The Greatest Sentence Ever

Isaacson, Walter. The Greatest Sentence Ever Written. New York : Simon & Schuster 2025. Print.

First Sentences:

"We hold these truths to be sacred ..."

Sacred? No. That doesn't sound right.

But that's how Thomas Jefferson wrote it in his first draft. 

Description:

Now who can resist looking into a book with this title? Certainly not I. 

 

Here's a short, but important and captivating book for lovers (like me) of history, documents, and human rights: The Greatest Sentence Ever Written by Walter Isaacson. This title refers to the second sentence of the United States' Declaration of Independence. I'll refresh your memory here of its glorious second sentence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

Powerful words to frame the concepts behind the creation of a new country. Simple words, easily understood and eventually, sometimes grudgingly, agreed upon by its writers: Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston of the Declaration Drafting Committee, as well as the 60 other colony representatives assembled in 1776. After agreement, the representatives then had to sell it to their own people and the other thirteen colonies for their accpetance before it could be sent on to England and the King.

Author Isaacson, inspired by the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration signing, created this 67-page book to analyze the wording, concepts, and behind-the scenes-battles surrounding this sentence. 

In brief two- to four-page chapters, he examines key words and concepts. The word "We, the People" gets its own three pages:

That phrase, We, the People, is as profound as it is simple. Our governance is based not on the divine right of kings or the power imposed by emperors and conquerors. It is based on a compact, a social contract, that we the people have entered into.

The Declaration writers employed this Social Contract idea from the writings of Thomas Hobbes, David, Hume, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, political and social philosophers popular with Jefferson, Franklin, and the other Declaration creators. 

Of course, "All men are created equal" was a problematic issue. Almost all the signers of the Declaration (41 out of 56) owned slaves, including Jefferson who had enslaved "more than 600 men, women and children." While John Adams was against slavery, he did write "The subject is too dangerous to be touched in public." His wife, Abigail, had a stronger opinion:

How can those who advocate the right of man hold their fellow creatures in chains? It is a contradiction that much wound the conscience of every honest man. 

But to secure the signatures of the Southern colonies' representatives, the issue of slavery was glossed over, hopefully to be addressed by calmer people at a more rational time after the Union had been formed and settled.

Besides Isaacson's commentary, the book also contains appendices with the entire Declaration of Independence, Jefferson's original Declaration draft, Virginia's Declaration of Rights of 1776, Rousseau's Social Contract of 1762, and even John Locke's Second Treatise of Government from 1690, all used as the source of political and social ideas. 

He also provides his thoughts on the Declaration power and its affect today, and how we as a individuals and country can move forward based on these fundamental principles. The key is finding the "Common Ground" to contentious issues that divide us, to work together to understand and develop systems and institutions that provide for the greater good for the greatest number of people.

It's a short, but inspiring analysis of an important sentence, one that defines the foundation of our nation. It is well worth an hour or two of your time to pursue its clear, concise history and interpretation of these powerful words from our own Declaration of Independence. 

[Franklin and Jefferson]'s goal on contentious issues was not to triumph but to find the right balance, an art that has been lost today. Compromisers may not make great heroes, Franklin liked to say, but they do make great democracies. 

[If this book interests you, be sure to check out:]

 Conaway, Janes. America's Library.

History and important documents contained in of one of the greatest libraries of the current age, The United State Library of Congress. (Previously reviewed here.)

 Happy reading.

Fred

[P.S. Click here to browse over 500 more book recommendations by subject or title and read the introduction to The First Sentence Reader.]

Shibumi

Trevanian. Shiubumi. New York: Crown1979. Print.

First Sentences:

The screen flashed 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3...then the projector was switched off, and lights came up in a recessed sconces along the walls of the private viewing room. The projectionist's voice was thin and metallic over the intercom. "Ready when you are, Mr. Starr."


Description:

I was intrigued and utterly captivated by Trevanian's Shibumi, when I first read it in the early 1980s. After stumbling across it again at a used book sale, I thought it was worth a purchase and re-read, and I wasn't disappointed. The story, characters, plot, and writing hold up very well forty years later.   

Trevanian, author of the best seller and movie, The Eiger Sanction, offers a new character, Nicholi Hel, a most interesting, dangerous man. Raised by a Russian aristocrat mother and later by a Japanese general in Shanghai who taught him the strategic game of Go, Hel becomes an international figure, master of many languages and cultures. 

His passion is spelunking in dangerous caves. He has also picked up a skill known as "hoda korosu," or "naked kill," which allows him to use common household objects (playing cards, paper clips, etc.) to do bodily harm to enemies.  

Throughout his future life, although he was seldom armed, he was never unarmed; for in his hands a comb, a matchbox, a rolled magazine, a coin, even a folded piece of writing paper could be put to deadly use....For  Nicholai Hel, the average Western room contains just under two hundred lethal weapons.

In his youth, he suffered many hardships including the loss of his mother, the bombing of Hiroshima, and imprisonment by the American government, Naturally, he has a few grudges against several people and countries. 

It is only natural that he uses his skills to become the world's most feared assassin, although the book does not detail any of his "stunts" as he refers to them. Most have happened prior to the book's major narrative when Hel is retired and seeking to live in peace. 

But the Mother Company, an international organization which controls the CIA, NSA, etc., has botched a recent assassination attempt on the Munich Olympics killers. They will not leave Hel alone after learning one of the assassination survivors showed up at Hel's isolated Basque home to ask for help.

A violent man, no. His calm voice and demeanor reflects his thoughtful study of the life philosophy and practice of "Shabumi," the state of effortless perfection. He has restored a castle to fit with his lifestyle, including a rain porch where he can listen to the tones of rain on the roof, garden, and stream (which he tunes for more perfect sounds by moving the stream's rocks into different positions). These luxuries require money, hence his anonymous profession of the past as a highly-paid assassin.

Shibumi has to do with great refinement underlying commonplace appearances. It is a statement so correct that it does not have to be bold, so poignant it does not have to b e pretty, so true it does not have to be real. Shibumi is understanding, rather than knowledge. Eloquent silence. In demeanor, it is modesty with pudency....elegant simplicity, articulate brevity.

I don't want to reveal too much of the plot, but suffice to say this character, Nicholai Hel, is fascinating on every page. He calmly discusses philosophy, social mannerisms, game theory, life choices, and cultural differences, each of which is intriguing and absorbing to read about. These have shaped his upbringing and still influence his current life. And now he finds himself unwillingly drawn back into the world of secret, nefarious operations.

If you are a fan of thrillers, government covert plans, international politics, cultural philosophy, and just great characters, I highly recommend Shibumi. It is the best of this genre, next only to I Am Pilgrim (see below) that I have ever read...and I have read a bunch of them. Enjoy.

 

Happy reading. 

 

Fred

More book recommendations

About The First Sentence Reader blog

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If this book interests you, be sure to check out:

Hayes, Terry. I Am Pilgrim  

The best international thriller I have ever read, regarding a terrorist and his plot to destroy the United States, and his pursuer from a secret government agency. Unbelievably tense, well-written plot with two great characters. Highest recommendation.  (previously reviewed here)

 

Our Missing Hearts

Ng, Celeste. Our Missing Hearts. New York: Penguin. 2022. Print.

First Sentences:

The letter arrives on a Friday. Slit and resealed with a sticker, of course, as all their letters are: Inspected for your safety --- PACT. It had caused confusion at the post office, the clerk unfolding the paper inside, studying it, passing it up to his supervisor, then the boss. But eventually it had been deemed harmless and sent on its way. No return address, only a New York, NY postmark, six days old. On the outside, his name -- Bird -- and because of this he knows it is from his mother.


Description:

Seems like almost every week lately I have come across a new book that makes my top 10 all time list. Such was the case with Celeste Ng's Our Missing Hearts, a story that often hints at our current fearful society today in America and its repercussions on the people who must bend their lives to accommodate restrictive rules, government, and even neighbors intolerant of anything not patriotic or accepting of their new world.

You see, 12-year-old Noah (Byrd) Gardner lives in the United States under the laws created and enforced for the past ten years by PACT (The Preserving American Cultures and Traditions Act). These patriotism laws were overwhelming enacted in response to the worldwide Crisis, an international depression with joblessness, poverty, inflation, and ensuing riots. It was determined, without evidence, to have been brought on by the Chinese government and its people.

The Three Pillars of PACT: Outlaws promotion of un-American values and behavior: Requires all citizens to report potential threats to our society. Protects children from environments espousing harmful views.

Therefore, PACT forces everyone to promise allegiance, support, and love for the American government, while ostracizing anyone not meeting these goals in action or speech. Neighborhood Watch groups are everywhere, seeking out dissident opinions of actions and, if found, intensively questioning (or removing) the suspects. 

Children can be forcibly taken from homes of parents determined to be a bad influence and relocated to more suitable couples, never to be allowed to communicate with their biological parents. There are no protests of this action by parents since any questioning would contribute to the suspected parents' anti-PACT leanings, risking the real possibility that the children might never be returned.

Bird's mother had left him and his father three years earlier, never letting him know she was leaving and never corresponding with him until this note. It was a mysterious single sheet of paper without any words, filled with multiple drawings of cats and a tiny cupboard. 

Margaret, Byrd's mother, was a noted poet who had written the line "All our missing hearts" in one of her obscure poems. With these words, she had inadvertently created a slogan, a rallying phrase, that was taken up by an underground anti-PACT network. Her words appeared scrawled on walls, on signs, and other locations as the network tried to raise awareness of the seized children.

Margaret, despite knowing nothing about this loose organization, chooses to leave her home and go into hiding, protecting her husband Ethan and son who must now disavow all ties to her, her and especially her writing to insure Byrd (now called Noah) is not taken from his father as an "unsuitable influence."

With this new note, however, Noah takes on the challenge to find out more about his mother and hopefully locate her. 

Along the way, we read of Margaret's backstory, her life with Ethan, her word-loving husband and Noah's father, and the life she chooses to pursue while in hiding. Along with other notable friends, enemies, and "citizens" looking for any misstep by neighbors, Our Missing Hearts is both a gripping and heartfelt story, one filled with seeming hopelessness against a government of fear, and yet containing  a glimmer of hope from individuals trying to survive and make a difference in a twisted world.

Yes, yes, yes, I would recommend this book. It's a mystery, a warning, a breath of hope, and a gripping tale celebrating family strength. It's a book of friendship and secrets, fanaticism and consequences. But most of all, it is a deeply personal tale of perseverance toward achieving personal goals in order to understand one's self and the world, and how those two fit together now and in the future. Highest recommendation.

  

Happy reading. 

 

Fred

More book recommendations

About The First Sentence Reader blog

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If this book interests you, be sure to check out:

Orwell, George. 1984.   

The classic and still important story of a totalitarian society and one man who tries to fight back.

 

Nobody Walks

Herron, Mick. Nobody Walks. New York: Soho Press. 2015. Print.

First Sentences:

The news had come hundreds of miles to sit waiting for days in a mislaid phone. 

And there it lingered like a moth in a box, weightless, and aching for the light.

Description:

It's a simple story. A quiet, solitary man working at a dead end job in a meat processing plant in France receives a message on his phone that his son, Liam, has died, a son he barely has had contact with in years. Tom Bettany immediately walks off his job, gathers his few possessions from a locker, and heads to London to learn something about Liam's death. Mick Herron's thriller Nobody Walks starts off quietly enough with this open-and-shut case, but Bettany's involvement soon expands the action in every way conceivable.

Bettany learns that Liam fell from his apartment terrace under the influence of an exotic drug. Whether he fell, was pushed, or "something else" is what Bettany wants to know. The police are of no help, ruling it a simple accidental death. But Bettany plunges in anyways to search for the facts and an explanation.

We soon learn that Bettany is no ordinary father, no run-of-the-mill meat packer. He is a former special ops agent with London's MI5, a man who walked off that job and the grid years ago for unknown reasons. Now, his previous government employers may or may not be happy he has returned to snoop around this case. Certainly the crime bosses and drug lords Bettany dealt with in his former life do not want him back in their territory whether or not they are involved with Liam's death.

The ties Bettany has with his former life prove difficult to reconnect with or to break. After all, nobody walks away clean from a government intelligence position as Bettany soon learns.

Intriguing, confusing, clever, suspenseful, and gripping, Nobody Walks is high stakes criminal investigation and underworld shenanigans by conniving, very hard people around every corner. A challenging, riveting story with one of the most surprising endings to any novel I have ever read. Nobody Walks truly satisfies with its first (and last) sentences and everything in between, a rarity in my experience. 

The best news is Herron has written many other thrillers, so I'm excited to plunge into his well-written characters, plot, and dialogue for many weeks to come. Here's to great, prolific writers!

Happy reading. 

Fred

www.firstsentencereader.blogspot.com

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If this book interests you, be sure to check out:

Hayes, Terry. I Am Pilgrim

The best thriller imaginable. One man, formerly of an ultra-secret intelligence unit for the United State, must find a lone terrorist with the capability to inflict a damaging plague on the entire country. Fabulous in its breathtaking suspense, clever story, and strong, intelligent characters. (previously reviewed here)

Dead Wake

Larson, Erik. Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania. New York: Crown. 2015. Print.

First Sentences:

The smoke from ships and the exhalations of the river left a haze that blurred the world and made the big liner seem even bigger, less the product of human endeavor than an escarpment rising from a plain. 

The hull was black; seagulls flew past in slashes of white, pretty now, not yet the objects of horror they would become, later, for the man standing on the ship's bridge, seven stories above the wharf.

Description:

While many of us may have vague knowledge of the (spoiler alert) sinking of the ocean liner Lusitania in 1915, how many can say exactly what lead up to this event, what people were involved, and what impact this had on World War I? Who can name any famous person aboard on that fateful trip? Why was the Lusitania such an important vessel to the Americans, British, and Germans alike? And finally what happened to its passengers, crew, captain, and even the German U-Boat commander after the Lusitania went down?

Each of these interesting questions is answered in Erik Larson's newest non-fiction historical work, Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania. Using diaries, interviews, newspaper accounts, and de-coded radio messages from Germans and British, Larson tells the details of the people (American, British, and German alike) and events leading up to the voyage, the sinking, and the aftereffects of that ship's disaster.

Dead Wake consists of three intertwined stories: the last voyage of the Lusitania with its crew and passengers; the German U-Boat 20 and its commander and crew; and the personal trials of President Woodrow Wilson who had recently experienced the death of his wife and was plagued by uncertainty about the War. Moving smoothly between these three perspectives, Dead Wake continually fascinates as it reveals motivations and actions of each story until they collide one fateful day.

On May 1, 1915, the Lusitania set out from New York for London carrying 1,265 passengers, including 123 Americans. Captained by William Turner, she was the greatest ship of her time according to one passenger:

The Lusitania...is in itself a perfect epitome of all that man knows or has discovered or invented up to this moment of time.

No one aboard, including Turner, felt the voyage would be anything but uneventful. Despite warnings from Kaiser Wilhelm himself to the shipbuilders not to travel into wartime waters, the passengers and crew of the Lusitania were confident that, at 25 knots, the Lusitania could outrun or ram any enemy submarine which dared attack a fully-loaded passenger liner, an action they deemed "beyond rational consideration." Although the crew practiced lifeboat drills and watched for tell-tale submarine periscope wakes, the wealthy passengers were not to be disturbed by mandatory participation in such activities.

Meanwhile, aboard the German submarine U-boat 20, Captain Walther Schwieger had complete freedom to roam the waters around England and sink whatever ship he desired in order to break the British blockage and stop the flow of troops and supplies to England. Even ships flying neutral country flags were targeted since false colors often were used by enemies in hopes of fooling U-boats. Larson follows Schwieger and his crew in their life aboard U-boat 20 as they sink ship after ship with neither the traditional warning to abandon ship nor assistance to survivors. 

The events Larson reveals leading up to the deadly meeting between U-20 and the Lusitania are fascinating, including:

• Part of the cargo for the Lusitania included 157 barrels of candy, oil paintings of Rubens, Monet, Titian, and Rembrandt worth $92 million today, and 1,250 cases of shrapnel-laden artillery shells and powder bound for the British army; 

• The British Admiralty and their ultra-secret Room 40 division of code-breakers actually had a copy of the German code book and were able to read German correspondence from U-boats to German command headquarters. They knew where U-boats were, but were reluctant to act on this information to protect ships and reveal they had broken the German codes;

• The Lusitania shut down one of its four engine throughout the voyage to conserve coal, thus reducing its overall speed and placing it near U-20 on the fated day rather than arriving in London two days earlier before the submarine was in the area;

• Evasive maneuvers by the Lusitania were avoided because "subjecting passengers, many of them prominent souls in first class, to the hard and irregular turns of a zigzag course were beyond contemplation;"

• Although the sinking of the Lusitania supposedly pushed the US from a neutral position to actually entering into World War I, it actually was over two years between those two events. 

The actual sinking is transfixing to read. Using personal accounts of survivors and official reports, Larson presents eye-witness details that recall passengers calmly watching the torpedo approach the Lusitania, the swiftness of the boat going down due to open portholes (filling interiors with "an estimated 260 tons of water per minute"), heroes who helped passengers correctly put on life jackets (many drowned due to wearing mis-adjusted preservers), and the tearful reunification of separated survivors. 

Riveting, exciting, breath-taking, sorrowful, eye-opening ... what other words can I use to describe the feeling when reading this page-turning account? Highly recommended for its clarifying history of events, its writing, and the captivating details of life in the early twentieth century of the wealthy class, the naval forces, and warring governments during this period. Wonderful!

Happy reading. 

Fred

www.firstsentencereader.blogspot.com

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If this book interests you, be sure to check out:

Hochschild, Adam. To End All Wars: A Story of Loyalty and Rebellion, 1914-1918

In-depth research brings this non-fiction account of the origins, daily workings, social conditions, and conclusions about World War I to vivid life. Great insight into the major and minor people of this war from military to political to social figures. Highly recommended.  (previously reviewed here)

Larson, Erik. Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair That Changed America

Powerful, all-encompassing read about the Chicago World's Fair in 1893, intertwined with the development of the new downtown Chicago skyline at that time and the architect who designed it. But also lurking is the true account of the grisly murders that took place at the same time just outside the fair. As always, Larson is the master of detail and personalities, weaving them together with his smooth writing to make a reader feel he/she is actually a part of the fair, the murders, and the investigation of that era.

Personal

Child, Lee. Personal. New York: Delacorte. 2014. Print.

First Sentences:

Eight days ago my life was an up and down affair.

Some of it good. Some of it not so good. Most of it uneventful. Long slow periods of nothing much, with occasional bursts of something. Like the army itself. Which is how they found me. You can leave the army, but the army doesn't leave you. Not always. Not completely.

Description:

For anyone who has never read a Jack Reacher thriller by Lee Child, his newest novel, Personal, is a great place to start. Not too violent, clever story, strong female character, and of course, the fiercely independent, indestructible Reacher leading the way against the bad guys.

Reacher, a former ex-army Military Police major, now wanders the country with a toothbrush as his only possession, not seeking adventures, just traveling. The adventures and evil-does seem to find him. 

Here's the event that pulls Reacher this time from his aimless wandering. During a public appearance in Paris by the president of France, during his speech a high caliber bullet strikes the protective glass. Although the president is unharmed, the incident naturally throws security guards into a frenzy. The reason? They figure the bullet was fired from over 1400 meters away, an incredibly long-distance shot from a high-powered rifle handled by an expert. Such an assassin from this distance would be impossible to guard against in the future. But was this an actual assassination attempt or merely a dry run for a real shooting of another world leader attending an upcoming G8 conference  in London?

Security minds from different countries determine that only four men worldwide have the skill for this audacious shooting. The US candidate has just been released from prison after 15 years. The kicker is he was caught by an army MP, Jack Reacher. This sharpshooter is not only a dangerous threat to the conference attendees but probably holds a personal grudge against his captor.

Reacher gets involved when contacted by the US special forces. His assignment is to find this man he imprisoned and prevent him from assassinating another world leader. But Reacher feels his own real role might just be as the bait to bring the sniper out of hiding.

Along the way Reacher must deal with:

• A female partner with anxiety pills and no field experience;
• Special Forces agents from Russia and England who may or may not be allies;
• Rival Vietnamese and Serbian gangs protecting their turf (and the sniper?);
• A brutal 7-foot giant who is the boss of a London syndicate;

Reacher faces all these challenges with his usual calm, confident manner, dealing with them by intelligence, experience, common sense, and sometimes violence. He is ready for anything, a quiet Clint Eastwood figure who marches to his own beat, working with others when necessary but preferring his role as lone wolf with a strong notion of right and wrong, someone perfectly capable of putting things aright that have gone or might soon go amiss.

I love the Jack Reacher books and this one is a beaut. Not as violent as some of the other works, it still shows the taut writing and dialogue of author Child that makes this book grab you immediately until the last pages. It is a great Good vs Evil tale in the setting of military intelligence, technology, and human relationships. As a bonus, along the way you pick up fascinating tidbits from Reacher about the differences in obscure weapons, the workings of governments and the military, and the variations of human nature as they effect the possible courses of actions. 

Jack Reacher is a character that is as admirable and unique as he is imposing. There is something compelling about the idea of one man facing off alone against corruption and evil from all sides. It renews your faith that Good can actually triumph and Evil can be snuffed out, however temporarily.

Please give Lee Child and Jack Reacher a try. The novels are thrillers with crimes and violence of course, but if you don't mind that, then these are the epitome of this genre. You won't be disappointed by the plot, character, and writing style. All are A+ in my book. 

Can't wait for the next one.

Happy reading. 

Fred

www.firstsentencereader.blogspot.com

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If this book interests you, be sure to check out:

Child, Lee. The Persuader

My favorite in the Jack Reachers series by far, where Reacher must infiltrate the isolated, heavily-guarded household of a rug dealer suspected of running drugs. Full of surprises, suspense, bad guys, and, of course, Reacher dealing with them all with calm strength and intelligence. A winner of a thriller!

Adler-Olseni, Jussi. The Keeper of Lost Causes: The First Department Q Novel

Not for the faint of heart, this thriller introduces washed-up but never retiring Carl Morck. "Promoted" to head the new Department Q (made up of only him) to solve long-cold cases, Morck takes on the disappearance of a woman politician who we learn is being held captive in an isolated area. Riveting. Forget about reading anything else once you get started.

Hayes, Terryi. I Am Pilgrim: A Thriller

The best of the best in the thriller department. An American intelligence operative tries to untangle a terrorist plot to infect the United States with a deadly virus. Two men of the highest capabilities, one good and one evil, try to outwit each other and the world. The best thriller by far that I have ever read. (previously reviewed here)

I Am Pilgrim

Hayes, Terry. I Am Pilgrim: A Thriller. New York: Atria. 2014. Print

First Sentences:

There are places I'll remember all my life -- Red Square with a hot wind howling across it, my mother's bedroom on the wrong side of Eight Mile, the endless gardens of a fancy foster home, a man waiting to kill me in a group of ruins known as the Theater of Death.

 

Description:

It's amazing the books you stumble upon and fall in love with while pursuing quality writing, characters, and plot. My serendipitous search for new titles has uncovered gems in the realm of high-action crime thrillers from writers like Thomas Harris (the Hannibal Lector series), Lee Child (featuring Jack Reacher), Jussi Adler-Olsen (following the Copenhagen police cold case Department Q), and Patricia Highsmith (with the ongoing adventures of The Talented Mr. Ripley).

These books are not for everyone. They usually center on a shocking act sometimes involving intense violence, committed by an unknown person who is extreme in his/her response to specific people and the world. The plots are driven by the efforts to identify and stop the perpetrator before further crimes are unleashed on society.

The work of such an investigation is carried on by one or many champions of justice, whether police, secret forces, or just an independent person who simply doesn't like evil to go unpunished. Of course, these good guys must do a lot of observation, reasoning, and survival during some very tense, unnerving scenes along the way before somehow completing their mission. 

These are unbelievably engaging books. These authors consistently deliver tremendously well-written books, with solid character development and unpredictable roller coaster stories that are always complex and absorbing. They keep you reading page after page, nervously biting your nails and trying not to peek ahead down the page for answers as you follow the hero or villain on their separate quests of good and evil. Each page makes you fearfully anticipate an upcoming shock, like stepping into a creepy deserted house. 

This is what these thrillers are about and, if that is not your cup of tea, you should avoid them. As for me, I've grown to love these authors with their deliciously complicated plots, and eagerly await any new releases.

A newcomer to this group of thriller-writers is Terry Hayes, a former US foreign correspondent and successful screenwriter of 25 years (two Mad Max movies among others). His debut novel I Am Pilgrim: A Thriller, fulfills my wildest expectations for a spy/crime novel. It has an original story (an intricate plot to unleash a virus on the United States); fascinating characters (the Saracen who is a thoroughly organized terrorist pitted against Pilgrim, a highly intelligent former member of a super secret US intelligence organization); and plenty of color the way (a variety of supporting characters, both good and evil, who assist or thwart both men in their struggles; exotic locales and dirty mountain villages; super secret technologies; and worlds of tremendous wealth and abject poverty.

If this wasn't enough, the plot of I Am Pilgrim also offers a plethora of equally compelling crimes and distractions along the way that may or may not be related to the Saracen terrorist plot. 

• A woman found murdered in a bathtub with no possible means of identification, presenting a perfect murder that follows techniques described in an investigative theory book written by Pilgrim, a book checked out of New York City library on September 11, 2001;

• A New York cop who was a hero of the 9/11 Twin Tower evacuation and who somehow unravels Pilgrim's carefully-erased identity and tracks him down;

• A billionaire who slips over the ledge of his palatial home to his death, survived by his young wife, his beneficiary, with the perfect alibi;

• A female cop from Turkey who works with and against Pilgrim for unknown reasons during his investigation of the billionaire's death in her city; 

• A man known as Whispering Death who knows of the terrorist plot, organizes the secret mission, and serves as the contact to the President for Pilgrim's mission.

The book is driven by the intricacies of these various plots, the thoroughness of the evil people seeking to carry out dastardly plans as well as the thoughtful steps taken to uncover these same plans and thwart them. It is the deeply-seeded commitment of each character that drives the action and keeps you in suspense until the last pages to find out the final conclusions to each plan.

This all may sound corny or contrived, but that is my fault in trying to get your interest. This is a riveting book that has more twists and turns than can be described. What I liked is that everything is carefully spelled out until it makes sense, both the evil plot and the investigation. You see the solidness of the terrorist's preparations as well as the logic behind each step Pilgrim takes to uncover and foil the plot. There is plenty of background information about US/Arab relations and governments to set the scenes and provide context for action. I also liked that Pilgrim relies on his brain rather than muscles, guns, or powers of seduction to overcome the dead ends and people who stand in his way. A thoughtful, capable hero in all ways.

I cannot recommend this new thriller highly enough for those who enjoy a carefully structured plot that pulls you through a breakneck chase to the extremes of tension. Extremely well-written, carefully plotted, and engrossing to the very end. 

The good news is that Hayes is hard at work on a second thriller novel. Can't wait!

Happy reading. 

Fred

www.firstsentencereader.blogspot.com

____________________

If this book interests you, be sure to check out:

Harris, Thomas. The Silence of the Lambs

Incredibly tense and edgy tale of a young FBI agent who must work with a serial killer who cannibalizes his victims to solve a bizarre kidnapping/murder case.

Child, Lee. The Killing Floor (1st in the Jack Reacher series)

Jack Reacher is an ex-Army Military Police who wanders the country with a toothbrush only, stumbling upon evil-doers he must stop. Incredibly great writing and plots, with some violence but plenty of other complexities and actions as Reacher draws on his intelligence as often as his strength to stop the bad guys.

Adler-Olsen, Jussi. The Keeper of Lost Causes (1st in the Department Q series)

Department Q was started as a method of giving some sort of work to Carl Morck, the burned out, lazy, trouble-making murder investigator on the Copenhagen police force. In Department Q, he is given stacks of unsolved cold cases that he begins to tackle. These are brutal crimes that Morck and his mysterious, efficient assistant Assad begin to slowly unravel and actually solve.

Highsmith, Patricia. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1st in the Ripley series)

Tom Ripley is a social striver, a poor college student sent to Italy to retrieve the layabout Dickie Green to take over the family business. Ripley admires Green's casual, wealthy lifestyle and plots to take over his identity and money. Unbelievably, he seems to get away with murder over and over again.