November 2019

THE DESERTER is the first book from the father/son team of Nelson DeMille and Alex DeMille, and what a superb collaboration this proved to be. It’s set in Venezuela, and since I know very little about that part of the world beyond the headlines in the news, I feel like I got a real education about a place where there has been so much strife in the last decade.

Their two new characters, Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, are terrific, with the brains, brawn and humor written into them that we have come to expect from Nelson. Their mission is to drop into Venezuela to find Captain Kyle Mercer, a U.S. Army star Delta Force soldier who ran from his men in Afghanistan several years ago. He had been held by the Taliban, but escaped (yes, there are strains of Bowe Bergdahl’s case here). And he has been spotted in Caracas. The trick is to find him, which proves to be more than a little challenging.

I normally am a quick reader, but I found myself slowing down to make sure I did not miss anything as I read. There were details about Venezuela that were new to me, and they were as compelling as the storyline. The map on the inside cover of the book is helpful to following the story, as they move across the country. Also, both of the protagonists, Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor, have very interesting backstories, and I wanted to ensure that I grasped those details, especially as they are slated to appear in two future books. The characters, plotting and pacing all are strong. I am looking forward to our readers weighing in on it, whether or not you previously have read Nelson’s work. Nelson and Alex are a formidable team!