The Whole Truth
(Libby/OverDrive eBook, Kindle)

Baldacci masterfully plays on the American paranoia in the wake of the War on Terror in this bizarre international thriller. Remember Constantin is the battle cry du jour across America after a frightening piece of video makes the rounds on the Internet. In it, Constantin, a young Russian, claims that the release of the video means he has been executed by the Russian Federation. The fear of a return to the cold war is so palpable that nations across the globe are preparing for the worst. But is it a hoax? Nicolas Creel, the Machiavellian head of the largest defense contractor in the U.S., and his buddy Dick Pender, the image-maker (think evil, cartoonish versions of Cheney and Rove, respectively), are hell bent on keeping the terror levels high so that they become the ultimate go-to guys. But Shaw that's it, our hero's name's just Shaw has other plans and risks his life and limb in order to keep the peace. Shaw answers to a secret global intelligence agency, and though he's not too keen on their tactics, either, he's determined to stay with the good guys, however negligible the distinction may be. Meanwhile journalist Katie James is after the whole truth behind this twisted version of king of the hill. Baldacci's ability to make international intrigue light and readable is uncanny. It hovers on the verge of superhero nonsense, but the dialogue snaps forth on cue, the plot never slows, and the ending packs a genuine punch. Read-alikes? Tom Clancy, of course.--Wilkens, Mary Frances Copyright 2008 Booklist

Starred Review. If there is such a category as a guys' audio, The Whole Truth fits the bill perfectly. Ron McLarty's gruff voice enhances this fast-moving thriller as he takes the listener through barrages of deadly assaults featuring gunfire, knives, bombs and hacksaws. He portrays Shaw, the unwilling secret agent, as weary yet tough. Nicolas Creel, who needs a good war to help sagging profits, comes across as appropriately cerebral and coldhearted. While McLarty gives different accents to Anna and Katie, otherwise, both sound alike, but he performs a variety of French and Slavic villains in quick succession. The sound track is comparable to a terrific cinematic score: darkly foreboding or quietly romantic when appropriate, raising this audio to an art form and enhancing the already gripping tale. A Grand Central hardcover (Reviews, Mar. 3). (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved All rights reserved.

In this thriller, Nicolas Creel, the largest arms producer in the world, needs a war to make his products sell, so he hires Dick Pender's PR firm to orchestrate a new "cold war" among Russia, the United States, and China. Shaw, the reluctant agent of a secret multinational intelligence group, is hired to thwart Nicolas's plans. Katie James, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who is now jobless and an alcoholic, needs a good story to reclaim her reputation, so she follows Shaw, not knowing he has a rendezvous with terrorists. Ron McLarty's excellent reading captures the excitement and suspense of Baldacci's story and allows the listener to hear the unique personalities of each character. The Whole Truth remains on the New York Times best sellers list, having achieved the number 1 spot in May. This audiobook is highly recommended for all public libraries. [Hachette Audio also has two versions of Whole Truth available: 5 CDs. abridged. 6 hrs. 2008. ISBN 978-1-60024-142-0. $31.98; 12 CDs. unabridged. 12 hrs. 2008. ISBN 978-1-60024-144-4. $49.98.--Ed.]--Ilka Gordon, Park Synagogue Lib., Pepper Pike, OH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Baldacci masterfully plays on the American paranoia in the wake of the War on Terror in this bizarre international thriller. "Remember Constantin" is the battle cry du jour across America after a frightening piece of video makes the rounds on the Internet. In it, Constantin, a young Russian, claims that the release of the video means he has been executed by the Russian Federation. The fear of a return to the cold war is so palpable that nations across the globe are preparing for the worst. But is it a hoax? Nicolas Creel, the Machiavellian head of the largest defense contractor in the U.S., and his buddy Dick Pender, the image-maker (think evil, cartoonish versions of Cheney and Rove, respectively), are hell bent on keeping the terror levels high so that they become the ultimate go-to guys. But Shaw—that's it, our hero's name's just Shaw—has other plans and risks his life and limb in order to keep the peace. Shaw answers to a secret global intelligence agency, and though he's not too keen on their tactics, either, he's determined to stay with the good guys, however negligible the distinction may be. Meanwhile journalist Katie James is after the "whole truth" behind this twisted version of king of the hill. Baldacci's ability to make international intrigue light and readable is uncanny. It hovers on the verge of superhero nonsense, but the dialogue snaps forth on cue, the plot never slows, and the ending packs a genuine punch. Read-alikes? Tom Clancy, of course. Copyright 2008 Booklist Reviews.

Find out what a defense contractor who "perception manages" global conflict, an agent for peace, and a reporter tracking a massacre have in common. Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.

Usually a sophisticated plotter, bestseller Baldacci (Absolute Power ) offers a story line and villain on a par with an average James Bond film in what's billed as his first "international thriller." Nicholas Creel, the head of the Ares Corporation, a huge defense contractor, hires a "perception management" firm to start a second cold war by planting fake news stories on the Internet about Russian atrocities. The propaganda campaign soon turns violent with the massacre of the members of a London think tank, the Phoenix Group, apparently by a Russian hit team. Creel hopes that the Phoenix Group's links with the Chinese government will lead to war between Russia and China as well as feed a worldwide arms race that will profit his company. A shadowy operative, A Shaw, whose fiance perished in the London attack, allies himself with a disgraced female journalist in an effort to thwart Creel's evil plot. While some readers may find it a stretch that a resurgent Russia should so easily overshadow all other world crises, Baldacci in an author's note makes an eloquent case for the very real threat of perception management. (Apr. 22)