EXTRAORDINARY PRAISE
For
NELSON DEMILLE’S
CATHEDRAL
“From the beginning … until the final chapters when you find yourself frantically turning pages, it’s truly impossible to lay aside CATHEDRAL.”
—Dallas Times Herald
“TOO TRUE TO LIFE FOR COMFORT … ENTERTAINS…. The writing is crisp, terse, and highly realistic.”
—New York Daily News
“There ought to be a law against Nelson DeMille. CATHEDRAL held me spellbound for three solid days…. It’s better than By the Rivers of Babylon by a long margin—and I can’t think of higher praise than that. In short, it’s a masterwork.”
—Harrison E. Salisbury
“THOROUGHLY CREDIBLE AND ABSOLUTELY ABSORBING…. Motivation, characterization, and plotting are all exceptional…. Will keep readers engrossed till the final page.”
—United Press International
“DAZZLING…. No one writing about the current Irish troubles has been so successful in getting inside the personality of the character of the Irish-Americans…. As for suspense, I’ll never walk by St. Paddy’s again without wondering whether there’s a sniper in the bell tower.”
—Andrew M. Greeley
“CHILLINGLY BELIEVABLE, PEOPLED WITH REC OGNIZABLE CHARACTERS…. CATHEDRAL ENTERTAINS WITH THE UNIMAGINABLE.”
—Publishers Weekly
“A RIVETING SUSPENSE NOVEL … vivid characterizations … a perfect blending of plot and people.”
—Robert J. Serling, author of The President’s Plane Is Missing
“FAST-PACED, BREATHTAKING.”
—Chattanooga Times
“THE MOST FRIGHTENING THING ABOUT THIS STORY IS THAT IT AT NO TIME SEEMS IMPLAUSIBLE.”
—Newark Star-Ledger
“STRONG, LONG, WELL-SUSTAINED SUSPENSE…. A CHAOTIC, EXPLOSIVE FINALE.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“GRIPPING … SUSPENSEFUL…. I was engrossed from beginning to end.”
—Walter Murphy, author of
The Vicar of Christ
“A THRILLER OF THE FIRST ORDER…. Telescopes a few hours and a lifetime of emotions to create an hour-by-hour countdown to the climax…. Powerful tensions so skillfully built from beginning to end, they stretch the reader taut…. Highly recommended.”
—Indianapolis News
“A RETURN TO THE CLASSIC THRILLER.”
—Richmond News-Ledger
“TIMELY, TAUT, AND TERRIFYING … relentlessly gripping and vivid (5-stars—highest rating).”
—West Coast Review of Books
“EXCITING, SUSPENSEFUL, AND CAN EASILY BE CATEGORIZED AS A PAGE-TURNER.”
—Bestsellers
“A REAL NAIL-BITER OF A SUSPENSE NOVEL.”
—Seattle Times
“THE SUSPENSE IS RELENTLESS AND GRIPPING … A WINNER.”
—Library Journal
Books by Nelson DeMille
BY THE RIVERS OF BABYLON
CATHEDRAL
THE TALBOT ODYSSEY
WORD OF HONOR
THE CHARM SCHOOL
THE GOLD COAST
THE GENERAL’S DAUGHTER
SPENCERVILLE
PLUM ISLAND
Published by
WARNER BOOKS
For Lauren, age three,
an old hand at the alphabet,
and Alexander,
newly arrived in the world
CATHEDRAL. Copyright © 1981 by Nelson DeMille. All rights reserved.
Acknowledgments
I wish to thank the following people for their editorial help, dedication, and above all, patience: Bernard and Darlene Geis, Joseph Elder, David Kleinman, Mary Crowley, Eleanor Hurka, and Rose Ann Ferrick. And very special thanks to Judith Shafran, to whom this book would have been dedicated had she not been an editor and therefore a natural enemy of authors, albeit a noble and forthright one.
For their expertise and technical assistance I’d like to thank Detective Jack Lanigan, NYPD, Retired; and Michael Moriarty, Carm Tintle, and Jim Miller, Seanachies.
The following organizations have provided information for this book: The New York Police Department Public Information Office; The St. Patrick’s Parade Committee; The 69th Infantry, NYARNG; Amnesty International; the Irish Consulate, the British Consulate; and the Irish Tourist Board.
There were other individuals and organizations who gave of their time and knowledge, providing colorful threads of the narrative tapestry presented here, and to them—too numerous to mention—I express my sincere appreciation.
And finally, I want to thank The Little People, who refrained, as much as could be hoped, from mischief.Nelson DeMilleNew YorkSpring 1980
Author’s Note
Regarding places, people, and events: The author has learned that in any book dealing with the Irish, literary license and other liberties should not only be tolerated but expected.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York has been described with care and accuracy. However, as in any work of fiction, especially in one set in the future, dramatic liberties have been exercised in some instances.
The New York police officers represented in this novel are not based on real people. The fictional hostage negotiator, Captain Bert Schroeder, is not meant to represent the present New York Police Department Hostage Negotiator, Frank Bolz. The only similarity shared is the title of Hostage Negotiator. Captain Bolz is an exceptionally competent officer whom the author has had the pleasure of meeting on three occasions, and Captain Bolz’s worldwide reputation as innovator of the New York Plan of hostage negotiating is well deserved. To the people of the city of New York, and especially to the people whose lives he’s been instrumental in saving, he is a true hero in every sense of the word.
The Catholic clergy represented in this work are not based on actual persons. The Irish revolutionaries in this novel are based to some extent on a composite of real people, as are the politicians, intelligence people, and diplomats, though no individual character is meant to represent an actual man or woman.
The purpose of this work was not to write a roman à clef or to represent in any way, favorably or unfavorably, persons living or dead.
The story takes place not in the present or the past but in the future; the nature of the story, however, compels the author to use descriptive job titles and other factual designations that exist at this writing. Beyond these designations there is no identification meant or intended with the public figures who presently hold those descriptive job titles.
Historical characters and references are for the most part factual except where there is an obvious blend of fact and fiction woven into the story line.
Book I
Northern Ireland