The Titanic Secret

TITANIC SECRET (ISAAC BELL,#11) BY CLIVE CUSSLER

I was really looking forward to reading this because,like a lot of us Cussler fans, we have read and probably re read “Raise the Titanic” Unfortunately, I was disappointed in TITANIC SECRET. I really hate to use the word boring but lets face it, TITANIC SECRET is somewhat boring. Yes,there are a few parts of the book that are what I call page turners,but for the most part it was pretty dull.

In TITANIC SECRET, Isaac Bell is dead and buried and Dirk Pitt gets some papers from his lawyer that tells the backstory of the Titanic, the miners and the cargo that theoretically when down with the Titanic. Literally,thru the pages of time Pitt gets to relive the secret. The secret that went to the grave not only with the miners but with Isaac Bell as well.

One thing I do like about TITANIC SECRET is that Cussler has given the reader, along with Dirk Pitt closure on one of the novels Cussler wrote in the past. Other than that……well you be the judge.

Jack DuBrul rescued the Isaac Bell series, Definitely a five-star PLUS. He has worked with Clive to deliver a story that will keep you reading late into the night.

Dirk Pitt is given a journal that had been written by Isaac Bell concerning the truth behind the mining of byzanium and the parts that Dirk did not know.

After Dirk has his own harrowing experience of raising the Titanic years ago, he is about to learn even more.

Isaac Bell a private investigator for the Van Dorn Agency, he has kept a journal of his experience involving the case private until long after his own demise. Now his story has been given to Dirk, and it is an amazing adventure filled with danger and death following Isaac and the miners throughout the never before telling of this side of the story.

This is a fabulous story for those who love to devour action and adventure.

I will preface my review by stating that I really like Jack Du Brul. I have read all of his Philip Mercer books and love them. I also liked his participation in the Oregon Files books. I think they are great. I have read every Isaac Bell book and can’t get enough of the old time adventures and the depth that the authors have gone into to bring that era to life. This book was Jack’s 1st coordination with Cussler on Isaac Bell, and I hope his last. Significantly missing was the usual cast of characters from the Van Dorn Detective agency, Bell’s wife Marion, and the nuances of the language from the era. Not once did I hear ,” on the jump”, one of Bell’s favorite phrases. It seemed like the author really did not know Isaac Bell at all, which of course he didn’t. This was an easy book to put down and resume reading at a later time, completely in contrast to the usual Isaac Bell novels. All the other reviews detail the plot of the story very thoroughly, thus I will not bother to repeat. Isaac Bell is a great character and the period in which the novels take place is always interesting, but not with Jack Du Brul as the co-author. He needs to stick with his Philip Mercer books or Cussler’s Oregon file where he is outstanding.

If you are thinking of buying this book because you love stories about the Titanic then stay away. Roughly 10-15 pages of this (out of a total of 400) even mention the Titanic. Don’t get me wrong; the story is mildly entertaining. However, I expect a book that has a prominent picture of the Titanic on its cover and the word ‘Titanic’ in its title to devote a major portion of its narrative to the Titanic or events surrounding it. Shame on the authors and publisher for creating what I consider to be the book version of “clickbait”.

Clive Cussler has been one of my top five favorite authors for a long time now. Since Isaac Bell came along, he is one of my top ten fictional characters. The addition of a co-writer has not created any diminution of my opinion. This installment of Bells saga was long anticipated, and does not disappoint. The characterization of Bell is consistent with the other novels. Lord knows the action is nonstop. I dont do spoilers in a review, but I will comment on Cusslers trademark contemporary bookends. His matching Prologue and Epilogue are clever, and appropriate. In them, he links his first lead character, Dirk Pitt the hero of Raise the Titanic with this latest opus featuring his newest hero,, Isaac Bell. By mentioning the Titanic in the Prologue, he kind of telegraphs future plot elements, but it works. This is a thoroughly enjoyable book. Glad I preordered it. Cant wait for the next one.

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