Zero Option

by P.T. Deutermann

They call it "Wet Eye": a biological weapon that literally eats out the eyes of its victims. Now, deep within the belly of the U.S. military establishment, one small silver canister of Wet Eye is missing-lost because a career pencil-pusher has cut a million-dollar deal and signed it in blood.

For David Stafford, a Defense Department investigator, finding the missing canister means ripping through layers of cover-ups, bureaucracy, and one man's murderous determination to sell Wet Eye to an international arms dealer. But the military would rather silence Stafford than admit to a security breach. And now, the only person who can stop a biological conflagration is an innocent child-who has looked into the face of evil, and seen it with her own two eyes...

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Suspense, Military Fiction, Audiobook

421 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 28, 1998

About the author

P. T. Deutermann is a retired Navy captain and has served in the joint Chiefs of Staff as an arms control specialist. He is the author of eighteen novels, and lives in North Carolina. His World War II adventure novel Pacific Glory won the W. Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction, administered by the American Library Association; his other World War II novels are Ghosts of Bungo Suido and Sentinels of Fire. His most recent novel is Cold Frame, a contemporary thriller set in Washington, D.C.

Reviews

[Darcee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent author if you like thrillers. I found him quite by accident and have loved everything I have read of his. Some military based, some otherwise.

Here we have former cop, NIS agent, now DCIS agent, who is sent to an Army materials reutilization and destruction base on a mundane assignment. He pissed off the wrong people in a previous assignment, did the right thing with the wrong political results, and this mundane investigation was his punishment. However, he uncovers something quite unexpected and terrifying, and pursues it to the chagrin of his superiors who just want to bury the whole thing. Add in a psychic element, and follow to the finale in the final moments.

[Glyn Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second book read by p t deutermann and i must say he does write exciting thrillers( firefly /first).We have a chemical weapon theft and we have army, fbi and one davod stafford to sort out the crime (no spoilers ). This author is very engaging to read you should try him sometime, so onto (hunting season) to read and don,t forget go out and BUY this book , you will not disappointed.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

So-so Deutermann about a whistleblowing DCI investigator sent "out in the cold" to Atlanta to investigate scamming military surplus supplies when he stumbles across efforts to sell a weapons grade biochemical weapon...twists & turns & a little paranormal activity...maybe 3.5 stars!

[Dale Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Read

Deutermann is one of my favorites. Whether writing about naval warfare of civilian thrillers he get the details right and never lapses into the lazy cliches too many writers use.

[Woody James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deutermann writes well thought out thrillers. Very enjoyable read.

[Jim · Rating 2 out of 5]

At least 100 pages too long. Started out okay but fell off a cliff half way through. Leave this dud on shelf.

[Richard Balassaitis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a P.T. Deutermann fan but this was an annoying and unbelievable read.

[Sydney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story with a consistent flow. It painted government officials in a very bad light. The ending was a little anti-climatic and with an odd twist.

[Swan Bender · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an interesting enough read but it didn't resonate enough on the character development level for me. There wasn't any character I really believed in or wanted to keep knowing after the story ended. I ended the story with a shrug, happy it had fulfilled my need for a "Z" in the alphabet challenge.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy reading this author's work. "Scorpion of the Sea" was my first favorite, then "The Dark Side". This was an audio book. It took me away from my troubles and helped make that boring I-95 drive enjoyable. PT has a way with plots, character development and points of view. All the time he's weaving in current issues and current military situations.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was surprisingly good to me. I didn't expect it to be bad, but I thought it would provide me a few thrills here and there to help me get through my kinda dull summer break. Instead, it was something of a mystery movie, combined with a thriller movie, the good type that came out in the 90s. A very good book, with a lot of action in the last act.

[Elwood Blues]

Non stop

Again,PT Deuterman puts one out of the park. This book was great. It never stopped...loaded with action and details of a chemical and biological nightmare. As usual as...tons of twists.

[Hal · Rating 4 out of 5]

passed the time

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

good. interesting story, liked hero.

[Chuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Army loses a tube of chemical/biological weapons material. It's not
really lost because we, the readers, know where it is; in the hands of a
bad guy.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story line, wasn't quite expecting the paranormal aspect, but it was pretty well done. Fast paced.

[John Machata · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too Army jargon. Fun enough.

[Garbageman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was very good, though a little drawn out in places. Without wanting to spoil anything, there was one track that could have been left out.

[Toesnorth's mom]

too far out, started out ok but ending was silly

[Bob Spiridigliozzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book, enjoyable read.

[Dan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story of government coverup between agencies.

[Izzy Krause · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Zero Option and Official Privilege back to back and distinguishing them from one another is hard looking back. These are written in the same style, and could easily be considered sequels, but they are not written as such. Robert Ludlum, author of the Bourne series, wrote many stand alone novels in a similar manner before Bourne became so popular and serialized. These Deutermann novels are in the same "world", but are different characters and aspects of that world. Two more books that I couldn't put down.