The Collectors - David Baldacci

The Collectors
David Baldacci
Warner Books

Thriller

Jonathan DeHaven loves his job as the director of the Rare Books and Special Collections at the Library of Congress. His routine includes arriving early each day to open the vault. When he’s found dead, one of his employees, Caleb Shaw is outraged. Sadly for the unknown murderer, Shaw is a man who knows how to exact revenge. A former assassin for the CIA, Shaw reunites the Camel Club to investigate DeHaven’s death. The Camel Club is comprised of four highly intelligent, and rather dangerous men, who know for a certainty that the government hides the truth.

Across the country, con artist Annabelle Conroy is setting up her biggest game yet. For personal reasons, she’s assembling a team that will end of depriving a certain Atlantic City casino owner out of several million dollars. And back in D.C., CIA operative Roger Seagraves, now retired from active duty in the field, has essentially gone rogue; exacting justice on those who, he feels, deserve it, with a bit of help from some like-minded friends. His first target of assassination was the Speaker of the House. And, in his downtime, Seagraves keeps his contacts active by selling classified US secrets to the highest bidder.

As readers of THE CAMEL CLUB (2005) can attest, the author excels at weaving together seemingly disparate strands of plot into a cohesive whole. This time around, he seems to have toned down some of the eccentricities of the Camel Club members, and with the addition of Annabelle and her group of cons, this works out perfectly. The action moves seamlessly from one group to another, the pace never flagging. Never start a Baldacci book late at night if you have to be up early the next morning. They’re almost impossible to put down, and they never disappoint.

Rating: 9
October 2006
ISBN# 0-446-53109-X (hardcover)