Plum Island by Nelson DeMille. John Corey #1.
Three 1/2 stars.
NYPD Detective John Corey is on convalescent leave after an on-the-job shooting, relaxing at his uncle's home along the coast of Long Island. The police chief, an old family acquaintance, asked John to help him investigate the homicides of his neighbors, who were scientists at Plum Island animal disease research center. Knowing it isn't a good idea, but upset at the deaths of his new friends, he agrees to help. Were they killed because of their disease research on Plum Island, or were they killed for another reason altogether? The twists and turns keep you racing through to the end.
I first read this book when it was published in 1997. A fan of DeMille since reading The General's Daughter, I instantly liked his latest hero, New York detective John Corey. Reading it again, I wasn't disappointed. The book is a trip down memory lane, with outdated technologies (VCRs for example) and many of the situations that came up could have been prevented today with cell phones instead of the need to return home to check the answering machine. However, John Corey hasn't lost his shine over the past 15 years. His sarcastic wit and bravado are just one layer of a complex, smart cop who will see a case through to the end, even when it's not in his best interest.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky