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Isaac Bell #1
The Chase
In his latest action-packed thriller, veteran yarn spinner Clive Cussler slips back a century to unfurl the story of detective agency sleuth Isaac Bell and the notorious bank robber known as the Butcher Bandit. Bell's felonious quarry evades capture and identification by a simple method: He murders all the robbery victims and witnesses. With the count at 40 and climbing, the chase becomes urgent, even desperate, but protagonist Isaac, like his creator, always keeps his eyes on the prize. A carefully researched period thriller.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published November 6, 2007
1304 people are currently reading
6411 people want to read
About the author
Clive Cussler
643 books8,516 followersCussler began writing novels in 1965 and published his first work featuring his continuous series hero, Dirk Pitt, in 1973. His first non-fiction, The Sea Hunters, was released in 1996. The Board of Governors of the Maritime College, State University of New York, considered The Sea Hunters in lieu of a Ph.D. thesis and awarded Cussler a Doctor of Letters degree in May, 1997. It was the first time since the College was founded in 1874 that such a degree was bestowed.
Cussler was an internationally recognized authority on shipwrecks and the founder of the National Underwater and Marine Agency, (NUMA) a 501C3 non-profit organization (named after the fictional Federal agency in his novels) that dedicates itself to preserving American maritime and naval history. He and his crew of marine experts and NUMA volunteers discovered more than 60 historically significant underwater wreck sites including the first submarine to sink a ship in battle, the Confederacy's Hunley, and its victim, the Union's Housatonic; the U-20, the U-boat that sank the Lusitania; the Cumberland, which was sunk by the famous ironclad, Merrimack; the renowned Confederate raider Florida; the Navy airship, Akron, the Republic of Texas Navy warship, Zavala, found under a parking lot in Galveston, and the Carpathia, which sank almost six years to-the-day after plucking Titanic's survivors from the sea.
In addition to being the Chairman of NUMA, Cussler was also a fellow in both the Explorers Club of New York and the Royal Geographic Society in London. He was honored with the Lowell Thomas Award for outstanding underwater exploration.
Cussler's books have been published in more than 40 languages in more than 100 countries. His past international bestsellers include Pacific Vortex, Mediterranean Caper, Iceberg, Raise the Titanic, Vixen 03, Night Probe, Deep Six, Cyclops, Treasure, Dragon, Sahara, Inca Gold, Shock Wave, Flood Tide, Atlantis Found, Valhalla Rising, Trojan Odyssey and Black Wind (this last with his son, Dirk Cussler); the nonfiction books The Sea Hunters, The Sea Hunters II and Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt Revealed; the NUMA® Files novels Serpent, Blue Gold, Fire Ice, White Death and Lost City (written with Paul Kemprecos); and the Oregon Files novels Sacred Stone and Golden Buddha (written with Craig Dirgo) and Dark Watch (written with Jack Du Brul).
Clive Cussler died at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona on February 24, 2020.
Cussler was an internationally recognized authority on shipwrecks and the founder of the National Underwater and Marine Agency, (NUMA) a 501C3 non-profit organization (named after the fictional Federal agency in his novels) that dedicates itself to preserving American maritime and naval history. He and his crew of marine experts and NUMA volunteers discovered more than 60 historically significant underwater wreck sites including the first submarine to sink a ship in battle, the Confederacy's Hunley, and its victim, the Union's Housatonic; the U-20, the U-boat that sank the Lusitania; the Cumberland, which was sunk by the famous ironclad, Merrimack; the renowned Confederate raider Florida; the Navy airship, Akron, the Republic of Texas Navy warship, Zavala, found under a parking lot in Galveston, and the Carpathia, which sank almost six years to-the-day after plucking Titanic's survivors from the sea.
In addition to being the Chairman of NUMA, Cussler was also a fellow in both the Explorers Club of New York and the Royal Geographic Society in London. He was honored with the Lowell Thomas Award for outstanding underwater exploration.
Cussler's books have been published in more than 40 languages in more than 100 countries. His past international bestsellers include Pacific Vortex, Mediterranean Caper, Iceberg, Raise the Titanic, Vixen 03, Night Probe, Deep Six, Cyclops, Treasure, Dragon, Sahara, Inca Gold, Shock Wave, Flood Tide, Atlantis Found, Valhalla Rising, Trojan Odyssey and Black Wind (this last with his son, Dirk Cussler); the nonfiction books The Sea Hunters, The Sea Hunters II and Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt Revealed; the NUMA® Files novels Serpent, Blue Gold, Fire Ice, White Death and Lost City (written with Paul Kemprecos); and the Oregon Files novels Sacred Stone and Golden Buddha (written with Craig Dirgo) and Dark Watch (written with Jack Du Brul).
Clive Cussler died at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona on February 24, 2020.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,325 reviews
March 10, 2022
The Chase is part mystery, suspense, thriller, action, romance, historical fiction and detective story - an overflowing melting pot of genres, and unfortunately with all that going for it I still didn't find it as exciting as I expected, especially for all the hype I've heard about Clive Cussler. I'm not saying it was terrible or I was bored out of my mind, I did finish the book after all, but by the end I must say I felt let down.
If you like technology, you'll find a novel full of specific early 20th century details about the cars, trains, motorcycles, guns of the time. Cussler has also wedged in as much west coast, period-appropriate history, such as the San Francisco earthquake and resulting fire of 1906, actor John Barrymore popping up as a young thespian, Jack London reports on the scene, and an explanation of the Donner Party. Some of it works and some was inserted sideways.
Cussler's main character, a detective working for a Pinkerton-esque company, is a cocky rich guy, who can buy whatever he wants or needs, and that makes things pretty darn easy for him. And that just might be the main issue I had with The Chase...The thrill is gone.
If you like technology, you'll find a novel full of specific early 20th century details about the cars, trains, motorcycles, guns of the time. Cussler has also wedged in as much west coast, period-appropriate history, such as the San Francisco earthquake and resulting fire of 1906, actor John Barrymore popping up as a young thespian, Jack London reports on the scene, and an explanation of the Donner Party. Some of it works and some was inserted sideways.
Cussler's main character, a detective working for a Pinkerton-esque company, is a cocky rich guy, who can buy whatever he wants or needs, and that makes things pretty darn easy for him. And that just might be the main issue I had with The Chase...The thrill is gone.
September 12, 2021
I wasn't expecting much from this read, but boy did it surprise me. It took off like a rocket and didn't stop until the last page. It was a chase true to it's word. I liked how the beginning and ending came together full circle. It gave me an impression that this was supposed to be a one and done, but has somehow turned into a series.
Isaac Bell has a James Bond feel to him if James was a detective in the early 1900's. He's highly skilled, intelligent, deadly, loyal, and smooth with the ladies. I enjoyed that a ton of real historical events and technologies were incorporated into the story. I even learned a good deal about steam locomotives. I'll definitely be continuing this series to see if the magic can be recreated.
Isaac Bell has a James Bond feel to him if James was a detective in the early 1900's. He's highly skilled, intelligent, deadly, loyal, and smooth with the ladies. I enjoyed that a ton of real historical events and technologies were incorporated into the story. I even learned a good deal about steam locomotives. I'll definitely be continuing this series to see if the magic can be recreated.
August 28, 2025
Back on the Cussler bandwagon!
When I read Clive Cussler's GOLDEN BUDDHA several years ago, I'll admit I thought myself generous in awarding it one entire star and I had pretty much put paid to the notion of reading any further Cussler output. Convinced that the shark had indeed been jumped, I concluded my limited reading time would be better spent elsewhere. But once my very generous gift-giving family get convinced that I enjoy an author, it's very difficult to find the "off" switch. And so, over the years, I accumulated a pretty fair stash of second hand copies of Clive Cussler novels which sat languishing on my book shelf. On the basis of a favourable review from an Amazon friend whose opinion I've come to trust, I decided to pull out THE CHASE and give Cussler a second chance.
Well ... if that don't beat all! The debut novel in Cussler's historical Isaac Bell detective series set in the late 19th century in the southwestern states is a thoroughly enjoyable winner! Yippee!
A new hero with more proverbial lives than Pauline, suitably endowed with superior intelligence, detecting abilities and out-of-the-box mental prowess; a sensible version of love at first sight that doesn't seem Hollywood or overly syrupy; good guys who actually die because they're not presented as invulnerable supermen; a psychopathic villain that appears to pull the trigger realistically quickly as opposed to spending hours and hours gloating with a megalomaniacal laugh; an absolutely fantastic and superbly innovative re-invention of the requisite chase scene - there are a LOT of very good things to say about this departure from the NUMA and OREGON files series.
Of particular interest were Cussler's innovative approaches to putting the series into the historical context of the late 19th and early 20th century in California. First was a very interesting focus on the specific workings of early technology - photography, fingerprinting, guns, automobiles and trains, for example - as opposed to looking at buildings and people. Second was a very graphic description of the events surrounding the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco and its disastrous aftermath.
I'm definitely back on the Clive Cussler bandwagon and I'm looking forward to further Isaac Bell outings in THE SPY and THE WRECKER. Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
When I read Clive Cussler's GOLDEN BUDDHA several years ago, I'll admit I thought myself generous in awarding it one entire star and I had pretty much put paid to the notion of reading any further Cussler output. Convinced that the shark had indeed been jumped, I concluded my limited reading time would be better spent elsewhere. But once my very generous gift-giving family get convinced that I enjoy an author, it's very difficult to find the "off" switch. And so, over the years, I accumulated a pretty fair stash of second hand copies of Clive Cussler novels which sat languishing on my book shelf. On the basis of a favourable review from an Amazon friend whose opinion I've come to trust, I decided to pull out THE CHASE and give Cussler a second chance.
Well ... if that don't beat all! The debut novel in Cussler's historical Isaac Bell detective series set in the late 19th century in the southwestern states is a thoroughly enjoyable winner! Yippee!
A new hero with more proverbial lives than Pauline, suitably endowed with superior intelligence, detecting abilities and out-of-the-box mental prowess; a sensible version of love at first sight that doesn't seem Hollywood or overly syrupy; good guys who actually die because they're not presented as invulnerable supermen; a psychopathic villain that appears to pull the trigger realistically quickly as opposed to spending hours and hours gloating with a megalomaniacal laugh; an absolutely fantastic and superbly innovative re-invention of the requisite chase scene - there are a LOT of very good things to say about this departure from the NUMA and OREGON files series.
Of particular interest were Cussler's innovative approaches to putting the series into the historical context of the late 19th and early 20th century in California. First was a very interesting focus on the specific workings of early technology - photography, fingerprinting, guns, automobiles and trains, for example - as opposed to looking at buildings and people. Second was a very graphic description of the events surrounding the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco and its disastrous aftermath.
I'm definitely back on the Clive Cussler bandwagon and I'm looking forward to further Isaac Bell outings in THE SPY and THE WRECKER. Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
April 11, 2020
The Chase, a crime thriller, is the first book in the Isaac Bell series by Clive Cussler. Having read a Dirk Pitt adventure before this one, it was my second Clive Cussler and unfortunately it wasn't as good as I'd hoped it would be.
The story takes place in 1906 when banks across the United States are being robbed by the 'Butcher Bandit'. The robber empties the bank vaults and murders all witnesses, successfully vanishing without a trace. Being the best detective of the Van Dorn Detective Agency, Isaac Bell is called in to work on this case by the government. By gathering evidence and following leads, Isaac gives chase to the man who has been terrorizing America.
I found the story to be fast paced but not gripping. We are told of the identity of the bandit a few chapters into the story so the rest of the book is The Chase which at times got tedious. The bandit is supposedly one of the smartest criminals in the history of the United States and yet he makes some glaring mistakes which really annoyed me. Toward the end I stopped enjoying the book and just continued to read it to get it over with.
I love Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt books but I definitely wouldn't read another one from his Isaac Bell series.
The story takes place in 1906 when banks across the United States are being robbed by the 'Butcher Bandit'. The robber empties the bank vaults and murders all witnesses, successfully vanishing without a trace. Being the best detective of the Van Dorn Detective Agency, Isaac Bell is called in to work on this case by the government. By gathering evidence and following leads, Isaac gives chase to the man who has been terrorizing America.
I found the story to be fast paced but not gripping. We are told of the identity of the bandit a few chapters into the story so the rest of the book is The Chase which at times got tedious. The bandit is supposedly one of the smartest criminals in the history of the United States and yet he makes some glaring mistakes which really annoyed me. Toward the end I stopped enjoying the book and just continued to read it to get it over with.
I love Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt books but I definitely wouldn't read another one from his Isaac Bell series.
July 24, 2025
'বুচার ব্যান্ডিট বা কসাই ডাকাত' নামটা অদ্ভুত শোনালেও আক্ষরিক অর্থে সত্য। লোকটা ব্যাংক ডাকাত এবং ডাকাতির সময় উপস্থিত সকলকে নিষ্ঠুর কসাইয়ের মতো খুনও করে থাকে।
বড়লোক হবার ধান্দায় সে ডাকাতি করে না; বরং ডাকাতি তার কাছে নিত্যনতুন অ্যাডভেঞ্চারের মতো, নিজেকে প্রতিনিয়ত চ্যালেঞ্জের মুখে রেখে শাণিত করা। তার শারীরিক গড়নই এমন–সে নারী, বৃদ্ধ, শ্রমিক বিভিন্ন নিখুঁত ছদ্মবেশ ধারণ করতে পারে। পালানোর জন্য ব্যবহার করে সবচেয়ে দ্রুতগতির যান এবং ক্ষুরধার পরিকল্পনা। সবদিক দিয়েই সে খুঁতহীন এক স্মার্ট ডাকাত।
স্বাভাবিকভাবেই, সময়ের আগে চলা এই ডাকাতকে ধরা এত সহজ নয়। তাই বছরের পর বছর বুচার ব্যান্ডিট অধরা এবং বিরতিহীনভাবে ডাকাতি ও খুনও চলছে। তখনই প্রেক্ষাপটে হাজির হলো আইজ্যাক বেল। এই সেরা এজেন্ট তার জীবনের সবচে গুরুত্বপূর্ণ এ অ্যাসাইনমেন্টে কেমন করে, সেটাই দেখার বিষয়।
▪️▪️▪️
এক্ষেত্রে 'চেজ' নামকরণ খুবই মানানসই। কারণ পুরো বইজুড়ে ডাকাতের পেছনে বেলের পশ্চাদ্ধাবনই ছিল মূল আকর্ষণ। এবং আমার মনে হয়েছে, ডাকাতের তুলনায় বেল কিছুটা নিষ্প্রভ! ডিটেইল অনেক বেশি, যার কারণে মনে কোনো প্রশ্নের উদয় হয়নি। শুরু ও শেষের রেখা মিলকরণ দারুণ।
বড়লোক হবার ধান্দায় সে ডাকাতি করে না; বরং ডাকাতি তার কাছে নিত্যনতুন অ্যাডভেঞ্চারের মতো, নিজেকে প্রতিনিয়ত চ্যালেঞ্জের মুখে রেখে শাণিত করা। তার শারীরিক গড়নই এমন–সে নারী, বৃদ্ধ, শ্রমিক বিভিন্ন নিখুঁত ছদ্মবেশ ধারণ করতে পারে। পালানোর জন্য ব্যবহার করে সবচেয়ে দ্রুতগতির যান এবং ক্ষুরধার পরিকল্পনা। সবদিক দিয়েই সে খুঁতহীন এক স্মার্ট ডাকাত।
স্বাভাবিকভাবেই, সময়ের আগে চলা এই ডাকাতকে ধরা এত সহজ নয়। তাই বছরের পর বছর বুচার ব্যান্ডিট অধরা এবং বিরতিহীনভাবে ডাকাতি ও খুনও চলছে। তখনই প্রেক্ষাপটে হাজির হলো আইজ্যাক বেল। এই সেরা এজেন্ট তার জীবনের সবচে গুরুত্বপূর্ণ এ অ্যাসাইনমেন্টে কেমন করে, সেটাই দেখার বিষয়।
▪️▪️▪️
এক্ষেত্রে 'চেজ' নামকরণ খুবই মানানসই। কারণ পুরো বইজুড়ে ডাকাতের পেছনে বেলের পশ্চাদ্ধাবনই ছিল মূল আকর্ষণ। এবং আমার মনে হয়েছে, ডাকাতের তুলনায় বেল কিছুটা নিষ্প্রভ! ডিটেইল অনেক বেশি, যার কারণে মনে কোনো প্রশ্নের উদয় হয়নি। শুরু ও শেষের রেখা মিলকরণ দারুণ।
August 11, 2015
This was the first Clive Cussler book that I have read that was not about a NUMA adventure. This is the start of a series about a detective in the early 1900's and I did enjoy the history that was fit into the story, however, for me it was a little slow through the middle and I had a hard time relating to the main character. Not a bad story just not as interesting as his NUMA series.
November 24, 2008
Clive Cussler is a man who has an obvious love for cars, trains, and the possibilities of history. I say the possibilities becasue he always mixes fact and unknow to come up with new possibilities for history. In most books he has characters that live in the present but are effected by historical events. This book however does not follow his standard format. This book takes place before, during and a little after the great San Francisco earthquake back at the turn of the century. It is a race between a detective and a bank robber to see who will come out ahead. Of course there is a race against time in a fancy car and trains racing across the continent, but would it be a clive cussler novel without these. I definately enjoyed the new territory that Cussler explored with this novel. I am hoping he will venture back more fully into history again as opposed to the small chapters he typically devotes at the beginning of his other novels. Don't get me wrong, I love the other stuff... just really enjoyed the new as well.
January 14, 2013
Many years ago I was a Dirk Pitt fan, but I've fallen away from Cussler a bit as he seems to have evolved into someone who runs a stable of writers, and they're just generally not as good as the old ones. (Plus, I have to admit I get a little tired of seeing Cussler's political leanings highlighted.)
My son suggested The Chase to me, and I have to say that I think Cussler has a good one here with this author. (Again, I have no idea how much of this Cussler actually writes, so I just assume it's all the co-author.) Isaac Bell is a great character, and the storytelling is very good. For anyone who drifted away from Cussler for some of the reasons I did, give this new series a try - you might like it.
My son suggested The Chase to me, and I have to say that I think Cussler has a good one here with this author. (Again, I have no idea how much of this Cussler actually writes, so I just assume it's all the co-author.) Isaac Bell is a great character, and the storytelling is very good. For anyone who drifted away from Cussler for some of the reasons I did, give this new series a try - you might like it.
June 12, 2021
Scott Brick was the narrator, I start with this since he really helped make this book really good. I enjoyed the start of the Issaac Bell series. Good descriptive and action packed. I loved it so much I already went with #2.
March 14, 2016
This is my first experience with Clive Cussler and I enjoyed very much. A nice, well-paced historical thriller with car chases, train chases, bank robberies, all good stuff. I especially found the bit about the San Francisco earthquake interesting as I had read a book about those events last year and it reminded me of that excellent story. Isaac Bell is an interesting character, son of a rich banker who has chosen to fight crime and now chases a bank robber/ murderer for the Van Dorn Detective agency. He's definitely larger than life but still thoughtful. The killer is also interesting, a sociopath who thrives on the thrill of the robberies he commits and cares not for life. An extreme challenge for Bell. An interesting time in history, pre WWI as the US is becoming a major power but still a bit of a wild frontier. Most enjoyable. 3.5 stars
May 13, 2016
This is the first volume in Cussler's Isaac Bell series, Isaac is a young, cutting edge, tech savvy detective, based San Francisco at the turn of the 20th century. In this book he is on the trail of a diabolical serial bank robber known as The Butcher Bandit.
Sure, the dialouge can appear to be juvenile and formulaic at times, and sure the villains can be so over-the-top that they sometimes have an almost cartoonish feel, but honestly, it's a damn good formula! The bottom line is these books are just fun and Cussler should never apologize for that.
I was originally hooked on the series because I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, and most of the Northern California/Nevada train journeys he takes in the first two books I've taken as well. It's fun to read about what this area might've been like at turn-of-the- last century.
Sure, the dialouge can appear to be juvenile and formulaic at times, and sure the villains can be so over-the-top that they sometimes have an almost cartoonish feel, but honestly, it's a damn good formula! The bottom line is these books are just fun and Cussler should never apologize for that.
I was originally hooked on the series because I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, and most of the Northern California/Nevada train journeys he takes in the first two books I've taken as well. It's fun to read about what this area might've been like at turn-of-the- last century.
September 9, 2009
Probably my favorite Clive Cusstler book so far, it takes place at the turn of the century, back when automobiles were few and far between and people got to their destinations via the rail road. Isaac Bell, a detective, is bound and determined to catch the "butcher bandit" who had been robbing banks and murdering people all over the West, but disappearing without a trace. A fun and clean adventure, that was not only exciting, but gave you a unique view into life during 1906. I really liked it.
November 22, 2008
First time reader of the Cussler books, of which there are many. While I did finish the book, and wasn't completely turned off by this book, his writing is really pretty horrid. Excerpt, "Little did they know that one of them would not be alive tomorrow". I could go on, and on....on.
For an airport book it did do the trick.
For an airport book it did do the trick.
August 23, 2015
Clive Cussler, what can you say? Cussler is a master artist that can paint such a descriptive picture on the canvas of imagination that you are immediately brought into the story. In The Chase, the protagonist is a swarthy, wealthy, man's man. Dirk Pitt? Kurt Austin? No, it's Issac Bell with the
Van Dorn Detective Agency, on the heels of the Butcher Bandit. Set in the early 1900's, Cussler's research of that era is flawless, even down to describing the Underwood typewriter a secretary is using. A great story and a great Chase by a master story teller. Laundry? Shopping? Dinner? Uh...let me finish the next chapter first.
Van Dorn Detective Agency, on the heels of the Butcher Bandit. Set in the early 1900's, Cussler's research of that era is flawless, even down to describing the Underwood typewriter a secretary is using. A great story and a great Chase by a master story teller. Laundry? Shopping? Dinner? Uh...let me finish the next chapter first.
May 17, 2011
This was a fun mystery. I listened to the audio version and it was well done. read by Scott Brick. The story is about a string of robberies all over the country in 1906. The robber leaves NO trace and has stumped all detectives. Finally Issac Bell is hired and he starts finding clues. It was fun to hear about what life was like in the 1906. They happen to be in San Francisco during the great quake. I had quite an appreciation for what it was like to experience the quake and the limited technology back then, slow transportation, etc.
I loved this book!
I loved this book!
January 26, 2022
Fast Paced
I really enjoyed the heck out of this book. It was a precise historical fiction based on life and to turn to the 19th century.
The characters were exciting and very easy to relate to – – even the bad guys
Yes, this book is exceptionally fast-paced. I really think it would make a fantastic movie.
I highly recommend it.
I really enjoyed the heck out of this book. It was a precise historical fiction based on life and to turn to the 19th century.
The characters were exciting and very easy to relate to – – even the bad guys
Yes, this book is exceptionally fast-paced. I really think it would make a fantastic movie.
I highly recommend it.
April 10, 2012
This is the first book in Clive Cussler's new Isaac Bell series, but the second that I've read. It's another solid character for him, but moves away from the sea and to trains as the travel mode of choice. It appears from the first two books of the series that he introduced a new plot format, wherein the story takes place for the most part in the early years of the 20th century, with foreshadowing in the introduction, and then the ending itself, taking place toward the middle of the century. I'm curious to see if that continues in the future novels in this series.
March 8, 2016
Another good series by Clive Cussler. Not as unique as his NUMA ones.
May 27, 2019
Great mystery novel
June 29, 2011
My first Clive Cussler, but I have to say I was interested in reading a Cussler book after having watched the movie Sahara--and eventually, I'd like to read that book just to see all the differences between movie and book.
From the get go, I was hooked since this was historical fiction. I tried not to read much description about the book so I could be surprised. I really enjoyed it all the way through. I read through some reviews after finishing, and one point that I could see that was made was how some of the historical information was disseminated throughout. For me, I loved the descriptions and technical information given, such as with the one railway car Bell used for this final pursuit of "The Butcher Bandit." I also enjoyed his descriptions of the great earthquake of 1906 in San Francisco. For those who criticized the way Cussler's writing isn't historically accurate, my response is this: It's called fiction, historical fiction more specifically, for a reason. I personally think he made the story work by mingling in the science part of "the chase" as well as both antagonist's and protagonist's intelligence. The one thing that I had to put aside and suspend my "belief" was just "how perfect" Isaac Bell appears to be. Bell reminded me of such old Western tv characters like Marshall Matt Dillion of the Gunsmoke fame (so sad, too, is that I just saw where James Arness died on June 3, 2011).
Although the story does the "flashback" thing to an extent, starting from 1950 and jumping back to 1906, this book had me hooked--I wanted to find out what happened to steam locomotive and the remains of three people with it that was found at the bottom of a very deep Montana lake.
From the get go, I was hooked since this was historical fiction. I tried not to read much description about the book so I could be surprised. I really enjoyed it all the way through. I read through some reviews after finishing, and one point that I could see that was made was how some of the historical information was disseminated throughout. For me, I loved the descriptions and technical information given, such as with the one railway car Bell used for this final pursuit of "The Butcher Bandit." I also enjoyed his descriptions of the great earthquake of 1906 in San Francisco. For those who criticized the way Cussler's writing isn't historically accurate, my response is this: It's called fiction, historical fiction more specifically, for a reason. I personally think he made the story work by mingling in the science part of "the chase" as well as both antagonist's and protagonist's intelligence. The one thing that I had to put aside and suspend my "belief" was just "how perfect" Isaac Bell appears to be. Bell reminded me of such old Western tv characters like Marshall Matt Dillion of the Gunsmoke fame (so sad, too, is that I just saw where James Arness died on June 3, 2011).
Although the story does the "flashback" thing to an extent, starting from 1950 and jumping back to 1906, this book had me hooked--I wanted to find out what happened to steam locomotive and the remains of three people with it that was found at the bottom of a very deep Montana lake.
April 5, 2020
I was upset to hear that Clive Cussler had passed away, and I felt guilty that I had never read any of his novels. I picked up this little gem in a used book store and dove right in. The story takes place during 1906 in the Western part of the US. The characters bounce around using trains and the latest automobiles of the time period, the brilliantly villainous Cromwell staying one step ahead of our protagonist and James-Bondesque good guy Bell. It's believable to a point, except Bell can do no wrong and all the women fall over themselves in his presence. It's a bit of a Gary Stu fantasy, but there's still a good time to be had here. If you enjoy heist stories, and the good cop figure chasing after the bad thief, then this is the book for you. The reason why I've rated it lower is the fact that the narrative stalled around 1/3 of the way in, and it took some convincing to dive back in and finish it. The other is the appalling romance. Granted, Cussler isn't known for his romance stories, and there's a reason for that. The insta-love happened so quickly that I was sure that Bell was using Marion for her connection to Cromwell, and didn't believe that he really cared about her until the end. There's no relationship development for either of them. I wasn't expecting a great American romance story, but come on, Cussler. All this to say, it was fine, enjoyable for what it was, but not much else.
February 4, 2009
I have been a lover of Clive Cussler's books for a long time. I have gotten used to his characters from Dirk Pitt to Kurt Austin to the members of the Oregon. When I heard this book was coming out and it didn't have any of his usual characters that I am used to I was kind of skeptical about whether or not it would be as good or great as his others.I have to say I was wrong. This book was, as tony the tiger would say, gggggggggggggggggggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaatttttttttttttt.
This book happens in the year 1906 in the new west as the book puts it because it happens as train tracks are laid down to have the east coast meets west coast. It also introduces a great new character by the name of Issac Bell,who is a detective searching for the Butcher Bandit. The storyline at first was kind of hard to like,mainly because I was being,for lack of a better term, pain about trying to get into new characters but turned out great as the storyline became more fast paced when Bell figured out who the bandit was. This character reminds me of a 20th century sherlock holmes type character that anyone really could relate to.Also with cussler being a car person has every detail of all the cars,carts,bikes and trains in excellent detail.
All in all it was a great book that all will enjoy whether or not your a clive cussler fan.
This book happens in the year 1906 in the new west as the book puts it because it happens as train tracks are laid down to have the east coast meets west coast. It also introduces a great new character by the name of Issac Bell,who is a detective searching for the Butcher Bandit. The storyline at first was kind of hard to like,mainly because I was being,for lack of a better term, pain about trying to get into new characters but turned out great as the storyline became more fast paced when Bell figured out who the bandit was. This character reminds me of a 20th century sherlock holmes type character that anyone really could relate to.Also with cussler being a car person has every detail of all the cars,carts,bikes and trains in excellent detail.
All in all it was a great book that all will enjoy whether or not your a clive cussler fan.
May 21, 2011
A departure from Cussler's usual adventure novels, Isaac Bell is sort of a cross between James Bond and Sherlock Holmes. I liked it. I really like Isaac Bell and the other Van Dorn detectives he worked with. For those of you who thought this book was far fetched and cheesy, you are right. But if you don't like that, you need to be reading Stephen Ambrose, or a newspaper. I read Cussler's books because I like the farfetched hero story with the unlikely action scenes and accomplishments. If I want realistic, I'll watch the news or a documentary. I enjoyed Cussler's departure from his normal adventure format, to a detective/mystery format. He still managed to tie adventure into the story, while making it different than all the Dirk Pitt and Kurt Austin Adventures.
September 23, 2018
A decent detective story set in 1906, not as exciting as some of Clive Cusslers other novels. Enjoyable story but some of the later chapters got a little long.
June 9, 2022
4 stars- English Ebook
A no-nonsense detective is on the trail of the sharpest and deadliest criminal mind he has ever encountered: a serial robber who murders any and all witnesses in cold-blood.
I started this series with the most current book and the gangsters . I became so engrossed in the stories I decided to start the series from the very beginning and this book is the first one of the series which introduce Isaac Bell.
The setting is in 1906 it starts out in Denver Colorado where Isaac Bell has been sent by his boss to find the burglar bandit. All we know at the beginning of the story is that the person he's looking for has killed 30 people without witnesses at 30 different locations about the nation.
One thing this book does is it starts in 1950 describing a locomotive and carbine dredged up from a lake which was on the bottom and you have Isaac Bell standing there in 1950 watching it come up. As we go to the story with Isaac Bell trying to find the burglar bandit the significance of that train comes comes to a close as we get to the end of the story.
I enjoyed reading about how I think Bill was able to with very little clues figure out exactly who the burglar band was. He used little clues like missing a finger walking differently a meet with a beautiful woman types of transportation other than normal transportation and finally a face-to-face with the actual person which finally solved the mystery of the burglar bandit. I look forward to reading the next part two of the series and seeing how Isaac Bell of the next
Adventure.
A no-nonsense detective is on the trail of the sharpest and deadliest criminal mind he has ever encountered: a serial robber who murders any and all witnesses in cold-blood.
I started this series with the most current book and the gangsters . I became so engrossed in the stories I decided to start the series from the very beginning and this book is the first one of the series which introduce Isaac Bell.
The setting is in 1906 it starts out in Denver Colorado where Isaac Bell has been sent by his boss to find the burglar bandit. All we know at the beginning of the story is that the person he's looking for has killed 30 people without witnesses at 30 different locations about the nation.
One thing this book does is it starts in 1950 describing a locomotive and carbine dredged up from a lake which was on the bottom and you have Isaac Bell standing there in 1950 watching it come up. As we go to the story with Isaac Bell trying to find the burglar bandit the significance of that train comes comes to a close as we get to the end of the story.
I enjoyed reading about how I think Bill was able to with very little clues figure out exactly who the burglar band was. He used little clues like missing a finger walking differently a meet with a beautiful woman types of transportation other than normal transportation and finally a face-to-face with the actual person which finally solved the mystery of the burglar bandit. I look forward to reading the next part two of the series and seeing how Isaac Bell of the next
Adventure.
January 18, 2020
A refreshing change of pace. Set in the early 1900s, Isaac Bell is from a wealthy Boston banking family, who would rather be out in the field solving crimes for the Van Dorn detective agency than sitting at a desk in a bank.
August 19, 2021
I do love a good action story! Learned a bit about old cars and trains too. More involved with the storyline than the actual characters, they didn’t have much depth, but the story was enough. Also my publication seemed poorly edited, with lots of spelling errors and just incorrect words or wrong names throughout. Enjoyable all the same!
November 18, 2025
exciting
Great story from beginning to end. Hats off to the author!
Easy to follow the excitement of the story all the way tot he end.
Great story from beginning to end. Hats off to the author!
Easy to follow the excitement of the story all the way tot he end.
July 19, 2022
Cussler always does a fun historical thriller.
July 27, 2022
Cussler has an interesting way of writing. The story is laden with historic details that are both fascinating, and also frustrating (the minutia does slow down the plot). The characters are two dimensional, but the book is entertaining, and not completely predictable. Would recommend for a beach read.
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