Positive Press

Baldacci is back and better than ever…

I recently completed reading David Baldacci’s first entry in his Travis Devine series, The 6:20 Man; the new entry is called The Edge; I have not read that one.

There is a significant amount of sexual content in The 6:20 Man, and the book is a thriller, so there is violence, but Baldacci’s Amos Decker series was getting a little thin, and the new character is fresh and interesting.

I like the Memory Man books, but wish Baldacci would let Decker age and change more, as Michael Connelly has allowed Bosch to do. Aging, mortal and doing the same detecting, but in different contexts. Maybe that is problematic for Baldacci, as Decker is very different than Bosch.

With The 6:20 Man, Baldacci’s writing finds new blood and a captivating character. Yes, he is tall, dark and superhero, like Amos Decker, but Travis Devine’s persistence, kindness and exceptional combat training, makes for a likable and exciting character.

The plot twists are good, and the settings and characters fairly distinct. I would have liked a little more depth, but the mystery had to be couched somewhat so as not to be obvious.

We went around the same mountain a few times, but the suspense built and the plot thickened, and I was well entertained.

Devine’s character had some moral conflicts that lent to the story, and certain supporting characters were fun to follow.

I still think Baldacci’s semi-autobiographical, Wish You Well, is his most stunning work and has the best denouement amongst his works, but Memory Man, The Last Mile, The Simple Truth, True Blue, The Escape, and The 6:20 Man, rank high on the charts.

Just my opinion here: Baldacci is a strong contender in his genre.