TRUE BLUE
David Baldacci
Grand Central Publishing
Thriller
ISBN: 9780446195515
Bestselling author David Baldacci introduces a slew of new characters in his latest thriller, TRUE BLUE. This stand-alone effort is based in Washington, D.C. and intertwines its plot around local law enforcement, corporate and criminal attorneys, and various government agencies.
Mason “Mace” Perry is an ex-cop and now ex-con --- just released from prison at the onset of TRUE BLUE --- who was incarcerated as a result of various allegations made against her when she was on the job. As Mace begins the fight to clear her name against the unfounded charges that landed her in prison, she must a toe a fine line with her older sister, Beth, who happens to be the local Chief of Police. Almost immediately, she is thrust into a high-profile murder mystery when an attorney at the D.C. corporate law firm of Shilling and Murdoch is found raped and stuffed in a refrigerator inside the office building where she worked.
The victim, Diane Tolliver, was discovered by fellow attorney Roy Kingman, who meets up with Mace to investigate all aspects of the murder. As their investigation proceeds, they learn several startling secrets that point to both the private and public world of the nation’s capital. At the same time, Mace takes a job working for a wealthy philanthropist named Abe Altman in an effort to regain credibility with the police force. She is paid a handsome salary, receives lodging in the expansive guest house on Altman’s property, and is tasked with supporting and driving various efforts with the under-privileged communities in the D.C. area that Altman’s charities provide for. Roy, who is quickly developing feelings for Mace beyond professional ones, assists her in both the criminal investigation and her work with Altman.
Roy and Mace are focused on a cryptic clue in the form of an email Tolliver sent to Roy the night she died. The half-sentence, “Need to focus in on A-,” poses more questions than answers for them. All Mace wants is for a shot to be “true blue” again --- and this strong desire leads her into some situations that could threaten to put her back behind bars. Leading the charge to prosecute the murderer of Tolliver is State Attorney Mona Danforth --- the same prosecutor who helped railroad Mace and put her behind bars for two years. There is no love lost between Danforth and either Mace or Beth, and she will stop at nothing to make a name for herself at their expense as she continues her rise up the ladder towards a seat in the White House. As the bodies start piling up, the characters begin to ask: “What is the connection between the victims? And what does it have to do with the U.S. government?”
TRUE BLUE is a non-stop thriller that presents one cliffhanging situation after another --- particularly for Roy Kingman and Mace Perry, who have no idea how much danger their actions are placing them in. At times, the novel enters into George Pelecanos territory when the story of Mace and Roy’s side charity work for Abe Altman put them in various perilous situations in some of Washington, D.C.’s most dangerous neighborhoods. Baldacci deftly ties these and all other storylines together with a well-written and complex plot that will keep readers guessing at every turn. Hopefully, Mace and Roy will have an opportunity to turn up in a future Baldacci novel, as he has truly created some thoroughly engaging characters his fans will want to see more of.
--- Reviewed by Ray Palen
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