While going through a book cart outside of a local used
bookstore, I came upon a paperback of “Wild Fire” by Nelson DeMille. It was one
of those pay whatever you want book carts, so I paid a quarter. Growing up on
Long Island, I was aware of the author. He was a minor fixture there. Most of
his books take place on Long Island, and he was a regular at Long Island’s
major bookstore, Book Review. When I was a teenager, I was going through a phase
of reading science fiction and fantasy, so his page turning mysteries didn’t
really hold much interest for me. However, I decided years later to pick up his
2006 novel in paperback, as I should give him a shot and might even see some
locations in the book I have been to myself.
I must
say I liked the book even though the main character is a bit cartoonish. It was
compelling enough to get me through 710 pages. John Corey, the detective at the
center of the book and a member of an anti-terrorism force in New York City,
married to his boss, FBI agent Kate Mayfield, are charming. The plot is about
both a murder mystery and a conspiracy by a group of right wing nut jobs in
upstate New York. However, this is not by any means a liberal novel. There is
no way in hell John Corey voted Democrat, but because this was written so long
ago, I would doubt John Corey voted for Trump either. He’s an old school
Republican. A bit rough around the edges but not exactly a monster either.
The
novel has an agent named Henry Muller in upstate New York in some third person
chapters followed by chapters in the first person narrated by John Corey. He is
spying on a hunting club in upstate New York. However, he is caught by a guy at
the club, an oil executive named Maddox. He uncovers a plot in which Maddox might
commit terrorism, along with a group of other older men at the club. They want
to set off bombs in various American cities, blame it on the nation of Islam,
which would trigger a response by the American government. Then a war would
start with them, wiping them out and thus, in theory, ending the terrorist
threat. The plan is well thought out, and while it’s a terrible plan, I can’t
say it isn’t devilishly smart. Henry Muller, the agent, understands that they
want to strike back after 9/11, but he also has a keen understanding that the
whole plot is also pure insanity and in no way is realistic or even worthy of doing.
Muller winds up dead on club grounds shortly after his discovery.
John
Corey is called in, with his wife Kate, to investigate the murder and uncover
what’s really going on in the club. If you can excuse the chauvinism of Corey’s
narration, I think the reader will enjoy this book. The chauvinism might even
grow on you if you don’t take the main character and narrator too seriously.
However, what makes the book really work is DeMille’s ability to weave together
a murder mystery and a bigger conspiracy. DeMille does this well without the
book feeling clunky. That is impressive from a narrative standpoint. I also like
how Corey understands and even likes the villain a bit. If Maddox wasn’t such a
nut job, he says he would almost like to go camping with the guy.
What
doesn’t quite work, and this isn’t unusual for such a research heavy novel, is
some of the references don’t really work anymore. There is constant talk of a
possible war with Iraq, Rumsfeld, and 9/11. While in the author’s note, DeMille
mentions the novel takes place in the year 2002 and considering we as readers
have knowledge that the war in Iraq wasn’t exactly successful, it doesn’t quite
work for a current reader. Also, the whole constant mentions of 9/11 start to
feel like a bit much. Yes, it’s believable Corey and his wife working in the
New York metro area would be affected by it and know people affected and lost. However,
that all dates the novel.
I liked John Corey and his wife, who
seem like fun characters. His wife, despite being married to a man’s man, also
tends to put him in his place. She constantly reminds him she is his boss,
despite all his macho nonsense. It works for the most part despite some
outdated parts. It didn’t feel overly long, which is a complaint I had with the
last Stephen King novel. At 710 pages, that is a good thing. Most of the novel
ironically takes place in upstate New York, so I didn’t get a ton of Long
Island locations in this one, except for a drive through the North Fork earlier
in the novel. You can excuse the novel that is so unapologetic about being a
man’s man novel. I’m not saying the book can’t be read by women, but in today’s
world, some of the lines Corey delivers might be considered cringeworthy.
However, the plot is too good and twisty for you not to want to read the book.
Not all the novel quite works, but it’s a good read.
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