Pinnacle Event is a thriller by Richard A. Clarke, someone who has had a diverse career -- including three decades of U.S. government experience. The story is centered upon South Africa's clandestine nuclear weapons program (something which was undertaken by the Apartheid regime).
A handful of mysterious murders occur at about the same time that several nuclear weapons are sold on the black market. But what's actually happening? Besides, who even has the capability to pull off five simultaneous murders across the globe?
Concerned by these developments and unsure of what may happen next, Washington pulls a seasoned intelligence officer out of retirement to pursue the case head-on. The modern-day story which unfolds is very entertaining, but also believable. To make it even more stirring, a presidential election is thrown into the mix as well.
Once it becomes clear who is driving the previously mentioned developments, the most suspenseful element of the text is trying to figure out what those nuclear weapons might be used for. In essence, what might be the endgame?
I read this book quickly and wish the text ran for an additional hundred pages. Clarke writes well and knows how to tell a good story. And, while the plot moves swiftly, the characters are interesting and convincing. I wasn't sure how the book was going to end and just wanted to keep turning pages. That's the sign of a really good thriller.