One of Baldacci’s Best
What It’s About
The 6:20 Man is back, dropped by his handlers into a small coastal town in Maine to solve the murder of a CIA agent who knew America’s dirtiest secrets—can Travis Devine uncover the truth before his time runs out?
When CIA operative Jenny Silkwell is murdered in rural Maine, government officials have immediate concerns over national security. Her laptop and phone were full of state secrets that, in the wrong hands, endanger the lives of countless operatives. In need of someone who can solve the murder quickly and retrieve the missing information, the U.S. government knows just the chameleon they can call on.
Ex-Army Ranger Travis Devine spent his time in the military preparing to take on any scenario, followed by his short-lived business career chasing shadows in the deepest halls of power, so his analytical mind makes him particularly well-suited for complex, high-stakes tasks. Taking down the world’s largest financial conspiracy proved his value, and in comparison, this case looks straightforward. Except small towns hold secrets and Devine finds himself an outsider again.
Devine must ingratiate himself with locals who have trusted each other their whole lives, and who distrust outsiders just as much. Dak, Jenny’s brother, who’s working to revitalize the town. Earl, the retired lobsterman who found Jenny’s body. And Alex, Jenny’s sister with a dark past of her own. As Devine gets to know the residents of Putnam, Maine, answers seem to appear and then transform into more questions. There’s a long history of secrets and those who will stop at nothing to keep them from being exposed. Leaving Devine with no idea who he can trust… and who wants him dead.
- Publisher : Grand Central Publishing
- Published : November 14, 2023
- Pages : 416
I’ve read many of Baldacci’s books, but this one hit the mark. Retired from the Army’s special ops force, Travis Devine, from an earlier book The 6:20 Man, is back when he is asked by Agent Campbell to investigate the death of his friend’s daughter. The daughter, CIA operative Jenny Silkwell, ends up dead when she returns home to attempt to right a wrong that happened years ago.
Ex-Army Ranger Travis Devine, who is now on Homeland Security, packs his bags and heads to a small town in Maine to look into Silkwell’s death. What he finds had me solving the mystery . . . and then heading in another direction. Had I solved the mystery? Of course not. Baldacci is too good to let that happen.
Devine meets the perfect cast of characters in Maine who end up taking him on a fast-paced, twisted journey as he searchs for answers.
My Concerns
Nothing.
Final Thoughts
If you like the Jack Reacher novels, you’ll no doubt enjoy The 6:20 Man and The Edge. Baldacci has red herrings and many things going on in this story, but unlike other books with lots of threads working their way into the tapestry of the plot, I had no trouble keeping everything straight.
I look forward to the continuing adventures of Travis Devine.
My thanks to Grand Central Publishing for a #gifted copy. I was in no way influenced to give any particular review. or rating
About The Author
David Baldacci has been writing since childhood, when his mother gave him a lined notebook in which to write down his stories. (Much later, when David thanked her for being the spark that ignited his writing career, she revealed that she’d given him the notebook to keep him quiet, “because every mom needs a break now and then.”)
David published his first novel, Absolute Power, in 1996. The feature film adaptation followed, with Clint Eastwood as its director and star. In total, David has published 48 novels for adults; all have been national and international bestsellers, and several have been adapted for film and television. His novels are published in over 45 languages and in more than 80 countries, with 150 million copies sold worldwide. David has also published seven novels for young readers.
A lifelong Virginian, David received his Bachelor’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, after which he practiced law in Washington, D.C.
In addition to being a prolific writer, David is a devoted philanthropist, and his greatest efforts are dedicated to his family’s Wish You Well Foundation®. Established by David and his wife, Michelle, the Wish You Well Foundation supports family and adult literacy programs in the United States. In 2008 the Foundation partnered with Feeding America to launch Feeding Body & Mind, a program to address the connection between literacy, poverty and hunger. Through Feeding Body & Mind, more than 1 million new and gently used books have been collected and distributed through food banks to families in need.
David and his family live in Virginia.
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