5 comments about The Camel Club.

1. Great cast of characters, a Kindle button-pusher. Highly recommend to a Baldacci fan, along with First Family and The Winner.



2. Really enjoyed this thriller. The story involves several characters, most strangers to each other at the beginning but Baldacci brillantly brings each character into play as their paths cross for a surprising ending.



3. Usually in Baldacci's books the parts or subplots fit together rather neatly in a carefully constructed overall plot. The Camel Club follows this pattern, and the characteristic is both a strength and a weakness. The storyline marches along at a fast, plausible interconnected pace but after a certain point the overall pattern becomes visible as one begins to see how all the parts fit together. The members of the Camel Club, the "misfits" who stand apart from the society and also the treacherous activities of politics in Washington, DC, seemingly would be unable to make a difference but here they do, pursuing truth and justice as they get caught up in a crime and international intrigue. There are two main heroes in this book who stand on opposite sides of the fence: Oliver Stone, the man who tends a small church cemetery, and Alex Ford, a secret service agent, who gets the scent of foul play in a crime. To the detriment of his career he strives to ferret out the truth. The book brings in many interesting details of the sights of DC and of various federal agencies. The plot moves along quickly for the most part and there is romance to spice up the story.The Griffon Trilogy (Pt. I)



4. This may be the worst book I have ever read, with the possible exception of crap porn when I was a kid. At least then there were no pretensions. I was expecting a New York Times best-selling author to deliver at least a story expressed in coherent English. I was so amazed by the awful writing that I would read a passage to my 15 year old and ask his opinion. He just laughed. The characters are comic-book idiots. I can only assume he's coasting. Mr Baldacci, learn how to use a descriptive adverb!



5. Baldacci comes up with another great plot; however, it's his execution as a writer that is somewhat lacking. There were parts of this novel that hold one's attention and you don't won't to put it down. At other times, it seems to bog down. One thing that this novel suffers from, like a great many other novels out there, is too many characters. Not everyone needs to be a Tom Clancy! David, try some first person writing exercise; they might sharpen your focus. The many other characters detracted from the Camel Club characters. I did enjoy the interaction between Alex and Kate -- there should have been more here. I was totally disappointed with the lack of interaction between Stone and his daughter -- a missed opportunity by the author. What the author didn't miss out on was the opportunity to present left-wing, anti-American viewpoints whenever he could. It is too bad that none of his characters stand up and affirm the stuff that has made this country great. And, David, you have some of the facts wrong about the Irag conflict and war on terror. You should get out of Virginia and away from the beltway crowd. It is clear that you rely on the left wing media for too much of your information.

5 comments about The Whole Truth.

1. A. Shaw is a mysterious man, with no history, and an uncertain future. He works for an ultra-secret top secret international law-enforcement agency involuntarily. He plans to retire from that line of business since he met his fiancé, Anna. Getting his boss to give him the go-ahead to retire is a whole different bag of worms, however.
   On the other side, a multi-billion dollar defense contractor company, Ares Corporation, headed by Nicolas Creel, is trying to start the next Cold War. He enlists the firm of Pender and Associates and its founder, Dick Pender, to create "the truth." As a perception management firm, Pender is tasked with creating a truth through propaganda and false stories, blogs, and events between Russia and China.
   
   Katie James, famed journalist on the outs, gets caught up in the storm when she follows Shaw and watches him in action. After Shaw experiences a life-altering event, an unlikely friendship is forged between Shaw and James to expose the bad guys and set the truth free.
   
   I was skeptical to pick up this book because the past few from Baldacci weren't nearly as good as his earlier novels. I did not find this novel enjoyable. Although I finished it, I could have stopped at any point and not resumed reading. There wasn't enough suspense to hold my interest. Even though I empathized with Shaw, I did not find him compelling. Creel wasn't a well-developed antagonist, and although he is multi-faceted, his character just wasn't flushed out as well as I would have liked. I'd say save your time and unfortunately, just skip this book.



2. I have liked Baldacci in the past, but like many writers who succeed they quit writing and either have some C- high-schooler do their writing or just do it for the money. The characters in this book are so one-dimensional they are cartoons, but there are no illustrations to entertain you. You just don't care about them because they are not real.
   
   All descriptions are so extreme they are juvenile. The billionaire's house is so big it could hold a dozen Monticellos. Gee golly gosh! The woman Shaw loves has long legs and so does the journalist - from this you know they are special. When the alcoholic writer throws up 5 days of booze binging you are mystifed that this is even medically possible. Five days of hard liquor consumption is still in her stomach? The bad guys are caricatures, totally vile, and the conversations are from noir tv shows of the 50s: short, sarcastic, and silly.
   
   The premise would be good if not so overblown, that we sheep are manipulated by press and p.r. types and not privy to the real truth behind what we read. Too bad it wasn't written by Lee Child who gives you an exciting lead character, believable action for starters. (Dear Lee Child, Please don't go in this direction). Or by Lescroart who takes you inside the real world of courts and office politics and how the game of life is really played with believable good guys and bad guys.
   
   If this is the only book you can find and you are a on a desert island then read it for instruction on how not to write your next novel.
   
   I would have put it down but for some misguided belief I have to finish a book once started. So word to the wise: don't pick it up.



3. In the thirty second TV spot for this book you see two men in shadow, obviously in Washington, DC. Nicholas Creel, head of Ares Corp., America's largest defense contractor says, he needs a war. He says, "I really need them to believe." And Richard Pender, a PMer or a perception management consultant, answers, "Mr. Creel, I can make them believe anything."
   
   Welcome to the world of Perception Management an art that takes spin to a whole 'nother level. Spinning is spinning the truth. Perception Management is spinning lies and turning them into the truth or rather, what people believe is the truth. It took a guy like Hitler awhile to spread the Big Lie, in the online world, if done right, the lie moves like wildfire.
   
   Creel wants his war, or at least, the threat of one, because he wants to sell arms. He'd love for Russia and China to be at each other's throats, for America to be afraid of the Red Menace once again, love for them all to be lining up and lining his pockets. World War III, is that a problem? Well, maybe not for Creel.
   
   There's a clip going around on the internet of a Russian telling of how he had been tortured, about how his family had been killed. He says it's time the world knew, "The Whole Truth." Soon the mainstream media picks up the story, the whole world believes it, only problem is, it's not the whole truth and the super secret government agency Shaw (a super spy of the first order who only has the one name) works for wants him to investigate and Shaw, tough as he is, does what he's told, because his super secret government agency bosses have him on a short leash as Shaw has a bomb embedded in his arm.
   
   Anna Fischer, the girl Shaw wants to chuck it all for and go off and live happily ever after with, works for a London think tank and when she's killed, because she doesn't believe the lie, Shaw wants to get even. Nowk throw in a disgraced female reporter named Katie James, who'd love to make her bones all over again and team her up with super tough guy Shaw and give them larger than life enemies and you have a David Baldacci story that would make Robert Ludlum proud.



4. He is an excellent author and I intend to buy all his books. They are fast paced, exciting, and come alive not matter what subject he writes about.



5. It's amazing how this happens over and over again. A writer gets a little famous, and then he gets some money, and then he starts pumping out a book every 9 months or so and guess what? All of them are terrible.
   
   In this particular instance of suckitude, Baldacci simply does a little rip-off of Jack Reacher and dances a little Machiavellian jig about an unrealistically drawn billionaire defense contractor with evil designs on what he sees as the corrupt political hegemony that refuses to realize how safe we were back in the good old days of the Cold War. Through an unrelenting series of episodes of entirely overblown violence, gratuitous bloodshed, and plot coincidences that leave one gasping at their transparency, the novel somehow manages to stagger to a conclusion that leaves the world intact. Though I will confess that I actually did finish the book, I am almost embarrassed to admit it, and did so only under the influence of the same theory on which I force my children to finish their dinners (i.e., the somewhat suspect theory that you should always finish what you started). The only good thing about the book is that Baldacci killed off the hero's love interest before she could further entertain us with her fluency in 15 languages and multiple Ph.D's in various esoteric sciences, which of course are known to always go hand-in-hand with the storybook good looks of the highest paid runway models. Bang, bang, she's dead, thank God.
   
   Although pop fiction can be amazingly bad, this book is almost a parody of how low it can go. Let me count the ways: Awful. Bad. Cretinous. Defective. Enervating. Feeble. Gross. Hideous. Insipid.
   I can't think of a pejorative word starting with the letter J offhand, so I will simply end my review here. If it hadn't already sold a million+ copies, I'd tell you not to buy it, but I guess it's too late.

5 comments about The Collectors.

1. The Collectors, is fast paced, very engaging and up to the usual suspense of David Baldacci. This is a good one, go for it.



2. Excellent and Kindle button-pushing journey until the "wrap up", which was very similar to the way the old Perry Mason TV shows ended. David Baldacci is an excellent writer but this was not as good as several others I have read. First Family, The Camel Club, and The Winner were great. I feel this leads into Stone Cold so should probably be read in order of the Camel Club Series.



3. nice book couldnt put it down, but would like to see what happens to annabelle



4. I loved the action in ths story. I used to love Tom Clancy novels and then Patrick Robinson books. These Camel Club books are my new favorites and I am going back to the first one and read them all.



5. All his books are great. Interesting, fast reads, can't put them down. Great attention to detail. I bought all of these books seperately and each is better than the last.

5 comments about Split Second (Replay Edition).

1. Book was in good condition when I received it. I would buy from this dealer again.



2. I'd be hard pressed to tell you if Maxwell and King or The Camel Club would be #1 with me. Suffice it to say if Baldacci writes it you MUST read it. This book is how Maxwell and King meet - it's government coverups, murder most foul and other heart racing goodies. I seem to be reading these books in a reverse order - doesn't matter because the content is always worth the price of admission. Good book for beach or an air conditioned room. Enjoy!



3. This is my favorite David Baldacci title and Scott Brick's reading is superb. It is a must-hear, even after reading Split Second. The book is a page-turner and fantastic, but Brick's reading takes it beyond all expectations.
   I may be a bit over-enthusiastic, but I think it deserves it. After listening to it from my local library, I borrowed the book and read it. I then purchased the book on CD so I could listen to it over again. It is one of those stories that can be revisited every year, at least it is my opinion.
   And while the story is wonderful, it would not bear listening to again, had Scott Brick not been the best reader for the job. He creates voices that are distinctive and unusual for the various characters. Listen and enjoy.
   Janet Morgan



4. This is a very good book! I was disappointed with Amazon as the cover was torn when I received. I purchased this as a new book...



5. I have a fairly high tolerance for pain when reading commercial fiction. But this book is so bad I couldn't go on and put it aside early on. Consider every element that makes a thriller good --- compelling characters, interesting plot, at least competent writing --- and this novel fails the test miserably.
   
   Don't buy the book. Don't borrow it. And most advisedly don't read it!

5 comments about Stone Cold (The Camel Club).

1. OK, I read a lot of mysteries and Baldacci kept popping up as an Amazon recommendation. I chose this one because it was the highest rated. If this is the best this writer can do he needs to consider a new career.
   
   It's filled with descriptions such as "he attached a special device." I enjoy Lawrence Block, Stewart Woods, Elmore Leonard, Vince Flynn and more, but this guy is awful.
   
   I foolishly bought the Kindle edition without first downloading a sample. With a sample I would have quit. As it was, I wasted a lot of time on the road reading this whole book, waiting for it to get better. Never happened.



2. STONE COLD takes up again the characters introduced in THE CAMEL CLUB and continued in THE COLLECTORS. "Oliver Stone" is the pseudonym of John Carr, an ex-CIA "666" assassin, now war protestor. He and his conspiracy theorist odd fellows--Reuben Rhodes, Caleb Shaw and Milton Farb--form The Camel Club," which had previously helped to prevent a nuclear war by defeating a couple of rogue elements in U.S. intelligence, including the head of intelligence himself, Carter Gray, and then later wrapped up ("skewered" might be more accurate) a spy who had been colluding with terrorists.
   
   This novel follows two plot lines that are only loosely intertwined:
   
   (1) a con played against a Jersey casino gambler by Annabelle Conroy (first introduced in THE COLLECTORS) and her washed-up father, Paddy Conroy, and
   
   (2) John Carr's teaming with Harry Finn, the assassin son of a Russian spy, to defeat the murderous scheme of his former boss and now nemesis, Carter Gray.
   
   The tight, fast-moving plot of STONE COLD fulfills the expectations of a Baldacci reader, although the climactic gun battle is wrapped up a bit too hastily, as if the author got a little bored with the scene and wanted to move on. What follows the gun battle then feels a little melodramatic; it almost (but not quite) works because Baldacci has given the characters a degree of depth. One can feel some empathy for characters like Harry Finn, whose killings, done at the behest of his mother, are to avenge the death of his father, and yet undermine the integrity of his other life as a loving father and husband. As a result of the more rounded characterization, STONE COLD is a more satisfying read than the series debut. On the other hand, John Carr, a.k.a. Oliver Stone, still seems removed from the reader, so when he has an emotional breakdown, it's less moving than weird--especially since the catalyst was so totally gratuitous a plot device.
   
   Baldacci introduces religion in the lives of his characters (for instance, Carter Grey, we learn, is Presbyterian), but it's unclear why since religion never really seems to inform the conduct of his characters. Maybe that's the author's point. I think it would be more effective, though, if the religious and moral lives of these characters actually meant something, even if it was struggling with their faith convictions in the face of a cold realpolitik.
   
   The reader on the audio CD version, Ron McLarty, is the best reader I've yet had the pleasure to listen to. He differentiates the characters through the skilled use of different voices, and does so without going over the top (notwithstanding Paddy's Irish brogue). It's enough to seek out McLarty's other work on Amazon.



3. A most interesting piece of fiction that every reader will enjoy. The work contains different suprises at every turn of the page. I would strongly suggest the reader get a copy of the "Camel Club" first by the same author before reading this work. The characters are vivid, the action exciting, and the ending somewhat unexpected.



4. I always find "series" books to be hit or miss. Some series are great, some last too long (how is Lucas Davenport still going strong?), and some are just plain BAD (love Harlan Coben, but abhor the Myron Bolitar series)! Having said that - for now I put the Camel Club books in the GREAT category. Sure the action and twists and turns can be a little hard to believe, but the characters are deep and varied. Some are stereotypical and others are totally real and believable. Baldacci blends them so well in these books. This one has so many intertwining plots it was very difficult to not finish in one night. Sooner or later we're going to have to see a Camel Club movie from one of these books. Go get the book and enjoy!



5. "Stone Cold" is my first visit with David Baldacci, and will probably also be my last. As others have mentioned, this book forms part of a loosely continuing series about the Camel Club, a group of disparate individuals who nonetheless have specific skills to add to the group's success in variously odd undertakings. Had I known that "Stone Cold" was NOT an effective stand-alone story, I would've attempted to read its predecessors, as I had no idea of what the Camel Club was, who were its members, what their back-stories were, or even what their personality traits, strengths and weaknesses were.
   
   I particular, the Conroy/Bagger interplay and its ongoing subplot needed much more recapping for a new reader. It seemed (to me) ludicrous that someone as insecure as Annabelle could've ripped off a cold-blooded thug like Bagger to the tune of 40 million dollars, and still be standing upright. Indeed, as the story developed, Bagger seemed to be ordering the termination of people who stood in his way with gay abandon! And yet here's Annabelle apparently surviving in the same city as Bagger, and right under his nose! And Paddy's involvement was totally obscure; why was he included in this story at all, other than as a convenient foil to justify Annabelle's ongoing (and annoying to the reader) bitterness at the whole world -- seemingly in general.
   
   In fact, all the interpersonal relationships of the main cast were so lightly drawn as to be almost incomprehensible to a first-time Stone reader. I was actually having problems remembering who was whom, whether they were good guys or baddies, how their pasts interlocked, and even whether I was meant to like them or not. All the characterisations were on the light side; I felt no empathy for any of them.
   
   It was also unwise of Baldacci to unwittingly create two major story protagonists whose backstories turned out to be too similar in nature. Although I'm guessing that Oliver Stone was intended as the hero, I found myself cheering for Harry Finn -- whom I'm guessing was meant to be the bad guy? Weak (lazy?) character development again. Both these guys seemed to have bits and pieces of Jack Reacher, but it was as though each had a somehow incomplete set of super-hero abilities, whereas we needed at least one guy of that ilk to believe in.
   
   And, as others before me have mentioned, Baldacci was somewhat lazy in his research. In many cases we read of "a device" being used for some high-tech purpose, without even a passing explanation of its inner workings. At one stage, Finn deactivates a vehicle's alarm by just pressing a device against its fender. Baldacci doesn't even pretend to offer some sort of explanation as to how this would work -- even something technically implausible. That's just lazy writing. In another scene we have Finn "using a support device not available to the public" to ride on the hull of a ship. Apparently we're meant to accept that Finn smuggled this "device" -- and himself -- into a top-security Naval base using only some forged paperwork and a disguise. Please!
   
   And the recurring "CPU" was really, really tragically slack writing. Nobody I know would ever call a personal computer box or case a CPU. If you're going to use IT terminology, at least make it accurate. I too dislike the single-page chapters. What a waste of trees. Or did Baldacci's publishers demand precisely 388 pages, so he achieved that by adding lots of superfluous white space? I didn't notice this at the time, but this book would've stayed on the shelf had I noticed, as I'm one who prefers at least a dozen pages per chapter.
   
   All up, a disappointing book. I'm surprised that the blurb describes Baldacci as "a #1 bestselling author" considering the lightweight predictable plot, sketchily drawn and generally unlikable characters, the often implausible dialogue, and the unconvincing or non-existent technicalities of all the "devices" used conveniently just as they're needed. Almost a deus ex machina?

5 comments about Divine Justice (Camel Club).

1. This is the first book of David Baldacci's I have ever read, and I am hooked.
   
   Baldacci combined narrative, dialog, description and back-story in a fluid and smooth story. He held tight to the plot and developed well-rounded characters who I quickly felt an attachment to.
   
   Baldacci is a master of the writing craft, he knows how to use economy of words without the normal fluff and word-fill that is found in most novels. He did a great job of sucking me into his story line.
   
   Great Job. I will be buying more of his novels... that is for sure.



2. This is the book that closes the loop in the John Carter, Oliver Stone saga. Great read.



3. I listen to this on my ipod touch as an audio book. I loved it! I couldn't stop listening to this wonderful story. This was my first camel club read and I plan on reading the entire series.
   Baldacci reader



4. This book was awful. I can't fathom it got so many 5 star ratings. It has so many flaws I don't know where to start. I threw the book in the trash instead of giving it to the library. I don't want to subject anyone to have to read this garbage.



5. I occasionally listen to books on my commute, and I find in that situation that thrillers work better than the more serious works of fiction, which demand more of the listener. Since the listener's experience of the book is entirely dependent on the reader's oral interpretation of the material, a good reader is absolutely key. Sometimes the reader can be distracting (as when an inappropriate choice of reader is made, like Burt Reynolds reading, in his soft Southern drawl, a Robert Parker Boston-set Spencer novel) or embarrassing (such as a male reader doing a comically high-pitched woman's voice). Sometimes one almost feels embarrassed for the reader, especially when the material is so bad that no reader, no matter how talented, could rescue it.
   
   I should hasten to note that DIVINE JUSTICE, the latest of the Camel Club series of books by David Baldacci, is not in that category. It's a highly entertaining book, despite those plot holes that begin to emerge if you actually think about the story too much. DIVINE JUSTICE picks up right from the end of STONE COLD, when former CIA assassin John Carr, a.k.a. Oliver Stone, has taken flight after his assassination of two loathsome political figures. Carr is pursued by his former employer into the Virginia hills, where he gets embroiled in investigating a small town's nightmarish crimes. Will a rogue element in the CIA kill him? Or will the town's well protected criminal faction get him first? Or will Carr's motley crew of friends from the Camel Club manage to save him from both?
   
   To a reader, the plot might be a bit slow compared to Baldacci's earlier Camel Club outings. The story is split between the CIA's cat-and-mouse chase and the tale of the town's skeletons-in-the-closet, neither of which moves with much drive until well into the book. That's why I recommend the audio version. Ron McLarty's an amazing reader: he manages to convey the sounds and moods of many different speakers by a slight change in his voice, and he does not do caricatures of women by speaking in a falsetto. He's a virtuoso of an oral interpreter--so good, in fact, that I will seek out books by his name as reader rather than by author. DIVINE JUSTICE is well worth listening to, but especially because of the skill of its reader.

1 comments about Absolute Power.

1. A thief, Luther, got more than he bargained for when he visited a mansion in Virginia thinking he could make it out of there with a few prize pieces. He becomes trapped in the wall when two people being having an intimate moment. The shocking part is the murder that takes place and it has to do with the US president.
   
   Jack is an attorney and he is determined to find out what really happened that night. Who is telling the truth, a burglar or the man entrusted with the most powerful job in America?
   
   Political thrillers have a way of wrapping themselves around my brain and not letting go until I have finished the whole story. David's work is no exception. He has a way of taking you from point A to point Z and keeping the suspense at just the right level.

5 comments about True Blue.

1. Baldacci is one of my all-time favorite authors. I have read every one of his books and usually rip through them in a day or two. This one took me several weeks. I only read it on flights I had to take for work. I just couldn't get into it. Weak characters, weak plot. Uncharacteristically bad writing. It has the feel of a book written to beat a deadline. Just not a lot of life to it. Overall very disappointed. It's obvious this is the start of a series. I sure hope the next in line is much better than this one.



2. The language and the quality of the scenes are as well written as his other books, really good.
   
   The whole premise was silly. Sister of the police deputy chief is an ex-cop framed and sent to prison. Gets out into a big silly plot. Around every corner more silly and thoughtless attempts to bring her down. Grand and pointless schemes around every corner. Even if we accepted the people out to bring her down, at every turn they use three steps when one would do.
   
   Somehow the author or his editor thought placing all this in DC would somehow make it a wonderland of crime and plots where we the readers would accept all this without question.



3. So, I am trying real hard to get through the audiobook version of True Blue, and I am having a really hard time of it. All of the complaints about the silly parts of the book (crazy situations with pretty much impossible results) are nothing compared having to listen to the narrator of this story. I have never heard such a bad narrative before! The reader sometimes uses female-like voices for women, sometimes not. All of the men sound like tough guys from New Jersey. Half the time the spoken voice doesn't even match the words being read (like obvious questions pronounced as statements).
   
   This audiobook is driving me crazy! I'm not sure if I'll be able to finish it! Maybe I should try reading it for myself and drop the audiobook version. Maybe I'll enjoy it then.
   
   If you absolutely have to listen to this one, do yourself a favor and borrow it from your local library. It is certainly not worth purchasing!



4. This whole story is not typical of Baldacci's. I was excited to receive this book from my daughter for my birthday. I swear the story was written by a Baldacci wanabe. I will question anything new in the future from this author. I have read all of his books and if you liked this, I am not sure what you were reading!



5. Faced paced, usual well written book, He is one of the best writers in this genre I highly recommend ALL of his books

5 comments about First Family.

1. Couldn't wait for this one to end. Two unrelated plots, two uninteresting main characters, and prose that lies flat on the page.



2. 
   Baldacci has written another winner. This one argues certain "Taboo" topics in a compelling and thought provoking style. I like a fiction book that also makes me think.
   
   I just wish he could write faster and put out books quicker.



3. This was the first Baldacci book I've read and while it may be formulaic for the genre, it's still a completely entertaining and satisfying read (no wonder why it was #1 in the airport bookstore!). Practically every chapter ends with a cliffhanger and the eccentric, colorful characters are beautifully painted and written for maxiumum enjoyment. The plot of the mystery is complicated without being convoluted and the presence of political figures whom we can so easily imagine from real life give this an extra twist.



4. I purchased this book for my husband. He said it was by far the best book David Baldacci has written. My husband has read every book. I also like his books.



5. However fine a story-teller Baldacci might once have been, he has become a hack - littering his writing with left-wing platitudes and amateurish metaphors. In Baldacci's First Family, there is no thoughtful, developed discussion of any political issue by way of the story - simply a crude recitation of leftist talking points. For example:
   
   On native Americans: "The white men had basically crapped all over the only race that could call itself indigenous in America."
   
   On Vietnam: "And then later over Laos and Cambodia dropping bombs and killing folks because he'd been ordered to in a phase of the war that he only found out later hadn't been officially authorized."
   
   On racism: "And his daddy would cackle as he sucked down his whiskey, in sick celebration of whatever it was he thought he was accomplishing by killing folks who didn't look like him."
   
   On health care: "... I can pretty much guarantee you won't [live to 98]. And you've got no health insurance. Neither do I. They say the hospital has to treat everybody, but they don't say when they do."
   
   On global warming: "The SUV idled, kicking carbon into an atmosphere already bloated with it."
   
   On abortion: "Then they go her to have a back-alley abortion." [In 1996 mind you - 24 years after abortion was legalized by Roe v. Wade]; "Abortion was the only option. I couldn't have her go to a hospital or a real physician. Something might have come out. Her parents might have been contacted." [Strange comment in light of the fact that the woman in question was not a minor.]
   
   On the Second Amendment: "The [weapons] cache represented several generations of the affection Quarry men held for the Second Amendment." [The Quarry family members were of course bona fide lunatics, slave-owners and abusers in earlier generations, and - horror of horrors - home-schooled.]
   
   And Baldacci's awful metaphors and other bad writing:
   
   "... and suits swarmed over the stricken Dutton home like ants on a carcass."
   
   "... flesh fell off their bodies, leaving only glorified skeletons ..."
   
   "Running away from sweat was akin to running from what made you human."
   
   "Her past was eroding away before her eyes, like sludge off a mountaintop."
   
   How such writing can sell at a level that achieves the New York Times bestseller list is a mystery worthy of Agatha Christie. Baldacci is trading on his past success. Save your money and time, and avoid this book.

No comments about Deliver Us from Evil.