Ratings18
Average rating4
Amos Decker—the FBI consultant with a perfect memory—returns to solve a gruesome murder in a booming North Dakota oil town in the newest thriller in David Baldacci's #1 New York Times bestselling Memory Man series. When Amos Decker and his FBI colleague Alex Jamison are called to London, North Dakota, they instantly sense that the thriving fracking town is ripe for trouble. The promise of a second gold rush has attracted an onslaught of newcomers all hoping for a windfall, and the community is growing faster than houses can be built. The sudden boom has also brought a slew of problems with it, including drugs, property crimes, prostitution—and now murder. Decker and Jamison are ordered to investigate the death of a young woman named Irene Cramer, whose body was expertly autopsied and then dumped in the open—which is only the beginning of the oddities surrounding the case. As Decker and Jamison dig into Irene's life, they are shocked to discover that the woman who walked the streets by night as a prostitute was a teacher for a local religious sect by day—a sect operating on land once owned by a mysterious government facility that looms over the entire community. London is a town replete with ruthless business owners, shady government officials, and religious outsiders, all determined to keep their secrets from coming out. When other murders occur, Decker will need all of his extraordinary memory and detective skills, and the assistance of a surprising ally, to root out a killer and the forces behind Cramer's death . . . before the boom town explodes.
Series
5 primary booksAmos Decker is a 5-book series with 5 primary works first released in 2015 with contributions by David Baldacci.
Reviews with the most likes.
Honestly, 3 stars is being generous but I'm rounding up from 2.5 or so. This book was all over the place. It sort of felt like the following happened : 1) author thinks of setting. 2) realizes he has different possible concepts for this setting. 3) Instead of choosing whichever concept workshopped best he wrote a crossover novel between 2 of his current series. The entire things feels like 2 unfinished books were forced to become one at gunpoint.
Crossovers aren't a deal breaker for me but they have to work (ex: Bosch & lincoln lawyer.) In this case, it just felt like too much was going on. It takes way too long to find out why this case has been assigned to the FBI, the body count is so high I lost track at one point, and the way “hints” are used is just strange. Also, the sheer number of conspiracies going on in a small town in North Dakota is just unbelievable. The core mystery Decker is trying to solve gets resolved in a way that pushed my ability so suspend disbelief and I say that as a person who reads fantasy novels. I know Liz has mortuary experience but I feel like she was written as criminal mastermind with no explanation how she got these skills. I know she made stupid mistakes but still. Also: the only gay people in the book are either A) dead. B) psychotic C) Dating/ married to man to hide their gayness. The older lesbian manipulating the younger hot woman and going on murder spree was...not great. It leaned on stereotypes the gay community is associated with. Dammit Baldacci.
I really enjoyed this story and Will Robie and his partner turning up was pretty cool. I haven't read any of the Will Robie series so am looking forward to reading those!
I liked the earlier books in the series better, but this one was fun because several characters from another series were included.