The Cutthroat (An Isaac Bell Adventure)

Issac Bell Adventures aren't my favorite Custler novels but this one is among the best. Good characters and good plot. Good ending. Well worth reading.

This book is filled with history, both in England and the U.S. The characters, from Bell, Marion, the Van Dorn detectives, and even the dastardly villains, are finely tuned. Fast paced and glorious. It didn't get 5 stars from me (no spoiler here!) because the plot dealt with the overdone Jack the Ripper theme. It's one that's grown tiresome through the many variations I've read. If you like that particular saga, you'll enjoy this novel. Recommended!

Excellent story with action and suspense! ISAAC BELL is a factor not to be taken lightly. He has a pure knack in solving crimes! Read and Enjoy!!!!!

I fully enjoyed the book from beginning to the end. This would make a great movie. It's to bad he died in the end. It could have been a great series.

Detective Isaac Bell is one of my favorite Clive Cussler fictional characters. Truth to tell, Cussler is one of my favorite authors, not because he is someday going to win a Pulitzer Prize for literature but because he knows how to develop engaging characters and put them in interesting situations. "The Cutthroat," however, doesn't rise to his usual standards, at least in my opinion. It rambles at times, gets more than a little preachy at others, and - in the main - just doesn't hold together well. I won't go deeply into the plot, but I will say that Bell and other members of the detective agency for which he and they work are on the trail of a serial killer who may have been murdering young women for more than 20 years. The narrative takes the reader across the United States and to England and it can be quite breathless at times (a consistent feature of Cussler's novels.) The problem is, at least for me, two-fold: The killer seems to have passed unnoticed by police (Bell has a theory for why that is) for two decades despite the fact he racks up an enormous body count, and no one in his inner circle ever seems to suspect him. That second issue is the one I find hardest to accept because, as a retired journalist, I covered the careers of more than one serial killer and there were always hints about their darker sides. In some cases those hints were revealed in their conversations and their actions toward others, in others they revolved around unexplained absences. The fact is, there was - and is - always something a little bit "off" about these predators who can indiscriminately take the lives of their victims. There are a few other issues I have with the portrayal of this mass murderer but those are the main ones. Suffice it to say I just didn't find this Cussler villain to be as well drawn as most of the author's other antagonists. That was disappointing because Cussler's villains are almost always at least as interesting as his heroic figures. An okay read but not one of Cussler's best.

This Isaac Bell adventure centered on Jack the Ripper continuing his murders in the United States. While I have read all of the prior Isaac Bell character books and enjoyed some more than others, this one seemed to have too many ancillary characters to keep track of throughout the book. Bell visits England and encounters a British spy which was an enjoyable section of the book with some surprises. I missed the usual interaction with all the Van Dorn detectives, as it seemed very limited in this novel. The Bell books are terrific for visiting the turn of the century time period and usually there is more excitement that portrayed in this specific book. I am looking forward to a better next issue.

Set in 1911, Van Dorn lead detective Isaac Bell is hired to find Anna Pape, a young woman who's ran away to become an actress. Disturbed when Anna turns up murdered, Isaac now must find Anna's killer. But that won't be an easy job, for other young women besides Anna are being murdered. Not only do the women resemble one another, the killer has left distinct marks in each victim. As Isaac and the rest of the Van Dorn detectives begin working on the case, a disturbing fact is uncovered; these murders are remarkably similar to the Jack The Ripper killings in London. Now, Isaac travels to London to pursue his hunch, while in America, a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde play travels across the country. It's possible that the killings of the young actresses might lie with this play troupe. To make matters even more difficult for Isaac, his wife, Marion Morgan Bell, has proposed making the Jekyll and Hyde play into a movie, thus putting herself in danger. "The Cutthroat" promises to be Isaac Bell's greatest case yet. I've read all of the Isaac Bell series, and have enjoyed each one. I especially like the time period setting for each novel. As with the previous books in this series, this story is very exciting and builds in intensity throughout while leaving the reader to guess who the "bad guy" is until the very end. The characters have become old friends, many of whom have appeared in each of the previous books in the series. I'm a big fan of Isaac Bell as well as Cussler's other characters and I'm anticipating the next Isaac Bell adventure. Highly recommended.

So far a good read, still a bit early. Delivered rather quickly. No complaints on service. Read some more, very good read. Ok finished the book, an excellent read highly recommended. The end is a bit unique but fitting.