By: David Baldacci
Series: Memory Man #7
ISBN: 978-1538719824
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Narrators: Kyf Brewer, Orlagh Cassidy
Publication Date: 10/11/2022
Format: Hardcover & Audio
My Rating: 5 Stars 🎧
From the author of The 6:20 Man, “Memory Man” Amos Decker—an FBI consultant with perfect recall—delves into a bewildering double homicide in this new thriller in David Baldacci's #1 New York Times bestselling series.
When Amos Decker is called to South Florida to investigate a double homicide, the case appears straightforward: A federal judge and her bodyguard have been found dead, the judge’s face sporting a blindfold with two eye holes crudely cut out, a clear sign that she’d made one too many enemies over her years on the bench.
What at first seems cut and dry is anything but: Not only did the judge have more enemies than Decker can count—from violent gang members, drug dealers, and smugglers to a resentful ex-husband—but the bodyguard presents additional conundrums that muddy the waters even further. Who was the real target in this vicious attack?
Meanwhile, Decker must contend with a series of unsettling changes, including a new partner—Special Agent Frederica “Freddie” White—and a devastating event that brings Decker’s own tragic past back to the present . . . and forces him to reckon with his future. As potential witnesses start disappearing, Decker and White are inexorably pulled down a twisted tunnel of secrets, crimes, and scandal—at the end of which lies Decker’s deadliest threat yet.
My Review
David Baldacci returns following The 6:20 Man (5✨Stars) with the latest edition of Amos Decker #7 (The Memory Man) —LONG SHADOWS.
A lot is going on, and you do not want to miss a thing in this electrifying, complex, multi-layered investigation and so much more! A sinister double murder and a new partner.
A huge Baldacci fan and of his leading men, I always pre-order the audiobook and am equally a fan of the dynamic duo narrators— Kyf Brewer and Olagh Cassidy (two of 🧡my favorites)- please never change. The performance was outstanding, as always—highly recommend the audiobook.
Now, let's dive into this book!
We all know and love Amos Decker (a huge fan and read all the books) has many skills that make for a great investigator.
In LONG SHADOWS, FBI consultant Amos Decker has a lot on his mind. Decker gets hit pretty early with bad news. His ex-partner, Mary Lancaster, calls him for comfort (she has dementia), and she does not know her daughter. Before he can do anything, she kills herself.
He is bummed and receives a text from the Washington Field Office instructing him to come to Washington at once. Here he is introduced to his new partner, an African American woman, Special Agent Frederica White. Decker is not happy, because he does not want a new partner but has little choice.
Decker and White are then sent to South Florida, where they are assigned to investigate the murders of a Federal judge, Julia Cummins (wealthy), and her private bodyguard, Alan Draymont, employed by Gamma Protection Services.
Decker's first thought was, why a private bodyguard and not one assigned by the Fed?
Draymont, the bodyguard was shot, and the judge was butchered with a knife multiple times and both in separate rooms.
Two different means of attack which leads Decker to think— a double homicide and possibly two different murderers?
When they arrive in Ft. Myers, they have to deal with the locals, which is never good and Decker is about to lose his patience, trying to get answers. In a small gated community, the neighbors and friends are not a lot of help.
Also, White and Decker have tension amongst themselves as new partners, but before the end of the book, they are getting along and respect one another.
White is a single mother from Maryland (love her) and her mom keeps the boys. She feels guilty about leaving them so much so every chance she gets, she flies back home to see them. She wants to move up with the bureau, but rumors have it she and Decker were sent on this investigation to fail so they could be terminated. But evidently, the bureau does not know Decker's flawless record, and White's tenacity. Do you think they might go out on their own? We shall see.
The investigation also sends them to Key Largo, FL as well. To complicate matters, they have many suspects, including the judge's ex-husband, Barry Davidson (a drunk who stands to gain millions from the will since it was not changed), and the judge's son, Tyler. They are each other's alibi. He is a high school student and athlete, and he and Decker bond over football since Decker was a pro football player, which caused his traumatic brain injury.
Next, they look at possible motives for the murder of the bodyguard. (who seems to have been having an affair with the judge).
They look into the company (bodyguard) employed by Gamma Protection Services. When Decker/White visits the company, they meet Kasimira Roe, the CEO of Gamma. She inherited the million-dollar company from her father, Kanak, when he mysteriously disappeared in a boating incident three years earlier. Then they question one of the employees who was taken to hospital and disappears. Lots of action follows.
Roe wants to hire Decker to discover what happened to her father. His boat and his body were never found—not a trace. Decker agrees only if this situation is linked to the crime, they are working on.
The plot thickens when Decker discovers when Draymont was murdered, a wad of foreign currency was stuffed in his throat—old Slovakian currency. Kasimiri Roe's father, was from Slovakia. The foreign currency in Draymont's mouth seemed to connect with Kanak Roe, or at least the Roe family.
More people go missing, and more deaths, and they get closer to finding the murders of both the judge and the bodyguard and solving the case.
In the conclusion, Decker and White both have to deal with employment bureaucracy issues leading us to hope for another book in the series! Your fans will be anxiously awaiting.
I love Decker and the White together. I think they are good for one another and have a lot in common. It sounds like she has invited him up to meet her family!
Baldacci is a master storyteller, and this brilliantly crafted, twisty/clever plot, the riveting suspense, and the fascinating, well-developed characters are all awe-inspiring!
All the non-stop action and the relationship between the two new partners add balance from professional to personal, making for a highly satisfying installment.
Memory Man and Baldacci fans alike will be anxiously awaiting the next Decker/White installment. Cannot wait to see what comes next in this chapter of their lives.
On a side note, of course, I loved the South Florida setting. Been a resident for over 22 years and loved the mentions of Palm Beach, Key Largo, Naples, Ft. Myers, and Tampa, where I have lived and worked. I enjoyed revisiting these settings in the book.
Do not miss this one—a gem!
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 🌟 Stars
Pub Date: Oct 11, 2022
Praise
"The plot gets complex, with suspects galore. But the interpersonal dynamic between Decker and White is just as interesting as the solution to the murders, which doesn’t come easily . . . The pair will make a great series duo, especially if a bit of that initial tension between them returns . . . Fascinating main characters and a clever plot add up to an exciting read."
―Kirkus Reviews
"David Baldacci is a master storyteller."
―Associated Press
"David Baldacci is one of the all-time best thriller authors."
―Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"A master storyteller."
―People
"Baldacci delivers, every time!"
―Lisa Scottoline, New York Times bestselling author
About the Author
DAVID BALDACCI is a global #1 bestselling author, and one of the world's favorite storytellers. His books are published in over forty-five languages and in more than eighty countries, with 150 million copies sold worldwide. His works have been adapted for both feature film and television. David Baldacci is also the cofounder, along with his wife, of the Wish You Well Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting literacy efforts across America. Still a resident of his native Virginia, he invites you to visit him at DavidBaldacci.com and his foundation at WishYouWellFoundation.org.
