Absolute Power by David Baldacci (Audiobook)

Absolute Power by David Baldacci

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Publish Date: January 1, 2010 (originally published in 1996)

Unabridged Audio CD, 17 CDs

My Review:
First things first - I love David Baldacci.  I started with an audiobook of his from the library.  It was the first one in the Sean King and Michelle Maxwell series, Split Second (which I did not know was part of a series) and then lucked up when the next one I listened to was Hour Game.  Since then I have working my way through his backlist and when the opportunity to listen and review his first book came up - I jumped at the chance.

The first thing I loved about this audiobook is the foreward by the author that tells how the story came about.  Some of Mr. Baldacci's comments had me laughing.  The second thing is the reader, Scott Brick.  I love Scott Brick as an audiobook reader.  To me he does a wonderful job on each book he reads and I actually search him out when looking for a new audiobook.

As for the actual story - it's complex and amazing. If I had been reading it, I would have kept turning the pages.  I often sat in my driveway a few more minutes to listen to more of the book.  It's very entertaining and dark.  The fun was just when I thought it was getting predictable, it changed a little bit.  This is fast-paced suspense at it's best.  The characters that are the good-guys are likeable and you find yourself cheering for them.  The bad guys are sufficiently bad.  And there are few in-between characters that are bad but just doing what they have to.  This book is a good look at how the choices you make can affect your future and the choices you have to  make then.

If you like suspense, then you are in for a treat.  Note there are some graphic scenes, but the book is not loaded with sex.  There is also some profanity, but I didn't find it in abundance (or else I learned to tune it out, I'm never sure which).  Overall it is a wonderful book that will keep you interested until the very end.

About the Book:
A riveting debut novel of murder, honor, loyalty, and betrayal that reaches all the way to the Oval Office. A vicious murder involving the president and his mistress results in a coverup orchestrated by the zealously loyal chief of security and the Secret Service. But, unbeknownst to the president and his lackeys, one unlikely witness saw everything. Will Americans learn the truth?

About the Author:
David Baldacci lives in Virginia where he and his wife have founded the Wish You Well Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting literacy efforts across America. He invites you to visit him at www.david-baldacci.com and his foundation at www.wishyouwellfoundation.org.

FTC Information: I received this book from Hachette Books for review.  I have Amazon links on my review pages but I do not make any money from these because of NC laws.  I put them solely for people to check out the books on a retail site.