The Assassin

Written by W.E.B. Griffin

Narrated by Michael Russotto

A political assasin is ready to make his move. The police department's only clue is a single, perfectly typed bomb threat. And worse yet, the police aren't sure they can trust their own people. In a few short days, the corruption of one cop--and the madness of an assasin--could blow the whole city sky high...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Audio
• Release date: Jan 20, 2011
• ISBN: 9781101484326

W.E.B. Griffin

W.E.B. Griffin is the author of six bestselling series—and now Clandestine Operations.   William E. Butterworth IV has worked closely with his father for more than a decade, and is the coauthor with him of many books, most recently Hazardous Duty and Top Secret.  

Reviews for The Assassin

[claidheamdann-847250 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

And enjoyable read, but the co-authors 'effort to conceal the gender of the assassin gave away the assassin's identity almost from the beginning of the book.

[payday1999-430350 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the first Isaac Bell book I've read. I loved it, which is surprising because I don't like historical fiction. The author doesn't drag you down with describing things at that time, which I like. This book jumps right into the story and you follow along with figuring out the mysteries with tons of action scenes. If the rest of his Isaac Bell books is like this one, I'm sure I'll love them all. I've put them on my list to read.

The story sucked me in and I finished it fast. I really loved the reveal at the end. I didn't guess it and usually I'm good at that. This book was easy to follow with the characters, haven't read any of the previous books.

Overall I am pleased with the book and would recommend it to others to read.

I won this book in a giveaway.

[jennysbookbag.com · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is my first Clive Cussler book and I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. Lots of great action. If you love action adventure novels, give this one a try.

[maydacat_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There’s action galore in this thriller about oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller. Isaac Bell finds himself in the middle of a case involving a sniper, shady dealings, big business, poisoning, accidents that really aren’t accidents, a missing man, and pretty women, not to mention foreign intrigue and suffragists. Will Bell solve the case before it all blows up – literally – in his face? Great characters and a plot that rushes on through all 400 pages makes this tale an exciting page-turner.

[virginia51-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As always this is a good story featuring Isaac Bell. I like the later books with his wife the best but this was still a good story.love reading about the trains.

[brianewilliams · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is another exciting adventure story, with Detective Isaac Bell saving the day again. There's some exotic travel involved, going to Russia via Turkey and travelling on the Orient Express. Back in the USA, Bell has some adventures with hot air balloons. All good fun and entertaining reading -- even though it's over the top.

[dswaddell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a book that is earlier in the career of Isaac Bell then the earlier books. I found myself asking early on what had happened as there is no description at the start of the book to indicate it is out of sequence. Bell is working with (and investigating) Rockerfeller to stop a lunatic from killing folks in the oil business. Overall; a good compelling story.

[thewanderingjew_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Driving up north from Florida, I listened to Clive Cussler’s latest book. As usual, it was a fast paced, exciting story designed to keep the reader involved even when the characters were in the most implausible situations. The back story begins at the turn of the 20th century, but most of the action takes place in 1905. The plot is centered around an unknown assassin suspected of killing off men standing in the way of Standard Oil’s rise to power.
John D. Rockefeller is the oil and railroad baron controlling the competition by using hardball methods. He does not have a stellar reputation and is feared and disliked by the small oil men who are hoping to build a pipe line to transfer their own product to market. His tactics interfere with and sharply curtail the success of their efforts, and they are bitter. When the competition begins dying mysteriously, Isaac Bell, a private detective of the Van Dorn Agency, becomes involved. He is looking for corporate misconduct on the part of Rockefeller and Standard Oil and a possible murder suspect!
Years earlier, two partners had basically been cheated out of their investments by Rockefeller’s heavy hand. One, Bill Matters, joined forces with J.D. Rockefeller and the other, Spike Hopewell, set off on his own absolutely resenting his partner as a traitor. Matters grew rich as he rose through Standard Oil’s rank, but secretly he plotted his revenge against the man who stole everything from him. He had two daughters. Both of the young women were independent; one, Edna, is a journalist and the other, Nellie, currently tools around in a hot air balloon as she supports the woman’s suffragist movement, but she had dabbled in many other things, including acting. Both young women were enamored with the Private Detective, and Bell is actually smitten by both of them, as well, unable to make a choice. He courted both as he searched for clues in the corporate maze, looking for proof that the recent deaths of several of the men opposing Rockefeller’s plans were not due to natural causes, accidents or suicide, but rather due to murder. He believed that there was an assassin in the wings. He was hoping to discover the underhanded tactics he suspected Rockefeller of using in order to stifle competition.
As the mystery unfolded, there was romance in the air as well as rising tension. There was also a humorous, light touch which made the book easy to read, however, for this reader, the plot sometimes veered into the realm of fantasy. When a hot air balloon goes wild and Bell climbs the ropes high above the earth to cut holes in the fabric and then survives the fall to earth miraculously, it stretched the imagination a bit too far. There were other moments like that, but since they were all woven into the story, holding the reader’s attention awaiting the final outcome, it seemed to work. It would seem that Bell, like a cat, had multiple lives and a great deal of convenient, lucky breaks.
The picture of J. D. Rockefeller was that of a strong man with a cold heart, a man who had a deep love for his business and a respect for industriousness, but a man who was without much of a sense of humor or empathy for others. The story detailed the rough environment in which the industry grew as well as the hardness and dedication of the men involved in order for them to even begin to succeed and compete with the heavy hand of J. D. Rockefeller. The competition was ruthless and the consequences were often callous and violent.
It was a good book to listen to for a road trip as it held my attention while it didn’t tax my brain. The author researched the history of the times well, knew about the industry and the murder weapons, and understood the mindset of both the prominent and the struggling oilmen. He provided detailed explanations of guns, hot air balloons, the women’s suffrage movement, and some world events, as he described the nature of the development of the oil industry and pipe lines worldwide. The book is the eighth in a series about Isaac Bell. There may be more to come.