The Guilty (Will Robie series (5)) (edició 2015)

The Will Robie books are such a mix of qualities and flaws that I find it hard to describe them without going into spoiler territory. Will Robie, a CIA assassin used to assassinate enemies of the US government, learns that his estranged father is in jail accused of murder. As Robie himself suffers internal turmoil, he returns to his hometown for the first time in more than two decades.

The plot borders on the believable and the ridiculous, but I think it's on the right side of the border. I would also say that most characters are believable at some level most of the time. I really appreciate that Baldacci has his character actually talking to each other. A common plot element in the genre is otherwise to intentionally cause confusion by having all the good guys lying to one another.

I do miss Julia Getty in this book. ( )

A really great read, I couldn't put it down. This book, although very different from the other three is very good.

Two things in the book that make little sense to me are:
- Men in black with guns doesn't really fit into the story. Possibly to add more action.
- Encounter with the "bad guy" at the end. Come on...two pro assassins vs. one bad guy and .... really?!!

I love the book anyway. ( )

The Guilty sees the return of Will Robie and his partner Jessica Reel. This is the fourth book in the series featuring a team of CIA snipers and the one that expands on Robie’s backstory, much like The Target expanded on Jessica's. When an assignment goes wrong, Will is placed on leave and is encouraged to confront his past and the strained relationship with his father. Word comes to him that his father, Dan Robie, has been arrested for murder in the Gulf Coast town of Cantrell, Mississippi, a small town where everyone knows everyone else’s business.

His father is now a county judge and living in a huge mansion with his new wife and child. The man he is accused of killing, Sherman Clancy, was rumored to be having an affair with Dan Robie's wife. Will is also haunted by memories of his high school sweetheart, who he believes turned her back on him the night they were supposed to leave Cantrell for good. Joined by his professional partner Jessica Reel, they must unravel a web of dark secrets and deceptions that have been hidden for years if they want to save Robie's father.

My favorite part of this series is the relationship between Will and Jessica. They have a deep personal and professional trust and respect for each other. It comes off as both believable and compelling, and also provides some humor in the way they interact with one another. While The Target remains my favorite book in the series, this one has everything a fan would appreciate, including some twists and turns in the finale. I listened to the audio version, featuring Kyf Brewer and Orlagh Cassidy. In the previous three books of the series, the male voices were performed by Ron McLarty, and while I thought Brewer did a great job, I do prefer McLarty. Orlagh Cassidy is just plain amazing. She voices all the female roles, many of them with southern accents, and all the characters are easily identifiable. ( )

Loved this book so much I went back and started the Will Robie series immediately after finishing it. Also stayed up until dawn to finish it because I'm just a glutton for punishment when it comes to working on 3 hours of sleep. WORTH IT. ( )

Love Robie and Reel, but this was all over the map. Serial killer? Pedophiles? Old money, no money, oil money, cancer, insanity and we'll link 'em all together. Good beginning, good ending.. but WHAT THE HECK was the middle all about!?!?!? Still love ya, Baldacci. ( )