Nicholas Creel needs a war. The head honcho at the world's largest and most aggressive defense contractor is hankering for a bloody hoedown to bolster his company's coffers. That puts him in the crosshairs of investigative journalist Katie James and a mysterious covert op known only as Shaw. David Baldacci's thriller pulsates with intrigue and excitement.
Publishers Weekly
If there is such a category as a guys' audio, The Whole Truth fits the bill perfectly. Ron McLarty's gruff voice enhances this fast-moving thriller as he takes the listener through barrages of deadly assaults featuring gunfire, knives, bombs and hacksaws. He portrays Shaw, the unwilling secret agent, as weary yet tough. Nicolas Creel, who needs a good war to help sagging profits, comes across as appropriately cerebral and coldhearted. While McLarty gives different accents to Anna and Katie, otherwise, both sound alike, but he performs a variety of French and Slavic villains in quick succession. The sound track is comparable to a terrific cinematic score: darkly foreboding or quietly romantic when appropriate, raising this audio to an art form and enhancing the already gripping tale. A Grand Central hardcover (Reviews, Mar. 3). (May)
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Library Journal
In this thriller, Nicolas Creel, the largest arms producer in the world, needs a war to make his products sell, so he hires Dick Pender's PR firm to orchestrate a new "cold war" among Russia, the United States, and China. Shaw, the reluctant agent of a secret multinational intelligence group, is hired to thwart Nicolas's plans. Katie James, a Pulitzer Prizewinning journalist who is now jobless and an alcoholic, needs a good story to reclaim her reputation, so she follows Shaw, not knowing he has a rendezvous with terrorists. Ron McLarty's excellent reading captures the excitement and suspense of Baldacci's story and allows the listener to hear the unique personalities of each character. The Whole Truth remains on the New York Times best sellers list, having achieved the number 1 spot in May. This audiobook is highly recommended for all public libraries. [Hachette Audio also has two versions of Whole Truth available: 5 CDs. abridged. 6 hrs. 2008. ISBN [9781600241420 & 9781600241444]
—Ilka Gordon
From the Publisher
"When Baldacci is on fire, nobody can touch him."—Booklist (starred review)
"High-stakes action, shadowy government agencies, and [a] neo-Cold War backdrop . . . Baldacci pushes his plot ahead at such a blistering pace."—Washington Post
"Delicious . . . [a] roller-coaster adventure . . . an utterly enjoyable escapist page-turner."—Tampa Tribune
"Baldacci boldly steps into the arena of international thriller and may have created his most explosive and hard-hitting story to date."—BookReporter.com
OCT/NOV 08 - AudioFile
Nicholas Creel's enormous defense contracting company needs a war, so he creates a conflict, using the Internet to grease the wheels by spreading rumors of murders in Russia. In the meantime, Shaw, an enforcer for a super-secret intelligence agency, becomes embroiled in Creel's game when his fiancée is murdered while investigating the validity of the rumors. Ron McLarty delivers Baldacci’s thriller with the aplomb of the veteran narrator he is. His gravelly voice alternates between calmness and intensity, drawing in the listener with each word. As Creel spins propaganda and twists reality, McLarty's even pacing and minimal characterizations keep the listener focused on the tangled plot, which seems all too conceivable. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine
