In extremis

by David Morrell

Dépressif et alcoolique depuis la mort de son fils, Pittman est prêt à appuyer sur la détente lorsque le téléphone sonne... Son journal le Chronicle, au bord de la faillite, compte sur lui pour le scoop de la dernière chance. Il s'agit d'enquêter sur un nommé Millgate. Aujourd'hui à l'agonie dans un hôpital, Millgate a été du nombre restreint des « grands conseillers » qui, dans l'ombre des locataires successifs de la Maison-Blanche, ont fait la politique américaine depuis un demi-siècle. À son nom s'attachent aussi des rumeurs de trafic d'armes et de scandales. Pittman accepte cet ultime défi. Mais autour du vieillard mourant et de ses secrets veillent de mystérieux anges gardiens, prêts à tuer s'il le faut... Et le journaliste qui voulait mourir ne songera plus qu'à sauver sa peau.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Action, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Espionage

414 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

David Morrell is a Canadian novelist from Kitchener, Ontario, who has been living in the United States for a number of years. He is best known for his debut 1972 novel First Blood, which would later become a successful film franchise starring Sylvester Stallone. More recently, he has been writing the Captain America comic books limited-series The Chosen.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

An ok 1994 political thriller about a reporter framed for the murder of a top political advisor. The story was a little slow at the beginning, but soon picked up the pace. The reporter was a little too good to be true. There were too many instances where he just happened to know someone from one of his previous interviews who had the skills/info he needed and was willing to help him. Not this author's best. Mindless entertainment.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Μορελλιάδας συνέχεια...
Τα καλοκαιρινά audio books είναι αλήθεια ότι απαιτούν ελαφριά διάθεση και μυαλό πεταριστό.
Και για αυτό οι Μορελλιάδες είναι ό,τι πρέπει.
Χωρίς ενοχές και ερωτηματικά.
Τρως την πλοκή και λες κι ευχαριστώ.
Η γνωριμία του αναγνώστη με τον ήρωα γίνεται κάπως απότομα : ετοιμάζεται να αυτοκτονήσει ο ήρωας μας.
Διατείνεται ότι δεν την παλεύει. Τα έχει σκεφτεί όλα, μέχρι και την τελευταία λεπτομέρεια. Αν και δημοσιογράφος, δεν είχε δει φαίνεται το "Όσα παίρνει ο άνεμος" και τη Σκάρλετ Ο' Χάρα να λέει το περίφημο "Αύριο είναι μια άλλη μέρα".
Και εμείς σκεπτόμαστε ότι δεν είναι δυνατόν να τη γλυτώσουμε τόσο φτηνά.
Δεν είμαστε πρωτάρηδες στο αμερικανικό ποπ κορν.
Ο ήρωας από μελλοθάνατος, σε χρόνο ρεκόρ, καταρρίπτει κάθε προγνωστικό και μετατρέπεται σε κυνηγό, τιμωρό και ερωτευμένο. Περνάει δια πυρός και σιδήρου, με μικρογρατζουνιές και συν τοις άλλοις καταφέρνει να χρησιμοποιήσει όλες του τις γνωριμίες από τότε που έπαιρνε συνεντεύξεις για να ξελασπώσει. Ειλικρινά θα ήταν πολύ κρίμα να αυτοκτονήσει ένα τέτοιο μυαλό, ένας τόσο ικανός άνθρωπος!
Ο αναγνώστης φτάνοντας στο τέλος της ιστορίας είναι ευτυχής, όχι γιατί τελείωσε το βιβλίο αλλά γιατί ο ήρωας αποκαταστάθηκε με μία καλή κοπέλα και θα συνεχίσει την καριέρα του και τη ζωή του. Οι στεναχώριες του είναι πλέον παρελθόν. Το μέλλον διαγράφεται λαμπρό!
Εκείνο που θα θυμάμαι από το βιβλίο (το μόνο γιατί όλα τα άλλα μηδενίστηκαν) είναι η καταγραφή της σκέψης του ήρωα όταν πήγε στη Μονάδα Εντατικής Θεραπείας για να αναζητήσει μια μαρτυρία.
Χτύπησε την πόρτα και περίμενε να του ανοίξουν. Ήρθε μία γυναίκα με τη στολή της Μονάδας και ο ήρωας αναρωτιέται πώς να την προσφωνήσει. Σκέπτεται λοιπόν ότι αν την προσφωνήσει "αδελφή" και είναι γιατρός, η γιατρός θα τα πάρει στο κρανίο που δεν αναγνώρισε την ανωτερότητα της ως γιατρού και θα του φερθεί αποτρεπτικά! Ενώ, (συνεχίζοντας να σκέπτεται μεγαλοφυώς) αν την προσφωνήσει "γιατρό" και είναι αδελφή θα κολακευτεί και θα σπεύσει να τον εξυπηρετήσει! Τα υπόλοιπα είναι περιττά ...

[Glenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this book on audio, well read and exciting book. My only issue was to make a reporter challenge professional hitmen and hoodlums, he always had the right trick up his sleeve as a result of previous interviews and had total recall whenever necessary.

[itchy · Rating 4 out of 5]

and i thought it was nothing profound.

p97: the tip of the silencer snagged.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story is a thriller but it's very slow and takes too long to get to the point. There are some really good suspense worthy bits but when you get to the end and realise what it's about, it's pretty lame. Can't recommend it.

[D.K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining. I could see it as a made for cable mini-series.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Morrell’s Desperate Measures kicks off with a heavy emotional punch and a nail-biting plot that gradually escalates into a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase. The novel introduces Matt Pittman, a journalist whose life has fallen apart after the tragic death of his son. With grief consuming him, Pittman is on the verge of ending it all when a phone call from an old friend pulls him back into the world of the living — and into a deadly conspiracy that he never saw coming.

The premise is undeniably gripping: a washed-up reporter who, just hours away from suicide, finds himself embroiled in a political assassination and framed for murder. The sudden shift from despondency to action keeps the pace tight and engaging. From the moment Pittman agrees to write the obituary of a diplomat who is still alive, things go from bad to worse as he becomes a suspect in a high-stakes international conspiracy. As he’s forced to go on the run, the suspense builds with relentless intensity.

Morrell, best known for his creation of First Blood (which introduced the character of John Rambo), brings the same taut storytelling and emotional depth to Desperate Measures. Matt’s character is multifaceted, and the grief he’s processing from the loss of his son — something Morrell himself tragically experienced — provides a powerful undercurrent throughout the story. The transformation from a man who’s ready to die to one who must fight for survival is the book’s emotional core, and Morrell does a solid job of illustrating this internal journey.

However, while the action scenes are often pulse-pounding and exhilarating, the character development of Matt Pittman felt somewhat uneven. At the start, I felt connected to him, understanding his sorrow and despair. But as the plot progressed, I had a harder time fully believing in his evolution from a suicidal wreck to a resourceful man on the run, taking on assassins and uncovering global conspiracies. While Morrell does show Pittman’s growth, particularly in his relationships with others (notably Jill, an innocent bystander who gets pulled into the chaos), I never felt fully immersed in Pittman’s psyche. His moments of introspection and self-doubt sometimes felt a bit forced, detracting from the otherwise fast-paced narrative.

The plot itself, though enjoyable, does ask for a healthy suspension of disbelief. The coincidences that allow Pittman to escape life-threatening situations (and the convenient appearances of helpful allies) can stretch the reader’s credulity. But for readers who enjoy high-stakes action and espionage, these contrivances will likely be forgivable in exchange for the thrill of the chase.

The writing itself is engaging, with crisp prose that drives the story forward. There are some sharp political intrigue elements at play here, which add a layer of complexity to the action, though the emphasis remains on fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat suspense. Morrell does a fantastic job of creating tension and keeping the reader guessing.

Overall, Desperate Measures is a solid thriller that offers both emotional depth and exhilarating action. It’s a novel about redemption, survival, and the unpredictability of life, even in the darkest of times. While the character development could have been stronger and some of the plot elements feel a bit contrived, the book remains a compelling read that will appeal to fans of political thrillers and action-packed dramas. If you’re in the mood for a fast-paced, heart-pounding ride with a deeply human story at its core, Desperate Measures is certainly worth a read.

[PostMortem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Българското издание излиза с около 200 страници по-късо от това, което виждам като обем тук...каква е причината, нямам си на идея (може би са отрязали?).

Въпреки това, стабилен роман, който успява да се движи с добро темпо, макар и в единични моменти леко да зацикля, разгръща историята по логичен начин и завършва по подходящ начин.

С две думи - стабилно четиво.

[Trinity Waddell · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the death of his son, Pittman is barely living and, in fact, decides that isn't even worth doing until suddenly he finds himself in the struggle for not only his life but others too.
A high action thriller that had a great story. Found some places lacked the same energy and were harder to follow but overall, a good read.

[Jeffrey Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun beach read, or vacation read. The author sets up intriguing characters and a twisty plot that keep the pages turning, even though it is of course occasionally fantastic. Reading this kept me up late, turning the pages, avoiding work and sleep. But it was fun.

[Jerry King · Rating 4 out of 5]

1994

[James McPike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Morrell is the master of action thrillers!

[Ruth Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Read

[Ilva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pietiekami labs trilleris.

[Abby Stopka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book many years ago. Have always been enthralled with David morrell's books. He is a superb writer and his love the way his stories flow.

[Bob Box · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in 1995. Morrell is famous for his suspenseful fiction that delivers sheer emotional power.

[Larry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn’t think that this was one of Morrell’s better efforts. It has some good moments and then it bogs down - repeat.

[Kaspars · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tiem kam patīk spriedzes romāni šai grāmatai būtu jābūt "obligāti izlasāmo" grāmatu sarakstā.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

First Book by David that I have read - It was an okay storyline an plot. It read really easy but the ending was kind of not what I expected the buildup to be.

[Al]

Outstanding

[Jim White · Rating 3 out of 5]

Page turner but it took time to get to the point

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good, fast paced story....

[Etta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very exciting!

[laurel jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

fast moving entertaining

[Donald Trump · Rating 2 out of 5]

Low Energy!
** 2 Stars.

[Kenya Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matt Pittman’s life is one full of sorrow. His son died of a rare form of bone cancer called Ewing's Sarcoma (the same kind that Morrell's son died from) and his wife left him shortly after, and unable to cope with his pitiful life any longer, he decides to commit suicide. He has the barrel of a gun in his mouth, ready to pull the trigger when the phone rings and he is tasked with an assignment from an old friend; write the obituary for a dying diplomat. And because his friend helped him so much when his son was dying, he felt obliged to do him one last favour before he takes his own life. Pittman finds himself outside of the dying diplomat, Jonathan Wingate’s house, peeping through a glass door. Then he notices everyone leave the room while Wingate gasps for breath. Pittman enters the room and resets the man’s oxygen tubes, but unfortunately, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Due to his fingerprints conveniently being on the tubes, it was too easy for the other diplomats to frame him for the murder of Jonathan Wingate.

Within a few hours, Matt goes from being a suicidal obituary writer to being a fugitive, on the run and trying to save the life he was so eager to take only a few short hours before. He also manages to get an innocent woman entangled in his mess; a nurse named Jill who helped take care of Wingate during his brief stay at the hospital. Together, the two take on a life of espionage and stealth as they try to outrun and outsmart the practically invisible assassins trying to kill them while they attempt to prove their innocence.

When I read this book I was a lot like the Matt at the beginning of the story so he was definitely someone that I understood and I could also relate to. He had suffered losses that were extremely painful (the death of his son and divorce from his wife) and because of it, he had become severely depressed and felt like he couldn’t continue living. Regardless of how he chose to deal with his grief I felt like Matt was a good man, a strong man. For years after his son’s death, he had carried on living even though he didn’t think he had anything worth living for. And considering the story took place within the span of about a week to a month the drastic change was quite remarkable because the version of Matt that greets you at the beginning of the story and the Matt that bids you farewell at the end are two completely different people. He went from a hollow shell wilting away, to a man making an effort to live because he finally found the will to do so.

This was an excellent chronicle of the life of a desperate man resorting to desperate measures. Matt Pittman's story was one full of suspense, treachery, espionage and even love (inevitably) in the midst of all the chaos. It was an amazing novel and I would reread it as many times as is allowed. The story was quite entertaining and I enjoyed every bit of it. I recommend it to anyone who is into more political thrillers and fast paced action stories. It truly was amazing, I mean, Morrell drew on his own experiences with grief and pain in order to paint a vivid picture for Matt and it was such an encapsulating story that just drags you under and holds you in until the very last page.

[Πάνος Τουρλής · Rating 2 out of 5]

Λοιπόόόόν.....Αρχικά αμερικανιά. Κατά τόπους όμως ανατρεπτικό, αγωνιώδες και σε κρατάει σχετικά. Το στόρι έχει ως εξής: ο θανών είναι ένας από τους μεγάλους 5 που καθορίζουν την τύχη του κόσμου. 5 πατρίκιοι της Ανατολικής Ακτής των ΗΠΑ άσκησαν συνεχή επιρροή στην πολιτική της αμερικανικής κυβέρνησης με την ιδιότητα του συμβούλου των Προέδρων. Μέλη της κυβέρνησης και πρεσβευτές, αργότερα υπουργοί εξωτερικών και σύμβουλοι εθνικής ασφάλειας μεταξύ άλλων. Αυτοί οι 5 φοίτησαν στην ακαδημία Γκρόλιερ στο Βερμόντ, προπαρασκευαστική σχολή της αριστοκρατίας, που εισάγει τους μαθητές της κατευθείαν στο Γέιλ ή το Χάρβαρντ και από κει σε σημαντικές δημόσιες θέσεις. Η CIA έχει αποφοίτους Γέιλ, το Στέιτ Ντιπάρτμεντ αποφοίτους Χάρβαρντ κλπ. Κάθε κολέγιο έχει μυστικές οργανώσεις (π. χ. Νεκροκεφαλές), οπότε κάθε Πρόεδρος διορίζει τους συμφοιτητές του, συντρόφους του σε αυτές τις οργανώσεις κι όταν ολοκληρώνεται η προεδρία, αυτοί καταφεύγουν στον ιδιωτικό τομέα, ως μέλη διοικητικών συμβουλίων σημαντικών επιχειρήσεων με επιρροές στην Ουάσιγκτον. Ένα σκάνδαλο λοιπόν είναι δυναμίτης για τον καθένα από αυτές τις ομάδες, πόσο μάλλον για τους 5 συμβούλους. Αυτοί οι 5 λοιπόν υπήρξαν θύματα σεξουαλικής παρενόχλησης από έναν καθηγητή τους αλλά υπέκυψαν (ο 6ος αρνήθηκε και συντομα αναγκάστηκε να φύγει από τη σχολή αλλά η αριστοκρατία δεν θέλει να ενοχλείται από τέτοια μικροπράγματα και το κουκούλωσαν). Ναι αλλά δεν είναι αυτό το σκάνδαλο, ούτε καν υπόνοια περί ομοφυλοφιλίας των 5, το σκάνδαλο ήταν άλλο: εκμεταλλεύτηκαν το κίνημα του μακαρθισμού για να καταδώσουν επικίνδυνους αντιπάλους ως κομμουνιστές και να τους εξουδετερώσουν ενώ οι ίδιοι, κρυφά, χάρη στον καθηγητή τους, ασπάστηκαν τις ιδέες του κομμουνισμού, τις οποίες φυσικά μετά τον Ψυχρό πόλεμο και την κατάρρευση αυτής της θεωρίας, βιάστηκαν να την απαρνηθούν. Υπάρχουν όμως στοιχεία αυτής της φιλοκομμουνιστικής τους στάσης κι έτσι ο δημοσιογράφος ξεκινά έναν αγώνα θανάτου.

Η αντίρρησή μου είναι στο συνεχές κυνηγητό, στη διαρκή εξόντωση φίλων και συμμάχων του δημοσιογράφου αλλά κυρίως στο γεγονός ότι έτυχε να πάρει συνέντευξη από διαρρήκτες, χάκερς και ό,τι άλλο τυχαία θα του φανεί χρήσιμο σε αυτήν την ιστορία για να αποδρά, να τηλεφωνεί χωρίς να αφήνει στίγμα, να παραβιάζει κλειδαριές (λες και διαβάζω για τον Μικρό Ήρωα του Ανεμοδουρά) κλπ. Ενδιαφέρουσα η προσωπική σχέση με τη νοσοκόμα αλλά πρέπει να προσπεράσουμε ένα σωρό κόσμο που τον βοηθά για να καταλήξουμε σε μια νοσοκόμα; Τέλος πάντων, η συμβολή της στην ιστορία και στην ψυχολογία του ήρωα είναι σημαντική και μου άρεσε το πού και πόσο τον βοήθησε να ξεπεράσει τον χαμό του γιου του. Αμερικανιά μεν, καλογραμμένη και με συνεχείς ανατροπές.

Στα ελληνικά από τις εκδόσεις Bell το 1995 (Έκτακτα μέτρα).

[Joe Stamber · Rating 2 out of 5]

My 30 minutes each way commute to work is ideal for audio books. As I turned into my drive tonight after an afternoon shift, Desperate Measures drew to a close and the narrator announced an epilogue. I turned off the engine and decided to see it out rather than listen to the closing statements tomorrow. It turned out to be several minutes of the rambling and unnecessary thoughts of Matt Pittman, the story's protaganist. This pattern had established itself throughout the book, with regular asides from the story being taken to allow Pittman a self indulgent mental meander. Perhaps on the page Pittman's ramblings would have been more valuable; I didn't care too much for the audio narrator and of course that can make or break an audio book. That Pittman's digressions became grating may well have been partly down to the voice that I heard them in.

Thrillers are often far fetched, and Desperate Measures is no exception. Pittman is in his bath, gun between his teeth, depressed beyond reason, when an old colleague calls up and asks him to do him a favour and give him a few days work. What tempting proposition could persuade Pittman to abandon his suicide attempt? Writing obituaries for a magazine about to fold. How could he resist? Through an unlikely set of circumstances, this leads to him getting into all sorts of trouble.

As the action unfolds, Pittman somehow evolves from a washed out suicidal reporter to an invincible super hero. Every time he needs help, someone pops up to help him... quite happy to believe his side of the story despite all the evidence that he is a crazed killer.

I know we have to suspend belief every time we open a thriller, but the payback is often a rollercoaster ride of excitement that stretches disbelief just far enough. Whether it's the audio narrator or not, Desperate Measures somehow manages to combine "as if" with "whatever" to the point that you just want to get it over with. I found the plot and its resolution to be disappointing, so even on paper (or Kindle!) I'm not sure I'd have been impressed. Not a terrible book, but pretty mediocre for me.

[Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once you get past the first 35 pages, its quite a ride!

Desperate Measures begins with newspaper reporter Matt Pittman, the protagonist, who is literally preparing to kill himself with his pistol out of grief for his son that has died from cancer when the phone rings.

Pittman decides to answer it because he wants to make sure that he exits this life without owing anything to anyone. It is his best friend and his boss who covered for him innumerable times when his son was sick. He asks for one more favor and Pittman reluctantly goes back on the job for one more story.

It was at this point in the book that I was about ready to close it up and start another book because the whole "I'm going to kill myself" angle was getting very, very old. I realize that Morrell was writing out of the pain of losing his own son to cancer, but the book was rapidly losing interest for me.

Suddenly, the pace of the book changed and Pittman's research into a well-connected diplomat leads to murder, mayhem and a multi-state manhunt for Pittman. From about page 35 on the book is a roller-coaster of a ride, very reminescent of 'The Fugitive'. It is well worth the read - despite the fact that you have to slog through the first 35 pages.

Read all of my reviews of David Morrell books here: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/searc...

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This thriller was enough of a page-turner to keep me getting on my exercise bike for a week! The protagonist Matt Pittman, a down-on-his-luck journalist just about to commit suicide, is pulled from the brink by a phone call for help from an editor friend to whom he is deeply indebted. Vowing to give his friend one week of service writing the obituary of a grand statesman who is not yet deceased, Pittman soon finds himself accused of murder and on the run. Soon dead bodies are piling up.

Pittman says he is the sum of the stories he has written. Newspaperman as Main Character allows Pittman to call on the expertise of various people he has interviewed over the years---an interesting device that allows a regular guy to get out of some harrowing situations. As Pittman defends himself and digs further into the murders and the stories they reveal, he uncovers decades of political intrigue.

Despite the explanation of Matt's emotional make-up throughout, I never felt his character was fully realized. So, while the book was fast-paced and I was involved with the story and the action, I never felt fully involved with the characters.