Tom Clancy's Patriot Games (12/4/09)

John Patrick Ryan just thinks it going to be an ordinary trip to London. This changed with the terrorist attack on the royal family, which John (Jack) personally helped to avert by confronting the terrorists and disabling them. Getting shot in the process, Jack is sent to the emergency room. Overnight, he becomes a hero, and all seems to be well. The ULA, the group that was behind the attack, are plotting their revenge. Life seems to return to normal, Jack and his family returning to America. Behind the scenes, intelligence and counter-intelligence groups are battling each other to either hurt or protect him. As time progresses, several other terrorist groups, including the PIRA and Action Directe, are linked to the ULA. But it isn't enough to prevent his wife and daughter from being machine-gunned while driving on a highway in Maryland. Fortunately, they survive, though badly wounded, his daughter's heart stopping when she reached the hospital. Jack now devotes all his time to his side job at the CIA, where he takes part in the hunt for the ULA. But they are much closer than he thinks, operating in the place everyone least expects, the United States itself. So, when the Prince of Wales and his wife decide to visit America, as well as Jack's house, all hell breaks loose.
I like Tom Clancy's style of writing, having previously read several of his books. There are numerous examples of dramatic irony, where the reader knows exactly what is going to happen, yet the characters seem oblivious to it all. Also, there is red herrings as well as foreshadowing in the book. This book was great, and I recommend this book to anyone who can stick to a relatively long book.