Bullseye by David Baldacci

Bullseye by David Baldacci
(Will Robie #2.5) (Camel Club #5.5)
60 pages / 2 hrs, 2 mins

"Will Robie is closing in on his next target when he finds himself in the middle of a bank heist--and he's taken hostage alongside Oliver Stone. But is this just a simple bank job, or are the robbers after something even more valuable--and dangerous--than the cash in the vault?"  --from the publisher

I don't usually read short stories, but I'm glad I read this one. It was very good!  I gave it four out of five stars.

End Game by David Baldacci

End Game by David Baldacci
(Will Robie #5)
416 pages / 11 hrs, 54 mins

"Will Robie and Jessica Reel are two of the most lethal people alive. They're the ones the government calls in when the utmost secrecy is required to take out those who plot violence and mass destruction against the United States. And through every mission, one man has always had their backs: their handler, code-named Blue Man.

"But now, Blue Man is missing.

"Last seen in rural Colorado, Blue Man had taken a rare vacation to go fly-fishing in his hometown when he disappeared off the grid. With no communications since, the team can't help but fear the worst.

"Sent to investigate, Robie and Reel arrive in the small town of Grand to discover that it has its own share of problems. A stagnant local economy and a woefully understaffed police force have made this small community a magnet for crime, drugs, and a growing number of militant fringe groups...Robie and Reel find themselves up against an adversary with superior firepower and a home-court advantage, they'll be lucky if they make it out alive, with or without Blue Man..."  --from the publisher

It was a good thriller, but I must admit I didn't care for some of the attitudes and opinions expressed. Although it would make for some good discussion in a book group on the subjects of prejudice, vigilantism, self-defense, and violence in general.

The Guilty by David Baldacci

The Guilty by David Baldacci
(Will Robie #4)
432 pages / 11 hrs, 46 mins

"Will Robie escaped his small Gulf Coast hometown of Cantrell, Mississippi, after high school, severing all personal ties, and never looked back. Not once. Not until...his father, Dan Robie, has been arrested and charged with murder.

"Father and son haven't spoken or seen each other since the day Robie left town. In that time, Dan Robie...has been elected town judge. Despite this, most of Cantrell is aligned against Dan. His guilt is assumed.

"To make matters worse, Dan has refused to do anything to defend himself. When Robie tries to help, his father responds only with anger and defiance. Could Dan really be guilty?

"Unlike the missions Robie undertook in the service of his country, where his target was clearly defined, digging into his father's case only reveals more questions. Robie is drawn into the hidden underside of Cantrell, where he must face the unexpected and possibly deadly consequences of the long-ago choices made by father and son. And this time there may be no escape for either of them."  --from the publisher

I was completely engrossed in this story.  It had a psychological element that added drama to Baldacci's style.  Four out of five stars from me!

The Target by David Baldacci

The Target by David Baldacci
(Will Robie #3)
432 pages / 12 hrs, 51 mins

"Together, Robie and [Jessica] Reel's talents as assassins are unmatched. But there are some in power who don't trust the pair. They doubt their willingness to follow orders. And they will do anything to see that the two assassins succeed, but that they do not survive.

"As they prepare for their mission, Reel faces a personal crisis that could well lead old enemies right to her doorstep, resurrecting the ghosts of her earlier life and bringing stark danger to all those close to her. And all the while, Robie and Reel are stalked by a new adversary: an unknown and unlikely assassin, a woman who has trained all her life to kill, and who has her own list of targets--a list that includes Will Robie and Jessica Reel."    --from the publisher

This volume in the series felt like three short stories. I found it a bit choppy.  On the positive side, I enjoyed Baldacci's new characters and getting Reel's background.  I gave it 3 out of 5 stars.

The Hit by David Baldacci

The Hit by David Baldacci
(Will Robie #2)
400 pages / 11 hrs, 46 mins

"Will Robie is a master of killing.

"A highly skilled assassin, Robie is the man the U.S. government calls on to eliminate the worst of the worst - enemies of the state, monsters committed to harming untold numbers of innocent victims.

"No one else can match Robie's talents as a hitman...no one, except Jessica Reel.  A fellow assassin, equally professional and dangerous, Reel is every bit as lethal as Robie.  And now, she's gone rogue, turning her gun sights on members of their agency.

"To stop one of their own, the government looks again to Will Robie.  His mission: bring in Reel, dead or alive.  Only a killer can catch another killer, they tell him.

"But as Robie pursues Reel, he quickly finds that there is more to her betrayal than meets the eye.  Her attacks on the agency conceal a larger threat, a threat that could send shockwaves through the U.S. government and around the world."  --from the publisher

The book is a standard thriller, but I think the plot and settings make it an interesting read.  Also, a couple characters on the perimeter are more involved than one might think which increases the intrigue.