The Sixth Man

David Baldacci

Apr 2011 · Sold by Grand Central Publishing

About this ebook

In the #1 New York Times bestselling thriller that inspired the TV series King & Maxwell, two private investigators dig into a killer's past--but when their search threatens powerful enemies, it could cost them their lives.

Edgar Roy--an alleged serial killer--is awaiting trial. He faces almost certain conviction. Sean King and Michelle Maxwell are called in by Roy's attorney, Sean's old friend and mentor Ted Bergin, to help work the case. But their investigation is derailed when Sean and Michelle find Bergin murdered.

It is now up to them to ask the questions no one seems to want answered: Is Roy a killer? Who murdered Bergin? The more they dig into Roy's past, the more they encounter obstacles, half-truths, dead-ends, false friends, and escalating threats from every direction. Their persistence puts them on a collision course with the highest levels of the government and the darkest corners of power. In a terrifying confrontation that will push Sean and Michelle to their limits, the duo may be permanently parted.

Ratings and reviews

Former Secret Service Agents Sean King and Michelle Maxwell are hired by defense attorney Ted Bergin to help in the defense of Edgar Roy. They get up to their necks in a rivalry between informational gathering agencies. On their way to meet Bergin in Maine, they discover that he has been murdered and wonder how someone convinced him to pull off the deserted highway to kill him in his car. Everyone seems to assume Roy is guilty. He's supposed to be a serial killer and was found with a shovel in his hand. The bodies were found outside of his barn after police received an anonymous tip. Sean and Michelle learn that the FBI will be taking over the case. Roy is a federal prisoner. In this well paced thirller that tries to prove the innocence of one man against seemingly insurmountable odds. Peter Bunting is in charge of an intelligence agency and looking for a man of rare intelligence rated a six. This person would be able to analyze info from all over the world and analyze it so it could be sold to the government. David Baldacci has done an excellent job at keeping the reader in suspense. We follow Sean and Michelle as they try to get information so they can defend Roy but seem to be up against the U.S. government itself. Excellent reading that will leave the reader wanting more.

One of my close friends recommended that I read this book about a month ago, and so I did, and to this day it remains my biggest regret. Don't get me wrong, I found this to be a great, enjoyable book, but something rather interesting and out of the ordinary happened to me and the world around me after reading "The Sixth Man". Shortly after I finished reading this fine work of literature, the mere fabric of reality began to unravel before me. I saw colors and shapes that are all but indescribable using the conventional English language. I have come to believe that somehow, the reading of this book has caused me to be projected onto an alternate dimension. In that place, I could see sights and feel sensations utterly foreign to me in every way. Frightened, I searched for a way back to my own reality but I simply could not see any possible way to get to where I call home. I could see the future and the past and all the possibilities of the present, I could hear people's thoughts and see their deepest fears and desires. This was certainly immoral, what I was capable of, but eventually I started getting a feel for it, harnessing the power, in a way. I was the most powerful being on the planet, I was God himself and nobody could stop me. But then, as suddenly as it began, my stay in this strange alternate reality ended. I was back where I belonged here in the third dimension, and I keep telling myself that I should be glad, but inside me there is always the urge to go back, and to further harness the power I had received. Anyway, the book was great, but I give it a 4/5 for the fact that reading it resulted in the universe momentarily falling apart

I thought David Baldacci was a good writer, but I found this book impossible to finish. The characters are shallow, there is way too much dialogue and the story line is very weak. The characters don't behave like a real person would, and this makes it tiring to read. I much prefer a Harry Bosch story or a Jack Reacher: solid plot, deep and realistic characters and a fast-paced, exciting read.

About the author

DAVID BALDACCI is a global #1 bestselling author, and one of the world's favorite storytellers. His books are published in over forty-five languages and in more than eighty countries, with 150 million copies sold worldwide. His works have been adapted for both feature film and television. David Baldacci is also the cofounder, along with his wife, of the Wish You Well Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting literacy efforts across America. Still a resident of his native Virginia, he invites you to visit him at DavidBaldacci.com and his foundation at WishYouWellFoundation.org.