Best Baldacci book ever ( )

Single mom Mickey Gibson is a former cop, and is now working for an investigation company. Much of her work is done at home on a computer, ideal for her current circumstances. A call from a colleague she hasn’t yet met sends her to check out a vacant home. Thus begins her very long journey down a very twisty rabbit hole. Mickey finds a dead body at the home, not the belongings of an absent arms dealer that she was supposed to inventory. She soon finds herself ensnared in big trouble from more than one source. Staying a step ahead cops while avoiding the really bad guys takes some fancy footwork. Who can she trust, and who is telling the truth are only two of the problems Mickey has. The biggest one is keeping herself and her family alive. This novel is typical Baldacci - complex plot, short chapters, and many twists along the way. It’s an interesting start to a new series, and it will be very interesting to see which characters, besides Mickey, make into the next book. ( )

Simply Lies is a very good thriller. The main characters are women which is different for David Baldacci who usually writes from a man's perspective. The characters are all believable. The settings are well described and believable. The story was believable, as none of the characters were superheroes. Four stars were given to this book. ( )

I am not sure why I hadn’t read any of David Baldacci’s novels before. I know he has been prolific, and his book are immensely popular – perhaps there was some subconscious attempt to resist that aspect of the crime fiction zeitgeist. If I am going to be honest, I only really tried this because I was able to buy an e-copy at a ridiculously cheap price.

It was money well spent because I found it very enjoyable. I was gripped within a few paragraphs, and found myself enmeshed in a very complex plot involving various local and federal police and investigative agencies, and the extensive tendrils of organised crime gangs. Mickey Gibson works from home in her role as asset tracer for a prominent private investigation agency. A former police detective, she has moved into the private sector to utilise their more flexible working pattern so that she can also look after her two young children. One morning, shortly after concluding a case discussion with her boss, she takes a call from someone else purporting to work in the organisation asking her to check out a substantial property nearby.

This pitches her into a murder investigation, and brings her up against Francine Langhorne, an expert in the art of manipulation, who has a very complicated agenda of her own. The story develops along several directions, and moves with great pace. Baldacci doesn’t indulge in deep or detailed descriptions of his characters, but they all come across as highly plausible.

I enjoyed reading this, and will certainly look for more books by Baldacci. ( )

I really enjoyed it! A bit different from his other books, so far. ( )