The Satan Bug, by Alistair Maclean

April 27, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Alistair MacLean, book review, Thriller 

The Satan Bug, by Alistair MacLeanThis thriller was written in 1962 by Alistair MacLean under the pen name Ian Stuart. The Satan Bug is an intelligent and very interesting thriller dealing with biological weapons – a theme which unfortunately is no less of a threat today than it was at the time when the book was written.

The story revolves around the theft of two germ warfare agents, botulinum toxin and the indestructible Satan Bug (a laboratory-conceived derivative of poliovirus), from the Mordon Microbiological Research Establishment. Pierre Cavell, private detective and retired head of security for Britain’s Mordon Bio-weapon laboratory, is called back to public service to investigate the murder of the chief of the laboratory. Cavell quickly discovers that an incredibly virulent virus code-named the Satan Bug has been stolen.

Cavell’s investigation determines that the theft was an inside job by a ruthless criminal ready to run insane risks to achieve his goals. Cavell and the police must quickly find this man and the hostages he takes before he can escape or use the deadly virus. The chase takes Cavell and his police allies to London for a final showdown with the master criminal and his gang, where the stakes may include the destruction of the City of London.

The Satan Bug is well written, with fast paced action, and features a very twisting plot, excellent and sometimes ironic dialogue, along with the nail-biting finale that MacLean was so famous for. Highly recommended for fans of Alistair MacLean!

Links to the books by Alistair MacLean at Amazon US, Amazon UK, and Amazon CAN.

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The Power Broker, by Stephen Frey

April 20, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: book review, Financial Thriller, Stephen Frey, Thriller 

This is the third book in Stephen Frey’s series featuring Christian Gillette. Unfortunately, it is not quite as good as the previous two.

Christian, the CEO of Everest Capital,The Power Broker, byb Stephen Frey a hugely successful Manhattan-based investment firm, faces a host of adversaries, chief among them the Order, a secret society made up of nine white American businessmen and government leaders whose predecessors have been manipulating financial and historical events since the society’s inception in 1839. Led by Jackson Prescott Hewitt, chairman of U.S. Oil, the Order fears that America is falling under the control of minorities whose agendas include statehood for Puerto Rico and Mexico and the election of the nation’s first African-American president.

As usual in Frey’s books there is murder, global conspiracy, treason, blackmail, high finance and sexual infidelity. However, but I miss a little bit in this book is the financial thriller aspect. This is instead a large scale conspiracy book, a genre which Frey does not master nearly as well.

For sure, there is a lot of action, but the lack of a plausible financial thread to it all means that in this book the thread lines are somewhat loosely coupled and solutions seem to more or less come drifting along when needed. In my opinion The Power Broker is one of the weaker Stephen Frey novels, and I will only recommend it to people wanting to read the whole series about Christian Gillette.

Links to the books by Stephen Frey: amazon US, amazon UK, and amazon CAN.

 

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