Publication
New York : Grand Central Publishing, 2022.
Collection
Call number
Fiction B
Status
Available
Call number
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:A cryptic murder pulls a former soldier turned financial analyst deep into the corruption and menace that prowl beneath the opulent world of finance, in #1 New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci�s new thriller. Every day without fail, Travis Devine puts on a cheap suit, grabs his faux-leather briefcase, and boards the 6:20 commuter train to Manhattan, where he works as an entry-level analyst at the city�s most prestigious investment firm. In the mornings, he gazes out the train window at the lavish homes of the uberwealthy, dreaming about joining their ranks. In the evenings, he listens to the fiscal news on his phone, already preparing for the next grueling day in the cutthroat realm of finance. Then one morning Devine�s tedious routine is shattered by an anonymous email: She is dead. Sara Ewes, Devine�s coworker and former girlfriend, has been found hanging in a storage room of his office building�presumably a suicide, at least for now�prompting the NYPD to come calling on him. If that wasn�t enough, before the day is out, Devine receives another ominous visit, a confrontation that threatens to dredge up grim secrets from his past in the army unless he participates in a clandestine investigation into his firm. This treacherous role will take him from the impossibly glittering lives he once saw only through a train window, to the darkest corners of the country�s economic halls of power . . . where something rotten lurks. And apart from this high-stakes conspiracy, there�s a killer out there with their own agenda, and Devine is the bull�s-eye.… (more)
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LibraryThing member TerryWeyna
Travis Devine is haunted by a particular memory of his service in the Mid East. To punish himself for what he sees as his transgressions, he obtained his MBA when he returned home, and now works 16-hour days on Wall Street doing financial analysis, work he abhors. No one working at Cowl and Comely
But when a co-worker who is several steps up the ladder from him apparently commits suicide, Travis is suspicious -- and a bit heartbroken, as he'd been at least a little in love with the woman. His initial inclination to ask questions is goosed when the NYPD blackmails him into doing an investigation into whether Cowl and Comely is dirty, and whether that had anything to do with Sara Ewes' death. Soon Travis is exploring his boss's mansion and enjoying the company of the boss's girlfriend when he's not dodging bad guys or trying to figure out what's going on.
The puzzle is convoluted and doesn't really play fair with the reader in the sense that one would expect a classic mystery to do, but that's not the point of this book: it's a thriller, not a mystery, and boy, does it thrill. This is a bread-and-butter sort of Baldacci, not his best, not his worst, just a great book to read in the sun with an umbrella drink at your elbow.
The listing of Baldacci's works in the book refers to this as a stand-alone, but I'd sure like to know what happens to Travis Devine from here. I'm hoping Baldacci reconsiders!
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is happy about it, but there's a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, if they work hard enough and wait long enough. So Travis works.But when a co-worker who is several steps up the ladder from him apparently commits suicide, Travis is suspicious -- and a bit heartbroken, as he'd been at least a little in love with the woman. His initial inclination to ask questions is goosed when the NYPD blackmails him into doing an investigation into whether Cowl and Comely is dirty, and whether that had anything to do with Sara Ewes' death. Soon Travis is exploring his boss's mansion and enjoying the company of the boss's girlfriend when he's not dodging bad guys or trying to figure out what's going on.
The puzzle is convoluted and doesn't really play fair with the reader in the sense that one would expect a classic mystery to do, but that's not the point of this book: it's a thriller, not a mystery, and boy, does it thrill. This is a bread-and-butter sort of Baldacci, not his best, not his worst, just a great book to read in the sun with an umbrella drink at your elbow.
The listing of Baldacci's works in the book refers to this as a stand-alone, but I'd sure like to know what happens to Travis Devine from here. I'm hoping Baldacci reconsiders!
Show Less
LibraryThing member Cats57
I really don't know what to say about this novel! This was a fast read, a suspenseful one, perfect for the beach or a long plane trip, with just enough action to keep anyone happy. There is some 'romance' but not in the way of romance novels.
I have read many books by Ms. Baldacci, and this book
This is a bit of a complicated novel if you are someone like me that does not have cutting-edge knowledge of finance or computers; the murders were just twisted enough that I never guessed who-dun-it, and I loved that fact! There is nothing worse than a mystery where you figure out the antagonist before you even get halfway through the book. This author can soo write a good story!
*ARC was supplied by the publisher, the author, and NetGalley.
I have read many books by Ms. Baldacci, and this book
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just adds to my knowledge that he is a superb author with a very clever, twisty brain! This book seems to be the start of a new series as this book doesn't clear everything up to my satisfaction. The downside of this novel is that you do have to suspend a lot of disbelief (such as the scene in which there is a fight between three men against one).This is a bit of a complicated novel if you are someone like me that does not have cutting-edge knowledge of finance or computers; the murders were just twisted enough that I never guessed who-dun-it, and I loved that fact! There is nothing worse than a mystery where you figure out the antagonist before you even get halfway through the book. This author can soo write a good story!
*ARC was supplied by the publisher, the author, and NetGalley.
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LibraryThing member kimkimkim
The writing was a little rougher than what I usually expect from David Baldacci but it fit this new character, Travis Devine. “Ranger tabbed and Ranger scrolled. And a seasoned financial analyst to boot. Devine would probably need all of it and a little more to survive.” This was so good, so
OMG Baldacci has a new character and I am hoping for a repeat performance soon, sooner, soonest. Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for a copy.
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tense, so tight, so twisty. This story just gives me one more thing to lose sleep over while believing and embracing the notions of black ops, down and dirty corporate greed which condones anything and everything as long as the money is huge.OMG Baldacci has a new character and I am hoping for a repeat performance soon, sooner, soonest. Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for a copy.
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LibraryThing member Dianekeenoy
There’s a reason that David Baldacci is a best-selling author, he can really write! I haven’t read any of his books in a long time but once you open one of his books, you very easily fall into the story only coming up for air when one of your pups needs to go out!
Travis Devine takes the 6:20
climb the corporate ranks. He wants to make his unforgiving parents as proud of him as they are of his siblings.
Of course, things are not going to go smoothly for our hero! There’s a death at his company and men from his past come to threaten his present if he doesn’t work for them to investigate his company. There’s a lot going on here and as you can imagine as Devine works his two jobs; one plugging away at the bottom of the ladder, another uncovering new secrets at every turn – and realizing that he’s been unknowingly working from inside of the world’s biggest conspiracies! Pretty sure this is book one in a series from the ending! That’s okay with me, Travis Devine is a great characte
Travis Devine takes the 6:20
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train into work every morning to work as an entry level financial analyst in his thirties. However, in his past life he was a highly decorated Ranger in the army. Things happened, he decided to get out and get his MBA and climb the corporate ranks. He wants to make his unforgiving parents as proud of him as they are of his siblings.
Of course, things are not going to go smoothly for our hero! There’s a death at his company and men from his past come to threaten his present if he doesn’t work for them to investigate his company. There’s a lot going on here and as you can imagine as Devine works his two jobs; one plugging away at the bottom of the ladder, another uncovering new secrets at every turn – and realizing that he’s been unknowingly working from inside of the world’s biggest conspiracies! Pretty sure this is book one in a series from the ending! That’s okay with me, Travis Devine is a great characte
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LibraryThing member JHSColloquium
Bestselling author David Baldacci says that he has "always been intrigued by the financial world," about which he has extensive knowledge and in which he has long wanted to set a book. The 6:20 Man is, he explains, "my theory of what dark money is doing." The extensive, hands-on research he
Baldacci introduces readers to Travis Devine, a former U.S. Army Ranger whose parents were completely indifferent to him. The youngest of three children, his parents instilled in him that he would never match his older siblings' achievements (one is a neurosurgeon at the Mayo Clinic, the other a CFO of a Fortune 100 company). More specifically, his father was furious when Travis was accepted into West Point, and unimpressed when he graduated from Ranger School and qualified to join the Seventy-Fifth Ranger Regiment, sarcastically signing his congratulatory email, "Proud father of Smokey the Bear." For his service, Travis earned two Purple Hearts, a Silver Star, and numerous other accolades while rising to the rank of Captain.
Yet he left the Army riddled with guilt about his actions on a particular night, and used the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill to earn both his undergraduate degree and MBA. Now he shares a townhouse in Mount Kisco with three roommates, and boards the 6:20 a.m. commuter train into Manhattan. At thirty-two, he is the oldest person in his incoming class at Cowl and Comely, a powerhouse investment firm where he is employed as an entry-level analyst. It is his penance for a decision that compelled him to trade his military career and start over on Wall Street. Now "[h]is primary weapons, instead of the Army-issued M4 carbine and M9 sidearm of yesteryear" are "twin Apple Mac twenty-seven-inch screens, connected by digital tethers to might, encrypted clouds seeded with all the data he would ever need." Readers will find the drudgery, monotony, and competitiveness of Travis's work life relatable.
Each morning the train stops in the same spot -- a signal-switching hitch, Travis presumes. There is a break in the privacy wall surrounding the mansion owned by Bradley Cowl, co-founder of Cowl and Comely, which is visible from the train. And each morning, Travis and the other men on the train ogle the beautiful young blonde woman who never fails to be by the pool wearing bikinis of various styles and colors. On the particular morning on which the story opens, she strips completely, giving the commuters quite a show. But that's far from the only unusual thing that happens on that day.
When Travis gets to the office, he receives an email that begins, "She is dead." Travis's coworker, Sara Ewes, has been found dead in a storage room on the fifty-second floor of the Cowl Building. She apparently committed suicide at the age of just twenty-eight. As Travis looks around the room, it appears he is the only person who has received the email -- from a most unusual email address lacking a domain name or suffix. Despite the firm's prohibition on fraternization, Travis and Sara dated briefly, and Travis would have liked to take the relationship much further. He was drawn to and felt he could care deeply for Sara, who make it clear that she was not interested in pursuing a relationship. Despite their high-stress jobs in a cutthroat industry, Travis never observed anything hinting that Sara might be so troubled she would take her own life. Travis soon learns that the police find Sara's death highly suspicious, as well, and he is a suspect in their murder investigation. Not only does Travis lack an alibi, but he is surrounded by people capable of convincingly altering evidence.
Soon Travis encounters two Army CID (Crime Investigation Division) agents who inform him his "presence is requested" and whisk him away to an unmarked, secure building. There, he meets Emerson Campbell, a retired two-star Army General. Campbell tells him, "I know exactly why you left the service," and reveals that the agency arranged for him to find the room he rents because they have been watching him for some time. Now Travis faces Army prosecution under military law for a crime committed while in uniform that could land him in Leavenworth prison if he refuses to cooperate with the Office of Special Projects, an operation within the Department of Homeland Security. Something untoward is going on at Cowl and Comely, the government is convinced Bradley Cowl is at the center of it, and Travis will be gathering and transmitting information to Campbell. He has been involuntarily recruited to service his country again.
The 6:20 Man is the sprawling, suspenseful story of Travis's quest to discover both who killed Sara and why, as well as what type of business is actually being conducted at Cowl and Comely. The tale is populated by an intriguing cast of supporting characters, including Travis's three roommates. Will Valentine is a Russian computer hacker who works from home as a white-hatter -- a computer expert hired by tech firms, banks, and other companies to try to hack through and provide advice about their security systems. Helen Spears just graduated from New York University Law School and is studying for the Bar exam, and Jill Tapshaw owns a start-up online dating service called Hummingbird who, like Valentine, works long hours in her bedroom although she also has a small office in a strip mall. Readers get to know a lot about Sara Ewes, in part through her friend and peer, Jennifer Stamos, as well as her parents, who arrive in New York after being informed of their daughter's death. They -- especially her mother -- are religious zealots who, like Travis's parents, disapproved of their daughter's choices and rejected her, a plot device Baldacci deftly uses not only to make a political and ideological statement, but also illustrate why Travis has such a visceral reaction not just to losing Sara, but also to learning about the kind of disrespect she, like him, was subjected to by her family. A low-level employee like Travis would not ordinarily interact with the owner of such a large firm, but his mission leads him to interactions with Bradley Cowl are punctuated by sharp verbal exchanges and Travis's quick thinking as the two men square off, more people around Travis end up dead, and he narrowly escapes a couple of brushes with death while inching closer to the truth about Cowl and Comely's activities.
But at the heart of tale is Travis, who is both likable and believable. The Army views what he did on a fateful night in Afghanistan as a crime, and Travis himself feels so much guilt about his choice that he has locked himself into a life he hates as a form of self-inflicted atonement. He achieved levels of competence and confidence as an Army Ranger and leader that thus far elude him in his new profession. He and his fellow analysts are referred to as "Burners" and the competition among them is fierce and debilitating. Soul-crushing, in fact. Travis is not at all convinced that he will survive in the investment world because so many others with more better-suited backgrounds and qualifications have washed out. But he is determined to succeed now that he has finally experienced approval from and a modicum of camaraderie with his father. At his core, Travis is principled, has a strong sense of right and wrong, and cares deeply for others, as well as the country he served bravely and, aside from that one exceptional moment, admirably. Baldacci places him in a doubly untenable position, fighting for his freedom on two fronts: to ensure the police find the real killer of Sara (and other victims) and that he doesn't wind up doing time in a military penitentiary. As it becomes clear that Bradley Cowl and his far-flung associates are likely involved in money laundering on an unimaginably huge and tangled international scale, the stakes become increasingly higher for Travis as the likelihood of him successfully completing his mission dims. Unless, of course, his instincts and tactical training, not to mention his physical prowess, serve him well enough to outsmart and outplay Cowl, as well as a murderer whose identity Baldacci expertly conceals through misdirection, characters' hidden agendas and motivations, and entanglements that, when finally revealed, again prove what a deviously clever storyteller Baldacci is.
Along the way, Travis forms some surprising alliances and receives invaluable assistance. But should he trust that support, even though it is offered by Valentine, who agrees to trace the origin of that mysterious email, and Speers, who may not be who she claims to be? And what about Tapshaw, who is purportedly searching for an injection of capital into her business, but reveals that Sara was actually one of her subscribers? Should he rely upon either of the two young women who are involved with Cowl to provide him with accurate information when his life might depend on it? And is that beautiful young woman who is stationed by Cowl's pool every morning there for a purpose far more sinister than starting her day with a few laps?
Presented in Baldacci's signature style with short chapters, snappy dialogue, and an unrelentingly fast pace, The 6:20 Man is full of physical action, shocking plot developments, unexpected twists, and deliciously diabolical villains. Like all Baldacci novels, it is engrossing and highly entertaining. It's a timely exploration of greed, corruption, conspiracy, and the lengths to which people will go to attain unbridled power. Happily, it is only the first story from Baldacci featuring Travis Devine. Readers will be clamoring for the next volume.
Thanks to NetGalley and Novel Suspects Insider's Club for Advance Reader's Copies of the book.
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conducts for all of his novels is on full display in the story as he explains salient details about the inner workings of the financial world in a plainspoken, readily understandable way.Baldacci introduces readers to Travis Devine, a former U.S. Army Ranger whose parents were completely indifferent to him. The youngest of three children, his parents instilled in him that he would never match his older siblings' achievements (one is a neurosurgeon at the Mayo Clinic, the other a CFO of a Fortune 100 company). More specifically, his father was furious when Travis was accepted into West Point, and unimpressed when he graduated from Ranger School and qualified to join the Seventy-Fifth Ranger Regiment, sarcastically signing his congratulatory email, "Proud father of Smokey the Bear." For his service, Travis earned two Purple Hearts, a Silver Star, and numerous other accolades while rising to the rank of Captain.
Yet he left the Army riddled with guilt about his actions on a particular night, and used the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill to earn both his undergraduate degree and MBA. Now he shares a townhouse in Mount Kisco with three roommates, and boards the 6:20 a.m. commuter train into Manhattan. At thirty-two, he is the oldest person in his incoming class at Cowl and Comely, a powerhouse investment firm where he is employed as an entry-level analyst. It is his penance for a decision that compelled him to trade his military career and start over on Wall Street. Now "[h]is primary weapons, instead of the Army-issued M4 carbine and M9 sidearm of yesteryear" are "twin Apple Mac twenty-seven-inch screens, connected by digital tethers to might, encrypted clouds seeded with all the data he would ever need." Readers will find the drudgery, monotony, and competitiveness of Travis's work life relatable.
Each morning the train stops in the same spot -- a signal-switching hitch, Travis presumes. There is a break in the privacy wall surrounding the mansion owned by Bradley Cowl, co-founder of Cowl and Comely, which is visible from the train. And each morning, Travis and the other men on the train ogle the beautiful young blonde woman who never fails to be by the pool wearing bikinis of various styles and colors. On the particular morning on which the story opens, she strips completely, giving the commuters quite a show. But that's far from the only unusual thing that happens on that day.
When Travis gets to the office, he receives an email that begins, "She is dead." Travis's coworker, Sara Ewes, has been found dead in a storage room on the fifty-second floor of the Cowl Building. She apparently committed suicide at the age of just twenty-eight. As Travis looks around the room, it appears he is the only person who has received the email -- from a most unusual email address lacking a domain name or suffix. Despite the firm's prohibition on fraternization, Travis and Sara dated briefly, and Travis would have liked to take the relationship much further. He was drawn to and felt he could care deeply for Sara, who make it clear that she was not interested in pursuing a relationship. Despite their high-stress jobs in a cutthroat industry, Travis never observed anything hinting that Sara might be so troubled she would take her own life. Travis soon learns that the police find Sara's death highly suspicious, as well, and he is a suspect in their murder investigation. Not only does Travis lack an alibi, but he is surrounded by people capable of convincingly altering evidence.
Soon Travis encounters two Army CID (Crime Investigation Division) agents who inform him his "presence is requested" and whisk him away to an unmarked, secure building. There, he meets Emerson Campbell, a retired two-star Army General. Campbell tells him, "I know exactly why you left the service," and reveals that the agency arranged for him to find the room he rents because they have been watching him for some time. Now Travis faces Army prosecution under military law for a crime committed while in uniform that could land him in Leavenworth prison if he refuses to cooperate with the Office of Special Projects, an operation within the Department of Homeland Security. Something untoward is going on at Cowl and Comely, the government is convinced Bradley Cowl is at the center of it, and Travis will be gathering and transmitting information to Campbell. He has been involuntarily recruited to service his country again.
The 6:20 Man is the sprawling, suspenseful story of Travis's quest to discover both who killed Sara and why, as well as what type of business is actually being conducted at Cowl and Comely. The tale is populated by an intriguing cast of supporting characters, including Travis's three roommates. Will Valentine is a Russian computer hacker who works from home as a white-hatter -- a computer expert hired by tech firms, banks, and other companies to try to hack through and provide advice about their security systems. Helen Spears just graduated from New York University Law School and is studying for the Bar exam, and Jill Tapshaw owns a start-up online dating service called Hummingbird who, like Valentine, works long hours in her bedroom although she also has a small office in a strip mall. Readers get to know a lot about Sara Ewes, in part through her friend and peer, Jennifer Stamos, as well as her parents, who arrive in New York after being informed of their daughter's death. They -- especially her mother -- are religious zealots who, like Travis's parents, disapproved of their daughter's choices and rejected her, a plot device Baldacci deftly uses not only to make a political and ideological statement, but also illustrate why Travis has such a visceral reaction not just to losing Sara, but also to learning about the kind of disrespect she, like him, was subjected to by her family. A low-level employee like Travis would not ordinarily interact with the owner of such a large firm, but his mission leads him to interactions with Bradley Cowl are punctuated by sharp verbal exchanges and Travis's quick thinking as the two men square off, more people around Travis end up dead, and he narrowly escapes a couple of brushes with death while inching closer to the truth about Cowl and Comely's activities.
But at the heart of tale is Travis, who is both likable and believable. The Army views what he did on a fateful night in Afghanistan as a crime, and Travis himself feels so much guilt about his choice that he has locked himself into a life he hates as a form of self-inflicted atonement. He achieved levels of competence and confidence as an Army Ranger and leader that thus far elude him in his new profession. He and his fellow analysts are referred to as "Burners" and the competition among them is fierce and debilitating. Soul-crushing, in fact. Travis is not at all convinced that he will survive in the investment world because so many others with more better-suited backgrounds and qualifications have washed out. But he is determined to succeed now that he has finally experienced approval from and a modicum of camaraderie with his father. At his core, Travis is principled, has a strong sense of right and wrong, and cares deeply for others, as well as the country he served bravely and, aside from that one exceptional moment, admirably. Baldacci places him in a doubly untenable position, fighting for his freedom on two fronts: to ensure the police find the real killer of Sara (and other victims) and that he doesn't wind up doing time in a military penitentiary. As it becomes clear that Bradley Cowl and his far-flung associates are likely involved in money laundering on an unimaginably huge and tangled international scale, the stakes become increasingly higher for Travis as the likelihood of him successfully completing his mission dims. Unless, of course, his instincts and tactical training, not to mention his physical prowess, serve him well enough to outsmart and outplay Cowl, as well as a murderer whose identity Baldacci expertly conceals through misdirection, characters' hidden agendas and motivations, and entanglements that, when finally revealed, again prove what a deviously clever storyteller Baldacci is.
Along the way, Travis forms some surprising alliances and receives invaluable assistance. But should he trust that support, even though it is offered by Valentine, who agrees to trace the origin of that mysterious email, and Speers, who may not be who she claims to be? And what about Tapshaw, who is purportedly searching for an injection of capital into her business, but reveals that Sara was actually one of her subscribers? Should he rely upon either of the two young women who are involved with Cowl to provide him with accurate information when his life might depend on it? And is that beautiful young woman who is stationed by Cowl's pool every morning there for a purpose far more sinister than starting her day with a few laps?
Presented in Baldacci's signature style with short chapters, snappy dialogue, and an unrelentingly fast pace, The 6:20 Man is full of physical action, shocking plot developments, unexpected twists, and deliciously diabolical villains. Like all Baldacci novels, it is engrossing and highly entertaining. It's a timely exploration of greed, corruption, conspiracy, and the lengths to which people will go to attain unbridled power. Happily, it is only the first story from Baldacci featuring Travis Devine. Readers will be clamoring for the next volume.
Thanks to NetGalley and Novel Suspects Insider's Club for Advance Reader's Copies of the book.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Judiex
Travis Devine, age 32 , was almost a decade younger than his two older siblings. Both were now well-respected, high-salaried professionals. From the time he was a child, his parents, especially his father, pretty much ignored him. The worst response was when Travis was admitted to West Point. Since
After doing well in the Army, becoming a Ranger, Travis was involved in an incident that led him to resign his commission. To please his father, he earned an MBA and got a job at Cowl & Comely, a very large, top ranked investment firm, and a career he hated.
Every day, six days a week, he rode the 6:20 a.m. commuter train into Manhattan to crunch numbers along with hundreds of other employees, arriving long before the other employees in his section. Every day the train made a short pause near an area of very expensive homes. While most of them were shielded by trees, one of them had a gap through which he and other riders could usually see a beautiful, young, bikini-clad woman by the pool in the back yard. The house belonged to Brad Cowl, the owner of the company for which he worked.
One day, while at his desk, he received a short, detailed text message including the sentence: “She is dead.” He soon learned that one of the other employees, who had been there longer and held a much higher position, had been found hanged in a storage closet. While he didn’t know most of the other employees (fraternizing between co-workers was prohibited), he had secretly dated her a couple of times but she had ended the relationship awhile ago.
Her death was immediately classified as a suicide. But that didn’t stop a police officer from questioning him and following him around.
Soon thereafter, Travis was approached by a man who knew all about the incident that ended his military career and warned if he didn’t cooperate and succeed in getting information about Cowl & Comely, he would be brought up on charges and probably jailed for the rest of his life.
There was no specific information about what was happening at Cowl & Comely, but things just didn’t seem legal nor plausible.
In order to figure out what was going on, he felt he had to understand why he was the only one who received the note about the death. The source was unidentifiable. Two of the other three people who shared his house were computer savvy and he eventually asked them to help him.
He quickly discovered things, including at the company, that were very suspicious. As Travis continued his search, there were more deaths of people connected with Cowl & Comely, and he was set upon a few times.
Many of the characters are not who they seem to be. Some questions that should be asked aren’t. Situations sometimes seem forced. There is a lot of information about computers and financial arrangements. By the end of the book, all is tidily, if not satisfactorily, wrapped-up.
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it would not lead to a economically well-paying career, his father cut him off financially.After doing well in the Army, becoming a Ranger, Travis was involved in an incident that led him to resign his commission. To please his father, he earned an MBA and got a job at Cowl & Comely, a very large, top ranked investment firm, and a career he hated.
Every day, six days a week, he rode the 6:20 a.m. commuter train into Manhattan to crunch numbers along with hundreds of other employees, arriving long before the other employees in his section. Every day the train made a short pause near an area of very expensive homes. While most of them were shielded by trees, one of them had a gap through which he and other riders could usually see a beautiful, young, bikini-clad woman by the pool in the back yard. The house belonged to Brad Cowl, the owner of the company for which he worked.
One day, while at his desk, he received a short, detailed text message including the sentence: “She is dead.” He soon learned that one of the other employees, who had been there longer and held a much higher position, had been found hanged in a storage closet. While he didn’t know most of the other employees (fraternizing between co-workers was prohibited), he had secretly dated her a couple of times but she had ended the relationship awhile ago.
Her death was immediately classified as a suicide. But that didn’t stop a police officer from questioning him and following him around.
Soon thereafter, Travis was approached by a man who knew all about the incident that ended his military career and warned if he didn’t cooperate and succeed in getting information about Cowl & Comely, he would be brought up on charges and probably jailed for the rest of his life.
There was no specific information about what was happening at Cowl & Comely, but things just didn’t seem legal nor plausible.
In order to figure out what was going on, he felt he had to understand why he was the only one who received the note about the death. The source was unidentifiable. Two of the other three people who shared his house were computer savvy and he eventually asked them to help him.
He quickly discovered things, including at the company, that were very suspicious. As Travis continued his search, there were more deaths of people connected with Cowl & Comely, and he was set upon a few times.
Many of the characters are not who they seem to be. Some questions that should be asked aren’t. Situations sometimes seem forced. There is a lot of information about computers and financial arrangements. By the end of the book, all is tidily, if not satisfactorily, wrapped-up.
Show Less
LibraryThing member lamb521
Title: The 6:20 Man
Author: David Baldacci
Pages: 432
Year: 2022
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
Travis Devine is a 30-year-old man who is working for a financial firm. Before becoming an analyst for an investment firm, he was a Captain in the U.S. Army with a very
The firm and its employees get rattled to the core when a body is discovered in the building. Thus begins the search for the killer and the reason for her death. The focus of the story is on a small group of characters that interact with Devine both at work and where he lives. The past life experiences of the characters come to the forefront with their choices in the present.
The author is a brilliant storyteller, and I have appreciated the different series published. However, I have noticed in the last few novels there seems to be more clutter than substance. The 6:20 Man has a fascinating premise and that drew me in as a reader. Unfortunately, the clutter at times overshadowed the characters and the mystery. I do plan to read the next book that is coming out in the fall titled, Long Shadows, so look for my review sometime in 2022.
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.
Author: David Baldacci
Pages: 432
Year: 2022
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
Travis Devine is a 30-year-old man who is working for a financial firm. Before becoming an analyst for an investment firm, he was a Captain in the U.S. Army with a very
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promising career. However, he made a decision that haunts his dreams at night and at times during his days. Travis takes the 6:20 train to Manhattan where a stop every day on his way to work provides an interesting view into the back yard of the firm’s owner.The firm and its employees get rattled to the core when a body is discovered in the building. Thus begins the search for the killer and the reason for her death. The focus of the story is on a small group of characters that interact with Devine both at work and where he lives. The past life experiences of the characters come to the forefront with their choices in the present.
The author is a brilliant storyteller, and I have appreciated the different series published. However, I have noticed in the last few novels there seems to be more clutter than substance. The 6:20 Man has a fascinating premise and that drew me in as a reader. Unfortunately, the clutter at times overshadowed the characters and the mystery. I do plan to read the next book that is coming out in the fall titled, Long Shadows, so look for my review sometime in 2022.
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.
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LibraryThing member drlord
New character new adventure. I’m waiting for the characters to develop but while good, this was not his best. Although it does come with the standard “ holy crap I didn’t expect that” moment
LibraryThing member Bauernfeind
Not his best work. Convoluted at first then developed later
LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
The 6:20 Man, David Baldacci, author; Zachary Webber, Christine Lakin, Mela Leen, narrators.
Travis Devine is what is known as a burner at Cowl and Comely. He is an entry level grunt who is a lot older than most of the others with whom he is employed. He spent several years in the military, in spite
Now, after leaving the service and furthering his education, with an MBA in hand, he takes the 6:20 train every morning to his job in order to punish himself, and perhaps, to please his father by working for a high-powered investment firm. Because he lives in Mount Kisco, every morning the train actually passes by and stops at a station that offers a view of his boss’s mansion. There, at Brad Cowl’s pool, he, along with the other riders, are gazing eagerly out of the train window. They are hoping to catch a glimpse of a beautiful woman as she lounges or swims there most mornings.
Travis shares an apartment with three other roommates. One, an MIT graduate, runs Hummingbird, a dating service, one is a Russian tech wizard hoping to become an American citizen, and one says she is a lawyer. They are all workaholics. When one of his fellow workers, at Cowl and Comely, Sara Ewes, is found dead, He is deeply affected by it. She had been a beautiful and bright woman, destined for success. He had once had a brief, secret relationship with her. Employee fraternization was forbidden at the company. He would have liked the relationship to develop, but she broke it off without explanation. Soon after her death, other bodies began to pile up and Devine’s life began to fracture and go in several directions at once. Many began to point fingers at him, since he was acquainted with all of the victims. He enlisted the aid of his roommates in their various capacities, to help him clear his name and solve the crime.
When Devine retired from the service, although bedecked with medals, he left under a cloud. Two of his friends had died, one by suicide, and one after a violent fight. After he was cleared of any wrongdoing, he felt forced to leave. To satisfy his dad, he resumed his education and then took the job with Cowl and Comely. Emerson Campbell, also a highly decorated former veteran of the Army, is in charge of a secret Special Projects Office. He reaches out to recruit/coerce Army Ranger Captain Devine, to help him in his investigation of the company, Cowl and Comely. It was a matter of national security and an offer he could not refuse.
There is a great deal of intrigue, and there are many diverse characters introduced, all of whom seem to have secrets or some sort of shadowy past. None of the characters are completely innocent or blame free in any situation that develops, and only some are of basic good character. As we learn more about Travis, and his interactions with them, his character actually develops more positively. We also find that he is sought after by women, which may seem surprising since he was rejected by Sara. As the novel plays out, Travis finds that someone is attempting to frame him for the murder of several of the recent victims, and his own life seems to be in danger. As the two themes run together, the personal one about Devine’s life, and the secret one involving Emerson’s Office of Special Projects, the tension builds rapidly.
Unfortunately, at the end, as the conclusion draws near, and part of the mystery is resolved, some of the revelations change what started out as a really interesting and hard to solve mystery, and made it into a novel written to satisfy the woke world. Why so many authors feel they must participate in the liberal mantra, making a good book seem contrived, simply to please the masses of progressive readers, is confounding, yet many authors today choose to do just that. The plot became a bit silly as gender confusion and race almost became more important themes of the book than the murders and threats to national security. The novel was suddenly disappointing. Still, I gave it three stars for the effort.
Travis Devine is what is known as a burner at Cowl and Comely. He is an entry level grunt who is a lot older than most of the others with whom he is employed. He spent several years in the military, in spite
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of his father’s deep disappointment in him when he went to West Point.Now, after leaving the service and furthering his education, with an MBA in hand, he takes the 6:20 train every morning to his job in order to punish himself, and perhaps, to please his father by working for a high-powered investment firm. Because he lives in Mount Kisco, every morning the train actually passes by and stops at a station that offers a view of his boss’s mansion. There, at Brad Cowl’s pool, he, along with the other riders, are gazing eagerly out of the train window. They are hoping to catch a glimpse of a beautiful woman as she lounges or swims there most mornings.
Travis shares an apartment with three other roommates. One, an MIT graduate, runs Hummingbird, a dating service, one is a Russian tech wizard hoping to become an American citizen, and one says she is a lawyer. They are all workaholics. When one of his fellow workers, at Cowl and Comely, Sara Ewes, is found dead, He is deeply affected by it. She had been a beautiful and bright woman, destined for success. He had once had a brief, secret relationship with her. Employee fraternization was forbidden at the company. He would have liked the relationship to develop, but she broke it off without explanation. Soon after her death, other bodies began to pile up and Devine’s life began to fracture and go in several directions at once. Many began to point fingers at him, since he was acquainted with all of the victims. He enlisted the aid of his roommates in their various capacities, to help him clear his name and solve the crime.
When Devine retired from the service, although bedecked with medals, he left under a cloud. Two of his friends had died, one by suicide, and one after a violent fight. After he was cleared of any wrongdoing, he felt forced to leave. To satisfy his dad, he resumed his education and then took the job with Cowl and Comely. Emerson Campbell, also a highly decorated former veteran of the Army, is in charge of a secret Special Projects Office. He reaches out to recruit/coerce Army Ranger Captain Devine, to help him in his investigation of the company, Cowl and Comely. It was a matter of national security and an offer he could not refuse.
There is a great deal of intrigue, and there are many diverse characters introduced, all of whom seem to have secrets or some sort of shadowy past. None of the characters are completely innocent or blame free in any situation that develops, and only some are of basic good character. As we learn more about Travis, and his interactions with them, his character actually develops more positively. We also find that he is sought after by women, which may seem surprising since he was rejected by Sara. As the novel plays out, Travis finds that someone is attempting to frame him for the murder of several of the recent victims, and his own life seems to be in danger. As the two themes run together, the personal one about Devine’s life, and the secret one involving Emerson’s Office of Special Projects, the tension builds rapidly.
Unfortunately, at the end, as the conclusion draws near, and part of the mystery is resolved, some of the revelations change what started out as a really interesting and hard to solve mystery, and made it into a novel written to satisfy the woke world. Why so many authors feel they must participate in the liberal mantra, making a good book seem contrived, simply to please the masses of progressive readers, is confounding, yet many authors today choose to do just that. The plot became a bit silly as gender confusion and race almost became more important themes of the book than the murders and threats to national security. The novel was suddenly disappointing. Still, I gave it three stars for the effort.
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LibraryThing member DrApple
I honestly don't know why I bought this book. It is well written, but it's not the sort of thing I usually read. The main character, an ex-Army Ranger finds himself in numerous situations where he has to beat up multiple people. Just not my thing.
LibraryThing member waldhaus1
An army ranger is forced to quit military service because of entanglements with the Murders of a friend. He then gets an MBA and joins a billionaires Wall Street firm. He is recruited by a retired general to spy on the firm. Soon a young woman he has dated is murdered. He is a suspect so he
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investigated her Murders as part of his spying. Then other young women are Murders and he discovers a web of international intrigue. He is soon fighting for his life. Show Less
LibraryThing member silversurfer
Another great thriller from one of my fave Authors.
LibraryThing member alanteder
The Man on the Train
Review of the Grand Central Publishing Kindle eBook edition, released simultaneously with the Grand Central Publishing hardcover (July 12, 2022)
Author Baldacci often writes interesting protagonists. I especially like his cranky detective Amos Decker with his hyperthymesia (total
This was actually quite good almost right up until the end, when the absurd twist finally appears to provide the letdown. The twist was also pretty much un-guessable on the part of the reader (you could say there was one very slim clue), so there was the added feeling of having the rug pulled out from under you. An Unsatisfactory Ending Alert™ is the result.
Ex-Ranger Travis Devine has left the army under mysterious circumstances, despite having had a successful military career. He now works in a low-level entry position at a high-end Manhattan investment firm. He commutes daily on the 6:20 a.m. train into the city, thus the title of the book. His life begins to unravel when one of the firm's high-earners is found dead in a supply closet one morning, an apparent suicide. Travis had dated the woman in the past (not actually allowed under the firm's code of conduct) and it soon appears that he is being framed for what is quickly determined to have been a murder. His housemates all play supportive roles in attempting to assist him, but they are each perhaps not whom they seem. He has run-ins with various other workers at the firm and other associated businesses. And finally he meets the actual working partner CEO who may be a figurehead for something much more nefarious than investments. Devine has to choose his allies carefully and call upon his close combat skills (there is a recognizable Reacher-vibe to those encounters) to solve it all.
So although the twist was a let-down, I did enjoy the book for the most part. It isn't listed as the first of a series, but I suspect that Travis Devine may become another recurring character for Baldacci.
Review of the Grand Central Publishing Kindle eBook edition, released simultaneously with the Grand Central Publishing hardcover (July 12, 2022)
Author Baldacci often writes interesting protagonists. I especially like his cranky detective Amos Decker with his hyperthymesia (total
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memory recall) & synesthesia (ability to crossover senses e.g. to "feel" a "colour"). But frequently his twists and conspiracies are so over the top that you are left feeling unsatisfied by the end. He is also so prolific that you can't really keep up and you worry that quality will suffer as quantity increases. So I didn't rush to pickup The 6:20 Man when it released last summer. When it was a Kindle Deal of the Day for $2.99 on January 8, 2023, I did grab it though.This was actually quite good almost right up until the end, when the absurd twist finally appears to provide the letdown. The twist was also pretty much un-guessable on the part of the reader (you could say there was one very slim clue), so there was the added feeling of having the rug pulled out from under you. An Unsatisfactory Ending Alert™ is the result.
Ex-Ranger Travis Devine has left the army under mysterious circumstances, despite having had a successful military career. He now works in a low-level entry position at a high-end Manhattan investment firm. He commutes daily on the 6:20 a.m. train into the city, thus the title of the book. His life begins to unravel when one of the firm's high-earners is found dead in a supply closet one morning, an apparent suicide. Travis had dated the woman in the past (not actually allowed under the firm's code of conduct) and it soon appears that he is being framed for what is quickly determined to have been a murder. His housemates all play supportive roles in attempting to assist him, but they are each perhaps not whom they seem. He has run-ins with various other workers at the firm and other associated businesses. And finally he meets the actual working partner CEO who may be a figurehead for something much more nefarious than investments. Devine has to choose his allies carefully and call upon his close combat skills (there is a recognizable Reacher-vibe to those encounters) to solve it all.
So although the twist was a let-down, I did enjoy the book for the most part. It isn't listed as the first of a series, but I suspect that Travis Devine may become another recurring character for Baldacci.
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LibraryThing member lbswiener
The 6:20 Man is a definite thriller. There were good guys and bad guys or at least we were given to believe but then things changed. The book was well written. There were some just in time situations that may or may not have been believable. It is a good story and given four stars in this review.
LibraryThing member nyiper
Another terrific Baldacci book.....there were so many "shades of a Trump-like" person in this book, illegal activities and all!!! Baldacci knows how to write a book that moves along with not a dull moment, page to page. NO, I did not figure out the ending ahead of time---so many twists and turns.
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Watching Travis Devine evolve in another book would be great!! Show Less
LibraryThing member LARA335
The mystery was interesting, but the absurdly fit and fight-ready man was ridiculous. And I couldn’t get my head around the fact that 4 super-talented adults only seemed able to afford a room each in a shared house, and that they all had super douper skills to aid the hero. Or that one of them is
My suspension of disbelief got worn out.
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starting a dating agency and is supposedly offered 50 million finance.My suspension of disbelief got worn out.
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LibraryThing member srms.reads
HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY! (July 12, 2022)
Thirty-two-year-old Travis Devine, is "The 6:20 Man", boarding the commuter train every morning into Manhattan, arriving early for a grueling day at his entry-level job as a financial analyst at Cowl and Comely, a prestigious investment firm, spending long
One morning he receives an anonymous email informing him that his colleague, mentor to his recruiting class and former girlfriend twenty-eight-year-old Sara Ewes was found dead in his office building, presumed to have committed suicide by hanging. However, Travis is doubtful that she would commit suicide and as the story progresses it becomes obvious that Sara was murdered. Both local and federal authorities reach out to Travis. The NYPD initially regard him as a suspect in Sara’s death. The federal authorities suspect Travis’s employers of shady dealings and reel him in to investigate within his company, compelling him to do so by bringing up the reasons for which he quit the Army- events from his past that still haunt him. As Travis investigates, he unearths secrets from Sara’s past and also realizes that someone is trying to frame him in Sara’s death. He also gathers proof that there is much more to what meets the eye as far as his employers and their business dealings are concerned. Everyone has secrets and everyone is a suspect. He often seeks help from his housemates- a Russian hacker who loves his adopted country, a brilliant tech entrepreneur and a law graduate, but at times he is compelled to regard everyone with suspicion.
What happened to Sara? What or who caused her death? What goes on behind the closed doors of the 52nd floor of Cowl and Comely? Was Sara involved in the suspected shady dealings in the company or was she murdered for more personal reasons? Why is someone trying to implicate Travis?
Overall, David Baldacci’s The 6:20 Man is a thrilling read that weaves a complex web of murder, financial crimes, corrupt businessmen, and international conspiracy. Though the setting of the novel is in the world of finance, the author does not drown us in technical jargon or make it too difficult to comprehend. The author takes his time in introducing the protagonist and his backstory. After a relatively slow start, the story picks up its pace and hooks us in till the very end. Full of twists and turns, Baldacci does not fail to surprise with the final reveal. Every time I thought I had figured it all out, we are delivered another twist and not until the very end do we identify the culprit(s). However, all is not resolved and we can expect a series in the making. Yes, as with most thrillers, we can expect far-fetched and OTT moments, but that’s the fun of reading an action-packed, fast-paced Baldacci thriller! I look forward to more thrillers featuring "The 6:20 Man", Travis Devine in the future.
Many thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for providing a digital review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The 6:20 Man is due for release on July 12, 2022.
Thirty-two-year-old Travis Devine, is "The 6:20 Man", boarding the commuter train every morning into Manhattan, arriving early for a grueling day at his entry-level job as a financial analyst at Cowl and Comely, a prestigious investment firm, spending long
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hours crunching numbers six days a week. A decorated ex-Army Ranger who rose to the rank of Captain, he decided to quit, got his MBA, and joined the world of finance. Though he isn’t completely happy with his new life, he has reconciled with his new reality but his years as a “combat stud” were far more satisfying on a personal level. One morning he receives an anonymous email informing him that his colleague, mentor to his recruiting class and former girlfriend twenty-eight-year-old Sara Ewes was found dead in his office building, presumed to have committed suicide by hanging. However, Travis is doubtful that she would commit suicide and as the story progresses it becomes obvious that Sara was murdered. Both local and federal authorities reach out to Travis. The NYPD initially regard him as a suspect in Sara’s death. The federal authorities suspect Travis’s employers of shady dealings and reel him in to investigate within his company, compelling him to do so by bringing up the reasons for which he quit the Army- events from his past that still haunt him. As Travis investigates, he unearths secrets from Sara’s past and also realizes that someone is trying to frame him in Sara’s death. He also gathers proof that there is much more to what meets the eye as far as his employers and their business dealings are concerned. Everyone has secrets and everyone is a suspect. He often seeks help from his housemates- a Russian hacker who loves his adopted country, a brilliant tech entrepreneur and a law graduate, but at times he is compelled to regard everyone with suspicion.
What happened to Sara? What or who caused her death? What goes on behind the closed doors of the 52nd floor of Cowl and Comely? Was Sara involved in the suspected shady dealings in the company or was she murdered for more personal reasons? Why is someone trying to implicate Travis?
Overall, David Baldacci’s The 6:20 Man is a thrilling read that weaves a complex web of murder, financial crimes, corrupt businessmen, and international conspiracy. Though the setting of the novel is in the world of finance, the author does not drown us in technical jargon or make it too difficult to comprehend. The author takes his time in introducing the protagonist and his backstory. After a relatively slow start, the story picks up its pace and hooks us in till the very end. Full of twists and turns, Baldacci does not fail to surprise with the final reveal. Every time I thought I had figured it all out, we are delivered another twist and not until the very end do we identify the culprit(s). However, all is not resolved and we can expect a series in the making. Yes, as with most thrillers, we can expect far-fetched and OTT moments, but that’s the fun of reading an action-packed, fast-paced Baldacci thriller! I look forward to more thrillers featuring "The 6:20 Man", Travis Devine in the future.
Many thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for providing a digital review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The 6:20 Man is due for release on July 12, 2022.
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LibraryThing member decaturmamaof2
A bit different, good whodunit!
LibraryThing member ZachMontana
Baldacci at his best! Very twisted plot with lots of murders and other intrigue. The "Who done it" remains hard to figure till the very end and is unpredictable and fun to anticipate and try to solve. I listened to this book and felt the narration was excellent, especially Zachary Webber narrating
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the main character, Travis Devine. Show Less
LibraryThing member OscarWilde87
Travis Devine is a former Army Ranger who had to end his military career and has now started a new life getting a job with a Wall Street firm, Cowl and Comely. As he is at the bottom of the foodchain there he has to start early and work late every day to beat the competitors for the opportunity to
I have come to enjoy Baldacci's fiction a lot as it usually makes for some fast-paced and enjoyable reading and taken with the right amount of suspension of disbelief his novels are simply very entertaining. The 6:20 Man is another good example of this and I breezed through the more than 500 pages to find out how the conspiracy is eventually resolved and who of the characters is actually involved in it and why. 4.5 stars.
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stay with the firm. Hence, he takes the 6:20 train to commute to work six days a week. However, Devine is not really into his job and he does not even subscribe to the life of money and splendor that it promises once he has worked his way up the career ladder. When his friend and colleague at the firm is found dead, the NYPD rules out the initially believed suicide it was made to look like and Devine becomes a prime suspect.I have come to enjoy Baldacci's fiction a lot as it usually makes for some fast-paced and enjoyable reading and taken with the right amount of suspension of disbelief his novels are simply very entertaining. The 6:20 Man is another good example of this and I breezed through the more than 500 pages to find out how the conspiracy is eventually resolved and who of the characters is actually involved in it and why. 4.5 stars.
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LibraryThing member AnneMarieMcD
A standalone adventure that was a little less tightly written than most of Baldacci's work. The plot and characters were solid and several plot twists kept the intensity up - only a couple didn't quite ring true. It's a bit over the top, as the hero deals with his painful emotions by making himself
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miserable, yet is fit enough to dodge bullets, charming enough to get relative strangers to take big risks on his behalf, creative and full of initiative... So, a very good read! Show Less
LibraryThing member Baochuan
This fast pace thriller is a new series but follows the complicate twist plot that David Balducci is good at. I enjoyed the book and the character is well layout. The redemption/second chance is heavy and center in the book.
LibraryThing member Kintra
A fast pace thriller in a new series. I enjoyed the book borrowed from the local public library in 2022 as a light escape from my more formal historical reading.
LibraryThing member JenniferRobb
I've read quite a few novels by David Baldacci. This one returns us to his "thriller" format with Travis Devine being a former Army Ranger turned entry-level financial analyst. When Travis's co-worker, Sarah Ewes, is found dead in the building, it sets off a chain of events that leads to quite a
One of the things I like to do is figure out how the title relates to the book--in this case the 6:20 refers to the train that Travis took in to the office 6 days a week. We'll have to see if it develops additional meaning in future books of the series.
Not that it matters much in the end, because of what happens to the firm, but I was a bit surprised that Travis didn't get called out for how much time he took away from the office while he was investigating given how much was made about the people at his level needing to have their nose to the grindstone to be retained.
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large body count. One of the things I like to do is figure out how the title relates to the book--in this case the 6:20 refers to the train that Travis took in to the office 6 days a week. We'll have to see if it develops additional meaning in future books of the series.
Not that it matters much in the end, because of what happens to the firm, but I was a bit surprised that Travis didn't get called out for how much time he took away from the office while he was investigating given how much was made about the people at his level needing to have their nose to the grindstone to be retained.
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Awards
Language
Original publication date
2022-07-12
ISBN
9781538719848