The Intercept by Dick Wolf - a Book Review

The Intercept by Dick Wolf
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Intercept by Dick Wolf is a 2012 William Morrow publication.
Right before a big fourth of July celebration in New York and a dedication at ground zero, a plane is nearly high-jacked. Six people on board the jet come out the event as heroes. Jeremy Fisk is a long term dedicated detective. Events like this are what keeps him sharp and focused. You can never forget, not even for a moment and let your guard down.
As the six heroes are interviewed and begin getting star treatment from the press, Fisk and his partner, Krina Gersten know that the danger is far from over. A dangerous terrorist is on US soil and they know he has plans. As more information becomes available it appears that the attempted hijacking could have all been smoke and mirrors for a an even bigger event. Naturally, the fourth of July in New York City at ground zero would be too good to pass up.
This is the first book in a planned series by Dick Wolf the man behind the long running Law & Order series. I felt like this book was exactly what I would have expected from this author. We have the thoughts of the investigators , a few behind the scenes glimpses of "The Six" and their sordid personal lives, and the inner thoughts of terrorist and the delusions that propels them to sacrifice themselves for a cause they have long since lost the thread of. The suspense is built at a slow pace and increases with each section of the book, taking the reader on the same journey as all the people involved. You know what is going on, but the characters do not and this is always an effective tactic. Obviously, the plot was thought out and planned to unfold at a certain pace that will keep the reader interested. Once we realize just what is going on it really becomes a race against time. The tense atmosphere will begin to turn into a heavy feeling of dread. Fisk is a good guy that has gone through a lot in his career . He is a character that we will grow to like as further books are published. The place he sits in after all is said and done is not where we would have liked him to be, but hopefully, he will come out on the other side with a new direction and dedication to stopping these crimes against innocent people.
This is not a bad start to the series . I do think that to keep the Fisk series alive the author will have to really dig deep though and bring out more of the main characters inner demons and private lives that many enjoy knowing when reading a series. We need to care about the character and root for him to win. I think this book gives us just enough of an inside peek into Fisk's personal situation to have the reader developing a soft spot for him. Hopefully, Wolf will cash in on this momentum and raise the bar for the next book. This one gets an A. ( 4 stars)
About this author
Richard Anthony "Dick" Wolf is an American producer, specializing in crime dramas such as Miami Vice and the Law & Order franchise. Throughout his career he has won several awards including an Emmy Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Wolf worked as an advertising copywriter at Benton & Bowles creating commercials for Crest toothpaste, all the while writing screenplays in the hopes of a film career. It was at this time that he briefly collaborated on a screenplay with Oliver Stone, who was also a struggling screenwriter at the time. He moved to Los Angeles after a few years and had three screenplays produced; one of these films, Masquerade starring Rob Lowe and Meg Tilly, was well received. He started his television caree...more Richard Anthony "Dick" Wolf is an American producer, specializing in crime dramas such as Miami Vice and the Law & Order franchise. Throughout his career he has won several awards including an Emmy Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Wolf worked as an advertising copywriter at Benton & Bowles creating commercials for Crest toothpaste, all the while writing screenplays in the hopes of a film career. It was at this time that he briefly collaborated on a screenplay with Oliver Stone, who was also a struggling screenwriter at the time. He moved to Los Angeles after a few years and had three screenplays produced; one of these films, Masquerade starring Rob Lowe and Meg Tilly, was well received. He started his television career as a staff writer on Hill Street Blues and was nominated for his first Emmy for an episode (entitled "What Are Friends For?") on which he was the only writer. He moved from there to Miami Vice, where he was a supervising producer.
Wolf's Law & Order, which ran from 1990 to 2010, tied Gunsmoke for the longest-running dramatic show in television history, making it one of television's most successful franchises. It has been nominated for the most consecutive Emmy Awards of any primetime drama series. Wolf serves as creator and executive producer of the two current Law & Order drama series from Wolf Films and NBC Universal Television – Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: UK – and did so for the three that have been cancelled – Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: Trial by Jury and Law & Order: Los Angeles. In addition, he was the creator and executive producer of NBC's courtroom reality series Crime & Punishment, which chronicled real-life cases prosecuted by the San Diego District Attorney’s office.
Wolf's company also produced Twin Towers, the 2003 Academy Award-winning Short Documentary about two brothers, one a policeman and the other a fireman, who lost their lives in the line of duty on September 11, 2001. Wolf was also involved with the production of a theatrical documentary about the popular rock group The Doors, titled When You're Strange.
Wolf's personal honors include the Award of Excellence from the Banff Television Festival, the 2002 Creative Achievement Award from NATPE; the Anti-Defamation League’s Distinguished Entertainment Industry Award, the Leadership and Inspiration Award from the Entertainment Industries Council, the Governor’s Award by the New York Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the 1997 achievement award from the Caucus for Producers, Writers, and Directors, the 1998 Television Showman of the Year Award from the Publicists Guild of America, the 2002 Tribute from the Museum of Television and Radio, and a 2003 Special Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America.
Wolf is also an Honorary Consul general of Monaco and is actively involved in the principality’s prestigious annual Television Festival, and is its primary liaison with the entertainment community.
On March 29, 2007, Wolf received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7040 Hollywood Boulevard.
In addition to having been a classmate of former US President George W. Bush, Wolf was an employer of Fred Thompson, who sought the Republican nomination for President in 2008 with help of the national attention he gained playing the district attorney on Law & Order. Wolf supported Thompson in his bid, as he did Bush, as it has been reported that he contributed money to Thompson even before he officially announced he was running.
Wolf was credited with "Special Thanks" for the episode "Basic Lupine Urology" from "Season 3" of NBC's "Community", an homage to the style of his Law and Order series.
Wolf developed Chicago Fire, an drama about a group of men and women working at the Chicago Fire Department. The series was picked up by NBC in May 2012, and premiered on October 10, 2012, with meek numbers in the ratings and minimal reviews