Split Second by David Baldacci

Another foray into the library to entertain a few spare moments with Abigail as she begins her journey into reading, meant that I walked out with this quick read. I'd never heard of the author (despite claims that he is a NY Times bestselling author) but I quite fancied a mysterious trashy novel.

I was not disappointed. I remember back in the early days of Grisham and how I would devour his books until they all started to sound the same. I fear that after I've read a couple of Baldacci's novels I will be similarly disappointed. But if you've never read any of his novels before and you are dying for some suspenseful page turning you need look no further.

Split Second follows 2 Secret Service agents who have both lost the presidential nominee assigned to them. That is a serious career limiting move for a Secret Service agent. Only 8 years separate the seemingly unrelated events. That is when the various dead bodies start turning up and soon a connection begins to emerge.

Baldacci does a superb job of maintaining the suspense without giving away too many details or making the reader feel he knows more than they do (which of course he does but you shouldn't really feel that way). The Secret Service agents, Sean King and Michelle Maxwell, are likable characters with just the right amount of sexual tension without any of the diabolic sex. I love the strength of Michelle and the vulnerability of Sean, even though I was annoyed when of course it was the "superior" man who solved the crime. I put this down to aged wisdom rather than elevated cleverness.

I will say that at one point the novel went a few too many twists too far. I lost track of who was who and why anyone was there at all. But I decided to roll with it and don't think it really mattered.

A perfect book for a rainy afternoon!