Book Review: Night Fall

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Night Fall     Amazon US TPB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada TPB Amazon Canada HC
Nelson DeMille
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Thriller   Government Agency
Series: John Corey # 3
Warner, Nov 2004, $26.95, 483 pp.

The night of July 17, 1996 on Cupsogue Beach, Long Island, Jill Winslow and Bud Mitchell videotape their reciprocated adulterous affair. As they begin to enjoy their illicit lovemaking, Jill looking up from her prone position notices a light rising towards a plane that abruptly explodes. Later they learn of the explosion of TWA Flight 800 over Long Island killing the 230 people on board.

Five years later, the Anti-Terrorist Task Force (ATTF) concludes mechanical malfunction though over two hundred credible people claimed they saw a rocket hit the plane. ATTF Agent Kate Mayfield, who made inquiries amongst the eye witnesses immediately after the explosion believes DC is covering up the truth though she has no idea. At a memorial service on July 17, 2001, she asks her spouse former NYPD Detective John Corey to investigate. As John begins questioning observers, he learns of the Winslow-Mitchell videotape that might show the rocket while the ATTF, CIA, FBI, NYPD, and a host of other alphabet types warn the duo to back off or else.

NIGHT FALL may prove to be the scariest thriller of the year as Nelson Demille provides a fictionalized account of the using a real tragedy and its subsequent investigation to paint one heck of a shocking tale. . John is at his Die Hard John McClane cynical best (must be something about Johns) as he returns to investigate what his wife believes is a great cover-up. Fans will read in one sitting in spite of the complexity and size of the novel, and the anticipated growing dismay that you know the conclusion about halfway into the novel as the calendar and the movie the Conversation haunt the reader.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner