David Baldacci

Melvin Mars awaits his fate on Death Row. He was one of America's most promising football stars until, aged twenty-years-old, he was arrested and convicted for the murder of his parents just as he was due to begin a very lucrative contract with the NFL. When Amos Decker, newly appointed special agent with the FBI, hears the news that Melvin was saved in the final seconds before his execution because someone has confessed to the killings, he persuades his boss to allow him to carry out an investigation into the Mars murders.

The last mile

The Last Mile

Colleen

3 Stars
 
*An engaging mystery on par with its predecessor, but it doesn’t raise the bar*
 

Like the first book in this series, there were some things I really liked about The Last Mile and other aspects that were bland. There is a noticeable change in the tone and structure of this story. But overall, I think the pros and cons still balanced out to the same level of enjoyment for me.
 
The first book, Memory Man, spent a lot of time setting up Amos Decker’s backstory. His condition of hyperthymesia was one of the things that made the story stand out. But it was also over-explained. Baldacci explained the same exact information so many times that it was insulting. But the groundwork was already laid for The Last Mile, so the sequel spent far less time explaining things. On the downside though, The Last Mile didn’t have nearly as much character development. Learning his tragic backstory in the first book was more emotional and engaging. Decker’s “growth” in the second book has more to do with fixing his life (settling into his new job, taking better care of his health, etc.) than any major emotional growth. And none of the secondary characters had much depth. That made it harder to connect with any of the characters. It really was a one man show.
 
On the plus side, I enjoyed the plot of The Last Mile more. Admittedly, the story started out slow, and at first it seemed like it was going to be predictable and generic. Then the plot went in a different direction than I was expecting. I won’t spoil it, but I liked the second half of the story much more. Though both books are a bit farfetched.
 
The author does have a tendency to be repetitive. The previous book repeatedly explained Decker’s “mental DVR” ad nauseum. In The Last Mile, the repetition has to do with way too much football. I understand that it was the theme. But I am not exaggerating when I say that, other than the women, nearly every character in this book had something to do with football. If Decker walked into a room of one hundred people and only talked to one person, then I would still guarantee that person would turn out to have played college or pro football. By the fourth time a random character was revealed to be a former player, I was definitely tired of hearing about it. It wasn’t bad enough to ruin the story for me, but it was annoying.
 
There was something awkward about the writing in both books. This is most visible when dealing with the female characters – particularly the dialogue. In that regard, reminded me of Thomas Harris’s writing. I can’t help feeling that neither man has spent enough time talking to women to write convincing, organic dialogue. There were some totally cringe-worthy moments in both Memory Man and The Last Mile. It isn’t like he was being overtly sexist or anything… I just got the vibe of too much guesswork when it came to how female characters would talk and act in various situations.
 
I am still left with very wishy-washy feelings about this series. I enjoyed it well enough. There are aspects that I enjoyed. But I’m not excited enough to rush onto the next book in the series. I’ll probably continue with it at some point, but I don’t know when.


RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 4 Stars
Writing Style: 3 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 3 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 3 Stars
Level of Captivation: 4 Stars
Originality: 3 Stars

Ahmed Salem

A perfect thriller. You start with one crime and keep digging till you find some......

Jeff Borton

Gwyn Dill

Ana De Jesus

Alistair James

Paul beham

Fran Lewis

Todd Luallen

Joe Davini

Dawn Keiser

Celeste Richardson

Caitlin Snyder

Xavier Roy

Santosh Singh

The incredible follow-up to the #1 New York Times bestseller Memory ManBOOK 2 IN THE AMOS DECKER SERIESEx-detective Decker suffered a life changing head injury when he played professional football as a young man. His accident resulted in a condition known as Savant syndrome, where the sufferer demonstrates extraordinary abilities far in excess of what is considered normal. In Decker's case, he has gained a phenomenal memory.Decker is still suffering from the devastating loss of his wife and only daughter. They were murdered in his home two years previously. Overwhelmed with grief, his life spiralled out of control and he lost his job, his home, and his self-respect.It is only when teenagers are gunned down in a shooting at a local school, and Decker's special skills can help to find the killer, that he goes back to work with the help of his former partner, detective Mary Lancaster. As the investigation deepens, new evidence reveals that one of the weapons used in the shooting was the same as that used to kill Decker's wife and daughter. The case turns even more personal as he attempts to track down the killer. This sequel takes Decker to a new case where he will be required to test his special skills to the very limit of his endurance.PRAISE FOR MEMORY MAN"It's big, bold and almost impossible to put down" Washington Post"Readers will want to see Decker back on the printed page again and again." Kirkus Reviews"[A] strong first in a new thriller series from bestseller Baldacci" Publishers Weekly