A grizzled professional cat burglar gets trapped inside the bedroom closet of one of the world’s richest men, only to witness, through a one-way mirror, two Secret Service agents kill the billionaire’s trampy young wife as she tries to fight off the drunken sexual advances of the nation’s chief executive. Running for his life, but not before he picks up a bloodstained letter opener that puts the … the president at the scene of the crime, the burglar becomes the target of a clandestine manhunt orchestrated by leading members of the executive branch.
Meanwhile, Jack Graham, once a public defender and now a high-powered corporate attorney, gets drawn into the case because the on-the-lam burglar just happens to be the father of his former financee, a crusading Virginia prosecutor.
Embroidering the narrative through assorted plot whorls are the hero’s broken romance; his conflict over selling out for financial success; the prosecutor’s confused love-hate for her burglar father; the relentless investigation by a northern Virginia career cop; the dilemma of government agents trapped in a moral catch-22; the amoral ambitions of a sexy White House Chief of Staff; and the old burglar’s determination to bring down the ruthless president.
Meanwhile, lurking at the novel’s center like a venomous spider is the sociopathic president.
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This is one of my favorite David Baldacci books. It was made into a good movie with Clint Eastwood & Gene Hackman. If you like books that keep you on the edge of your seat, read this.
I loved it. Not the usual thriller. could not put it down.
The book that’s started it all for the famed David Baldacci. After published it was made into a Clint Eastwood movie and for good reason. This one crosses his experience with law and his passion for the thriller. What a steamy, twisty, first thriller.
Baldacci is a superb writer, one of the best and his books always hold your interest and provide enjoyable reading.
This is an excellent political thriller. It’s complicated, clever, and surprising. And it’s 10 times better than the movie!
1st book I had ever read by David Baldacci and I stayed up until 4am finishing it. Great characters and story line.
enjoyed it tremendously
Will read anything by this author!
Awesome book
Good book but plot different from the movie of the same name.
One of my all time favorites
Clever, clever and more clever. Nobody does it better than Baldacci. If I did not write this – I certainly agree with it.
Oh definitely read this one if you haven’t yet!
It’s tough to find a book that you always want to be reading and this one definitely has that quality. I love that I get to know all the aspects of the crime while I’m totally excited to watch the characters stumble through it all. It really is a wonderfully exciting read! Great job David! (I know …
I recall when Absolute Power first published. The technical detail and setting description required to set the atmosphere of suspense without overburdening the audience, and setting up a sequence of events that were completely believable was remarkable. The characters were fully fleshed out, their dilemmas gut-wrenching. I included in the …
It is impossible for David Baldacci to write anything but a first class story.
My favorite thriller of all time!
I am almost certain this was my first Baldacci book many years ago and remains my favorite. I recall it being captivating much like the early Ludlum books which were so original and far from predictable.
Can never go wrong with a David Baldacci book!
And Baldacci continued to write best seller after best seller
This was my first David Beldacci novel and I loved.