I started reading this book after temporarily giving up on another that was going too slow for me. And boy, it was such a great relief.
Reading my favorite genre has always been kind of therapeutic and relaxing for me. I’m not sure whether anyone feels this way. From last year, I have tried reading out of my comfort zone and trying out new authors and genres. I have found some great authors and books. But coming back to thrillers/mystery/crime is always so satisfying. It’s when I come back to them that I realize how much I had missed reading it.
Like all other Baldacci books that I’ve read till now, this too did not disappoint. It has all the elements of a good whodunit. The book manages to capture our attention right from the start. There’s not a single chapter where the pace slows down. I was hooked throughout the book. Since the book I got was a large print edition, it was really easy to read. Most of Baldacci books are kind of a series even though they can be read as a standalone too. So there were a few places where I felt I didn’t completely understand the dialogues. But these instances were very few and does not really add or take away anything from the plot. I’ve always thought that it must be much harder to write books that are part of a series but still can be read as a standalone. Just imagine the thought process that must go into it.
The plot is quite fresh. I did not guess the killer until the very last. Even then there was a twist that I had never anticipated. There are quite a few characters but I did not find it difficult to keep track at all. I tend to forget the characters a few days after I’ve read the book. But Baldacci always manages to make sure that I never forget his characters. I can still remember the characters in his books that I read last year. This book lives up to that.
There’s only one thing I might change in the book. It’s that there are too many subplots. Again that’s a Baldacci trademark. His books have a lot of subplots, some of which come together with the main plot at the end. We do get closure with all of them, but I feel that some of those subplots were not really required. Due to this, his books are normally bigger. At times, I start feeling like the book is not finishing. Don’t get me wrong. The book is not slow. Neither is it boring. But sometimes, the subplots get a bit overwhelming.
In a nutshell, I loved this book just like all other Baldaccis. A must read if you love thrillers/crime fiction.