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    The Deserter: A Novel
    The Deserter: A Novel
    The Deserter: A Novel
    Audiobook20 hours

    The Deserter: A Novel

    Written by Nelson DeMille and Alex DeMille

    Narrated by Scott Brick

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    Audio bonus! The audio download edition includes an exclusive interview with Nelson DeMille, Alex DeMille, and Scott Brick!

    This instant New York Times bestseller and “outstanding” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) thriller features a brilliant and unorthodox Army investigator, his enigmatic female partner, and their hunt for the Army’s most notorious—and dangerous—deserter.

    When Captain Kyle Mercer of the Army’s elite Delta Force disappeared from his post in Afghanistan, a video released by his Taliban captors made international headlines. But circumstances were murky: did Mercer desert before he was captured? Then a second video sent to Mercer’s Army commanders leaves no doubt: the trained assassin and keeper of classified Army intelligence has disappeared.

    When Mercer is spotted a year later in Caracas, Venezuela, top military brass task Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor of the Criminal Investigation Division to bring Mercer back to America—preferably alive. Brodie knows this is a difficult mission, made more difficult by his new partner’s inexperience, by their undeniable chemistry, and by Brodie’s suspicion that Maggie Taylor is reporting to the CIA.

    With ripped-from-the-headlines appeal, an exotic and dangerous locale, and the hairpin twists and inimitable humor that are signature DeMille, The Deserter is the first in a timely and thrilling new series from an unbeatable team of True Masters: the #1 New York Times bestseller Nelson DeMille and his son, award-winning screenwriter Alex DeMille.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster Audio
    Release dateOct 22, 2019
    ISBN9781508268840
    Author

    Nelson DeMille

    Nelson DeMille is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty-two novels, seven of which were #1 New York Times bestsellers. His novels include The Maze, The Deserter (written with Alex DeMille), The Cuban Affair, Word of Honor, Plum Island, The Charm School, The Gold Coast, and The General’s Daughter, which was made into a major motion picture, starring John Travolta and Madeleine Stowe. He has written short stories, book reviews, and articles for magazines and newspapers. Nelson DeMille is a combat-decorated US Army veteran, a member of Mensa, Poets & Writers, and the Authors Guild, and past president of the Mystery Writers of America. He is also a member of the International Thriller Writers, who honored him as 2015 ThrillerMaster of the Year. He lives on Long Island with his family.

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    Reviews for The Deserter

    4/5

    239 ratings18 reviews

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    • 2/5
      A decent hook which doesn't play out convincingly, jokes that were placed in the narrative inorganically or built up too obviously, loads of machismo and one liners, rubbish psychology and an unlikely plot.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Great book, Nelson Demille's new saga don't disappoint as always

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      Great story and characters. I have been looking for a book similar to I Am Pilgrim(fantastic book!) and this is as close as I’ve found in a year of searching.
      I love that Scott was a smart ass. I hope there is a sequel!
    • 5/5
      Maybe the most enjoyable thriller I’ve ever read. Story is constructed perfectly and the dialogue is world class
    • 2/5
      I worry when established writers take their protagonists out of the country. Usually, I suspect it is because they want to be able to write off a trip to some country they've always had a hankering to visit so they do in order to collect local color for the book. But Venezuela? Why would anyone want to go to a country on the verge of ruin and chaos -- at least that's the way it's described in this extended travelogue.Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor, both CID officers, (think Paul Brenner and Cynthia Sunhill from the General's Daughter with whom they bear striking similarities in looks and speech) need to go undercover to Venezuela to bring back a Captain Kyle Mercer who deserted his unit and committed some heinous crimes in Afghanistan. He has now been seen by a less than reliable witness in Venezuela in a brothel for underage girls in the slums of Caracas. Clearly, the Army has way, way too much money if it were to indulge in such a risky venture, kidnap (or kill) this guy Mercer. I really admire many things about Venezuela, the foremost being the conductor Dudamel and the truly magnificent Youth orchestra and high school music programs. That is not the country of this book and I found the plot to be a mish-mash of plot holes. I did like the Paul Brenner-like banter of the thinly disguised Brodie. Why invent a new character when you already had one on the books? (Perhaps because he wrote this with his son, Alex DeMille, another puzzler, the way to get his son a head start in the writier's market.)I have read (or listened to) several DeMille and enjoyed the Brenner and Corey characters. I was disappointed in this one and certainly won't read the The Cuban Affair, which other readers have described as being similar in its travelogue nature. I enjoy reading the history and current affairs of other countries be they failed or successful; I also enjoy a good mystery/thriller/police procedural like the General's Daughter (5 stars); I do not enjoy one that succeeds at neither.
    • 5/5
      Captain Kyle mercer of the Army's Delta force disappears from his station in Afghanistan. A video surfaces that shows that Mercer has deserted. He is spotted a year later in a very dangerous section of Venezuela. Scott Brody and Maggie Taylor are tasked with the job of bringing the deserter back to the United States for trial. This book is so DeMille. It is fast paced, thrilling and brilliant! DeMille fans will not be disappointed. It is filled with twists and turns, double crosses, politics, and believable characters. A nail biting adventure. a must read!
    • 5/5
      Riveting, detailed, but interesting story of two military intelligence agents assigned with the task of finding a military deserter....deep in South America. The dialogue between the male and female investigatory carries the repartee of characters in other DeMille books...funny, witty, edgy. The plot excellent as well as the geographic descriptions. This was written by father and son....I wonder who did what...plot, writing, etc.
    • 4/5
      I suppose it's not fair to ding an author for advertising a "new character" when the new one is pretty much the same as one the author's more famous for and one you love to read. In this case, the DeMilles' "new" character is Scott Brodie, who's really no different than John Corey. Granted, Brodie is not a former NYPD detective, but, like John, he's still a quick-witted, non-PC smartass. The action and pacing of this book is very good and the descriptions of Venezuela are excellent.Decorated SEAL Captain Kyle Mercer leaves camp one night and is then subsequently captured by the Taliban. After two years captivity, he escapes by killing his captors, videoing it, and resigning his commission. Now, the Navy's trying to find him and bring him to justice for the desertion. To wit, they employ Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor of the Criminal Investigation Division to find him. Of course, there's far more going on and other agencies are in the hunt for Mercer. And they don't want him captured alive.I wish the reason Mercer deserted was a bit more ethically murky for character-building purposes, but the story is still really good. I'll look forward to reading more about Brodie's escapades in the future.
    • 5/5
      All I can say is Wow! It had been a few years since I had read a Nelson DeMille book. I heard the last one was sub-par and had not heard about any new books until now. I had always enjoyed him in the past. This was a collaboration between him and his son and it really worked. It is a wide ride. I had forgotten how much I like his characters when he is in top form. Good book if you like thrillers. Warning: If you dislike smart-alec type A personalities then this book will annoy you. Sometimes the people needed to do a job do not care about your feelings and don't care if you like them. Just ask Travis McGee or Jack Reacher.
    • 5/5
      Excellent~!

      I know all characters can't live happily ever after, but sheesh. lol.

    • 3/5
      Good concept, but not as good as his typical. it dragged.
    • 5/5
      I'm a fan of DeMille's books and this lives up to my hopes. It is the story of two army investigators talked with arresting a Delta force officer who had deserted. There journey takes them first to Caracas and then to the jungles of Venezuela. The story is filled with twists, turns and treachery. It introduces two new characters expected to be made into a series, characters the reader wants to get to know better.
    • 2/5
      The deserter: a novel by Nelson DeMille and Alex DeMille is the 1st in their new Scott Brodie series.Billed as a thriller, the main characters are army CID Investigators, Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor. Their assignment is to ’track and retrieve’ a famed army deserter, Kyle Mercer.The locations are certainly exotic and there are plenty of tense plot twists.I generally like Mr. DeMille’s crisp, interesting writing. But the characters, the locations, the plots and subplots did not appeal to me at all in this title. I really detest a smart aleck and I could have cared less in the end if our Scott Brodie lived or died on his mission. And Ms. Taylor seemed to be written as a superficial ornament.I know this is fiction, but it read more as a fantasy.
    • 3/5
      This thriller seems to be loosely based on Conrad's "Heart of Darkness." It explores a similar theme: the psychological damage attendant to combat. Likewise, the plot involves a decent into the jungle to retrieve a dangerous deserter who may have gone quite mad. In this instance, a team of CID officers, Brodie and Taylor, are tasked with finding and arresting Kyle Mercer. Of course, this version of the "Heart of Darkness" story has been updated to include modern themes like CIA double-dealing, American failures at winning "hearts and minds" since Vietnam, and the decent of the Venezuelan state into chaos.THE DESERTER is a brisk and entertaining read with plenty of action. However, the Brodie character's glib humor becomes a bit tedious after a few hundred pages. His overly serious sidekick, Maggie Taylor, seems to be there just as a straight man (person) for his lame jokes, and as a caution to his dangerous machismo. Clearly, DeMille plans to develop a series around these two characters. One can only hope that he considers making this relationship a little more believable by muting this shtick. After all, Hammett already did it quite well with Nick and Nora Charles.
    • 2/5
      The Deserter-A Novel, Nelson DeMille, Alex DeMille, authors; narrated by Scott BrickMagnolia Taylor and Scott Brody are partners working for the Army’s Criminal Investigation Command or CID. Their assignment is to find a deserter, Captain Kyle Mercer. After he left his post and unit, he was captured by the Taliban and held prisoner for more than two years. While there, he studied the Koran, learned the language of his captors, and prayed along with them. Soon they did not consider him a threat, although he was still their prisoner and was treated badly. He was starved, beaten and sexually abused. When he escaped, he brutally murdered all of his captors who were caught completely off guard.The search for Mercer took Brody and Taylor to Venezuela and a world of extreme poverty. The citizens were desperate and their lives were empty. The government and military were corrupt. The police were compromised. Brody and Taylor witnessed sex slavery, child sex trafficking, violent gangs, robbery and murder! As they followed the trail to the deserter, they faced constant danger. Ultimately, they traveled to a remote jungle to find his hideout. They discovered his camp where he kept women to pleasure the men and trained soldiers to obstruct the efforts of the United States as it tried to interfere in the country. Everywhere they went, they faced danger. They found that their plans were thwarted as their identities had been discovered, and their enemies were waiting for them. The book moves very slowly and for a good portion of the book, it seems to go nowhere, chapter after chapter. Even when it finally ends, there seem to be loose ends that are not tied up. The only saving grace was the narrator extraordinaire, Scott Brick. He applied just the right amount of expression to each sentence he read as he defined the characters and the narrative. However, it was hard to stay interested in a book that seemed to go on and on without really accomplishing anything. It was repetitive and not up to the standards of other DeMille books. The language used is crude, and although the dialogue between the characters is often humorous, it also seems senseless, as well. In an attempt to create romance, the authors have the characters engage in mindless, sarcastic banter and silly pillow type talk. Finally, the book nears the end of its journey, and military corruption is exposed as the deserter’s connection to it is revealed. The story could have been told in half the pages.
    • 3/5
      Three years ago, Army Delta Force Captain Kyle Mercer disappeared from his post in Afghanistan. Sometime later, a video surfaced, showing Mercer with his Taliban captors. After some two years of torture, Mercer escaped. By then, the Army had declared him a deserter. A sighting of Mercer in Caracas sends Army Criminal Investigation Division investigators Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor to Venezuela to find Kyle Mercer and bring him home to face a court-martial.But there may be more to the Kyle Mercer story than anyone knows. Strong characters, unexpected plot twists, and non-stop action keep the pages turning in this pulse-pounding narrative. It is a story of war, a story of impossible choices. It’s gritty and filled with the hopelessness of a population mired in poverty in a nation poised on the edge of becoming a failed state. The strong, well-described sense of place anchors the story.Unfortunately, this powerful narrative finds itself mired down by a considerable excess of gratuitous expletives, an annoying overabundance of double entendres and sophomoric sexual innuendo, and far too much over-the-top graphic violence that tends to pull the reader out of the story. Leaving some things to the reader’s imagination isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Future books in the series would benefit from omitting the puerile inferences and the unwarranted crass language. Recommended.
    • 4/5
      Substitute Scott Brodie for John Corey, Maggie Taylor for Kate Mayfield, Colonel Brendan Worley for Ted Nash, set the story in Venezuela and turn it into a manhunt for Kyle Mercer who stands in for Bowe Bergdahl (a real US Army deserter) and it could be any of DeMille’s books.After Kyle Mercer deserted his battalion in Afghanistan he was captured by the Taliban, miraculously escaped and found his way to Venezuela. Something happened, he came off the rails, he lost the brotherhood of the US Army. Chief Warrant Officer Brodie and Warrant Officer Taylor are tasked by the Generals to locate, apprehend and return Mercer to the United States to face trial by court martial for desertion and maybe a few other things. Brodie wise-cracks at every opportunity, Taylor is the voice of reason and neither of them completely trusts the other. Brodie suspects Taylor of being CIA. Taylor has some idea of what derailed Mercer but is not talking, concentrating her effort on the mission at hand. They both embody “Do What Has To Be Done” but very differently.Navigating the corruption in Venezuela heightens the tension of every situation. The local currency is worthless, the people are starving, theft, murder, bribery is an every day, every minute activity. Oh yeah, our heroes are thrown in the thick of it and they find themselves in one insane situation after another. From their arrival at the airport to their transport to El Dorado the safest hotel in Caracas, to a whorehouse in one of the poorest slums, Brodie and Taylor don’t need to do something stupid to find themselves in trouble, it finds them everywhere they look, everywhere they go. And this is before they start the hunt for the fugitive Mercer. They go here, they go there, they look around, they are chased, they do the chasing, they shoot it out and then shoot it out again for over 400 pages, which felt a bit too long, DeMille, as always, is observant, well informed and allows us a close up look at the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID), Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), the the US Embassy in Caracas, the nefarious CIA plotting and scheming to accomplish those goals we will never understand, and the political culture of Venezuela under the Madura regime. Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy.
    • 5/5
      I’m a huge Nelson DeMille fan and have been since his iconic PLUM ISLAND and THE CHARM SCHOOL. In his first collaboration with son Alex, he has again hit a home run. THE DESERTER might be based on the desertion of Bowe Bergdahl but it is so much more. In what I hope is the beginning of a new series, we meet US Army Investigators Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor. And I love these characters. The deserter in question is Kyle Mercer, a member of the elite Delta Force who disappeared in Afghanistan and was captured by the Taliban, apparently something that didn’t go well for his captors if a shocking video can be believed. Two years later, Brodie and Taylor are dispatched to Caracas, Venezuela to capture Mercer when he has been spotted casually sitting in a bar at a major hotel. Sounds simple enough. Not a chance. Not in DeMille’s world. What follows is a wild ride with plot twists and turns, break-neck action, and the fabulous dialog that is a DeMille staple. I loved this story. Highly recommended.DP Lyle, award-winning author of the Jake Longly and Cain/Harper thriller series