The Intercept by Dick Wolf

The Intercept (Jeremy Fisk, #1) (NYPD Special Agent Jeremy Fisk, #1)

by Dick Wolf

Four days before the dedication of the new Freedom Tower at ground zero in New York City, five passengers and a flight attendant bravely foil the hijacking of a commercial jet en route to the city. Thrust into the national spotlight, 'The Six' become instant celebrities, hailed for their bravery. But iconoclastic New York Police investigator Jeremy Fisk believes there's more to this than a simple open-and-shut terrorism case. Fisk -from the department's Intelligence Division - suspects that in reality this is an early warning signal that another potentially more devastating attack is imminent.

Fisk and his team spring into action, but as each promising new lead fizzles to nothing they realise that their opponents are smarter and more dangerous than anyone they've faced before. The seemingly invisible enemy is able to exploit every security weakness, anticipating Fisk's every move. And time is running out until ground zero day...

Reviewed by kimbacaffeinate on

5 of 5 stars

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4.5 When I was approached to review The Intercept, I thought I recognized this authors’ name. We are huge fans of the Law and Order television shows and I was immediately excited. Wolf delivered an action packed crime thriller that kept me riveted in this chillingly realistic scenario that take place over the July fourth weekend in the city that never sleeps, New York. I consumed this over the course of two evenings and cannot wait for the next Jeremy Fisk novel.

The tale begins days before the dedication of the One World Trade Center at ground zero. A group of six civilians thwart a terrorist hijacker from commandeering a plane over the Atlantic. New York Detective Jeremy Fisk, a special agent in New York’s Intelligence Division, is called in along with a dozen units of the FBI, homeland security and the CIA. While everyone is ready to assume the hijacker acted alone, Fisk’s intuition tells him this threat is far from over and the tale that unfolds is brilliant, fast paced and tightly woven.

Jeremy Fisk is complicated, dedicated and it would be safe to say he questions authority. If something does not feel right to him he pursues it. He is fluent in Arabic and highly intelligent. I easily connected with and admired him. His partner Krina Gersten is a fourth generation cop and has worked undercover gathering Intel. I liked the interaction between them; they bounced ideas off each other which helped piece the puzzle together. They have a secret relationship which helped to flesh them out, make them vulnerable and it felt very genuine. The suspects and even Bin Laden make appearances throughout the novel, giving us a feeling of authenticity that made me shiver. It was interesting getting into their mind-set. The six heroes from the flight were fairly fleshed out and each had a unique voice.

Wolf brought this tale to life, and the world-building was brilliant. He blends fact with fiction giving the tale a realism that still gives me goosebumps. He takes us back and forth between Fisk, the six and the terrorist giving us a panoramic view of the tale as it unfolds. At times we know more than Fisk making the wait for him to catch up very suspenseful. Wolf has a firm grasp on the city, the different governmental agencies involved and protocol. He delivers all of this while unfolding the tale at a gripping pace. The twists and turns held me captive. I will admit to figuring it out, but until the last final chapters I was not able to confirm who. A gut-wrenching event near the end devastated me, and I honestly did not see it coming. I found myself vested in the characters and solving the mystery and turned the pages at a dizzying pace. As I read the outside world slipped away, and my only thought was I hope the terrorist are never as diabolical and clever as Dick Wolf.
I want to thank HarperCollins for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer

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  • Started reading
  • 13 January, 2013: Finished reading
  • 13 January, 2013: Reviewed