Book Review: Dick Wolf delivers exciting new thriller

"The Ultimatum" (William Morrow), by Dick Wolf

Dick Wolf, a producer whose credits include the "Law & Order" TV franchise, is also a terrific novelist.

His latest book, "The Ultimatum," is the third thriller to feature New York police Detective Jeremy Fisk, and it's Wolf's best yet. He examines several topics that could easily be "ripped from the headlines," including the use of drones and issues regarding privacy.

In "The Ultimatum," a hacker has posted documents containing sensitive material, exposing Fisk's unlisted home address, among other secrets. Fisk has many enemies, and this information puts a huge target on his back.

After surviving an assassination attempt, Fisk is forced to live off the grid without access to credit cards or his bank account. He asks a newspaper reporter for assistance in gaining access to the hacker and learning whether he had any accomplices.

To make the situation worse for Fisk and the citizens of New York, a sniper has been targeting random citizens, and evidence suggests that this killer is using drone technology to utilize weapons in otherwise inaccessible areas of the city.

No one is safe from this onslaught of violence from a madman who calls himself The Yodeler, who delivers a message to the NYPD stating that one person will die each day until the hacker is released from custody. Carrying out The Yodeler's wishes might cause even more problems.

Wolf's storytelling skills are on full display in "The Ultimatum," and readers couldn't ask for a more worthwhile beach read.