The Hess Cross [Hardcover]

James Stewart Thayer (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 331 pages
• Publisher: G. P. Putnam's Sons; 1st edition (1977)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399120823
• ISBN-13: 978-0399120824
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.8 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,062,809 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I served as a physician in the British Army during the Boer War. Wait. Sorry. That was Arthur Conan Doyle. I was raised in Spokane, and went to school in Pullman and Chicago. My wife Patti, our two daughters, and I live in Seattle. I'm trying to learn to play the tenor saxophone, but Coleman Hawkins needn't be looking over his shoulder. I teach novel writing at the University of Washington extension school, and maintain a blog about fiction writing (www.novelpro.net), where I discuss writing techniques each day.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Plenty of action but very hard to believe, March 19, 2010

By 

Marvin C. (NY, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hess Cross (Paperback)

The story revolves around a plot to kidnap Enrico Fermi from his lab at the University of Chicago.
The book starts out quite good but as all the plot elements come together the story becomes
very hard to believe. The actions and assumptions of the characters begin to lose credibility as the story
progresses.
The book is well written - the story flows nicely and there is plenty of action.

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional thriller, detailed, good plot, March 12, 2010

By 

John "Sparky" (Naperville, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hess Cross (Paperback)

I am very surprised that I have not seen any reviews for this book. And admittedly it sat on my shelf for several months. I am only 3/4 finsihed with it but none-the-less the plot is very intriguing. We are told of Nazi-party member Rudolph Hess and his crossing to England in 1942. Was he "mad" or was it all a ploy? Ultimately the drama leads to Chicago. At this point the story really envelopes and becomes interesting to me. It is almost a combination of the "Untouchables" and a spy-thriller. Is Thayer from Chi-town? Because his description of the city is very accurate and I found this very interesting. He illustrates street names, restaurants, neighborhoods that someone from the area can appreciate. Well done.

Other tags you find in the book: Enrico Fermie, atomic fission, University of Chi. Chicago Police, U-boat. Nazi party, commandos, "underworld".

I still have to finish reading but I doubt the remainder will disappoint.