The Collectors by David Baldacci

Synopsis

The assassination of the U.S. Speaker of the House has shaken the nation. And the Camel Club has found a chilling connection with another death: the body of the director of the Library of Congress' rare books room has been found in a locked vault. The two murders are hurtling the Camel Club into a world of espionage that can bring America to its knees.

The Camel Club's unofficial leader, a man who calls himself Oliver Stone, discovers that someone is selling America to its enemies one classified secret at a time. Then Annabelle Conroy, the greatest con artist of her generation, struts her way into the club and gives it a sexy new edge - one it needs.

My Two Cents Worth

In The Collectors, the second installment of the Camel Club series, Baldacci raises the stakes on the rag-tag characters of the underdog whistle blowers. The spies are more devious and dangerous, the corruption more widespread, and the action is more suspenseful. The author takes us behind the scenes of some ingenious con games and provides some incredible insight into the mind of Annabelle, a high-stakes gambler on a roll.

I particularly appreciate the character development in this series. It is rare I get such a clear and vivid picture of each character as I read that I want to "cast" each role from the Hollywood "A" list, but I would love to be the director of this one and cast Tom Selleck as Stone, Sandra Bullock as Annabelle, David Hyde Pierce as Caleb, and Tommy Lee Jones as Seagraves.

The Collectors did not disappoint - the pace of the action was brisk and the suspense was palpable.

If you are looking for a book that is a no doubt, slam-dunk, satisfaction guaranteed, five-star winner, pick up a Baldacci. He delivers.

The Camel Club by David Baldacci

Synopsis

It exists at the fringes of Washington, D.C., has no power, and consists solely of four eccentric and downtrodden members whom society has forgotten. Their simple goal is to find the “truth” behind their country’s actions.

One man leads this aging, ragtag crew. He has no known past and has taken on the name "Oliver Stone." Day and night, Stone and his friends study wild conspiracy theories, current events, and the machinations of government hoping to discover some truth that will hold America’s leaders accountable to its citizens. But never in Stone’s wildest nightmares could he imagine the conspiracy the Camel Club is about to uncover...

After witnessing a shocking murder, the Club is slammed head first into a plot that threatens the very security of the nation, full of stunning twists, high-stakes intrigue and global gamesmanship rocketing to the Oval Office and beyond. Soon the Club must join forces with veteran Secret Service agent, Alex Ford, who becomes an unwilling participant in one of the most chilling spectacles to ever take place on American soil. It’s an event that may well be the catalyst for the long-threatened Armageddon between two different worlds, and all that stands in the way of this apocalypse is five unexpected heroes.

My Two Cents Worth

I am a big Baldacci fan because he always fulfills the basic contract with the reader: to tell a great story. His multiple story lines are complex and he presents a rather large cast of characters, but he is certainly talented enough to keep you in the book and turning pages. I prefer to make appointments to get the most out of his novels - that is to set aside at least an hour of reading at a time to get the most out of the plot. This is surprisingly easy to do as the story unfolds and you lose yourself in the continuous action and brisk pace. This is not one you can follow reading ten minutes at a time.

I have read some reviews that are critical of the characters or the action that occasionally defies reality but I have never found this to be obtrusive at all; it is a well presented work of fiction that is wonderfully entertaining and satisfying.

Hardcover
436 Pages
4 hours

Reckless Abandon by Stuart Woods

Synopsis

In Reckless Abandon, the smooth and charming ex-cop-turned-lawyer, Stone Barrington, returns - this time on the hunt for a killer with the guts to think he can hide out among the crowds of New York City. What this fugitive does not know can definitely hurt him: Stone's partner in this endeavor is none other than Holly Barker, the Orchid Beach, Florida, police chief, and the protagonist of three earlier novels, who is consumed with the idea of putting this man behind bars.

This man, Trini Rodriguez, who Holly thought had been put down in Blood Orchid, has committed audacious and shocking crimes in Florida and is now being protected by none other than the federal government.

Stone and Holly, already in danger from Trini's friends, face their greatest obstacle in the government insiders who profess to have the public's best interests at heart.

My Two Cents Worth

I am a fan of Stuart Woods for the simple fact that he tells a good story. The action is always hot and the pace is turbo-charged to the extent that I don't mind overlooking some of the characters being larger-than-life or the plot taking liberties with reality. I did find it more obvious than in previous Woods novels that according to his web page, Stone Barrington is the author's alter-ego in just about every arrogant and conceivable way. The author's note at the end of the book is getting a little old, as well; we get it, okay? Thank you.

Stone and Holly appear as Superman and Wonderwoman, and their relationship is predictable and leaves little to the imagination. The bottom line, still, is that I enjoyed the book enough to forgive the shortcomings and recommend it as a superhero comic book type of read.

paperback
342 pages
3 hours

The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly

Synopsis

As a criminal defense lawyer, Mickey Haller has spent his entire professional life in the shadow of his legendary father, known for his brilliant defense of both famous and infamous mobsters and high-society icons. But all that was about to change, when Mickey is hired to defend a wealthy Los Angeles real estate magnate.

Louis Roulet is Mickey's first "franchise client" - willing and able to pay any price for a "not guilty" verdict. Throughout his career, Mickey has not been concerned with the guilt or innocence of his clients, only with presenting the evidence of the crime in a manner which would be in the best interest of whoever was paying the retainer. Manipulating the facts to create reasonable doubt in the minds of the jury was his stock in trade.

For him, the law is rarely about guilt or innocence — it's about negotiation and manipulation. Sometimes it's even about justice.

A Beverly Hills playboy arrested for attacking a woman he picked up in a bar chooses Haller to defend him, and Mickey has his first high-paying client in years. It is a defense attorney's dream, what they call a "franchise" case. And as the evidence stacks up, Haller comes to believe this may be the easiest case of his career.

Then someone close to him is murdered and Haller discovers that his search for innocence has brought him face-to-face with evil as pure as a flame. To escape without being burned, he must deploy every tactic, feint, and instinct in his arsenal — this time to save his own life.

My Two Cents Worth

It is difficult to believe that this is Connelly's first legal thriller. The courtroom action is as vivid and compelling as any Grisham I have read, and the action is well paced and true to life.

As a reader, it is all you could ask for - a great story told by a consumate professional. It was fresh and original and kept me guessing until the last page. While it's not the most cureent Connelly novel, do yourself a favor and read The Lincoln Lawyer.