Mercy by David Baldacci

The fourth and last book of the Atlee Pine series by David Baldacci did not live up the set up over the first three novels. I did take a different approach to this one than the first three by listening to it on audio rather than reading it. I was about to take a long road trip with my wife, to among other places, the Grand Canyon where by serendipity, the first novel in the series began. I think the actors did a fine job with the script, it was just that the script defied my ability to deny reality, a talent that those of us that love thrillers must have. Unfortunately, I found myself laughing at the plot changes and twists which Baldacci provided.

 

So, I’m not going to worry about spoiling the plot for anyone because it’s my intent to do just that. My opinion is that the final book is just too ridiculous. Basically, Atlee’s sister is found to be alive and she did not murder her captives, although she was set up to look as if she did. The road to the discovery of Mercy and the reuniting of the sisters was tortuous. At one time or another, Atlee, Mercy, and Carol Blum were held hostage by some very bad men, and then the women joined forces to rescue the one who was currently abducted. In the end, the bad guy Buckley (think of Richard Butler, the white supremacist who had a large compound in Idaho – a compound that was successfully as a result of the successful legal attack by the Southern Poverty Law Center) kidnapped all three women at the same time, forced the twins into a mixed martial arts fight against one another while Carol Blum was being cut up whenever Buckley thought the girls weren’t fighting for real. With the help of one of Buckley’s allies, they were able to break free and win a horrendous gun battle over a strongly superior force.

 

To cut to the chase, the guy who had assumed the role of the twins father had died, and their mother was found living in Savannah where she was running a flower shop, and there was a merry reunion of the three women. In the last scene they are seen happily walking together toward the flower ship, glowing in their love for one another.

 

I feel like I spent four books chasing down a rabbit hole only to emerge in a very mad tea party. While I remember loving Baldacci’s Camel Club series, I do not have such affection for this. My wife was in agreement and she boycotted the last half of the book. I should have followed her lead, and once again, she has proven herself to be right.