Raise the Titanic - Clive Cussler

Naturally, this story begins on that fateful January night in 1912. When the Titanic strikes the iceberg, a passenger corners one of the porters forces him to be a guide. Near the bottom of the Titanic is the cargo hold this passenger has chosen for his final resting place.

Flash forward to present day. The President has a secret agenda and a legacy that depend on the cargo that went down with the Titanic. Enter our hero, Dirk Pitt. The task of salvaging the cargo falls on his shoulders.

First things first, Dirk must find the Titanic at the bottom of the North Atlantic. The activities of National Underwater and Marine Agency do not go without notice. The Soviet Union are quickly interested in the NUMA ships scouring the sea. Things become more complicated when the CIA makes the President aware of the possibility of capturing one of the USSR's top spies. And all the President has to do is allow information to slip out about what Dirk and his people are actually after.

This fast paced adventure is thoroughly entertaining. Cussler has tapped into a story that captures the imagination and makes time stand still. This is Dirks best tale yet.

Iceberg - Clive Cussler

It was a windy Saturday in Arizona and the college football was not compelling. I pulled out my laptop and let myself be entertained with another of Dirk Pitt's adventures.

This time Dirk finds himself in the North Atlantic searching for a very special iceberg. Inside the iceberg is a ship. Dr Hunnewell, travelling with Pitt, has several explanations as to how a ship could become encased in an iceberg. And since we are here for an adventure, I refuse to think about how plausible any of his theories really are.

Finding and identifying the ship within the iceberg solves one big mystery and leads to several more. Unfortunately for Dr. Hunnewell and NUMA's Special Projects Director, they are not the only ones interested in the iceberg. And the other interested parties are not pleased that they have competition.

The damsel in this story is a beautiful Icelandic princess. Well, technically she isn't a princess but, Dirk is still smitten. When he discovers just after meeting her that he has competition for the lady's heart as well, he employs a most unusual strategy to displace her fiance.

All my college teams took a pounding. Never the less, I had an enjoyable Saturday afternoon thanks in no small part to Dirk.

Dead Money - Rudy Stegemoeller

I first started this book some years ago when it was being presented in a condensed version as a series in Card Player magazine. I missed the beginning and I missed the end. I also missed several parts in between. I wasn't a subscriber to the magazine so I only got to read it when I could find a copy laying around my local card room. Needless to say, when I saw it on the shelf at the library, I added to my stack.

When I started reading, it was at once familiar. And also clearly not the same. The original story I read took place during a marathon session at his local casino playing in a $30 - $60 game. This story is set during a fairly large tournament. The plot line is the same. A very strong player that most of the poker world is less than fond of is found dead in the parking lot.

Mark Newcomb is a talented amateur poker player. He does well in the cash games when he isn't working in the public defenders office. His wife is less than thrilled with the time he spends playing cards but, she isn't making any ultimatums. Not yet.

The tournament trail is filled with a class of unique individuals and we are introduced to several. People from all walks of life. A multi-millionaire who plays only for the hope of victory to an immigrant who arrived in the country without a cent to his name. Rudy does a good job of fleshing out the characters. We can see whole people, not just cardboard cutouts. More impressively, he does this without slowing the pace or development of the story.

This murder mystery is surprisingly well written. Poker is the backdrop on which the story is told, not the centerpiece. The story itself is compelling and well thought out. Even if you have no interest in poker, this is a great read for any mystery buff.

The Mediterranean Caper - Clive Cussler

This is the second in the Dirk Pitt series. This time Dirk is working. As the Special Projects Director of NUMA (National Underwater Marine Agency) he is en route to check up on one of his subordinates having some difficulty with an assignment in Aegean Sea. Off the coast of a Greek isle, he responds to a mayday from a US Air Force Base.

Despite being in a flying boat (CBY Catalina), Dirk and Al Giordino, his Deputy Special Projects Director, divert their course to save the US Air Force from a World War I biplane. The WWI fighter has already taken out all the fighter jets before they could even get off the ground and is now having its way with the tower. Armed with only a couple of rifles, Dirk and Al decide to fly to the rescue.

Pitt finds the girl within 24 hours and spends an appropriately short amount of time seducing her. During diner he discovers she is the niece of the story's villain. Dirk rescues the girl from the clutches of her evil uncle. Helps Interpol capture a war criminal and straightens out the issues interfering with the NUMA research assignment.

Cussler does a masterful job of keeping the pace moving at breakneck speed. None of the plot lines are forgotten and everything is wrapped up in a neat little bow by the end. Once again I have spent an short afternoon thoroughly entertained.

Pacific Vortex - Clive Cussler

Sometimes I just want to read something that is loosely tied the world I live in. Something filled with cliches, moves at a breakneck pace and requires minimal processing on my part. I guess that is what pulp fiction is all about. A way to relax and enjoy a few moments without worrying about whether everything makes sense.

I am glad I can turn to Dirk Pitt at those times. A handsome, charismatic hero who always knows what to do and how to do it. There is never any doubt as to whether he will get the girl and save the world but, watching him do it is always fun.

Dirk is on vacation in Hawaii relaxing on a beach when he spots something bobbing in the waves. Little does he know that swimming out and collecting the flotsam will propel him into the center of the Pacific Vortex.

The equivalent of the Bermuda Triangle, the Pacific Vortex is a place where ships disappear without a trace. But, is just a freakish coincidence that ships disappear when they enter the vortex or there something more sinister going on?

The Girl with the Long Green Heart - Lawrence Block

Johnny Hayden was living the simple life. Dreaming of the day he could purchase a little no-tel motel just down the road. It wasn't a bad existence; assistant manager of a bowling alley in Boulder Colorado, living in a stark one-bedroom with no windows. It was a far sight better than the last 7 years. Years spent in San Quintin. Until he was visited by a face from the past.

Doug Rance had a plan. It was the perfect confidence scheme. And when it was over, Johnny would have all the money he needed to make his dream a reality.

Lawrence snaps a vivid picture of a grifter's life. He takes the time to educate the reader about the art and the eloquence of the long con. And he does it without sacrificing story or pace.

Take an afternoon at the beach or in your living room on a rainy day and enjoy this little page turner. It is a fast read that will not disappoint.