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Derek Stillwater #1
The Devil's Pitchfork
What would happen if terrorists got their hands on a virus -- a terrifying mix of Ebola, hepatitis, and bubonic plague -- with the potential to wipe out humanity? This is the crisis that Derek Stillwater faces as troubleshooter for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. A specialist in biological and chemical weapons, he's in a breathtaking race to find the terrorist thieves and destroy Chimera M13. There's little evidence, except for the recording of a familiar voice that reminds him of an army buddy who's dead. Questioning his sanity and failing to keep his panic attacks at bay, Stillwater has no choice but to follow his instincts while scientists work on a vaccine in Washington, D.C. He just might have a chance in hell of ending the madness -- if only the government's most experienced immunological researcher hadn't become infected.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
22 people are currently reading
363 people want to read
About the author
Mark Terry
117 books37 followersMark Terry is the author of the Derek Stillwater thrillers, THE DEVIL'S PITCHFORK, THE SERPENT'S KISS, and THE FALLEN, as well as several standalone thrillers, including DIRTY DEEDS, CATFISH GURU, and DANCING IN THE DARK. Born in Flint, Michigan in 1964, he graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in microbiology and public health, which has informed his Derek Stillwater thrillers and other fiction. After spending 18 years working in clinical genetics, he turned to writing full time. When not writing or reading, Mark Terry is a gym rat, lifting weights, biking, running, kayaking, studying Sanchin-Ryu karate, and playing the guitar. Otherwise he spends his time with his wife and two sons in Michigan.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
August 31, 2012
I'm giving THE DEVIL'S PITCHFORK five stars because I thought the action was that good. I loved the plot and I loved the characters. The book could maybe stand a going-over by a copyeditor - I found a couple spots where Derek Stillwater's last name changed to Clearwater, and one where a character's first name changed from Jim to Mike, but hey, I knew what he meant and it didn't pull me out of the story...maybe because the story itself had pulled me in so far that it was going to take more than that to get me out.
I read this on Kindle. I'll be reading more of Mark Terry's stuff.
I read this on Kindle. I'll be reading more of Mark Terry's stuff.
July 28, 2012
With The Devil’s Pitchfork, author Mark Terry hits the ground running. The book opens during Iraq I, with the protagonist using laser guidance to target an air strike on an Iraqi weapons depot which contains chemical/biological weapons.
The story then moves to a bio lab near Baltimore where a group has overcome security and stolen a genetically created Bio weapon. Enter Derek Stillwater now a trouble shooter for Homeland Security and an expert on Bio weapons. Now the chase is on, and as the reader learns early on, the primary suspect is a former colleague of Stillwater’s from his days in the army.
Very quick paced as the whole story takes place over just a couple of days, with a lot of bodies piling up.
Stillwater is unlike any thriller genre ‘hero’ you have ever read about. Prior to the big action, he experiences panic attacks and gets physically ill. Writers in the thriller genre have a lot of competition and, for the most part, over worked plots. Kudos to the author who can make his characters stand out from the crowd. Mark Terry does that with Stillwater and his affliction.
On the negative side, while I am a fan of action thrillers, there is a point where there is too much action. As the story develops, this book has a cliff hanger at the end of every chapter. They involve different characters, but it still became annoying after a bit. But, that’s just the way I look at it, your mileage may vary. Also, as with so many of the self published Ebooks, this one was in dire need of an editor. The most glaring error was Terry calling his protag, Stillwater, Clearwater twice on the same page.
The story then moves to a bio lab near Baltimore where a group has overcome security and stolen a genetically created Bio weapon. Enter Derek Stillwater now a trouble shooter for Homeland Security and an expert on Bio weapons. Now the chase is on, and as the reader learns early on, the primary suspect is a former colleague of Stillwater’s from his days in the army.
Very quick paced as the whole story takes place over just a couple of days, with a lot of bodies piling up.
Stillwater is unlike any thriller genre ‘hero’ you have ever read about. Prior to the big action, he experiences panic attacks and gets physically ill. Writers in the thriller genre have a lot of competition and, for the most part, over worked plots. Kudos to the author who can make his characters stand out from the crowd. Mark Terry does that with Stillwater and his affliction.
On the negative side, while I am a fan of action thrillers, there is a point where there is too much action. As the story develops, this book has a cliff hanger at the end of every chapter. They involve different characters, but it still became annoying after a bit. But, that’s just the way I look at it, your mileage may vary. Also, as with so many of the self published Ebooks, this one was in dire need of an editor. The most glaring error was Terry calling his protag, Stillwater, Clearwater twice on the same page.
August 10, 2014
Mark Terry's first thriller featuring bioterrorism expert and "troubleshooter" Derek Stillwater is an engaging, fast-moving, and entertaining read. Stillwater's not your average thriller protagonist: he's prone to panic attacks (not surprising, given the nasty things he's working with)and he makes mistakes, sometimes fatal ones. But that makes him a lot more interesting than the infallible supermen that seem to be the norm in thriller fiction.
What really raises a thriller up, however, is a credible and scary villain. This one, a former colleague of Stillwater's who calls himself "Fallen," is a doozy. No one's sure why he's so crazy--one theory is his exposure to nerve agents in the first Gulf war has damaged his nervous system--but crazy he is, and brilliant as well, with absolutely no compassion left in him. He's chillingly rendered and he'll keep you up at night.
Recommended.
What really raises a thriller up, however, is a credible and scary villain. This one, a former colleague of Stillwater's who calls himself "Fallen," is a doozy. No one's sure why he's so crazy--one theory is his exposure to nerve agents in the first Gulf war has damaged his nervous system--but crazy he is, and brilliant as well, with absolutely no compassion left in him. He's chillingly rendered and he'll keep you up at night.
Recommended.
June 21, 2012
Having seen dozens of action movies that follow the same basic script, this book adds nothing new or original. It wasn't un-enjoyable, and it was a fast read, but it wasn't anything special either. Good for a plane ride, perhaps?
July 31, 2019
This book is unrealistic, but fun. When I say "unrealistic," I don't mean the underlying scenario (terrorists stealing a superbug) could never happen. That is a real (though unlikely) threat. I call it unrealistic because of how the events fall out. Everything just works out. All the characters meet the person they need to see. The hero (and major secondary characters) always survive (usually through luck).
SPOILER
As an example, at one point, a mole is trying to kill someone at a secure location. Another character sees the mole reach into his jacket and immediately shoots and kills the mole. At this point, none of the characters even know there is a mole, there is another emergency - a fire in the building - and the mole has not yet pulled his gun. But the character knows - somehow - that the mole is a mole and kills him.
END SPOILER
With all of that, the book is good. It is well written if you can suspend disbelief. The characters are interesting and have some depth. (Since this is the first book in the series, I assume more character development comes in later books.)
SPOILER
As an example, at one point, a mole is trying to kill someone at a secure location. Another character sees the mole reach into his jacket and immediately shoots and kills the mole. At this point, none of the characters even know there is a mole, there is another emergency - a fire in the building - and the mole has not yet pulled his gun. But the character knows - somehow - that the mole is a mole and kills him.
END SPOILER
With all of that, the book is good. It is well written if you can suspend disbelief. The characters are interesting and have some depth. (Since this is the first book in the series, I assume more character development comes in later books.)
November 30, 2018
Holy crap was that a ride and a half. The Devil's Pitchfork is an edge of your seat thriller. While it seems like it would be a mid-series bit, as various characters in the book alluded to working with the can-do-no-wrong-except-get-stressed-out Derek Stillwater, it turns out that this is the first book in the series. I inhaled this novel across three evenings, reading way too late into the night.
I did notice a few typos such as at one point Mr. Stillwater was referred to as Clearwater, instead. And to be fair to the author, if that wasn’t autocorrect getting the better of him, I actually think it is a better last name. Having just put the book down and picked it back up at that particular typo, it did lead to some confusion for me because I wasn’t sure if it was introducing a new character.
I would call this book an alternative Jack Ryan novel where Jack Ryan is an epidemiologist and microbiologist and paddles a kayak instead of rowing crew. Were it fan fiction, it’d be GOOD fan fiction.
I did notice a few typos such as at one point Mr. Stillwater was referred to as Clearwater, instead. And to be fair to the author, if that wasn’t autocorrect getting the better of him, I actually think it is a better last name. Having just put the book down and picked it back up at that particular typo, it did lead to some confusion for me because I wasn’t sure if it was introducing a new character.
I would call this book an alternative Jack Ryan novel where Jack Ryan is an epidemiologist and microbiologist and paddles a kayak instead of rowing crew. Were it fan fiction, it’d be GOOD fan fiction.
November 15, 2025
I have had this book in my pile for a while and finally got to it!
Fun read, and probably too close to something that really could happen!
Lots of twists turns, unexpected plots bits.
The main character is likeable and you want him to win and feel for him when bad things happen!
Fun read!
Fun read, and probably too close to something that really could happen!
Lots of twists turns, unexpected plots bits.
The main character is likeable and you want him to win and feel for him when bad things happen!
Fun read!
July 3, 2011
I think of myself as jaded when it comes to reading thrillers (you'll soon see why when I get to adding books to my shelf). This book breathed new life into the genre for me. The writing is excellent, the story could have come out of the headlines, the hero is not "Superman"... he has his faults and gets the hell beat out of him, and the villain is the kind of guy you want to see meet a grisly end.
This book should have come with its own warning label. Something like WARNING: DO NOT START UNLESS YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF HOURS FREE BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING ELSE WHILE READING ME!
Yes, it is that good.
This book should have come with its own warning label. Something like WARNING: DO NOT START UNLESS YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF HOURS FREE BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING ELSE WHILE READING ME!
Yes, it is that good.
February 4, 2017
Intense read
This book held my attention. The main character, Derek, is a real person. Not perfect, very intelligent and tenacious about doing what has to be done. Fallen is a crazy sharp that is scared. This is not a book for someone who does not handle fatal illness or violent situations well. If you enjoy a well-written story that deals with bioterrorism and characters who reflect real people not superhero, this is a great read.
This book held my attention. The main character, Derek, is a real person. Not perfect, very intelligent and tenacious about doing what has to be done. Fallen is a crazy sharp that is scared. This is not a book for someone who does not handle fatal illness or violent situations well. If you enjoy a well-written story that deals with bioterrorism and characters who reflect real people not superhero, this is a great read.
October 8, 2012
This wasn't my first Stillwater adventure, and assuredly not the last! This book had me hooked within the first couple of chapters. The intensity of suspense and action throughout this story was mind boggling, and there were several parts I outwardly gasped. Jaw-dropping twists and turns, non stop action, adventure and thrills from start to finish!
March 6, 2015
Fast paced & action packed. A little predictable at times, a little unbelievable at times, but thoroughly enjoyable nonetheless.
Derek is a great lead character and I'm looking forward to reading his next adventure.
If you like Lee Child's stuff (and other similar novels) then I would definitely recommend you read this.
Derek is a great lead character and I'm looking forward to reading his next adventure.
If you like Lee Child's stuff (and other similar novels) then I would definitely recommend you read this.
November 16, 2015
Very exciting!
I'm worn out from this book bio plagues be darned! The day may well come soon when some nut tries it. I sure hope we have some Stillwaters to take care of the problem! Nice to have a hero that isn't too perfect. I need a calm romance or something to calm my heart down!
.
I'm worn out from this book bio plagues be darned! The day may well come soon when some nut tries it. I sure hope we have some Stillwaters to take care of the problem! Nice to have a hero that isn't too perfect. I need a calm romance or something to calm my heart down!
.
January 6, 2017
Uz som precitala mnoho knih o terorizme, ale ani jedna nemala taky spad a akcny dej ako tato. Precitala som ju za den. Urcite si od autora este nieco precitam.
Zaujala ma aj definicia pojmu diablove vidly. clovek si mysli, ze ked vezme diablovi vidly, tak tym odstrani hrozbu. Je to prave naopak, sam sa stava diablom.
A ked sa clovek tak zamysli, je to pravda, napr len atomova bomba :(
Zaujala ma aj definicia pojmu diablove vidly. clovek si mysli, ze ked vezme diablovi vidly, tak tym odstrani hrozbu. Je to prave naopak, sam sa stava diablom.
A ked sa clovek tak zamysli, je to pravda, napr len atomova bomba :(
December 16, 2013
Finished reading this last night and really enjoyed it. Great cast of characters and an interesting plot. Came across some errors that bugged me, but they don't take away from the book. Look forwrd to reading more about Derek Stillwater. :)
December 30, 2014
This was a nice change of pace in terms of characters since it was a new author to me. I really enjoyed the story and the characters. Of course it is your typical action/thriller so the hero gets put through the grinder but ends up winning in the end while the bad guy sneaks away!
Want to read
October 15, 20091st in series
July 6, 2016
Exciting story!
January 18, 2013
If you like the movie Three Days of the Condor, you will love this book.
Read
December 7, 2013False
December 30, 2013
comment
December 3, 2015
Genre: bio-thriller
Rating: 4.0
I read the e-book.
Kept me on the edge of my seat. Great read!
Rating: 4.0
I read the e-book.
Kept me on the edge of my seat. Great read!
February 8, 2016
This book was not what I expected. It was better!! John Sandford meets Richard Preston (in my opinion). So many plot twists. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews