coach_sean's review against another edition
2.0
This was not at all my favorite new series from David Baldacci. I did not at all like the combination of the two readers/performers. I did not like the story as it is way too far fetched. I didn't like the rapid wrapup. It just wasn't his best.
That said, I did finish it, so I won't totally pan it. I just probably won't listen to more of this series.
That said, I did finish it, so I won't totally pan it. I just probably won't listen to more of this series.
cnorbury's review against another edition
4.0
Started off really well. Atlee Pine introduces herself as a tough, strong, loner FBI agent who's perfectly happy patrolling her turf in northern AZ until she gets called in on a missing person's case involving a dead mule at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. She's also dealing with her horrific past--the abduction of her twin sister and Atlee getting assaulted by whom she's sure is a serial killer who is now in prison for life, but he won't tell her what, if anything, he knows about her sister, Mercy. The killer won't even admit he was in the bedroom with the two little girls at the time of the abduction, or that he knows anything at all about it.
So Pine carries the burden of that not knowing into her adult life where it colors her views of justice, the law, and enforcing the law. Her investigation into the missing man leads her to go off-grid because she learns she can't trust her own bosses in the FBI as well as anyone else from the US government.
So far, so good, until Pine goes a little too rogue and starts ignoring all her training, chain of command, and breaks the law several times during her quest for the truth. That's when I started to disbelieve the plausibility of the story. When the plot thickens and it turns out Russia and North Korea are involved, things get a bit convoluted and confusing and believability becomes even more strained.
I liked the timeliness of the book apropos of current events involving recent peace negotiations with NK and Russian meddling in US affairs, but the last third of the book dragged this story down a notch. Still a first-rate read by a master, but not quite a masterpiece.
So Pine carries the burden of that not knowing into her adult life where it colors her views of justice, the law, and enforcing the law. Her investigation into the missing man leads her to go off-grid because she learns she can't trust her own bosses in the FBI as well as anyone else from the US government.
So far, so good, until Pine goes a little too rogue and starts ignoring all her training, chain of command, and breaks the law several times during her quest for the truth. That's when I started to disbelieve the plausibility of the story. When the plot thickens and it turns out Russia and North Korea are involved, things get a bit convoluted and confusing and believability becomes even more strained.
I liked the timeliness of the book apropos of current events involving recent peace negotiations with NK and Russian meddling in US affairs, but the last third of the book dragged this story down a notch. Still a first-rate read by a master, but not quite a masterpiece.
gracie13's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
travvyt's review
3.0
This is another newer David Baldacci series that I had some trouble getting into. It actually starts out strong. I thought it was going to be a serial killer psycho-thriller but it dropped that plot-line almost immediately as it evolved into a pretty typical governmental conspiracy thriller (that for some reason struck me as being more far fetched than usual).
At the very end of the book, it actually circles back to the beginning so I'm hoping the second book becomes what I was expecting from the first book (and that story doesn't just get dropped on the floor again).
At the very end of the book, it actually circles back to the beginning so I'm hoping the second book becomes what I was expecting from the first book (and that story doesn't just get dropped on the floor again).
brucehoward's review
5.0
Loved the main character, Atlee Pine...really look forward to seeing where Baldacci takes her in subsequent novels. I also hope he continues using the Southwest and West as the main backdrop for future stories. The pickings for such books have been a little lean in recent years, particularly since Tony Hillerman passed away.
tinman2's review against another edition
4.0
Took me a long time to get into this book. I enjoyed it after I got hooked
kisha_16's review against another edition
3.25
LOVED reading from a paperback!
As for the actual book, I really enjoyed the characters and loved the relationship between them. They just were written so well and I loved their personalities. The main character included, she was so entertaining and I absolutely loved reading about her. The actual plot of the book kinda let me down a bit. I was expecting something absolutely crazy for two reasons; the first one being that David Baldacci is known for being such an amazing thriller/mystery writer and this was my first book of his, and second was because the build up was really intense. The dead mule and the suspense behind it and the whole 'whodunnnit' aspect really had me guessing and trying to figure out what happened but then the whole government got involved, China, Russia, and Korea got involved and I slowly lost interest. I'm really interest in all this but I just felt like the whole government aspect was forced and I just didn't really enjoy it all that much. I will say tho, it felt A LOT like the book I read from Dan Brown called Deception Point. Also, this is a 4 book series and the last chapter really did leave a bit of a 'oh' feeling so I am excited to pick it up but I'm not really like super looking forward to it, and so it might not be my next read for a bit while I read some other books on my tbr! But yeah, I really did like reading a paperback book for once, it was a really fun experience!!
As for the actual book, I really enjoyed the characters and loved the relationship between them. They just were written so well and I loved their personalities. The main character included, she was so entertaining and I absolutely loved reading about her. The actual plot of the book kinda let me down a bit. I was expecting something absolutely crazy for two reasons; the first one being that David Baldacci is known for being such an amazing thriller/mystery writer and this was my first book of his, and second was because the build up was really intense. The dead mule and the suspense behind it and the whole 'whodunnnit' aspect really had me guessing and trying to figure out what happened but then the whole government got involved, China, Russia, and Korea got involved and I slowly lost interest. I'm really interest in all this but I just felt like the whole government aspect was forced and I just didn't really enjoy it all that much. I will say tho, it felt A LOT like the book I read from Dan Brown called Deception Point. Also, this is a 4 book series and the last chapter really did leave a bit of a 'oh' feeling so I am excited to pick it up but I'm not really like super looking forward to it, and so it might not be my next read for a bit while I read some other books on my tbr! But yeah, I really did like reading a paperback book for once, it was a really fun experience!!
mandylovestoread's review against another edition
4.0
What a great start to a new series! I am a big fan of the Amos Decker series and was a bit worried about starting another series. But I love Atleee!!
This book was so fast paced and twisty!
This book was so fast paced and twisty!