The Gate House
by Nelson DeMille
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Book Reviews of The Gate House
Book Review: Slightly better than I'd been led to expect
Summary: 3 Stars
I came to the long-awaited sequel to DeMille's "The Gold Coast" with expectations lowered by all the negatives I had heard about it - and by DeMille's recent string of poor efforts. So I ended up being somewhat pleasantly surprised by "The Gate House" - at least until the contrived and annoying ending.
I agree that the book is too long and lacks focus. In its predecessor that wasn't a problem, not only because more was happening but also because one of the points and strengths of that novel was the display of the largely unknown traditions and traits of the real-life Gold Coast. But since that ground was already covered, rehashing it in "The Gate House" was unnecessary. And some of the subplots here barely reached the level of red herring; for instance, the pointless inclusion of an Iranian exile who claims he fears for his safety in the aftermath of 9/11.
Then there are many times when the plot lacks realism to the point where the willing suspension of disbelief can't be maintained. In order to place the Sutters in maximum jeopardy, DeMille has to create a law enforcement all of whose branches are so obsessed with terrorism that none can spare even a single officer to guard a couple credibly threatened by a mob boss. And worse yet is the Sutters' own refusal to just pick up and run. The responsibilities with which DeMille encumbers them which supposedly keep them from doing just that basically boil down to attending a funeral. There's no real reason the Sutters (and their adult children, just to be safe), couldn't have just gotten out of Dodge immediately.
But instead DeMille has the couple insisting on not only sticking around, but staying alone with no guard in their isolated house (which is located only a few hundred yards from their archenemy's home, BTW). Then he has John Sutter jauntily make an unnecessary run into town when the couple is only a few hours from safety, leaving Susan Sutter home alone - with results predictable to everyone familiar with the formula of third-rate thriller writers everywhere. DeMille is better than this, or used to be.
Then too the entire secondary plot about John Sutter butting heads with his in-laws (who seem unrealistically obsessed with thwarting him even to their own and their family's detriment) was cause for continued annoyance, as DeMille foreshadowed too well that there was an easy solution to the in-law dilemma in the form of a letter. Needlessly dragging out the delivery of this letter which will eventually make all things clear is a lame device that was old in Thomas Hardy's time.
So what did I like about the book, until its unfortunate ending? Well, I thought the reconciliation between the separated couple was well-done. Each confessed to wounded feelings and pride; each took their fair share of blame, which doesn't mean equal. I liked the build-up of suspense in the middle part of the book. I never had the feeling that DeMille simply wouldn't let either of the Sutters or their children get hurt, which would have blunted the threat. And for the first time in a while, maybe since The General's Daughter, I thought DeMille got the humor level right in one of his sarcastic heroes. Too many of his recent books have been nothing but poorly plotted vehicles for 1,000 John Corey one-liners all packed together. There was actually a scene in this book, where the young mob boss unfunnily recites three dull racist and sexist jokes about Chinese food in a row, which shows that DeMille is (now) aware of the problem of the frenetic joke machine forced approach to humor. John Sutter's sarcasm is paced better than young Anthony Bellarosa's is, or than recent DeMille protagonists' like John Corey's has been.
And perhaps above all, simply revisiting The Gold Coast, the book so many DeMille readers have waited so long for, made this particular average novel better than another average John Corey book from DeMille would have been. But two is enough.
I would say that for those who liked The Gold Coast this book is worth reading. It's not up to that standard but won't retroactively ruin the original for you; it doesn't rewrite that book's history. But if you didn't like The Gold Coast, you won't like this, so maybe avoid it. And it's definitely no book for someone who hasn't read The Gold Coast yet. Too much depends on the events and characters of that book. I think a newcomer to the Sutter couple for instance would unfairly have zero sympathy for Susan, and that's just one example.
Book Review: An excellent sequel to a perfect novel
Summary: 4 Stars
I just read both these novels. In terms of prose, originality, and pacing, The Gate House is not as good as the Gold Coast as most sequels to a perfect novel are. In Gate House, DeMille is forced to recreate plot points from the first book which were important but somewhat redundant and slowed down the narrative. Having said that, I think The Gate House is still an excellent novel. It is stronger climactically than The Gold Coast and has a more satisfying ending. Whereas the Gold Coast with its overarching sensuality dealt with themes of seduction, betrayal and ruin of a couple who are undoubtedly in love, The Gate House is a story of repentance, forgiveness, and redemption of its two central characters: hotshot lawyer John Sutter and his heiress wife Susan Stanhope Sutter of famed Stanhope Hall. In The Gold Coast, Susan Sutter is caught under the spell of the charismatic and manipulative Mafia Don, Frank Bellarosa, with whom she has a torrid and obsessive sexual affair culminating with her killing him in a scorned rage. The betrayal of his trust by the woman he loves, a woman who readers see, actually loves him, causes John Sutter to divorce her and escape the pain by sailing around the world, eventually settling in London. As an aside, Susan Sutter actually reminds me of Brenner's seductive and ball-busting love interest, Susan Weber, in Up Country. Coincidence?
Now, ten years later, The Gate House opens with the return of John Sutter to Stanhope Hall to take care of the estate of a dying former servant. The story lays bare John Sutter's continuing angst over Susan's betrayal as he returns to his former home, angry, hurting, but still hopelessly in love. It takes a while for these two to meet and the reader is left anxiously waiting to find out in what shape or form the confrontation would take. When they finally meet, we find a still bitchy, haughty, in denial, partially crazy, a bit mellowed, and truly remorseful Susan Sutter who desperately seems to want to get him back, risking her entire fifty million inheritance in the process. John Sutter forgives her and they get back together though John takes advantage of every opportunity to remind her of the hurt she had caused him and everyone around her. Based on Susan' responses, forced admissions, and actions, we get the impression that she has suffered more than he did in the ten years he had been missing, especially as she was left to face the shame, the guilt and the realization that she had lost everything because of her actions. She seems to be trying to set things right by recreating their lives to the way it had been before the disastrous affair happened to the point that their old guest house home had been restored to its original pre-divorce form up to Sutter's old office, the framed photographs of John's parents and the original bottle of Dewar whiskey he left when they separated. Weird, weird, weird. In a way, the novel is more of a character analysis of Susan Sutter's persona as seen through John Sutter eyes who is sometimes an accurate and sometimes unreliable narrator. There were times when he got the "analysis" totally wrong relative to Susan's words or actions. Having said that, the narrative filled most of the gaps DeMille left us at the end of the Gold Coast. What is missing perhaps is Susan Sutter explaining the reason why she did it in the first place--lots of psychological stuff could have been presented here that the reader would've enjoyed--and an acknowledgement in John Sutter's part (a man who has perfected the art of putting his head in the sand) on his role in the matter and why he let her do it, for there were ample warnings in The Gold Coast of the affair and instances when Susan Sutter was practically begging him for them to leave for a long vacation (before it is too late) or go sailing to get away and patch things up. In other words, relationships are a two-way street. Anyway, the reconciliation bliss of the star-crossed lovers is interrupted by Don Anthony Bellarosa's desire to seek revenge on Susan (for killing his father) and Susan's father's threat to disinherit her of fifty million dollars and that of the trusts of her children. In summary, a very enjoyable read that fills in the gaps left by The Gold Coast. I would be interested in a third sequel dealing with their sailing trip around the world filled with dangers and possibly another seduction (of John Sutter this time), in some dangerous foreign land.
Book Review: Very good sequel to The Gold Coast (DeMille's best book)
Summary: 4 Stars
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.
Book Review: Nobody should miss a good Nelson DeMille book, and THE GATE HOUSE is his newest best
Summary: 5 Stars
Ten years ago, Susan Stanhope Sutter killed her lover, Mafia don Frank Bellarosa. One night, she just left her estate, Stanhope Hall, and headed across the connecting acreage to Frank's mansion, Alhambra, where he delivered a message that Susan took umbrage to, so she shot him. She escaped prosecution --- and the wrath of the don's family --- but lost her husband, her home and her lover all in one night. Now she has returned from a period of self-imposed exile and has settled in the Guest Cottage of Stanhope Hall. That may have been an unwise choice, for there are still people in the area who carry a grudge. Like Frank's son.
Ethel Allard, a friend of the Stanhope family, now lay dying in a hospice house. Because Ethel's time is fast running out, John Whitman Sutter, Ethel's attorney and Susan's ex-husband, has returned from London, his home since that fateful night.
In the intervening decade, John divorced his wife, sailed around the world, left his New York law practice for one in England, and found at least one girlfriend --- in short, imposed his own sort of self-exile. Now back on Long Island, staying in Stanhope Hall's gatehouse, John reflects on the distant past and wonders about his immediate future with an uneasy feeling.
"Time had stood still here in this gatehouse as the changing world encroached on the walls of Stanhope Hall. In fact, life within the walls had changed, too, and time was about to catch up to this place and to the people who lived here, past and present."
As John works to wrap up Ethel's affairs, he is painfully aware of Susan's close proximity. After all, they share a driveway. Does he want to see her? More importantly, does she want to see him? While pondering the possible answers, which may have life-altering repercussions, Frank Bellarosa's son Anthony makes an unannounced visit to the gatehouse.
John isn't too excited to see Anthony, considering that John's ex-wife murdered Anthony's father, leaving Anthony as head of the family business, which isn't a thriving security and limo service, unless you consider whacking your enemies a form of security. Well, in a nutshell, the Sutters and the Bellarosas become intertwined once again, and not because John has any desire for mob involvement. His love for Susan has a tendency to get in the way of good decision making, but he feels he must protect the mother of his children. Besides, she's as beautiful as ever. And outrageously sexy, having discovered some new ways to keep a relationship, shall we say, exciting.
Nelson DeMille explores the clash of the old money of the Gold Coast with the newly rich invaders. Susan Stanhope epitomizes the spoiled trust fund daughter while John Sutter provides the perfect parental nightmare for the elder Stanhopes as the two fall in love again. Their children are thrilled; why can't the in-laws be, too? Ah, well, maybe it's the money. Whatever the reason, John and Susan are the type of people one cannot help but envy, despite the downside of a possible hit man hot on their heels.
You don't have to read THE GOLD COAST to enjoy THE GATE HOUSE, but why not double your fun? DeMille's look into the world of the rich and snobbish back in 1990 gave his readers a chance to experience that world vicariously through his story, leaving us all feeling a bit higher on the social scale for having read it. His wit and humor were well-honed then, but they have had nearly 20 years to sharpen even more --- and sharpen they have. John Sutter, too, has had nearly two decades to sharpen his wit. What was, at the time of THE GOLD COAST, a wry humor and a wonderful tendency to sarcastic comebacks has become a portfolio of laugh-out-loud parries and feints. Nobody should miss a good Nelson DeMille book, and THE GATE HOUSE is his newest best.
--- Reviewed by Kate Ayers
Book Review: Good, but definitely not DeMille's best
Summary: 3 Stars
I was so pleased to be able to read Nelson DeMille's latest novel that I didn't even wait for Amazon to it deliver to me, as is my wont. Instead, I rushed out to my neighborhood bookstore to buy an undiscounted copy on the day of publication.
First, let me state that DeMille is my favorite novelist, which may be obvious from reading the paragraph above. Therefore, it is possible that I hold him to a higher standard than I do other writers. Either way, THE GATE HOUSE is a good book. It's just not a great book, though I think that most authors would be pleased to craft anything as worthwhile as this. DeMille, however, may be a victim of his own success, because THE GATE HOUSE simply is not up to the bar he set himself.
John Corey, his protagonist in a quartet of books, is a wiseguy (not the Mafia kind) who is lovable in spite of his big mouth. John Whitman Sutter, the protagonist of THE GATE HOUSE, merely seems like a self-impressed, condescending jerk. I did read and like THE GOLD COAST, which also was about John Sutter, but I don't remember having such a negative reaction then to this character.
In THE GATE HOUSE, DeMille blends some of his favorite themes, including Long Island, the Mafia and the Muslim terrorists. The only thing missing is Russian oligarchs; having read and admired THE CHARM SCHOOL, I suspect that he is saving them for his next novel.
The novel is well-structured and never seems strained, as happens with many thrillers. At the same time, Sutter and his wife, Susan Stanhope Sutter, are so unsympathetic that it is hard to become engaged in their problems. It is difficult to care about them, it is difficult to like them.
In addition, a few plot points are a bit pat. Why did Sutter's former in-laws always hate him with such intensity? By the standards of these characters, he seems an ideal consort for their daughter. And the resumption of feelings between the former spouses also seems too fast to be realistic.
As for the "Gold Coast," Long Island's North Shore, I grew up near there myself (but light years away in terms of affluence) and DeMille does an excellent job of conveying a sense of the place. Dominick Dunne, however, does it better. With the exception of perhaps Palm Beach in the United States and certain royal palaces in Britain and Europe, there are few other communities where the occupants retain the expectations and entitlements of those remaining old-money families of the Gold Coast.
DeMille also makes good work of the region's fascination with the Mafia. He explores this fascination meaningfully, and his descriptions definitely feel authentic.
As for the terrorists, this subplot turns out to be insignificant yet, ultimately, important in advancing the story.
There are a couple of oddities. DeMille gives a retired Mafia lawyer the exact same name as am important Federal judge in New York; it does not appear, from the acknowledgments at the back of the book, that this was done intentionally, as a compliment. And he gives the Mafia Don's limousine company the same name as a car service/ limo company that has been a presence in New York for decades. Just seems sloppy, when one thinks about it....
In fairness, the whole story all works. The plot is intricate, careful and plausible. Maybe it was nothing more, nothing less, than unsympathetic characters, but I was not engrossed by THE GATE HOUSE. By the end of the book, I did not care about the outcome, one way or another. And this never before has happened to me with a DeMille novel, and it is why I found THE GATE HOUSE a disappointing read.