THE ASSASSIN
Stephen Coonts
St. Martin's Press
Thriller
ISBN: 9780312323578
It has been far too long since we've been blessed with a novel from Stephen Coonts. The arrival of THE ASSASSIN not only heralds that the wait is over but also decrees that it was well worth it. Coonts, keeping everyone happy, brings both Tommy Carmellini and Admiral Jake Grafton back, and throws in Abu Qasim, their most deadly nemesis, for a showdown with the ultimate prize at stake.
Readers of his previous work, THE TRAITOR, will recall that Qasim, a cunning al-Qaeda leader, barely escaped with his life at the conclusion of that novel. The premise of THE ASSASSIN is that a small group of private citizens --- influential and wealthy captains of industry and politics --- decide it is time that Qasim and his circle of influence be taken off the board once and for all, and put their might and majesty behind a plan to do just that. The President of the United States gives an invisible blessing to the plan, placing Jake Grafton at their disposal. Grafton in turn sets Carmellini loose, an act that ultimately puts him into contact with Marisa Petrou, a seductive Frenchwoman of Carmellini's intimate acquaintance who may or may not be Qasim's daughter.
All initially goes well, until members of the cadre behind the hunt for Qasim are murdered, one by one. It becomes obvious that there is a traitor in their midst. But who could it be? Grafton and Carmellini have to find out, and quickly, for they soon learn not only that are they on the list but that the President of the United States is as well. Qasim is every bit the equal of Grafton and Carmellini; he is a seemingly unstoppable force of nature who is as calculating and cunning as any adversary who they have ever faced, either singly or together. Qasim, who always seems to be at least two moves ahead of his adversaries, appears ready to achieve all of his goals as THE ASSASSIN approaches a conclusion that will challenge your ability to turn pages fast enough to keep up with your reading.
Coonts shows absolutely no sign of slowing down in the interim since his last novel. Balancing the action between Carmellini and Grafton is a brilliant strategy --- Grafton is far too good a character to stay in the background for long --- and, although Carmellini does the heavy lifting consistent with his youth, it is Grafton's age and guile that carries the day here. His excellent characterization, however, takes second chair to his masterful plotting and pacing, not to mention the surprises that he lobs at the reader, all the way to the end of the book, and beyond.
From its inception Coonts's work has been infused with a real-world sensibility --- AMERICA was so prophetic that when the events described therein actually occurred, I had to read it over again --- and THE ASSASSIN continues that bold tradition. If you want a strong dose of reality with your fiction, then Coonts and Grafton are what you're looking for.
--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
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