One of DeMille's best - an up all night page-turner
350596
WE have read all of DeMille and If you like his books you will love this one, its one of his best.  The action starts on page one and doesn't stop until the last page, which means you can't put it down until you're done.  Wiseass Corey is back as feisty as ever and we love him. Suzanne
1876141
I think that I have read most of Nelson DeMille's books. A lot of his stories take place on or around Long Island.  This one doesn't.  DeMille uses his vast knowledge of Viet Nam to take us back in time.  A most enjoyable story with all the usual accoutrements i.e. sex, violence, adventure and catchy ending.  All the ingredients for a good read.  Highly recommended.
1108175
John Corey is one of my favorite characters ever (and I'm not a detective novel reader per se - plus he IS now in the FBI anti-terrorism unit).  I find his quick quips of sarcastic humor and irreverence give me a good laugh every time I sit down for a read, even while the plot is making me anxious.  The story is sufficiently fast-paced - I was tense as the dastardly plot unfolded. Who CARES if it's improbable - I want to be entertained and learn something at the same time.  The story is totally satisfying.  For me, chuckles from the dialog popped up constantly - often out loud (much to the annoyance of anyone around me, since I was compelled to read this book every spare minute - in the doctor's waiting area; in the car when waiting for kids or husband; at the breakfast table; on my lunch break; etc.).  PLEASE - if you want a good, fast read, treat yourself!  I even got my non-reading sister to listen to the audio version while on the typical long drives in the LA area, and she often had to sit in her car in the garage until there was a good point to tear herself away.  She is now looking for "Plum Island" on CD.  If you are new to the John Corey character, and enjoy this story, read "Plum Island" (which is the book that got me hooked) and continue through all the John Corey stories.  You'll have several to look forward to reading.  Alas, I have to wait for the NEXT terrific DeMille novel featuring Detective Corey.
2709131
This tale of a haunting secret from Viet Nam grabbed me from page  one.  Demille presents a believable story of how a man of honor can get caught up  in a war that required more than anyone had a right to expect of him.  I  couldn't put this one down.  The fear and anticipation of a court martial  for murder twenty five years later made me feel like I was there with him.  Demille is able to involve you with the characters like no one else.  He  also has a style that moves you from past to present in a clean way, easy  on the reader.  Well worth reading.
2925908
This thriller had so many twists and turns - signature DeMille style. His novels take you deep into the characters and always deliver surprises. I love not knowing what to expect. This was a book I found near impossible to put down. It's worth your time.
3929848
A good, quick, gripping and engaging read that surpasses even DeMille's unusually high standards and ability to sustain action and suspense...

Can be, will be, and probably should be read in one sitting...It's that good, that gripping and that engaging...a well told, well crafted tale of combat in Vietnam...

One of the best short stories you will read this year by one of the best fiction writers of our time...

DeMille fans and fans of good short fiction, don't miss this one.

These Kindle Shorts are great...
1386346
I'm starting to like Nelson Demille's work. Cathedral was as intense as other political thrillers, and seeing that this is related to real historical events, that makes it so much better. Published back in the early 80's, this tells of the hellish  conflicts in Northern Ireland. Brian Flynn and his fellow "Fenians" have come from Northern Ireland to seize St. Patrick's Cathedral during St. Patrick's Day. This would become a shocking historic day, as the cathedral will blow if all demands are not met the next morning. This is a tense thriller, with complex characters and a suspenseful third act. So many characters (Flynn, Hickey, Burke, Baxter, Bellini, Murphy, etc.) have their own distinctive personalities, and we can't really tell who we should root for? Should we feel sympathy for Flynn or Burke? And that's why this book is so brilliant. Ultimately, the ending isn't completely satisfying, but it is a most perfect ending, at least to me.

I'll be looking forward to reading more of Demille's other works. He's made it to my "Favorite Thriller Authors" list.
3467560
Absolutely great book - as usual DeMille has written another thriller you just can't put down.  One wish - he would write faster - I've now read everything he has written.  My favorite author.
2730080
Nelson DeMille writes top-notch thrilling thrillers, ha ha, and The Lion is no exception.  I did not feel that it was as strong as The Lion's Game, to which this novel is a sequel.  At the same time, John Corey may be my favorite tough guy hero.  He's hilarious.  He's also capable and smart.  So is his lovely wife Kate.

In the Age of Terror, The Lion is a gripping, frightening read.

Strongly recommended.
4834673
This one is up there with his best...
a page turner, to say the least!!
1556645
Yet another edge-of-seat thriller from Nelson DeMille. I've learned to ever star tone of these unless I'm prepared to read it to the end without sleep.
4669736
Demille is easily my favorite author. Only two of his books have been less than 5 stars to me. But Gold Coast is not Demille in the typical sense.  As explained in the foreward, this is Demille's attempt at a truly classic American Novel. He absolutely succeeded.  This is an elegantly written piece of American literature but with hints of the Adventure that makes his other books so entertaining.  I love all Demille characters. He builds both good and evil as well as any author who has ever lived and Gold Coast takes that to a new high.  This is a book that will touch many more emotions than fear and triumph. You will get to know these characters, you will become one or more of them and feel what they feel.  I found this to not be a typical Demille fast read.  This one takes some time. You will find yourself sitting and thinking about this one. I never read a book more than once.  Gold Coast will be an exception - I will read it several times over coming years.  Its that good.
3599916
If you like DeMille's smart aleck John Corey you'll find this a good read.

Good story.  Good characters.  Couldn't put it down.
417606
This was the first Nelso Demille book I've read and I guess it won't be the last. I wasn't sure what to expect but discovered a cleverly written, well plotted story of the search for the killer of a General's daughter. And I was as involved as the investigators in trying to find the truth and discount the lies.
The characterizations were brilliant, mostly through the dialog between Paul Brenner (sleuth extraordinaire) and Cynthia Sunhill (sleuthess extraordinaire)! Their own love-hate relationship kept alive many of the flatter parts of the story. The suspense was built by there being a deadline on the investigation, and I admit that I hadn't puzzled out the culprit until it was exposed in the story.
Nothing too cerebral, but a good book for easy reading.
770443
I read a lot, and I was enchanted by this work from page one to the end.  I spent the better part of 5 years in Viet Nam and Thailand, and Up Country took me back as though I were there again--not fun thoughts!  Demille's style is easy to follow and will have you on the edge and laughing at the same time.
2144875
Very entertaining and realistic.  I loved the cop jargon throughout.  John Corey is right up there with Jack Reacher.  I intend to keep reading his adventures as long as DeMille keeps it coming.
112462
I was so pleased to be able to read Nelson DeMille's latest novel that I didn't even wait for Amazon to it deliver to me, as is my wont. Instead, I rushed out to my neighborhood bookstore to buy an undiscounted copy on the day of publication.

First, let me state that DeMille is my favorite novelist, which may be obvious from reading the paragraph above. Therefore, it is possible that I hold him to a higher standard than I do other writers. Either way, THE GATE HOUSE is a good book. It's just not a great book, though I think that most authors would be pleased to craft anything as worthwhile as this. DeMille, however, may be a victim of his own success, because THE GATE HOUSE simply is not up to the bar he set himself.

John Corey, his protagonist in a quartet of books, is a wiseguy (not the Mafia kind) who is lovable in spite of his big mouth. John Whitman Sutter, the protagonist of THE GATE HOUSE, merely seems like a self-impressed, condescending jerk. I did read and like THE GOLD COAST, which also was about John Sutter, but I don't remember having such a negative reaction then to this character.

In THE GATE HOUSE, DeMille blends some of his favorite themes, including Long Island, the Mafia and the Muslim terrorists.  The only thing missing is Russian oligarchs; having read and admired THE CHARM SCHOOL, I suspect that he is saving them for his next novel.

The novel is well-structured and never seems strained, as happens with many thrillers. At the same time, Sutter and his wife, Susan Stanhope Sutter, are so unsympathetic that it is hard to become engaged in their problems.  It is difficult to care about them, it is difficult to like them.

In addition, a few plot points are a bit pat. Why did Sutter's former in-laws always hate him with such intensity? By the standards of these characters, he seems an ideal consort for their daughter. And the resumption of feelings between the former spouses also seems too fast to be realistic.

As for the "Gold Coast," Long Island's North Shore, I grew up near there myself (but light years away in terms of affluence) and DeMille does an excellent job of conveying a sense of the place.  Dominick Dunne, however, does it better.  With the exception of perhaps Palm Beach in the United States and certain royal palaces in Britain and Europe, there are few other communities where the occupants retain the expectations and entitlements of those remaining old-money families of the Gold Coast.

DeMille also makes good work of the region's fascination with the Mafia. He explores this fascination meaningfully, and his descriptions definitely feel authentic.

As for the terrorists, this subplot turns out to be insignificant yet, ultimately, important in advancing the story.

There are a couple of oddities. DeMille gives a retired Mafia lawyer the exact same name as am important Federal judge in New York; it does not appear, from the acknowledgments at the back of the book, that this was done intentionally, as a compliment. And he gives the Mafia Don's limousine company the same name as a car service/ limo company that has been a presence in New York for decades. Just seems sloppy, when one thinks about it....

In fairness, the whole story all works. The plot is intricate, careful and plausible. Maybe it was nothing more, nothing less, than unsympathetic characters, but I was not engrossed by THE GATE HOUSE.  By the end of the book, I did not care about the outcome, one way or another. And this never before has happened to me with a DeMille novel, and it is why I found THE GATE HOUSE a disappointing read.