Publication
New York : Grand Central Pub., 2011.
Collection
Call number
Fiction B
Physical description
416 p.; 24 cm
Status
Available
Call number
Description
After alleged serial killer Edgar Roy is apprehended and locked away in a psychiatric unit, private investigators Sean King and Michelle Maxwell are called in by Roy's lawyer--an old friend of Sean King--to look into the case. But en route to their first meeting with the lawyer, King and Maxwell discover his dead body.
Subjects
Series
Genres
Media reviews
Authentic scenario, mystery piled on misdirection and more double-crosses than a tic-tac-toe tournament.
User reviews
LibraryThing member bhabeck
The Sixth Man, the fifth book in the King and Mawell series by David Baldacci, opens with Sean and Michelle travelling to Maine to work with Sean’s law professor and friend, Ted Bergin. On the several hour drive from the airport to the remote town where they will be staying, they come across a
Edgar Roy is an off-the-charts genius that is being held at Cutter’s Bay, a maximum security prison in remote Maine. Roy is accused of killing 6 people and burying them on his family farm. Sean and Michelle decide to continue with the case in the hopes of finding Bergin’s murderer. What initially seemed to be a simple murder defense soon becomes a tangled and twisted intrigue involving national security, a struggle between government agencies and an assassination plot.
The story is a bit convoluted and the bad guys over-the-top bad but it’s an easy and entertaining read. Even better, the personal demons that Michelle has struggled with for the first four books finally seem to have been vanquished and she has become an asset to the team rather than a liability. Sean seems more trusting and open now that the relationship has improved and Michelle is less volatile.
At this point, there is one more book in the series. I will definitely continue with this story.
4 Stars
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car alongside a deserted stretch of highway. Inside, is Ted Bergin with a bullet in his brain. Sean believes this to be murder and an attempt to stop the defense of Edgar Roy.Edgar Roy is an off-the-charts genius that is being held at Cutter’s Bay, a maximum security prison in remote Maine. Roy is accused of killing 6 people and burying them on his family farm. Sean and Michelle decide to continue with the case in the hopes of finding Bergin’s murderer. What initially seemed to be a simple murder defense soon becomes a tangled and twisted intrigue involving national security, a struggle between government agencies and an assassination plot.
The story is a bit convoluted and the bad guys over-the-top bad but it’s an easy and entertaining read. Even better, the personal demons that Michelle has struggled with for the first four books finally seem to have been vanquished and she has become an asset to the team rather than a liability. Sean seems more trusting and open now that the relationship has improved and Michelle is less volatile.
At this point, there is one more book in the series. I will definitely continue with this story.
4 Stars
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LibraryThing member buffalogr
Sean King and Michelle Maxwell return in a novel focused on national security and a megalomaniac cabinet secretary. Another good edition to the series. Nice plot, interesting story...their "personal issues" are tedious. The dialogue is very stiff, confusing, feels like it was started and stopped at
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various times. Everything progresses in a logical manner with nothing shocking. OK. On to the next K&M. Show Less
LibraryThing member ShelleyJax
**Synopsis** Sean King and Michelle Maxwell return in their most shocking case: a high stakes struggle where the relentless needs of national security run up against the absolute limits of the human mind. In The Sixth Man, Edgar Roy is an alleged serial killer held in a secure, fortress-like
**Review** Sean King and Michelle Maxwell have both worked for the Secret Service protecting the president from harm. Both ended up leaving the service under other than ideal circumstances and ended up working together as private investigators. King is a trained lawyer, while Maxwell is crack shot with any gun she’s ever used and a slight anger issue as well.
They’ve been through a lot together. A maniac from Sean’s past blew up his home. A serial killer nearly ended both of their lives. And, a Rogue CIA agent put them squarely in his sights. They have survived up till now by backing each other up, but can they walk away from forces within the US government who want nothing more than to back stab their counterparts?
King and Maxwell’s relationship is that of an old married couple, in that they know what the other is thinking about, and can respond nearly automatic. Their relationship is what drives this storyline, along with some political gamesmanship, intrigue, suspense, and lots of mysteries. One of them will come very close to not walking about from this case that has serious national security implications involved.
For those who have read previous books in this series, this is probably one of the better releases. The story itself keeps you guessing right until the very end, and then has you taking a deep breath hoping that both Maxwell and King survive. I highly recommend this book to not only those who follow Baldacci, but to those who love mysteries as well.
*ARC recvd via netgalley.com** **This is the fifth book in the Sean King and Michelle Maxwell series. It releases April 19, 2011.
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Federal Supermax facility and is awaiting trial. He faces an almost certain conviction. Sean King and Michelle Maxwell are called in by Roy's attorney, Sean's old friend and mentor Ted Bergin, to help work the case. But their investigation is derailed before it begins. En route to their first meeting with Bergin, Sean and Michelle find him murdered. It is now up to them to ask the questions no one seems to want answered: Is Roy a killer? Who murdered Bergin? With help from some surprising allies, they continue to pursue the case. But the more they dig into Roy's past, the more they encounter obstacles, half-truths, dead-ends, false friends, and escalating threats from every direction. Their persistence puts them on a collision course with the highest levels of the government and the darkest corners of power. In a terrifying confrontation that will push Sean and Michelle to their limits, the duo may be permanently parted.**Review** Sean King and Michelle Maxwell have both worked for the Secret Service protecting the president from harm. Both ended up leaving the service under other than ideal circumstances and ended up working together as private investigators. King is a trained lawyer, while Maxwell is crack shot with any gun she’s ever used and a slight anger issue as well.
They’ve been through a lot together. A maniac from Sean’s past blew up his home. A serial killer nearly ended both of their lives. And, a Rogue CIA agent put them squarely in his sights. They have survived up till now by backing each other up, but can they walk away from forces within the US government who want nothing more than to back stab their counterparts?
King and Maxwell’s relationship is that of an old married couple, in that they know what the other is thinking about, and can respond nearly automatic. Their relationship is what drives this storyline, along with some political gamesmanship, intrigue, suspense, and lots of mysteries. One of them will come very close to not walking about from this case that has serious national security implications involved.
For those who have read previous books in this series, this is probably one of the better releases. The story itself keeps you guessing right until the very end, and then has you taking a deep breath hoping that both Maxwell and King survive. I highly recommend this book to not only those who follow Baldacci, but to those who love mysteries as well.
*ARC recvd via netgalley.com** **This is the fifth book in the Sean King and Michelle Maxwell series. It releases April 19, 2011.
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LibraryThing member she_climber
If you're a fan of the television show Chuck, like I am, Edgar will feel a bit like the Intersect. As always action-packed and full of twists and turns.
LibraryThing member DBower
I love books by David Baldacci and while I prefer the Camel Club series I have also enjoyed the King-Maxwell series. While there are some slow spots in this book, the ending is worth it all!
LibraryThing member marient
Sean King and Michelle maxwell are called by Sean's old mentor to defend Edgar Roy, an alleged serial killer held i n a secure, fortress-like Feferal Supermax facility awaiting trial.
LibraryThing member KellyReeder
Interesting premise, but thought Baldacci either gave the reader too much information, which lead to reader confusion, or not enough and I felt like I had to keep going back in the book to confirm names, events, etc.
LibraryThing member WeeziesBooks
I am a huge fan of David Baldacci’s novels and I have hurried to read every ‘Camel Club’ book as it was released, but this book feels too formulaic. Peter is “the Analyst’ who has a “more than a photographic memory.” His mind is referdd to as a ‘gold mind’ for the country or anoy
Although there is plenty of murder, hostage taking, intimidation and a small bit of romance between Investigators (and Lawyer) King and Maxwell, the action is slower than I would have liked. It felt as if some of the story line were overplayed in the telling, implementing and re-telling. I still enjoy Baldacci’s writing, but am not vested in King and Maxwell as characters although this is the second of Baldacci’s books I have read with these characters.
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others that hold him. His ability to absorb and remember everything he every hears or sees. He never forgets a thing. His sister and the entire intelligence crew get involved with a convoluted story where an immoral and calculating political official (really officials) are willing to sell their own integrity and loyalty for power and control working with a governmental contractor running an “e program.” While they are trying to save Peter, many of the characters true identities come unveiled. It was a good story but not as enhancing as those previously written.Although there is plenty of murder, hostage taking, intimidation and a small bit of romance between Investigators (and Lawyer) King and Maxwell, the action is slower than I would have liked. It felt as if some of the story line were overplayed in the telling, implementing and re-telling. I still enjoy Baldacci’s writing, but am not vested in King and Maxwell as characters although this is the second of Baldacci’s books I have read with these characters.
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LibraryThing member bohemiangirl35
Just okay. Unlike so many people, I am not a huge Baldacci fan. I read one book, Hour Game, that I loved and have not found another one by him that has gotten me hooked.
Sean and Michelle, former secret service agents now private investigators, agree to help a friend defend a genius accused of
The dialogue is stilted and doesn't sound authentic. The audio book was not the greatest. The two narrators must not have been together when they recorded. It sounded patched together.
Sean and Michelle, former secret service agents now private investigators, agree to help a friend defend a genius accused of
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murdering 6 people. On the way to meet with the lawyer, they find him murdered in his car on the side of the road. Because Sean is still in good standing as a lawyer, they decide to take the case themselves and continue their investigation.The dialogue is stilted and doesn't sound authentic. The audio book was not the greatest. The two narrators must not have been together when they recorded. It sounded patched together.
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LibraryThing member hemlokgang
This was a good one! I was engaged from start to finish.
LibraryThing member drlord
Let me start this review by saying that I'm a huge Baldacci "homer". Saying that, I found the plot of this book at times, took so many different roads that it was challenging to follow. While not his best, this book had as exciting an ending as any of his previous. If you like a book that'll keep
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you on the edge of your seat, and don't mind having to re-read parts again to understand where the plot is going, this is a very good book to chose. The plot and the characters play very well together and at the end you'll be saying "WHAT?, NO!!!". Show Less
LibraryThing member mikedraper
Former Secret Service Agents Sean King and Michelle Maxwell are hired by defense attorney Ted Bergin to help in the defense of Edgar Roy, suspected serial killer. They get up to their necks in a rivalry between government informational gathering agencies.
On the way to meet Bergin, they spot a car
Sean and Michelle meet a Maine state trooper and he tells them that Roy is a Federal prisoner and the FBI will be taking over the case.
In this well paced thriller, they try to prove that one man is innocent against seemingly insurmountable odds. A U.S. intelligence program is looking for a person who would be rated a 6 in an intelligence area. This person could look at information from all over the word and then make assessments. This info would be sold to the government.
There are competing agencies and David Baldacci keeps the reader in suspense. What do these intelligence agencies want with Edgar Roy and how will Sean and Michelle get enough info to defend him when it looks like they are against the U.S. government itself.
A well written and suspense thriller with exciting characters and a plot that will make the reader want more.
On the way to meet Bergin, they spot a car
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off the road with flashing lights. They find Bergin has been murdered and wonder how someone got him to pull off this deserted part of the highway.Sean and Michelle meet a Maine state trooper and he tells them that Roy is a Federal prisoner and the FBI will be taking over the case.
In this well paced thriller, they try to prove that one man is innocent against seemingly insurmountable odds. A U.S. intelligence program is looking for a person who would be rated a 6 in an intelligence area. This person could look at information from all over the word and then make assessments. This info would be sold to the government.
There are competing agencies and David Baldacci keeps the reader in suspense. What do these intelligence agencies want with Edgar Roy and how will Sean and Michelle get enough info to defend him when it looks like they are against the U.S. government itself.
A well written and suspense thriller with exciting characters and a plot that will make the reader want more.
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LibraryThing member TomWheaton
this book was a slow starter but, turned into a page-turner with more than one unanticipated twist at the end. The concept was a bit hard to believe but, with all of the advancements in technology lately, could possibly happen. I really enjoy this author, especilly the camel club series and
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anticipate his next novel. Show Less
LibraryThing member dekan
i loved this book. but i love the sean king, michelle maxwell series. it is my favorite series of david baldacci. i had guessed who "the murderer was" long before getting to the end but it was no fault to the writting, i was just having a good thinking day.
Edgar Roy-an alleged serial killer held
Edgar Roy-an alleged serial killer held
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in a secure, fortress-like Federal Supermax facility-is awaiting trial. He faces almost certain conviction. Sean King and Michelle Maxwell are called in by Roy's attorney, Sean's old friend and mentor Ted Bergin, to help work the case. But their investigation is derailed before it begins-en route to their first meeting with Bergin, Sean and Michelle find him murdered. Show Less
LibraryThing member bacreads
Baldaccu is one of my guilty pleasures. This is a Michelle Maxwell/Sean King story. The plot moves their relationship along while engaging the reader in a mystery that becomes more complicated as the story unfolds. As expected there are many twists and turns and surprises before the solution is
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revealled. Show Less
LibraryThing member delphimo
I thoroughly enjoy reading a Baldacci story. The story starts slowly and then draws the reader into the action. In this novel, a genius awaits sentencing for six murders. Michelle and Sean risk their life many times in this action packed mystery. Edgar Roy is a genius who aids in the protection of
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America. Of course, other companies that do not have an Edgar want to discredit the operation. Greed and power and money rein as top dogs, instead pf the protection of the United States. I lose my trust in the government with each new Baldacci novel. The world portrayed in these novels is scary. Show Less
LibraryThing member btfoss
The greatest analyst "E-6" for the Wall which is the Eplatform used by all US intelligence agencies has been incarcerated as a serial killer. With much travel, killings, close calls etc. the case is solved.
LibraryThing member dbhutch
I got this from a book club, mostly on the grounds it was Baldacci. I'd read some of his work before, but this was the first of the King and maxwell set I'd preused. Strangely enough, I have most of the others on the bookshelf somewhere.
The Sixth man is based upon a man who has the ability to
With the great twists and underplots Baldacci can weave, the book is a thrilling roller coaster ride on the DHS and the amount of power it can wield when unchecked.
The Sixth man is based upon a man who has the ability to
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filter and analyze a massive amount of infomation gathers from all of the USA's intelligence sources around the globe, and to make sense of it. This man, and the project he is part of, had disrupted the normal flow of many and intelligence projects and power in DC. That just won't do, so he is up on murder charges and in a Ultra high security federal pen in maine. King and Maxwell were hired by the man's attorney to help figure out who framed him. As the attorney ends up dead, more and more things come at King and maxwell as they try to sort out who this man really is, and why so many agencies are interested in him, either survival,or death.With the great twists and underplots Baldacci can weave, the book is a thrilling roller coaster ride on the DHS and the amount of power it can wield when unchecked.
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LibraryThing member wakela
This was an ok book. I had some pretty high expectations though. I have read a few other Baldacci books, but none from this particular series. I absolutely loved his Camel Club series. I felt that the characters were so alive. However, I didn’t get that sense in this book. Maybe its because I
The story line was very interesting though. Baldacci definitely knows how to keep you in suspense. There was tons of action in this book.
I think I am going to go back and start from the first book in this series. Just to see if maybe the characters will feel more alive. At this writing, even though the story line makes sense standing on its own, I would have to suggest reading this series in order in the hopes that the characters build up more.
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hadn’t read any of the prior books and didn’t have that getting to know you period.The story line was very interesting though. Baldacci definitely knows how to keep you in suspense. There was tons of action in this book.
I think I am going to go back and start from the first book in this series. Just to see if maybe the characters will feel more alive. At this writing, even though the story line makes sense standing on its own, I would have to suggest reading this series in order in the hopes that the characters build up more.
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LibraryThing member diananagy
Another of my fave authors and like all, this was an amazing book! Can't wait to read his next book!
LibraryThing member Carol420
All the elements of a good Baldacci novel are present in "The Sixth Man" but somehow they just don't come together quite as well as in some of his previous books. There is the usual secret service goings on and their questionable actions which leave you wondering who is in the right and who's on
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who's side. The two main characters Sean King and Michelle Maxwell are both ex-secret service who share a common link that draws them together and sparks romance. Working as PIs they are hired to help in the case of a serial killer. The storyi s interesting as we follow the couple on their journey which makes this an enjoyable read. It just lacked a little bit of suspense in the way that it was revealed. Show Less
LibraryThing member suetu
David Baldacci enters “Chuck” territory
Okay, not to be overly simplistic, but David Baldacci’s latest thriller featuring former Secret Service agents Sean King and Michelle Maxwell does have a plot highly reminiscent of the television show “Chuck,” though certainly not a similar tone. No,
The Analyst is the person tasked with watching the “Wall,” a six by eight foot screen on which flowed “information on suspicious activities being carried out by either Americans or foreigners operating domestically.” It’s a “compilation of top secret communications, all of colossal importance. And on it poured, from all corners of the globe, delivered en masse in high definition. If it were an Xbox or a PS3 game it would be the most exciting difficult one ever created. But there was nothing made up about it. Here real people lived and real people died, every second of every day.”
The idea is that our intelligence network is too spread out and diversified, and that in order to truly get the Big Picture, one individual needs to be able to process every scrap of data we collect. It’s a staggering job that literally brings brilliant men to their knees. Obviously it’s not a job for the average Joe, but a few extraordinary individuals can utilize 90-some percent of their brain, rather than the paltry ten percent most of us access. And all of this is exposited in a brief prologue.
Next, we’re with series protagonists King and Maxwell as they touch down in Maine. They’ve been called up for an investigative job. Ted Bergin, an old friend and law professor of Sean’s is defending the serial killer Edgar Roy, and he seems to believe there’s more to this open-and-shut case than meets the eye. He’s brought in reinforcements. Alas, they arrive too late. En route to their first meeting with Bergin, they come across a stalled vehicle. Inside they find Bergin’s body with a bullet to the brain. The question is: what do these two plotlines have to do with each other?
So begins a novel more packed with action than with plot. There is plot, but it’s not terribly complex or sophisticated. Some stuff happens, more stuff happens, and there’s a lot of traveling up and down the eastern seaboard. Baldacci gets some stuff right. He’s good at gracefully expositing what’s come before, and he can write a tight, tense scene. However, after four previous novels with these protagonists, I was really shocked at how one-dimensional the characters felt. King and Maxwell are at a pivotal point in their personal and professional lives. I was astounded by just how uninvested I was.
It’s not that this is a terrible novel, but there isn’t a whole lot of substance to it. If you’ve been following the series you’re going to want to read this one. Otherwise, I simply wouldn’t bother.
Okay, not to be overly simplistic, but David Baldacci’s latest thriller featuring former Secret Service agents Sean King and Michelle Maxwell does have a plot highly reminiscent of the television show “Chuck,” though certainly not a similar tone. No,
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there’s no “Intersect” computer imbedded in anyone’s brain, but there is a defense contractor running what’s called the E-Program. As the novel opens, the contractor, Peter Bunting, is seeking an individual who can be the next “Analyst.”The Analyst is the person tasked with watching the “Wall,” a six by eight foot screen on which flowed “information on suspicious activities being carried out by either Americans or foreigners operating domestically.” It’s a “compilation of top secret communications, all of colossal importance. And on it poured, from all corners of the globe, delivered en masse in high definition. If it were an Xbox or a PS3 game it would be the most exciting difficult one ever created. But there was nothing made up about it. Here real people lived and real people died, every second of every day.”
The idea is that our intelligence network is too spread out and diversified, and that in order to truly get the Big Picture, one individual needs to be able to process every scrap of data we collect. It’s a staggering job that literally brings brilliant men to their knees. Obviously it’s not a job for the average Joe, but a few extraordinary individuals can utilize 90-some percent of their brain, rather than the paltry ten percent most of us access. And all of this is exposited in a brief prologue.
Next, we’re with series protagonists King and Maxwell as they touch down in Maine. They’ve been called up for an investigative job. Ted Bergin, an old friend and law professor of Sean’s is defending the serial killer Edgar Roy, and he seems to believe there’s more to this open-and-shut case than meets the eye. He’s brought in reinforcements. Alas, they arrive too late. En route to their first meeting with Bergin, they come across a stalled vehicle. Inside they find Bergin’s body with a bullet to the brain. The question is: what do these two plotlines have to do with each other?
So begins a novel more packed with action than with plot. There is plot, but it’s not terribly complex or sophisticated. Some stuff happens, more stuff happens, and there’s a lot of traveling up and down the eastern seaboard. Baldacci gets some stuff right. He’s good at gracefully expositing what’s come before, and he can write a tight, tense scene. However, after four previous novels with these protagonists, I was really shocked at how one-dimensional the characters felt. King and Maxwell are at a pivotal point in their personal and professional lives. I was astounded by just how uninvested I was.
It’s not that this is a terrible novel, but there isn’t a whole lot of substance to it. If you’ve been following the series you’re going to want to read this one. Otherwise, I simply wouldn’t bother.
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LibraryThing member Carol420
The Sixth Man by David Baldacci
King & Maxwell Series Book #5
4.5 Stars
From The Book:
Edgar Roy--an alleged serial killer held in a secure, fortress-like Federal Supermax facility-is awaiting trial. He faces almost certain conviction. Sean King and Michelle Maxwell are called in by Roy's attorney,
My Views:
I'm a bit prejudiced when it comes to this series as it is my favorite of all the Baldacci offerings. The characters of Sean King and Michelle Maxwell continue to develop more fully from book to book, and the main mystery...like all David Baldacci mysteries... is built like an onion with layers upon layers that the reader must peel away to find the answer. One reviewer of the book hit the nail on the head with the comment " There were more double-crosses than a tic-tac-toe tournament." That pretty much sums it up.
King & Maxwell Series Book #5
4.5 Stars
From The Book:
Edgar Roy--an alleged serial killer held in a secure, fortress-like Federal Supermax facility-is awaiting trial. He faces almost certain conviction. Sean King and Michelle Maxwell are called in by Roy's attorney,
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Sean's old friend and mentor Ted Bergin, to help work the case. But their investigation is derailed before it begins. It is now up to them to ask the questions no one seems to want answered: With help from some surprising allies, they continue to pursue the case. But the more they dig into Roy's past, the more they encounter obstacles, half-truths, dead-ends, false friends, and escalating threats from every direction. My Views:
I'm a bit prejudiced when it comes to this series as it is my favorite of all the Baldacci offerings. The characters of Sean King and Michelle Maxwell continue to develop more fully from book to book, and the main mystery...like all David Baldacci mysteries... is built like an onion with layers upon layers that the reader must peel away to find the answer. One reviewer of the book hit the nail on the head with the comment " There were more double-crosses than a tic-tac-toe tournament." That pretty much sums it up.
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LibraryThing member JudithDCollins
I liked the two main characters of course (Sean King and Michelle Maxwell) which are both ex-secret service and fun little sarcastic remarks with a bit of romance sparks along the way. As usual, I prefer to listen to David’s books on audio as long as Ron is narrating as he is excellent! The duo
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has been hired to help in the case of a serial killer which one being Sean’s former attorney. Not as suspenseful as some of his other books; however, will keep reading his others as they always are full of twists and turns. Show Less
LibraryThing member ChristineEllei
Michelle Maxwell and Sean King are back for another adventure. In this book they agree to help Sean’s friend, attorney Ted Bergen, but plans quickly change when they discover him murdered. On they go to discover a secret government operation called “The Wall”, where super minds are used to
Okay, it’s another action/thriller. It is what it is, and for what its worth I enjoyed it. I enjoy all genres of books, but looking back I think I am a “not so secret” action/thriller junkie.
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diagnose mega amounts of top secret information. One of these super minds is being held in custody and in order to solve the murder they need to find out why.Okay, it’s another action/thriller. It is what it is, and for what its worth I enjoyed it. I enjoy all genres of books, but looking back I think I am a “not so secret” action/thriller junkie.
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Awards
Virginia Literary Awards (Winner — 2012)
Language
Original publication date
2011-04-12
ISBN
9780446573108