The Detonators Audiobook By Chad Millman cover art

The Detonators

The Secret Plot to Destroy America and an Epic Hunt for Justice

Preview

Try for $0.00
Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.

The Detonators

By: Chad Millman
Narrated by: Lloyd James
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $15.47

Buy for $15.47

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

A tale of terrorism, espionage, and an epic struggle for justice in an America on the verge, sparked by a massive and mysterious explosion in New York Harbor in 1916.

That year, while the Allied and Central forces waged war in Europe, a group of German saboteurs blew up Black Tom Island, a spit of land in New York Harbor within earshot of downtown Manhattan. The subsequent hail of missiles and gunpowder devastated much of lower New York City. The attack, so massive that as far away as Maryland people could feel the ground shake, had been shockingly easy. America was crisscrossed with networks of German agents, hiding in full daylight, an "enemy within" plotting further, deadlier attacks. All the way up to the president, officials had known something like this could happen, and yet nothing had been done.

Twenty years later, the German government had still managed to evade responsibility for the crime, and probably would have continued to, were it not for the determination of three lawyers named McCloy, Peaslee, and Martin. These men, most crucially the young John McCloy, made it their mission to solve a mystery that began during the First World War and barely ended before the second.

The Detonators is a fascinating portrait of these men and their time, an era in which the rising American establishment engaged the world. It is also the dramatic love story of John and Ellen McCloy, and the first full accounting of a crime and cover-up that resonates strongly in post-9/11 America.

©2006 Chad Millman (P)2006 Tantor Media Inc
20th Century Espionage Germany Historical State & Local World War I New York United States Military War Fiction Imperialism Mystery
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Critic reviews

  • Publishers Weekly Starred Review
  • Kirkus Starred Review

"Gripping." (Publishers Weekly)
"From a storytelling perspective, Millman commendably rises above a dry recitation of briefs and rulings." (Booklist)

What listeners say about The Detonators

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    11
  • 4 Stars
    16
  • 3 Stars
    15
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    8
  • 4 Stars
    9
  • 3 Stars
    9
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    2
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    9
  • 4 Stars
    12
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Little known Acts of sabotage

An eye opener both historically and legally. I wad surprised by how John mccloy got his start in public life

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Little known story of terrorism via Germany in WWI

I enjoyed this true story of German saboteurs in America including a bombing that measured 5 on the Richter scale.
It was unbelievable that the United States and especially President Wilson were so naïve that they had no counter espionage agents in place.

The best part of this tale was the story of John McCloy and his wife Ellen. He was a lawyer that got involved in the trial to bring justice to the owners of the plant that was sabotaged by the German spies. She was fearless in her stance to help her man, including once following an agent into a men's restroom just in time to see him climb out the window to escape.

This was an important story to know and I am glad I read it. Lloyd James narration was good, if nothing special.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

A part of history I didn't know...

Millman brings a little recognized part of history to life. He tells the story in a way that keeps one coming back to find out what happened.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Read great,great story telling.

Would you consider the audio edition of The Detonators to be better than the print version?

Yes great story telling,narrating

What about Lloyd James’s performance did you like?

Kept my attention and intrest

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Neither ,familiar with past remember the history of this story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    out of 5 stars

Interesting story

A very interesting tale told well.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful