This is one of Baldacci’s great books!
The three principal characters are: Ellen Foster, Director of Homeland Security (DHS), Mason Quantrell and Peter Bunting. The latter two are competitors for government (DHS) grants; they operate gigantic security companies in the war against terrorism.
Peter had developed an “E-Program” requiring people with “eidetic” powers to analyze data needed to identify problem areas in the world: it requires the coordination of all US government agencies to be effective. Bunting’s program is enormously successful. Quantrell will do anything to bring down Bunting. Ellen is threatened by Bunting’s success and is determined to bring him down as well. The two form an uneasy alliance. Ellen has access to the President and manipulates him to believe that Bunting is incompetent. He is naive and accepts everything she says, so he authorizes her to do everything she can to stop Bunting.
Bunting is dependent on Edgar Roy who is an “eidetic genius” in his “E-Program.” Edgar is framed for the murder of six people and is imprisoned in a Federal prison in Maine. Our detectives (Sawn King and Michelle Maxwell) go to Maine to meet with Edgar’s defense attorney only to find him murdered. They are embroiled in a mystery in seeking evidence for Edgar’s trial that can exonerate him. People close to the case are killed. We don’t know who framed Edgar. Theories are considered, but hard evidence cannot be found. Edgar’s sister appears and she is determined to help him.
Our detectives are followed by black SUVs; they are threatened by men who do not show IDs. Bunting’s bodyguard threatens him. We learn he is on Foster and Quantrell’s side. Eventually, Ellen Foster and Mason Quantrell are brought down in a complicated scheme that slowly evolves.
Rating: 
While cruising on the family yacht in the Indian Ocean, nineteen-year-old Cayla Bannock is attacked and taken hostage by pirates. Rogier was her lover, or at least, he pretended to be her lover. He is actually a terrorist. Cayla manages to get Rogier hired aboard the yacht as a bar tender. What she did not know was that he was – aka – Adam – a practiced killer, and soon to be leader of one of the largest Arab terrorist clans in the middle east. Rogier/Adam and his Uncle Kamal had planned to kidnap Cayla and demand a 20 billion dollar ransom. Kamal is commodore of a fleet of pirate crafts that ravaged Indian Ocean shipping lanes. Both men are use to violence and killing.
Caylor happens to be the daughter of Hazel Bannock, heiress to the Bannock Oil Corporation, one of the world’s foremost oil producers. Hazel calls on her corporate head of security, Hector Cross, to help find Cayla. Hector is strong, competent, resourceful. Hazel is a former world class tennis star having won the Australian Open in Sydney. What follows is a series of intrigues in complicated plots and action. A key colleague double crosses Hector, becomes a mole for Adam, and causes all kinds of grief for Hector and his friends. Eventually, Cayla is found, but you will have to read the book to find out how and what happens after her rescue. Hazel falls in love with Hector. But they don’t live happily ever after either, though it has a good ending. (3)
Rating: 
Evan Waller is a monster. He has built a fortune from his willingness to buy and sell anything… and anyone. In search of new opportunities, Waller has just begun a new business venture: one that could lead to millions of deaths all over the globe.
On Waller’s trail is Shaw, the mysterious operative from The Whole Truth, who must prevent Waller from closing his latest deal. Shaw’s one chance to bring him down will come in the most unlikely of places: a serene, bucolic village in Provence.
But Waller’s depravity and ruthlessness goes deeper than Shaw knows. And now, there is someone else pursuing Waller in Provence—Reggie Campion, an agent for a secret vigilante group headquartered in a musty old English estate—and she has an agenda of her own.
Hunting the same man, unaware of each other’s mission, Shaw and Reggie will be caught in a deadly duel of nerve and wits.”
I found the characters and the subplots confusing. It was hard to remember what was going on in the story. Sorry about that. As a result my rating does not reflect the quality of the story telling by Baldacci here. Am looking forward to Hell’s Corner, the return of my favorite – The Camel Club.
Rating:
An easy read. I completed it in one sitting. Stuart Woods must have a distorted view of women. Beautiful women are always described as having long legs and beautiful bodies, they are deceitful and manipulative. That’s how he describes Barbara who is the Ex-wife of Attorney Ed Eagle. She is in a Mexican prison serving time as a murderer; she is obsessed with killing Eagle. You will have to read the book to see how she manages to escape from prison. She hires a pilot to kill Eagle and tells him he she will kill him if he fails. Wouldn’t you know it – he fails. Eagle is severely wounded in a hospital. Barbara kills the would be assassin.
There is Dolly, another beautiful woman. She is hired by this golf pro to serve as a personal assistant: she takes care of his business and finances, organizes his household, serves as a general housekeeper, and eventually seduces him. The pro does not know she had killed his wife and appears after the funeral as a job applicant. We learn that she is also wanted by the police for embezzlement. She steals all of our golf pros money and disappears.
Before Barbara was arrested she had married this billionaire who died in a car accident. His Will was challenged in probate while she was in prison. She learns later on that the challengers had lost, and she became a billionairess overnight. With her new wealth she manipulates the Mexican justice system to get pardoned. Ed Eagle no longer has to worry about Barbara as she is too busy managing her wealth. Yep — she decides to forget about Ed, or at least this is what the reader is told. I wouldn’t be surprised if Woods resurrects the Barbara/Eagle Relationship.
Rating:
I “normally” do not include reference works of this kind, but I made an exception with Lennarth Petersson’s book (search: Lennarth Petersson), so I thought I’d better include David Antscherl’s book as well.
This book was recommended to me online. Its proven to be invaluable in building the HMS Fly which was classified as a “Sixth Rate Sloop” that was built in 1776. “It is not until one has had the experience of building a detailed model hull and then masting and rigging it that one begins to understand the enormous complexity and variety of skills required to build an 18th century wooden ship.”
It took administrators, designers, draftsmen, master shipwrights, carpenters, sawyers, metalworkers and smiths, caulkers, coopers, victuallers, carvers, painters, ropemakers, blockmasters, sailmakers and riggers to produce a highly sophisticated machine capable of sailing around the world. An excellent reference work showing how and where lines (rigging) are to be installed. The book consists of 214 glossy pages with photographs, illustrations and pictures. Three large sheets with drawings shows the rigging that are numbered and explained in corresponding paragraphs throughout the book. Costs approximately $75. Expensive reference works.
Rating: