In 1996 TWA Flight 800, departing from NY's JFK airport, exploded in mid-air over the Atlantic Ocean shortly after take off killing all 230 persons aboard. The tragedy was observed by hundreds of eye witnesses from the shores of Long Island. Some saw a streak of light going up toward the plane shortly before the explosion. The FBI said there was no ascending light.

This book is based on fact and has many believers of the FBI induced official explosion theory (the accidental ignition of fumes in an empty fuel tank due to a short circuit wire) at odds with, and some hold disdain for, those who believe that it was a cover-up and the truth still needs to be exposed.

That had me thinking of the Da Vinci Code, the multi-million, best-selling book and soon to be released major motion picture by Ron Howard starring Tom Hanks that is based on different views of the same story. Some have faith in long held beliefs and others still seek the truth trusting things were different. Of course in the case of Night Fall we are not discussing people's religious faith but at the same time we are talking about feeling people, alive today, who have lost loved ones in a real life tragedy. I wonder what those families thought of a fictional mystery novel being based on their loved one's deaths.

What I noticed later on the jacket of Night Fall were the words of the author of The Da Vinci code, Dan Brown, expressing kudos for DeMille's book. I found that connection interesting.

The Author

Nelson DeMille is a native Long Islander who was born in Elmont and now lives in Garden City. Though he has penned many fictional accounts outside the US (The Charm School is one I read a while back) he has used his Long Island home base as the back drop to a few of his best selling mystery novels.

The Protagonist

This story follows the investigative work of John Cory a former NYC detective who is now working for the Federal Anti-Terrorist Task Force. He's good-lookin', fit guy who has a wise guy mouth and sharp wit. He solves his cases using basic detective work while calling on his keen exploratory intellect and at times renegade methods. He happens to be married to an FBI agent after their being introduced in an earlier DeMille novel.(Plum Island)

The Plot

After visiting the five year anniversary memorial service for those who died in the TWA 800 crash Cory's wife, Kate Mayfield (she kept her surname for professional reasons) tells him she is not convinced of the official conclusions of the tragedy. We find out she actually worked the case and at the time saw inconsistencies in what she actually heard from eyewitnesses and what the FBI filed as truth. Being a good agent of the government, she followed orders not to ask any more questions and has kept her mouth shut for five years.

While at the service an FBI agent walks up to John Cory, who at the time was not with his wife, and asks him what he's doing there. After some banter the agent tells Cory to stay out of any business having to do with the 1996 "accident". We the reader, knowing the detective's personality of not being exactly fond of the FBI and also not easily swayed by threats, understand he is now growing more interested in the tragedy.

After that encounter Kate takes her husband to a few crash related sites including a beach where it is believed someone may have filmed the actual explosion while involved in an adulterous tryst on the shore. We do learn that this is a fact in the opening chapter. Unfortunately that film was never recovered and it holds the secret to the story.

Between his ire being piqued earlier by the FBI agent and the doubts of official statements his wife now shares with him, John Cory starts on his own quest for the truth that has him opening doors that may lead him to the video tape, the people who filmed it and ultimately the truth.

Some Thoughts

Because this story is based on a true tragedy DeMille had to give good reason for opening up this fictional clandestine investigation. At the time there were stories stating that the Navy, who were doing maneuvers in the area (and they were) accidentally shot down the plane. DeMille does not lean overtly that way. Instead he builds up questions in the readers mind about terrorist attacks both abroad (the USS Cole Attack) and at home. (the 1993 bombing of the World Trade center). He never adamantly states that this was the work of terrorists and in fact bears witness through some of his characters that it would not have been practical or maybe even possible. He leaves much to the imagination. It's the possibility of having a video tape that will back up the words of over 200 witnesses (as stated in the fiction) that drives the story and ultimately will bring on another investigation as to what really happened.

Did people really see a rocket going up that evening? Here's a news account form the NY Post not long after the TWA crash.

"More than 150 credible witnesses - including several scientists and
business executives - have told the FBI and military experts they saw a
missile destroy TWA 800. 'Some of these people are extremely, extremely
credible,' a top federal official said. 'When we asked what they saw and
where they saw it, the witnesses out east pointed to the west, and the
people to the west pointed to the east'."
- The New York Post, September 22, 1996.

There were many other accounts stating something unusual happened in the skies that evening.

If you go to a search engine and put in key words like "TWA 800 conspiracy" Pages of information will come up. You'll see that not everyone is convinced of the official conclusions.

I mentioned earlier about the relatives of those killed. In following many stories in NY papers, radio and TV and on-line over the years I have found that there are some family members who have accepted the story. There are also those who just don't want to talk about it because of the pain it brings. There are others who still believe the truth is yet to be discovered.

It's these accounts, dilemmas and enigmas that kept this novel so real to me. Living on Long Island and knowing the exact places he visits on the island and in NYC also helped draw me deeply into the thriller. DeMille spins his own yarn using many actual facts to create a fresh reading thriller. I could see the depth of his research to make this tale seem to be so truthful. His protagonist John Cory is as full of himself in this book as his is in other DemIlle books. He's a character I enjoy and look forward to following. I was not disappointed in this novel. It's within serious text that Cory sometimes comes out with incredibly sharp and funny one liners and at other times (though few) that they are a bit forced or contrived. I will say that there were many times when I was reading the book that my wife would hear me with a sudden guffaw. I like that in a book. John Cory is a character that my wife happens to enjoy too.

I'm also drawn into the author's control of Cory's investigation. It's clear how the dots are connected and DeMille's pace kept me the reader turning pages looking for the next piece of the puzzle to be exacted.

Because this is a fictional story based on true event, DeMille had to come up with an ending that would be satisfactory to the summation of the case. Will he find the people who made the film on the beach? Is there still a video tape to expose? Will it show that many witnesses did indeed see a rocket trail? Some may not be satisfied with the ending, I believe I knew where it was going, even so, I thought the book's paper was going to start burning at the pace I was reading the last 50 pages. This was a fine mystery novel that I can easily recommend.

More Demille

The Lions Game
Plum Island
Night Fall
Up Country


Amagansett another murder mystery. This one is set on Long Island's south fork.

Recommended: Yes