A Minute to Midnight (Atlee Pine #2)

A Minute to Midnight by David Baldacci is the second book in his mystery thriller series featuring FBI agent Atlee Pine.

After intercepting a kidnapper in the process of stealing a teenage girl, and beating him silly, Atlee has been offered some time off. Since Pine is not much for being idle, she decides to work on her sister's cold case.

Pine and her assistant, Carol Blum, head to Andersonville, Georgia. Atlee has not been there for nearly 30 years. As a child, a man came into her room and kidnapped her twin sister Mercy, while leaving Atlee in the hospital with a massive head injury. There has been no sight of Mercy since that night.

Atlee plans to interview her parents friends and anyone else who is still around and may remember something. But her visit seems to have set someone off - as she practically trips over a dead body in town.

Baldacci writes great mysteries and thrillers. Atlee Pine is a determined, focused FBI agent who will never stop looking for her sister.

Baldacci, David. (2019). A Minute to Midnight. NY: Grand Central Publishing.

Long Road to Mercy (Atlee Pine #1)

Long Road to Mercy by David Baldacci is the first book in the Atlee Pine mystery/thriller series. Pine if an FBI agent in the Southwest. She became an agent with the idea that it would help her eventually find out what happened to her twin sister Mercy, who was kidnapped when they were six. Her life has been devoted to getting strong and smart to make up for not being able to save Mercy.

Atlee Pine does not like crowds. In fact, she has gotten herself assigned to a one-agent FBI office at the edge of the Grand Canyon. The only person she works with is her secretary Carol Blum.

When a man disappears from a Canyon mule expedition, Pine is called to investigate. Little does she know that this man is the key to an international conspiracy to usurp the pecking order of global leaders. All she knows at first is someone gut a donkey and the man who is missing is either a sick bastard or was kidnapped.

Baldacci has written a book that crosses many genres: mystery, thriller, suspense and espionage. Atlee Pine is a focused, strong character who is understandably obsessed with finding her sister. His books are always great for a fast, thrilling read.

Baldacci, David. (2019). Long Road to Mercy. New York: Grand Central Publishing.