David Baldacci Counts Down Zero Day

When U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division investigator John Puller is assigned to investigate the murder of a family in West Virginia's mining country, the military's immediate interest is expected. The murdered man was a retiring Defense Intelligence Agency colonel stationed at the Pentagon.

The murders were grisly, but it was the oddity of the way the bodies were found that was unnerving. All four of them — Colonel Reynolds, his wife, and two children — were moved and lined up on a couch in the living room, sitting up. The home was not their own; no one knows why they were staying there.

Puller is dispatched with orders to allow uniformed local law enforcement to take the lead on the investigation, using finesse whenever possible to keep the military in the loop and take charge as necessary. Although unflappable and professional, taking a back seat doesn't fit his personality.

Zero Day starts off as a police procedural, but something lurks below the surface.

The first front of the book invests most of its time laying the foundation. Baldacci not only introduces the environment, but also many of the players. He is especially keen on fleshing out the background and relationships of Puller, his family, Sgt. Samantha Cole (a.k.a. Sam), and her family.

Puller's father is a legendary major general; his brother has been convicted of treason. After her parents died a few years ago, Cole's sister married a coal mining tycoon and her brother has mostly dropped out, unable to cope with the family's loss. All of the characters are well sketched, even bit players who only appear once.

He also does a fair job painting a picture of West Virginia coal country even if some West Virginians have said that Baldacci isn't accurate. Some of his suppositions are grounded in research, however, such as mountaintop removal and other forms of economic development. What is a little less plausible is that the economically depressed are inclined to loot the deceased.

Then again, it's difficult to believe Baldacci might have grounded this idea in something else. He doesn't write from New York or Los Angeles. He is a native of Virginia and still resides there.

While most other characters are flawed to varying degrees, Puller is near perfect in his analytical, physical, and people skills. For the most part, his only shortcomings stem from the higher bar he has set for himself. He is prone to suggest others set their bars higher too.

At times it makes him come off as self-righteous and even super human, but that doesn't necessarily make him unlikeable. He is likable, even if his near perfection makes him and the story a little more predictable in that he will eventually win (but win against what or at what cost is unknown). Other than that, a few misplaced chapters, and some stereotype cliches, especially in the dialogue, there is no question Baldacci is a gifted writer.

As the bigger conspiracy surfaces, the case is intriguing for awhile. 

When the novel shifts its focus from the murders to the bigger conspiracy — a national nuclear threat — it becomes considerably more interesting as a paranoid thriller. There are people in the world who would like nothing better than to exploit the remnants of hidden, long-abandoned military facilities.

While the threat is grounded in a plausible idea, one of those that reminds people that probably fact might read stranger than fiction, some elements of the end game become less plausible. It is almost overwhelmingly convenient that his treasonous brother can play a critical role.

A couple graphs about author David Baldacci. 

Originally a corporate and trial attorney in Washington D.C., Baldacci's debut novel immediately catapulted his career as a writer, especially after Absolute Power was made into a major motion picture. Since, Baldacci has published 22 additional novels (many of which carry an "absolute power corrupts" theme) and scores of articles.

Baldacci's passion for literature extends beyond writing novel and articles. He also the founder of two worthwhile foundations. The Wish You Well Foundation, which was founded with his wife, supports family literacy by promoting new and developing education programs. His other organization, Feeding Body & Mind distributes used books to people who are also receiving food assistance from Feeding America.

Zero Day By David Baldacci Counts Down To 3.8 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale. 

While the story is sharp enough and better than average, you will find plenty of people who seem irked by his latest creation (beyond West Virginians). There are some especially interesting comments by people who purport to be Marines, CID, and Lee Child fans (because of Puller's resemblance to Jack Reacher).

Zero Day by David Baldacci is available from Amazon and the novel can be ordered from Barnes & Noble. You can also download the book from iBooks or listen to the audio version from iTunes. The audiobook is read by Ron McLarty and Orlagh Cassidy, which gives the story more depth with both readers covering appropriate genres.

Child 44 Is As Relevant Now As 2008

Two years after its initial debut, Child 44 reads as an even more relevant reminder that Aldous Huxley was right: "Hell isn't merely paved with good intentions; it is walled and roofed with them. Yes, and furnished too."

As the United States continues to struggle with the concept of whether its people need to be compelled to do good for the good of the state, Child 44 gives readers a glimpse of the future by sharing the past of another country that once held such a pursuit in high regard. And it does so with frightening clarity.

Set in 1953 under the backdrop of Stalin's Soviet Union, Child 44 is frequently described as a serial killer thriller, mystery, or historical fiction since the murders are based on real Russian serial killer Andrei Chikatilo, also known as the Rostov Ripper. However, those quick descriptors sometimes put off readers who don't appreciate those genres. It's a real mistake to miss this book for lack of an accurate moniker.

Why Child 44 Still Makes The Cut After Two Years.

It's not the serial killer story that keeps readers turning the page or thumbing the screen; it's the tenuous suspense created by following Leo Stepanovich Demidov, an MGB officer who eventually comes to terms with the knowledge that he has spent his entire life protecting the illusion of a perfect society.

After all, in a country where everyone is provided health care, food, shelter, security; with everyone working for the good of the state; with everyone assigned jobs that they are the most capable to perform; there can be no crime. Even the mere suspicion of believing anything contrary to the idea of utopia — including a murder by anyone other than someone mentally deficient — can cost you, your friends, and your family their lives.

The rules are simple enough. The only crime worth pursuing is espionage. And if you are suspected, a case file will be opened. If there is a case file open, you are guilty. And if you are guilty, anyone associated with you is a possible suspect.

For Leo Demidov, this is how he vested his life with the power to denounce, torture, and execute thousands of people who are unwilling or unable to maintain the charade. Their crimes are disgraceful. The veterinarian who treats the dog of a Western embassy employee. The woman who accepts an unsanctioned gift of literature. The family who suspects their son was murdered.

They must all be guilty against the infallibility of the state. If not, there is little left to conclude other than that people being protected by the state are thugs, villains, and killers who everyone pretends do not exist, despite the worst of them being entitled and empowered by the state.

Written by Tom Rob Smith, a 2001 Cambridge graduate and working screenwriter, Child 44 continues to earn awards and has already captured the attention of visionary filmmaker Ridley Scott. It was optioned before the book even hit the shelves.

Originally, Child 44 was anticipated to be complete and released in 2010 with Scott directing. But given his long list of projects "in development," it is anybody's guess where Child 44 might fit. Sooner would possibly provide a lift for the sequel, which is frequently described as less suspenseful.

Child 44 Earns A 9.5 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale.

Overall, Child 44 is near flawless. And while some readers might be taken aback by the plot twist toward the end, the minor distraction does little to curb the haunting power of how easily tyranny can denounce anyone for what they say. And what makes that especially chilling in the United States nowadays is that denouncements seem to be occurring with steady regularity.

The book was recently discounted Child 44 on Amazon. The audio version of Child 44 is read by Dennis Boutsikaris, who does the story outstanding justice by enhancing every line with engaging inflections. You can also find Tom Rob Smith on Facebook. You can find it for iBooks too.