Copyright 2003 by Columbus Rose Ltd. Published by Warner Books, New York.
This is the first of the series (currently numbering 6) of Baldacci novels featuring Sean King and Michelle Maxwell, two former Secret Service agents who left the agency in disgrace – King for having his minor presidential candidate assassinated and Maxwell for having her minor presidential candidate kidnapped 8 years after the assassination. This book describes both of those events in detail and documents how the two meet and, at the end of this first novel, decide to open a detective agency.
I was impressed with the plot here. Two huge Secret Service failures spaced 8 years apart, somehow are linked. The kidnapping is executed by a team of three – two men and a woman – who we learn, as the story progresses, are all involved in earlier events tied either directly or indirectly to the assassination. The plot is plausible, the threats to King and Maxwell – and some other lesser characters – is real. The body count is not as high as a Reacher story, but probably reaches double digits.
Baldacci is a skilled writer. He keeps things moving and makes the reader care about King and Maxwell. Very enjoyable.
8 out of 10.