Necessary Evil

by David Dun

In this stunning psychological thriller, David Dun demonstrates that he is that rare breed of author who brings to his very first book, not just enormous talent, but the skill and polish that will remind readers of some of today's most seasoned writers. Like the earlier books of New York Times bestseller Jeffery Deaver, "Necessary Evil" hurtles along at breakneck speed, packing an intense, action-filled story into a period of time so short it leaves us breathless.During a savage snowstorm, a private jet slams into the rugged California high country. In its wake lies a litter of twisted fuselage, mangled corpses...and enough infectious toxins to wipe out most of humanity. Two people -- an expert mountaineer and a female FBI agent -- find the wreckage and its hazardous contents. Now, they're the target of a dangerous enemy that will kill to keep a conspiracy concealed.

Genres: Suspense, Thriller

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 2001

About the author

David Dun was born and grew up in western Washington but moved to northern California to begin his legal career. He still resides in California with his wife in a secluded home perched on the side of a mountain. He drives old cars, wears jeans whenever possible, loves reading and writing, hates exercise but does it religiously, diets with disgusting precision, and wants to be a writer even after he grows up. He has a private law practice representing family corporations. He hates to tell his age but we'll give you a clue. He was born December 12, 1949. He is quick to point out that only 20 more days and it would have been 1950. Writing, like life, he says is a race against time.

Reviews

[Keri]

I picked up this book not really in the mood to read suspense with alot of action, but I kept at it until finally I stopped struggling and just read the darn thing. Once I did that, I enjoyed the book tremendously. There was even a really great romance between Kier and Jessie. The love scene was satisfying and felt real. The book did have alot of good suspense and quite a bit of Tilok Indian folklore and history. Keir, a Tilok vet and Jessie an FBI agent are pitted against a madman and time itself, in order to rescue the Tilok people from being decimated by a deliberately planted disease.

[Alice]

This book is a page turner. This is the first book I read by this author. Very good.

[Maryann]

Well, one and done with David Dun.
Most of the story consists of Kier, a Native American survivalist, and Jessie, a visiting FBI agent, who are being chased by a mad scientist and his troops during a winter blizzard in the northern California mountains. Then throw in some Native American mysticism to add mystery.
It's one dramatic close call after another until Kier's grandfather, The Spirit Walker, saves the day.
Yet, with all of this stuff going on the book was a bore. One boring crisis after another with juvenile dialog and plenty of "Whew! - that was close!

[Dlora]

I borrowed this book from Melissa but it wasn't what I expected at all. I thought there would be more details about animals and veterinary skills since the main character is a vet, but he is also an Indian and there was a lot about hunting and tracking. I found that fascinating and it moved the action along quickly. However, as Melissa said, there was a bit too much sexual innuendos--even though Melissa kindly ripped out two pages of what must have been a lurid sex scene for me. You can't loan your mother a book with something like that in it, right? Also, the motivations for plot and character relationships weren't fully developed enough, but I was fascinated with the chase.
There was one paragraph that got me thinking. I'm not sure that I completely agree with it. See what you think: "Disease was often associated with dysfunctional lifestyles. Poverty and the idle hand from which it stemmed created a host of maladies. Gluttony was tributary to a different set of diseases. Careless sexual habits spawned numerous others. It seemed that the flaws of mankind nurtured disease. The scourge of disease was nature's discipline. Society needed a more advanced approach to disease than merely curing it, for to cure all disease was to take away nature's ability to chastise" (page 88-89).

[Melissa]

It's okay. This story is an adventure/suspense novel. Jessie comes to visit her sister who lives near an indian tribe in New York. She meets the local veteranarian and while out looking at a horse, they come across a downed plane and a mystery! The entire book is them running away from the bad buys and Kier using his indian tracking skills to keep them out of trouble.

It's interesting but I kept finding it way to easy to put down and not compelling enough to make me want to drop everything to pick it back up. There is also a pretty descrptive "love" scene but you can skip to the next chapter at that point and not miss anything important. Isn't that the way it always is?

[Nancy]

Shades of early Clive Cussler! but less 'fantastic' and more credible. It is a thriller that gallops along from the first paragraph and Dun is extremely good at describing his beloved northern Calif. mountains. The story is the triumph of good over evil (with the usually accompanying violence) and the characters are superbly drawn - especially the psychopathic 'bad guy.' There is great sexual tension from the very beginning, making the eventual love scene and the ending credible. The plot twists nicely, and a bit of Indian mysticism add dimension to the story. I will read more of Dun's works

[Bev Walkling]

This is not my usual genre but for some reason, novels with airplane crashes seem to catch my attention. This one was a nail biter. It began with a crash and a nefarious plot on the part of a pharmaceutical magnate. It is filled with action, violence and a devastating plot. A native veterinarian and a troubled female FBI operative get pulled into the conspiracy. The love for his native culture and knowledge of the local wilderness environment are a wonderful addition to the story. I loved it and would definitely recommend it if you like a good thriller.