Destroyer · #149

Killer Ratings

by Warren Murphy and James Mullaney · July 2008

7.0 / 10 average from 2 rated reviews

In the cutthroat world of evening news, where \"if it bleeds it leads\" is the industry's lifeblood, the dead-last BCN network is hemorrhaging viewers. On the chopping block is million-dollar anchor Kitty Coughlin, who is one ratings point away from early termination. But when a group of armed men hijack her plane and stage a spectacular near-miss of one of America's most famous landmarks, Kitty's eyewitness account helps BCN achieve a remarkable ratings rally. Kitty is riding high...until the ratings bubble bursts and her career goes back on life support. Then the next catastrophe strikes. Wherever Kitty Coughlin goes, disaster -- and ratings gold -- follows. Is Kitty's uncanny ability to be at the center of the news storm sheer dumb luck or very bad news? Harold W. Smith of the supersecret agency CURE knows a thing or two about disaster management. He sends in Remo Williams and the remarkable Chiun to tune in, turn off, and pull the plug on whoever is putting Americans at risk.

Reviews (2)

Gunslinger 6/10 August 27, 2011

If this installment is any indication, I may enjoy the other Murphy-Mullaney efforts. It was a total hoot. The satire was great, parodying everyone from Katie Couric to Rosie O'Donnell to the Governator himself. Chuin and Remo's banter was top-notch. When a spoiled, egotistical news anchor always seems to be around when a disaster strikes, Remo and Chuin have to get to the bottom of things. Her tantrums had me in stitches, as did the highlight scene of monkeys having a poop fight with her.

Carboni 8/10 January 5, 2009

The most improbable villain in the history of action-adventurism dwells in this novel. “Killer Ratings” is the latest installment of the Destroyer series. Heavy handed in the political commentary and satire, this one manages to revisit a lot of the major news stories that had gone on in the last twenty years. All the obvious and not so obvious targets are not spared. Katie Couric was parodied. By my writing this review, I was even parodied. Dripping and laced with caricatures, the book fails to establish a credible threat and I can’t believe that the Big Bad in this one could have pulled this one up. Chalk this one as a comedy/social commentary episode. Not that there is anything wrong with it, but the greatest installments of the series are able to pair them with a compelling threat. Unfortunately, the series now goes on hiatus, or in the words of the authors, “a vacation.” Their publisher (Tor) did not offer another contract and the authors were already unhappy with them, they would not have signed anyways. The search is on for a new home for the Destroyer. When, or if the series will ever be picked up, is not known. This could be the ultimate installment of this series.