5 comments about Split Second.

1. The start of this book grabbed me right away. Two secret service agents who failed to protect their political candidates are brought together with a chance to right their past wrongs. Good concept! This mystery-thriller was filled with twists and turns, and with each one, the book became more and more far fetched. I'm more than happy to suspend belief in a page-turning thriller, but this book went so far over the edge, the ending was truly laughable. One of my all time favorite thrillers is Baldacci's Absolute Power. Nothing else I've read of his comes close to that. This is by far the worst. If you enjoyed Absolute Power and want more Baldacci, my advice is to get the audiobook of Absolute Power. It's fun to listen to as well. Regarding Split Second, it is ironically named. The story really dragged. I think I'm done with this author.



2. Secret Service Agent Sean King looks away for a "Split Second" and his Presidential Candidate is shot and killed. Nine years later Agent Michelle Maxwell's Candidate is kidnapped when she has a momentary lack of judgement. In the Sercret Service these two agents become known for all the same bad reasons, but do these events have more in common than what appears on the surface? They join together to find out.
   
   This story has good characters, some romance, lots of action, and lots of excitment, but as the plot thickens it gets too thick. What I mean is instead of flowing along smoothly, the story slows as I tried to figure out why the events unfolded as they did. Since a number of years are involved in the story, it was real difficult to keep it all tied together.
   
   It did end as all stories do, but it let me down. It did have the potential to be much better.



3. Solid read.....not an absolute page turner....but close. More importantly if I had to put it down, it was easy to come back to.



4. PLOT: Once Sean King was one of the best agents in the Secret Service. But one day his attention was diverted for only a split second and a presidential candidate was killed right next to him. So Sean had to leave the Service. 8 years later Secret Service agent Michelle Maxwell lets a presidential candidate out of her sight and in that short moment the candidate disappears. Two completely different incidents, no common denominator, no link between the two agents. And yet their destinies are interdependent. They need each other and they need to solve the riddle. One to save her future, one to dispel the demons of his past...
   
   The premise of the book is really great and promised long time of continuous reading. Also the two main characters are really great and well developed - as a reader you just must love them. And of course there are several twists and turns in the book that will make you wonder about the link between the two incidents. I stayed up long hours to get closer to the answer. 'Who' and especially 'Why' were the main questions I asked myself again and again. But I could not solve the riddle. Maybe because new characters were introduced repeatedly and there are lots of dead ends during the agent's investigation?
   The introduction of a third ex Secret Service agent as another main character is unexpected and also a bit strange because I never got rid of the feeling that the motive and the behavior of that person did not fit in. And Sean's connection with that agent is really strange after all what happened. On the other hand the story would not work without that character.
   
   OK every book has flaws.
   For once you wonder why the perpetrator is always so well informed and at the right spot at the right time right from the start. Furthermore it seems very strange that he is able to set up Sean and Michelle so easily all the time - doing things he should not be able to. You also wonder why that person does not stop the two agents early in their investigation.
   Second, you wonder why Sean and Michelle split for each night when already somebody attempted to kill them. Shouldn't they watch each other's back a lot closer?
   Third, after a while you do not need to be a genius to figure out what distracted Sean during his duty 8 years earlier. But you wonder why nobody else saw what he saw [or why it was not captured on film etc.] and why he never mentioned it to anybody. (The explanation for it later on is kind of lame.)
   
   Nevertheless most of the flaws mentioned are minor and do not really spoil the fun of reading.
   
   Unfortunately towards the end of the book something really strange happened. Something that I have never experienced before. The first three quarters of the book I had difficulties to put it down because it was so thrilling. The closer I came to the ending though, I had a strange urge to slow down reading. It might be because both tension and pace slow down in the end. Or the fear that the ending with all its conclusions and explanations would not be satisfying. Regrettably the fear was justified.
   The ending is really disappointing and could even be called ridiculous or plain stupid.
   Somebody plans for years and creates this clever plot - all for that?! That is really lame. Nobody with a motive like that would go through all the difficulties to create such a scenario. Or you need a better and stronger motive to do so. Sorry Mr. Baldacci but I am not buying it!
   
   Looking back at the other two Baldacci books I read ("Last Man Standing" + "The Simple Truth") I have a hunch that there might be a general problem with his books: The start is brilliant, the tension is high, you cannot put the book aside but at the end you are not happy with the solution. From those 3 books "Split Second" is the weakest one because the ending is really bad and it more or less ruins the whole story. Therefore 2 stars only.



5. The book grabbed me from the start -- it had suspense, conspiracy, interesting characters, etc. Somewhere around the middle it lost speed, and by the end I was shaking my head in disgust. Sorry. The best part of the book was getting an "inside" look at how the Secret Service works. I'm not sure how much of this was made up by Mr. Baldacci, but if you're interested in getting a (fictional) account of the Service, you will enjoy Split Second.

5 comments about Wish You Well.

1. You have got to read this one. It's a totally different story than I was used to, but I enjoyed the emotional ride just like the other thrillers...



2. Even though this book was published eight years ago, I decided to read it. Boy am I glad I did. This is one of the most beautifully written and heartwarming stories I've read. I just had to tell every one that if they enjoy REAL people who work hard for a living and get by using the brains God gave them then you will LOVE this book. This is about the triumph of the human spirit and decent folk helping their neighbors.
   You will not be disappointed!



3. This is a wonderful story. It had me crying and laughing.. It was a completely departure from his other books. I truly enjoyed every page.



4. Wish You Well
   
   Our story starts out with a family, mother, father, daughter and son. They are going for the day to have a picnic before they move to California so father can pursue his writing career there. Currently they live in New York City. On the way back, mother and father are discussing moving and mother wants to go live in Virginia where father grew up -- Father doesn't want to ever go back. They end up having an accident, which kills father and hurts the mother. The children end up going to Viriginia, taking their mother whom keeps her eyes shut and doesn't speak anymore; thinking if they wouldn't have been argueing maybe the accident wouldn't have happened.
   
   Moving to Virginia Oz and Lou meet lots of characters, the great-grandmother Louisa, Eugene, Diamond, Cotton and some not so nice. A big gas company pressures Louisa to sell her property, but she says she will never leave the mountain. She has a stroke and it leaves her stuck in the hospital, unable to communicate, just like mother. The gas company takes her to court, even though she is unable to communicate saying that she is mentally unfit and can't take care of the children either. Will she be able to save her land? Will mother (Amanda) ever walk and talk again?
   
   This book was so enthralling I couldn't put it down. Lou is a strong young lady and one of my favorite characters. You will love this book!



5. This is my first Baldacci book. I picked it up at a local swap meet, and I'm so glad I did. I loved this story about a young girl and her brother who go to live with their great-grandmother in the Virginia mountains! It really touched my heart. It also made me hungry...I now have a real craving for some homemade bread with butter! I'm definitely keeping it in my collection of best books to read.

1 comments about Last Man Standing.

1. A friend suggested this audio book for our fall color trip. Having never read the author before I was a little confused at the start but by the end I am anxious to read and hear more of Balldacci. Excellent for the triller enthusist.

5 comments about Saving Faith.

1. I'm surprised that the average rating is only 3 stars. I've read every Baldacci Novel published through 2007 and Saving Faith is still my favorite. Everything - the story, characters, and settings - were all appealing and interesting to me. Last Man Standing is a close second favorite.



2. Good story, although a bit slow in places. Faith Lockhart has information that will allow the FBI to put away quite a few Congressmen. Problem is that CIA has been using her boss to gather intelligence on these same Congressmen for their own purposes.



3. I thought this was right on par with David Baldacci's other books. It kept my interest and was fast paced. I liked the characterization of Faith and made me root for her. I would recommend this to people who like political thrillers!



4. I have read several of Baldacci's later books and enjoyed them, so I went back one of his earlier novels I had missed. I agree with other reviewers that this is not Baldacci's best work, but it is still a compelling story. Saving Faith doesn't show the polish of his more recent books nor the plot ingenuity of his first few novels, but it does prove that Baldacci has excellent storytelling skills, even when pushed against what must have been a tough deadline. I enjoyed the book. I just rode the story and pushed aside the implausible motivations and light characterization. Adjust your expectations for a Baldacci novel and I believe you'll enjoy this quick read.
   The Shut Mouth Society
   The Shopkeeper



5. This book has a little bit of everything. It's a mystery, suspense, and romance all rolled into one. This is a mystery first and foremost with a little romance thrown in. The romance is nice and easy without being corny or superficial. This book is a great way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon on the beach or curled up in front of the fireplace with a comfy blanket and a good drink. I highly reccomend buying this book, you will not be disappointed in this one at all. Enjoy!

5 comments about The Camel Club.

1. This was my first baldacci book and it wont be my last. Though some parts were improbable, it was a good thriller and had me hooked until the end. If you don't mind far-fetched ideas (i don't mind at all) you will love this book. personally i gave it a 5/5 for i could not put the book down.



2. This is my first Baldacci read, and Camel Club was enjoyable enough to pick up more of his books. One of my favorite genres is the political/espionage/thriller, and this has a good balance of technical info, action, and character development. You do engage with the characters and that allows you to get past some of the wordy or improbable parts.
   
   Unfortunately this book suffers from a common fault of many writers in that Baldacci rolls out a lot of the worn out political talking points for texture rather than actually creating real back story. One character is angry because his army unit was decimated by Agent Orange; another character loved "Ronnie" Reagan but thought Jimmy Carter was the best president ever; the American invasion of Iraq turned Baghdad into a "constant fireball," etc.
   
   Just skip over the political commercials and you will enjoy this book. It's a great beach read.



3. I became a David Baldacci fan while reading The Winner. I don't remember what caused me to pick it up. I'd never read him before, and I guess I was looking for new authors. It didn't take me long to realize that this was a master story teller. I savored that book as one might savor a fine wine.
   
   The Camel Club is another edge of your seat tale that takes the twists and turns that Baldacci weaves into the story so cleverly. He does something new this time, at least from the books I've read. He reveals some of the villains early in the story; he just doesn't reveal what they are planning to do. The concept is a fun change in his story telling.



4. The overall low rating of 3 stars has motivated to do my part to bump the ranking up. The Camel Club is a compelling and enjoyable read. I finished and immediately ordered the next book in this series.



5. The Camel Club is cool. They're an odd group of conspiracy theorists, led by Oliver Stone, on a quest for the truth.
   
   Baldacci weaves quite a tale that keeps your attention and is full of twists and turns.
   
   I thought this was a great mystery thriller with a bunch of interesting characters.
   
   This is the first Camel Club novel. The second is The Collectors and the third is Stone Cold.

5 comments about The Collectors.

1. I enjoy the book and really enjoy the crazy characters. It wasn't as good as "Simple Truth" or "The Winner", but still a fun read.



2. I bought this book for my husband many months ago, and just picked it up from his shelf to look at as a summer read. After two chapters, I couldn't put it down! Very well written, interesting, entertaining, and I love the cliff-hanger end. My next read will be The Camel Club.



3. This is the first Baldacci novel I've read, and I have to say I was surprised by the ham-handed narrative and dialogue. Every plot twist had to be immediately (and sometimes repeatedly) summarized and explained as if readers are incapable of making intelligent inferences. It was more like having someone retell a novel than reading it yourself. The plot was not as tight as I would expect from a NYT best selling author, but good execution can compensate for a pedestrian plot. This book lacked in both areas.



4. Besides THE COLLECTORS, I have read the following works of David Baldacci: THE WINNER, THE SIMPLE TRUTH, and THE CAMEL CLUB. I found most of these unmemorable. However because of the difficulty in following the storyline, I forced myself to read THE CAMEL CLUB twice. It took a long time to assess my problem with Baldacci's writing. Actually, it is the same problem that Americans have with watching a soccer game - slow scoring.
   
   Baldacci includes simultaneous multiple major storylines. Each is seemingly unconnected and could easily become an independent novel. He takes these unconnected storylines and slowly weaves them together. A reader can become distracted and frustrated with the movement from one storyline to another. If one gets distracted, one will miss the connection when the diverse storylines emerge into a single coherent novel. It takes an extraordinary amount of writing talent to be successful with this approach.
   
   As soon as I became adjusted to his writing style, the book was hard to put down. In the end, I have to say, THE COLLECTORS is the best novel I read this summer.
   
   Based on the last page, it is clear that there will be a 3rd novel in this series.



5. I thought this was better than the Camel Club - & the plot was top notch. It took a while to get into it & though he tidied the 2 separate plot lines, it was still a bit disjointed. Sure - it was a bit 'fantastical' in places but then again it didn't make a difference to the overall story. Good effort - i look forward to the next installment.

5 comments about Simple Genius.

1. I really enjoyed the audio version of this book but I can tell that it might not have been an easy read. I found parts of it riveting, parts predicatable and parts incomprehensible but overall the characters kept the story from getting out of hand.



2. "Simple Genius" - Well, it was adequate. I just think Baldacci is capable of so much more. Going way back to "Absolute Power", I thought it was brilliant. With "Simple Genius" I was brought in to a certain extent and then from time to time found myself wondering how many pages I had left to go and looking forward to the next book on my unread shelf.



3. Short and sour....the poorest Baldacci book I've read.
   
   These characters and plots were highly interesting in their first two outings. Not so here.
   
   Frankly it was hard to work up any interest or sympathy for the characters or the story. Just mediocre in every regard, and some of the dialog and character reactions were suprisingly banal and predictable. The CIA "bad guys" were equally poorly drawn and the I found the anti-Bush and civil liberties tirades tiresome and irritating.
   
   Save your money and visit your library....it might be worth your time only if you got it for free.



4. This is an excellent read! So far all I have read by this author is great.



5. I've been a fan of Baldacci, although I must admit, I haven't read all of his books. In contrast with the others I've read, I wasn't even able to finish this one. That is rare for me, because I usually need to know how the story ends. Simple Genius reads as though it was ghost-written. It is full of cliched dialog and unbelievable events.

5 comments about Stone Cold (The Camel Club).

1. The third story of The Camel Club will keep you on the cutting-edge of your seat that you might fall. The three stories herein are great so you won't be able to close the book till you finish it. The plot and the characters are great and the pace is fast so you'll enjoy reading this one.



2. I've never read Baldacci before but after reading this book I am super excited to read the rest of his work. Stone Cold is a great page turner. I actually found myself thinking of actors to play the characters in the book. Baldacci paints perfect pictures without weighing the reader down in minute details. Every page felt important. The good guys are easy to root for, the bad guys easy to fear and root against.
   
   You made it to this page considering purchasing this book, do it, you won't be disappointed. Pick up Camel Club as well, it will help with character development, although not necessary because I started with this book.



3. Stone Cold is a mind magnet that pulls you from page to page.
   
   The action moves at a blistering pace, but stops every now and then so you can catch your breath and enjoy the clever and witty prose.
   
   The characters are rich and deep as needed for a thriller to move with agility and purpose along a sharp plotline.
   
   Bestseller Baldacci gets another solid hit----5 stars!



4. This was the best Camel Club book in the series. The writing is fast-paced and it makes the reader want to find out what happens next. David Baldacci is the next John Grisham. I am so anxious to find out when the next one is coming out. I won't tell you what happens in this book but suffice it to say that the Camel Club is on full tilt.



5. I had read one other book in the "Camel Club" series and was disappointed. However, after seeing all the great reviews for this book I decided to give the series another shot (plus I have just gotten a Kindle and it was cheap :-)). Once again I was disappointed. I would have given this 1-star, but Balducci's writing style is interesting - he moves the plot (what there is of it) along at a good pace. However, the characters were flat/one-dimensional with no depth. The 'bad guys' always make mistakes at just the right time and the 'good guys' are basically superheroes that always make the right move. The plot is driven by superhuman achievements by the heroes and by ridiculous coincidences. No more "Camel Club" books for me...

No comments about Divine Justice.

5 comments about The Whole Truth.

1. I am quickly becoming a David Baldacci fan. This book was excellent. Its cliche to say, but I had a tough time putting it down.
   
   The book has the classic tough guy hero with a lady in tow, the impossible situation that they must figure out how to get through. But Baldacci's writes in a way that doesn't drown you in minute details but gives you enough to picture the setting and characters. The book provides suspense without setting up obvious twists. The book contains no lulls and puts moments in the perfect places.
   
   I'm back on Amazon looking for more Baldacci books involving the main character, so yes, I liked this book a lot.



2. very poorly done. the last 2 baldacci books i have bought i have trashed half way through. used to be a great author -- guess it went to his wallet --



3. While I generally enjoy this author, this book was his worst offering to date. I found the story itself to be fairly boring, while the main characters made predictable decisions and the ending was blah. I also found Shaw to be very similar to Lee Child's Jack Reacher. I almost stopped halfway, but plodded through to the end due to some loyalty to Mr. Baldacci. (He wrote one of my all time favorite books, Absolute Power. Read it.....you won't be disappointed with that one.) I was really surprised at the 4 star rating here at Amazon. 99% of the time, the ratings here are dead on, but I must be missing something with this novel. The whole truth here is - don't bother.



4. This is a very thought=provoking book, given the current events in Asia and the latest Russian agression. Also makes one think about the awesome power of the Internet. I love Baldacci's books. A great read. Highly recommended!



5. The Whole Truth is my second Baldacci book, the first being The Collectors. Although the two are stylistically similar, if I did not know beforehand, I would have never suspected they were written by the same author -- The Whole Truth is much, MUCH better.
   
   The Collectors was good "fluff." Well this is EXCELLENT fluff! Where The Collectors was corny, tongue-in-cheek, and unbelievable, this book was much more realistic (though still enjoyably cinematic). The protagonist, Shaw, is so hard-boiled, he reminds me of Micky Rourke's character in the Sin City movie, but he's an entirely likable figure, and you can't help but root for him.
   
   This book is also quite timely. Although the device used to stir up anti-Russian sentiment in the book was not at all believable, in real life, the neocons have put into action a much better plan. My only beef with the novel's version of of events is that the U.S. government was blissfully ignorant, and it was all defense-contractor doing. Like The Collectors, and, I presume, Baldacci's other books, The Whole Truth is very skeptical of Big Government and the military-industrial complex. Baldacci is not a hardcore libertarian, but he's a thriller author that hardcore libertarians can more than stomach -- they can enjoy.
   
   This is not great literature, of course, but it was a thoroughly entertaining read. I literally could not put the book down, and for that, it more than merits five stars. Hooray for Baldacci! I hope he keeps this up and lets the corny Camel Club recede into oblivion.