I am an avid reader of Michael Crichton's books. A couple months ago, I found out that in past years he had written a few books under a couple of pseudonyms. I found a book that he wrote, when he was working with Hard Case Crime under the name John Lange. Imagine my delight and surprise! I was finally able to finish reading it, so now I bring my review to you. 😁
What I'm Listening To:
Diver James McGregor is used to exploring sunken ships
But there's something strange about the wreck of the luxury yacht GRAVE DESCEND. No one who was aboard tells quite the same story about what happened. And then there's the matter of the mysterious cargo they were carrying...
In one of the most beautiful places on Earth, a sinister plot is about to unfold. And if McGregor's not careful, he may find himself in over his head.
A stunning thriller by the best-selling author of BINARY, ZERO COOL, ODDS ON, and THE VENOM BUSINESS.
Here's my list of reasons why I liked this book:
What I'm Listening To:
- Baba O'Riley by The Who
- Won't Get Fooled Again by The Who
- Who Are You? by The Who
Grave Descend
Author: John Lange (aka Michael Crichton)
Genre: Crime Thriller
Year: 1970
Synopsis:
Diver James McGregor is used to exploring sunken ships
But there's something strange about the wreck of the luxury yacht GRAVE DESCEND. No one who was aboard tells quite the same story about what happened. And then there's the matter of the mysterious cargo they were carrying...
In one of the most beautiful places on Earth, a sinister plot is about to unfold. And if McGregor's not careful, he may find himself in over his head.
A stunning thriller by the best-selling author of BINARY, ZERO COOL, ODDS ON, and THE VENOM BUSINESS.
Review:
From the opening line, this book had me hooked. Taking place in Jamaica, this book was setup well from the start. While not completely original, it is quite entertaining all the way through. James McGregor was exactly the hero necessary for every event that occurred. He's a diver and is told that he needs to recover a yacht called the Grave Descend. (The name of which we find to be a rather relative clue to the strange goings-on) No prior knowledge of Samuel Johnson is needed, although he is plenty mentioned once things get set in motion (not to mention the 3 quotes beginning each of the 3 parts). Sharks are to water as Crocodiles are to a swamp, and both are featured as threats here. Night diving, tetralon (an underwater explosive), lots of guns, and plenty of thrown punches are the goodies that fill this delicious morsel. All of the fun is in the puzzle solving. I absolutely loved the fact that I couldn't solve the crime until near the very end because all of the pieces weren't present until then. I absolutely abhor when the answers to mysteries are too obvious. Where's the fun in that??Here's my list of reasons why I liked this book:
- Lots of action
- Plenty of adventure
- Diving in Jamaica----what's not to love about that?
- Sharks!!! *insert Jaws theme here*
- Crocodiles, because even the babies are vicious
- Tetralon ----Had never heard of it before, but it seems deadly enough for me to enjoy in this kind of book
- Two-faced people, because they make the best villains
- There are characters who seem trustworthy, but in all actuality need some reconsideration
- Ocelots....I forgot to mention the Ocelots
- Diamonds from Italy....nowhere better to get valuable diamonds from than Italy (not to mention all the history included!)
All in all, Grave Descend is a nice, short thriller that is good when you don't wanna wait forever for the good guy to catch the bad guy. Justice is a dish sometimes best served quick. Savor the flavor, isn't always the best policy, although this book can be savored without being over-chewed. I would highly recommend that this book be picked up for those in need of a good adventure that won't last too long. I give this book a Lone Star rating of ✯✯✯✯.
Until the next review,
In a while Crocodile! 😁
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