Quick Take
- Narration: Scott Brick brings his signature intensity to Scott Brodie, commanding every exchange with a dry wit that suits the character perfectly.
- Themes: Military desertion, loyalty and betrayal, US foreign policy in volatile regions
- Mood: Fast-paced and sardonic, with bursts of genuine tension
- Verdict: A well-crafted military thriller with an irresistible duo, though readers sensitive to relentless banter may find the tone wears thin by the midpoint.
I started listening to The Deserter on a Tuesday morning, commuting through heavy traffic that wasn’t moving. Within the first twenty minutes, Scott Brodie had cracked three jokes at his new partner’s expense, chased a lead through the underbelly of Caracas, and made me genuinely forget about the gridlock. Nelson and Alex DeMille’s first collaboration moves fast and it does not apologize for it.
The setup is efficient: Captain Kyle Mercer of Delta Force walked away from his post in Afghanistan, possibly after being captured by the Taliban, possibly by choice. A year later, a tip places him in Venezuela. Army CID sends Warrant Officers Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor to bring him back. That’s the premise, but the execution is where this book earns its keep.
Our Take on The Deserter
What separates this from a standard military procedural is the friction between Brodie and Taylor. He’s experienced, suspicious of everyone including his own partner, and convinced that Maggie is feeding intelligence to the CIA. She’s newer to the work but not naive, and she refuses to be managed. That tension doesn’t exist just for romantic chemistry purposes, though that current runs through the book. It’s genuinely plot-relevant. Brodie’s paranoia about his partner complicates every decision he makes in the field, and the authors use that friction smartly. Reviewer Cheryl Stout called them a team that plays off each other perfectly, making for a funny book besides being a top-notch thriller, and I’d agree with both counts. The humor is constant, the kind of battlefield banter that either lands or exhausts you depending on your tolerance for it.
Why Listen to The Deserter
Scott Brick is the exact right narrator for this material. He’s been doing high-stakes thriller audio long enough that he knows when to let the dialogue breathe and when to drive the pace. Brodie’s sardonic internal commentary comes through with precisely the right measure of self-awareness, and Brick differentiates the supporting Venezuelan characters with enough texture that they feel real rather than decorative. The audio edition also includes an exclusive interview with both DeMilles and Brick, which is a genuine addition rather than a throwaway marketing feature. Hearing how the father-son collaboration worked in practice adds something to the experience of the book itself. One reviewer specifically singled this out as the best collaborative novel they’d read, surpassing Patterson’s co-authored work, which is a meaningful claim given how many of those exist.
What to Watch For in The Deserter
Two things are worth flagging before you commit the twenty hours. First, the Caracas setting is vivid and politically charged. The book draws on real tensions between the US and Venezuela, and readers who prefer their thrillers free of contemporary geopolitical commentary will notice it. This is not a complaint, merely a notice. Second, one reviewer specifically called out what they described as too much battlefield humor. If you’re coming to this hoping for lean, tension-only writing in the vein of early Vince Flynn, the DeMille style is chattier and more comfortable in irony. The banter is a feature for most listeners, but it is present throughout. The deserter himself, Kyle Mercer, is kept mostly off-page for longer than you might expect, which is a smart structural choice that keeps him dangerous and mysterious. The reveal of his motivations is worth waiting for, though whether it fully satisfies depends on how much ambiguity you’re willing to accept.
Who Should Listen to The Deserter
This is a strong choice for listeners who enjoyed DeMille’s John Corey series but wanted a fresher setting and a more evenly matched central duo. It suits anyone drawn to thrillers set in genuinely foreign and unstable environments rather than the usual European capitals. If you’ve read The Cuban Affair and found it slightly low on stakes compared to DeMille’s peak work, The Deserter should correct that impression. Skip it if you want a stripped-down, purely procedural military thriller with no comic relief. This book has a personality, and that personality is loud. The series continues with Blood Lines and concludes with The Tin Men, so there’s commitment ahead if this one hooks you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to have read any previous Nelson DeMille books before starting The Deserter?
No. Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor are new characters who appear for the first time in this book. You can start here without any prior DeMille context.
How noticeable is the fact that this is a co-written novel by a father and son?
The seams are not visible in any jarring way. Several reviewers highlighted the collaboration as seamless, with the DeMilles’ combined voice feeling consistent throughout rather than alternating in style.
Is the Caracas, Venezuela setting depicted in enough detail to feel immersive?
Yes. The city’s political instability, surveillance culture, and physical landscape are woven into the plot rather than used as a generic exotic backdrop. The setting actively complicates Brodie and Taylor’s mission.
Does the audio edition’s exclusive interview add meaningful value or is it a short promotional piece?
It runs long enough to be genuinely informative. Both DeMilles and narrator Scott Brick discuss the collaborative process in real detail, making it worth staying through if you’re curious about how the book was made.
