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sjdunlop's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
chartsh's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
book_concierge's review against another edition
3.0
Book on CD read by Brittany Pressley and Kyf Brewer
Book 2 in the Atlee Pine mystery series has the FBI agent forced to take a “vacation” after she nearly beats a child-kidnapper to death. Of course, her faithful assistant, Carol, comes along as the two of them head back to Andersonville Georgia, where Pine’s family lived when her twin sister, Mercy, was abducted. Looking for anyone who might remember what happened when she was just six years old, she comes across a number of people who are clearly hiding something. And to further complicate matters, there’s a serial murderer at work.
Well, this got complicated quickly. It’s not enough that she’s trying to unravel the mystery of her family and what happened those many years ago, but now she has to deal with a pretty twisted individual whose killing spree shows no signs of stopping. Are the new murders tied to Atlee’s family history? Can she put aside her history with agent Eddie Laredo, with whom she once worked in the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit, and who is assigned to work this case.
Baldacci certainly knows how to craft a compelling page-turner: short sentences, short chapters, and action that keeps the characters and the reader on their toes. It’s fast-paced and compelling, but there were several times when I thought he stretched credulity a bit too far. I did get surprised by the reveal (or at least part of it).
Atlee’s personal story, however, cannot be wrapped up just yet … there has to be at least one more episode. (And, in fact, book three in the series is scheduled to release this November.)
Brittany Pressley and Kyf Brewer narrate the audio version, with Pressley taking the main narration and all female character voices, and Brewer voicing all the male characters. This is a very effective approach.
Book 2 in the Atlee Pine mystery series has the FBI agent forced to take a “vacation” after she nearly beats a child-kidnapper to death. Of course, her faithful assistant, Carol, comes along as the two of them head back to Andersonville Georgia, where Pine’s family lived when her twin sister, Mercy, was abducted. Looking for anyone who might remember what happened when she was just six years old, she comes across a number of people who are clearly hiding something. And to further complicate matters, there’s a serial murderer at work.
Well, this got complicated quickly. It’s not enough that she’s trying to unravel the mystery of her family and what happened those many years ago, but now she has to deal with a pretty twisted individual whose killing spree shows no signs of stopping. Are the new murders tied to Atlee’s family history? Can she put aside her history with agent Eddie Laredo, with whom she once worked in the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit, and who is assigned to work this case.
Baldacci certainly knows how to craft a compelling page-turner: short sentences, short chapters, and action that keeps the characters and the reader on their toes. It’s fast-paced and compelling, but there were several times when I thought he stretched credulity a bit too far. I did get surprised by the reveal (or at least part of it).
Atlee’s personal story, however, cannot be wrapped up just yet … there has to be at least one more episode. (And, in fact, book three in the series is scheduled to release this November.)
Brittany Pressley and Kyf Brewer narrate the audio version, with Pressley taking the main narration and all female character voices, and Brewer voicing all the male characters. This is a very effective approach.
casadelibros's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
renatalynn's review against another edition
5.0
This is a great series.
I am hoping she gets the answers to what happened to her sister soon.
I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
I am hoping she gets the answers to what happened to her sister soon.
I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
qu33nofbookz's review against another edition
1.0
Too many implausibilities piled on top of each other as the plot careens along at a slow and dull pace until the end when it looks like the author was told that the book needed to end so it's wrapped up hastily and with a James Bond like villain complete with mustache-twirling while they give a dialogue on their actions and why and how clever they were.
Too many things going on in general. What is supposed to be the main plot/crime as advertised (and what made me pick this book up) gets pushed to the wayside for other things and I felt a little cheated. The main story keeps getting sidetracked by sub-plots that are completely unrelated and not fully solved to the point we are so far from the start of the story it's left unfinished, leaving me very dissatisfied.
Also, I disliked the main character intensely, Mr. Baldacci can't write a leading women well enough to carry this storyline. He doesn't write half the women in this novel well (or the other two novels of his I have read for that matter). Also, the whole women empowerment thing sprinkled throughout felt straight out of the 60's/70's and was way over the top. Women are already doing these things and it's not a surprise anymore or shocking to see. Atlee (and for fuck sake pick a fucking name and stick to it! She keeps being referred to by her name, last name or nickname even by the same person within just a few pages of dialogue. She even refers to herself in the third person by her last name at times) is also superwoman. She is stronger then everyone in this story, smarter then everyone (even if she makes the stupidest self-preservation moves) her intuition is borderline supernatural, and she can scare ANY man into obedience by a glare. She has a serious attitude, impulse, anger, and behavioral issues that are not addressed at all How she still has her job is anyone's guess. In real life, if she acted the way she does in the book she would be fired very quickly. (I am very very tired of this trope be it a female or male character. Authors please stop doing this!)
I am annoyed that the main plot of this book got sidetrack and is left unresolved by the end. The blurb leaves you thinking you'll be reading one book but then the author gets sidetracked and you don't get what you were offered. It's a complete bait and switch. Very unsatisfying. I hate books/series that drag out a storyline that is advertised to be resolved by its own book and then don't deliver trying to get you to buy their next book that makes the same promises but probably won't hold up the bargain either. I am less likely to continue buying or reading your books for this reason.
I liked Absolute Power, the first book I read by Mr. Baldacci but this one and the first of the Puler Series (Zero Day) are just too implausible and unbelievable for me. I think I am done with anything written by Mr. Baldacci if most of his books are like this.
Too many things going on in general. What is supposed to be the main plot/crime as advertised (and what made me pick this book up) gets pushed to the wayside for other things and I felt a little cheated. The main story keeps getting sidetracked by sub-plots that are completely unrelated and not fully solved to the point we are so far from the start of the story it's left unfinished, leaving me very dissatisfied.
Also, I disliked the main character intensely, Mr. Baldacci can't write a leading women well enough to carry this storyline. He doesn't write half the women in this novel well (or the other two novels of his I have read for that matter). Also, the whole women empowerment thing sprinkled throughout felt straight out of the 60's/70's and was way over the top. Women are already doing these things and it's not a surprise anymore or shocking to see. Atlee (and for fuck sake pick a fucking name and stick to it! She keeps being referred to by her name, last name or nickname even by the same person within just a few pages of dialogue. She even refers to herself in the third person by her last name at times) is also superwoman. She is stronger then everyone in this story, smarter then everyone (even if she makes the stupidest self-preservation moves) her intuition is borderline supernatural, and she can scare ANY man into obedience by a glare. She has a serious attitude, impulse, anger, and behavioral issues that are not addressed at all
Spoiler
that probably stem from her getting her skull fractured and bashed in and nearly dying as a 6-year-oldI am annoyed that the main plot of this book got sidetrack and is left unresolved by the end. The blurb leaves you thinking you'll be reading one book but then the author gets sidetracked and you don't get what you were offered. It's a complete bait and switch. Very unsatisfying. I hate books/series that drag out a storyline that is advertised to be resolved by its own book and then don't deliver trying to get you to buy their next book that makes the same promises but probably won't hold up the bargain either. I am less likely to continue buying or reading your books for this reason.
I liked Absolute Power, the first book I read by Mr. Baldacci but this one and the first of the Puler Series (Zero Day) are just too implausible and unbelievable for me. I think I am done with anything written by Mr. Baldacci if most of his books are like this.
aelane23's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely a much better book than the first. The mysteries were well laid out, and there weren't too many characters to keep track of.
Can't wait to listen to the next one!
*Note: I do not care for Blum's character...her comments about her age and younger people may have been an attempt at comic relief. For me, it was just annoying. That's just my opinion.
Can't wait to listen to the next one!
*Note: I do not care for Blum's character...her comments about her age and younger people may have been an attempt at comic relief. For me, it was just annoying. That's just my opinion.
elyeager's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
dani_thebookdragon's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0