Publication
New York : Grand Central Publishing, [2019]
Collection
Call number
Fiction B
Physical description
418 p.; 24 cm
Status
Available
Call number
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:In this #1 New York Times bestselling thriller, FBI Agent Atlee Pine returns to her Georgia hometown to investigate her twin sister's abduction, only to encounter a serial killer.FBI Agent Atlee Pine's life was never the same after her twin sister Mercy was kidnapped �?? and likely killed �?? thirty years ago. After a lifetime of torturous uncertainty, Atlee's unresolved anger finally gets the better of her on the job, and she finds she has to deal with the demons of her past if she wants to remain with the FBI. Atlee and her assistant Carol Blum head back to Atlee's rural hometown in Georgia to see what they can uncover about the traumatic night Mercy was taken and Pine was almost killed. But soon after Atlee begins her investigation, a local woman is found ritualistically murdered, her face covered with a wedding veil �?? and the first killing is quickly followed by a second bizarre murder. Atlee is determined to continue her search for answers, but now she must also set her sights on finding a potential serial killer before another victim is claimed. But in a small town full of secrets �?? some of which could answer the questions that have plagued Atlee her entire life �?? and digging deeper into the past could be more dangerous than she… (more)
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User reviews
LibraryThing member alanteder
Return to Form Somewhat
Review of the Audible Audio audiobook edition (2019)
After last year's fantastically unrealistic Long Road to Mercy, this 2nd entry in the Atlee Pine series returns to a somewhat more conventional thriller themes. Conventional for Baldacci at least: incredible coincidences
The narrations by Brittany Pressley (all female voices) and Kyf Brewer (all male voices) were excellent throughout. Brewer raised my suspicions with his Christian Bale-like "I'm Batman1" rasp for one of the FBI agents, but it was just a way to expand his voice cast.
Trivia
An Estonian is featured somewhat in the book (can't say more without a spoiler). No particular Estonian research was involved, but the name was realistic at least: Hanna Rebane.
Review of the Audible Audio audiobook edition (2019)
After last year's fantastically unrealistic Long Road to Mercy, this 2nd entry in the Atlee Pine series returns to a somewhat more conventional thriller themes. Conventional for Baldacci at least: incredible coincidences
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abound and at one point a character says something like: "what you've experienced in the last 24 hours wouldn't happen to most people in an entire lifetime." That's an understatement. Still, this was a reasonable thriller with some unexpected twists.The narrations by Brittany Pressley (all female voices) and Kyf Brewer (all male voices) were excellent throughout. Brewer raised my suspicions with his Christian Bale-like "I'm Batman1" rasp for one of the FBI agents, but it was just a way to expand his voice cast.
Trivia
An Estonian is featured somewhat in the book (can't say more without a spoiler). No particular Estonian research was involved, but the name was realistic at least: Hanna Rebane.
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LibraryThing member BookConcierge
Book on CD read by Brittany Pressley and Kyf Brewer
Book 2 in the Atlee Pine mystery series has the FBI agent forced to take a “vacation” after she nearly beats a child-kidnaper to death. Of course, her faithful assistant, Carol, comes along as the two of them head back to Andersonville
Well, this got complicated quickly. It’s not enough that she’s trying to unravel the mystery of her family and what happened those many years ago, but now she has to deal with a pretty twisted individual whose killing spree shows no signs of stopping. Are the new murders tied to Atlee’s family history? Can she put aside her history with agent Eddie Laredo, with whom she once worked in the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit, and who is assigned to work this case.
Baldacci certainly knows how to craft a compelling page-turner: short sentences, short chapters, and action that keeps the characters and the reader on their toes. It’s fast-paced and compelling, but there were several times when I thought he stretched credulity a bit too far. I did get surprised by the reveal (or at least part of it).
Atlee’s personal story, however, cannot be wrapped up just yet … there has to be at least one more episode. (And, in fact, book three in the series is scheduled to release this November.)
Brittany Pressley and Kyf Brewer narrate the audio version, with Pressley taking the main narration and all female character voices, and Brewer voicing all the male characters. This is a very effective approach.
Book 2 in the Atlee Pine mystery series has the FBI agent forced to take a “vacation” after she nearly beats a child-kidnaper to death. Of course, her faithful assistant, Carol, comes along as the two of them head back to Andersonville
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Georgia, where Pine’s family lived when her twin sister, Mercy, was abducted. Looking for anyone who might remember what happened when she was just six years old, she comes across a number of people who are clearly hiding something. And to further complicate matters, there’s a serial murderer at work.Well, this got complicated quickly. It’s not enough that she’s trying to unravel the mystery of her family and what happened those many years ago, but now she has to deal with a pretty twisted individual whose killing spree shows no signs of stopping. Are the new murders tied to Atlee’s family history? Can she put aside her history with agent Eddie Laredo, with whom she once worked in the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit, and who is assigned to work this case.
Baldacci certainly knows how to craft a compelling page-turner: short sentences, short chapters, and action that keeps the characters and the reader on their toes. It’s fast-paced and compelling, but there were several times when I thought he stretched credulity a bit too far. I did get surprised by the reveal (or at least part of it).
Atlee’s personal story, however, cannot be wrapped up just yet … there has to be at least one more episode. (And, in fact, book three in the series is scheduled to release this November.)
Brittany Pressley and Kyf Brewer narrate the audio version, with Pressley taking the main narration and all female character voices, and Brewer voicing all the male characters. This is a very effective approach.
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LibraryThing member drlord
This was a fantastic book. I love the way that Baldacci is maturing the Atlee Pine character and I can't wait for the next title.
LibraryThing member waldhaus1
I enjoyed this story. It really is two parallel stories - one Atlee Pines exploration of her traumatic childhood. The other investigation of a serial killing spree that develops when she is visiting the town where she was attacked at age 7 and her sister kidnaped and/or murdered. She wants to
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unravel that mystery from her past. Her investigational expertise comes to the fore with many interesting and unexpected developments. Show Less
LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
A Minute to Midnight, David Balducci, author; Brittany Pressley and Kyf Brewer, narrators.
Female FBI agent Atlee Pine has suffered a setback in her career because of an overreaction when she caught a pedophile with a young girl. Although she rescued the girl, she also beat the pedophile to a pulp.
As years passed, Atlee was never told the truth about her background, although she did not realize it until this investigation. She knew that her father killed himself on her birthday and that her mother abandoned her when she was in college, leaving her enough money to finish her education. However, she discovered that the rest of her life was a fiction. She was never able to find her mom or discover the truth about her sister’s disappearance, either. Now she hoped to at least find out something about Mercy.
When she returns to her home town, with her assistant, Carol Blum, she discovers that her mother and father had different names and a past she had not known. While she searches for answers about her sister’s fate, additional murders take place around her. She assists in the investigation and pretty much takes it over. She wonders if there is a serial killer on the loose? Are the murders related to her return? Has everyone told her the whole story about her family, or are they holding back facts? Somehow, in bits and pieces she realizes that she knows little about herself or anything else, and she places herself in great danger.
Atlee acts as if she is superior to everyone else, and she often has a chip on her shoulder. Her responses to others are authoritarian, abrupt and sarcastic. I did not find her very likeable. Sometimes she actually seemed to be endowed with supernatural capabilities, almost like a superhero, surviving situations that should have killed her. The author seemed to want to stress the fact that women are at least as capable, if not more so, than men in similar situations.
The author would not have written such trite dialogue between men, as he did between the women in the book. It was often glib and pointless. I found the book disappointing. I thought that the narrator over emoted, and her interpretation of the characters made me dislike most of them. Although Atlee’s insights were often spot on, and she was very fit and strong, I found her to be ruled by emotions not brains. She is painted as the sharpest knife in the drawer, the brightest bulb in the box, the genius who somehow instinctively solves all problems. However, the novel feels like it is chick lit at best, filled with trite platitudes and hackneyed conversations, not up to the standards of this author.
I won’t be listening to the next book they indicated is coming in this series and was disappointed that the book left me hanging without Atlee solving the mystery of her sister or her mother’s location. While the book tackles civil rights, women’s rights, sex trafficking, drugs, porn, and other crimes high on the liberal list of causes, it seemed to do so in a trivial manner to me. It was almost as if the author did it for the sake of his liberal leanings. I would not recommend this book to others. It held my interest, but only because I thought it would get better. It really didn't improve.
Female FBI agent Atlee Pine has suffered a setback in her career because of an overreaction when she caught a pedophile with a young girl. Although she rescued the girl, she also beat the pedophile to a pulp.
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Her superior understood her reaction, and he did not discipline her, but instead, he gave her the opportunity to use some time off to reconcile her emotional issues concerning her twin sister’s disappearance. She set out to find out what she could about the crime that had occurred more than two decades ago, when her sister Mercy had been kidnapped. She and Mercy were six years old at the time. Atlee was left for dead with a fractured skull. Her sister was never found. Her parents were devastated, and her father was accused of the crime. Eventually, her parents left town in secret.As years passed, Atlee was never told the truth about her background, although she did not realize it until this investigation. She knew that her father killed himself on her birthday and that her mother abandoned her when she was in college, leaving her enough money to finish her education. However, she discovered that the rest of her life was a fiction. She was never able to find her mom or discover the truth about her sister’s disappearance, either. Now she hoped to at least find out something about Mercy.
When she returns to her home town, with her assistant, Carol Blum, she discovers that her mother and father had different names and a past she had not known. While she searches for answers about her sister’s fate, additional murders take place around her. She assists in the investigation and pretty much takes it over. She wonders if there is a serial killer on the loose? Are the murders related to her return? Has everyone told her the whole story about her family, or are they holding back facts? Somehow, in bits and pieces she realizes that she knows little about herself or anything else, and she places herself in great danger.
Atlee acts as if she is superior to everyone else, and she often has a chip on her shoulder. Her responses to others are authoritarian, abrupt and sarcastic. I did not find her very likeable. Sometimes she actually seemed to be endowed with supernatural capabilities, almost like a superhero, surviving situations that should have killed her. The author seemed to want to stress the fact that women are at least as capable, if not more so, than men in similar situations.
The author would not have written such trite dialogue between men, as he did between the women in the book. It was often glib and pointless. I found the book disappointing. I thought that the narrator over emoted, and her interpretation of the characters made me dislike most of them. Although Atlee’s insights were often spot on, and she was very fit and strong, I found her to be ruled by emotions not brains. She is painted as the sharpest knife in the drawer, the brightest bulb in the box, the genius who somehow instinctively solves all problems. However, the novel feels like it is chick lit at best, filled with trite platitudes and hackneyed conversations, not up to the standards of this author.
I won’t be listening to the next book they indicated is coming in this series and was disappointed that the book left me hanging without Atlee solving the mystery of her sister or her mother’s location. While the book tackles civil rights, women’s rights, sex trafficking, drugs, porn, and other crimes high on the liberal list of causes, it seemed to do so in a trivial manner to me. It was almost as if the author did it for the sake of his liberal leanings. I would not recommend this book to others. It held my interest, but only because I thought it would get better. It really didn't improve.
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LibraryThing member Susan.Macura
In this second installment of David Baldacci's Atlee Pine series, Pine returns to her childhood town in an attempt to discover what really happened to her twin Mercy who was kidnapped when they were children. As luck would have it, a series of murders rock this small town, resulting in Pine working
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both cases at once. We get to meet some truly evil people and are left with a cliff hanger, so I can't wait for the next book in this series. Baldacci never disappoints! Show Less
LibraryThing member WeeziesBooks
Atlee Pine is still trying to find her sister who disappeared from her bedroom as a child and where she was left for dead. This is the second in the Atlee Pine Series by David Baldacci, A Long Road to Mercy being the first. In this book the chase continues for Atlee to solve her own mystery while
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continuing to do her job. I do not particularly like this character and may not continue to read the series as it feels formulaic which is not my typical response to Baldacci’s writings. I have read numerous Baldacci books but the older Camel Club series continues to be my favorite by Baldacci. I give this book a 3. Show Less
LibraryThing member Judiex
FBI Agent Atlee Pine’s life has been centered on event that began when she and her twin sister, Mercy, were five years old. Their parents were downstairs, drunk and stoned, in their Andersonville, Georgia, home when a man broke into their room, hit Atlee so hard that he broke her skull, and
A few years later, the parents divorced. Atlee lived with her mother. A few years after that, her father committed suicide. When Atlee was seventeen years old, she came home one day and found a note from her mother and enough money to support herself. She had been unable to locate her mother nor had she heard from her again.
Atlee, now 35, is an FBI agent based near Grand Canyon, Arizona. She has never given up hope that she would be able to learn what happened to Mercy. She began to visit a violent, mean serial killer hoping he could give her information. One day, after her third, depressing meeting, she heard an Amber Alert. She was in the vicinity and went on pursuit. She was successful, but her anger got the better of her and she went way beyond what was required to subdue him. Her boss placed her on leave so she could get herself together.
Atlee decided to go back to Andersonville, Georgia, for the first time in thirty years. With her assistant, Carol Blum, she began to try to speak to people who knew her family and might know what had happened to her sister..
Soon after she got there, a body was discovered in an alley. The woman, who had no identification on her, was dressed in a bridal gown from another era. Andersonville is a small town and the sheriff and police departments lack the experience and personnel to solve such a crime. Atlee agreed to help solve the crime. That was followed by finding of another unidentified body, this one a black man dressed in an antique tuxedo placed on a grave in the Andersonville Cemetery. More murders also take place.
The book has unexpected twists and red herrings. As Atlee investigates her own family’s story, she learns that almost everything she knew about her parents were lies and her recollection of that fateful night were also suspect.
Not surprisingly, the two plots overlap.
Atlee learns a lot about herself and meets up with former acquaintances.
There is a detailed explanation of how financial markets work and can be manipulated.
I found A MINUTE TO MIDNIGHT to be another David Baldacci page turner.
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abducted Mercy. She was never heard of again. A few months later, her parents and Atlee left their home in the middle of the night without letting anyone know their plans.A few years later, the parents divorced. Atlee lived with her mother. A few years after that, her father committed suicide. When Atlee was seventeen years old, she came home one day and found a note from her mother and enough money to support herself. She had been unable to locate her mother nor had she heard from her again.
Atlee, now 35, is an FBI agent based near Grand Canyon, Arizona. She has never given up hope that she would be able to learn what happened to Mercy. She began to visit a violent, mean serial killer hoping he could give her information. One day, after her third, depressing meeting, she heard an Amber Alert. She was in the vicinity and went on pursuit. She was successful, but her anger got the better of her and she went way beyond what was required to subdue him. Her boss placed her on leave so she could get herself together.
Atlee decided to go back to Andersonville, Georgia, for the first time in thirty years. With her assistant, Carol Blum, she began to try to speak to people who knew her family and might know what had happened to her sister..
Soon after she got there, a body was discovered in an alley. The woman, who had no identification on her, was dressed in a bridal gown from another era. Andersonville is a small town and the sheriff and police departments lack the experience and personnel to solve such a crime. Atlee agreed to help solve the crime. That was followed by finding of another unidentified body, this one a black man dressed in an antique tuxedo placed on a grave in the Andersonville Cemetery. More murders also take place.
The book has unexpected twists and red herrings. As Atlee investigates her own family’s story, she learns that almost everything she knew about her parents were lies and her recollection of that fateful night were also suspect.
Not surprisingly, the two plots overlap.
Atlee learns a lot about herself and meets up with former acquaintances.
There is a detailed explanation of how financial markets work and can be manipulated.
I found A MINUTE TO MIDNIGHT to be another David Baldacci page turner.
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LibraryThing member labdaddy4
An excellent second Attlee Pine novel. Baldacci writes a strong page turner. His ability to develop new primary characters with complex back-stories keeps his work fresh and interesting. This book is a fast paced detective novel with enough plots twists and surprises to keep the reader engaged from
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the first page to the last. Show Less
LibraryThing member brakketh
Solid by the numbers murder mystery.
LibraryThing member SignoraEdie
Really held my interest! However there were aspects of the main character that did not seem consistent nor believable to me.
LibraryThing member Olivermagnus
As the story opens, FBI agent Atlee Pine, six-foot-two and able to bench press 500 pounds, visits incarcerated serial killer Daniel James Tor. She suspects him as the man who kidnapped her twin sister and fractured her own skull 30 years earlier. He refuses to give her any help.
Frustrated, Pine
Instead of firing or suspending Pine, her supervisor tells her to go back to Georgia and re-examine the disappearance of her twin thirty years earlier and try to get her life back on track.
Soon after she arrives, bodies begin appearing in her hometown. Is it a coincidence that as soon as she shows up a serial killer begins working? Or is it somehow improbably tied to the events of thirty years ago? Atlee starts remembering more details about her long-forgotten past, things that turn her investigation into a whole new direction. At some point, the two stories do intersect, and they reveal even more of the past.
There is something that prevents me from connecting with this character, but her relationship with Carol remains a highlight for me. Carol is the one with whom Atlee shares everything first, and who is her sounding board as she investigates her family’s past.
While not my favorite Baldacci series, events toward the end of the book have me almost eagerly anticipating the next book in the series, coming out in November.
1145
Frustrated, Pine
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leaves and immediately responds to an Amber Alert. Atlee tracks the pedophile who has seized a ten-year-old girl, and once she has the man overpowered, she continues to beat him, fracturing his skull.Instead of firing or suspending Pine, her supervisor tells her to go back to Georgia and re-examine the disappearance of her twin thirty years earlier and try to get her life back on track.
Soon after she arrives, bodies begin appearing in her hometown. Is it a coincidence that as soon as she shows up a serial killer begins working? Or is it somehow improbably tied to the events of thirty years ago? Atlee starts remembering more details about her long-forgotten past, things that turn her investigation into a whole new direction. At some point, the two stories do intersect, and they reveal even more of the past.
There is something that prevents me from connecting with this character, but her relationship with Carol remains a highlight for me. Carol is the one with whom Atlee shares everything first, and who is her sounding board as she investigates her family’s past.
While not my favorite Baldacci series, events toward the end of the book have me almost eagerly anticipating the next book in the series, coming out in November.
1145
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LibraryThing member Nancyjcbs
I thoroughly enjoyed the second Atlee Pine thriller. A Minute To Midnight begins with Atlee responding to an Amber alert. Her actions raise some red flags and she is given personal time to work on her own history. She and her assistant, Carol, head to Andersonville, Georgia to research the attack
While in Andersonville a serial killing begins. Pine is first on the scene of the first murder and assists the local police and FBI in their investigations. The constant question for the reader is do these crimes thirty years apart relate?
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on Atlee and disappearance of her twin Mercy. This pursuit offers many twists, surprises and emotional shockwaves.While in Andersonville a serial killing begins. Pine is first on the scene of the first murder and assists the local police and FBI in their investigations. The constant question for the reader is do these crimes thirty years apart relate?
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LibraryThing member lamb521
Title: A Minute to Midnight (An Atlee Pine Thriller #2)
Author: David Baldacci
Pages: 432
Year: 2019
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars.
I was hooked on the series with the first book titled, A Long Road to Mercy. It is in these pages where readers meet an FBI Special Agent
In the sequel to Long Road to Mercy, Atlee must face her past as it affects her ability to do her job. Atlee travels back to Georgia along with her assistant to begin looking into her missing sister’s case, and why Atlee was left injured but alive. What Atlee doesn’t count on is becoming entangled in more unsolved cases in her small town, her past in the FBI, and a surprising ending that will leaving you wanting more!
I enjoyed A Long Rode to Mercy, but this novel was even better! The mystery that is woven is really engaging and the ending was surprising! I hope the author has plans to write more Atlee Pine Thrillers. The book doesn’t have sex in it, just a great and involved tale that will keep readers entertained for hours. When the author tells of Atlee’s growing up years and starts casting doubt about who her parents really were, and what they might have been involved in, I could read fast enough.
The other character I enjoyed was Carol Blum, Atlee’s assistant. There is more to her than I originally understood from the first book. This woman has a past that makes her a wonderful woman who helps Atlee through some very hard times when she relieves her childhood nightmare. I wonder if the author has plans to reveal more of Carol and how she developed into a woman who can find out anything in the FBI with just a phone call or two!
Read and enjoy A Long Road to Mercy and A Minute to Midnight while we wait and see if there is yet a third book that might be released in the fall of 2020 or sooner!
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.
Author: David Baldacci
Pages: 432
Year: 2019
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars.
I was hooked on the series with the first book titled, A Long Road to Mercy. It is in these pages where readers meet an FBI Special Agent
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named Atlee Pine, and she sure is a spitfire! Atlee’s hard work, drive, and past all come together, which make her one of the best of the best! Atlee is known to be an agent who can take care of herself and is a very intelligent woman. Atlee is the lone agent posted in the Grand Canyon. Her assistant, Carol Blum, is more than what she appears to be. In the sequel to Long Road to Mercy, Atlee must face her past as it affects her ability to do her job. Atlee travels back to Georgia along with her assistant to begin looking into her missing sister’s case, and why Atlee was left injured but alive. What Atlee doesn’t count on is becoming entangled in more unsolved cases in her small town, her past in the FBI, and a surprising ending that will leaving you wanting more!
I enjoyed A Long Rode to Mercy, but this novel was even better! The mystery that is woven is really engaging and the ending was surprising! I hope the author has plans to write more Atlee Pine Thrillers. The book doesn’t have sex in it, just a great and involved tale that will keep readers entertained for hours. When the author tells of Atlee’s growing up years and starts casting doubt about who her parents really were, and what they might have been involved in, I could read fast enough.
The other character I enjoyed was Carol Blum, Atlee’s assistant. There is more to her than I originally understood from the first book. This woman has a past that makes her a wonderful woman who helps Atlee through some very hard times when she relieves her childhood nightmare. I wonder if the author has plans to reveal more of Carol and how she developed into a woman who can find out anything in the FBI with just a phone call or two!
Read and enjoy A Long Road to Mercy and A Minute to Midnight while we wait and see if there is yet a third book that might be released in the fall of 2020 or sooner!
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.
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LibraryThing member Baochuan
Interesting sequel to the book series. Enjoyed the writing and story line.
LibraryThing member lewilliams
Atlee Pine is on leave to try to find out more about her sisters abduction and Murder that left her in the hospital with a concussion 30 years ago in Andersonville Georgia. The crime was never solved. During this time there are two murders committed that Pine volunteers to help out on at the same
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time as she is trying to solve the cold case about her sister. A minute to Midnight will keep you turning pages. Show Less
LibraryThing member nyiper
Loved it except I felt a tiny "oops" at the end...I needed a little MORE!!!
LibraryThing member buffalogr
This plot has our heroine, Atlee Pine, returning to her childhood home on vacation where she intends to solve the mystery of her childhood. Meanwhile, the local county mountie needs help solving a murder-- so she pitches in. The result is a solved crime. The dual tracked story really held my
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interest! Admittedly, I read this book ( #2) before book #1, but I feel cheated that the family mystery was not solved and as one reviewer put it: "I felt a tiny "oops" at the end." Show Less
LibraryThing member jfe16
FBI Agent Atlee Pine returns to Andersonville, Georgia in search of answers about the kidnapping of her twin sister, Mercy, some thirty years earlier. But a serial killer interrupts her investigation, causing Atlee to divide her time between her own private investigation and the hunt for the serial
Accompanied by her assistant, Carol Blum, Atlee digs into the past where the secrets are plentiful and danger lurks around every corner. Will Atlee find the answers she seeks; will she finally know what happened to Mercy?
Continuing the story begun in “Long Road to Mercy,” Atlee’s backstory slowly emerges while she splits her time between her personal search and the hunt for the serial killer. Strong characters, well-defined and believable, keep the story moving while surprising reveals change everything that the readers think they know.
The connection between the twin sisters is one of the strong points of the story; Atlee’s fierce drive to find the answers, to have closure about what happened to her twin sister is both realistic and heartrending. The captivating plot, complex and intriguing, keeps the pages turning to a conclusion readers simply will not see coming.
“A Minute to Midnight” works as a stand-alone since there is sufficient backstory for readers new to the series [but reading “Long Road to Mercy” is highly recommended]. And, although there is a satisfactory conclusion for the main plot, there are still questions regarding Mercy and readers are sure to be looking forward to Atlee’s next adventure as her search for Mercy continues.
Highly recommended.
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killer. Accompanied by her assistant, Carol Blum, Atlee digs into the past where the secrets are plentiful and danger lurks around every corner. Will Atlee find the answers she seeks; will she finally know what happened to Mercy?
Continuing the story begun in “Long Road to Mercy,” Atlee’s backstory slowly emerges while she splits her time between her personal search and the hunt for the serial killer. Strong characters, well-defined and believable, keep the story moving while surprising reveals change everything that the readers think they know.
The connection between the twin sisters is one of the strong points of the story; Atlee’s fierce drive to find the answers, to have closure about what happened to her twin sister is both realistic and heartrending. The captivating plot, complex and intriguing, keeps the pages turning to a conclusion readers simply will not see coming.
“A Minute to Midnight” works as a stand-alone since there is sufficient backstory for readers new to the series [but reading “Long Road to Mercy” is highly recommended]. And, although there is a satisfactory conclusion for the main plot, there are still questions regarding Mercy and readers are sure to be looking forward to Atlee’s next adventure as her search for Mercy continues.
Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member JRlibrary
Looking forward to reading the next Pine story. Was disappointed that Sam didn’t make an appearance in this one.
Interesting that a case just happened to occur right where Atlee happened to be “vacationing” which really means trying to find more information about her sister. Enjoyable though
Interesting that a case just happened to occur right where Atlee happened to be “vacationing” which really means trying to find more information about her sister. Enjoyable though
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if you like detective investigations. Show Less
LibraryThing member JenniferRobb
The second installment of Baldacci's Atlee Pine series. I did read the first one in this series and have read quite a few books by this author.
There are actually two arcs in this story. The longer arc being Atlee Pine's search for what happened to her twin sister, Mercy. (This longer arc,
Though Pine is officially on leave from the FBI, she ends up as one of the team investigating the murders.
It's nice to learn some of Pine's history. I like the friendship that's developed between Pine and her assistant, Carol Blum. I like that both women respect the strengths of each other and that they recognize that their strengths complement each other. I'm glad to see Pine developing some friendships.
I did not guess who the murderer(s) was/were before it was revealed.
I also did not guess what part Jack Lineberry would play--I hope that future novels in the series delve more into the history of how he knew Pine's parents and what happened in the past.
I wonder if Blum's interest in Cy Tanner will continue in future novels or if it was just for this one. I was glad Cy wasn't involved in the murders.
There are actually two arcs in this story. The longer arc being Atlee Pine's search for what happened to her twin sister, Mercy. (This longer arc,
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predictably, does not get solved within the confines of this novel, though additional clues are uncovered.) The story arc involves Pine's return to the town from which Mercy was taken which coincides with a strange killing spree.Though Pine is officially on leave from the FBI, she ends up as one of the team investigating the murders.
It's nice to learn some of Pine's history. I like the friendship that's developed between Pine and her assistant, Carol Blum. I like that both women respect the strengths of each other and that they recognize that their strengths complement each other. I'm glad to see Pine developing some friendships.
I did not guess who the murderer(s) was/were before it was revealed.
I also did not guess what part Jack Lineberry would play--I hope that future novels in the series delve more into the history of how he knew Pine's parents and what happened in the past.
I wonder if Blum's interest in Cy Tanner will continue in future novels or if it was just for this one. I was glad Cy wasn't involved in the murders.
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LibraryThing member gpangel
A Minute to Midnight by David Baldacci is a 2019 Grand Central publication.
Atlee Pine returns to her childhood home searching for answers about her twin sister’s disappearance when they were children. The small town seems both welcoming and wary of Atlee and her questions.
Things get dicey when
The first book in this series was a bit flat, in my opinion. Baldacci can write much better than that- but I had received an ARC of the third book in the Pine series, so I felt obligated to continue. I’m happy to say the series was definitely worth a second glance!!
This second book more than makes up for the lackluster series starter. Great pacing, plenty of action, and suspense, plus some surprise developments that has me eagerly anticipating book three!!
4 stars
Atlee Pine returns to her childhood home searching for answers about her twin sister’s disappearance when they were children. The small town seems both welcoming and wary of Atlee and her questions.
Things get dicey when
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she discovers the body of woman wearing a wedding veil. In short order, another murder takes place. Is there a serial killer on the loose? Is there a connection to Atlee or her sister? The first book in this series was a bit flat, in my opinion. Baldacci can write much better than that- but I had received an ARC of the third book in the Pine series, so I felt obligated to continue. I’m happy to say the series was definitely worth a second glance!!
This second book more than makes up for the lackluster series starter. Great pacing, plenty of action, and suspense, plus some surprise developments that has me eagerly anticipating book three!!
4 stars
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LibraryThing member PaulaGalvan
Book two was just as engaging as the first. In this story, FBI agent Atlee Pine—still searching for answers regarding her missing twin sister, Mercy—goes back to her hometown of Andersonville, Georgia, where it all happened. While looking into her past, she helps local authorities investigate
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several murders in town and finds that almost everyone connected to them is suspiciously tied to events thirty years ago. After a big reveal at the end, Atlee comes closer to discovering the truth about her family. Show Less
LibraryThing member HeatherLINC
I found this instalment of the Atlee Pine series so much better than the first. In "A Minute to Midnight", Atlee, along with her very capable assistant, Carol Blum, returns to Atlee's hometown in search of answers to Mercy's abduction when she was a child. As Atlee probes the past she discovers
I found the first novel, "A Long Way to Mercy", a little flat and slow but "A Minute to Midnight" made up for it. This novel was packed with action and suspense, and solid characters. I especially liked Carol. She is a mother of six and a grandmother to many. She is switched on, nurturing and kind and she brought humour to the novel and provided stability for Atlee. Between them, they make a formidable team!
Atlee is a woman you wouldn't want to mess with. She is prickly, untrusting and gets things done - her way. She is also a smart investigator and isn't afraid to mix it with the bad guys. I was invested in her quest to find the truth and, with the book ending the way it did, I am now off to find "Daylight." A compulsive, entertaining read.
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shocking secrets which leave her questioning everything she thought she knew about her family. Added to the mix, a number of murders occur in the usually quiet town of Andersonville. They can't be a coincidence, can they?I found the first novel, "A Long Way to Mercy", a little flat and slow but "A Minute to Midnight" made up for it. This novel was packed with action and suspense, and solid characters. I especially liked Carol. She is a mother of six and a grandmother to many. She is switched on, nurturing and kind and she brought humour to the novel and provided stability for Atlee. Between them, they make a formidable team!
Atlee is a woman you wouldn't want to mess with. She is prickly, untrusting and gets things done - her way. She is also a smart investigator and isn't afraid to mix it with the bad guys. I was invested in her quest to find the truth and, with the book ending the way it did, I am now off to find "Daylight." A compulsive, entertaining read.
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LibraryThing member OscarWilde87
David Baldacci's A Minute to Midnight continues the series centered around Atlee Pine, an FBI agent working in a remote office in Arizona whose twin sister Mercy was abducted when she was only six years old.
Atlee Pine is given a temporary leave of absence from her job at the FBI after she captures
I enjoyed the second installment in Baldacci's Atlee Pine series more than the first one as the story was more gripping and the main character was developed further. It certainly got me hooked to the series. 4 stars for this novel.
Atlee Pine is given a temporary leave of absence from her job at the FBI after she captures
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a child molester and uses excessive force and almost beats him to pulp. She then decides that she has to deal with her past and revisit her childhood home in Georgia to try and solve her twin sister Mercy's abduction. While there Pine gets involved in the investigation of several murders that haunt the town and that might be connected to her past. Will she be able to catch the serial killer? Will she make some headway in finding out the truth about that fateful night her sister was abducted?I enjoyed the second installment in Baldacci's Atlee Pine series more than the first one as the story was more gripping and the main character was developed further. It certainly got me hooked to the series. 4 stars for this novel.
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Language
Original publication date
2019
ISBN
9781538761601
Other editions
A minute to midnight by David Baldacci (Paper Book)