This might be the best Amos Decker yet, excepting the first one! Wowza!!!! So many plot twists and murders and connections and surprises in this classic Baldacci thriller. Decker and Jamison are in North Dakota to investigate a strange murder/dead body, and we go along for the ride to learn all about fracking, small town politics, best friends who drift apart, jealousy, affairs, and a couple of surprise cameos by characters that will have discerning readers jumping with literary joy.
Ok, maybe not jumping, but I did pump my fist. Once.
Keep it a surprise and don't read more reviews! That is one that should not be spoiled.
Baldacci's style is typical here - short sentences, very little bridging between scenes ("They drove to the house. He thought about the case. Decker left." (HA, I love it when Decker just ups and leaves the room in mid-sentence.)) But in this one the case itself is so complicated I almost needed a character list to keep track. Definitely kept my attention!
I am also very intrigued at how Decker's abilities and conditions seem to be mutating. In the last book or two he has had brief scenes of empathy and understanding, which are lacking because of his brain injury from football years ago. Jamison notices and isn't sure what to think about her partner and dare I say bff. I like that there is no romance between the two. But she sure does look out for him, as he does for her. Nice.
{One small complaint - I get annoyed that the author refers to everyone by their last names. The victims, the main characters, and ok fine this is what really bugs me - the women!!! The Southern girl in me gets tripped up by this. Maybe it is a policeman lingo thing, so I guess I get it for his partner Jamison (who he sometimes calls Alex - pick one!). But for the victims? Just call her Irene for goodness sake! Or Ms. Cramer. Or the Victim (although, too many victims here to warrant a singular). A small thing in the overall, but still, wondering if anyone else thinks this way?}
This is a great story, I love The Memory Man, and won't say much more about the plot. If you are a Memory Man fan, you should definitely read this one. I have read them all in order, but I am not sure you really need to do so. Of course, the first one you need to read, and I prefer to read books like this in order personally. But I think you could skip the fourth one, and just dive into the fifth and sixth. Some similarities in the small town bust scenario, but worth it.
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