True Blue

It's almost like meeting up with an old friend whenever I pick up a David Baldacci book.  He's the only author that I've consistently read.  If someone ask me to name my favorite authors, he would be one of them.  His books are mostly crime driven suspense novels.  Like most authors, he has a few different series which have the same characters.  True Blue came out last year and I just got around to checking it out from the library.

The last Baldacci book I read was mediocre, which had me cautious in selecting another one.  I guess I didn't want to taint my affinity for Baldacci's writing.  True Blue restored my faith.  It was a great book!  And I truly hope that Mace and Kingman become another series.  Both are strong characters and the relationship between them was well built.  A little more spark of romance between characters would have been nice to read.  I'm not so sure why Baldacci always skirts around his characters appeal towards one another.  I think that's what I find most disappointing about some of his books.  Just write a nice romantic scene for once, gosh dang it!

Anywho, in True Blue Mace and Kingman work their way around Georgetown and other D.C. areas trying to solve two murders and erase framed ex-police officer, Mace's felony record.  It was predictable.  I'd guessed the murderer from the beginning and knew their would be an underlying romantic element to Mace and Kingman that Baldacci would not bring to fruition.  The structure and relationships are all predictable.  But the story is told well enough that those faults don't matter.

I will have to keep watch to see if Baldacci decides to write another Mace and Kingman story.  I don't think I'd wait a year to read it.  I've found the secret to new releases.  My local library lists all of the incoming new releases on its websites and shows how many copies have been ordered.  Once it's listed, anyone can place a hold on a copy.  I'm currently slated to receive both Sarah Palin and George W. Bush's latest books when they are released in the upcoming weeks.  Once they are released, I'll get a copy the week its released while hundreds of others will be on the wait list.  I think it's pretty sneaky anyway.  And you can't compete with the cost - FREE.  Whoo hoo!

And with that, I'm off to chose a book of the shelf and read.