Rating: 
Summary: Action-packed Suspense
Review: Patrick Davis The Passenger (Berkeley, New York, 1999, 349pp) This is a surprisingly interesting action-mystery, in which an Air Force officer is set up by his commander to take the fall in a cover up for an airplane accident - in which the half brother of the President of the United States is killed. It is technically correct about a wide range of topics and settings, and is one of the few novels to compare the Washington Times coverage favorably with that of the Washington Post. Its description of a high powered columnist setting up an innocent person on behalf of his high placed inside source certainly rings true with my experience of the less desirable parts of the Washington media. And the description of a media firestorm engulfing an innocent and unprepared Air Force Colonel is realistic and a chilling reminder of the lynch mob mentality that occasionally gets under way. Some parts of the conspiracy are too complicated and implausible, but the suspense is riveting and the action never stops throughout the novel. As an airplane or late night book to relax with it this book is a worthy addition in the Jack Higgins' tradition.
Rating: 
Summary: Well worth the read
Review: This book doesn't break new ground. It reads like an old familiar mystery-suspense movie that we've all seen at least once. The good thing is, it would have been one of those movies that had us glued to our chairs. What I'm trying to say here is, this is a good book. I give it 3.5 stars. The plot spins a nice web of intrigue that pulls the reader in. A lot is going on, but it all ties together nicely in the end. The characters play their roles well, and, for the most part, act in ways you would expect them to. And while I was afraid that the parts of the book dealing with the technical aspects of an airplane crash would bore me to tears, I'm happy to report that I was wrong. The technical details were revealed through dialogue between characters, which made them interesting and palatable. Besides that, the author gave only the details we needed to know, rather than trying to show off any technical knowledge on his part. A good choice. Finally, the story moves along at a pretty fast pace revealing details of the investigation along the way. And just when I thought the book was over, the author threw in a slight twist at the end. In sum, the book is good and I recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: The Passenger
Review: This was my first Patrick Davis novel. I was really impressed by his style. This novel was suspenseful and very hard to put down. I am an avid reader (4-6 novels per week) and this one is among my favorites. I look foreward to more of his work.
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