The Whole Truth by David Baldacci

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Nicholas Creel needs a war. The head honcho at the world's largest and most aggressive defense contractor is hankering for a bloody hoedown to bolster his company's coffers. That puts him in the crosshairs of investigative journalist Katie James and a mysterious covert op known only as Shaw. David Baldacci's thriller pulsates with intrigue and excitement.

From the Publisher

"Matt, I need a war."

So begins David Baldacci's new book—a thriller unlike any he's written before. "Matt" is Mathew Pender, of Pender Associates—a shadowy organization that specializes in managing seemingly impossible situations for its clients. Sometimes, those services extend to managing—and creating—armed conflict. When Matt Pender is asked by his client—the largest defense contractor in the world—to manipulate two nations against each other, a shocking and surprising series of events are set in motion that will possibly bring the world to the brink of World War III.*

In this epic thriller with a global backdrop, David Baldacci delivers all the twists and turns, compelling characters, and can't-put-it-down pacing that readers have come to expect from this master storyteller.

Publishers Weekly

If there is such a category as a guys' audio, The Whole Truth fits the bill perfectly. Ron McLarty's gruff voice enhances this fast-moving thriller as he takes the listener through barrages of deadly assaults featuring gunfire, knives, bombs and hacksaws. He portrays Shaw, the unwilling secret agent, as weary yet tough. Nicolas Creel, who needs a good war to help sagging profits, comes across as appropriately cerebral and coldhearted. While McLarty gives different accents to Anna and Katie, otherwise, both sound alike, but he performs a variety of French and Slavic villains in quick succession. The sound track is comparable to a terrific cinematic score: darkly foreboding or quietly romantic when appropriate, raising this audio to an art form and enhancing the already gripping tale. A Grand Central hardcover (Reviews, Mar. 3). (May)

Ilka Gordon - Library Journal

In this thriller, Nicolas Creel, the largest arms producer in the world, needs a war to make his products sell, so he hires Dick Pender's PR firm to orchestrate a new "cold war" among Russia, the United States, and China. Shaw, the reluctant agent of a secret multinational intelligence group, is hired to thwart Nicolas's plans. Katie James, a Pulitzer Prizewinning journalist who is now jobless and an alcoholic, needs a good story to reclaim her reputation, so she follows Shaw, not knowing he has a rendezvous with terrorists. Ron McLarty's excellent reading captures the excitement and suspense of Baldacci's story and allows the listener to hear the unique personalities of each character. The Whole Truth remains on the New York Times best sellers list, having achieved the number 1 spot in May. This audiobook is highly recommended for all public libraries. [Hachette Audio also has two versions of Whole Truth available: 5 CDs. abridged. 6 hrs. 2008. ISBN [9781600241420 & 9781600241444]

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