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.

End Game (Will Robie #5)

End Game by David Baldacci is the fifth book in his Will Robie series. Robie is a CIA assassin and sniper who often teams up with his counterpart, Jessica Reel, one of the best snipers in the world.

After each Will and Jessica complete difficult missions separately, they are called to DC to investigate the disappearance of their boss. Each year he goes back to his hometown in Western Colorado. This year, he has vanished without a trace.

Robie and Reel will work with the local sheriff to sort through the unsavory characters who make their lives in super rural America. They will have many to choose from – cults, skinheads, and more.

Baldacci has written a great thriller, mystery. Though Robie and Reel are not investigators, they are the write team for the job – and their sniper skills will come in handy before they find their boss.

Baldacci, David. (2017). End Game. New York: Grand Central Publishing.

The Guilty (Will Robie #4)

The Guilty by David Baldacci is the fourth book in his Will Robie series about a CIA assassin.

Will Robie is one of the best snipers the CIA has in its secret black book. He has been on numerous assignments and has pulled them off professionally. But on his latest mission something goes wrong and an innocent is killed along with his target.

When Robie gets word that his father is on trial for murder, his first response is to try to re-bury the past. But after a fail attempt at work, he decides to head to the Gulf Coast of Mississippi to the town of Cantrell - a town he left 22 years ago with no intention of ever returning.

After some information hunting - like pulling teeth to get the locals to talk to someone who left - he puts together that his dad is accused of killing a man who was acquitted of murder himself. Robie will get to the bottom of what happened, but unlike his day job, the target is undefined.

Baldacci is a great writer of suspense and mystery novels. Will Robie is a great character who can take care of himself even within the twists and turns of this plot. Great series for fans of good books!

Baldacci, David. (2015). The Guilty. New York: Grand Central Publishing.

The Target (Will Robie #3)

The Target by David Baldacci is the third book in his Will Robie series about a CIA agent and assassin.

Will Robie is arguably the best agent in the CIA, so is Jessica Reel. They are the two agents who are sent into impossible situations and have a change of coming home. But the assignment they are about to be sent on may be a suicide mission.

When the President of the United States receives intel that one of the most anti-US world leaders is in a vulnerable position, he must decided whether to act illegally and change the world landscape for the better. But if the mission fails, he will likely be impeached.

As they prepare for their assignment, elements from Reel's past surface to put them in more danger. A man on death row will plot a murder from his hospital bed. And fans will catch up with Julie Getty and super agent Vance.

Baldacci is a master storyteller. Will Robie is a commendable character with a terrible job. Great series.

Baldacci, David. (2014). The Target. New York: Grand Central Publishing.

The Hit (Will Robie #2)

The Hit by David Baldacci is the second book in his Will Robie series. Robie is a CIA assassin and sniper. He, and others in his division, are tasked with taking out the most notorious criminals in the world.

The only other agent equal to his skill is Jessica Reel. They trained together at one point, but the life of an assassin is a solitary one. Now Robie has been told to bring Jessica Reel in - dead or alive.

Reel has killed one of their own - an analyst at the CIA. Though analyst covers many job descriptions, his was to coordinate hits via satellite the shooter risked his or her life to pull it off and then escape. This killing makes the higher ups think that Reel has gone rogue.

And Reel knows that Robie will be sent to track her down. While he is studying her file, she is learning everything she can about him. The result is the two most skilled killers chasing each other around the East coast.

Baldacci created a great character with Will Robie. Now he has added a second character to bring things to an all new and stress-producing level for readers. Great series!

Baldacci, David. (2013). The Hit. New York: Grand Central Publishing.

Total Control

Total Control by David Baldacci is a thrill ride from the get go.

Jason Archer is an executive at Triton Global, the world's leading technology company. He is also copying documents in the warehouse and delivering them to someone. For the final transfer his contact changes things. He is to buy a plane ticket to L.A., but at the last minute trade tickets with someone else who will be dressed and made up to look just like him. When he gets to Seattle to make the document exchange, he is shocked to see that the plane to L.A. has crashed.

Sydney Archer, Jason's wife, is a high powered attorney working for a firm that represents Triton Global in their bid to buy a small company that will change the way information is exchanged on the Internet. She thinks Jason is on his way to a job interview with a different tech company while she away in New York to work on the CyberCom deal. She is interrupted during the meeting by the airline calling to inform her of husband's plane crash.

FBI Special Agent Lee Sawyer quickly takes over the plane crash investigation from the NTSB when sabotage is discovered. He will have to find the motivation behind the crash to follow the vague trail of clues to find out who caused it. The only passenger who looks like he could be the target is the chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank.

Baldacci has written a great thriller with elements to technology (circa 1997), finance, mystery and more. Total Control is a fun, tense ride from beginning to end. Great read on the beach or when you are hiding from the winter.

Baldacci, David. (1997). Total Control. New York: Warner Books.

The Innocent (Will Robie #1)

The Innocent by David Baldacci is high energy thrill ride about a US sanctioned assassin.

Will Robie undertakes the missions that the US needs to carry out but cannot be seen as executing. If caught, it will look like he was working on his own and no US agency will claim him.

Though he does not always know the reason people are picked to be eliminated, but is sure that the people pose a treat to the US. Then he gets an assignment that is unusual - the target is a US citizen. And when he gets there, she is the mother of two children who are sleeping in her room.

When Robie does not pull the trigger, a chain of events is set in motion. Plus, on during his escape route he encounters a fourteen year old girl who looks to need his help. Now Robie must keep her safe while trying to find out who is after them both.

Baldacci has created another thriller that will keep readers on edge. The action is heart-stopping and the characters will make you hope there is a sequel. Great read!

Baldacci, David. (2012). The Innocent. New York: Grand Central Publishing.

True Blue

True Blue by David Baldacci is a thriller with more twists than a roller coaster.

Mace Perry is about to get out of jail after serving two years for being framed. All she wants to do is find a way to become police again. Her sister, Beth, is the Chief of Police for D.C. and just wants Mace to stay out of trouble.

Almost immediately after her release, Mace is caught up in a case - a lawyer was killed and stuffed into a refrigerate. She was discovered by her colleague Roy Kingman.

Mace and Kingman team up to find out who killed his associate while trying not to step o Beth's toes. Mace has the idea that if she can solve a case she will be reinstated to the force. But when the investigation runs into a potential national security issue they may be running for their lives instead.

Baldacci is a master of the genre and always writes a great novel.

Baldacci, David. (2009). True Blue. New York: Grand Central Publishing.