Spencerville

Great characters, very deeply drawn...both the heroes and villains. I felt I got to know them all. The plot is straight forward, but the journey to its conclusion is fast paced, tense, filled with twists and turns and makes you turn the pages rapidly.

There is enough wry humor, sarcasm and cynicism from the protagonist (Keith Landry) and his allies to allow the reader a chance to relax from the nonstop action...refreshing and almost necessary in a book this lengthy. The major bad guy (Cliff Baxter) is truly despicable, but devious, dangerous, deadly and cunning (and he wears a badge). It is quite easy hoping he gets what's due him.

I got through about 15% of this book before putting it down. I love Nelson DeMille's John Corey books, but most everything else I've tried of his reads like a bad Lifetime movie. (Which is to say, any Lifetime movie!)

His antagonist, Cliff Baxter, is a stereotypical evil bully chief of police in a small town. He lords over everyone, including his wife, who makes a half-hearted attempt to kill him early on. Ironically, her former lover, Keith Landry, moves back to town from his career as a national intelligence officer. He still has feelings for her, although he knows she’s married. Think Keith and Cliff will do battle later on? I’m assuming so, but I’m not sticking around to find out.

DeMille seems more interested in describing show more every acre of Spencerville and its politics than in telling a good story. Which is unfortunate, because most of the Cory novels (except “Up Country”) are great. show less

I love me some DeMille! I might go Mormon so I can take him as my second wife...ok, that might be a little over exaggeration, but heck, the man can write! No John Corey this time, but we get Keith Landry, who doesn't compare to Corey, but holds his own in this book. Spencerville is an excellent story consisting of your basic guy loves girl, but goes away to war instead of marrying girl, unresolved issues, girl marries psychopath, guy comes back and girl and guy realize they still love each other, guy fights psychopath to win girl and....well, I won't spoil it for you. All in all a great story by one of, if not, my favorite author(s).

A rip-roaring thriller. I couldn't put it down. Sure, you pretty much see most of the plot coming a mile away but I thought it was great fun. It reminded me of Stephen King without the supernatural element: easily identifiable good and bad guys, mature love story, violence, suspense. I thought the character of Annie was one of his better-written women; she has a bit more agency than many of the other DeMille love interests. I was looking for absorbing entertainment and it provided.

Another Demille novel that kept my rapt interest. It had spies, crime, a big fat sheriff, love, and was set in the nation's heartland. Great listen from Audible.com.

There are two parts of the story that I have a hard time with. First, why hadn’t Annie gotten out of town and filed for divorce long ago? And how does a police chief really recruit officers that will be willing to flout the law any time he asks. It's obvious that he is using them to watch his wife, why don't they object? But if you just accept those areas and get on with the story, Spencerville is a good read. By the second half, it is hard to put down.

My complete review is on my Blog, Nate's Library, specifically at: http://nates-library.blogspot.com/2008/08/nelson-demille-spencerville.html

This is not the kind of book Nelson DeMille usually writes, so I wasn't expecting to read what amounts to a fairy tale with explicit sex and violence.

Keith Landry has spent his adult life working for the government fighting the cold war. When that part of history ends, he is released from his job into an early retirement. He decides to go back to Spencerville, Ohio, the small agricultural town where he was born and grew up. This is also the place where the love of his life, Annie Prentis, still lives, although now she's married to the town's Chief Of Police who is a sadistic bully. Annie and Keith have maintained a platonic correspondence over the years, but both of them have thoughts of being together some day if and when they meet show more again. With Keith's return to Spencerville, the stage is set for the couple to reunite. Annie is ready to leave her husband, and Keith would like nothing more than to assist her so she'll be with him.

While the situations faced by the people in this story are very adult, the whole mood of the developing situations is adolescent. The one part that rings true is the sense of nostalgia DeMille infuses into the story. Anyone who has grown up in a small town will recognize the sense of unity; of people looking out for one another, and of the notion that everyone knows who you are and who you belong to. Whether DeMille is writing about the bar in the center of town or the general store visited by most of the towns' people, that feeling of pleasant past memories comes through to the reader.

While I wouldn't recommend this book as one of DeMille's best, it is an interesting story and a worthwhile read. show less