Reign in Hell by William Diehl Review
Ballantine, Nov., 1997.Hardcover, 437 pages.
ISBN: 0345411447.
Martin Vail's career has been skyrocketing to the top. He now represents the United States as the assistant attorney general. A strong independent militia group has formed, with ideals and on a scale that makes the Waco group's activities look like an afternoon tea party. The group has commandeered army tanks full of weapons, robbed banks and armored cars and has even grander acts of terrorism planned. Martin Vail's job as the assistant U.S. attorney general is to find the leaders of the militia group, issue warrants for their arrest and prove that they are guilty of criminal activity by making a RICO (racketeering) case against them -- a case only a character as eccentric and confident as Vail and his team of lawyers known as the "Wild Bunch" could pull off. This would be difficult enough even if the militia, known as the Sanctuary of the Lord, did not have a hired mercenary, a former Vietnam secret assassin, after Vail's head and if there were not a race against time before the U.S. would take military action against the militia.
Reign in Hell is a stupendously exciting thriller. The details about the independent group of military experts run by a religious fanatic out for death and destruction are especially frightening. The novel will keep you on the edge of your seat with excitement, while guiding you through the strange and secret routines of the highest echelons of the United States FBI, Military and government. Fans of legal and military thrillers will be enthralled with Reign in Hell. Another triumph for William Diehl.
Ordering information: Amazon.com.
Return to the January 1998 issue of The IWJ.