge fans of the Law and Order television shows and I was immediately excited. Wolf delivered an action packed crime thriller that kept me riveted in this chillingly realistic scenario that take place over the July fourth weekend in the city that never sleeps, New York. I consumed this over the course of two evenings and cannot wait for the next Jeremy Fisk novel.
The tale begins days before the dedication of the One World Trade Center at ground zero. A group of six civilians thwart a terrorist hijacker from commandeering a plane over the Atlantic. New York Detective Jeremy Fisk, a special agent in New York’s Intelligence Division, is called in along with a dozen units of the FBI, homeland security and the CIA. While everyone is ready to assume the hijacker acted alone, Fisk’s intuition tells him this threat is far from over and the tale that unfolds is brilliant, fast paced and tightly woven.
Jeremy Fisk is complicated, dedicated and it would be safe to say he questions authority. If something does not feel right to him he pursues it. He is fluent in Arabic and highly intelligent. I easily connected with and admired him. His partner Krina Gersten is a fourth generation cop and has worked undercover gathering Intel. I liked the interaction between them; they bounced ideas off each other which helped piece the puzzle together. They have a secret relationship which helped to flesh them out, make them vulnerable and it felt very genuine. The suspects and even Bin Laden make appearances throughout the novel, giving us a feeling of authenticity that made me shiver. It was interesting getting into their mind-set. The six heroes from the flight were fairly fleshed out and each had a unique voice.
Wolf brought this tale to life, and the world-building was brilliant. He blends fact with fiction giving the tale a realism that still gives me goosebumps. He takes us back and forth between Fisk, the six and the terrorist giving us a panoramic view of the tale as it unfolds. At times we know more than Fisk making the wait for him to catch up very suspenseful. Wolf has a firm grasp on the city, the different governmental agencies involved and protocol. He delivers all of this while unfolding the tale at a gripping pace. The twists and turns held me captive. I will admit to figuring it out, but until the last final chapters I was not able to confirm who. A gut-wrenching event near the end devastated me, and I honestly did not see it coming. I found myself vested in the characters and solving the mystery and turned the pages at a dizzying pace. As I read the outside world slipped away, and my only thought was I hope the terrorist are never as diabolical and clever as Dick Wolf.
I want to thank HarperCollins for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer
The tale begins days before the dedication of the One World Trade Center at ground zero. A group of six civilians thwart a terrorist hijacker from commandeering a plane over the Atlantic. New York Detective Jeremy Fisk, a special agent in New York’s Intelligence Division, is called in along with a dozen units of the FBI, homeland security and the CIA. While everyone is ready to assume the hijacker acted alone, Fisk’s intuition tells him this threat is far from over and the tale that unfolds is brilliant, fast paced and tightly woven.
Jeremy Fisk is complicated, dedicated and it would be safe to say he questions authority. If something does not feel right to him he pursues it. He is fluent in Arabic and highly intelligent. I easily connected with and admired him. His partner Krina Gersten is a fourth generation cop and has worked undercover gathering Intel. I liked the interaction between them; they bounced ideas off each other which helped piece the puzzle together. They have a secret relationship which helped to flesh them out, make them vulnerable and it felt very genuine. The suspects and even Bin Laden make appearances throughout the novel, giving us a feeling of authenticity that made me shiver. It was interesting getting into their mind-set. The six heroes from the flight were fairly fleshed out and each had a unique voice.
Wolf brought this tale to life, and the world-building was brilliant. He blends fact with fiction giving the tale a realism that still gives me goosebumps. He takes us back and forth between Fisk, the six and the terrorist giving us a panoramic view of the tale as it unfolds. At times we know more than Fisk making the wait for him to catch up very suspenseful. Wolf has a firm grasp on the city, the different governmental agencies involved and protocol. He delivers all of this while unfolding the tale at a gripping pace. The twists and turns held me captive. I will admit to figuring it out, but until the last final chapters I was not able to confirm who. A gut-wrenching event near the end devastated me, and I honestly did not see it coming. I found myself vested in the characters and solving the mystery and turned the pages at a dizzying pace. As I read the outside world slipped away, and my only thought was I hope the terrorist are never as diabolical and clever as Dick Wolf.
I want to thank HarperCollins for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer
February 22, 2013
This book was quite disappointing to me, especially coming from someone with such a brilliant mind and writer as Dick Wolf. This book is badly written and it treats the reader like they're stupid. Any suspense or crime writer who spells out things like Central Intelligence Agency or All-Points Bulletin is no good. It's bad writing and talks down to the reader. Is there anybody who lives in the world, who reads crime drama books regularly that doesn't know what "FBI" or "CIA" means. Actually the really classy suspense writers like Baldacci and Connelly just refer to the CIA as "The Outfit" and most know what it means and if they don't they can google it. Or spelling out the acronym for NCIS, or September 11, 2001 just say 9/11. It comes across to the reader as patronizing and being talked down too because by the author spelling that out he's assuming I don't know any of those things mean and that is in effect like treating the reader like their stupid and a writer such as Wolf's caliber should be embarrassed for allowing that.
All these raving reviews of 4 or 5 stars is really alarming to me because there focusing the fact that Dick Wolf who was brilliant with the original Law & Order for 20 years is THE draw of this book and missing the fact that the writing is boring and unimpressive. I've looked up and down the reviews for this book and it seams very typical of the last 10-15 years in this country where we don't pay attention content. We care more about special effects in movies than we do about plot and more about being entertained than being engaged and as a result we're willing to trade entertainment for education and this case we did that in The Intercept. It's a shame because Wolf's new show on NBC now "Chicago Fire" is beautifully written and engaging. But in this book he forgets that the thing that made his L & O so successful for that long was that he didn't do that much plot in his shows. The characters' own personal lives were not at all the main focus of that show and in this book the story is ok and the writing is really disappointing for such a heavyweight when it comes drama. All the cliches` are right about Dick Wolf that he's a master at creating stories from the back page of the New York Post "ripped from the headlines" was his slogan for 20 years. But this book fell off to me. He's better than what he showed in this book. A lot better.
All these raving reviews of 4 or 5 stars is really alarming to me because there focusing the fact that Dick Wolf who was brilliant with the original Law & Order for 20 years is THE draw of this book and missing the fact that the writing is boring and unimpressive. I've looked up and down the reviews for this book and it seams very typical of the last 10-15 years in this country where we don't pay attention content. We care more about special effects in movies than we do about plot and more about being entertained than being engaged and as a result we're willing to trade entertainment for education and this case we did that in The Intercept. It's a shame because Wolf's new show on NBC now "Chicago Fire" is beautifully written and engaging. But in this book he forgets that the thing that made his L & O so successful for that long was that he didn't do that much plot in his shows. The characters' own personal lives were not at all the main focus of that show and in this book the story is ok and the writing is really disappointing for such a heavyweight when it comes drama. All the cliches` are right about Dick Wolf that he's a master at creating stories from the back page of the New York Post "ripped from the headlines" was his slogan for 20 years. But this book fell off to me. He's better than what he showed in this book. A lot better.
February 25, 2013
I was very interested to read this book because of Dick Wolf's previous achievements. I have to admit that I was expecting something a lot more intriguing. The main problems were:
*I guessed almost straight away who the ultimate baddy was.
*The characters discover one of the next plot points because of an unencoded message (almost as bad as having a guard fall asleep).
*It took way too long to get to the main story.
*There was almost no character development (all I know about Jeremy Fisk is that he played basketball and dated a colleague - if it's going to be a series of Jeremy Fisk books, he needed to be much more compelling).
*The police aren't getting anywhere in the investigation so the baddy reveals himself to one of the cops to get things moving.
I was hoping for something as meaningful as Archer's 'Honour Amongst Thieves' and it never reached those heights.
It was okay as a first novel but for someone of Dick Wolf's background, it should have been much more than okay. I'm not sure that I would bother reading future books in this series.
*I guessed almost straight away who the ultimate baddy was.
*The characters discover one of the next plot points because of an unencoded message (almost as bad as having a guard fall asleep).
*It took way too long to get to the main story.
*There was almost no character development (all I know about Jeremy Fisk is that he played basketball and dated a colleague - if it's going to be a series of Jeremy Fisk books, he needed to be much more compelling).
*The police aren't getting anywhere in the investigation so the baddy reveals himself to one of the cops to get things moving.
I was hoping for something as meaningful as Archer's 'Honour Amongst Thieves' and it never reached those heights.
It was okay as a first novel but for someone of Dick Wolf's background, it should have been much more than okay. I'm not sure that I would bother reading future books in this series.
February 11, 2017
It started off slow as the writer went into detail about the various agencies that fight terrorism in New York. No need to explain the JTTF to me; I've read all of the John Corey books.
Fisk was a very effective but clinical member of law enforcement called Intel. I'll save you the details. His coworker/paramour Gerstens was tasked with babysitting a group of six who warded off an airplane terrorist. It was disturbing to see a smart and engaging character like Gerstens constantly waiting by the phone for Fisk.
Otherwise, the story moved quickly and held my interest.
Fisk was a very effective but clinical member of law enforcement called Intel. I'll save you the details. His coworker/paramour Gerstens was tasked with babysitting a group of six who warded off an airplane terrorist. It was disturbing to see a smart and engaging character like Gerstens constantly waiting by the phone for Fisk.
Otherwise, the story moved quickly and held my interest.
February 11, 2013
A lot of work goes into writting your first book, but in this case it is safe to say, that all of Mr. Wolf's hard work paid off. He aced it, once I started it, I couldn't put it down. Held me page after page.
March 17, 2013
A very interesting story around terrorists and their crafty, deceiving, conniving ways. 8 of 10 stars
September 5, 2025
enjoyed his book as much as all of his TV shows
January 22, 2013
This story actually starts years before the attempted hijacking of a Scandinavian plane led six people to attack the pathetic hijacker. Several people who would be pawns in the attempt on the lives of two presidents and a group of heroes were victims at one time which led them to part of an Al Qaeda plot.
On that flight, not all of the heroes are really heroes. When the Six, as they begin to be called, find themselves imprisoned in a nice hotel and well fed and cared for but unable to leave, some of them feel like they are being punished for having thwarted the hijacking, others want to cash in on the fame with books and movies, and there is someone deadly and unlikely to be an Islamic radical yet is there to kill. There is also a passenger, not one of the heroes, who is part of the plot.
New York detective Jeremy Fisk is part of the department's Intelligence Division which is like the CIA. He is fluent in Arabic and must use all of his wits to try to find out what the plot is and stop it. Helping him is officer Krina Gersten who is thinking of leaving the force because of sexism and getting lame assignments. She is also Fisk's lover. When she is assigned to babysit the Six Heroes as they are questioned and taken on a round of interviews and events including interviews on Nightline and with Matt Lauer, 4th of July fireworks, a meeting with President Obama and his wife, and other events, she gets tired of watching them get pimped by the publicist and having to watch them. What she doesn't know is that far from being a babysitter, she actually has the deadliest job of all.
This book is nonstop action. You don't get a moment to breathe. I loved the excitement and action. I have to say though that this is the second time in a week I have been ticked off by an author killing off a woman for no reason than shock value. What a pity. This character was worthy of being in a series and author Dick Wolf (creator of tv's Law & Order) really dropped the ball here. Or was it that a character that has no balls is viewed as less important.
It was disturbing to see the Patriot Act in action as it generally has robbed Americans of their constitutional rights more than anything else. One last note. All of the bad guys and bad women in this book are Muslims. Muslims are painted in an ugly light. I would have liked to see the author show some non-terrorist Muslims. There are more than a billion Muslims on this planet and 99% of them are NOT terrorists. I have many as good friends. I get tired of bigoted portrayals. This leads to hatred and violence towards them.
Some parts were somewhat unbelievable. Even under the oppressive (and misnamed) USA Patriot Act, why would New York police hold 6 passengers essentially prisoner in a luxury hotel who had stopped a hijacking of a plane in Maine after they had been thoroughly questioned already just so the mayor's publicist could pimp them with public appearances and take them around to all sorts of events like fireworks, dedications of new buildings and to meet and greet with the president? I mean, these people had already given extensive statements and all of the other passengers who had witnessed the hijack had been let go . It was like the government was holding these people hostage for a week for no reason. Also, many of the terrorist actions were unbelievable. For example, while I can believe that Al-Qaeda would have an incompetent hijack attempt so to cover up the fact that real terrorists on the same flight are there, there was no reason to because the two real terrorists were not on the no-fly list nor suspected of anything and this actually drew attention to people on the flight.
Two other more unbelievable parts were when one of the terrorists did his part then turned around and purposely called the air line speaking Arabic and saying he would be paying in cash knowing the government would be listening and then walking right out and pulling a gun on officers. Why should a useful Al Qaeda agent who had just performed a service have to get himself killed when he could be of further use and he actually had to let them know who he was and where he was or they never would have known? Also, the American born Muslim woman who made the 2 cakes of explosives-why should she be strangled and why let herself be? She too could have been of further use. If Al Qaeda killed off all of its agents this way, they would not have any.
Actually Al-Qaeda is not as religiously motivated as this story would make you think.The Taliban is led by religious mullahs and its membership are lesser educated religious fanatics. Al- Qaeda embraces modernism and is made up of better educated college educated people. Even their thugs went to good schools. They are motivated more culturally against American meddling in their area though they are Muslims. Their leaders are not religiously trained nor are they mullahs.
On that flight, not all of the heroes are really heroes. When the Six, as they begin to be called, find themselves imprisoned in a nice hotel and well fed and cared for but unable to leave, some of them feel like they are being punished for having thwarted the hijacking, others want to cash in on the fame with books and movies, and there is someone deadly and unlikely to be an Islamic radical yet is there to kill. There is also a passenger, not one of the heroes, who is part of the plot.
New York detective Jeremy Fisk is part of the department's Intelligence Division which is like the CIA. He is fluent in Arabic and must use all of his wits to try to find out what the plot is and stop it. Helping him is officer Krina Gersten who is thinking of leaving the force because of sexism and getting lame assignments. She is also Fisk's lover. When she is assigned to babysit the Six Heroes as they are questioned and taken on a round of interviews and events including interviews on Nightline and with Matt Lauer, 4th of July fireworks, a meeting with President Obama and his wife, and other events, she gets tired of watching them get pimped by the publicist and having to watch them. What she doesn't know is that far from being a babysitter, she actually has the deadliest job of all.
This book is nonstop action. You don't get a moment to breathe. I loved the excitement and action. I have to say though that this is the second time in a week I have been ticked off by an author killing off a woman for no reason than shock value. What a pity. This character was worthy of being in a series and author Dick Wolf (creator of tv's Law & Order) really dropped the ball here. Or was it that a character that has no balls is viewed as less important.
It was disturbing to see the Patriot Act in action as it generally has robbed Americans of their constitutional rights more than anything else. One last note. All of the bad guys and bad women in this book are Muslims. Muslims are painted in an ugly light. I would have liked to see the author show some non-terrorist Muslims. There are more than a billion Muslims on this planet and 99% of them are NOT terrorists. I have many as good friends. I get tired of bigoted portrayals. This leads to hatred and violence towards them.
Some parts were somewhat unbelievable. Even under the oppressive (and misnamed) USA Patriot Act, why would New York police hold 6 passengers essentially prisoner in a luxury hotel who had stopped a hijacking of a plane in Maine after they had been thoroughly questioned already just so the mayor's publicist could pimp them with public appearances and take them around to all sorts of events like fireworks, dedications of new buildings and to meet and greet with the president? I mean, these people had already given extensive statements and all of the other passengers who had witnessed the hijack had been let go . It was like the government was holding these people hostage for a week for no reason. Also, many of the terrorist actions were unbelievable. For example, while I can believe that Al-Qaeda would have an incompetent hijack attempt so to cover up the fact that real terrorists on the same flight are there, there was no reason to because the two real terrorists were not on the no-fly list nor suspected of anything and this actually drew attention to people on the flight.
Two other more unbelievable parts were when one of the terrorists did his part then turned around and purposely called the air line speaking Arabic and saying he would be paying in cash knowing the government would be listening and then walking right out and pulling a gun on officers. Why should a useful Al Qaeda agent who had just performed a service have to get himself killed when he could be of further use and he actually had to let them know who he was and where he was or they never would have known? Also, the American born Muslim woman who made the 2 cakes of explosives-why should she be strangled and why let herself be? She too could have been of further use. If Al Qaeda killed off all of its agents this way, they would not have any.
Actually Al-Qaeda is not as religiously motivated as this story would make you think.The Taliban is led by religious mullahs and its membership are lesser educated religious fanatics. Al- Qaeda embraces modernism and is made up of better educated college educated people. Even their thugs went to good schools. They are motivated more culturally against American meddling in their area though they are Muslims. Their leaders are not religiously trained nor are they mullahs.
November 4, 2012
Dick Wolf, legendary TV producer of crime dramas like Miami Vice and the Law and Order franchise, makes his literary debut with The Intercept (William Morrow 2012). It is a high-concept thriller that will keep your brain churning, your mind guessing, and your fingers turning pages. Jeremy Fisk (an officer in NYPD's intelligence-gathering arm) and his partner Krina Gersten help to debrief a would-be hijacker's foiled attempt to crash a plane into New York's Freedom Tower (now known as One World Trade Center). But where the FBI and other involved agencies are satisfied that the plot is ended, Fisk and Gersten believe the hijacking was merely a cog in a much larger engine, one that will reveal itself on July 4th, just days away.
I was of two minds before I read this book. On one hand, Wolf's iconic Law And Order took an extreme leftward tilt years ago which drove me away (one my liberal friends probably see as realistic rather than extreme. I'm fine with that.). On the other mind, Jeremy Fisk--the protagonist of this story, is advertised as 'a rule breaker with a sharp mind and flawless instincts'. What could be more appealing in a police drama character? Having read the story, I'll read more. The plot is tightly woven, demands attention from the reader, and takes enough twists and turns I never think I've figured out what's going to happen.
One writing strategy Wolf will probably change in future books: While there are many parts of screenwriting (such as for L&O) and novel writing that are the same, characterization is handled differently. In novels, we want to get to know the people who are making the action happen, get in their heads and see the world through their eyes, find out what motivates them so we can feel comfortable in the actions they take. Because a TV series is many novelettes played out over multiple months, character information can dribbled out little by little, and the viewer gets to know the main characters via many plot climaxes and lots of action. Wolf employed a TV series approach to characterization where he should have showed us the action through the characters' eyes. At some points, I felt the story was being told in third person omniscient (a godlike-storytelling approach where we see the story through everyone's eyes rather than just a few people's). This is a valid method, but not one that gets the reader vested in either character or plot.
Spoiler: Mr. Wolf did something that crime/thriller writers know is dangerous: He killed off one of the two main characters. I as reader had invested a lot of time getting to know this character, saw her/him as critical to the plot and an asset to the storyline. Her/his death cut a hole in the story's fabric and in my emotional attachment to the novel.
With a few more books under his writer's pen, dick Wolf will mature into an outstanding author . I hope this is a series so I can see where this fascinating main character ends up, after the tragic loss of a partner.
I was of two minds before I read this book. On one hand, Wolf's iconic Law And Order took an extreme leftward tilt years ago which drove me away (one my liberal friends probably see as realistic rather than extreme. I'm fine with that.). On the other mind, Jeremy Fisk--the protagonist of this story, is advertised as 'a rule breaker with a sharp mind and flawless instincts'. What could be more appealing in a police drama character? Having read the story, I'll read more. The plot is tightly woven, demands attention from the reader, and takes enough twists and turns I never think I've figured out what's going to happen.
One writing strategy Wolf will probably change in future books: While there are many parts of screenwriting (such as for L&O) and novel writing that are the same, characterization is handled differently. In novels, we want to get to know the people who are making the action happen, get in their heads and see the world through their eyes, find out what motivates them so we can feel comfortable in the actions they take. Because a TV series is many novelettes played out over multiple months, character information can dribbled out little by little, and the viewer gets to know the main characters via many plot climaxes and lots of action. Wolf employed a TV series approach to characterization where he should have showed us the action through the characters' eyes. At some points, I felt the story was being told in third person omniscient (a godlike-storytelling approach where we see the story through everyone's eyes rather than just a few people's). This is a valid method, but not one that gets the reader vested in either character or plot.
Spoiler: Mr. Wolf did something that crime/thriller writers know is dangerous: He killed off one of the two main characters. I as reader had invested a lot of time getting to know this character, saw her/him as critical to the plot and an asset to the storyline. Her/his death cut a hole in the story's fabric and in my emotional attachment to the novel.
With a few more books under his writer's pen, dick Wolf will mature into an outstanding author . I hope this is a series so I can see where this fascinating main character ends up, after the tragic loss of a partner.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 26, 2012
The story begins when a Scandinavian Airlines jetliner is over the Atlantic Ocean and heading for New York, only several days before dedication of the new Freedom Tower building at Ground Zero. An attempt to hijack the plane and crash it into the city by a Yemeni passenger is thwarted by a small group of fellow passengers that become heroes and known as “The Six.” But there is a Saudi Arabian national who is also aboard the plane who has a secret connection to this harrowing event. Jeremy Fisk of the NYPD Intelligence Division is on the case and starts digging when he suspects that there is a much larger conspiracy in motion, one full of clever twists and turns.
The major problem I had with this book was that it took about eighty pages to get to this hijacking scene. Of this eighty, we have about fifty pages of back story concerning an earlier failed terrorist action in New York and the relationship of Fisk with a women detective named Krina Gersten. This is followed by thirty pages dealing with Osama Bin Laden’s dissatisfaction with the unsatisfactory way his ongoing war with the American infidels is being handled. I thought this prose was rather routine, better than Tom Clancy but not as good as Michael Connelly. I think the book would be a much better read if some of this back story was folded into the narrative at an appropriate point. After the foiled hijacking scene, the plot moves along smartly and I enjoyed the book all the way to the end.
We get only a smattering of background on Fisk and Gersten: his mother is Lebanese and he speaks Arabic while Gersten is from a long line of police officers in her family. The author gives us a lot of travel data as different people move about the streets of New York. This feature that may mean a great deal to longtime residents but, having been there only once in my life about eight years ago, it was useless information.
A lesser problem is that the book needs a good copy editing. On page 193, a sentence begins, “Gersten was looked forward to another day . . . “ It should probably read “Gersten was looking forward to another day . . . “ Then on page 287 there is a line “. . . midtown Manhattan at rush hourahead of the July Fourth holiday . . .” where “hourahead” should be made into two words.
The major problem I had with this book was that it took about eighty pages to get to this hijacking scene. Of this eighty, we have about fifty pages of back story concerning an earlier failed terrorist action in New York and the relationship of Fisk with a women detective named Krina Gersten. This is followed by thirty pages dealing with Osama Bin Laden’s dissatisfaction with the unsatisfactory way his ongoing war with the American infidels is being handled. I thought this prose was rather routine, better than Tom Clancy but not as good as Michael Connelly. I think the book would be a much better read if some of this back story was folded into the narrative at an appropriate point. After the foiled hijacking scene, the plot moves along smartly and I enjoyed the book all the way to the end.
We get only a smattering of background on Fisk and Gersten: his mother is Lebanese and he speaks Arabic while Gersten is from a long line of police officers in her family. The author gives us a lot of travel data as different people move about the streets of New York. This feature that may mean a great deal to longtime residents but, having been there only once in my life about eight years ago, it was useless information.
A lesser problem is that the book needs a good copy editing. On page 193, a sentence begins, “Gersten was looked forward to another day . . . “ It should probably read “Gersten was looking forward to another day . . . “ Then on page 287 there is a line “. . . midtown Manhattan at rush hourahead of the July Fourth holiday . . .” where “hourahead” should be made into two words.
November 25, 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this thriller/chiller of a 21st century mystery. The action was nonstop, the scenarios were sort of believable, and the reading was altogether a thrilling ride through the quiet times of a holiday weekend. While the protagonist, Jeremy Fisk, could certainly be fleshed out a bit more, the other characters sprang straight from the front pages and lead stories of news outlets across the nation. A brave young flight attendant, a musician, a greedy entrepreneur, and a smattering of radical Islamic nut cases out to harm the U.S. for the usual reasons confront one another on an inbound aircraft. After a thwarted hijacking, these ordinary travelers confront the curse of sudden celebrity and, in doing so, meet up with a brusque detective of police and a savvy young female detective, both of whom dabble somewhat in the post 9-11 anti-terrorist trend in New York City law enforcement. And, every time things seem to be done and wrapped up, a niggling little Columbo-like doubt carries the story on to the next step as our heroes a totally nefarious plot with more twists and turns than a roller coaster. The television writer in the author comes out in the neat chapter breaks where commercials could nicely fit if the book were made into a mini-series, and it certainly would make a good one. I can't help but wonder if it wasn't written with television scripting in mind. Nevertheless, it was fun to read. The action flowed, much in the style of Vince Flynn or David Baldacci, and I recommend the book for holiday giving to the mystery-lovers on your list!
July 16, 2013
NY City some years after 9/11, and Jeremy Fisk, a NYC intelligence detective, and his cohorts are working to keep the city safe on the eve of the new One World Trade Center building opening. But you don’t know that until page 76 because Wolf chose to throw many boring pages of background info at us -- necessary I suppose, but very clumsily executed. It took forever and a day for this to really grab me, but then when it did, I was in its grip. Those first chapters were slow and confusing, though, and I can see many readers giving up before the interesting stuff starts. The interesting stuff is a new terrorist plot being revealed through some very good intelligence work. Wolf is sure to let us know that The Patriot Act and the NSA are used to the max to obtain information on an entire planeload of tourists, not to mention American citizens--surely intrusive, but nevertheless legal. On p. 103, Patriot Act is even used as a verb, which gave me a chuckle:
“He use a credit card for his flight?”
She checked. “He did.”
“Let’s Patriot Act that account, shall we?”
The terrorists are Saudis and followers of the late Osama bin Laden, with a little help from our fellow Americans. There’s a lot of action at the end so I stayed up very late to finish it last night.
“He use a credit card for his flight?”
She checked. “He did.”
“Let’s Patriot Act that account, shall we?”
The terrorists are Saudis and followers of the late Osama bin Laden, with a little help from our fellow Americans. There’s a lot of action at the end so I stayed up very late to finish it last night.
February 7, 2013
Book reminded me of Nelson DeMille's John Corey books (Lion's Game, the Lion). Intricately plotted, good pacing, lots of well researched detail, interesting protagonist - what else would you expect from the man who brought us several flavors of "Law and Order"? An added plus for me was making his hero a fellow Villanova alumnus. I liked the book, stayed up late to finish it, but don't know if Wolf has really carved out a differentiated place in the post 9/11 terrorist-hero shadow battle novel. Alex Berenson, DeMille, Daniel Silva - there's lots of people writing this kind of book, and I guess I expected something a little more special from Wolf, who has held my attention through countless episodes of his TV franchise and reruns in syndication, some of which were really miniature gems of storytelling, especially in coming up with some arcane legal point that he was able to use to steer the story in an interesting direction (and as an attorney, I found he got it right most of the time). He was brave enough to do some things with the story that surprised me, and if he decides to do it again, I will no doubt read it. But it wasn't like picking up "Tinker, Tailor" and knowing you'd found a treasure after 25 pages.
November 17, 2012
I received an advance copy of this book as part of a Goodreads Giveaway.
This is pretty much what I expected coming from the creator of Law & Order. It's a well fleshed out thriller with compelling characters, but nothing that makes it stand out more so than any other of dozens of thrillers with an anti-terrorism milieu.
It's an enjoyable, quick read, but don't expect it to redefine the genre or anything.
This is pretty much what I expected coming from the creator of Law & Order. It's a well fleshed out thriller with compelling characters, but nothing that makes it stand out more so than any other of dozens of thrillers with an anti-terrorism milieu.
It's an enjoyable, quick read, but don't expect it to redefine the genre or anything.
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