Tri-City Literary Reviews

Book Review: The Death Instinct by Jed Rubenfeld

A bomb hidden in a carriage parked in front of Manhattan’s economic center exploded killing and injuring hundreds of people. The bombing instantly became the worst terrorist attack of the nation. The year was September 16, 1920 and this parallel storyline could lead you to think about another bombing scenario decades later in September 11, 2001. This is how the author, Jed Rubenfeld introduced his new book- The Death Instinct. This author will likely become to novel writing what Govinder Nazran is to contemporary art.

The heroes of the story are Dr. Stratham Younger who is a war veteran, his close friend Capt. Jimmy Littlemore who is described as the cleanest police official of New York City and a French radio chemist Collette Rosseau. They are caught in many entangling situations starting with the bombing incident which they have to solve together and at the same time battling off the bad guys and leading them to other trails of evidence to the far ends of Vienna and Paris. There is also a brief encounter with Sigmund Freud.

The story is well written and has its gripping moments of suspense and intrigue. It could be a concept of historical truth and fiction with the similarities of the bombing incidents taking place in the financial center of New York.

The author has done a good research about certain events of the war. Each of the character has their own characteristics bringing in some of their past, then blending in with the actual situations of the story which would keep readers interested and involved. The love story angle between Collette and Dr. Stratham provides a light and fresh side of the story.

This book has the makings of a great best seller and it is highly recommended as good reading for everyone.

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