Review: Cussler's 'Pirate' delivers action and thrills

"Pirate: a Sam and Remi Fargo Adventure" (G.P. Putnam's Sons), by Clive Cussler and Robin Burcell

"Pirate," the latest entry in the Sam and Remi Fargo series by Clive Cussler, has a new co-author, Robin Burcell, and the end result is the best book to date featuring the married treasure hunters.

When Sam and Remi are in San Francisco, Remi learns that an owner of a store has a copy of a book she's been seeking for Sam. When she arrives to buy the book, she's shown a facsimile that's clearly not what she was expecting. She buys it, and while the bookstore owner is wrapping it up to mail, a gunman walks in and demands what's hidden in the store's safe.

Sam is able to rescue his wife - and the store owner as well - but they soon find themselves in danger when the owner is later killed and the copy of the book they receive in the mail proves to be the original. And it has a parchment hidden inside the binding that appears to be a map to a treasure worth a fortune, both monetarily and historically. They have to stay one step ahead of a ruthless millionaire who has the access and means to put them into the ground - permanently.

Readers will be thrilled to discover that "Pirate" delivers the action and thrills expected when Cussler's name is on the cover. The main characters have never been so engaging and fun. It's clear that having Burcell join Cussler as a co-author has rejuvenated this series.