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Red Mercury
When Joe Savage visits his declining father, Reggie, a former World War II bomber pilot in a care facility, a moment of seeming lucidity breaks through Reggie's vacant mental state with an emphatic warning for Joe. Unsure of what his father is talking about, and spurred on by energy mogul William Landry's prying and insistence that Reggie and his war colleagues hold valuable knowledge, Joe is determined to find the meaning behind his father's warning. After searching through Reggie's war memorabilia, Joe uncovers a sealed envelope, yellowed with age. While pondering whether the contents might be the subject of Reggie's warning, Joe learns that the Russians are also interested in his father's secret. The events that follow include lies, schemes, murder, and terror-and an unlikely personal relationship with a stunningly beautiful woman, all of which revolve around a substance called Red Mercury.
238 pages, Paperback
Published August 29, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 17, 2025
Garry D. Weiss's Red Mercury is a competently crafted and highly entertaining thriller that operates on a classic, reliable formula: a modern-day protagonist plunged into a dangerous conspiracy rooted in the buried secrets of World War II. It’s a story that blends family mystery, corporate greed, international espionage, and a dash of romance into a fast-paced narrative that feels both comfortably familiar and freshly executed. This is a novel for readers who appreciate a straightforward, plot-driven adventure with clear heroes, clear villains, and a MacGuffin shrouded in just enough scientific mystery to keep the pages turning.
The novel’s central premise is its strongest hook. The protagonist, Joe Savage, is an immediately relatable everyman drawn into a shadowy world not by choice, but by filial duty and a cryptic warning from his ailing father, Reggie, a former WWII bomber pilot. This emotional anchor, the desire to understand a fading parent's last coherent message, grounds the ensuing global chase in genuine, human stakes.
The novel’s central premise is its strongest hook. The protagonist, Joe Savage, is an immediately relatable everyman drawn into a shadowy world not by choice, but by filial duty and a cryptic warning from his ailing father, Reggie, a former WWII bomber pilot. This emotional anchor, the desire to understand a fading parent's last coherent message, grounds the ensuing global chase in genuine, human stakes.
December 15, 2025
I enjoyed this book from start to finish. The premise has an interesting connection between WW2, the Cold War, and modern times (right up to current events in the last chapter!). And I appreciated how all the pieces moved together and propelled through the story.
There are also some interesting settings in DC and Italy, and it has undercurrents of "what if retirement is much more exciting than expected?!?"
There are also some interesting settings in DC and Italy, and it has undercurrents of "what if retirement is much more exciting than expected?!?"
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews