The Wrecker (Isaac Bell Series #2)

action on top of more action

In 1907, the Southern Pacific Railroad is constructing the Cascade Canyon Bridge in Oregon, but has deep financial problems. Bankers inform the firm's president, Osgood Hennessy that if the project is not finished by winter, they will withdraw their funding. Hennessy knows if the backers leave his company goes bankrupt.

The SPR can complete the project easily on time except for the labor unrest that has led to delays due to explosions, fires and track destruction leading to derailing and other dangerous mayhem. Hennessy hires the Van Dorn Detective Agency who sends their best sleuth James Bell. He quickly concludes that the Wrecker is causing the deadly havoc by using hobo recruits to sabotage the SPR; after the mission is done he kills his new allies and sets forth on lining up his next crony. Bell believes he is running out of time to prevent the Wrecker's next terrorist act, which will be greater than all his previous sabotage combined.

Even with an odd writing style that represents a bygone era when trains ruled distant travel over automobiles and planes, THE WRECKER travels at speeds much faster than Obama's rail proposal. The story line is filled with action on top of more action. Ironically, the audience knows which direction the plot travels and who the Wrecker is from almost the onset; yet readers will still go along for the ride expecting a High Noon showdown between the saboteur and the detective on THE CHASE to prevent a terrorist act on a scale never seen before.

Harriet Klausner

10 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

Another page turner; fast-paced; recommended series.

Mr. Cussler writes books faster than I can read them. I picked up the first Pitt adventure many years ago and found the addition of other operatives entertaining. Together with the spin on historical data, Cussler weaves a great storyline. This is true with the latest series featuring Issac Bell. I found myself immersed in the turn of the century so much so, I was forced to confirm or deny persons and events through other sources as factual.

Detective Bell's tireless pursuit of the criminal in this latest installment with seemingly endless setbacks made for a quick but entertaining read. We all figured out who the Wrecker was early on, and gave a sigh of relief when Issac was able to pinch the criminal. My only suggestion would be to read the first in the young series "The Chase", to familiarize yourself with his methods and background. ... Now on to the next book... Thanks Mr. Cussler.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

cost more than the paperback edition

enjoyed the book but I don't think the ebook should be more expensive than the paperback

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Cussler at his best

I am not a huge Cussler fan but he is pretty good and this is his best. Might it be that the "co-author", Justin Scott is really good?

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Holy Cow! Holds me in suspense

Clive Cussler is easy reading which is great for me. He has obviliously done his reasearch into the history of the time period he writes about. He ties that history into his story making for very interesting reading. Highly recommend this book.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A Good One

As always, I enjoyed this Cussler. Not my favorite and really not as good as Isaac Bell #1 (The Chase), but I still found myself wanting to go on. I love the way you get to follow up w/Isaac and fam later in life.

Great Follow up to book 1

I enjoyed this book. The historical mystery is a good read.

Fun Read

I'm a Cussler fan and the new Isaac Bell series are great reads. Can't wait to read The Spy (Bell Series #3).

Good Story

My second Cussler book. Already very predictable. I will read the third in the Issac Bell series.

Highly recommended-worth checking out.

Keeps you guessing. Can you figure out who the wrecker is?

Issac Bell, the Dirk Pitt of the west

I really enjoyed this book even though I read this first before The Chase. Cussler is very predictable in character's though but it's not a bad thing. Glad they all have a sidekick and glad they have a strong beautiful woman.

Excellant book! Clive Cussler does it again..as usual

Great book, very exciting and the characters keep you in suspense.

Isaac Bell leads the way....AGAIN!!!

What a rush. Isaac is the 1910's version of James Bond! He gets the girl and gets the crook. With a wild train ride through out!

What a fun read!!!

very good book different from cussler's sea novels

this was a great book and a change from cusslers sea novels very informative you could almost bielieve that this was a true tale

Great Book

I really enjoy Clive Custler. He has a great writing style and I like the little twists he throughs in. It keeps you guessing.

Anything but a Train Wreck!!

The Van Dorn Agency returns in all its splendor. The authors use terrific prose in this thrilling page-turner. Character development is strong, as it was in the precedant tome.

This is a quick read that combines the rare balance of thrill, suspense, emotion and compassion. It's amazing that Cussler and Scott draw the reader into their time period classics with such ease. Interestingly, many of the situations are loosely based on historical fact, yet the liberties taken promote a bigger than life drama that encaptures the reader.

The Wrecker provides terrific character development, exploring the inticacies of human relationships and dynamics of love. Isaac Bell and Marion, Archie Abbott and Lillian are destined to be life partners. Kincaid, is a masterful creation, bright, articulate, and schyzo! The details of the supporting players are refined to a level rarely seen.

This is a must read and a change of pace for the avid fiction lover. Enjoy!

Not his best

Not as good as his NUMA books with Dirk, nor as good as the Oregon file books, but enjoyable for all Cussler fans.

Loved Chase ; this one just not quite as good

That sort of sums it up; somehow The Wrecker just missed the mark. It was good but a bit too predictable; not as historically intriguing as The Chase and the character development not as in dpeth or developed.

By the way, I don't care much about book covers...esp. since it can vary based on the version of the book you buy. Not sure why they ask!

Wrecker historical fun

This is a great book. I actually listened to this as an audio cd narrated by Scott Brick. It is a great story with interesting characters. The villan is almost super-human in his evil intelligence. This is a sequel to The Chase which is also a great book. Highly recommend!

Good old adventure entertainment.

I have only recently discovered Clive Cussler books and am glad I did. For all round fun adventure stories, these tales cannot be beat.

No real downer situations, though people do die and have issues. Historical and geographical factors are well investigated giving the reader a true sense of the times and places of the stories. I especially enjoy the audio versions because I am on the road a lot. Scott Brick has a very entertaining and engaging way of portraying the characters of these stories.