Pre Book Discusssion Chat

What are you hoping for from this book?
Where did we last leave this series?

Split Second
Maxwell & King Book #1

Secret Service agent, Sean King had great career potential. But while guarding a presidential candidate on a campaign stop in a small town, his attention is diverted for one instant…and with good cause.

The candidate, Clyde Ritter, is shot and killed. Agent King in turn shoots the assassin. The killer dies…and so does King's career.

Eight years later Secret Service agent Michelle Maxwell is on a career fast track in a profession where only men succeed.

A former Olympic rower, Michelle Maxwell has her sights set on White House duty guarding the president and she just might make it.

She is guarding a presidential candidate, John Bruno, who is making an unscheduled stop at a funeral home to pay his respects to a deceased friend. The room is vacant except for the candidate, the corpse and the widow. Bruno insists on time alone, without security in spite of Maxwell’s advice and objections. Uncomfortable with the candidate's decision, Maxwell, and fellow agents stand outside the closed door, 99% sure their charge will be safe.

Wrong! He is kidnapped without them knowing until it’s too late. Michelle may still have a job, but her career is over. She is determined, however, to find John Bruno before he is killed - if indeed, he is still alive.

Former agent Sean King is now living in a house he designed and built on a quiet lakefront in Virginia. He went back to school for a law degree and shares a practice in town. Sean reads of agent Maxwell's fall from grace and feels great empathy because of his similar experience. His empathy chills considerably when Maxwell shows up at his door with some questions and a theory that the murder and the kidnapping, eight years apart, just may be related.

She provides some convincing arguments so he considers the ramifications of working with Michelle on the case. Soon he finds a dead body in his law office.

When an old flame and colleague that he hasn’t seen for eight years…Joan Dillenger… turns up, with an agenda of her own. She had been with him the day before the assassination and stayed with him that night in his hotel room leaving unanswered question about her involvement and what she may know.

Joan, Michelle and Sean combine their considerable resources to solve this mystery which just keeps getting more complicated - and interesting. But there is someone out there, in the background, with even more resources who is playing them all with extraordinary expertise.

This was read on Leafmarks so I have no stats for it available for it. I will say we must have found it tolerable since we are embarking on book #3.
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The Hour Game
Maxwell & King Book #2

While out jogging Michelle Maxwell discovers a dead body. The woman's corpse had been posed and a Zodiac watch, which didn't belong to her, was affixed to her wrist. The time was set to one o'clock. The question was…was the killer trying to mimic the infamous Zodiac Killer?

Murders #2 and 3 are of a young couple parked and necking at a favorite make-out site. The weapon was a shotgun. A dog collar was left on the floorboard of their car. Is this a Son of Sam copycat?

Are the murders related and what is the message and motive? How are the corpses connected? These are the questions that confronted Sean and Michelle as well as us the readers.

The bizarre killings continue, each scene evoking aspects of former famous serial killers, and each death marked by a precise time.

Police Chief Todd Williams deputizes King and Maxwell. The PIs make little sense of it all. There are too many potential suspects and more and more confusing clues for us to work through. We all agreed that there was just so many clues that led us in circles but answered almost nothing.

Maxwell asks, "Why commit murders in similar styles to past killers as a copycat would and then write letters making it clear you're not them?" Good question Michelle 

During this turmoil, attorney Harry Lee Carrick hires the two detectives to investigate a burglary, allegedly committed by his client, handyman Junior Deavor. The robbery took place on the estate of the town's wealthiest and most formidable family, the Battle clan - Southern gothic at its best. Is the entire family, and their history going back to the civil War, introduced to prop up the plot or to confuse the reader? We found them a strange and unbelievable or trustworthy family.

Then the puzzles begin. Again, who is/are the killer(s)? Who stole what from whom? Motive(s)? How to keep all the characters straight? Who gets killed next? Will Michelle and Sean ever get together?

From the new and improved Book Discussion Stats thread:

Date Read: July 27 –August 1, 2016
Participants: (8) - Andrew, Sergei, Carol, Eadie, Lynda, Jen, Bluebird, Brenda
Ratings: Brenda 3.75; Sergei 3.5; Eadie 4; Andrew 4; Bluebird 4; Lynda - 4.5 Jen, 4 Carol 5
Overall Avenge Rating: 4.09

Comments:

"It was good, but not great."

"Just because I correctly guessed who-dunnit, otherwise it would have been an average 3. Feeling generous because I got it right!"

"I'll stick with my 4 because I did enjoy the book and the discussions but the book was a little too long."

"Even though it was too long and the ending a bit disappointing, it held my interest throughout and I always looked forward to reading the next section."

I have read all of these books...but don't worry...I don't remember much of the details. It is...hands down...one of my favorite Baldacci series. Just happy to be able to discuss it with my group of friends. Happy reading one and all:)

Thanks Carol - your wrap-up of the previous books is great!

I missed out on The Hour Game. Let's see how this affects the reading.

>5 sushicat: I don't think it will as the "series" category seems to only refer to the reoccurring characters of King and Maxwell and doesn't build on anything that happened in the past books. If anything is mentioned it's explained and just becomes a part of the current story line. Glad to have you joining us one this one:)

>4 EadieB: Thanks, Eadie.

>4 EadieB: I was thinking while reading the summary of the first book, that this was really well done. No spoilers and yet it recapitulates events nicely for those who have read the book.
Well done indeed, Carol.

>7 sushicat: Thank you, Sushi:) I read it over several times before and after I posted it.

Thanks as always Carol, it certainly helps refresh my mind! 😊

>3 Carol420: like you, Carol, I've read this book (apparently) but don't remember anything about it. When reading various scenes I remember them - like the bar fight, Sean investigating Babbage Town - but can't remember where the story is actually leading.

We still have the usual problem so question 6L is missing if you list the questions in topic order.

Ah - so this is a known problem. I thought it was just me (or rather my computer) messing things up with the page change.

Yes happened a few times when it goes onto a second page. Usually only when the group read is over 6 or 7 days.