The Judgment Day uses terrorist techniques to try to stop the development of gigantic international companies that are formed through mergers. The group uses mostly words taken from a fifteenth century manuscript, but also employ deadly tactics as when they kill sixteen high level managers from two Germany's chemical companies, that had negotiating a merger.

Desperate to stop the Judgment Day organization before other homicides follow, the French police request help from Italian police officer and terrorist expert the one-legged Inspector Anders and Interpol's Detective Matucci. However, stopping the terrorists only proves slightly more difficult than obtaining cooperation from local police departments spread across Western Europe. As the Judgment Day seemingly commits impossible acts of atrocities, Inspector Anders and Detective Matucci do not seem to have made much progress on solving the case.

The insights into the political rivalries even at local police precincts add depth to the exciting tale, but also slow down the action. The case is fun to follow as Anders and Matucci as they did in The Wooden Leg of Inspector Anders conduct a through investigation in which the lack of cooperation hinders their efforts more than the terrorists. Fans who enjoy a realistic insightful look at European police (and for that matter American law enforcement too) will relish Browne Marshall's latest tale, Inspector Anders and the Ship of Fools

Harriet Klausner

This second Inspector Anders mystery novel is as intriguing and as compelling a read as the first book in this series. As with "The Wooden Leg of Inspector Anders" this novel also starts off a little slowly at first, and seems to move between countries and cities with very little ceremony. For readers used to a more opulent style of plotting, where everything is mapped out and revealed to the littlest detail, such a restrained and sparse style (even if it is a very lyrical one) can be a little off-putting. However, I'd encourage everyone to stick it out. Not only does the effort is pay off, but the novel does pick up speed and unfolds rather briskly about a quarter way into it. And in the end, the reader is rewarded with an incredibly memorable and luscious read.

Seconded to Interpol after his Sicilian adventure, Inspector Anders and his sidekick, Matucci, find themselves behind the desk pushing paper-clips and files until a terrorist cell, the Judgement Day group, opposed to globalisation takes out a room full of executives in Frankfurt. Bloody and efficient, the whole thing leaves everyone flabbergasted -- how did the terrorists get through the topnotch security in order to plant the bomb? And why are they using verses from a fifteenth century work -- THE SHIP OF FOOLS -- to frame their manifesto? Are they trying to show off their intellectual prowess? Or do they verses hint at something more sinister? As the number of murderous assaults against the business community both in Germany and France mounts, and the German and French police chase after a terrorist they are sure is behind the whole thing, Inspector Anders senses that the actual perpetrator of this atrocity has been playing the authorities completely. Following his own instincts, he goes to Strasbourg, to the birth place of Sebastian Brant (the authour of THE SHIP OF FOOLS). Beginning their own investigation, Anders and Matucci follow the clues that pits them against a very methodical and committed intelligence and that pushes them almost to the brink of insanity...

Courteous, reserved, intelligent, and with his own fair share of inner demons, Inspector Anders (who describes himself as a 'rusty knight with a creaky leg) is the kind of charismatic detective that engages the imagination completely. Much of the enjoyment to be gleaned from this novel is from watching Anders grapple with inner workings of the intelligence he is up against. I enjoyed this novel completely. The mystery was a somewhat complex and intriguing one that had me glued to the pages. And I loved Marshall Browne's prose style, and the manner in which he juxtaposed the medieval histories of the European cities featured in this particular mystery with the workings of the modern world of high finance and big business. "Inspector Anders and the Ship of Fools" makes for a deeply absorbing read. And if you're a bit tired of the usual fare in police procedurals or who can do with a break from the 'cozies' should definitely give this series (and this particular installment) a go. You won't be disappointed.

Here is a crime novel that started out like it was going to be one of the greats. But there came a point when I realized that it was not fulfilling its promise. It emerges instead as rather average.

This book is great on mood, and Marshall Browne establishes himself as quite the stylist. But when you strip away the layers of paranoia and hopelessness that make the book seem at first to be a powerful if bitter read, you get a story that does not involve much thought. The plot is very basic. There are the Good Guys and the Bad Guys; the White Hats and the Black Hats. The Good Guys want to bring the Bad Guys to justice, while the Bad Guys get nervous about this, and try to kill the Good Guys first. This leads merely to a lot of explosions and assassination attempts. Plus, Inspector Anders beds some women, even though each of these scenes suggests he is actually in love with whomever he is bedding at the time. Apparently, he invests deep meaning in each quickie. Yes, he has a lot of real love to spread around.

A few rogue elements do intrude on the plot, trying to stir up some novelty. A mysterious bearded figure wanders in and out of the action, possibly with his own agenda against one of the corrupt power-figures in the book; and a few of the mafia types are operating outside the accepted criminal scheme of things, as far as their still-nervous associates are concerned. But these "rogue elements" quickly reveal themselves to be variations on the same theme--the theme of people trying to bump each other off throughout the whole book, and not doing much else.

The book seemed cleverly cynical at the beginning, for example, when Inspector Anders went to question a series of people about two murders that have brought him to Southern Italy. Cleverly written, because the author has Anders show up for questioning, only for the questioning to basically get skipped or summarized as meaningless every time, because after all, Anders is questioning a bunch of people he knows will tell him useless lies as part of an investigation that he is not really supposed to succeed at, so the corrupt officials involved can stay safe. Seems like a deft author making a bleak statement about a sad state of affairs. The problem is: the author has nothing much of substance to fill these abbreviated scenes with! All the questioning sessions whiz by, but nothing of significance takes their place. And then the endless explosions and assassination attempts begin. As for Anders's final bold plan, I can't believe a group of veteran criminals could be that stupid! It stretches credibility that they wouldn't suspect the--well, I won't spill it.

Started out as a breath of fresh air, but couldn't hide its average approach. Three stars for the style and the sustained level of suspense. But the plot was very basic.

Inspector Anders has a mission. And it's not to grapple with the Mafia. It's to retire and write a book about his underappreciated poet forbear, Anton Anders.

Sent by Rome to investigate the murders of an investigator and a magistrate, he intends to do as little as possible and then go home. What difference will it make anyway? Nothing will change and a real investigation will only get him dead. But he can't help it. He just has to side with the good guys against the philistines. How can you help but like and respect and cheer for this guy?

Next time, how about a collaboration? Anders meets Zen!

Inspector Anders seems like the perfect man to complete the investigation of a southern Italian crime. He is a hero having lost a leg in Italy's battle against the Red Brigade, but he is also nearing retirement--unlikely to rock the boat. And rocking the boat is the last thing the establishment wants. It is much better to imagine that anarchists murdered the former judge than to admit that the Mafia and corruption rule southern Italy and can reach its power to the capitol in Rome and beyond. Anders is mostly content to go along--but he toys with the idea of doing more: of making a real investigation. If he does, though, he is unlikely to survive long enough to tell his story, let alone make a difference. The next inspector is unlikely to be so foolish.

As Anders goes through the motions of an investigation, he grows increasingly angry with the power of the Mafia, but also increasingly certain that he cannot make a difference. Yet even going through the motions can be dangerous and letting himself be swayed by the late judge's beautiful widow is clearly a mistake.

Author Marchall Browne writes a compelling adventure. Anders, with his wooden leg and perchant for older soft-bodied women and fine wine, makes an interesting and sympathetic hero. Browne's view of the Mafia as the dominant force in much of southern Italy is sadly credible and Ander's ultimate decision between pursuing his life's dream and doing something, however pointless, to damage the Mafia is emotionally satisfying.

I look forward to reading more novels by this talented author.