Diamondhead (Mack Bedford #1)

Diamondhead by Patrick Robinson is a fast-paced military / political thrill ride.

U.S. Navy SEAL Lieutenant Commander "Mack" Mackenzie Bedford is stationed in central Iraq with his team. When they are called on to rescue another team that has come under enemy fire, two of their armored vehicles are hit by the new French-made weapon the Diamondhead.

The Diamondhead, banned by the UN as inhumane, is a high-speed, armour piercing rocket that has a napalm-like chemical that causes everything in the area to burst into flame - including the soldiers in the vehicles. When most of Mack's team is killed and then the terrorists he just watched sent the rocket across the river try to surrender, Mac guns them all down.

Now Mack is in a military court defending his position that after seeing other false surrenders where US troops were killed by suicide bombs strapped to those surrendering, he could not let more of his people be hurt by the men he watched kill his friends. But since the story was leaked (somewhat inaccurately) to the press, the political pressure to rule against Mack in some way is too strong to resist. Mack is given a reprimand that will strip him of his rank.

Suddenly Mack, whose whole identity is tied to being a Navy SEAL, finds himself unable to stomach being in the Navy. And the problems facing his family become his main focus. His seven year-old son has been diagnosed with a rare disease. The only known effective treatment is at a clinic in Switzerland - and costs one million dollars. Also facing the family, the town they live in and love on the Maine coast, is facing a total economic meltdown. Remson's Shipbuilding has been the main employer of the town for over 100 years. But the only thing keeping the factory open is a standing order from France for one frigate every three years. And now, the man sure to be the next president of France, Henri Foche is calling for an end to outside military contracts.


As these factors come together to decide the fate of Mack and his family, Robinson weaves a great story with political intrigue and desperate plots to create a novel that will pull readers into the book and have them calling in sick to work to finish it.

Robinson, Patrick. (2009). Diamondhead. New York: Vanguard Press.