In the 1930s and ’40s, one of the most popular characters to fill pulp magazines and comic books was “The Man of Bronze,” Doc Savage. Originally named Carl Savage Jr., his adventures were the stuff of legend, and even Stan Lee credited him with being the forerunner of today's superheroes.

Now, James Patterson and his frequent collaborator, Brian Sitts, are continuing their series with a modern-day Doc Savage in the form of professor turned crime fighter Brandt “Doc” Savage. He and his girlfriend, Kira Sunlight, find themselves on global adventures similar to those of his famous great-grandfather.

"I can only imagine that MURDER ISLAND is reminiscent of the classic stories of the original Doc Savage --- escapist pulp fiction just ready to be consumed quickly."

The Prologue of MURDER ISLAND, set in the Bahamas in 1902, shows a woman giving birth on a boat. As the midwife struggles under these primitive conditions, the biggest surprise to all is when she removes the second of two boys from the breach. This short passage provides a backstory piece that will come into play later in the novel.

After the adventures in THE PERFECT ASSASSIN, Doc and Kira decide it’s time for a vacation. They get on their modest boat and sail off to the Bahamas. Specifically, they are guided to Andros Island, which is where his great-grandfather was born on a small sailboat in the middle of a storm. Have you picked up the connection yet? While on the island, they uncover some correspondence from the original Doc, specifically a letter he wrote in 1939 in which he makes reference to his archrival, John Sunlight. Doc muses at what his great-grandfather would have thought if he knew that he was now with Sunlight’s great-granddaughter.

Unfortunately, their fun and relaxation --- which include some frolic with local native fisher boys --- is cut short when they are attacked by unknown assailants. The boys are brutally slain, and Kira is abducted. To make matters worse, Doc is being held under suspicion for murdering them. He is fortunate to be approached by an unexpected ally, Leo, who happens to be the descendant of the illegitimate son of King Leopold II of Belgium. Leo knows of Doc and his lineage and helps him out of his current predicament so that Doc can assist Leo in a much larger scheme.

Meanwhile, Kira has been taken by someone whose identity I will protect here. Let’s just say that he may have blood ties to the Savage name. She is being treated as a slave worker for him and continues to use her training skills to search for an escape. Doc has been introduced to a team of warriors, all under the employ of Leo, and the intention is for him to join them as Leo wishes to put together a small army for a big deed --- the conquest and takeover of the entire Congo.

The camp that abducted Kira is on the opposite side of this battle with similar ideas, and the stage is set for a wild conflagration where not everyone will escape unscathed. I can only imagine that MURDER ISLAND is reminiscent of the classic stories of the original Doc Savage --- escapist pulp fiction just ready to be consumed quickly.