The escape artist

by Brad Meltzer

Paper Book, 2018

Publication

New York : Grand Central Publishing, 2018.

Collection

Call number

Fiction M

Physical description

416 p.; 24 cm

Status

Available

Call number

Fiction M

Description

WHO IS NOLA BROWN? Nola is a mystery Nola is trouble. And Nola is supposed to be dead. Her body was found on a plane that mysteriously fell from the sky as it left a secret military base in the Alaskan wilderness. Her commanding officer verifies she's dead. The US government confirms it. But Jim "Zig" Zigarowski has just found out the truth: Nola is still alive. And on the run. Zig works at Dover Air Force Base, helping put to rest the bodies of those who die on top-secret missions. Nola was a childhood friend of Zig's daughter and someone who once saved his daughter's life. So when Zig realizes Nola is still alive, he's determined to find her. Yet as Zig digs into Nola's past, he learns that trouble follows Nola everywhere she goes. Nola is the U.S. Army's artist-in-residence-a painter and trained soldier who rushes into battle, making art from war's aftermath and sharing observations about today's wars that would otherwise go overlooked. On her last mission, Nola saw something nobody was supposed to see, earning her an enemy unlike any other, one who will do whatever it takes to keep Nola quiet. Together, Nola and Zig will either reveal a sleight of hand being played at the highest levels of power or die trying to uncover the US Army's most mysterious secret-a centuries-old conspiracy that traces back through history to the greatest escape artist of all: Harry Houdini.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member JJbooklvr
Where do I start about how much I loved this book? Great opening scene that pulls you in immediately. Non-stop action with a kick-ass woman character in Nola Brown. I learned things about topics I didn’t know about. History bonus with some additional information on Houdini and magicians. All
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wrapped up in a thriller I couldn’t put down. Another one sure to make my best of the year list.
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LibraryThing member grumpydan
Jim "Zig" Zwicharowski is a mortician at the Dover Air Force base who is a master at repairing the damage to the bodies of those who have served our country. When the body of a woman, who as a child was in the Girl Scouts with his daughter, he decides to take the case. But he knows it is not her
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when he begins his autopsy. When he finds a note with the words "Nola, you were right. Keep running." in this deceased’s stomach. He takes it upon himself to find Nola and learn what is going on. This is a thriller with a lot of actions, a lot of questions, and a lot of flashbacks to Nola’s childhood. We learn about much about Nola and Zig and why they are who they are. I enjoyed reading this book because, one I love thrillers and two, I learned a little bit more about our country and history.
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LibraryThing member iadam
I received a free e-copy of this book and have chosen to write an honest and unbiased review. I have no personal affiliation with the author. Brad Meltzer writes a great thriller that is full of suspense and twists and turns. The action never quits. Couldn’t put it down. Who is Nola Brown? What
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are her dark secrets? She is a mystery. Trouble seems to follow her wherever she goes. Zig is an amazing mortician who does a great job of putting our fallen soldiers back together for their families at Dover Air Force Base. He is a kind and gentle man who is haunted by his past. Nola and Zig are great characters. This is a well-written thriller with an amazing plot and excellent character development. ‘The Escape Artist’ is one of Brad Meltzer’s best and I look forward to reading more of his books in the future.
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LibraryThing member jfe16
At its heart, this story is a tribute to the men and women at Dover Air Force Base who care for the fallen.

A plane crashes in Alaska, killing everyone on board, including the Librarian of Congress, his assistants, and the Army’s Artist-in-Residence, Nola Brown.
But when her body arrives at Dover
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Air Force Base, Jim Zigarowski, a civilian mortician at the Dover Port Mortuary, realizes that the woman who died isn’t Nola Brown. He’d known Nola when she was a Girl Scout with his daughter, Maggie. She’d once saved Maggie’s life. If this woman wasn’t Nola, who was she? And did that mean that perhaps Nola was still alive?

Determined to find the answers and locate Nola, Zig begins an informal investigation of his own, uncovering some unsettling information about the young woman he hasn’t seen in years. But the more he discovers, the more danger he faces. Someone is willing to do anything to keep Nola from telling what she has seen, causing both Zig to fear for his life.

The unfolding of Nola’s backstory reveals the secrets of her tortured past, providing an added dimension for the feisty, resourceful, mysterious woman while Zig, committed to doing the right thing, brings honesty and vulnerability to the narrative. Believable, well-developed characters, a whip-smart, tension-filled plot, surprising reveals, and unexpected twists and turns combine to create a captivating, pulse-pounding narrative readers will find completely unputdownable.

Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member lamb521
Title: The Escape Artist
Author: Brad Meltzer
Pages: 434
Year: 2018
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
My rating is 5+ out of 5 stars.
When a friend told me about the latest novel that was coming soon written by Brad Meltzer, I quickly read a synopsis found online. Ok, I was totally hooked! I just
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couldn’t wait to read the novel that also has factual data inside the story, making the novel mesmerizing to say the least. So, when I began reading, I couldn’t see where the connection was to the magic of Harry Houdini. I plunged ahead and the further into the maze of mystery I explored, I occasionally wondered where the author was taking me. Yet, by the middle of the book or perhaps sooner, I simply couldn’t put the book down until I was so tired I couldn’t see the words clearly. The next day, when time allowed, again I opened the book to continue the exciting and thrilling story that was being slowly woven together right before my eyes. As I went along, I forgot about trying to figure out where I was being led and simply became engrossed in the action taking place.
As I read the last chapter and page, I knew that the wait was worth it! The author delivered one of his absolute best thrillers in a long time! While magicians may use slight of hand, Brad uses his pen in the same way throughout each page and through each character. Sometimes I was taken aback that what I thought was happening wasn’t and/or a totally unanticipated turn in the plot took place.
When you get a copy, be prepared to spend time in pure enjoyment, entertainment, and sharing of knowledge by the tale. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself wanting your friends or family reading their own copy of the book as soon as possible, because you won’t want to share yours! 😊
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LibraryThing member jtsolakos
Well researched, suspense filled, and a book that you will not put down until you are done. Mr Meltzer had done it again. Another favorite.
LibraryThing member thiscatsabroad
I seem to be going against the grain here, but this novel read like a cheap drug store paperback, complete with a highly predictable plot, and absolutely awful writing. Sorry - I wanted to like this, & to be charitable, I decided to be generous and give it 2 stars only because the mortuary bits
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were quite interesting.
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LibraryThing member justagirlwithabook
I’ll start by saying that mystery/thrillers don’t generally get 5 stars from me because they’re not usually the types of stories that resonate deeply with me on many different levels. That being said, The Escape Artist is one of the best thrillers I’ve read in a while. I’m a fan of Brad
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Meltzer and the books he’s written, which is saying something for a person who doesn’t hang her hat up for thrillers when given an opportunity (though I do generally enjoy them). I gave The Escape Artist 4 stars but wanted to give it a 4.5 for actually capturing my attention so quickly and holding it. There were a lot of elements that played into the story (two characters’ pasts that are intermingled, along with background of Houdini and connections to the FBI, and then all of these stories meeting together with the current storyline). The first few pages entirely hooked me. I kept a decent pace until I hit the last third of the book, and at that point I was speed reading to find out how this all played out. There was also a pretty unexpected twist towards the end that I didn’t see coming (and probably should have, looking back). Loved it. Brad Meltzer really delivered here.

*I received The Escape Artist from a Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member Carol420
I found this book a little hard to believe the main characters were capable of some of the things they did when you consider how mentally damaged they appeared to be. However they were interesting and carried the story line well as they went about their respective "jobs"...which none were what they
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really were. Overall it wasn't one of Brad Meltzer's great books but certainly a 4 star one.
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LibraryThing member Carl_Alves
Like most of Brad Meltzer’s novels, The Escape Artist presents mystery, intrigue, and conspiracies (although to be fair, this novel is a bit light on the conspiracy side in comparison to other written by Meltzer). His formula is a pretty simple one. His writing is riveting. The scenarios he puts
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his characters in are compelling. It’s entertaining. And there are generally big plot holes and massive believability issues. This novel was no different. The situation was interesting. I liked the tie ins to Houdini. The characters well drawn. And then, there were things that just made me shook my head.

The two major plot holes is that one of the hooks for the novel is the note that Nola’s substitute on the plane crash writes and is found on her body by Zig, who is the coroner for her death and the novel’s co-main protagonist. The contents of the note made no sense upon reading the story. There is no conceivable way that the character would have written this message. It was a cool, compelling message that made me want to keep on reading, but it was almost like cheating the audience since their was never a viable explanation as to why she would write it. The other major plot hole is the crazy level of coincidence that brought Nola and her foster father together, especially since the man seemed like a complete imbecile not capable of doing what he was ascribed to do. Although those things were downers, the novel is still very much worth reading. I was certainly entertained by it and on balance would give it a thumbs up.

Carl Alves – author of The Invocation
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LibraryThing member JenniferRobb
I liked it, but I'm not sure I "get" it. I understand the escape artist referring to Houdini but I also feel like it probably has another meaning for the current-to-the-book story that I didn't grasp.

Nola's career in the military seems unlikely--if she's as much a troublemaker as her boss
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indicated, I'd have thought they'd have discharged her long before. She reminds me a bit of the Charlie character in "Numb3rs" or the Cassandra character in "The Librarians"--being able to see things in a way that others don't.

Others have indicated that Nola was considered Meltzer's main character but honestly, I thought Zig was as much a main character as Nola. Meltzer does contrast the two a bit. Zig starts out as a sympathetic character while with Nola, we need to learn her backstory before understanding who she is and why she is as she is. I'm still not sure I like her or want to read more about her.
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LibraryThing member Maydacat
Zig is a mortician working for the government, embalming soldiers and doing his best to give them back what death took from them, for their families’ sake. He recreates them, covering up the worst damage and giving closure to their loved ones. But he himself has a tragedy in his past, and when he
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finds himself working on the body of a young soldier he knew in life, he knew he was looking at a lie. Thus begins this suspenseful thriller. Zig is on a quest to find Nola, and keep her safe, because of her connection to his past. There are many, many twists and turns in this story, false clues and outright lies and coverups. It is a tense tale, and has well-developed characters. It also has much graphic violence, and abusive and often deadly behavior. And while the individual characters were well defined, I think the story should have had better development in the relationships between the characters. Perhaps there was just too much action to include more about the relationship between Zig and Nola.
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LibraryThing member FerneMysteryReader
I have primarily read legal thrillers by Brad Meltzer but quickly realized this thriller was outside the usual legal realm of law offices and/or courtrooms. I liked reading the "Acknowledgments" in the beginning of the novel because it explained how the author was drawn to using the setting of
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Dover Air Force Base, Dover, Delaware in one of his novels. Every individual that has ever viewed press/media coverage of dignified transfers for fallen servicemen and women knows the emotions evoked. I don't know that I've ever thought of the morticians at the base.

I was captivated by the story as the opening pages began in Copper Center, Alaska. As a retired librarian I know librarians have much more interesting lives then generally portrayed in films but as I learned the head of the Library of Congress had been on the flight out of Alaska I thought perhaps my "need to know" might have topped Zig's as he seemed more interested in Nola. WoW! I also was never aware of the U.S. Army's Artist-in-Residence program. The Houdini connections of the storyline are magical as used by Meltzer.

Some individuals may begin reading this novel and think it's about death but it's steeped with powerful messages for those that know what it is to grieve and using that grief to live. I think it's a tribute to the humanity of the author to have embraced all of life experiences to bring readers this exceptional work.
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LibraryThing member lbswiener
The Escape Artist is a good story for the most part. There are unlikable characters who become very important. There are situations that seem very improbable and characters who have a lot of near misses. All in all though the story was gripping at times, characters were strong. The book received
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four stars.
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LibraryThing member booklovers2
Escape Artist is a real page turner. Fast paced sometimes over the top and fantastical, A Military action drama. I don't know how true to reality the info on Dover Military Base was knowing that our fallen military are escorted there. My heart went out to Ziggy the main character who worked on
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preparing our fallen soldiers for the family viewing and burial. I am comforted to know that those who go thru Dover are cared for so respectfully. Ziggy was notified that a plane went down in Alaska, carrying the Librarian of Congress, some of his aids and the Artist in Residence for the Army. He recognizes the name as a childhood friend of his deceased daughter and makes sure that he is the one to prepare her for her famliy - only - knowing that she had an injury that disfigured her when she was a teen, seeing that perfect ear, it wasn't the person who the army confirmed it to be - now he is out to find where Nola Brown is and who is this woman the Army has identified as Nola. He knows something is wrong and he is determined to find Nola. But, does Nola want to be found? Action packed page turne
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LibraryThing member gpangel
The Escape Artist by Brad Meltzer is a 2018 Grand Central publication.

Jim ‘Zig’ Zigarowski is a mortician at the most top-secret mortuary in the United States. When ‘Nola Brown’ arrives at the morgue, Zig is all set to honor the woman who once saved his daughter’s life when they were
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children. But the scars he knew Nola to have, are not present in this body.

That must mean the real Nola Brown is still alive. He soon learns Nola is on the run and because he feels like he owes her one, Zig starts investigating, never dreaming he would uncover a conspiracy directly related to Houdini himself…

It's been a long time since I read one of Brad Meltzer’s books. Somehow, I lost track of him over the years. I would like to get reacquainted with his work and wanted to get in on the ground floor of this series before the next installment drops.

This is a fast paced, adventurous conspiracy-based thriller, with an interesting premise, one that piqued my interest because of the link to Houdini, who has always fascinated me.

This story has some highs and lows- Zig’s throwing all caution to the wind for Nola without knowing what she was really into, and Nola’s over the top volatile behavior wasn’t always believable, but, as with all conspiracies, if one has the presence of mind to view them ‘for entertainment purposes only’, they can be fun to dissect and theorize over.

Meltzer has carved out a small niche surrounding conspiracies, and they are still as popular as ever, as Zig and Nola are about to make an encore performance soon.

I’m willing to see how the pair manages to cross paths again and what adventures they will embark on next.

Overall, this was a solid beginning to the series, and was entertaining for the most part. I wouldn’t say this was one of Meltzer’s best efforts, but I’m willing to see where it takes me.

3.5 stars
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LibraryThing member whitewavedarling
I go into Brad Meltzer books with high expectations, and I think that was part of my problem here. Was it good? Absolutely. The Escape Artist is a fast, twisty read with great characters, a fast-moving plot, and perfect pacing. It's a fantastic thriller. ... ... ... And yet. The truth is that it
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didn't (for me) live up to the other books I've read from Meltzer. Something about the way it moved between the two main characters, and the disjointedness in connection there, just didn't keep me as invested as I have been in his other works. I was entertained, definitely, but something about the structure of the book and the relationship of the characters left me feeling like I wanted more of an emotional impact and connection that was always just barely out of reach. I suspect I would have enjoyed the book more if it had focused entirely on either of the main characters here, though I certainly understand why that would have been a different book. As is, I think readers who come to this work for a twisty suspense read will enjoy it, but I'm not sure if long-time Meltzer fans will be so thrilled as others.
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LibraryThing member rmarcin
Zig is a mortician who prepares the dead soldiers at Dover Air Force Base for release to their families. When a woman identified as Nola Brown comes into the morgue, Zig is surprised, because he knows her. However, something doesn't seem right. He finds a hidden note on the body, and thus begins an
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investigation into why the military is hiding details of a plane crash and why is Nola running. Zig finds a connection of people on the plane to Harry Houdini.
This is the first in a series about Zig and Nola. I am not really a fan of political/spy thrillers, but I had to read book 2 for a book club, and thought I should read the first book to gain some background into the characters.
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LibraryThing member Tatoosh
Jim “Zig” Zigarowski is a mortician who works at Dover Air Force Base preparing the bodies of fallen service men and women for viewing and interment. Sergeant 1st class Nola Brown, the Army’s Artist-in-Residence, works out of Fort Belvoir in Virginia. As a child, Nola saved Zig’s daughter
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from injury. So when Nola dies in the crash of a military airplane, Zig insists that he prepare her for burial. There’s only one problem. The body is not Nola’s.

The Escape Artist is an intricate mystery that raises numerous questions. We know almost immediately that the airplane was sabotaged. But who wanted Nola Brown dead, and why? What was going on in the remote Alaska military base that prompted such a drastic action to keep it secret? What was the Librarian of Congress doing at that remote base? Who were the three men accompanying him under false names?

Zig and Nola work to unravel the mystery but, despite the accumulating information, readers are most likely in the dark and chasing red herrings. The critical piece of information is provided two-thirds of the way through the book when the reason for the sabotage is revealed, providing a plausible explanation for all our questions in a satisfactory manner.

Nola’s backstory is told skillfully throughout the story in 2-3 page chapters that gradually expand our understanding of her background and set the stage for the surprising resolution. Unfortunately, several problems lessen the overall quality of this magnificent mystery. Zig is a rather depressing protagonist who becomes increasingly difficult to respect. He is repeatedly outsmarted by Nola and outsmarted and beat up by the villains. The space devoted to his character could have reduced without significant loss. Once the mystery is resolved, the remaining third of the book is an unimaginative and somewhat uninteresting account of how Nola and Zig work to bring the saboteur to justice. A critical element of that resolution is the unrealistic premise that Zig, a civilian, could convince a military crew to disobey their orders to fly to Alaska and return to Dover. Finally, the last 30 pages are an account of Zig’s and Nola’s recovery from the injuries they suffered in the final battle and the life-altering changes that occur in their lives. I wish Meltzer had omitted this part entirely.
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LibraryThing member lkadin
This was one of the best Brad Meltzer books I have read.
I did not put it down from the time I started.
It is riveting and exiting and I would highly recommend it.
LibraryThing member zot79
One of those books that keeps you guessing right up until the end, when you tell yourself "I should have seen that coming." But you won't.

Brad Meltzer loads up the story with distinct and interesting characters and keeps up a magician's patter of interesting facts to distract you as he spins a
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complex tale. It's a mystery wrapped in a thriller wrapped in tragedy. And it works.

Disclosure: Thank you to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing a free copy of this book in return for my honest review.
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Language

Original publication date

2018

ISBN

9781455559527
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