Mason "Mac" Perry isn't just trying to solve a crime; she's attempting to retrieve her honor and her badge. After being kidnapped, this former D.C. cop spent two years in prison on trumped-up charges. Now with all the fervency of the firebrand she is, she has vowed to show the brass that she deserves to be reinstated. The murder of a prominent female legal partner at a prominent Washington firm gives her that opportunity, but with its full roster of slimy capital characters, it offers dangers all its own. Another taut nail-biter from the laptop of legal thriller master David Baldacci.

This promising first in a new series from bestseller Baldacci (First Family) introduces Beth Perry, chief of the District of Columbia's Metropolitan Police, and Beth's younger sister, Mace Perry, a former police officer dubbed “the Patty Hearst of the twenty-first century” after she was seized by bandits, drugged and taken along on a series of armed robberies around Washington. Mace, who's just getting out of prison after serving a two-year sentence, is willing to risk everything to clear her name and reclaim her life as a cop by cracking a big case on her own. The rape-murder of a powerful lawyer as well as the killing of a prominent U.S. attorney provide Mace an opportunity to vindicate herself. While Baldacci draws his characters in bright primary colors, and some of the action reaches comic book proportions, he delivers his usual intricate plotting and sets the stage nicely for highly competent Beth and impulsive, streetwise Mace to take on more bad guys. (Oct. 27)

Baldacci (Divine Justice, 2008, etc.) presents a law-enforcement sister act, curtain-raiser for a new series that has every chance of keeping the pot boiling. Beth and Mace Perry are loving, totally supportive of each other and remarkably untroubled by anything resembling sibling rivalry. Yet they are very different. Beth, the older, is rock-solid reliable; Mace is flamboyant, tempestuous, hard-wired for heedlessness. After years of worthy performance, Beth has become D.C. chief of police. Mace is an ex-con, albeit through no fault of her own; she was kidnapped, framed, dismissed from the police force and sent to prison for two years. Now she's out, and Beth, a by-the-book officer if ever there was one, knows that her life is about to become complicated. Because Mace, who bleeds blue, wants her badge back and will risk whatever she must in order to make that happen. And Beth will be in her sister's corner, even if on occasion that leads to behavior not sanctioned by any applicable book. Enter Roy Kingman, a susceptible young lawyer immediately drawn to uber-feisty Mace. He trails behind him a big-time murder case that has the sweet smell of opportunity for Mace. If she can solve it, she tells herself, reinstatement will inevitably follow. But this murder case has dark and dangerous ramifications that stretch across oceans and into terrorist enclaves. Powerful people, it turns out, don't want the case solved, people as ready to shoot the moon as Mace is. Gracelessly written, often implausible and inescapably pulpy, but also fast-paced and entertaining.

"Fast-paced and entertaining."—Kirkus

"[Baldacci] delivers his usual intricate plotting and sets the stage nicely for highly competent Beth and impulsive, streetwise Mace to take on more bad guys."

—Publishers Weekly

"Baldacci has proven his ability to write well-paced thrillers that combine crime and politics in locations ranging from mean streets to opulent mansions."

—Booklist

"An action-packed, face-paced, over-the-top-of-the-Washington Monument thriller...very entertaining."
—Midwest Book Review

"Baldacci is at the top of his game here, exercising his talent for creating both winsome and darker-than-dark characters that keep readers turning the pages..."
—Bookpage.com

"Fast-paced, heart-pounding..."
—Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star

...Baldacci fans will love it.

Baldacci has proven his ability to write well-paced thrillers that combine crime and politics in locations ranging from mean streets to opulent mansions.”

Another taut nail-biter from the laptop of legal-thriller master David Baldacci.”

"Baldacci has proven his ability to write well-paced thrillers that combine crime and politics in locations ranging from mean streets to opulent mansions."

Baldacci fans may be disappointed on two fronts by this highly anticipated offering. First, the novel itself strays from Baldacci's signature strength: a tight action-filled plot advanced by believable characters. Too many situations in TRUE BLUE require imaginative leaps, and the characters are clichéd. The second shortcoming lies in the performance of celebrated narrator Ron McLarty. His voice is clear and pleasant to listen to, and he maintains a good pace. However, he does not offer sufficient variation in tone or timing to differentiate the characters, making the dialogue difficult to follow in places. Also, the insertion of music at seemingly random points in the action does not enhance the production. M.O.B. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine