Search - Cathedral

I like DeMille A LOT...but this book was not my favorite I've read of his. Very confusing, too many characters and not enough twists.

Same title and text just a different cover.
St Patrick's Day, New York City. Everyone is celebrating but everyone is in for the shock of his life. Born into the heat and hatred of the Northern Ireland conflicit, IRA man Brian Flynn has masterminded a brilliant terrorist act-the siezure of Saint Patrick's Cathedral. Among his hostages: the woman Brian Flynn once loved, a former terrorist turned peace activist. Along his enemies: an Irish-American police lieutenant fighting against a traitor inside his own ranks and a shadowy British intelligence officer pursuing his own cynical, bloody plan, The cops face a booby-trapped, perfectly laid out killing zone inside the church, The hostages face death. Flynn faces his own demons, in an electrifying duel of nerves, honor, and betrayal...

A small faction of the IRA takes over St. Patrick's cathedral in NYC on St. Patrick's Day and threatens to blow it up along with the Cardinal and three other hostages. About halfway through the book, the major characters are finally fully limned. The action takes place over about 12 hours. After the first few chapters setting up the characters and scenario, the buildup to the last five or ten minutes when the final confrontation takes place is detailed and suspenseful. Those final 5-10 of the storyline, however, are total chaos, not just plotwise but narrativewise -- understandable in this kind of situation but something that cannot be forgiven by the reader. I had the choice of slowing down my reading pace so I could keep track of what was happening or maintaining the rhythm at the risk of losing detail. I'd say it's an above-average thriller, with DeMille still waiting to fulfill his potential.

MY first DeMille book. A good story. I'll definitely read more...

A hostage stand-off set in St. Patrick's Cathedral with good guys and bad guys on both sides of the aisle. Some twists and turns to keep it interesting.

3 stars out of 5