True Blue

by David Baldacci

Overview

As former D.C cop Mace Perry investigates a mysterious high-profile homicide in a last-ditch attempt to get her badge back, she finds herself on a collision course with the dark side of national security in this New York Times bestseller.

Mason "Mace" Perry was a firebrand cop on the D.C. police force until she was kidnapped and framed for a crime — and then spent two years in prison. Now she's back on the outside and focused on one mission: to be a cop once more.


Her only shot to be a true blue again is to solve a major case on her own. But even with her police chief sister on her side, she'll have to work in the shadows: A vindictive U.S. attorney will stop at nothing to send Mace back to jail. Enter Roy Kingman . . .

A young D.C. lawyer, Roy meets Mace after the murder of one of the firm's female partners. Soon Roy and Mace are investigating together — and uncovering surprising secrets from both the private and public sectors of the nation's capital.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780446561976
Publisher:	Grand Central Publishing
Publication date:	08/24/2010
Pages:	608
Sales rank:	51,202
Product dimensions:	4.20(w) x 7.40(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

DAVID BALDACCI is a global #1 bestselling author, and one of the world's favorite storytellers. His books are published in over forty-five languages and in more than eighty countries, with 150 million copies sold worldwide. His works have been adapted for both feature film and television. David Baldacci is also the cofounder, along with his wife, of the Wish You Well Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting literacy efforts across America. Still a resident of his native Virginia, he invites you to visit him at DavidBaldacci.com and his foundation at WishYouWellFoundation.org.

Hometown:

Northern Virginia

Date of Birth:

August 5, 1960

Place of Birth:

Richmond, VIrginia

Education:

B.A. in Political Science, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1982; J.D., University of Virginia, 1986

Website:

http://www.david-baldacci.com/

Editorial Reviews

"Baldacci has proven his ability to write well-paced thrillers that combine crime and politics in locations ranging from mean streets to opulent mansions."

Booklist on TRUE BLUE

Mason "Mac" Perry isn't just trying to solve a crime; she's attempting to retrieve her honor and her badge. After being kidnapped, this former D.C. cop spent two years in prison on trumped-up charges. Now with all the fervency of the firebrand she is, she has vowed to show the brass that she deserves to be reinstated. The murder of a prominent female legal partner at a prominent Washington firm gives her that opportunity, but with its full roster of slimy capital characters, it offers dangers all its own. Another taut nail-biter from the laptop of legal thriller master David Baldacci.

This promising first in a new series from bestseller Baldacci (First Family) introduces Beth Perry, chief of the District of Columbia's Metropolitan Police, and Beth's younger sister, Mace Perry, a former police officer dubbed “the Patty Hearst of the twenty-first century” after she was seized by bandits, drugged and taken along on a series of armed robberies around Washington. Mace, who's just getting out of prison after serving a two-year sentence, is willing to risk everything to clear her name and reclaim her life as a cop by cracking a big case on her own. The rape-murder of a powerful lawyer as well as the killing of a prominent U.S. attorney provide Mace an opportunity to vindicate herself. While Baldacci draws his characters in bright primary colors, and some of the action reaches comic book proportions, he delivers his usual intricate plotting and sets the stage nicely for highly competent Beth and impulsive, streetwise Mace to take on more bad guys. (Oct. 27)

Publishers Weekly

Baldacci (Divine Justice, 2008, etc.) presents a law-enforcement sister act, curtain-raiser for a new series that has every chance of keeping the pot boiling. Beth and Mace Perry are loving, totally supportive of each other and remarkably untroubled by anything resembling sibling rivalry. Yet they are very different. Beth, the older, is rock-solid reliable; Mace is flamboyant, tempestuous, hard-wired for heedlessness. After years of worthy performance, Beth has become D.C. chief of police. Mace is an ex-con, albeit through no fault of her own; she was kidnapped, framed, dismissed from the police force and sent to prison for two years. Now she's out, and Beth, a by-the-book officer if ever there was one, knows that her life is about to become complicated. Because Mace, who bleeds blue, wants her badge back and will risk whatever she must in order to make that happen. And Beth will be in her sister's corner, even if on occasion that leads to behavior not sanctioned by any applicable book. Enter Roy Kingman, a susceptible young lawyer immediately drawn to uber-feisty Mace. He trails behind him a big-time murder case that has the sweet smell of opportunity for Mace. If she can solve it, she tells herself, reinstatement will inevitably follow. But this murder case has dark and dangerous ramifications that stretch across oceans and into terrorist enclaves. Powerful people, it turns out, don't want the case solved, people as ready to shoot the moon as Mace is. Gracelessly written, often implausible and inescapably pulpy, but also fast-paced and entertaining.

Kirkus Reviews

"Fast-paced and entertaining."—Kirkus

"[Baldacci] delivers his usual intricate plotting and sets the stage nicely for highly competent Beth and impulsive, streetwise Mace to take on more bad guys."

—Publishers Weekly

"Baldacci has proven his ability to write well-paced thrillers that combine crime and politics in locations ranging from mean streets to opulent mansions."

—Booklist

"An action-packed, face-paced, over-the-top-of-the-Washington Monument thriller...very entertaining."
—Midwest Book Review

"Baldacci is at the top of his game here, exercising his talent for creating both winsome and darker-than-dark characters that keep readers turning the pages..."
—Bookpage.com

"Fast-paced, heart-pounding..."
—Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star

From the Publisher

...Baldacci fans will love it.

Sound Commentary

Baldacci has proven his ability to write well-paced thrillers that combine crime and politics in locations ranging from mean streets to opulent mansions.”

Booklist

Another taut nail-biter from the laptop of legal-thriller master David Baldacci.”

editorial review Barnes & Noble

Baldacci fans may be disappointed on two fronts by this highly anticipated offering. First, the novel itself strays from Baldacci's signature strength: a tight action-filled plot advanced by believable characters. Too many situations in TRUE BLUE require imaginative leaps, and the characters are clichéd. The second shortcoming lies in the performance of celebrated narrator Ron McLarty. His voice is clear and pleasant to listen to, and he maintains a good pace. However, he does not offer sufficient variation in tone or timing to differentiate the characters, making the dialogue difficult to follow in places. Also, the insertion of music at seemingly random points in the action does not enhance the production. M.O.B. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine

JANUARY 2010 - AudioFile