A review by weaselweader
Stone Cold by David Baldacci
4.0
A literal cliff hanger!
Stone Cold brings back The Camel Club in a third successful outing with two story lines loosely crossing each other's paths!
In the Camel Club's previous novel, The Collectors, Annabelle Conroy, the beautiful and resourceful con artist extraordinaire, relieved Jerry Bagger, her mother's murderer and filthy rich casino owner and crime boss, of $40 milliion dollars. Bagger will stop at nothing to exact his revenge and kill Annabelle ... slowly, luxuriously and very, very painfully!
Meanwhile (one might say, back at the ranch!), someone is assassinating past members of Oliver Stone's elite 666 squad, a CIA assassination team. Three down and two to go. John Carr, "officially" dead, killed and buried many years earlier, lives disguised and in deep cover as lowly Oliver Stone. The only remaining "live" members of the team are Senator Roger Simpson, a front-running candidate for the big seat in the Oval Office in the White House, and Carter Gray, director of the CIA. They're so worried that Gray reaches the decision to exhume John Carr's coffin thereby revealing the fact that John Carr is still alive and well. Oliver Stone is being held out as bait for the assassin.
Stone Cold is jam-packed with fast paced Hollywood style action and dialogue to be sure but it's completely successful and enjoyable nonetheless! A great reprise of some international cold war style spy vs spy intrigue together with a story revolving around a sleazy, despicable crime boss and his quest to exact revenge on the babe he might have loved but who stole his respect and honour instead.
Friendship, loyalty, love, honour and duty are themes that ripple through both interwoven stories and the ending, in particular, while shocking (in great thriller style) is warm and pleasing. It's certain to bring a lump to the throats of many readers.
That said, some readers will be disturbed by the extent to which a few threads at the end of the story are left untied. But, for me, that just spells sequel and I'll spend the next few months waiting with bated breath.
Highly recommended for lovers of suspense thrillers and fans of David Baldacci and his wonderful creation, The Camel Club.
Paul Weiss
Stone Cold brings back The Camel Club in a third successful outing with two story lines loosely crossing each other's paths!
In the Camel Club's previous novel, The Collectors, Annabelle Conroy, the beautiful and resourceful con artist extraordinaire, relieved Jerry Bagger, her mother's murderer and filthy rich casino owner and crime boss, of $40 milliion dollars. Bagger will stop at nothing to exact his revenge and kill Annabelle ... slowly, luxuriously and very, very painfully!
Meanwhile (one might say, back at the ranch!), someone is assassinating past members of Oliver Stone's elite 666 squad, a CIA assassination team. Three down and two to go. John Carr, "officially" dead, killed and buried many years earlier, lives disguised and in deep cover as lowly Oliver Stone. The only remaining "live" members of the team are Senator Roger Simpson, a front-running candidate for the big seat in the Oval Office in the White House, and Carter Gray, director of the CIA. They're so worried that Gray reaches the decision to exhume John Carr's coffin thereby revealing the fact that John Carr is still alive and well. Oliver Stone is being held out as bait for the assassin.
Stone Cold is jam-packed with fast paced Hollywood style action and dialogue to be sure but it's completely successful and enjoyable nonetheless! A great reprise of some international cold war style spy vs spy intrigue together with a story revolving around a sleazy, despicable crime boss and his quest to exact revenge on the babe he might have loved but who stole his respect and honour instead.
Friendship, loyalty, love, honour and duty are themes that ripple through both interwoven stories and the ending, in particular, while shocking (in great thriller style) is warm and pleasing. It's certain to bring a lump to the throats of many readers.
That said, some readers will be disturbed by the extent to which a few threads at the end of the story are left untied. But, for me, that just spells sequel and I'll spend the next few months waiting with bated breath.
Highly recommended for lovers of suspense thrillers and fans of David Baldacci and his wonderful creation, The Camel Club.
Paul Weiss