Hell's Corner

Last week I ventured to the library in the hopes of finding something to pull me out of my reading rut. I didn't have much time so my only stop was the "NEW" addition shelf. I say "new" because most of these books were released in 2010 or even 2009, and here we are in 2011. But, I'll take what I can get. Instead of hitting numbers this year as far as book goals go, I am focusing more on reading authors that are as yet undiscovered be me. David Baldacci, popular and bestselling as he is, is one such author.

Hell's Corner is the latest instllatment in the Camel Club series by Baldacci. I did not realize until the very end that there are 4 books preceding this one dealing with the same characters. Oops! Anyway, it follows the events of a bombing in Lafayette Park, also known as Hell's Corner (see title), across from the White House. Former CIA agent Oliver Stone, AKA John Carr, finds himself smack in the middle of the bombing, crime scene and also the investigation despite being out of the government biz for a number of years. The bomb is believed to have been an attempt on the life of England's Prime Minister and thus, Mary Chapman, an MI6 agent, is also brought on board to assist.

As the two delve deeper into the investigation and try to catch the baddies, more and more players end up dead and things seem exceedingly fishy. Stone and Chapman (with the help of the Camel Club) begin to realize they are being played throughout the investigation and the opposition is one step ahead of them with sabotage at every turn. It's a race to the end to discover what or who was really behind the bombing while trying to stay alive, unlike some of their unlucky co-investigative agents.

This brief synopsis was difficult because I didn't want to give away too much. I have been pulled out of my reading rut! I loved this book. It was a thriller full of suspense and intrigue. And, because I'm not very good at figuring out whodunit ahead of time, it kept me guessing right up until the very end. There were lots of surprises, twists, and turns and more than once I gasped out loud while reading. John always laughs at me when that happens but I don't care. I didn't want to put it down and subsequently, finished it in about 2 1/2 days. If you are into thrillers, check this one out! I'm headed back to the library soon to start at the beginning of the Camel Club's adventures. And I think I found a new author to add to my list! Yea hooray!

Rating: * * * *