Zero Day by David Baldacci

Zero Day by David Baldacci

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis:

From David Baldacci--the modern master of the thriller and #1 worldwide bestselling novelist-comes a new hero: a lone Army Special Agent taking on the toughest crimes facing the nation.

And Zero Day is where it all begins....

John Puller is a combat veteran and the best military investigator in the U.S. Army's Criminal Investigation Division. His father was an Army fighting legend, and his brother is serving a life sentence for treason in a federal military prison. Puller has an indomitable spirit and an unstoppable drive to find the truth.

Now, Puller is called out on a case in a remote, rural area in West Virginia coal country far from any military outpost. Someone has stumbled onto a brutal crime scene, a family slaughtered. The local homicide detective, a headstrong woman with personal demons of her own, joins forces with Puller in the investigation. As Puller digs through deception after deception, he realizes that absolutely nothing he's seen in this small town, and no one in it, are what they seem. Facing a potential conspiracy that reaches far beyond the hills of West Virginia, he is one man on the hunt for justice against an overwhelming force.

David Baldacci is one of the world's favorite storytellers. His books are published in over 45 languages and in more than 80 countries, with over 110 million copies in print. 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 www.DavidBaldacci.com and his foundation at www.WishYouWellFoundation.org, and to look into its program to spread books across America at www.FeedingBodyandMind.com.

My Review:

Finally, my review. 

I read this book for my A-Z Challenge in 2014.  I was having trouble finding a decent read that started with Z, and one of my goodreads friends recommended this, thanks AndyS.

This was a good read, and great mystery/thriller.  I couldn't figure out the culprit until the book revealed it, which makes for a great time.  I was held in suspense, and was on the edge of my seat a lot of the time. 

I really liked John Puller, although I was hoping for a little more long term interaction from supporting characters.  He is good at his job, and cares about the job at hand.  He was strong, methodical, and smart.  So much so, he doesn't really have a personal life or a lot of people for support.  His older brother is behind bars and his father is losing his mind.  He only has a cat that he sees when he is not on assignment. 

I also really liked Samantha Cole.  She was one tough cookie, who was good at her job (as good as the head of local law enforcement in a small town could be).  She learned a lot from Puller and I felt the spark between them.  They had great chemistry which helped carry the story along. 

As for the myriad of other characters in this story, I'm not sure I really cared for any one else.  That is to say that they were inconsequential, as they all played their role in the story quite well. 

I'd definitely recommend this story for anyone needing to read a book starting with Z ;) as it should appeal to a most spectrum of readers.  I definitely recommend this book if you are looking for a thriller/mystery/drama that is damn good too!

Read from December 10 to 28, 2014

Top 5 Genres*: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Mystery/Crime
*According to Goodreads
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My ratings system
5 stars - I absolutely loved it
4 stars - Good book and would recommend
3 stars - Decent book, but wasn't spectacular
2 stars - Not good, but was able to finish it
1 stars - Did not finish (DNF) and I don't usually rate a book I haven't finished (just to be fair to the author)

View all my reviews