Publication
New York : Grand Central Publishing, 2020.
Collection
Call number
Fiction B
Physical description
422 p.; 24 cm
Status
Available
Call number
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:Amos Decker�??�??the FBI consultant with a perfect memory�??returns to solve a gruesome murder in a booming North Dakota oil town in the newest thriller in David Baldacci's #1 New York Times bestselling Memory Man series. When Amos Decker and his FBI colleague Alex Jamison are called to London, North Dakota, they instantly sense that the thriving fracking town is ripe for trouble. The promise of a second gold rush has attracted an onslaught of newcomers all hoping for a windfall, and the community is growing faster than houses can be built. The sudden boom has also brought a slew of problems with it, including drugs, property crimes, prostitution�??and now murder. Decker and Jamison are ordered to investigate the death of a young woman named Irene Cramer, whose body was expertly autopsied and then dumped in the open�??which is only the beginning of the oddities surrounding the case. As Decker and Jamison dig into Irene's life, they are shocked to discover that the woman who walked the streets by night as a prostitute was a teacher for a local religious sect by day�??a sect operating on land once owned by a mysterious government facility that looms over the entire community. London is a town replete with ruthless business owners, shady government officials, and religious outsiders, all determined to keep their secrets from coming out. When other murders occur, Decker will need all of his extraordinary memory and detective skills, and the assistance of a surprising ally, to root out a killer and the forces behind Cramer's death . . . before the b… (more)
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User reviews
LibraryThing member basilisksam
Seriously tedious read.
I’ve followed Amos Decker from his first appearance but in this book he seems to have lost his mojo, as has David Baldacci. This is the most rambling and tedious of his books I’ve ever read. At one point we’re treated to a lecture on how fracking works right down to the
Starts badly then it gets worse when Will Robbie, the (very) poor man’s Jack Reacher, turns up to do improbable things. If I’d known Robbie was going to be in the book I would not have started to read it. Somehow I managed to stumble through to the end but by that time did not care who had done what to whom and why.
I’m done with Baldacci.
I’ve followed Amos Decker from his first appearance but in this book he seems to have lost his mojo, as has David Baldacci. This is the most rambling and tedious of his books I’ve ever read. At one point we’re treated to a lecture on how fracking works right down to the
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chemical composition of what gets pumped into the ground. All you need to know is that fracking drills a hole in the ground and stuff is pumped in because that’s all the plot requires not pages of detail to prove you’ve done your research.Starts badly then it gets worse when Will Robbie, the (very) poor man’s Jack Reacher, turns up to do improbable things. If I’d known Robbie was going to be in the book I would not have started to read it. Somehow I managed to stumble through to the end but by that time did not care who had done what to whom and why.
I’m done with Baldacci.
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LibraryThing member JudyGibson
Liked it because, well, I like pretty much anything Baldacci writes, and I like his characters. But this one was a bit of a disappointment. I was delighted to see it was a crossover between the Decker stories and the Robie stories. Other than that, the promise didn't hold up. This was closer to
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being a soap opera than a thriller. Oh, the body count was high enough (and then some) and the action was continuous enough. But it seemed to be essentially a story about weathly families, their conflicts with each other, and within their ranks. I have other complaints (many!) but these would all be spoilers and I'm not going there. Show Less
LibraryThing member waldhaus1
Listening to the story on these days off covid 19 when fracking has gone bust adds a touch of irony to the story. Plenty of twists and turns and the introduction of some new characters likely to reappear in future novels. Really two different mysteries. But of the fun is guessing of they are linked
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and if so how. Show Less
LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
Walk The Wire, David Baldacci, author; Kyf Brewer, Orlagh Cassidy, narrators
The best part of this book, for me, was its audio presentation. The plot was thin requiring several themes to create the story. However, the narrators portrayed each character so well that it was easy to know who was
Jamison and Decker fly out to London, North Dakota, a town that is best known for its fracking industry. In addition, there is a community there which is run by the Anabaptists, a religious sect similar to the Amish, but they live with modern technology. Adjacent to their community, there is a small classified military installation that used to be far larger, occupying the land the community and oil industry now does.
When the body of a woman, murdered and brutally dissected, is discovered, the FBI is sent to investigate, but no one, not even Jamison or Decker understand why they have been called in to investigate this murder. Two families basically own London. One is the McClellans and one is the Dawsons. One was in the oil business and the other in the greater development of London. Each family in the story has secrets and each is scarred by them. It is through these interrelationships, however, that the story develops its many tentacles.
After the first murder is discovered in this town with no history of murders, it is followed by another. Soon murders and suspects pile up, yet there is no appreciable success in solving the crimes. There doesn’t seem to be one motive to wrap their arms around. In the end, there are several mysteries evolving. One concerns greed driven treason and terrorism, another is about a secret black ops prison being run by rogue individuals, and a third is jealousy which becomes more complicated because the jealousy involves rivalry, and alternate lifestyles that complicate the matter. When clues are discovered, they cause misdirection and further confusion.
It was somewhat dismaying to keep reading a book without the satisfaction of even figuring out even one part of the plot. As The FBI and other secret security agents are involved, it grows more complicated. The story is disjointed because there are so many parts and their reason is elusive. Solving one does not lead to a solution of another.
Why is there a secret facility in the middle of the Anabaptist community that should have been shut down years before? What is its current purpose? Why is there a secret prison there? Why is the Anabaptist’s teacher and former resident murdered? Is there a connection? Soon, there are so many unresolved themes which are so unrelated, it requires the author to completely knit the threads together in the end.
It wasn’t my favorite Baldacci, but it was still a decent read.
The best part of this book, for me, was its audio presentation. The plot was thin requiring several themes to create the story. However, the narrators portrayed each character so well that it was easy to know who was
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speaking at any given time. That is a feat worth praising.Jamison and Decker fly out to London, North Dakota, a town that is best known for its fracking industry. In addition, there is a community there which is run by the Anabaptists, a religious sect similar to the Amish, but they live with modern technology. Adjacent to their community, there is a small classified military installation that used to be far larger, occupying the land the community and oil industry now does.
When the body of a woman, murdered and brutally dissected, is discovered, the FBI is sent to investigate, but no one, not even Jamison or Decker understand why they have been called in to investigate this murder. Two families basically own London. One is the McClellans and one is the Dawsons. One was in the oil business and the other in the greater development of London. Each family in the story has secrets and each is scarred by them. It is through these interrelationships, however, that the story develops its many tentacles.
After the first murder is discovered in this town with no history of murders, it is followed by another. Soon murders and suspects pile up, yet there is no appreciable success in solving the crimes. There doesn’t seem to be one motive to wrap their arms around. In the end, there are several mysteries evolving. One concerns greed driven treason and terrorism, another is about a secret black ops prison being run by rogue individuals, and a third is jealousy which becomes more complicated because the jealousy involves rivalry, and alternate lifestyles that complicate the matter. When clues are discovered, they cause misdirection and further confusion.
It was somewhat dismaying to keep reading a book without the satisfaction of even figuring out even one part of the plot. As The FBI and other secret security agents are involved, it grows more complicated. The story is disjointed because there are so many parts and their reason is elusive. Solving one does not lead to a solution of another.
Why is there a secret facility in the middle of the Anabaptist community that should have been shut down years before? What is its current purpose? Why is there a secret prison there? Why is the Anabaptist’s teacher and former resident murdered? Is there a connection? Soon, there are so many unresolved themes which are so unrelated, it requires the author to completely knit the threads together in the end.
It wasn’t my favorite Baldacci, but it was still a decent read.
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LibraryThing member andsoitgoes
Disappointed in this latest Memory Man story. The wrap up was so thin. Dialog between Amos and Alex getting pretty lame. Don't believe I'll be continuing with this series. Too bad because it started out sooooo good.
LibraryThing member lewilliams
This book is a so, so Amos Decker story. Adding Will Robie to the mix did up the story line a notch. I prefer the earlier Decker stories and I hope Baldacci brings back the "old" Amos Decker in upcoming Memory Mam novels.
LibraryThing member satxreader
Okay. This is my "jump the shark" Memory Man book. Reading back over my previous reviews I can see that I was not all that impressed, but could get through them. This one is just plain awful. Decker is pretty much an empty suit, Will Robie and his partner swoop in from their separate series and
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essentially kick butt and take names, blow up everything in sight and kill bad buys by the dozens every time Decker gets himself in trouble. Robie is basically 007, MacGyver, and Rambo all in one. When they get captured by the last remaining bad guy and chained in the basement (who knows why), Robie has lock picks in his belt and plastic explosives and detonators in the heel of his shoe. Groan. And don't get me started on Decker's -- sidekick? Partner? Her only contribution to the story is to tag around after him like a 4-year-old tugging on his shirttail saying Why are we going here? Why are we talking to them? What are we doing this for? Oh you're so difficult, Amos! Gag me!!!!! This is the last Memory Man book I will ever read. I really had to force myself to grind through it--it was torture. I should have quit the first or second time I wanted to. Show Less
LibraryThing member Carol420
David Baldacci is one of my favorite authors but the poor man...for some reason...can't seem to count past 6. He creates these great characters and sets them about their jobs and makes we the reader, care about them and really like them...then when we get to the 5th or 6th book in the
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series...there is no more. I was pleasantly surprised when Will Robie and Jessica Reel showed up to help Amos and Alex. I see that they show up again in the 2014 novella in the Camel Club series..."Bullseye". This book..."Walk The Wire", had an interesting and way different plot than the others in this series. Along with the murders...and there were a lot of them for such a small town...we have a large government conspiracy that threatened to take the entire little town off the map. There was a lot of information about fracking that most folks will gladly skip over. The book took too long to get to what most of us read this series for...to watch Amos use that amazing memory of his and catch the bad guy, Rest in peace Amos Decker...maybe you'll get to star in another series. Show Less
LibraryThing member lamb521
Title: Walk the Wire (Memory Man #6)
Author: David Baldacci
Pages: 432
Year: 2020
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
My rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.
The Memory Man series is one of my favorites! The books in the series in order are: Memory Man, The Last Mile, The Fix, The Fallen, and Redemption. I have
Amos Decker is working alongside others to solve the murder of a woman who is found in the middle of a field among a fracking operation in North Dakota. Amos and his partner are called in when the deceased woman’s identity gets the attention of the FBI. When Amos and Jamison are chasing down every lead, it seems as if more is going on than meets the eye. On top of that, Amos and Jamison have become targets of an as yet unidentified group and would have been done away with except…
The author brings into the Memory Man series a couple of well-known and interesting characters from his Will Robie series. What happens next is an increase in suspense, tension and action! I was familiar with the newest additions to the Amos Decker tales, as I have read the Will Robie stories. If you haven’t, you will still become engrossed in the thriller!
I didn’t care for an element in the story (that shall remain unnamed) as it seems to be pervasive in too many books these days. I don’t see where it added to the plot or characters. It actually diminished my enjoyment a little. I read to enjoy a good story and escape from the world for a time, so seeing something in a book that is everywhere kind of defeats the purpose of checking out in order to get a break from reality. I hope more Amos books are forthcoming along with the newest addition to his team; it makes for one exciting adventure!
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.
Author: David Baldacci
Pages: 432
Year: 2020
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
My rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.
The Memory Man series is one of my favorites! The books in the series in order are: Memory Man, The Last Mile, The Fix, The Fallen, and Redemption. I have
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read each one of these and this one is one of my favorites. The author does a masterful job of weaving more than one mystery in the plot, and he brings together a plethora of various players which draw a reader into the pages.Amos Decker is working alongside others to solve the murder of a woman who is found in the middle of a field among a fracking operation in North Dakota. Amos and his partner are called in when the deceased woman’s identity gets the attention of the FBI. When Amos and Jamison are chasing down every lead, it seems as if more is going on than meets the eye. On top of that, Amos and Jamison have become targets of an as yet unidentified group and would have been done away with except…
The author brings into the Memory Man series a couple of well-known and interesting characters from his Will Robie series. What happens next is an increase in suspense, tension and action! I was familiar with the newest additions to the Amos Decker tales, as I have read the Will Robie stories. If you haven’t, you will still become engrossed in the thriller!
I didn’t care for an element in the story (that shall remain unnamed) as it seems to be pervasive in too many books these days. I don’t see where it added to the plot or characters. It actually diminished my enjoyment a little. I read to enjoy a good story and escape from the world for a time, so seeing something in a book that is everywhere kind of defeats the purpose of checking out in order to get a break from reality. I hope more Amos books are forthcoming along with the newest addition to his team; it makes for one exciting adventure!
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.
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LibraryThing member Olivermagnus
Amos Decker and his FBI partner Alex Jamison are sent to the oil fracking town of London, North Dakota to investigate the brutal death of a young woman. Amos wonders why two FBI agents were assigned to look into the killing when it should have really fallen into the jurisdiction of the local
There’s a mysterious Air Force base that is operational near London for some reason. Also, a cult has leased some farmland from the base. Oh, and Decker's brother in law is working as one if the fracking engineer. They haven't seen or talked to each other in years and it appears Stan and Decker's sister are getting divorced. There are several different plot lines, and none of them could be considered riveting. Baldacci has been careful to craft Decker as a unique character, but this Decker had absolutely no personality. As usual, Jamison plays the junior role, always telling Decker he is a brilliant detective.
On the plus side, we get a co-starring appearance from two of my favorite characters, government assassins Will Robie and Jessica Reel. I hope it's an indication that Baldacci is not done with that series.
A solution to the puzzle of Irene’s death will be found, but by the time the reader reaches that point, interest in the story has vastly diminished. This book reads as though the author spent little time creating the story, structuring it in an interesting way, developing his characters and putting it an interesting setting. I was disappointed in this one.
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police..There’s a mysterious Air Force base that is operational near London for some reason. Also, a cult has leased some farmland from the base. Oh, and Decker's brother in law is working as one if the fracking engineer. They haven't seen or talked to each other in years and it appears Stan and Decker's sister are getting divorced. There are several different plot lines, and none of them could be considered riveting. Baldacci has been careful to craft Decker as a unique character, but this Decker had absolutely no personality. As usual, Jamison plays the junior role, always telling Decker he is a brilliant detective.
On the plus side, we get a co-starring appearance from two of my favorite characters, government assassins Will Robie and Jessica Reel. I hope it's an indication that Baldacci is not done with that series.
A solution to the puzzle of Irene’s death will be found, but by the time the reader reaches that point, interest in the story has vastly diminished. This book reads as though the author spent little time creating the story, structuring it in an interesting way, developing his characters and putting it an interesting setting. I was disappointed in this one.
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LibraryThing member Judiex
FBI agents Amos Decker and Alex Jamison are went to North Dakota to investigate a murder. While the killing method was quite unusual–the someone had done an autopsy on her before the body was found–they were not told why the FBI was involved in the case. Their job was to find the
Identifying the victim seemed rather standard initially. But they quickly learn there was a lot more about her than was obvious and there were no clues as to who she really was.
Soon there were more murders and Decker and Jamison try to find the links among them, if there are any. As usual in these stories, there are a lot of people trying to kill Decker. Except for the first one, none of them are graphic.
The location of the murders plays an important role in the story. London, North Dakota, a boom town, was the site of major fracking operations, a religious community, and a former US Air Force Radar station that tracked missiles and space junk. Two men own most of the town. Their children and the primary policeman had been school friends but the men were competitors.
One of the people Amos meets almost immediately is his brother-in-law, soon to be ex-brother-in-law. He has not had much contact with his family since the deaths of his wife and daughter and didn’t know about what had been going on with them over the years.
Later on, he gets an unexpected ally, one that Baldacci’s fans know but whom Amos hadn’t yet met.
There are a couple clues regarding the killer, but they are subtle and easy to miss.
The book provides a lot of information about fracking, the industry that brought people and money to London. The process has several effects on an area: Saltwater waste, often dumped into the wells, permanently burns the soil to nothing so no crops can ever grow there again. It takes anywhere from one to five million gallons of fresh water to frack a single well. And every month, flares burn off enough gas to fuel 4 million homes. The book doesn’t mention the earthquakes often caused by the fracking.
Tidbit: A dictator doesn’t need supporters, he just needs followers.
WALK THE WIRE has several intertwining story lines and is fast moving. The characters interactions are somewhat unbelievable at times but typical for the genre and caring.
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killer.Identifying the victim seemed rather standard initially. But they quickly learn there was a lot more about her than was obvious and there were no clues as to who she really was.
Soon there were more murders and Decker and Jamison try to find the links among them, if there are any. As usual in these stories, there are a lot of people trying to kill Decker. Except for the first one, none of them are graphic.
The location of the murders plays an important role in the story. London, North Dakota, a boom town, was the site of major fracking operations, a religious community, and a former US Air Force Radar station that tracked missiles and space junk. Two men own most of the town. Their children and the primary policeman had been school friends but the men were competitors.
One of the people Amos meets almost immediately is his brother-in-law, soon to be ex-brother-in-law. He has not had much contact with his family since the deaths of his wife and daughter and didn’t know about what had been going on with them over the years.
Later on, he gets an unexpected ally, one that Baldacci’s fans know but whom Amos hadn’t yet met.
There are a couple clues regarding the killer, but they are subtle and easy to miss.
The book provides a lot of information about fracking, the industry that brought people and money to London. The process has several effects on an area: Saltwater waste, often dumped into the wells, permanently burns the soil to nothing so no crops can ever grow there again. It takes anywhere from one to five million gallons of fresh water to frack a single well. And every month, flares burn off enough gas to fuel 4 million homes. The book doesn’t mention the earthquakes often caused by the fracking.
Tidbit: A dictator doesn’t need supporters, he just needs followers.
WALK THE WIRE has several intertwining story lines and is fast moving. The characters interactions are somewhat unbelievable at times but typical for the genre and caring.
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LibraryThing member labdaddy4
I have completely enjoyed all of Baldacci’s books in the “Decker” series - the Robbie & Pine books , less so. This book seemed very disjointed and poorly organized. I found it difficult to follow the plot. For me, the authors attempt to mix two of his separate primary characters is a flop.
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Please keep Decker and his partner alone - they are excellent characters and deserve to be the focus of future books. Show Less
LibraryThing member Susan.Macura
One of my favorite literary characters is back. FBI agent Amos Decker, with his partner Alex Jamison, find themselves involved in multiple murders, government intrigue and tales of greed and lust as they cope with numerous bad guys and twists in London, North Dakota. However, my favorite part of
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this tale with the reemergence of my absolute favorite Baldacci character who arrives in time to save the day - several times. This was an awesome book! Show Less
LibraryThing member out-and-about
Solid fun read. Well developed characters, intricately woven plot, fun mystery to solve.
LibraryThing member Cats57
It's so difficult for me to believe that this book is getting so many negative reviews! Some reviewers are upset that this book didn't have enough of Amoses 'quirks' and was just a mystery. Well, I hate to say this, but our characters have to grow, and Amos is growing-it may not be in a direction
I loved the fact that this book included characters from Mr. Baldacci's other series, which encourages me to go red that series! I now have something to look forward to until the next Decker book comes out.
I loved the fact that this book dealt with a national crisis as well as a plain old murder. I learned a lot about Fracking and enjoyed every minute of it. If this was a political problem for some -well, so be it.
I loved how the author kept me guessing and kept me on the edge of my seat because of the suspense.
In my opinion, this was a terrific addition to the series.
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you want him to go in, but that is the author's choice. As far as some complaints on the number of characters and the killings -I, too, was a bit discombobulated by that number of deaths, but by the time I got to the end, I could see just why there had to be so many.I loved the fact that this book included characters from Mr. Baldacci's other series, which encourages me to go red that series! I now have something to look forward to until the next Decker book comes out.
I loved the fact that this book dealt with a national crisis as well as a plain old murder. I learned a lot about Fracking and enjoyed every minute of it. If this was a political problem for some -well, so be it.
I loved how the author kept me guessing and kept me on the edge of my seat because of the suspense.
In my opinion, this was a terrific addition to the series.
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LibraryThing member Baochuan
It was always a joy to enjoy a fast pace murder mystery. But the story line of this one does not hang as well as the rest of the series.
LibraryThing member lrobe190
Amos Decker joins forces with Will Robie and Jessica Riel from another Baldacci series to solve this crime. The body of a school teacher is discovered by a hunter. After authorities are called in it's discovered that the body has already been professionally autopsied. While there is evidence of
The Memory Man Series is my favorite Baldacci series. I'm always fascinated with how Decker is able to use his memory to solve crimes. This one was another fast-paced, "twisty" entry in the series.
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insect infestation, the body shows no sign of animal molestation, unusual considering how long the body was exposed to the elements. The town is booming due to fracking in the area. The town is also home to an airforce base that monitors activity on massive radar equipment. There's a conservative sect of Anabaptists in the area also. How are these all connected and what is going on beneath the surface? (based on description from cjyap1)The Memory Man Series is my favorite Baldacci series. I'm always fascinated with how Decker is able to use his memory to solve crimes. This one was another fast-paced, "twisty" entry in the series.
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LibraryThing member lbswiener
Walk the Wire is a book wherein there are a lot of complicated murders occurring in a small town in North Dakota. This is also a book where two main characters from other David Baldacci books meet and work together. It is a compelling story that keeps the reader guessing who is murdering all of the
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people and why. Four stars were awarded to this book. Walk the Wire is a highly recommended book. Show Less
LibraryThing member ZachMontana
6th in the Memory Man series with Amos Decker & Alex Jamison. All are good and it is enjoyable to continue in the sage of the Memory Man. This one takes place in the Bakken Oil Fields of North Dakota and give some great background on the place and fracking. Lots of twists and turns and unexpected
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outcomes as we've come to expect from Baldacci. Show Less
LibraryThing member PhillipThomas
Set in a small mining/fracking town in North Dakota, Decker and Jamison are on the case of a rather unusual murder. The deeper they dig, the larger and more involved the case becomes.
I really enjoyed this novel, even though it seemed a little too fast-paced, and of course being a Baldacci creation,
I really enjoyed this novel, even though it seemed a little too fast-paced, and of course being a Baldacci creation,
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beyond credibility, at times. Show Less
LibraryThing member BONS
I'm a fan of this series but this one had so much going on. I was mentally exhausted by the time I finished the book. The story felt overly sensationalized. I did not enjoy this one as much.
LibraryThing member nyiper
What's not to love about ANY book featuring the Memory Man, Amos Decker? I haven't read all of them yet so Alex Jamison was new to me, and terrific. Books about Will Robie and Jessica Reil are new to me so I'm looking forward to more about the two o f them after this terrific introduction to them
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in this book. Every page is absorbing in Baldacci's books....you are right there in the midst of the story, always. Show Less
LibraryThing member Andy_DiMartino
Think I need to read me some more Decker novels!!!
LibraryThing member alanteder
So Many Conspiracies, That Even Amos Decker Needs Extra Help
Review of the Grand Central Publishing audiobook (April 2020) released simultaneously with the hardcover edition
Although I still think Amos Decker's vaunted hyperthymesia (perfect memory recall) abilities are woefully underutilized in this
Veteran Baldacci narrators Kyf Brewer and Orlagh Cassidy gave excellent voice performances throughout, especially so in the case of the extended cast.
Review of the Grand Central Publishing audiobook (April 2020) released simultaneously with the hardcover edition
Although I still think Amos Decker's vaunted hyperthymesia (perfect memory recall) abilities are woefully underutilized in this
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continuing series, this was one of the better adventures to date. It had the now standard in-joke of Decker "forgetting" something as well. The main twist here is the appearance of a wider spectrum of David Baldacci characters, about which it would be a spoiler to say anything further.Veteran Baldacci narrators Kyf Brewer and Orlagh Cassidy gave excellent voice performances throughout, especially so in the case of the extended cast.
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LibraryThing member reader1009
fiction, #6 in series (2020) but as with this sort of popular fiction, can easily serve as a standalone as an intro to the series/author. Also listed as Will Robie #5.5, since the character from a separate series (different skillset) also plays a part.
picked up from a Little Free Library, part of
follows FBI investigator Amos Decker (former Ohio football player, big/tall guy, photographic memory and synesthesiac) and his partner Alex Jamison (whose main role appears to be asking lots of questions so that Decker can mansplain things to her--to be fair, they are obscure things most people wouldn't know about so it's not so bad as that, but if you're not into telling vs showing this series may not be for you). They are called in to North Dakota (lots of fracking and oil workers in the otherwise small town of London, very hot and humid in the summer with plenty of lightning storms) for a strange murder case--the victim appears to have been autopsied before being dumped in a field, but it's unknown at first what the FBI's interest in the case would be--possibly the victim knew something, possibly connected to the Brothers, a local branch of the Anabaptist group (a closed-off religious patriarchal commune), or possibly connected to a high-security military base that seems perilously close to both the Brothers and the horizontal oil drilling.
not so much a mystery, as there are way too many weird parts to try to fit together, and drags a bit at first (before the second murder victim, it's a lot of talking and wondering) and the description of Robie's skill in staying still to do surveillance is mentioned twice in nearly identical ways, but overall a satisfyingly twisty suspense plot (however improbable). Jamison (and Robie's female spypartner Reed) play relatively minor roles but Jamison does help to flesh out some kind of dynamic where Decker works on his people skills.
* contains at least one explosion, and some stormy weather, also a father that didn't support his gay son, and the son's subsequent suicide. Also a bunch of murders and killings, not super gory in description though.
picked up from a Little Free Library, part of
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my trying various popular authors I've never read before--follows FBI investigator Amos Decker (former Ohio football player, big/tall guy, photographic memory and synesthesiac) and his partner Alex Jamison (whose main role appears to be asking lots of questions so that Decker can mansplain things to her--to be fair, they are obscure things most people wouldn't know about so it's not so bad as that, but if you're not into telling vs showing this series may not be for you). They are called in to North Dakota (lots of fracking and oil workers in the otherwise small town of London, very hot and humid in the summer with plenty of lightning storms) for a strange murder case--the victim appears to have been autopsied before being dumped in a field, but it's unknown at first what the FBI's interest in the case would be--possibly the victim knew something, possibly connected to the Brothers, a local branch of the Anabaptist group (a closed-off religious patriarchal commune), or possibly connected to a high-security military base that seems perilously close to both the Brothers and the horizontal oil drilling.
not so much a mystery, as there are way too many weird parts to try to fit together, and drags a bit at first (before the second murder victim, it's a lot of talking and wondering) and the description of Robie's skill in staying still to do surveillance is mentioned twice in nearly identical ways, but overall a satisfyingly twisty suspense plot (however improbable). Jamison (and Robie's female spypartner Reed) play relatively minor roles but Jamison does help to flesh out some kind of dynamic where Decker works on his people skills.
* contains at least one explosion, and some stormy weather, also a father that didn't support his gay son, and the son's subsequent suicide. Also a bunch of murders and killings, not super gory in description though.
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Language
Original publication date
2029-04
ISBN
9781538761465
Other editions
Walk the wire by David Baldacci (Paper Book)