The Thief

Isaac Bell barely rescues two European scientists and their revolutionary invention from abductors on the ocean liner Mauretania, only to face a second, fatal attack before he can secure their safety. What the scientists possess is the technology that will transform entertainment and communications for decades to come, and someone is willing to kill to deliver it to Germany before the coming war. Cussler and Scott's fifth Isaac Bell novel pivots the series from domestic investigation to international espionage.

Scott Brick narrates with the same authority he has brought to the series throughout, giving Bell the physical confidence and period-appropriate formality the character demands. His handling of the ocean liner setting and the European espionage elements captures their distinct atmospheres, and his pacing through the novel's action sequences keeps the energy focused rather than diffuse. At just under ten hours, The Thief is a well-constructed addition to a reliably entertaining series.