Long shadows, Book 7, Memory Man Series; David Baldacci, author; Kyf Brewer, Orlagh Cassidy, narrators
This is a very simple story that the author has tried to make a bit too complicated. When a very wealthy judge and her quasi-bodyguard are found murdered in her home, Amos Decker and his new partner, Frederica White, are sent from Washington DC to South Florida, to investigate. Both are on thin ice with the Agency. Amos is somewhat of a loose cannon, and the powers that be resent him. Freddie, who is a woman of color with a bit of a smart mouth, who also seems to have a little chip on her shoulder that was born from events in her past, is also a thorn in the agency’s back.
As the story progresses, and more murder victims pile up, it seems possible that more than one murderer has been involved. Were the first two victims killed for the same reason? If so, what was the reason? Why did other murders follow? The connection seems nebulous. Perhaps the murder of the judge and her lover were unrelated. Soon, big business and politics, in bed with each other, also reveal espionage that takes the reader as far as Czechoslovakia and Russia. What is the connection? You won’t discover until the end, as the author has woven in many tangents extending far into the past, with spies, conmen and hired assassins to distract the reader as the crime is solved.
The novel also reveals the fragile nature of relationships between parents and children, spouse and spouse. Explanations and actions related to relationships are often misread and overblown in the effort to remain loyal, prove our love and to protect each other. In the process, the author also engages the reader with the very real effects of greed, immorality and severe mental illnesses that are untreated or untreatable, of adults and emotional and intellectually challenged children. Several of the characters had to deal with drastic issues. In addition, Decker’s new partner’s name seemed a bit contrived, and I wondered why. These are just some of the varied themes introduced. Perhaps the wokeness that is seeping into the books of so many progressive authors has now infected his writing. Men are not painted in the finest of lights, but as highly toxic. The idea of the questionable superiority of women seems to have crept into the pages, as their value is seemingly questioned, sometimes unfairly and unkindly. There is also an apparent attempt to highlight the corruption in police forces and the FBI.
I enjoy reading about the Memory Man and his issues as he works to protect citizens; I realize that this new partner will appear in future books. I hope she is developed with more depth. Right now, she seems simply to be an accessory with a sharp tongue, a single mother, struggling to provide and succeed in a world Hell-bent on preventing her from dong that. Still, she was able to save Decker’s life. I hope the future books are a bit more interesting and lot less filled with hackneyed and obvious dialogue.