Status
Available
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Grand Central Publishing (1998), 608 pages
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Thriller. HTML: #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER CELEBRATING THE 20th ANNIVERSARY WITH A NEW FOREWORD BY THE AUTHOR Wounded in the line of duty, NYPD homicide detective John Corey convalesces in the Long Island township of Southold, home to farmers, fishermen �?? and at least one killer. Tom and Judy Gordon, a young, attractive couple Corey knows, have been found on their patio, each with a bullet in the head. The local police chief, Sylvester Maxwell, wants Corey's big-city expertise, but Maxwell gets more than he bargained for. John Corey doesn't like mysteries, which is why he likes to solve them. His investigations lead him into the lore, legends, and ancient secrets of northern Long Island �?? more deadly and more dangerous than he could ever have imagined. During his journey of discovery, he meets two remarkable women, Detective Beth Penrose and Mayflower descendant Emma Whitestone, both of whom change his life irrevocably. Ultimately, through his understanding of the murders, John Corey comes to understand himself. Fast-paced and atmospheric, marked by entrancing characters, incandescent storytelling, and brilliant comic touches, Plum Island is Nelson DeMille at his thrill-inducing best… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member punxsygal
Plum Island is the first of the John Corey suspense novels by Nelson DeMille. John Corey, an NYPD homicide detective, is convalescing from gunshot wounds at this uncle's house out on the North Fork of Long Island. His new friend, Tom and Judy Gordon, are found on dead the deck of their home with
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gunshot wounds to the head. The Gordons were research biologists at the government animal disease facility on Plum Island. The local police chief asks John for his help. The novel is a good page turner. It covers a lot of history of the North Fork of Long Island, NY. I particularly enjoyed it as I used to visit my aunt and uncle out in Cutchogue (which is mentioned frequently in the book). I'm looking forward to reading the others in the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member jguidry
This book wasn't what I expected. It started off following one plot line and then turned in a completely different direction. The author was able to stay focused, though so I didn't mind the shift once I figured out the reasons behind it. I also had a love/hate relationship with the main character.
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He was sarcastic and funny sometimes and a complete jerk other times. It kept the story interesting in the long run. A few details were repetitive and could have been left out, but overall a good book! Show Less
LibraryThing member jmoncton
Fast paced mystery featuring John Corey, a wise-assed homicide cop, recuperating from a bullet wound on Plum Island. Scott Brick does a perfect job narrating this book, giving Corey just the right amount of sarcasm and wit. Although the book is long, I raced through it to solve the mystery!
LibraryThing member jmcclain19
Biological weapons, buried pirate treasure and a murder mystery all wrapped up in one thrilling package with the 1st book of Nelson DeMille's new character, John Corey. Corey is recooperating at a family house in Long Island after being shot as an while onduty as an NYPD detective. When one of his
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friends and neighbors turn up dead, the intrigue begins and Corey kicks off his whirlwind adventure. Great start to the John Corey series - the skull & crossbones found on the cover of the book has mulitple meanings - an alliteration I enjoyed after finishing the book. Show Less
LibraryThing member unrequitedlibrarian
Tone of language: Rich, informative, with wisecrack asides
Plot twists: Cold-blooded murders are unexpected and Corey's fierce reaction takes the story on the wild side.
Characters: Fearless and reckless Corey defies all rules and constantly risks insubordination.
Values: Follow your intuition, say
Pace: Corey's open-ended investigational style keeps the pace moving realistically until he figures out who the murderer is and then the pace explodes.
Background research: Long Island geology, biological warfare, pirates, boating
Sexuality: Corey tries to make love with all attractive women and falls in love easily.
Ending: Even if you have done a great service, you might still have violated some rules, and you still have to pay for that.
Offensive to any group: Feminists, scientists, bureaucrats, wine connoisseurs.
Target audience: Men
Flaws: The biological warfare experiments on Plum Island are a side story, so the detailed set-up is misleading.
Plot twists: Cold-blooded murders are unexpected and Corey's fierce reaction takes the story on the wild side.
Characters: Fearless and reckless Corey defies all rules and constantly risks insubordination.
Values: Follow your intuition, say
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what has to be said, and avenge crimes against good people.Pace: Corey's open-ended investigational style keeps the pace moving realistically until he figures out who the murderer is and then the pace explodes.
Background research: Long Island geology, biological warfare, pirates, boating
Sexuality: Corey tries to make love with all attractive women and falls in love easily.
Ending: Even if you have done a great service, you might still have violated some rules, and you still have to pay for that.
Offensive to any group: Feminists, scientists, bureaucrats, wine connoisseurs.
Target audience: Men
Flaws: The biological warfare experiments on Plum Island are a side story, so the detailed set-up is misleading.
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LibraryThing member revel
Not a very good book in my opinion. The protagonist is sex crazy which is not my cup of tea, plus he is recovering from several bullet wounds and yet goes on a big tear in the last 100 pages of the book -- in a hurricane no less. The cleverness in the plot is short-lived as the reader knows "who
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did it" early on in the book and then it gets to be just dotting i's and crossing t's. I guess if you like that kind of adventure in a book (scene after scene that does not advance the plot much, as opposed to the piecing-together of the puzzle as the book progresses) you might like it, but again the hero just lusts after women a little too much. Show Less
LibraryThing member hannahbond
The main character John is a hoot, and the mystery is engaging. This book has some good points, but it really is too long for what it tries to do. In fact, there were a couple of long passages where the text almost seemed to have been copied and pasted from another part of the book.
LibraryThing member miyurose
John Corey is a smartass. And while I don't like dealing with smartasses in real life, I really like reading them! This was a mystery that ended up in a completely different direction than you would expect. I really liked the pacing and the characters, and look forward to reading more DeMille!
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Though I saw that final scene coming from a mile away. Show Less
LibraryThing member effacina
John Corey, N.Y. Detective recuperating from wounds at Uncle's home on eastern end of Long Island. 2 friends are shot at their nearby waterfront home. Since they work on "Plum Island" - a government, animal disease research facility - there is fear of terrorist plot involving germ warfare. Corey is
Plot leads to interesting "motive". There is a way too long boat chase during a hurricane. I never enjoy reading long "action" scenes and prefer the intellectual workout of true mysteries.
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obnoxiously amusing and disrespectful of all when local sheriff "max" ASKS FOR A "CONSULT". Plot leads to interesting "motive". There is a way too long boat chase during a hurricane. I never enjoy reading long "action" scenes and prefer the intellectual workout of true mysteries.
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LibraryThing member Terryfic
Well written, well researched. The book kept me interested from beginning to end. Nice summertime diversion.
LibraryThing member kaulsu
This is the first DeMille book I have read (a LibraryThing Reviewer suggested it--thanks!), and I probably will read more. The book could have been cut by at least a third--the action took place in the beginning and the end--and (perhaps this is a "woman thing?") I really didn't find the inside of
The plot had enough twists to keep me going, even though DeMillie allowed the reader in on the probable killer's identity early enough to not make that the issue.
One question though: why did Corey comment on the victim's clothing if he never again visited that topic? Curiouser and curiouser? :)
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the hero's head all that attractive.The plot had enough twists to keep me going, even though DeMillie allowed the reader in on the probable killer's identity early enough to not make that the issue.
One question though: why did Corey comment on the victim's clothing if he never again visited that topic? Curiouser and curiouser? :)
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LibraryThing member debavp
Murder and buried treasure have never been more wickedly, smart-assed funny. Corey's non-stop psychotic quips will keep you in stitches and wondering how his partners keep from bashing him about the head. A bit long, but the story keeps moving at a fast clip.
LibraryThing member Jarratt
Twelve years ago, I read "Plumb Island." It was my first DeMille novel and I fell in love with the John Corey character. Ironically, the only thing I remembered about the book was the trip into the Plumb Island facility--a bio research facility with all sorts of nasty bugs and things. My
Not long ago, I read the latest Corey novel, "The Lion's Game," and complained that not much happened. The same goes with this one. It's good--don't get me wrong--but it's not as riveting as I remembered. But then, that was pre-Matthew Reilly. There aren't many books as exciting as Reilly books, so I've gotta give DeMille (and everyone else) a little slack.
Anyway, if you like over-the-top alpha male characters, John Corey's your man. He's a great detective with a wicked, quick wit. If you can get past the overtly male chauvinist attitude, you'll enjoy most of DeMille's Corey novels (Up Country not withstanding).
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recollection was that this was a primary part of the story. Nope. It's about pirate treasure. Not long ago, I read the latest Corey novel, "The Lion's Game," and complained that not much happened. The same goes with this one. It's good--don't get me wrong--but it's not as riveting as I remembered. But then, that was pre-Matthew Reilly. There aren't many books as exciting as Reilly books, so I've gotta give DeMille (and everyone else) a little slack.
Anyway, if you like over-the-top alpha male characters, John Corey's your man. He's a great detective with a wicked, quick wit. If you can get past the overtly male chauvinist attitude, you'll enjoy most of DeMille's Corey novels (Up Country not withstanding).
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LibraryThing member Joycepa
1st in the John Corey series.
Corey, a NYC homicide detective on leave after being seriously wounded, is recovering at his uncle’s house on Long Island. The police chief of the small hamlet, a long-time family acquaintance, persuades Corey to become involved in a double murder homicide of two
The basic plot is good and the book is very well written. The denouement is exciting and again, very well written. But while I will rate this book highly on its merits, I don’t think I’ll read further in the series. Corey is a standard hard-boiled homicide detective who has a smart mouth and has trouble keeping his pants on. He’s a little too much of a stereotype and others have developed their protagonists better. I find him rather boring as a character and not interesting enough to read further to see if his character will change--which I rather doubt.
Highly recommended for fans of this type of police procedural.
Corey, a NYC homicide detective on leave after being seriously wounded, is recovering at his uncle’s house on Long Island. The police chief of the small hamlet, a long-time family acquaintance, persuades Corey to become involved in a double murder homicide of two
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biologists whom Corey has met and liked. But since the couple worked on generating genetically altered viruses for vaccines at a Department of Agriculture animal biological research station on Plum Island, all sort of government agencies become interested, including the FBI and the CIA. Half of Long Island is in an uproar, convinced that the research station is involved in germ warfare research (illegal under an international treaty to which the US is a signatory) and that the couple were killed trying to smuggle out deadly viruses to sell to a foreign power.The basic plot is good and the book is very well written. The denouement is exciting and again, very well written. But while I will rate this book highly on its merits, I don’t think I’ll read further in the series. Corey is a standard hard-boiled homicide detective who has a smart mouth and has trouble keeping his pants on. He’s a little too much of a stereotype and others have developed their protagonists better. I find him rather boring as a character and not interesting enough to read further to see if his character will change--which I rather doubt.
Highly recommended for fans of this type of police procedural.
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LibraryThing member SilbertD
Gold Coast was my first Demille novel and I enjoyed it, although a lot of it felt like page-filling talk. I was more interested in the character of Susan than I was John. She was very complex and weaving her more into the story would have made it more interesting than what John wears every day. I
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wanted to read the sequel, Gate House but it was checked out so I ended up with Plum Island. I'm 3/4 of the way through and getting a bit bored. I'm also a bit put off by his sexist narratives that has transcended both books. His male central characters constantly demean women to sexual objects, although he tries to add footnotes like, "She's also smart." I'm not sure I'll go on to Gate House given I've seen this trend in both books I've read so far. It's bad enough we have to live it and deal with this reality in our day-to-day lives; to read it during our recreation time .... not so much interested. On to the next author. Show Less
LibraryThing member TyraLynn
I enjoyed the book from cover to cover. DeMille has a sharp wit and an ability to create characters that, while larger than life, are still believable.
As Detective John Corey convalesces following a shootout in which he was the unfortunate loser, his forced respite is interrupted by the murder of
As Detective John Corey convalesces following a shootout in which he was the unfortunate loser, his forced respite is interrupted by the murder of
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two friends. Either his friends were about to release the plague on mankind, stole a valuable vaccine that could benefit mankind, or found a pirate treasure thought lost to mankind. To solve the murder, Corey must find out which and why if he is to find out who. Show Less
LibraryThing member vegaheim
ok, funny, took forever to get to the point.
LibraryThing member buffalogr
Another fine Demille tome about a sarcastic detective, on leave from the NYPD and living on Long Island. Imagine my surprise to find out that there really is a Plum Island?
I listened for hours and hours -- couldn't put it down. Wanted more!
I listened for hours and hours -- couldn't put it down. Wanted more!
LibraryThing member Kathy89
What a thrilling book. Corey a NYC cop recovering at his uncle's summer home on Long Island from a gunshot wounds is asked to consult by the local law in the murders of his neighbors. They were bio-chemists and worked on Plum Island. What really goes on there, why did they have a super powerboat
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and where did there money come from. He teams up with a rookie detective and they start investigating the locals. Very exciting speedboat chase durng a hurricane towards the end. Show Less
LibraryThing member bami210
How can you NOT like John Corey -- he's an asshole, but a great guy! I actually liked Night Fall better, but I read them in the wrong order. Read it; you'll like it!
LibraryThing member ecw0647
John Corey, rapidly becoming a favorite character of mine, is back again (reading chronologically backwards). I believe Plum Island was the first to feature Corey, star of Lion's Game. Plum Island is a restricted, government-owned island at the end of Long Island. Ostensibly, it is owned and
Corey, recuperating from having been severely wounded, is spending time at the property of an uncle. Neighbors Tom and Judy Gordon are found on their deck, shot through the head, and the local police chief, an old friend of Corey, asks him to participate in the investigation. There are several puzzling aspects to the case. The Gordons had been top scientists working at Plum Island, and soon representatives of the FBI and CIA show up (Corey's perennial sparring partner, Ted Nash, makes his first appearance here). Corey is paired with the homicide detective in charge of the case, Beth Penrose, and Corey is his usual wise-cracking self. The Gordons had owned a spectacularly fast cigarette boat and would spend odd hours ostensibly rummaging for archaeological artifacts on Plum Island. Any activity on the island was normally forbidden, but because the Gordons were such well-respected scientists, they had been allowed to bend the rules. Even more peculiar was their purchase of one acre of otherwise useless land that had been perpetually deeded for conservation purposes so it could not be developed, and they paid much more than market value, emptying out their savings to do so. The owner, a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution ("Do you know why Daughters of the American Revolution don't have group sex? . . . Because they don't want to have to write all those thank-you notes"), was reluctant to sell land that had been in the family for centuries, but she "asked the children and they thought their [deceased:] father would approve." ("It always amazed me [muses Corey:] that the widows and children, who were entirely clueless about what to get the old boy for Christmas or Father's Day, knew exactly what the late great Pop would want after he popped off.")
Anyway, the Feds let it out that they believe the Gordons were murdered because of a transaction involving a vaccine theft gone awry, but in their heart of hearts they are sure the Gordons had stolen some kind of bizarre plague to sell to some foreign power. John rejects this notion because many of the facts just don't seem to fit the most prevalent (and convenient) theories. He starts doing a little research on the side, having been informed that his services as consultant will no longer be necessary, and comes up with a different theory that makes a lot more sense. It links all the bizarre facts together with some interesting historical events involving pirates and the local historical society and a very clever little scheme concocted by a local vintner. That reminds me of a very funny scene in the book when John is interviewing/interrogating this character while pretending to be interested in wine — he later uses a “very fine” '95 Merlot to clean off the windshield of his Jeep after a dive- bombing attack by a local seagull. He indulges in lots of vintner puns, asking if one had ever considered naming one of his wines the Grapes of Wrath. He notes that the wine labels are unusual and is informed they represent the works of Pollack and de Kooning. "Oh, the painters. Right. Pollock is the splatter guy." That goes over well.
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operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but locals and others have speculated for years that the Defense Department has been conducting research on biological weapons. It has been remodeled over the years to have a Level 5 containment, the ultimate in negative pressure, completely isolated work areas for the scientists supposedly doing research on exotic animal diseases, seeking vaccines and cures. Helicopters and boats constantly patrol around and over the island to shoot deer that might swim over, in order to prevent the possibility of the “bugs” escaping back to the mainland. (How they control the birds and mosquitoes is a worry Corey voices at one of their meetings.)Corey, recuperating from having been severely wounded, is spending time at the property of an uncle. Neighbors Tom and Judy Gordon are found on their deck, shot through the head, and the local police chief, an old friend of Corey, asks him to participate in the investigation. There are several puzzling aspects to the case. The Gordons had been top scientists working at Plum Island, and soon representatives of the FBI and CIA show up (Corey's perennial sparring partner, Ted Nash, makes his first appearance here). Corey is paired with the homicide detective in charge of the case, Beth Penrose, and Corey is his usual wise-cracking self. The Gordons had owned a spectacularly fast cigarette boat and would spend odd hours ostensibly rummaging for archaeological artifacts on Plum Island. Any activity on the island was normally forbidden, but because the Gordons were such well-respected scientists, they had been allowed to bend the rules. Even more peculiar was their purchase of one acre of otherwise useless land that had been perpetually deeded for conservation purposes so it could not be developed, and they paid much more than market value, emptying out their savings to do so. The owner, a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution ("Do you know why Daughters of the American Revolution don't have group sex? . . . Because they don't want to have to write all those thank-you notes"), was reluctant to sell land that had been in the family for centuries, but she "asked the children and they thought their [deceased:] father would approve." ("It always amazed me [muses Corey:] that the widows and children, who were entirely clueless about what to get the old boy for Christmas or Father's Day, knew exactly what the late great Pop would want after he popped off.")
Anyway, the Feds let it out that they believe the Gordons were murdered because of a transaction involving a vaccine theft gone awry, but in their heart of hearts they are sure the Gordons had stolen some kind of bizarre plague to sell to some foreign power. John rejects this notion because many of the facts just don't seem to fit the most prevalent (and convenient) theories. He starts doing a little research on the side, having been informed that his services as consultant will no longer be necessary, and comes up with a different theory that makes a lot more sense. It links all the bizarre facts together with some interesting historical events involving pirates and the local historical society and a very clever little scheme concocted by a local vintner. That reminds me of a very funny scene in the book when John is interviewing/interrogating this character while pretending to be interested in wine — he later uses a “very fine” '95 Merlot to clean off the windshield of his Jeep after a dive- bombing attack by a local seagull. He indulges in lots of vintner puns, asking if one had ever considered naming one of his wines the Grapes of Wrath. He notes that the wine labels are unusual and is informed they represent the works of Pollack and de Kooning. "Oh, the painters. Right. Pollock is the splatter guy." That goes over well.
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LibraryThing member Jiraiya
Plum island, truth be told, exceeded my expectations. Except in the humor department. The latter isn't the one thing I look forward to in a thriller anyway. Any book can be written in any style. There's one style, a bleak, grim and unapologetic style that I flee from like a vampire from the sun.
In the past I would take issue with a hero like John Corey. He seems too loyal and kind, while being too egocentric, too flawed. I didn't really understand this type of person before. But now I've experienced it first hand; people that are incredibly generous and kind of kind, while being of ordinary mettle at their core. But still, I was dreading being cooped up in John Corey's mind for 500 pages. But the sharp cynicism and witticisms got relegated to the back of the decor and the intrigue took center stage. I'm still wondering if I should give this book a perfect score. But though it was a good book, it didn't have the unexpected, the original, the ultra ribald, or the hair raise inducing bits. You know I still think that John Corey is not real. Like the saying goes, read it once, fooled me once, read it twice, will fool me twice. So there will be no re read. Ta.
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Books that imitate life. It can crop up in any book. Fortunately, Plum Island is not like that; it is simply peachy. Oh, and if you want to read this book, you can omit Chapter 13. There's quite some delay tactic going on in Chapter 13, but after that it's all plain sailing. In the past I would take issue with a hero like John Corey. He seems too loyal and kind, while being too egocentric, too flawed. I didn't really understand this type of person before. But now I've experienced it first hand; people that are incredibly generous and kind of kind, while being of ordinary mettle at their core. But still, I was dreading being cooped up in John Corey's mind for 500 pages. But the sharp cynicism and witticisms got relegated to the back of the decor and the intrigue took center stage. I'm still wondering if I should give this book a perfect score. But though it was a good book, it didn't have the unexpected, the original, the ultra ribald, or the hair raise inducing bits. You know I still think that John Corey is not real. Like the saying goes, read it once, fooled me once, read it twice, will fool me twice. So there will be no re read. Ta.
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LibraryThing member ladyofunicorns
I enjoyed this book very much. This is my first Nelson DeMille book I have read and I plan on looking around for more. John Corey is a likable character (at least to me). The book itself was a bit long of a read but not too bad. Also, at least it was written in a way I could understand, sometimes
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books with scientific things in it are not written for the layperson, like most of us are. I wonder tho about DeMille knowing the different categories of hurricanes and has he ever been in a boat in one? Show Less
LibraryThing member gaillamontagne
This is the 1st book in the John Cory Series. I read them out of order, reading Plum Island last. It doesn't matter though. I very much enjoy the main character, John Cory, ; a New York detective with a very brazen honesty and the courage and intelligence to evoke respect from his peers. In this
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particular story, Cory was explaining the entire mystery to his partner before anyone else was privy to story behind the murder. I would have rather the mystery unfold a little more slowly with his partner but I still liked it. I would have liked it more if I had read it first, but, I read it last and still think that The Lion's Game is the best. I suggest if you like detective stories, you will like this but read the 3 books in order. (Plum Island, The Lion's Game, The Panther) Show Less
LibraryThing member delphimo
This was not a series that I will enjoy, and this will probably be the only book of the John Corey series that I will read. John Corey, is a self-centered jerk that thinks every woman lusts after him. Right now, he is a policeman that lounges and convalesces in Long Island from a gunshot wound
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received in the line of duty. The story is told by John, and the reader hears or reads all his terrible habits. While recuperating, John is asked to assist in a double homicide of scientists on a special and restricted island. The story spends numerous pages discussing germs and potential diseases to use as threats to other nations. The last portion of the book is devoted to a hurricane and a mock sea battle in the quest for lost treasure. I was glad for the book to finally end. Show Less
Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1997
Physical description
608 p.; 4.25 inches
ISBN
0446605409 / 9780446605403