I remember very well the morning of September 11, 2001: the breaking news of a fire at the World Trade Center evolving quickly into the knowledge that the United States was under attack. The events of that day, the war on terror, and the death of Osama bin Laden all lead up to the events of THE INTERCEPT, a riveting thriller by "Law and Order" creator Dick Wolf.

The first few chapters are set-up. It's all relevant, but it's more the day-to-day analysis and investigation of potential terrorist threats. The story really gets going when a passenger on an international flight tries to hijack the plane. His intent: to repeat the events of 9/11. A flight attendant and five passengers help take him down. These heroes become celebrities, drawn into TV appearances, July 4th festivities, and a special celebration marking the dawn of a new day in New York.

But in the shadows, the rest of the terrorist plot is still unfolding. It's up to the dedicated men and women of the New York City Police Department's Intelligence Division to figure it out.

Dick Wolf knows the NYPD, he knows New York, and he knows how to tell a good story. THE INTERCEPT builds slowly, the suspense growing until the final chapters when everything is on the line and the action is moving at breakneck pace, piling on shock, hope, anger, tragedy, fear, and relief. Everything that happens is unfathomable but entirely plausible, and that's what makes this story, this terrorist plot so terrifyingly real.

If you enjoy police procedurals, political suspense, mysteries or thrillers, give THE INTERCEPT your undivided attention for a few hours. It's a great read.