Drink with the Devil

by Jack Higgins

Book Overview

In 1985, off the northwest coast of England, an audacious hijacking by Irish Protestant paramilitaries culminates in the disappearance of one hundred million pounds of gold bullion. En route to Ireland, the seagoing barge Irish Rose capsizes and sinks under mysterious circumstances. Michael Ryan, the mastermind behind the plot, his niece Kathleen, and the mysterious Martin Keogh survive the disaster. Everyone and everything else on board disappear...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0399141545
• ISBN13: 9780399141546
• Release Date: May 1996
• Publisher: Putnam Adult
• Length: 311 Pages
• Weight: 1.47 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.3" x 9.3"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 12 and higher

Customer Reviews

This book is much deeper than you might think.

In 1985, IRA terrorist Sean Dillon is assigned to infiltrate a renegade Loyalist terrorist group led by Michael Ryan. Posing as a Protestant named Martin Keogh, Dillon saves Ryan's niece Kathleen from rape (and probably worse) at the hands of a group of Catholic thugs. Dillon joins Ryan in his plan to hijack a British armored car carrying 50 million pounds to fund Ryan's campaigns. The heist goes off successfully, but the captain of the boat ferrying them across the Irish Sea tries a double cross, and pays with his life. Dillon and the Ryans survive, with Michael maintaining an electronic device which will lead the user to the wreck and the money. Dillon has an opportunity to kill the Ryans and take the device, but (perhaps in his first pangs of conscience) chooses not to, and they go on their separate ways.Ten years later, Michael and Kathleen Ryan have immigrated to the U.S., where Michael is imprisoned for shooting a police officer in a botched robbery. Michael's health is failing, so he is often transported from the prison to a nearby hospital for treatment. One of the henchmen of Mafia Don Antonio Russo gets wind that Ryan knows the location of (now) 100 million pounds sitting at the bottom of the Irish Sea. Russo confers with IRA chieftain Jack Barry (the man who assigned Dillon to infiltrate Ryan's group) and offers to split the booty. Russo will break Ryan out of prison in exchange for the location of the wreck. The Ryan's are thus forced into assisting the IRA and the mob.Stalwart British Intelligence guru Brigadier Charles Ferguson gets wind of Ryan's resurfacing and sends Detective Chief-Inspector Hannah Bernstein and Dillon, who's now working for British Intelligence (read "Thunder Point" if you want to know why,) after the gold, to stop it from falling into the hands of either the IRA, the mob, or the Ryans.Another Dillon classic, with the added bonus of shedding some light on what Dillon did when he was with the IRA. Kathleen Ryan is easily the most compelling character in the book. At the end of the book, when you find out what has happened to her in her short life, it makes her actions that much more tragic and also much more understandable. I defy you not to feel for her when her trauma is finally revealed. One wonders how many real Kathleen Ryans there are in Northern Ireland today, both Protestant and Catholic, and if they'll ever manage to find peace.If you like Higgins, and especially Dillon, buy this book. But it's a lot deeper, and raises a lot more questions, than most people are willing to admit.

A Winner

This is a good story with interesting characters. I love Jack Higgins and the character he has created: Sean Dillon. You'll enjoy this book and the further adventures of Mr. Dillon.

The British government wants to find gold stolen from them.

This book is about adventure and has a real grip of suspense. Sean Dillion a former IRA member who specializes in killing people starts working for the British Intelligence. Michael ryan a pro-Irish steals millions of dollars in gold from the British to finance the war in Ireland. Dillion is sent to get the gold back in any way he can but the mafia steps into the fight and rush to find it. However, the gols sank on a ship ten years earlier and only one man knows where the gold is. Who will win the race? Jack Ryan knows how to write good books and this one is superb!

Classic Higgins!

Jack Higgins' alter ego Sean Dillon explodes into action! Dillon could take Dirk Pitt and Jack Ryan and not spill a drop of his beloved Krug champagne. Higgins' style, more American than European,has introduced US readers to a more exciting UK than the normally boring British prose. An exciting and enjoyable read.

A British "Die Hard"

This was the first time I ever read any thing by Jack Higgins. But, this wasn't going to be the last time. "Drink With The Devil" is riviting thriller. The action and suspence is like an adventure movie. Move over Arnold!!! Jack Higgins is here!!!!