The Whole Truth. - David Baldacci

Synopsis: 'I need a war ...' Nicolas Creel, a super-rich arms dealer, decides that the best way to boost his business is to start a new cold war - and he won't let anything or anyone get in his way. As international tensions rise and the superpowers line up against each other, the lives of three very different people will never be the same again. As intelligence agent Shaw, academic Anna Fischer and ambitious journalist Katie James are all drawn into Creel's games, can anything stop the world from spiralling out of control? This terrifying global thriller delivers all the twists and turns, emotional drama, unforgettable characters and can't-put-it-down pacing that Baldacci fans expect - and still goes beyond anything he's written before.

Review

Well this was my first Baldacci, and despite a few people saying it wasn't one of his best, and probably not the most suitable to start with, I thought I'd crack on with it anyway. I wasn't disappointed.

It was a good read; fast-paced, full of action, and the different threads of relationships through the characters, were just great. Agent Shaw is fantastic; strong, resolute, and will do anything to fight for the one he loves. He's learnt the art of survival, how to look after himself with the odds stacked against him, and it stands him in good stead when getting out of a good scrape.

However, his line of work is dangerous and he is unable to retire and concentrate on the love of his life; a hold over him that he can't shake free. Elsewhere a man turns the world against each other; an international disaster and nobody can stop him as the world spirals out of control. Ambitious journalist Katie James is also caught up in events, even if she does have her own demons to wrestle with.

I enjoyed the twists and turns which kept me guessing right until the end. Is it too late for the world on the eve of a new Cold War? Read this fantastic thriller to see for yourself.

4/5.