“The Target” by David Baldacci (Macmillan)

The third Will Robie thriller sets him and Jessica Reel on a collision courts with the Hermit Kingdom…

The President knows it’s a perilous, high-risk assignment. If he gives the order, he has the opportunity to take down a global menace, once and for all. If the mission fails, he would face certain impeachment, and the threats against the nation would multiply. So the president turns to the one team that can pull off the impossible: Will Robie and his partner, Jessica Reel.

Together, Robie and Reel’s talents as assassins are unmatched. But there are some in power who don’t trust the pair. They doubt their willingness to follow orders. And they will do anything to see that the two assassins succeed, but that they do not survive.

As they prepare for their mission, Reel faces a personal crisis that could well lead old enemies right to her doorstep, resurrecting the ghosts of her earlier life and bringing stark danger to all those close to her. And all the while, Robie and Reel are stalked by a new adversary: an unknown and unlikely assassin, a woman who has trained her entire life to kill, and who has her own list of targets – a list that includes Will Robie and Jessica Reel.

The Target is another great addition to this relatively-new series from Baldacci. Taking the popular central character of government assassin, the author has managed to forge a somewhat original path. The novel is gripping, excellently-paced, and well-researched. As has become the norm with Baldacci’s novels, I really enjoyed reading this.

Quick Reviews: “Bullseye”, “The Innocent”, and “The Hit” by David Baldacci (Macmillan)

Two novels and a short story introducing a new hero from one of the modern masters of thriller fiction…

I really enjoyed all three of these stories. I also read them quite a while ago, in preparation for the release of The Target. I’m not sure why I didn’t get around to posting reviews of them sooner, but I wanted to mention them here. Because they’re excellent. I’ll keep things short, though…

Upcoming: “The Finisher” by David Baldacci (Macmillan)

I’m a big fan of David Baldacci’s thrillers – be they his stand-alone novels, the King And Maxwell series, or (my favourite) the Camel Club novels, I have enjoyed every novel of his that I’ve read. It should be no wonder, therefore, that ever since I read Absolute Power (yes, the novel that was adapted into a movie starring Clint Eastwood), I have pre-ordered each of his novels as soon as I spot them on Amazon/Waterstone’s/Barnes & Noble. True, I’ve been lax in the past couple of years about keeping on top of things (I have yet to read either of his Will Robie novels, for example), but he remains one of my favourite thriller authors. He’s certainly, one of my favourite authors of the genre who is still producing novels at a prodigious rate (Vince Flynn has sadly passed away, and Kyle Mills seems to be writing less and less…). James Patterson doesn’t count, because he is to thrillers what Brandon Sanderson is to Fantasy.

Given my interest in Baldacci’s work, therefore, I was very surprised to learn that he’s turned his hand to YA fantasy. His next novel, The Finisher, looks like it’s going to be very different from his usual fare. And I must say, I’m rather looking forward to giving it a try. Here’s the UK synopsis…

Welcome to Wormwood: a place where curiosity is discouraged and no one has ever left. Until one girl, Vega Jane, discovers a map that suggests a mysterious world beyond the walls. A world with possibilities and creatures beyond her imagining. But she will be forced to fight for her freedom. And unravelling the truth may cost Vega her life.

And the slightly longer US synopsis…

Why would Quentin Herms flee into the Quag? There was nothing in the Quag except certain death.

Vega Jane has never left the village of Wormwood. But this isn’t unusual – nobody has ever left the village of Wormwood. At least not until Quentin Herms vanishes into the unknown.

Vega knows Quentin didn’t just leave – he was chased. And he’s left behind a very dangerous trail of clues that only she can decode.

The Quag is a dark forest filled with terrifying beasts and bloodthirsty Outliers. But just as deadly are the threats that exist within the walls of Wormwood. It is a place built on lies, where influential people are willing to kill to keep their secrets. Vega is determined to uncover the truth – but the closer she gets, the more she risks her life.

The Finisher is due to be published in the UK (Macmillan), and in the US (Scholastic) in early March 2014. His most recent novel for adults was King And Maxwell.

“Hell’s Corner” by David Baldacci (Macmillan)

The Camel Club return, in their most difficult and confusing case, yet.

Oliver Stone – once the country’s most skilled assassin – stands in front of the White House, perhaps for the last time. The president has personally requested that Stone serve his country again on a high-risk, covert mission. Though he’s fought for decades to leave his past career behind, Stone has no choice but to say yes.

But Stone’s mission changes drastically before it even begins. It’s the night of a state dinner honouring the British prime minister. As he watches the prime minister’s motorcade leave the White House, a bomb is detonated in an apparent terrorist attack against both leaders. It’s in the chaotic aftermath that Stone takes on a new, more urgent assignment: find those responsible for the bombing.

Stone’s opponents are elusive, capable, and increasingly lethal. Worst of all, it seems that the park bombing may just have been the opening salvo in their plan. With nowhere else to turn, Stone enlists the help of the only people he knows he can trust: the Camel Club. Yet that may be a big mistake.

In the shadowy worlds of politics and intelligence, there is no one you can really trust. And Hell’s Corner truly lives up to its name. This may be Oliver Stone’s and the Camel Club’s last stand.

Out of all of Baldacci’s series, the Camel Club novels are by far my favourite: The motley band of sleuths and conspiracy theory junkies who have grown over the course of five novels into quite the diverse and capable band of crime solvers, complete with endearing quirks and a hard-nosed and noble former government assassin (who goes by the name ‘Oliver Stone’) as their nominative leader. With Hell’s Corner, Baldacci has written yet another fast-paced and enjoyable thriller, but also one that has a bit of a shaky start, not quite living up to its predecessor, Divine Justice.

Book on Film: “Absolute Power”, by David Baldacci

Movie   |   Book

A career thief witnesses a horrific crime involving the U.S. President.

In this adaptation of David Baldacci’s debut thriller, Clint Eastwood makes a good attempt to bring the novel to life on screen, however the story does not ultimately lend itself to the restrictions imposed by Hollywood.

“Deliver Us From Evil”, by David Baldacci (Grand Central/Pan)

US    |    UK

The latest international thriller from a master of the genre

Evan Waller is a monster. He has built a fortune from his willingness to buy and sell anything… and anyone. In search of new opportunities, Waller has just begun a new business venture: one that could lead to millions of deaths all over the globe.

On Waller’s trail is Shaw, the mysterious operative from The Whole Truth, who must prevent Waller from closing his latest deal. Shaw’s one chance to bring him down will come in the most unlikely of places: a serene, bucolic village in Provence.

But Waller’s depravity and ruthlessness go deeper than Shaw knows. And now, there is someone else pursuing Waller in Provence — Reggie Campion, an agent for a secret vigilante group headquartered in a musty old English estate — and she has an agenda of her own.

Hunting the same man, unaware of each other’s mission, Shaw and Reggie will be caught in a deadly duel of nerve and wits.

This is the second book in Baldacci’s Shaw series, following on from the highly successful, and enjoyable The Whole Truth.

Shaw’s operation to deal with Waller is a cold example of “the lesser of two evils”; cold, hard realism in an ever-more dangerous, interconnected world. His handlers are aware of Waller’s sex-trafficking business, but are more concerned by his recent foray into nuclear arms dealing, and are willing to let the former slide if they can just prevent the latter. They’re reaction to Regina’s operation also adheres strongly to a realpolitik approach to international relations, and is presented in a well-conceived and considered manner (it’s not some conspiracy-loving critique, for example).

Regina’s outfit is an interesting one. A group of vigilantes, loosely connected, executing designated ‘monsters’ as their identities become known. It’s not entirely clear what each of the team’s members’ motivations are. Regina’s past is only revealed very late in the novel, and it was certainly a surprise, even if I didn’t see how it might explain her specific choice in profession.

“there will always be monsters. And we have to hunt down every one of them.”

Waller is looking for a “challenge” and believes moving from his steady, ludicrously profitable primary sex-trafficking business to weapons dealing with Muslim terrorists will provide both the needed challenge and a fresh experience. When the initial deal goes wrong, however, Waller vows to bring those responsible for betraying him to ‘justice’. Waller is a true monster: outwardly he is the calm and reasonable businessman he professes to be, but underneath he’s also a cold psychopath – just wait until Chapter 37 for his monstrous, chilling nature to be presented in rather gruesome detail.

One thing that surprised me about this novel was that, considering it’s meant to be the second in the Shaw series, it felt to me like he only featured in about a quarter of the novel (a third at most), with Regina’s story-line dominating, with Waller receiving roughly the same chapter-space as Shaw. This is one reason that might explain my disappointment with the novel, as it diverged a good deal from what I was expecting.

I always come to Baldacci’s novels with high expectations. With every one I’ve read, he has exceeded my expectations. For the first time, however, I am left a little underwhelmed. There’s just something about Deliver Us From Evil that didn’t quite click for me. The characters are good, and mostly well-rounded. The dialogue and prose are great – I flew through the chapters whenever I picked up the book, so it’s not a problem with Baldacci’s writing (always exceptional). It’s just the pacing of the story itself, and the progression of the plot doesn’t seem to work properly. There seems to be a lot of hurry-up-and-wait, or a stop-start feel to the narrative, and certain events felt anti-climactic, and things slow down too much on one too many instances. There are a couple of chapters which might be intended to be ‘cliffhangers’, but because the reader knows how much more of the book is left to go, they don’t achieve the intended outcome. The author sometimes loses the balance between exposition and storytelling, with – for the first time – his explanations of innovative elements of the story running a little too long, again diminishing the pace and impact of the story. One final thing that bothered me, was Shaw’s confused relationship with Katie James (who featured prominently in The Whole Truth and pops up a couple times here) and Regina – it is almost as if the author is as unsure as his character who Shaw should be with.

It frustrates me to write a review even partially negative for a Baldacci novel, but I’ve got to write the truth. This novel just didn’t have the impact of Baldacci’s other novels (all of which I’ve devoured with great enthusiasm and satisfaction), with a plot that meandered a little too much, and character interactions that failed to ignite. The final quarter of the novel redeemed itself well, and the final confrontation was pretty tense, but it was not enough to make me forget my occasional moments of indifference during the preceding chapters. I still eagerly await Hell’s Corner, the next book in Baldacci’s Camel Club series (published later this year), which has always been his strongest series, with his strongest characters.

Deliver Us From Evil will entertain, will keep you guessing (there are a fair few red herrings and switches), but might not be as fulfilling as previous novels from this brilliant author.

For Fans of: Vince Flynn, Daniel Silva, Christopher Reich, Kyle Mills, John Sandford, Tom Clancy, James Twining, Andrew Britton, Richard North Patterson

“True Blue”, by David Baldacci (Macmillan)

[  UK  /  US  ]

A mysterious pair of seemingly-unrelated homicides in the nation's capital and a disgraced cop collide with the darker side of National Security

Mason “Mace” Perry was a firebrand cop on the D.C. police force until she was kidnapped and framed for a crime. She lost everything — her badge, her career, her freedom — and spent two years in prison. Now she’s back on the outside and is focused on one mission: to be a cop once more.

Her only shot to be a true blue again is to solve a major case on her own, and prove she has the right to wear the uniform. But even with her police chief sister on her side, she has to work in the shadows: a vindictive US attorney is looking for any reason to send her back behind bars.

Then Roy Kingman enters her life. Kingman is a young lawyer who aided the poor until he took a high-paying job at a law firm in Washington. Mace and Roy meet after he discovers the dead body of a female partner at the firm.

Their investigation into the lawyer's death reveals surprising secrets from both the private and public world of the nation's capital, and what began as a fairly routine homicide investigation takes a terrifying and unexpected turn into something complex, diabolical, and possibly lethal.

I was a little apprehensive about True Blue, it must be said. The main reason is that I tend not to like female protagonists written by men. Perhaps with the one exception of Arthur Goldman’s geisha in Memoirs of a Geisha, I don’t recall ever reading a main female protagonist who was anything other than a caricature of women. Take Lindsey Boxer, for example, from James Patterson’s wildly successful Women’s Murder Club series – she’s overly emotional to the point of ridiculousness (no woman I know cries that much and about half the things she cries about), and I have been unable to read any volume in the series since 5th Horseman (the ninth instalment of the series will be released soon).

In True Blue, Mace Perry is an entirely different woman. Firstly, and more importantly, she’s entirely realistic. She’s tough without being mannish, she doesn’t cry at everything, and she’s just… well, normal. Mostly. Her single-minded interest in becoming re-instated adds colour and explanation to her unwise actions, as she breaks and bends rules left-and-right (not to mention her abuse of her sister’s position as D.C. policy chief) to prove she is still good enough to be a Blue.

Roy Kingman is an equally appealing character, idealistic but also not immune to the lure of money (which is why he quit his CJA job for a cushy position in a law firm specialising in out-of-court deals). The dynamic that develops between Mace & Roy is interesting. It's not really made clear why he tags along with her to begin with, although it could be because his job is dull and that can’t be an easy thing for a former basketball star or CJA to live with – so maybe his interest in her starts as a result of boredom, as she barges in and accuses him (twice) of murdering his colleague. What happens between the two of them seems perfectly natural, and there’s no ridiculous or frothy puppy-love or swooning which, considering Baldacci is oh-so frequently (and erroneously) placed alongside Patterson, is a most welcome thing.

Even the ‘bad-guys’ aren't as uncomplicated as that might suggest. Questions about national security, black-ops, doing what’s necessary, the ease with which these can be manipulated (through malicious intent or not)... All these are themes that are brought up in True Blue. A couple of the antagonists are also humanised when we see them in their home/family environment, questioning their superiors and worrying about the morality of their mission.

Baldacci is really very good at writing thrillers that reveal just enough to keep you guessing, just enough to keep you reading, and yet still have an attention to detail and character development that makes this a satisfying, intelligent, and engaging read.

All new authors wishing to make it in this genre should read this and take notes. I still think he’s one of the best in the business. The plot is very good, rattling along at typically fast pace – Baldacci’s books are usually typified by excellent pacing and tight writing, and this is no exception.

Very highly recommended, this is one of Baldacci’s finest.

For fans of: John Sandford, Kyle Mills, Andrew Britton, Tom Clancy, Alex Berenson, Brett Battles

“First Family”, by David Baldacci (PanMacMillan)

With the President’s niece kidnapped, King and Maxwell are called in to investigate

David Baldacci exploded onto the thriller scene with Absolute Power (1997), which was later made into a movie starring Clint Eastwood. Not since Absolute Power, however, has Baldacci taken us back into the lives of those who live in the White House.

In First Family, the President Dan Cox’s niece is kidnapped after her twelfth birthday party and her mother murdered. First Lady Jane Cox, who has some history with Sean King from his Secret Service days, employs him to find her niece, Willa. Sean King and his partner Michelle Maxwell (the stars of three previous novels by Baldacci) embark on a convoluted case, disrupted by family tragedies, Washington politics, and a truly ingenious plot that has been years in the making.

Baldacci’s novels continue to enthrall readers the world over (his novels are available in 40 languages in more than 80 countries), and First Family will not disappoint his fans. The plot moves along a little slower than normal (though this didn’t stop me devouring it in two days), with the events concerning Michelle’s family something of a distraction. Maxwell has always been a pretty broken character, struggling with her personal demons, and in First Family we get to see what it is that she’s buried in her subconscious from so many years ago. All of Baldacci’s characters – whether minor bit-players or our heroes – are well-rounded and believable, and in First Family, he’s done an exceptional job of rounding out Maxwell and King, their relationship and those they interact with throughout the novel.

The main case, that of Willa’s kidnapping, is an excellent story, and one that unwinds slowly as the novel progresses and Sean and Michelle tease out facts and clues to help save Willa. The case takes them through the politics of government contracts to the deep South and a historic plantation house filled with secrets. Sam Quarry, the novel’s antagonist, is an exceptionally well-rounded character, and one I ended up caring about far more than I did for the First Couple (or perhaps any other character in a long while).

Expertly written and an engaging and exciting plot: What more could we ask for? Baldacci remains one of the best writers in the business.

An essential read.

Series Chronology: Split Second (2004), Hour Game (2005), Simple Genius (2007), First Family (2009)

For Fans of: Lee Child, Kyle Mills, Andrew Britton, Brad Thor, Vince Flynn

“Divine Justice”, by David Baldacci (Macmillan)

Oliver Stone is on the run, hiding out in rural Virginia. The CIA’s best investigator is set loose, only to have his loyalties tested.

After the tumultuous events of Stone Cold, our hero Oliver Stone/John Carr takes vengeance on the two responsible for so much death and horror throughout his own life and those of people close to him. Divine Justice opens immediately after Stone pulls the trigger, killing Carter Gray (a while after he also assassinated Senator Simpson), and chronicles his flight from Washington, as he tries to draw attention away from his friends in the Camel Club. After intervening in a dispute on an Amtrak train, he finds himself taking refuge in Divine, Virginia – a sleepy, back-end-of-nowhere, miner town. What Stone finds in Divine is anything but a sleepy rural town. Local intrigue and rivalries boil over, dragging Stone into a situation he has no wish to be involved in.

Hot on his heels is Joe Knox, a gifted, tenacious CIA investigator, called in to hunt down Stone. Knox, suspicious of his superiors, convinced their not telling him everything about his quarry, gets to work with a quiet focus; coupled with a hint of trepidation, he looks into connections between Stone and his immediate superior, Macklin Hayes. Coming up against the wall of loyalty Stone has inspired among his friends, Knox is forced to spread his net wider and increase the pressure.

Meanwhile, the remaining members of the Camel Club – Annabelle, Reuben and Caleb – decide to get themselves involved, to repay Stone for the times he saved their lives. So, they start shadowing Knox, hoping to catch a break and find Stone first. The chase and the hunt are on…

It’s unusual for a thriller novel to feature characters like Stone and Knox as central figures. They’re both pushing 60, having served in Vietnam. This doesn’t exactly promise James Bond-levels of action and adventure (though, I’m pretty sure Stone could take Bond easily), but Baldacci still manages to cram a lot of action (and just a few gun battles) into Divine Justice. The novel is populated by a cast of interesting, believable characters; from Danny, the former college quarterback who seems to be a key part of the goings on in Divine; Abby, Danny’s mother and love interest for Stone; Tyree, the local sheriff who has unclear motives of his own. The novel and the relationships between all the characters unfolds in a natural way, with nothing in the writing or the dialogue appearing forced or synthetic. Baldacci really knows how to make it feel like you’re right there, observing the events of the story.

Baldacci’s skill at spinning a gripping, intelligent thriller is still intact. With Divine Justice, we get the usual thriller elements, with the tension jacked up to a higher level. Unveiling just enough to keep the reader hooked and turning the pages, Baldacci takes hold of our attention and refuses to let us go. Gripping and tense, this is perhaps Baldacci’s best novel yet. Essential reading for all thriller lovers.

For fans of: Vince Flynn, Kyle Mills, Brad Thor, Richard North Patterson, John Grisham, Lee Child

Series Chronology: The Camel Club, The Collectors, Stone Cold, Divine Justice

“The Whole Truth”, by David Baldacci (Pan Macmillan)

The master of the genre delivers a terrifying global thriller that could have been ripped straight out of today’s paranoid headlines.

Once again David Baldacci has delivered a novel that will keep you up all night reading, as the action pulls you on. The novel focuses on Nicholas Creel (billionaire CEO of Ares Corporation, the largest arms manufacturer in the world) and the one-named Shaw (an international intelligence operative). Creel is on a mission to boost the flagging arms trade by inciting paranoia on the international stage, bringing the world to the brink of a potential Great Power war. With the help of Dick Pender (a leading purveyor of “Perception Management”), Creel starts rumours and innuendo suggesting Russia is regressing ever-so-quickly back to the bad old Soviet Union days, then plants the blame for these rumours on China's doorstep.

Shaw, in the employ of a global security organisation, spends his time around the globe disrupting terrorists and other anarchic, nefarious plots. Joined by Katie James, the young, disgraced, Pulitzer Prize-winning, recovering-alcoholic journalist, the two of them find themselves drawn into Creel and Pender’s web of lies and deception, with the mission taking on a particularly personal nature for Shaw about half-way through the novel.

Baldacci’s writing continues to both inspire and amaze me. Not only has he been doing this for a considerable length of time, but he is able to create and write characters that are never boring, always believable, and also complex. Creel, for example, is a corporate titan who makes his living in the industry of mass-death, but equally gives plenty to charity and the underprivileged (making it hard to hate him). The cast of The Whole Truth are different from Baldacci’s established characters – Oliver Stone and the Camel Club, and also former Secret Service agents Sean King and Michelle Maxwell. His plotting is as tight as ever, each chapter giving the reader just enough to force them on to the next, and then the next, and so on. That his subject matter is also international relations was particularly interesting to me. His grasp of the current global climate is impeccable, and this comes across through this most-believable (though gloomy) premise.

Baldacci’s The Whole Truth is a tour-de-force of international intrigue, espionage, corporate greed and manipulation. It will grip you from the very first page. Fifteen novels into his career, Baldacci shows no signs of slowing down or losing his edge. Simply superb.

For Fans of: Brad Thor, Daniel Silva, Vince Flynn, Kyle Mills, Christopher Reich, David Isaak, Tom Clancy

"Stone Cold", by David Baldacci (Pan Macmillan)

Spies, action and Cold War conspiracy = an exhilarating read

The genre of political thrillers is slowly becoming rather crowded with some truly superb writers. David Baldacci is without doubt among the most skilled writers in this genre, and with Stone Cold he's scored yet another home run.

Reuniting us with Oliver Stone/John Carr after the events of The Collectors, Stone Cold delves a little deeper into Stone's background, giving us more detail of what he got up to when employed by the CIA. This back-story is all linked in with events that are taking place in the present day: members of his former team are getting taken out one by one. Convinced the deaths are connected, Stone decides to investigate, putting his nose in places it doesn't belong.

The rest of the Camel Club (the aging, motley assortment of conspiracy theorists) are all present, of course, as are a whole host of other interesting and three-dimensional characters. Milton, the genius with a photographic-memory is still my favourite, though every character has their part to play in the story. A lot of time is also written from the perspective of Harry Finn, the main "enemy" of the novel, and Baldacci has created an extremely compelling character: by day a family man who works for Homeland Security, identifying holes that can be exploited by terrorists and helping officials seal them up. By night (and sometimes during the day, too) he has some bloody scores to settle. To be honest, though, it's his successes at his official job that are the most chilling - that official buildings and installations might really be that insecure...

Annabelle Conroy, the beautiful con-artist is another main player in this novel, having stolen $40 million from casino king and certifiable psychopath Jerry Bagger. The two story lines run parallel to each other, with the Camel Club trying to keep Annabelle out of Bagger's hands.

The book has a number of running themes throughout, including loyalty, trust, vengeance and justice. The novel's two plots are about histories catching up with the present; in this case Annabelle's and Stone's. The plotting is extremely tight, and you'll find yourself flying through it (even at 500+ pages, this was a surprisingly quick read). All the characters are fully developed, the plot is superb and Baldacci's writing just keeps getting better and better.

Filled with contemporary fears and themes, cloak-and-dagger politics, twists and suspense, all tied together through superlative writing, Stone Cold is a real page-turner, delivering the action, thrills and quality that we've come to expect from Baldacci. It will have you on the edge of your seat, and after finishing the last page, wanting much more. Thankfully, Divine Justice, the follow up, will be released later this year, so there's not too long to wait before we're reunited with the Camel Club.

Baldacci is still one of the best. If you don't already read his work, it's about time you go out and discover what you've been missing all this time.

For Fans Of: Vince Flynn, Brad Thor, Frederick Forsythe, Kyle Mills, Andrew Britton, Robert Ludlum, Alex Berenson