Atlee Pine, the hero of Baldacci’s hit 2018 thriller Long Road to Mercy, returns to star in the latest page-turning thriller from one of today’s most bankable writers.
Following the events of last year’s book, FBI agent Atlee Pine finally returns to Georgia to re-open the case of her missing twin sister, Mercy, who was abducted––and in all likelihood, murdered—more than three decades prior.
Consumed with anger and regret, both symptoms of survivor’s guilt, Atlee’s decision to dive back into her sister’s case is as much a move of love as it is necessity. Especially after she manages to save a young girl during an attempted abduction in Colorado, the circumstances of which remind her of the past. Ultimately, though the girl is rescued, Atlee’s actions are called into question. No longer able to concentrate on her job, Atlee knows the only way to move forward with her career is to finally solve the mystery around Mercy once and for all—no matter where the trail leads her.
So, Pine and Carol, her assistant, head south for Andersonville, where things quickly take a dark turn when a string of murders rock the small town. First, a woman’s body is found with a wedding veil covering her face, followed by a second even more bizarre murder. Determined to find the killer, Atlee begins working the case, and in doing so she can’t help but wonder if she might somehow be the reason someone is killing in her hometown again . . .
As always, Baldacci does a fantastic job plotting thigs out and revealing just enough as the pages turn to keep readers engaged and on the edge of their seats. Without giving anything away, there are more twists and turns here than in last year’s book, and just when you think you have everything figured out—Baldacci throws a final surprise that’ll leave fans begging for more.
Few writers can hook readers faster and harder than David Baldacci, who continues to juggle multiple hit franchises. Readers can debate who his best lead character is at the moment, but one thing’s for sure, Atlee Pine is certainly in the discussion—and A Minute to Midnight is as good as anything he’s written over the last several years.
Book Details
Author: David Baldacci
Series: Atlee Pine #2
Pages: 432(Hardcover)
ISBN: 1538761602
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Release Date: November 19, 2019
Book Spy Rating: 8.0/10
Praised as “One of the hardest working, most thoughtful, and fairest reviewers out there” by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline, Ryan Steck has “quickly established himself as the authority on mysteries and thrillers” (Author A.J. Tata). Steck also works full-time as a freelance editor and pens a monthly thriller column for CrimeReads. For more information, be sure to follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He currently lives in Southwest Michigan with his wife and their six children.