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Split Second (King & Maxwell 1)
 
 

Split Second (King & Maxwell 1) [Kindle Edition]

David Baldacci
4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (186 customer reviews)

Print List Price: £8.85
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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

Split Second is David Baldacci at the top of his well-informed game, with a real sense of what the Secret Servicemen who protect the President and presidential candidates think about the job and how it feels to fail. Sean King looked away at the wrong moment and a man died; his career ended and he has spent eight years rebuilding a life. When Michelle Maxwell makes a similar mistake, she becomes convinced that there is a link between the man she lost to kidnappers and the man Sean failed to protect--and the more she learns, the more she can prove.

This is an odd couple thriller--Sean and Michelle have radically different attitudes to the job they both did well--and ingeniously put together in terms of what it tells us about the shadowy villain manipulating events and what it delays telling us about the past. It is a well-informed thriller that wears its research lightly--it has a sense of how it feels to see every large room as a potential killing ground in which you have to protect very vulnerable public men, and some charming scenes of budding romantic comedy. --Roz Kaveney

Amazon Review

Split Second is David Baldacci at the top of his well-informed game, with a real sense of what the Secret Servicemen who protect the President and presidential candidates think about the job and how it feels to fail. Sean King looked away at the wrong moment and a man died; his career ended and he has spent eight years rebuilding a life. When Michelle Maxwell makes a similar mistake, she becomes convinced that there is a link between the man she lost to kidnappers and the man Sean failed to protect--and the more she learns, the more she can prove.

This is an odd couple thriller--Sean and Michelle have radically different attitudes to the job they both did well--and ingeniously put together in terms of what it tells us about the shadowy villain manipulating events and what it delays telling us about the past. It is a well-informed thriller that wears its research lightly--it has a sense of how it feels to see every large room as a potential killing ground in which you have to protect very vulnerable public men, and some charming scenes of budding romantic comedy. --Roz Kaveney


Product details

  • Format: Kindle Edition
  • File Size: 899 KB
  • Print Length: 426 pages
  • Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0446530891
  • Publisher: Pan Books (21 Aug 2009)
  • Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B003GK21OE
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • X-Ray:
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (186 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #214 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
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More About the Author

David Baldacci is the author of eighteen previous New York Times bestsellers. With his books published in over 45 languages and with nearly 90 million copies in print, he is one of the world's favourite storytellers. David Baldacci is also the co-founder, along with his wife, of the Wish You Well Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting literacy efforts across America. Still a resident of his native Virginia, he invites you to visit him at www.DavidBaldacci.com, and his foundation at www.WishYouWellFoundation.org, and to look into its programme to spread books across America at www.FeedingBodyandMind.com.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful
By Amazon Customer TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
I thoroughly enjoyed this book with is large cast of characters, convoluted twists and false leads.
I also liked the interaction between the three secret agents, Saen, Michelle and Joan. Baldacci does his usual fine job creating believable characters and engaging them in challenging situations.
This is not a seat of the pants, page turning, read, but it is a well constructed criminal investigation novel that grips the interest and keeps you reading.
That is until the finale begins on page 364, and then we are thrown into something so bizarre, so totally unbelievable; then the novel degenerates into endless pages of explanatory dialogue that completely destroys the tension and drama.
Even so I expect all Baldacci fans will want to read this, it is only the end that disappoints.
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19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars Split Second 23 Feb 2004
Format:Hardcover
This book is a terrible disappointment. I'm a great Baldacci fan and all all his previous books have been outstanding entertainment. But Split Second doesn't work, through a combination of lazy plotting and cardboard characters. The plot revolves around three supposedly intelligent and well-trained ex-Secret Service agents, who bumble and stumble thriough the book like Keystone Cops. The bad guys have no difficulty in bamboozling them, running rings aroound them, beating them up, even kidnapping them.Half way through, I lost all interest in the plot's tired convolutions; three-quarters way through, I gave up on it. Baldacci is capable of much, much better. What's going wrong? All my favourite writers (Clancy, Crichton, Baldacci, Grisham) have produced duds with their latest books.
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30 of 32 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Split Second - Hardcover by David Baldacci 28 Nov 2003
By J. Jupp
Format:Hardcover
I always look forward to the next David Baldacci book beacuse they are suspenseful, edge of your seat stuff that you cannot put down. Split Second thankfully did not let me down. It is a very gripping thriller that has you guessing right to the end.
There are two main characters who suffer the same fate albeit at different times (8 years apart to be precise). The characters Sean King and Michelle Maxwell are Secret Service Agents who have more in common than they think. They unite forces to solve a kidnapping. They soon realise that they are trying to solve an assasination which happened years previously.
Both of their careers are ruined because while on duty they allegedly screwed up.
Without giving too much away the characters are believable and the plot is thick. They work closely to solve these and other crimes that tend to happen whenever they are together or are getting close to the truth.
As soon as I started to read the story I could not put the book down. The plot twists and turns and Sean and Michelle are never too sure who to trust.
If you like suspenseful thrillers then this is a must. You will not be able to help yourself from trying to figure out the plot before the book finishes. I was pleased that the ending was realistic and hopeful and not the usual Hollywood ending!!!
The only downside is that there are a lot of characters in the book and sometimes it is hard to keep track especially when some of them are from the past. As ever though, Baldacci ties up all the loose ends paying excellent attention to detail.
All I can say is pick it up I know you won't be able to put it down. I am always sad at the end of a David Baldacci book because true thrillers like this are hard to find. I now have to wait until his next book to get my next adrenaline filled rush. If you haven't read it then get yours now!!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Mrs. B
Format:Paperback
I really enjoyed the Camel Club, so I though I would persue Mr. Baldacci's work. I don't know if there is an order but this was next on my list.

The story follows two lead characters. The older is a retired secret service agent who has long since left his spook days behind and settled into a country town law practice. The younger is in persuit of one of her charges who was kidnapped while she was in charge of him.

Their paths cross as the young agent follows a theory that her case might be linked to one similar that occured in 1996. A presidential candidate was shot and killed whilst in the care of our older lead, a situation that lead to his being asked to leave the service, discraced.

They end up working together, as someone has started killing people our older lead knows and/or have something to do with the original case.
Skelletons start falling out of cupboards as the story progresses, seemingly to the annoyance of the killer.

I have read one or two US secret service based tales recently and so perhaps for me the genre is a bit tired. I did enjoy the book although it did initially seem to move a little slowly, caught up in a lot of prose and discriptive writing. As the story began to pick up pace, I was more than half way through, so this gives an indication of it's general speed.

The lead characters were nicley written and seemed to have all the normal "All American" education and good looks. I was a little disappointed about the way the other characters' lives were unfolded. There was not the attention to detail I would have liked. I appreciate the author was probably trying not to give his story's ending away but even so I would have liked a bit more about the other characters' lives.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Split second
I loved the book, it was no stop action from beginning to end a really good crime book going to get another
Published 1 day ago by kris
4.0 out of 5 stars very good
not read any of his books before. Watched the TV series and really enjoyed it. Sad it was cancelled. Really enjoyed the book too.
Published 2 days ago by ms sandra brown
5.0 out of 5 stars dfaj
A most enjoyable story, bought it after watching Maxwell a King on television. Only one complaint wish Baldacci had done his research on Methanol and Ethanol. Read more
Published 4 days ago by D. F. A. James
4.0 out of 5 stars David is always captivating
I like this story and its intensity which kept me engaged the entire read. The book has all of the elements of a great spy thriller.
Published 5 days ago by Book4Books
4.0 out of 5 stars quality introduction to new characters
Having read other books by David Baldacci this series of characters won't disappointed if you like your easy reading thrillers. Twists and action all the way
Published 6 days ago by Jayboy0
5.0 out of 5 stars How is Baldacci able to maintain this standard
It doesn't matter which of his books you read, they are all full of twists and turns that you do not expect
Published 7 days ago by wellsie
4.0 out of 5 stars Good Read
I read this book after watching the t.v. series and wasn't disappointed. Likeable characters and a good storyline made this book an enjoyable read. Read more
Published 10 days ago by Shelley14
5.0 out of 5 stars A really good read!
Not quite finished it yet but having been gripped from the start and cannot wait to find out what happens next.
Published 11 days ago by Mrs. Lynne Colvin
3.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining but lightweight
As a Kindle daily deal, this was reasonably entertaining stuff. Easy to pick up and read with engaging characterisation. Read more
Published 12 days ago by D. J. Thomson
4.0 out of 5 stars King and Maxwell
This book is all action start to finish in true King and Michelle tradition. They always dome out on top eeeeventually but it keeps you guessing in the meantime. Jolly good read
Published 12 days ago by David Rossiter
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David Baldacci Sean King and Michelle Maxwell books in order 0 27 Jun 2012
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