THE COLLECTORS by David Baldacci
In his last novel THE CAMEL CLUB author David Baldacci created a cast of characters who were immensely interesting and appealing. Now in his new novel THE COLLECTORS he involves them all in a further adventure. Yes Oliver Stone and his "army of misfits" are back on the job and neck deep in adventure.
"The Camel Club" is led by Stone, who is a former government operative. He lives in a shack of sorts on the grounds of a cemetery in Washington, DC. He is friends with Milton, Reuben and Caleb and they are the members of the Camel Club. In this story Caleb is one of the focal points. He works at the Library of Congress. A member of the staff has recently died and hhis death sets up an investigation into other strange occurrences.
Running parallel to this story is one centering on Annabelle Conroy. She is a con artist who heads to Las Vegas to get revenge for her mother's death. How she does this is fun and exciting, but it appears to have been included in this book only to provide a reason for still another sequel to the "camel club" adventures. Annabelle's path eventually crosses with the embers of the Camel Club and she joins in their adventure after she has finished her own.
There is definitely some chemistry between Oliver and Annabelle that bears further exploration. And with her being such a great con artist, she makes a valuable member of the team. I can see books and books being written about these two and all the other members of the "club."
Baldacci is a very clever writer. He is in firm control of his plot from beginning to end and never sacrifices logic for logistics. Each incident that occurs is a stepping stone to the final solution. And when you have finished a Baldacci book you are completely satisfied, even when it ends with the set up for the next story.
There is also the matter of characters. Oliver Stone is a unique hero in a landscape that is littered with heroes. He is mysterious but also supremely capable of all that he does. The members of the Camel Club serve as his aides when a case comes up for involvement. He relies on the brawn of Reuben, the memory retention of Milton and the bank of knowledge stored in Caleb.
When Annabelle enters this mix she too draws out the best in all of these men. They fight for her favor and try to go beyond their limitation to serve and protect her. It was an all boys club but she is welcomed with open arms.
THE COLLECTORS is a book that is totally fun to read. It has a suspenseful plot, distinct characters, and an easy to read style. If you want a book that provides perfect escapist enjoyment then this is it.
THE COLLECTORS is published by Warner Books. It contains 438 pages and sells for $26.99.