This book intrigued me for two reasons. It involves the murder of a top female fighter pilot aboard a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier on the cutting edge of international conflict. It also describes life aboard the carrier and the types of personnel it takes to run a 5,000 man vessel that could destroy a whole country with its nuclear warheads. As a commercial pilot and wife of a Navy sailor, I felt right at home with the descriptions of the people NCIS agent Bud Wilson encounters in his search for the when, why, who, how and where questions that such a murder poses. The characters do not reveal much about themselves which is a disappointment. The story is fantastic and could have been much more engrossing in that area. The author never mentions Bud Wilson's family except to refer to a 15 year-old daughter. Having been a Navy wife, I know that family is so important to the men and women who have to deploy for six months or longer and are gone from their families much more often than other services. The senior officers' lives are hinted at but never fully revealed in their weaknesses and strengths that all people have. The brief descriptions of flight in an F-14 gratified my pilot interests and I was happy with that. This is a book about a murder which happens to involve a flight squadron. In my life experiences as a pilot, I have found that pilots are much more three dimensional than was presented in the story.
Bud Wilson struggles with his inner losses, no longer a Top Gun, wounds yet unhealed from being a POW and a strong level of risk that pulls him into danger without proper back up. I liked the story line very much but why was the pilot killed? That is never answered properly. A web of intrigue was woven and then the reader was left with unanswered questions. I still liked the book enough to recommend it to those who do not need closure of every detail.
I appreciated the picture of life in the Navy as it really is and flying as it really is for pilots who are drawn to the ultimate high of speed and altitude. The murder mystery was secondary to me.
Bud Wilson struggles with his inner losses, no longer a Top Gun, wounds yet unhealed from being a POW and a strong level of risk that pulls him into danger without proper back up. I liked the story line very much but why was the pilot killed? That is never answered properly. A web of intrigue was woven and then the reader was left with unanswered questions. I still liked the book enough to recommend it to those who do not need closure of every detail.
I appreciated the picture of life in the Navy as it really is and flying as it really is for pilots who are drawn to the ultimate high of speed and altitude. The murder mystery was secondary to me.
