Plum Island: Booktrack Edition

By: Nelson DeMille

Narrated by: Scott Brick

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

CELEBRATING THE 20th ANNIVERSARY WITH A NEW FOREWORD BY THE AUTHOR

Wounded in the line of duty, NYPD homicide detective John Corey convalesces in the Long Island township of Southold, home to farmers, fishermen -- and at least one killer. Tom and Judy Gordon, a young, attractive couple Corey knows, have been found on their patio, each with a bullet in the head. The local police chief, Sylvester Maxwell, wants Corey's big-city expertise, but Maxwell gets more than he bargained for.

John Corey doesn't like mysteries, which is why he likes to solve them. His investigations lead him into the lore, legends, and ancient secrets of northern Long Island -- more deadly and more dangerous than he could ever have imagined. During his journey of discovery, he meets two remarkable women, Detective Beth Penrose and Mayflower descendant Emma Whitestone, both of whom change his life irrevocably. Ultimately, through his understanding of the murders, John Corey comes to understand himself.

Fast-paced and atmospheric, marked by entrancing characters, incandescent storytelling, and brilliant comic touches, Plum Island is Nelson DeMille at his thrill-inducing best.

Another excellent job

I am a fan of Nelson Demille and it doesn't hurt that one of the best narrators, Scott Brick reads most of his work online. I listened to most of the John Corey books before they released Plum Island to audio and it was referenced quite often by the author in retro comments. Really pleased with this one and happy I got it. You will not be disappointed if you get this one. Promise!

Distracting Personality Traits

Would you try another book from Nelson DeMille and/or Scott Brick?

This was my first read for this author and crime solver. I would probably not read this author again. I found the main character to be distracting in his vulgar descriptions of every woman, and interaction with any woman he encountered. Could have been a good story, I just didn't see the point of his diatribe.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Plum Island?

The story line held my interest.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

Sounded like an old time Chicago mobster. The voice and style was older than the placement of the story in time.

Could have been shorter

Some interesting New York history. The phrase "and so on" was way overused. I probably won't re-read it, but it was entertaining enough to keep me reading to the end.

Infantile jerk

If I had been a character in this story, I to would have tried to murder John Cory.

A Long Island Thriller

Officer John Corey is minding his own business recovering from nearly being fatally shot while on the job in NYC. He's staying at his Uncle's home on Long Island, when he gets dragged into a murder investigation of two of his friends, who happen to be research scientists at the titular Plum Island a government research facility for some very deadly diseases. Mr. Corey works with local detective Beth Penrose to solve the murders and figure out what went missing on Plum Island.

I really like this book, but it's a little long. I think cutting a few hours off the book would tighten up the story.

There is a great variety of characters in the story, from by the book Detective Penrose, to Police chief Max, to the staff on Plum Island, to the locals on the North Fork of Long Island. They're all interesting characters and all help develop the story. The mystery is good and there are some good twists and turns throughout the story that keep the reader/listener engaged. Officer Corey is a likeable character and Scott Brick brings his sarcastic personality to life through his fantastic performance. Brick also does a good job with the other characters, but his performance with John Corey is the icing on the cake.

I liked this book enough, even though I thought it could have been tightened up a bit. It's a good story, and I want to see where the series goes next. I've kept the review vague so as not to spoil any characters or plot details that occur, as there are some good twists with some characters that I don't want to give away.