True Blue

True Blue is possibly the best Baldacci I've read, in fact, one of the best mystery thrillers overall. Why? It is a seamless blend that intersperses wry romantic humor, familial loyalty, and intrigue. There are good guys and bad guys, but the line gets uncomfortably drawn between them now and then. One machination required a momentary suspension of disbelief, but only slight, and the plot and characters so relentlessly driven and fun, that it was harder to dwell on that nuance, and quickly forgotten. True Blue has a compelling female protagonist, balanced by a close male supporting character, kind of like Leslie Connors and Bradley Carson in Randy Singer's Self-Incrimination, but grittier than Singer's book, and together with the other players, the story moves forward quickly, builds momentum, and hurtles to a great finish. I hope others are as entranced with this book as I was... I'd be proud if I'd written it.

I am rereading True Blue, and am 80% through it. I can't believe it's received even a few poor reviews; it is really an outstanding entry, and I'm loving it all over again.