Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Review of The Assassin (Isaac Bell, Bk 8)

The Assassin (Isaac Bell, Bk 8)
reviewed on + 3563 more book reviews


At the turn of the 20th century, oil was king. Led by such men as John D. Rockefeller, oil became a commodity that men fought and killed over. Rockefeller, head of the Standard Oil monopoly, is being investigated by Isaac Bell of the Van Dorn detective agency. What begins as an investigation turns to murder when a hired assassin starts targeting opponents of Standard Oil, many of them independents hoping to break Standard's grip on the oil industry.

Isaac and the others from the Van Dorn agency are soon looking for the assassin. Their pursuit will lead them to Kansas, Texas, and across the Atlantic Ocean to Russia. Meanwhile, the assassin is still at large. Having had his best witness killed by the assassin, it is up to Isaac and his fellow detectives to solve the mystery before the assassin destroys Standard Oil and John D. Rockefeller himself.

I'm a big fan of the Isaac Bell series by Clive Cussler, and "The Assassin" in a fine new entry to the series. As with the earlier books in the series, Cussler concentrates his story during an actual time frame in American history. The story is exciting, and the characters are well-developed. There are many twists and turns along the way, and the reader must pay close attention to the story.

I highly recommend this fine book. Fans of Isaac Bell will surely enjoy "The Assassin".