Hell's Corner

The Camel Club #5

by David Baldacci

Wanneer een bom in het hart van Washington D.C. tot ontploffing komt, lijkt in eerste instantie alles te wijzen op een aanslag op de Britse premier. Op het moment dat de bom afging, verliet hij net per limousine het Witte Huis. De autoriteiten zijn er dan ook van overtuigd met een mislukte terroristische aanslag te maken te hebben. Om te helpen bij het onderzoek stuurt de Britse geheime dienst binnen een dag een van haar beste agenten naar de Verenigde Staten: Mary Chapman.
Chapman, een ervaren en zeer gevaarlijke agent, komt algauw in contact met Oliver Stone, die getuige is geweest van de explosie. Wanneer de FBI, de Secret Service en de vele andere geheime diensten die betrokken zijn bij het onderzoek elkaar alleen maar wantrouwen en dwarsbomen, roepen Stone en Chapman de hulp in van Harry Finn, Annabelle Conroy en de overige leden van de Camel Club. Samen komen ze erachter dat de daders die avond mogelijk een ander doel voor ogen hadden. En alleen de Camel Club kan nu nog een ramp van ongekende omvang voorkomen...

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook

616 pages, Paperback

First published November 9, 2010

About the author

David Baldacci has been writing since childhood, when his mother gave him a lined notebook in which to write down his stories. (Much later, when David thanked her for being the spark that ignited his writing career, she revealed that she’d given him the notebook to keep him quiet, "because every mom needs a break now and then.”)

David published his first novel, Absolute Power, in 1996; the feature film adaptation followed, with Clint Eastwood as its director and star. In total, David has published 52 novels for adults; all have been national and international bestsellers, and several have been adapted for film and television. David has also published seven novels for younger readers. His books are published in over 45 languages and in more than 80 countries, with over 200 million copies sold worldwide.

In addition to being a prolific writer, David is a devoted philanthropist, and his greatest efforts are dedicated to his family’s Wish You Well Foundation®. Established by David and his wife, Michelle, the Wish You Well Foundation supports family and adult literacy programs in the United States.

A lifelong Virginian, David is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Virginia School of Law.

Reviews

[Louie the Mustache Matos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had never read any of Baldacci’s books, but when I got to Puerto Rico and found that there were no books in my parents' house, coupled with no bookstores in the area, I remedied the situation with eBay: 100 books for $45 including shipping. This was one of those books and one of the first I read. Baldacci’s prose is engaging, and the plot is enthralling. This is a political thriller that draws you in and doesn’t let go until the final page. It’s remarkably fast-paced for a 600-page book. Politically intriguing, conspiracy-laden, action-packed, and filled with enough mystery and conspiracy to rival Ian Fleming and Alistair MacLean. Oliver Stone is an American assassin who is about to undertake a mission for the President of the United States when an explosion involves him in an entirely new mission. . . or is it the original mission? He partners with a British intelligence operative and the Camel Club (which seems to be an ongoing partnership from earlier books.) Despite including characters from other novels, this is a standalone novel that doesn’t require prior knowledge, but because I was so thoroughly engrossed, I wanted to read more Baldacci and fully understand why he is such a best-selling author completely in line with Fleming, Maclean, and Ken Follett.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

So here I am. Years later. This is it. The last book in The Camel Club series. I had just finished Book 4, “Divine Justice” when I discovered there was a Book 5. My review for (Book 4) “Divine Justice” is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I almost feel sad saying goodbye to the series. But in many ways, I feel happy because it took me this long to even realize that there were two last books in the series that I hadn’t realized existed until recently. So, this was like a happy reunion, too.

I am breathing it all in. Re-entering the world of Oliver Stone aka John Carr as he is called into service for the President of the United States on a special mission to investigate a bombing that occurred at Lafayette Park, known as Hell’s Corner, located across from the White House. (Hence: the title of the book!)

Who could have been responsible? And who was the target? Was it the British Prime Minister? Or someone else? And why?

But most importantly, who would do this?

Oliver Stone who is comfortable working alone, but now finds himself once again working for the government, a team, and an MI6 agent, named Mary Chapman to discover the truth behind the attacks.

“The bogeyman appeared to be winning the war of perception in the hearts and minds of the citizenry.”

So, how would they tackle this unknown “bogeyman.” Could it be the Russians, or drug dealers out of Mexico? And why specifically when the British Prime Minister was visiting the President?

And, when things seem to be getting too hard to handle, will the Camel Club members come into play to help save the day?

Readers can plan on a lot of twists, turns, action, suspense, diversions, short chapters, an unexpected finale (did anybody expect this one?), well-developed characters and loss of sleep to finish this last book. I certainly did!

[Sheyla ✎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Everyone has choices. You make them and then you live with the consequences.”

I hope this is not the end of The Camel Club. I'm invested in these characters and I want to know what is next for them.


Hell's Corner begins with a bang. B.O.O.M. Literally!


A stroll through Lafayette Park for Oliver Stone will prove to be more than a headache for him. A bomb has been detonated so close to the White House in spite of all the security surrounding the place. At first, it looks like a terrorist attack targetting the visiting British Prime Minister but after a while, it seems like there is so much more to this very carefully planned attack.

Oliver Stone is pulled to help his government again. A new badge and a new partner is given to him. His new partner is Mary Chapman, an MI-6 agent. Yet, like always with Oliver Stone having his past as John Carr, so many other agencies are not happy with him. Oliver will need to watch his back and when he can trust his own government, he will enlist the help of his friends from the Camel Club to help him investigate the terrorist attack before another one happens.

Hell's Corner was full of action, intrigue and killer suspense. One action, trigger multiple responses and it seemed like Oliver and Mary were always one step behind. They could trust no one but they both wanted the same thing: The truth.

There were two great twists which I loved. The second twist was perfect.

I do hope I get one more book so I can get some answers to the open-ended ones. If not Bon Voyage to Oliver, Annabelle, Mary, Harry, Reuben, Caleb, and Alex.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

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[Johnny Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh my David -- I long for the days gone by when you really dug deep for your clues -- and drove mystery and intrigue from carefully deposited hints and facts -- etc-- But this one seems so convenient-- Whatever you need --you just write it in-- without allowing us to find the foreshadowing you used to expertly weave into the storytelling-- that made them believable-- In this one although half of Washington lie dead in the path of Oliver-- The villain was not only impossible to imagine but her payoff-- 1 billion dollars-- David did you think the novel was not going to press this decade--really David -- please get back to caring about what you write!

Never the less -- i have to say the Novel was a good Political thriller-- kept me entertained -- but do not pay first run price for this one-- wait for paperback or the library

[Jack Heath · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars. Heart pounding in so many places with no answer to the question, "What's happening here?" But throughout it all, one gets the feeling that the confusion and complications are deliberate. That's a drawback. Oliver Stone has just had a private meeting with President Brennan; don't forget that Stone prevented his assassination previously. Oliver has agreed to rejoin the American team fighting increasingly violent drug wars. Reluctantly - but the Russians may now be involved and he knows the field. The next evening he walks through Lafayette Park across from the White House. Stone is feeling nostalgic for the days when he and Adelphia camped in the park and held up such signs as "I want the truth!" He notes a few strange people for such a late hour. And sees the British Prime Minister's motorcade leaving after a state dinner. At that moment gun fire rakes the park and a powerful bomb explodes near the statute of former President Andrew Jackson. Get set for non-stop action featuring Stone, Caleb, Reuben, and newer members, Annabelle Conroy, Alex Ford, Joe Knox, Harry Finn, and a great MI6 addition, Mary Chapman. Enjoyable. (July 2021)

[Jmrathbone · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have liked the other Baldacci books about the Camel Club, but this one was one too many. For one thing, I couldn’t think of a single reason the president of the United States would call on Oliver Stone to stop the Russians from taking over the Mexican drug trade. Was there no one in the CIA, NSA, or FBI who would be better prepared to do this than an aging assassin? Not to worry, before he can get started on that assignment, there is an assassination attempt on the British PM and he must help find the people behind that attempt. He gets help in this endeavor from a beautiful female MI-6 agent. There is also a professor who is supposed to go out and find Osama Bin Laden. Oliver Stone’s real name, John Carr, is supposed to be a deep secret, but everyone and his uncle seems to know his real identity. What’s the point in having an assumed name? What’s the point of this book?

[Vignesh Ashok Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating - 10/10(Masterpiece) - A web of complicated plots, love!

After finishing up the fourth book in the series, I thought it was a good ending to the series. After seeing the fifth book, one would have raised a question - Why the hell would there be a fifth book? Well, I thought I would be disappointed. But to my surprise this book was fantastic and one of the must reads of this series even if the payoffs for the series was a little weak.

The plot revolves around the bombing around the Lafayette Park at the time when British PM was paying the visit to POTUS. POTUS wanted Oliver to investigate this. Soon, this became a matter of national security, so Mary Chapman, an MI6 agent was brought in to be the partnered with Oliver Stone. The plot gets quickly gets complicated every revelation which contradicts each other. Oliver trust in Uncle Sam was declining. So, he asks The Camel Club for the favor. The members are - Oliver Stone, Reuben Rhodes, Caleb Shaw, Milton Farb(deceased), Alex Ford, Annabelle Conroy, Harry Finn and Joe Knox(unofficial). That's the dream team right there!!! The characters were perfect and as the Camel Club stumbled upon the uncharted territories, things started to get complicated and the stakes were pretty damn high. The plot was inter woven perfectly. This was reading The Memory Man - the plot was very intriguing and kept me guessing on WTF was happening.

Only thing I wish is for this novel to continue. If it does, I will be the first in the line to read this and enjoy!!

[Sully (sully.reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hell’s Corner is my first novel by one of the reigning American authors, David Baldacci. I decided to read his novels as I was trying to get out of my usual reading routine - and by “my usual routine” I mean, novels written by John Grisham and Sidney Sheldon. I was surprised that I am happy to get out habitual reading routine and tried Baldacci’s novel. And from this day forward, I’ll be collecting David Baldacci’s works.

David Baldacci’s works include the famous novel (and his very first published novel), Absolute Power, which according to some reviews in goodreads, it tells the story of a fictional American president and his Secret Service agents who are willing to commit murder in order to cover up the accidental death of a woman with whom the President was having an affair. The novel’s success became an absolute hit and was mas made into a film, titled Absolute Power in 1997 starring Clint Eastwood and Gene Hackman. In year 2005, he began with the Camel Club series where Hell’s Corner was one of its fifth (5th) books. To top it all, Camel Club is still a huge hit in 80 countries across America, and I am happy to experience that sensational hit.

Hell’s Corner, is the fifth book from the series “Camel Club “(as also stated above). The story revolves around a resigned skilled assassin, Oliver Stone. Oliver Stone was forced to be back in his business when he experienced a bombing in a known park near the White House. He was given one mission, and that is to find those responsible for the bombing. As Oliver Stone and his company open the secrets behind the bombing, their opponents are becoming lethal and worst of all, it seems that the park bombing is just the enemies’ bait to cover up the scheme they have planned for centuries. With nowhere else to turn, Oliver Stone asked for the overpowering assistance from the four political watch-dogs, also known as, The Camel Club.

This was a very interesting read for me, and I would be reading backwards, from the latest series (which is the Hell’s Corner) to the Camel Club book #1.

[Carol Jones-Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hell's Corner, David Baldacci's #5 of the Camel Club Series. This was so well written and such interesting character development. I really loved it. Great read.

Second Read: I'd forgotton some of the story, so listening to it again was very exciting. There is an attack on the heart at the White House. At a place called Hell's Corner. John Carr a.k.a. Oliver Stone--once the most skilled assassin his country ever had, stands in Lafayette park in front of the White House, perhaps for the last time. The president has personally requested that Stone personally requested that Stone serve his country again on a high risk covert mission. Though he's fought for decades to leave his past career behind, Stone has no choice but to say yes. Then Stone's mission changes drastically before it even begins. It's the night of a state dinner honoring the British Prime Minister. As he watches the motorcade leave the White House that evening, a bomb is detonated in Lafayette Park , an apparent terrorist attack against both leaders. It's in the aftermath that Stone takes on a new more urgent assignment, to find those responsible for the bombing. I just loved this book. So much suspense, and excellently written. Ron McGlarty and Olag Cassidy were the narrators. I heard and interview with Baldacci and Ron McGlarty. This book has some exciting twists and turns. McGlarty said as he was reading that he was absolutety stunned at the end, and the surprises were terrific. Highly recommend.

First Read: This series blows me away every time because the characters have so much depth and they are written with such clarity that you feel they just passed you on the street and said Good Morning. Stone may lead this merry band of misfits but he is not their leader he is a member of a close knit, well thought out group of people that can easily carry any book on their own and have proven that in the past. Mr. Baldacci knows how to write a great story and this one stands out in that it will scare you to realize the fiction he is proposing is probably fact and I hope there is a retired Agent Stone out there protecting us.

[Rukky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quote: “Everyone has choices. You make them and then you live with the consequences.”

*Oliver Stone aka John Carr. I read the last book in the series, without knowing, and yet I was still able to enjoy this. It even made me more curious to learn more about Stone and his past. Even though Stone is old, he is still as sharp and quick as he was in his younger days and I liked that. He didn’t let age get the better of him, and he also didn’t really care about the fact that he upset a lot of important people. He only cared about his friends, his partner, and his back. He was willing to sacrifice himself for them and I really admired that.

*Mary Chapman. I. Need. More. Mary. I was horrified when I found out that this was the 5th book and the current last one, and that it was also published in 2010 meaning that there is pretty much a 0% chance that I’ll get more Mary. She is really sassy, and I loved her amazing British self. She’s also much younger than Stone, but just as seasoned and smart as he. They made an amazing team and she also added a lot of humor in an otherwise humorless book. She’s also from MI6 which is terrific, since I love MI6 (and FBI and CIA…). I also liked how she learned to question orders, and also how, even though she was loyal from the start, she grew even more loyal as the story progressed and was ready to sacrifice herself for Stone and his friends. And that’s really something, because she doesn’t really know his friends but she trusts Stone and he trusts them, and so she trusts and helps them too. It was just uplifting and put a permanent smile on my face.

*Plot. I really liked the conspiracy aspect, and how it was introduced from the get-go. I had a few theories, and was exasperated at first because no one seemed to be thinking about my ideas, but it turned out that my theory was wrong. The plot was intense, the characters were being led all around the place, and I was following right behind them. I also really liked the dynamics between the FBI, NIC, NSC, CIA, ATF, and all the other countless agencies that were involved. It was also hilarious how Mary was baffled at all the politics going on, and the fact that agents didn’t even trust their agencies, and how each agency seemed to be trying to bring the other down.

*The Ending. I was shocked, I was in disbelief and I really believed that (THAT THEY ALL DIED) it actually happened. I was going to cry. It was so amazing, fast paced, and wowing, and it was a really satisfying end, even though I sincerely wish that there were more books with Mary, or that she got her own series. *sighs*

*Restaurant Scene. There is this scene, Chapter 79, page 330 in the hardcover, in which Stone and Mary were arguing at a restaurant, and Mary got up to go, and Stone grabbed her wrist to stop her, and this guy comes over and tells Stone to let her go. And then Mary says:

“We were just arguing over who was going to pay the check. But thanks for coming to a lady’s aid, love.”

Chapter 79, Page 330

I just loved it (And I also loved the “love” part too lol). It’s pretty trivial, and I’m probably over-exaggerating, but I really really liked that moment. It just made me feel so happy and warm.

-

Quote: “And just because they’re no longer a superpower doesn’t mean they don’t want to be again.”

*Nothing. I can’t think of a single thing that I disliked about this. Maybe it should have been a bit faster, but no, I think it was perfect.

-

Quote: “Every time I walk with Alex I’m reminded both how lucky I am to have friends like him and also how unworthy I am to have friends like him.”

I really loved this, I would recommend it, and I hope you enjoy it if you read it! The plot was great, the characters were fabulous, and the ending was totally unexpected and shocked me so much that I couldn’t believe it.

One sentence summary: An amazing political thriller with two spectacular main characters.

Overall, 5 stars

★★★★★

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[Neil Hanson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, a big disappointment. I loved the first 3 in the Camel Club series, and I love the Oliver Stone / John Carr character, but this one was a big letdown. It just didn't feel like the author's heart was in it. Loose ends coming together in ways so implausible it made me want to stop several times. The "cliche" factor was incredibly high in this one, to the point where it was impossible to really identify with any of the characters. I need characters that are plausible and believable enough to identify with, and when they start straying too far from the nature of folks in our culture, I can no longer identify with them.

Again, I'm a big fan of the Camel Club series, and if I had it to do over, I'd skip this one completely, and hope for a better one next time.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oliver Stone is recruited by the President of the United States to help serve his country on a top secret mission. In exchange for his services, Stone will never have to worry about the government knocking on his door again. The offer is too good for Stone to refuse.

Stone is standing outside in Lafayette park, outside of the White House, enjoying his last night before he heads out of the country. High dignitaries are heading to their cars after being wined and dined at a dinner honoring the British Prime Minister. Suddenly, everything turns to disaster when a bomb goes off. Stone wakes up in the hospital. Due to the high nature of this threat the FBI, Secret Services, and the Camel Club are all working on solving the case.

It was great to see the Camel Club together again in action. Everyone brings something new to the table. Stone is the ultimate action hero. He dishes out the butt-kicking and always leaves a trail of bodies in his wake. Right from the beginning I was fully mersed into this book. I could not get enough of Stone. The dynamics between Stone and the rest of the characters were nice. They all worked well together. Everyone equally measured up to the story line. I kept trying to figure out who the rat was in the story and every time I would start to think it was so and so, another twist was get thrown my way. There was not a moment that I was not enjoying myself reading this book. The suspense levels were high. The ending was great. I can not wait to read the next Stone novel. Hell's Corner delivers the action and punches!

[Stacy · Rating 2 out of 5]

YAWN. Someone needs to give David Baldacci a copy of The Winner and remind him that he used to be able to generate a unique and interesting plot. This book, while filled with twists and turns, was beyond unbelievable, and the twists and turns didn't even fall together at the end. After finishing the book I kept thinking, "That made no sense. Why would ___ be motivated to do ___?" with a myriad of options for the filling in each blank, and no good answers. The plot got so convoluted that I'm not even sure Baldacci understood it at the end.

And one last thing, can we please do away with Scooby Doo endings where bad guys explain why and how they did everything? Admittedly I am not a writer and cannot suggest alternative explanatory tools, but I do know that I read plenty of books by talented authors that do not resort to this method.

[Franco Santos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh... Ya se terminó el Camel Club para mí. :-(

Amé este libro, esta última entrega de una de las mejores sagas de intriga que leí. Voy a extrañar tanto a Oliver Stone, Caleb Shaw, Milton Farb, Harry Finn, Joe Knox, Annabelle Conroy, Reuben Rhodes y Alex Ford... En este tomo me encontré con un caso complejísimo, que deja totalmente perdidos tanto a los lectores como a los personajes. En donde nada es lo que parece y nadie puede confiar en nadie. Tiene una resolución sorprendente, un final en el que tu corazón va a latir a una velocidad más rápida de la corriente.
Gracias, Baldacci, por crear estos extraordinarios personajes. Este extraordinario grupo de amigos. :,-)

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn- this was a great audiobook. The plot and characters and... well the whole damn story was great. A real thrill ride of intrigue and suspense. The baddie was always one step ahead of Oliver Stone and company... and what a great ending! Very satisfying. This Baldacci kid can really write!!!

[Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although the ending was for the birds, up to the very last few pages this book was prime thriller material and kept me completely engrossed.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit long with complicated plots. Still, a good read if you enjoy conspiracy adventures. 7 of 10 stars

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good read and excellent addition to the Camel Club series. "Oliver Stone" is witness to a bomb going off late at night in Lafayette Park - who was behind this explosion, who were the other people in the park and what exactly were they doing there late at night! Lots of action, twists and turns, some red herrings and some surprises. I enjoyed this book and the whole series and highly recommend it to anyone that likes the "spy world"!

From the blurb: n attack on the heart of power . . .

In sight of the White House . . .

At a place known as . . .

HELL'S CORNER

John Carr, aka Oliver Stone-once the most skilled assassin his country ever had-stands in Lafayette Park in front of the White House, perhaps for the last time. The president has personally requested that Stone serve his country again on a high-risk, covert mission. Though he's fought for decades to leave his past career behind, Stone has no choice but to say yes.

Then Stone's mission changes drastically before it even begins. It's the night of a state dinner honoring the British prime minister. As he watches the prime minister's motorcade leave the White House that evening, a bomb is detonated in Lafayette Park, an apparent terrorist attack against both leaders. It's in the chaotic aftermath that Stone takes on a new, more urgent assignment: find those responsible for the bombing.

British MI-6 agent Mary Chapman becomes Stone's partner in the search for the unknown attackers. But their opponents are elusive, capable, and increasingly lethal; worst of all, it seems that the park bombing may just have been the opening salvo in their plan. With nowhere else to turn, Stone enlists the help of the only people he knows he can trust: the Camel Club. Yet that may be a big mistake.

In the shadowy worlds of politics and intelligence, there is no one you can really trust. Nothing is really what it seems to be. And Hell's Corner truly lives up to its name. This may be Oliver Stone's and the Camel Club's last stand.

[Tequila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm in the middle of this one. The Camel Club is my favorite of David Baldacci's series because of its misfit crew led by a homeless vet who lives in a cemetery a little north of Georgetown. It is also propitious as I have been working a 1/2 block from Hell's Corner which is actually Lafayette Park across from the white house. Lately I have been thinking that Baldacci should add a DC contract attorney to his ragtag group of ragamuffins. During periods between jobs I have worked as a contract attorney. Nonglamorous but necessary work in the electronic discovery field. During my time I have met some incredibly interesting attorneys, some of them down on their luck, some just starting out and paying off their student loans before taking on a job in the public interest sector, some funding interim human rights law careers by temping for a few months and then doing human rights work for a few months. I have also met attorneys in the document review fields with Ph.D.s in Law from Oxford, bilingual, trilingual, pentalingual and even some sexolingual and polyglot attorneys, as well as and some legal heroes who risked (and lost) their careers by being whistleblowers. Just the kind of unseen and unrecognized heroes that would fit right into the Camel Club. And of course it's fun to read a book and think, "Hey! I walk there for lunch!" Though Baldacci hasn't mentioned the homeless and unemployed men who stand outside the Martin Luther King Library before noon on Mondays and 9:00 am other days to read, look for jobs on the internet and just get out of the rain. I am reading the Large Print edition because the DC Public Library hasn't put this 2010 book on its circulation list yet.

So I've finished this one. I'd have to say that the Camel Club itself didn't get as much play as I hoped because Oliver Stone spent too much time flirting with and kissing hot female spies, but altogether a very satisfying and entertaining book.

[Brenda H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fifth book in the Camel Club series by David Baldacci. I listened to this on audiobook and, I have to say, it took a bit of concentration due to the complexity of the storyline.

A bomb goes off in Lafayette Park - directly across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House. Because of the location of the park, the jurisdictional challenges are enormous with the Secret Service, Homeland Security, the Park Service and the FBI as well as the DC Police all responsible for different pieces of the park.

Stone is brought in by the NIC and the White House to participate in the investigation of the bombing. He is teamed up with Mary Chapman, an agent from MI6 that is brought in to assist the investigation when it appears the British PM may have been the target.

As Stone is working the case, it seems that the investigators are being watched by others within their own government as well as the bad guys - who always seem to be one step ahead of them. Distrustful of the other agencies, Oliver turns to the people he can count on - The Camel Club.

As they investigate the possibility of involvement by Mexican Drug Cartels, Russian Mafia, and International Terrorists - all while navigating the dangerous political waters of DC - Oliver and his friends become targets and find their lives at risk. Will this be their last mystery?

This audiobook was read by Ron McLarty and Orlagh Cassidy - both of whom did a great job bringing the characters to life and keeping the listener interested.

Rating: 4 Stars

[Mahoghani 23 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Washington is Babylon! You can't trust anyone, taking a life is just an ordinary every day occurrence. For Oliver Stone, the people of Washington (politics) are truly evil. Hell's Corner takes you through the woods to grandma's house, past Jack the Ripper, dine with Hannibal Lecter, vacation with Jeffrey Dahmer and sleep with Ted Buddy. No one is whom they appear to be. Everyone has their own agenda and all the federal agencies are not sharing what they know amongst each other.

Oliver Stone has been summoned by the President of the United States to perform a mission on Russian soil. In return he will be pardoned and cleared of all wrongdoings if he survives the mission. Things change after a bomb explodes right in front of the White House, in Lafayette Park. Now Stone has been teamed up with Mary Chapman, an MI-5 agent, to resolve the bombing. Each time they get a lead, it ends in someone getting severely injured or murdered, leaning more toward the latter. Oliver knows that they, the powers that be, are out to get him and so he goes to whom he can trust; the Camel Club.

The suspense throughout the book keeps entangling you to read more. The book rotates from who may be the culprit to innocent bystanders in an instant. This book makes you ponder what is really going on at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and it's other federal agencies.

[kartik narayanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the review of the entire Camel Club series at my my blog

Hell's Corner is easily the best book in the Camel Club series. It has a great plot involving intrigue and espionage along with an excellent villain.

Like other books by Baldacci, this is fast paced and easy to read. It has a great set of returning characters plus new ones, as with every installment in this series.

[Daniel Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent book in the Oliver Stone series!! Great twist at the end. I like the way the book is narrated by the thought processes of Stone. All of these books take their time and are well thought out.

[Mary Gramlich · Rating 5 out of 5]

HELL’S CORNER
Camel Club Series #5
David Baldacci
November 9, 2010 - Grand Central Publishing - Hardcover, 448 pages
ISBN-13: 9780446195522

You will not be able to put this book down

Oliver Stone has led so many lives he lost count. For all the losses he has suffered there has been the gain in his friends and cohorts known as the Camel Club. A group of people that are as different they come together and make one large, right group. They solve crimes, take care of each other and never fail to have one another’s back. But this latest case is one Stone has to handle on his own and no one including him is happy about it even though the President of the United States is asking for his help.

But before Stone can do his work for the President a bomb goes off across the street from the White House creating the scenario where conclusions are drawn, angles are worked and assumptions made. While everyone is running to the right the masterminds are veering to the left and keeping everyone off balance including all the alphabet agencies in Washington, DC. Stone is drafted back into the service of the government with the promise that all past indiscretions would be erased yet the problem for Stone is that his sins have been of such huge proportion he is not sure this is a statement based in fact. But Stone finds himself partnered with an MI6 agent who is as cunning as he is and keeps up even while running after him. The Camel Club goes from upset at being turned away to forcing its way into the investigation and from that moment on the determination to capture the criminal and figure out what is really going on grows to a proportion even Stone can’t control.

But the agency he is now working for is throwing him off with smoke and mirrors, bodies are piling up, misconceptions abound and everyone becomes a suspect. Stone wants the nightmare to stop but for every decision he makes that draws a resolution to the case another one shows up to prove to him the last one was way off base and leads blow away with the wind.

Without his group Stone knows he can’t solve this case but in this particular situation is the gain of apprehension worth the answer to who did the deed?

This series blows me away every time because the characters have so much depth and they are written with such clarity that you feel they just passed you on the street and said Good Morning. Stone may lead this merry band of misfits but he is not their leader he is a member of a close knit, well thought out group of people that can easily carry any book on their own and have proven that in the past. Mr. Baldacci knows how to write a great story and this one stands out in that it will scare you to realize the fiction he is proposing is probably fact and I hope there is a retired Agent Stone out there protecting us.

[Debby · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 5-star rating for a book writen by an author whose name is genrally larger than the title on teh dust cover? Yeah, I was shocked too! I am a big fan of David Baldacci and regularly give his books 4-star ratings. But 5? This one was, for me, a hit out of the ball park!

Up to this point, I've only read the first book in Baldacci's Camel Club series and if I remember correctly I was particularly overwhelmed by it. The plot of Hell's Corner intrigued me enough to ignore the fact I was going to encounter unfamiliar character and background info. I was desperate for a good book to read (as everything else4 I'd tried wa putting me to sleep); so I just jumped into this 5th book in Baldacci's Cammel Club series. All I can say is WOW and I'll be going back and reading books 2-4 ASAP.

If you're a fan of well-written political thrillers, I highly recommend this book. It's fast paced, full of plot twists and turns and enough red herrings to keep you (and the characters) guessing. I could not put this book down! Hell's Corner was for me, more than just a really good book, it was amazing!!

(Ok, maybe I was starved for a really good book and Hell's Corner more thn filled the bill...so let's say 4 stars with Bang!) ;) it would make a GREAT movie!

[Mark Bennett · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another in the Camel Club series that are now typical Baldacci. His first books, "Absolute Power" & "Total Control" were great books. Later books, such as "The Winner", "Saving Faith" and "Wish You Well" were very good.

With this read, I have read all 20 Baldacci novels. Like many other authors of today, a once good writer has turned into a book mill. Baldacci has become more Patterson-like with each book producing formula reads instead of stories.

Hell's Corner is set in Washington and centered around "Oliver Stone" and the Camel Club. In this adventure of the Club, most other members are bystanders and Oliver grandstands the plot for himself.

Like the all of the more recent Baldacci novels and none of the early Baldacci novels, Hell's Corner is nothing but a page turner. It holds your interest, but when you are done, what story have you read? The same story you read every other Baldacci book of the last 5 years. Do you care that you read it? No! Why read it? It beats the hell out of TV. Will I buy the next Baldacci? Maybe.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never read a David Baldacci novel and was not disappointed. I definitely need to read more of the Camel Club novels.

Oliver Stone (aka John Carr), lives simply, as a caretaker of a cemetery, but is called back to duty with the government when a bomb goes off in Lafayette Park in Washington DC (Hell's Corner). British agent, Mary Chapman, becomes his partner and the members of the Camel Club join the team.

Intriguing story of political mischief where the government agencies don't communicate and play well together. Surprise, surprise.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gotta love Baldacci. The Camel club rides again. Still a solid story and some really relatable characters.
A bomb goes off across from the White House. Why? Who? WTH? Some new characters and follow up on some old friends. Good read!!

[Pamela Small · Rating 5 out of 5]

CAMEL CLUB #5... GOTTA LOVE STONE! CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF HIM! CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF THIS SERIES! Start with the first book. This series is dynamite!

[Barry who enjoys well-written thrillers, mysteries , & espionage & loathes romance, horror & supernat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Confusing beginning and then it was off to get Osama bin laden. No thanks.