This is my first experience with Nelson DeMille. Sadly, I think it may be my last if all of his books are as dry as this one. Good Lord this book was over 600 pages long and I kid you not when I say that this book goes nowhere and it goes nowhere at a painfully slow pace. Nothing significant happened in this book until about page 640. Maybe I am being a bit harsh on this Novel and maybe had I read some other books prior to this one my opinion would be less critical, but I REALLY had to push myself to finish this book. I kept thinking, maybe something will happen next chapter… Lo and behold, it never did.
THE GATE HOUSE is the sequel to DeMille’s best selling novel Gold Coast. Ten years have passed since John Sutter left America to set out on his three year journey sailing around the world and ultimately landing in London. The novel picks up with Sutter making a journey back to the Gold Coast of Long Island to attend a funeral of an old friend and family servant. Upon his arrival John is flooded with memories of the life he lived prior to leaving the country. He recounts over and over and over about his wife’s extra marital affair with mafia boss Frank Bellarosa and the events that led up to his impending murder by none other than Susan Sutter. These memories also bring up fears that his ex-wife is in danger of Bellarosa’s son Anthony. Anthony tries to get John to come and work with him and when Sutter decline’s the offer this gives rise to be even more concern for his former wife’s life. In the process of trying to make arrangements to keep her safe, John and Susan re-ignite the spark that once burned bright for the two of them. Unfortunately for John and Susan, her mega-wealthy parents do no approve of this union and threaten to take Susan and their grown children out of their wills. All of this leads up to one final confrontation with the Bellarosa family that could end tragically for the Sutter family.
In my opinion (I say this with tongue in cheek) THE GATE HOUSE needs to be read with a glass of water because it is DRY. Of course if you are a fan of Nelson DeMille you will want to read it. For those who have never read one of his books, I don’t think this book should be your first experience with him. Overall, fans should read it… first timers you may want to get the new Baldacci or Vince Flynn novel instead.
Reviewed by Jeff Holton
