The Deserter

by Nelson DeMille, Alex DeMille Narrated by Scott Brick

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor make their dazzling debut in this epic thriller that marries an armed forces narrative with a suspenseful spy story, delivering the best of both worlds. And there’s a lot more of Brodie and Taylor to come!

A taut, psychologically suspenseful military thriller from number one New York Times best-selling author Nelson DeMille — writing with his son, screenwriter Alex DeMille — about two army officers on the hunt in Venezuela for an army deserter who might know too much about a secret Pentagon operation.

When Captain Kyle Mercer of the Army's elite Delta Force disappeared from his post in Afghanistan, a video released by his Taliban captors made international headlines. But circumstances were murky: Did Mercer desert before he was captured? Then, a second video sent to Mercer's Army commanders leaves no doubt: The trained assassin and keeper of classified Army intelligence has willfully disappeared.

When Mercer is spotted two years later in Caracas, Venezuela, by an old army buddy, top military brass task Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor of the Criminal Investigation Division to fly to Venezuela and bring Mercer back to America — dead or alive. Brodie knows this is a difficult mission, made more difficult by his new partner's inexperience and by his suspicion that Maggie Taylor is reporting to the CIA.

With ripped-from-the-headlines appeal, an exotic and dangerous locale, and the hairpin twists and inimitable humor that are signature DeMille, The Deserter is the first in a timely and thrilling new series from an unbeatable team of true masters: the number one New York Times best seller and his son, screenwriter Alex DeMille.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

★ 07/29/2019

This outstanding thriller from bestseller DeMille (The Cuban Affair) and his screenwriter son centers on a search for an Army deserter who has fled to Venezuela after escaping duty in Afghanistan under strange circumstances. On the hunt for Delta Force Capt. Kyle Mercer are Scott Brodie, a hardened ex-soldier with impulsive, rogue tendencies, and Maggie Taylor, a cunning by-the-book Army cop who does her best to rein in Brodie’s urges, both investigative and sexual. Brodie, the senior officer, quickly suspects his commanders aren’t telling him everything about Mercer; his desertion may have less to do with disobedience than his knowing too much about military atrocities in Afghanistan. Nonetheless, Brodie and Taylor track Mercer to a jungle hideout far outside Caracas, where he’s training a group of mercenaries with the apparent backing of President Maduro. In typical DeMille fashion, the last hundred pages move along like a ballistic missile, exploding in a satisfying finale on a remote airstrip. DeMille and son provide it all in this rumble through the jungle—authentic detail, lively dialogue, a vividly drawn setting, and an exhilarating plot. Agents: Jenn Joel and Sloan Harris, ICM Partners. (Oct.)

From the Publisher

PRAISE FOR THE DESERTER

“[O]utstanding...In typical DeMille fashion, the last hundred pages move along like a ballistic missile, exploding in a satisfying finale on a remote airstrip. DeMille and son provide it all in this rumble Through the jungle – authentic detail, lively dialogue, a vividly drawn setting, and an exhilarating plot.”—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, STARRED REVIEW

"Nelson DeMille simply gets better every time he puts pen to paper. Maybe this time it has to do with a little help from Alex DeMille. I’m not sure if that’s true, but what I’m sure of is that it’s a blessing to have another DeMille with superb storytelling skills on the horizon. THE DESERTER will soar to the top of bestseller lists in record time, without any hesitation. It can’t fail. This book is absolutely stunning."
— Book Reporter

PRAISE FOR THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER THE CUBAN AFFAIR

“[An] action-packed, relentlessly paced thriller... A line from the novel perfectly describes this page-turner: ‘Sex, money, and adventure. Does it get any better than that?’”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“DeMille's latest is a timely stay-up-all-night, nail-biting page-turner featuring his iconic tongue-in-cheek, articulate, rhythmic narrative. His affably irreverent protagonist, fantastic believable supporting characters, and tense, realistic Cuba-set scenes including some jaw-dropping revelations make this a must-read for his many fans.”
—Library Journal (starred review)

“The Cuban Affair feels authentic and real, and it provides knuckle-white tension mixed in with levity."
—Associated Press

"The opening of The Cuban Affair is dynamite—crisp, funny and dramatic—and the climactic conclusion is masterful action writing, fast, precise and genuinely gripping."
—Newsday

"This is powerful, mythic stuff, like Confederate gold and Nazi treasure...As the true nature of the charter-boat owner’s job becomes clear and the betrayals begin, DeMille mounts a long, magnificent sequence with boat chases, helicopter rescues, and tracer fire. They’re all described in that visceral style the author has mastered."
—Booklist

"This book has that incredible wit that Nelson DeMille has, and nobody writes characters like Nelson does."
—Tampa Bay Times

“Nelson DeMille has outdone himself. I thought that Plum Island was one of my favorite thrillers of all time, but I was wrong—DeMille is always going up a gear and The Cuban Affair is going to be one of the top ten thrillers of the year.”
—Strand Magazine

"DeMille’s known for penning hot thrillers (Plum Island, Night Fall), and this one—his 20th—doesn’t disappoint...DeMille keeps it fast-paced, with fascinating details about contemporary Cuba."
—AARP

“With his latest, The Cuban Affair, DeMille cements his reputation as an author of compelling, finely crafted and at times, humorous standalone thrillers. he Cuban Affair bursts with DeMille’s signature authenticity—a byproduct of DeMille’s passion for research.”
—The Big Thrill

"Ambitious...a masterpiece of both form and function. Storytelling at its very best."
—BookTrib

“The Cuban Affair offers romance, adventure and an astute and amusing look at today’s Cuban communist police state."
—Washington Times

"Bestseller Nelson DeMille’s reputation precedes him, and his new novel delivers...This one will keep you on the edge of your seat."
—Bookish.com

"With his signature humor and heart-pounding pace, DeMille does not disappoint in this brilliantly written novel."
—Atlanta Jewish Times

“The thriller charts a satisfying course. A good day's work from an old pro.”
—Kirkus Reviews

PRAISE FOR THE DESERTER

“[O]utstanding...In typical DeMille fashion, the last hundred pages move along like a ballistic missile, exploding in a satisfying finale on a remote airstrip. DeMille and son provide it all in this rumble Through the jungle – authentic detail, lively dialogue, a vividly drawn setting, and an exhilarating plot.”—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, STARRED REVIEW

"Nelson DeMille simply gets better every time he puts pen to paper. Maybe this time it has to do with a little help from Alex DeMille. I’m not sure if that’s true, but what I’m sure of is that it’s a blessing to have another DeMille with superb storytelling skills on the horizon. THE DESERTER will soar to the top of bestseller lists in record time, without any hesitation. It can’t fail. This book is absolutely stunning."
— Book Reporter

PRAISE FOR THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER THE CUBAN AFFAIR

“[An] action-packed, relentlessly paced thriller... A line from the novel perfectly describes this page-turner: ‘Sex, money, and adventure. Does it get any better than that?’”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“DeMille's latest is a timely stay-up-all-night, nail-biting page-turner featuring his iconic tongue-in-cheek, articulate, rhythmic narrative. His affably irreverent protagonist, fantastic believable supporting characters, and tense, realistic Cuba-set scenes including some jaw-dropping revelations make this a must-read for his many fans.”
—Library Journal (starred review)

“The Cuban Affair feels authentic and real, and it provides knuckle-white tension mixed in with levity."
—Associated Press

"The opening of The Cuban Affair is dynamite—crisp, funny and dramatic—and the climactic conclusion is masterful action writing, fast, precise and genuinely gripping."
—Newsday

"This is powerful, mythic stuff, like Confederate gold and Nazi treasure...As the true nature of the charter-boat owner’s job becomes clear and the betrayals begin, DeMille mounts a long, magnificent sequence with boat chases, helicopter rescues, and tracer fire. They’re all described in that visceral style the author has mastered."
—Booklist

"This book has that incredible wit that Nelson DeMille has, and nobody writes characters like Nelson does."
—Tampa Bay Times

“Nelson DeMille has outdone himself. I thought that Plum Island was one of my favorite thrillers of all time, but I was wrong—DeMille is always going up a gear and The Cuban Affair is going to be one of the top ten thrillers of the year.”
—Strand Magazine

"DeMille’s known for penning hot thrillers (Plum Island, Night Fall), and this one—his 20th—doesn’t disappoint...DeMille keeps it fast-paced, with fascinating details about contemporary Cuba."
—AARP

“With his latest, The Cuban Affair, DeMille cements his reputation as an author of compelling, finely crafted and at times, humorous standalone thrillers. he Cuban Affair bursts with DeMille’s signature authenticity—a byproduct of DeMille’s passion for research.”
—The Big Thrill

"Ambitious...a masterpiece of both form and function. Storytelling at its very best."
—BookTrib

“The Cuban Affair offers romance, adventure and an astute and amusing look at today’s Cuban communist police state."
—Washington Times

"Bestseller Nelson DeMille’s reputation precedes him, and his new novel delivers...This one will keep you on the edge of your seat."
—Bookish.com

"With his signature humor and heart-pounding pace, DeMille does not disappoint in this brilliantly written novel."
—Atlanta Jewish Times

“The thriller charts a satisfying course. A good day's work from an old pro.”
—Kirkus Reviews

Library Journal

05/01/2019

Capt. Kyle Mercer of Delta Force has vanished from his post in Afghanistan, and a video reveals that he's been captured by the Taliban. But did he desert first? A second video suggests that he did, and when he is later spotted in Venezuela, Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor of the Criminal Investigation Division are tasked with winging their way south to bring him back, whether handcuffed or in a body bag. With a 300,000-copy first printing.

NOVEMBER 2019 - AudioFile

Go-to narrator Scott Brick delivers this first installment of a planned trilogy featuring Army CIS officer Scott Brodie and his partner, Maggie Taylor. The pair are in Venezuela looking for Delta Force deserter Kyle Mercer. Brick narrates in his usual breathless style, which is perfectly suited to this page-turning thriller, coauthored by father and son. The plot takes a while to get going, with numerous false starts and wrong turns, but the characters' one-liners—delivered with great timing by Brick—keep the pace up. While the elements of character, plot, and setting don’t always hold together, the descriptions of a country ravaged by corruption are oddly mesmerizing, especially as delivered by Brick. L.W.S. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

2019-07-28
Army investigators track a deserter into the Venezuelan jungle.

DeMille's last thriller (The Cuban Affair, 2017) successfully incorporated Cuba's precarious internal politics into the plot, and this one—the first he's written with his son Alex—attempts to do the same with Venezuela's faltering existence. Kyle Mercer, a high-value Delta Force soldier, deserted his unit in Afghanistan, was captured by the Taliban, and then escaped his captors. He has been spotted in Venezuela, and Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor, investigators for the Army's Criminal Investigation Division, are dispatched to bring him back to stand trial. This seems straightforward, but there are questions: Why did Mercer desert? Is the U.S. government wholly determined to have him brought back alive? And more immediately and practically, how can the CID team function in the failed state of Venezuela? The situation in Venezuela is painstakingly delineated, but it remains an element of the setting, never rising to the level of a plot device as Cuban political tensions did in the earlier novel; the result is a dreary repetition of the facts of life in Caracas: bribery and violence, violence and bribery. Brodie and Taylor are fortunate to secure the services of Luis, a Venezuelan driver who is a likable but somewhat predictable character, and with his help they are able to discover that Mercer has left Caracas and is now in the jungle in the south. The doughty investigators track him there, learn the ugly truth about his defection and about the real nature of Brendan Worley, the purported attaché in Caracas. There is much to like about this story: Brodie's and Taylor's attempts to avoid a growing attraction; a useful discussion of the legal definition of "desertion"; some of the descriptions of the geography of southern Venezuela; and the reminder of what those in power will do to avoid embarrassment. But the story is too long and lacks dramatic variety, asking over and over the same questions: Where is Mercer? Why did he do it? Who wants him dead rather than alive?

Too much and too little.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169943023
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster
Publication date:	10/22/2019
Series:	Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor Series , #1
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	449,242

Read an Excerpt

Chapter 1 Kyle Mercer walked across the bare room. He had been on his feet for days, hiking across the tribal frontier, into the outskirts of this ancient city, down the canted streets of the old quarter, and into this empty apartment where the walls were covered with peeling paint and splotches of black mold.

A plastic tarp flapped against the third-story window, moved by the warm winds rolling down from the valley. The tarp flashed a sliver of hot sunlight; then the room was dark again. Outside he heard the bustle of the street market, the rapid-fire Pashto tongue that had become familiar to him over the years. But it was different here. Here there were more people, more tongues, the staccato voices overlapping and bouncing off the close mud-brick walls of the old city.

He wanted to walk now, down in the bazaar, past the piles of fruit and nuts and spices. To touch and taste and smell. He wanted to find a woman to fuck.

But instead he was here, in the bare room, in the dark. Here, he had work to do. Here, there was no one to fuck. Just someone to hurt.

The guy was still passed out, slumped in the wooden chair, hands tied behind him. His face was battered. He drooled a line of blood.

Mercer walked over to the man and slapped him across the face. The eyes fluttered open. The mouth moved, but no sound.

Mercer eyed the bloody pliers on the floor. He himself had once been threatened with them, but that felt like a long time ago. He had taken the pliers, and now they were his. But he did not use them to threaten. That wasn’t his way. He just acted. You pull out one fingernail and the guy understands that it could happen again, nine more times, and he knows exactly how it’s going to feel.

And that’s just what he’d done, all ten of them, because this guy was a tough son of a bitch. And that was fine. That was expected. The tougher the nut, the sweeter the meat.

Mercer swung his foot into the guy’s shin. The man yelped in pain. It wasn’t too loud, because he was spent. Probably no one heard. Probably no one cared.

Mercer leaned in. The man’s left eye was swollen shut, so he looked into the right eye, a sliver of hazel surrounded by swollen purple flesh. “Where is he?”

The man’s lips trembled. His teeth—he still had all his teeth; he should consider himself lucky—slipped over his chapped lower lip. “F-f-ffff...” His lips went slack.

“France? Fiji? Fresno? Where?”

“F-f-ffffu... fuck you...”

Mercer buried his fist in the man’s face and split his nose open. Blood gushed out as the chair toppled backward and crashed to the floor, crushing the man’s tied hands beneath the weight of his body. He moaned as the blood streamed from his face and pooled around his head on the concrete floor.

Mercer walked to the far end of the room and sat in a dark corner. He closed his eyes. He was there again. It was so easy to be back there, in that dark, fetid room, chained down like an animal. He didn’t care about the beatings, or the taunts. He could handle the captivity, the disorientation and uncertainty, losing track of time. He was trained for that.

The worst thing was watching his body wither away from captivity and malnutrition. His most reliable and powerful tool, becoming this limp and desiccated thing. He touched his left arm beneath the white tunic he was wearing. Already the muscle tone was coming back. It had never fully gone. He had just let them think it had; that his will was spent, that his body had become an impotent object, drained of its lethal venom. They were fooled, and it was the last mistake they ever made.

Mercer stood up, walked over to his captive, and looked down at him. Not long ago he’d been the one down on the floor, looking up. The one who didn’t get to decide what happened next.

He hadn’t wanted to play this card. He’d thought the pain would be enough. He’d thought it would be the right thing, given the game they were all playing. But he had to go the next step.

He crouched next to the man. The blood had stopped gushing from his nose. He was taking rapid, shallow breaths. “I’ve seen your house,” said Mercer in a low, soft tone. “Near the American Consulate. Nice two-story place, white stone. Tree out front, looked like a eucalyptus. Your wife has short brown hair, a little plain looking but she keeps herself in shape, tight ass. Your son is how old? Five? Six? Nice looking boy.”

The man glared at him through his one swollen eye.

“Give me what I want, and nothing will happen to them. Withhold from me, and something will. You have my word on that. This is your last opportunity. Tell me where he is.”

The man stared up at him, as though thinking. But not for long. He was going to protect his family. Any decent guy would. The man’s lips parted; he was trying to speak. His voice was low and raspy.

Mercer crouched lower so he could hear. “Tell me.”

The man told him. He spoke in little more than a whisper, but Mercer heard it. And once he heard it, he understood immediately. Of course that’s where the son of a bitch was. Just another turn of the wheel.

He pulled a combat knife from his belt and drew it across the man’s throat. Blood spurted from his jugular.

Mercer stood, wiped the blood from the blade on the dying man’s pants. He looked at the man’s shoes. Leather loafers. He hadn’t noticed them before. They were nice, better than the sandals he’d taken off the last guy he killed. He took them off the man’s feet and put them on.

The blood coming out of the man’s jugular slowed to a trickle, his chest stopped moving. He was dead.

Through the tarp, Mercer could hear the muezzin intone the call to prayer from a nearby mosque. The incantation was low and solemn, almost mournful. All across the city, people would now pause their lives to answer the call, to bow their bodies in a communal act of submission.

Kyle Mercer had once had something like that: common rituals, brotherhood. It had been the Army, and in a broader sense his country. Now all he had was a target. And a destination.

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