Very Quick Review: TO DIE FOR by David Baldacci (Grand Central)

Travis Devine gets an unusual babysitting assignment, which (of course) ends up being far more dangerous than expected…

The 6:20 Man returns, this time sent to the Pacific Northwest to aid in a complicated FBI case—and he’s about to come face-to-face with his nemesis.

Travis Devine has become a pro at accomplishing any mission he’s given. But this time it’s not his skills that send him to Seattle to aid the FBI in escorting orphaned, twelve-year-old Betsy Odom to a meeting with her uncle, who’s under federal investigation. Instead, he’s hoping to lay low and keep off the radar of an enemy—the girl on the train.

But as Devine gets to know Betsy, questions begin to arise around the death of her parents. Devine digs for answers, and what he finds points to a conspiracy bigger than he could’ve ever imagined.

It might finally be time for Devine and the girl on the train to come face-to-face. Devine is going to find out the difference between his friends and his enemies—and in some cases, they might well be both.

In the third novel starring Travis Devine, the accidental intelligence operative is sent to Seattle to babysit an orphaned girl with connections to a sprawling federal investigation. Naturally, Devine’s plans to keep this assignment quiet and easy (while simultaneously not really wanting to do it) go awry as the scope of the investigation and Betsy’s importance become clearer. In many ways, this novel is classic Baldacci.

In To Die For, a chance encounter between Devine and a contract killer (covered at the start of the previous novel in the series), finally comes to a head as Travis must finally confront her. Baldacci takes this story thread in a direction that was maybe predictable, but it’s well-written and didn’t feel like a cop-out, and it also sets up some potential for future instalments in the series.

This isn’t the strongest book in the series, nor among Baldacci’s best as a whole, but there is still plenty here that will appeal to Baldacci fans. The action is bigger than in previous instalments (but not excessive), the characters are mostly well-drawn and engaging, and the author’s prose are very good throughout. The pacing was good, if a little uneven, but the final act of the book was gripping and pulled me through, reading well into the night. Unfortunately, for me, Betsy was a weak link in the story; she’s one of the most precocious 12 year olds I’ve ever read, which was sometimes a bit grating and unrealistic. (Although, I prefer this to a child character who is excessively childish.)

The mysteries regarding who might be gunning for Betsy, the connection to the ongoing RICO case, and the hitwoman (maybe) gunning for Devine, unfold at a decent pace and with a couple of switcheroos thrown in for good measure. Also some corrupt local politicians. Ultimately, and in true Baldacci fashion, the conspiracy at the heart of the story ends up being not quite what Devine et al thought it might be.

To Die For is another good read from Baldacci, as one should expect. Long-time fans won’t be disappointed, but I wouldn’t recommend new fans start with this one — if the series appeals, start with The 6:20 Man; otherwise, I’d recommend the Camel Club series (starting with The Camel Club) or the Will Robie series (starting with The Innocent).

Of course, Baldacci is one of the most prolific contemporary authors (and one who actually writes all of his own books), so there are plenty of series and standalones to choose from — covering contemporary and historical settings; for example, the Atlee Pine and Aloysius Archer series, both of which I have fallen way behind on and will hopefully read this year. If you haven’t read any of Baldacci’s books, yet, but are a fan of thrillers, then there should definitely be something to suit your tastes.

David Baldacci’s To Die For is out now, published by Grand Central Publishing in North American and Macmillan in the UK.

Also on CR: Reviews of The 6:20 Man, The Edge, Stone Cold, The Whole Truth, Divine Justice, First Family, True Blue, Deliver Us From Evil, Hell’s Corner, The Innocent, The Hit, Bullseye, The Target, The Guilty, End Game, and Memory Man