Split Second

I read a book a week and have spent 100s on ebooks with Amazon. I read all Lee Child's, Michael Connoly, Rachel Amphlett, John Grisham and Robert Crais. I have enjoyed every one, but get fed up with all the 'padding'. One learns to skip this 'fill-space' nonsense. It is not relevant to the plot, doesn't 'add interest' and is boring. Then I discovered David Baldacci. I have read 6 of his so far and enjoyed every one, except this one. Good scenario, but muddled from the start. Can't make head or tale of who is who. I have given up on it and wasted €8!! So, sadly one star rating. The firs six, were really enjoyable. I will buy another, in the hopes that I can 'get into it'.

Other than the mentionned best-seller, I read two other books by Baldacci which were at least satisfying. This one has a really promising start and a quite interesting storyline. Unfortunately, if you care for believeable caracters, for something like an "acceptable" quality in style, and have little tolerance for dirt cheap tricks, the result here is a big disappointment. I have to wonder who wrote this and who else wrote "Absolute Power", as there's no possible comparison. Towards the finale, the author uses a grotesque subterfuge not to reveal a vital information so we keep reading until the end ("when he heard the answer", "the truth he had uncovered was hard to believe", "he couldn't tell her what he knew although he wanted to" and so on); this drags over several chapters, letting the reader feel he's played for an idiot, having no choice but to read on and wait for the truth to come out. I've never seen anything like it. The main caracter is supposed to be involved not in one but two romances (one old, one new) playing side by side, and they just don't manage to exist. It's fiction on a really low level. Not recommended unless you're bored out of your mind.

I really enjoyed reading this book. it grabbed my attention right from the start and almost turned into a couldn't put it down read. highly recommended 👍