The Striker (The Isaac Bell Adventures)

by Clive & Scott Cussler, Justin

Paperback, 2013

Rating

½ (81 ratings; 3.6)

Series

Isaac Bell (6)

Genres

All Topics

Fiction

Publication

Penguin (2013)

Description

Fiction. Suspense. Thriller. HTML: It is 1902, and a bright, inexperienced young man named Isaac Bell, only two years out of his apprenticeship at the Van Dorn Detective Agency, has an urgent message for his boss. Hired to hunt for radical unionist saboteurs in the coal mines, he is witness to a terrible accident that makes him think that something else is going on, that provocateurs are at work and bigger stakes are in play. Little does he know just how big they are. Given exactly one week to prove his case, Bell quickly finds himself pitted against two of the most ruthless opponents he has ever known, men of staggering ambition and cold-bloodedness...who are not about to let some wet-behind-the-ears detective stand in their way..

User reviews

LibraryThing member rufusraider

Another good book by Clive Cussler and Justin Scott. The Isaac Bell series about a detective in the early 1900's is very interesting. The Striker is a prequel to the earlier books and takes us back to the start of Isaac Bell's career.

The story is about the battles to form unions in the coal, steel,

and railroad unions. It is primarily set in the Pittsburgh area. The primary villain Bell is up against is a former employee of the Van Dorn Detective agency. He is working for a New York tycoon who is wanting to become the vice-president of the United States.

Show Less

8 more

LibraryThing member readafew

Apparently this is the 6th book in the Isaac Bell series, somewhere I missed 4 and 5. I'll have to go back and find them soon. The Striker goes back to Isaac's first case as the lead detective for van Dorn. Little do they know that someone from Van Dorn's past is planning on causing havoc between

coal miners and owners. Isaac makes a few mistakes along the way and breaks a rule of 'stay off sides' by placing himself fully on the side of the downtrodden miners and their destitute families.

It was a great book showcasing the struggle the masses had in breaking the death-grip of corporations had on the workforce and the dangers of even thinking about joining a union. Unions had a very important role in the labor force.

Show Less

LibraryThing member dswaddell

Isaac Bell on his first assignment is trying to keep the coal miners from being slaughtered by the ruthless coal barons. A good fun read.

LibraryThing member mainrun

A few weeks ago I read the Wrecker which was the second book in the Isaac Bell series. I enjoyed and recommend that book. The next Isaac Bell I read was this one. It is the sixth in the series, but first chronologically. Overall it wasn't as good as Wrecker, but had nice moments. The average

LibraryThing rating of that book is 3.41. The only lower rating is The Thief at 3.35. The Wrecker is the highest rated one - 3.7. The four I gave it helped that average. The other ratings the Chase - 3.67; The Spy 3.65; The Race 3.66; The Bootlegger - 3.61; The Assassin 3.67; and the Gangster no ratings. I think I'll skip others in this series. If one at been closer to 4 average stars, i would have given it a shot.

Show Less

LibraryThing member bicyclewriter

Like all these Isaac Bell stories, this one is fun. Good storytelling, mixed with some decent history. This one is a bit of a prequel to the others, which is nice. I also enjoyed the perspective on the history here. I could have gone 4 stars or 3, settled on 3.

LibraryThing member pennsylady

Isaac Bell #6 was particularly appealing to me.
It took us back to a fledging detective in 1902...
This was an interesting touch...I enjoyed experiencing his Van Dorn
beginnings.
Scott Brick narrated ...I enjoy his Bell
The other key draws were early 20th century...Pittsburgh...coal....
★ ★ ★ ★

LibraryThing member Alan1946

Yet another Isaac Bell success story. Bell is a great character with tremendous energy, highly skilled in all matters, although it was interesting how much time he put into developing a new defensive skill involving a small pistol and a hat! As usual he is well matched against a very worthy

opponent, who is supported by big business looking for ever increasing profit and gain. The book is set during his early career so his lovely wife does not really feature apart from in Prologue and Epilogue, both of which are a feature of all the series.

Show Less

LibraryThing member N.W.Moors

I don't believe I've read Clive Cussler before, but I intend to look for more books from this series. Isaac Bell is an apprentice detective at the Van Dorn agency around the early 1900's. Van Dorn is like the Pinkertons and Bell is a blueblood who wants to work for a living.
He becomes involved in a

case in the West Virginia coal mines where the miners are trying to form unions and management will do anything to keep that from happening. Bell brings in a team of detectives from the agency, a colorful cast of characters, to help him discover the provocateur who is at the bottom of a series of disasters.
The history here was interesting, not a period I know much about but now I want to find out more. The style of writing is easy flowing with a lot of detail that adds to the story. I really enjoyed it.

Show Less

LibraryThing member petrichor8

how isaac bell cut his teeth in the detective business. Not one of my favorites, it starts out rather slow, doesn't pick up until a little after halfway. Political underpinnings of strikers, labor unions, etc. seemed to keep distracting from the storyline.

Fewer