
The Gate House
By Nelson DeMille
Grand Central Publishing
$27.99, hard cover, 677 pages, 978-0-446-53342-3 (2008)
Nelson DeMille’s best novel by far (and I’ve read at least ½ dozen of his books) was The Gold Coast. If you’ve read the book, you’re undoubtedly a fan.
The Gate House is DeMille’s sequel to The Gold Coast and picks up 10 years after the stunning conclusion to that book. (If you haven’t yet read The Gold Coast, stop reading this review now and go pick up a copy at your local bookstore or find a copy in the library. It’s a book that will stay with you for a very long time.)
Without giving away the plot of The Gold Coast, this novel involves the same characters, John Sutter and his former aristocratic wife, Susan Stanhope Sutter. After a three-year sail around the world and then living in London, John returns to the Gold Coast of Long Island to attend the funeral of an old family friend.
Circumstances find John living temporarily only a quarter of a mile from Susan, who has returned to Long Island after living in Hilton Head. Naturally, they meet and eventually get back together.
But Susan isn’t the only one John meets again from his past. Anthony Bellarosa, the son of the infamous Mafia don Frank Bellarosa – who played such a powerful role in The Gold Coast – wants to drag John back into the violent world of organized crime. Anthony is a ruthless mobster and John and Susan need to watch their every step.
The Gate House is DeMille’s best book since Plum Island. The writing is top notch, the plot twists are unique, the tension builds to an incredible finale, and the dialog sparkles. In short, the book is extremely entertaining and one of the most humorous I’ve read in years. DeMille’s deft writing had me literally laughing out loud on numerous occasions.
The following passage comes when John is seeing Susan’s parents for the first time just after Susan has told them that she and John are getting back together. Susan’s parents don’t approve of John and this brief passage explains what he thinks about them.
I considered running toward them with my arms out, yelling, “Mom! Dad!” but instead I said simply, “Hello” and walked toward them.
Susan stood, then William and Charlotte rose without enthusiasm.
I first kissed Susan, to piss them off, then I extended my hand to Charlotte, who gave me a wet noodle, then to William, who game me a cold tuna. I asked, “So, did you have a good flight?”
William replied, “Good enough.”
Susan said, “Sit here, John, next to me. I’ve made you a vodka and tonic.”
“Thank You.” I sat next to Susan on the love seat, and she took my hand, which came to Mom and Dad’s immediate notice and made them wince.
Schubert was playing softly in the background, and the room was lit with candles and adorned with flowers. Sort of like a funeral home.
I sipped my drink and discovered it was pure tonic.
William the Color Blind was wearing silly green trousers, an awful yellow golf shirt, and a shocking pink linen sports jacket. Charlotte had on pale pink pants and a puke green blouse, and they both wore these horrid white orthopedic walking shoes. I’m surprised they were allowed to board the aircraft.
The Gate House is a satisfying revisit with the irreverent John Sutter and all the other characters from The Gold Coast. Do you have to have read The Gold Coast before wading into The Gate House? No. Would it be helpful to read The Gold Coast first? Certainly – besides, The Gold Coast is a great book and it will only make reading The Gate House more pleasurable.
The Gate House certainly can stand on its own as a novel. Unfortunately, it requires giving away the entire plot of The Gold Coast to understand the motivation behind the characters’ actions. So reading The Gate House is a spoiler to reading the earlier novel. Either way, you’ll be thoroughly entertained with either of these highly recommended novels.
Buy it on Amazon here.