End Game: David Baldacci (Will Robie series, 5)

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The only part that I thought Baldacci may have actually written would have been the ending battle, which was the best part of the book. And when Robie and Reel find themselves up against an adversary with superior firepower and a home-court advantage, they'll be lucky if they make it out alive, with or without Blue Man. There are more questions than answers, leaving Robie and Reel to wonder if this mission might be beyond their capabilities.

I could see things playing out and was impressed with the pace and forward movement, but cannot say that I was kept up late into the night reading or wondering. Baldacci tackles other social issues with the same sort of shallowness, but perhaps I'm asking to much from the genre. In fact, I was a latecomer to the series but that book took Will (and his erstwhile partner Jessica Reel) out of his usual spy / assassin / government agent role and had a more personal twist. He’s met there by his sometimes partner, Jessica Reel, who has just come off her own mission that ended quite poorly. Much later, when David thanked her for being the spark that ignited his writing career, she revealed that she’d given him the notebook to keep him quiet, "because every mom needs a break now and then.One chance to make it safely home to find out what has happened to fellow agent Jessica Reel following their last deadly mission together.

At the time I appreciated the deviation because I was worried having not read previous books in the series may have been a disadvantage. While Baldacci often bases his novels on contemporary political problems around the world, how he tackles this subject matter is quite disturbing. Will and Jess are government sanctioned assassins, not investigators, but in this story they will have to become investigators too.

After taking and completing rather strenuous jobs in both London and Iraq, government agents/assassins Robie and his partner Jessica Reel are tasked with finding out what happened to their boss, Roger "Blue Man" Walton, when he disappears in his hometown in Eastern Colorado. This story allows Baldacci time for the growing relationship between Robie and Reel, a clever, different, well paced, action packed thriller. Established by David and his wife, Michelle, the Wish You Well Foundation supports family and adult literacy programs in the United States.

Will's unaided and quick 'disposal' of 17 bad guys in just a few minutes at the beginning of the book (not a spoiler) was so unbelievable that it was surely facetious. The story moves along at break-neck speed, moving from one action packed scene to another in staccato fashion.As they delve deeper into the mystery behind Blue Man’s disappearance, they find themselves facing an adversary who has a home and firepower advantage. And just as unputdownable from the very first page to the very last like all the other of this brilliant series. While I actually sort of enjoyed the personal angle, I did find it odd – it simply seemed to be an ‘extra’ to keep readers vested in the characters… something that was just not the norm with Baldacci. I enjoy Baldacci and his series, but can only hope that if he is losing his passion for these two, that he will tie things off and turn his gaze onto his well-developed newer series, which also packs a punch.