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While his stories hinge on the complex machinations behind the presidency, the FBI, the Supreme Court and other spheres of influence, Baldacci (a former Washington, D.C.-based attorney) finds his way into a mystery through the eyes of the innocents. Semi-innocents, at least: small players who often don't realize they're players at all end up hunting down answers, and their hunt becomes the reader's.
According to Baldacci, reading John Irving's The World According to Garp convinced him that he wanted to be a novelist. Absolute Power -- in which a thief finds himself accidentally connected to a murder involving the president and the ensuing coverup -- was hardly Irvingesque; but it did begin Baldacci's friendly relationship with the bestseller lists, which has continued over his writing career.
Baldacci's style is brief and plot-driven, but he's not afraid to linger on macabre and vivid details, such as a rosary clenched in a plane crash victim's hand, or hard-learned lessons from a sniper's life (pack your food so you can find it at night, by touch). These small but memorable -- indeed, almost cinematic -- details give his books another layer that distinguishes them from the average potboiler.
Although the author has occasionally departed from his usual fare (examples include the tenderhearted coming-of-age tale Wish You Well and the holiday-themed adventure The Christmas Train), it is high-octane thrillers that are his true stock in trade. Whether it's a taut stand-alone or a new installment in his Camel Club series, readers know when they crack the spine of a new Baldacci book, they're in for an action-packed page-turner.
.He worked his way through college as a Pinkerton security guard and by washing and detailing 18-wheel trucks.
Baldacci writes under his own name except when published in Italy, where he uses a pseudonym because it is the homeland of his ancestors.
Bill Clinton selected The Simple Truth as his favorite novel of 1998, according to Baldacci's web site.
Aside from the dead body draped over his sturdy shoulder, the man was also remarkable for the black hood he wore, on which was stitched an esoteric symbol that ran down the length of the cloth. It was a circle with a crosshairs through its middle. Probably instantly recognizable to anyone over the age of fifty, the logo once inspired a dread that had significantly eroded with time. It didn't matter that no one "alive" would see him wearing the hood; he took grim satisfaction in its lethal symbolism.
Within ten minutes he'd reached the location he'd carefully selected on an earlier visit, and laid the body down with a reverence that belied the violent manner in which the person had died. He took a deep breath and held it as he undid the telephone wire holding the bundle closed, and unwrapped the plastic. She was young with features that had been attractive two days prior; the woman was not much to look at now. The soft blond hair fell away from the greenish-tinged skin, revealing closed eyes and bloated cheeks. Had the eyes been open, they might have still held the startled gaze of the deceased as she endured her own murder, an experience replicated roughly thirty thousand times each year in America.
He slid the plastic all the way free and laid the woman on her back. Then he let out his breath, fought the urge to retch caused by the stench of the body, and sucked in another lungful of air. Using one of his gloved hands and his light, he searched for and found the small, forked branch that he'd earlier placed in the bramble nearby. He used this to support the woman's forearm, which he'd positioned such that it was pointing to the sky. The body's rigor mortis, though rapidly fading, had made the task difficult, but he was strong and had finally levered the stiffened limb to the correct angle. He took the watch out of his pocket, checked with his flashlight to make sure it was set properly, and placed it around the dead woman's wrist.
Though far from a religious man, he knelt over the body and muttered a brief prayer, cupping his hand over his mouth and nose as he did so.
"You weren't directly responsible, but you were all I had. You didn't die in vain. And I believe you're actually better off." Did he really believe what he had just said? Maybe not. Maybe it didn't matter.
He looked at the dead woman's face, studying her features scrupulously as though a scientist observing a particularly fascinating experiment. He had never killed another person before. He'd made it quick and, he hoped, painless. In the dull, misty night the woman seemed surrounded by a yellowish glow, as though she'd already become a spirit.
He drew farther back and examined the area all around, checking for any extraneous items that might lead to evidence against him. He discovered only a piece of cloth from his hood that had caught on a bush near where the body lay. Careless, you can't afford that. He placed it in his pocket. He spent several more minutes looking for other such items nearing microscopic size.
In the world of criminal investigation it was these forensic "no-see-ums" that did one in. A single drop of blood, semen or saliva, a smudge of fingerprint, a hair follicle with a bit of DNA-littered root attached, and the police could be reading you your rights while prosecutors circled hungrily nearby. Unfortunately, even full awareness of that reality offered little protection. Every criminal, no matter how careful, left potentially incriminating material at the crime scene. Thus, he'd taken great care to have no direct physical contact with the dead woman as though she were an infectious agent that could cause a fatal disease.
He rolled up the plastic and pocketed the telephone cord, checked the watch once more and then slowly made his way back to his car.
Behind him lay the dead woman, her hand upraised to the watery heavens. Her watch was slightly luminous in the dark and made a dull beacon for her new resting place. She wouldn't remain undiscovered for long. Dead bodies aboveground rarely did, even in places as isolated as this.
As he drove off, the hooded man used his finger to trace the symbol on his hood, making the sign of the cross at the same time. The crosshairs symbol also appeared on the face of the watch he'd placed on the dead woman's wrist. That should certainly get a rise out of them. He took a breath full of excitement as well as dread. For years he had imagined that this day would never come. For years his courage had faltered. Now that the first step had been taken, he felt a great sense of empowerment and liberation.
He shifted into third gear and sped up, his tires grabbing the slicked roadway and holding firm as the darkness swallowed up the lights of his blue VW. He wanted to get to where he was going as fast as possible.
He had a letter to write.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Hour Game by David Baldacci Copyright © 2004 by Columbus Rose, Ltd.. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Anonymous
Posted March 11, 2011
After reading Split Second I was wishing the story would continue so when this book popped up on my Nook screen, I downloaded it right away. It has some interesting plot twists and turns and kept me guessing until the end.
The characters of King and Maxwell are more defined in this book as their association as investigators grows. Intersting play on character names in the book as well.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted June 19, 2012
Kept me guessing to firgure who the killers were.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.skipperCB
Posted May 2, 2012
well worth taking the time to read
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 21, 2012
I thought Baldacci was going to run out of characters to kill off!!! This is a must read! Bravo to Baldacci.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Mizzie
Posted April 30, 2011
It started a little slow but picked up after the first chapter. I was certainly a page turner, it kept you on your toes. The ending keeps you wanting the next book which I am reading now "Simple Genius". Also a good book I am still trying to figure out what the plot is but I is intreguing nonetheless. Read this book you will become a Fan of David Baldacci like I have become.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 14, 2009
I thought the writing was very trite and ridiculous. Is Baldacci a better writer than a fifth grader? Not based on this novel.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 26, 2013
Love his books i am hoolked
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.sj41
Posted June 21, 2012
I love this author's books but...this one felt like it was "phoned" in and not hung up soon enough. :-(
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.blueknightAK
Posted May 13, 2012
would like to read the whole series.what are the titles of the rest of the series?
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted February 2, 2012
I bought my first David Baldacci book by accident. I loved it, and will continue to read his books.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted December 8, 2011
Some real weak parts on the plot
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 13, 2011
Great book as are all the Sean King/Michell Maxwell books. Nook books are getting too expensive and the sales don't include Nook Books. I am disappointed!!!!!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.littleredDK
Posted June 25, 2011
Sean and Michele meet in this edition. The well-written story moves quickly and has unexpected turns. Does not disappoint!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted February 17, 2010
I have read almost everything that David Baldacci has written, and this is good. However, it does not command the same "stay up 'til dawn" reading urgency as some of his others. Worth reading in his group of books, and it is enjoyable. But it is not the top of his books. You can't always get A+, but it is an A. I am looking formward to his new book released in April, 2010.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Sean King and Michelle Maxwell find themselves in the middle of a series of murders in rural Virginia. They also find themselves attracted to people they meet in the course of the investigation. Unfortunately, nothing is quite what it seems in The Hour Game. Once again, David Baldacci weaves a complex story that challenges his likeable heroes. Sean and Michelle's partnership in investigation is also a tight friendship, and their protectiveness of each other comes through - and hints about how much they care for each other as well. Lots of good twists and turns make this a fun read.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Hour Game serves as my intro to the work of David Baldacci, and it hasn't tempted me to try any others of his titles. The 150-plus Amazon reviews of this particular novel are divided into two camps, those who loved it and those who had problems with it, and I'm afraid I fall into the second camp. The plot opens with an enthralling vignette, of the encounter of a deliberate and detached serial killer and his hapless victim. Good beginning. For some reason, however, the plot diverges almost immediately, disintegrating into a hodgepodge of murders that may or may not have been perpetrated by the guy who opened the book. The characters are mere caricatures, and the interactions among the FBI, local police, and the intrepid PIs are ludicrous. Hour Game ends with a prosaic but prolonged boat chase, in which our valiant hero comes perilously close to losing his life. Never fear....
Nothing new or original here.
Anonymous
Posted April 6, 2009
This is the first book by Baldacci that I had read. The story was slow to get started, but kept my interest to determine who was the killer(s). Wealthy family dynamics and secrets help keep you involved in the plot.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.kate_carpenter
Posted February 16, 2009
This is my 4th Baldacci book and i have yet to be disappointed...however, i am now attached to King & Maxwell so hopefully he'll crank out a few more with these guys!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 8, 2008
I can't believe i struggled to get through this novel. I didn't think it was even possible to struggle so much. I'm sorry I like Baldacci and his previous but this Hour Game was unreadable. If i afdended anyone - I am truly contrite.
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Posted February 25, 2008
AFter receiving- My husband listened to the 1st tape no problem. He put in the second tape and it unravelled as soon as he started it. He really likes these audio books and I was really disappointed that this happened.
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