Introducing a remarkable new character from #1 New York Times bestselling writer David Baldacci: Atlee Pine, an FBI agent with special skills assigned to the remote wilds of the southwestern United States who must confront a new threat . . . and an old nightmare.Eeny, meeny, miny, moe. Catch a tiger by its toe.It’s seared into Atlee Pine’s memory: the kidnapper’s chilling rhyme as he chose … chilling rhyme as he chose between six-year-old Atlee and her twin sister, Mercy. Mercy was taken. Atlee was spared.
She never saw Mercy again.
Three decades after that terrifying night, Atlee Pine works for the FBI. She’s the lone agent assigned to the Shattered Rock, Arizona resident agency, which is responsible for protecting the Grand Canyon.
So when one of the Grand Canyon’s mules is found stabbed to death at the bottom of the canyon-and its rider missing-Pine is called in to investigate. It soon seems clear the lost tourist had something more clandestine than sightseeing in mind. But just as Pine begins to put together clues pointing to a terrifying plot, she’s abruptly called off the case.
If she disobeys direct orders by continuing to search for the missing man, it will mean the end of her career. But unless Pine keeps working the case and discovers the truth, it could spell the very end of democracy in America as we know it…
“Love it!” –Lisa Gardner“Atlee Pine is unforgettable.” –James Patterson
“David Baldacci’s best yet.” –Lisa Scottoline
“Heart-poundingly suspenseful.” –Scott Turow
“A stunning debut.” –Douglas Preston
“A perfect blend of action, secrets, and conspiracies.” –Steve Berry
“Baldacci is at the top of his game.” –Kathy Reichs
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Love this new series. I’ve never been to the Grand Canyon always wanted to go now I can’t wait.
A bit unrealistic- is Baldacci losing his mojo????
Have read some from this author before…now I wonder why I haven’t read more. You won’t put it down, at least I didn’t!
enjoyed the title character. Have read another book in the seried. just as good.
Setting is interesting -not your normal location for a high crime.
“Long Road to Mercy” by David Baldacci
What an adventure this story relates. Definitely another full-bodied suspense filled story by an author that really knows how to deliver a story to keep you awake nights. I had to wait my turn to download this audiobook from my state library… it was worth the wait. Definitely a Worth Read ! !
Best author out there! You just can’t find a bad book. Amos Decker is my favorite character, but I love all his books. I have been reading Baldacci for 10+ years. This book is just one more great read.
Great new character. Great story. Can’t wait to read more of her.
Entertaining plot with imaginative twists on current national and international politics and intrigue. (Would never happen for real, right? Right?) Accurately described settings in northern Arizona and northern Virginia. The rugged Grand Canyon becomes as much a character as a setting.
Debut female protagonist Atlee Pine works as a kick-ass FBI agent, conflicted and driven by severe childhood trauma. Her sidekick, Carol Blum, comes across as a believable counterpoint to the main character.
An engaging page turner, nicely set up for a sequel.
My first book by Baldacci. I’m not sure whether this was the first of the series – there are hints of information I should/could have known from a prior book, though I was not left wanting for necessary information. And maybe they were flashbacks. Regardless, it was a good story, and believable, with plenty of plot twists for an action/detective story. I’ll be happy to pick up more stories in this series, or by Baldacci.
enjoyable
David Baldacci tells wonderful and elaborate stories. He is a prolific writer with interesting, talented, and unusual characters and multiple series featuring those characters. Alter Pine is one of his best! I cannot wait to see more of her story unfold. Highly recommended!!
Enjoyed the 40’s setting which was well researched by David Baldacci. Good plot and the main character had an added dimension as an ex-con. I knew the “who-done-it” half way through but enjoyed the situations.
I like the new character, Atlee Pine. She’s really a different hero than most. I’d like to read more with her.
Outstanding book by one of my favorite authors. Highly recommend it.
This was another book that created mixed feelings amongst the group. First of all, I don’t think any of us realized before reading it that it was the first book in a series (An Atlee Pine Thriller Book 1). The book was pretty much the setting foundation of the main character, Atlee Pine by way of what some of us thought was a very confusing and mixed storyline. Others in the group loved it and even brought more of his books after reading this one.
That’s what I love about book clubs. They will take you away from your comfort zone and the genres you normally read and many times introduce you to new authors that you’d probably never discover if it wasn’t for being a suggestion at the book club
Anyway back to the book. We all agreed, the book pulled us in straight away. It began with Atlee’s interrogation in a high-security prison where only the worst of criminals were housed. She believed the prisoner was the man who took her twin sister over thirty years ago. The first few chapters of the book gave the impression that this was going to be a story about Atlee trying to get to the bottom of what happened to her sister. Sounds good, doesn’t it? I was on board and wanted to know too what happened to her.
Suddenly the story switched gears and it’s now all about a dead mule that was found at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and the missing rider. None of this had anything to do with how we were pulled into the book in the beginning. It was almost like two stories thrown into one book. I and a few others in the group kept reading hoping it would shift back to the case of the missing sister but it didn’t. A huge disappointment for me and I soon began to lose interest in the book. I almost felt like I had been deceived by the switch and bait method that was used to draw a reader in.
The ending was also a disappointment for some of us because it ended with a cliff hanger. I, in particular, wasn’t pleased with the unfinished ending. When I invest my time in a book, I expect a complete story and not be forced to buy the next one. I’ve never like this tactic and think it’s highly unfair to the reader. When an author tends to do this, I personally will not read their books.
Overall, some members loved it and are anxious to read the next book in the series which is currently available to pre0ordr on Amazon by the way. Others like myself didn’t care for it.
Oddly, I haven’t read many David Baldacci books. I don’t know why. I think I tried reading one that had been adapted into a movie and it didn’t really resonate with me – I forget which one. I picked this up in a physical book store having rediscovered some book vouchers I got last Christmas and figured I’d give it a go. I’m starting a new series as a writer, so it made sense to look at what an experienced, highly successful writer does when creating a whole new character.
This did not disappoint – either as an education or as a purely pleasurable reading experience. I won’t go into the technical bits and pieces or the things I took away as an author, but the excellent characterisation, how the story builds from the seemingly minor tragedy of a murdered mule (you read that right, the first murder victim in this is a mule) and the disappearance of its rider to a major conspiracy engineered by–
Okay, no spoilers. But it’s a fascinating new character with crisp writing, a page turning pace that falters only slightly in the back end (sometimes too much research into landscape and geography can be telling on the page) but picks up again to deliver one of my favourite reads of the year.
Off the back of this, I’ve chosen to go back and look at more Baldacci, starting with Memory Man, up next.
In short, The Long Road to Mercy is well worth your time and money.
I love Baldacci’s books! This one was great and I can’t wait for more about this character.
If I could read only one author for the rest of my life, it would be Baldacci. I really like this new heroine, tough but tender and unwaveringly determined.
Too long of a road in my opinion.
Love David Baldacci ‘s books.