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Atlee Pine #3
Daylight
FBI Agent Atlee Pine's search for her sister Mercy clashes with military investigator John Puller's high-stakes case, leading them both deep into a global conspiracy -- from which neither of them will escape unscathed.
For many long years, Atlee Pine was tormented by uncertainty after her twin sister, Mercy, was abducted at the age of six and never seen again. Now, just as Atlee is pressured to end her investigation into Mercy's disappearance, she finally gets her most promising breakthrough yet: the identity of her sister's kidnapper, Ito Vincenzo.
With time running out, Atlee and her assistant Carol Blum race to Vincenzo's last known location in Trenton, New Jersey -- and unknowingly stumble straight into John Puller's case, blowing his arrest during a drug ring investigation involving a military installation.
Stunningly, Pine and Puller's joint investigation uncovers a connection between Vincenzo's family and a breathtaking scheme that strikes at the very heart of global democracy. Peeling back the layers of deceit, lies and cover-ups, Atlee finally discovers the truth about what happened to Mercy. And that truth will shock Pine to her very core.
For many long years, Atlee Pine was tormented by uncertainty after her twin sister, Mercy, was abducted at the age of six and never seen again. Now, just as Atlee is pressured to end her investigation into Mercy's disappearance, she finally gets her most promising breakthrough yet: the identity of her sister's kidnapper, Ito Vincenzo.
With time running out, Atlee and her assistant Carol Blum race to Vincenzo's last known location in Trenton, New Jersey -- and unknowingly stumble straight into John Puller's case, blowing his arrest during a drug ring investigation involving a military installation.
Stunningly, Pine and Puller's joint investigation uncovers a connection between Vincenzo's family and a breathtaking scheme that strikes at the very heart of global democracy. Peeling back the layers of deceit, lies and cover-ups, Atlee finally discovers the truth about what happened to Mercy. And that truth will shock Pine to her very core.
417 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 17, 2020
13795 people are currently reading
12688 people want to read
About the author
David Baldacci
219 books123k followersDavid 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,196 reviews
October 13, 2020
This is the third of David Baldacci's FBI agent Atlee Pine series, a woman traumatised from childhood when her twin sister, Mercy, was abducted in Andersonville, Georgia. At long last, harrowing daylight is shed on what happened Mercy after her abduction. Pine has been granted a few further days by her FBI boss, Clint Dobbs, for her and her administrative support, Carol Blum, to continue looking into what happened to Mercy. She is further forward in what she now knows, she is certain that Ito Vincenzo, the brother of brutal mobster, Bruno, a man incarcerated and killed in prison, was responsible for her sister's abduction. Ito disappeared some time ago, so Pine tracks down his remaining family for leads, his son Teddy is in prison, so she turns up at the home of his grandson, Tommy.
Atlee finds she has inadvertently stumbled on a military operation to arrest Tommy for drug dealing, her appearance allowing Tommy an opportunity to escape. The military CID officer in charge is a man Pine is familiar with, John Puller. The Vincenzo connection leads to a guilt ridden Pine and Puller to join forces, even though Pine is only interested in specific and limited information that Tommy and Teddy may have on Ito and his current whereabouts, if he was still alive. The pair of them have no idea of the dangers they will find themselves in as they pull at the threads of the drugs inquiry. Key figures of interest keep ending up dead, and Puller faces what appear to be insurmountable obstacles in his path, obstacles that stink to high heaven of the highest levels of political interference, obstacles so powerful that they can remove a 4 star military general from his position when he starts asking questions for Puller. Pine and Puller find themselves targets of a global political conspiracy with tentacles at the heart of every institution at the heart of American justice and democracy.
Whilst the global conspiracy is an exciting, fast paced and compelling thrill ride aspect of this novel, it is perhaps Pine's personal family history and what she uncovers that really catches the reader's attention. She is relentless in turning over every stone and rock as she finds much of the certainty she had about her father and mother begins to dissipate the more she discovers. Her blood father, the wealthy Jack Lineberry, who managed her family under the witness protection process to safeguard them, is currently suffering from poor health and never managed to locate who was leaking information about their whereabouts. Pine will be put off by nothing as she traces the leak and gets a confession. This is a wonderfully enlightening addition to the Atlee Pine series that I think many crime and thriller readers will enjoy. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
Atlee finds she has inadvertently stumbled on a military operation to arrest Tommy for drug dealing, her appearance allowing Tommy an opportunity to escape. The military CID officer in charge is a man Pine is familiar with, John Puller. The Vincenzo connection leads to a guilt ridden Pine and Puller to join forces, even though Pine is only interested in specific and limited information that Tommy and Teddy may have on Ito and his current whereabouts, if he was still alive. The pair of them have no idea of the dangers they will find themselves in as they pull at the threads of the drugs inquiry. Key figures of interest keep ending up dead, and Puller faces what appear to be insurmountable obstacles in his path, obstacles that stink to high heaven of the highest levels of political interference, obstacles so powerful that they can remove a 4 star military general from his position when he starts asking questions for Puller. Pine and Puller find themselves targets of a global political conspiracy with tentacles at the heart of every institution at the heart of American justice and democracy.
Whilst the global conspiracy is an exciting, fast paced and compelling thrill ride aspect of this novel, it is perhaps Pine's personal family history and what she uncovers that really catches the reader's attention. She is relentless in turning over every stone and rock as she finds much of the certainty she had about her father and mother begins to dissipate the more she discovers. Her blood father, the wealthy Jack Lineberry, who managed her family under the witness protection process to safeguard them, is currently suffering from poor health and never managed to locate who was leaking information about their whereabouts. Pine will be put off by nothing as she traces the leak and gets a confession. This is a wonderfully enlightening addition to the Atlee Pine series that I think many crime and thriller readers will enjoy. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
July 28, 2021
Daylight by David Baldacci is a 2020 Grand Central Publication.
Atlee Pine is finally closing in on finding answers to what happened to her twin sister- but naturally, there are complications… LOTS of complications. Atlee’s singled minded determination to find Ito Vincenzo- her sister’s kidnapper- inadvertently slams into John Puller’s current investigation. Her faux pas, brings the two together as a team, along with Carol Blum.
Little do they know that once they start digging into the Vincenzo family saga that it will lead them to a shocking conspiracy…
This is the third installment in the Atlee Pine series. I wasn’t especially impressed with the first book, but the second book convinced me to continue on with the series. This installment is action packed and has some interesting conspiracy theories, but once again, I was left feeling like something was missing- the story just fell flat for some reason- but- an interesting development with Atlee’s twin, towards the end of the book pretty much guaranteed I’ll be reading the next book in the series.
Overall, this was an entertaining thriller- still not up to Baldacci’s usual standards. I’m giving the series one more shot after this- hopefully, I won’t have to cut my losses.
3 stars
Atlee Pine is finally closing in on finding answers to what happened to her twin sister- but naturally, there are complications… LOTS of complications. Atlee’s singled minded determination to find Ito Vincenzo- her sister’s kidnapper- inadvertently slams into John Puller’s current investigation. Her faux pas, brings the two together as a team, along with Carol Blum.
Little do they know that once they start digging into the Vincenzo family saga that it will lead them to a shocking conspiracy…
This is the third installment in the Atlee Pine series. I wasn’t especially impressed with the first book, but the second book convinced me to continue on with the series. This installment is action packed and has some interesting conspiracy theories, but once again, I was left feeling like something was missing- the story just fell flat for some reason- but- an interesting development with Atlee’s twin, towards the end of the book pretty much guaranteed I’ll be reading the next book in the series.
Overall, this was an entertaining thriller- still not up to Baldacci’s usual standards. I’m giving the series one more shot after this- hopefully, I won’t have to cut my losses.
3 stars
April 12, 2023
Atlee Pine #3: The indomitable Atlee Pine, 5' 11" ex world class weightlifter and MMA fighter and now FBOI agent with a middle-aged woman 'PA', continues to pursue the mystery of the attempted murder of her as a child and the abduction/murder(?) of her twin. With the info garnered from the second volume in the series (I'm yet to read), Atlee finally gets some pertinent names and it's when she starts questioning their descendants that she and Army CID ally John Puller open yet another can of worms conspiracy that sees them being blocked at every turn by... cops, military and politicians!
Yet again Baldacci portrays such a well and realistically characterised cast of main players AND supporting cast, but way over the tops the plotting, that in the end deflects the great action, characters and constructed reality; despite that it still manages to be compelling to the very end! A 6 out of 12 read - Three Stars.
2023 read
Yet again Baldacci portrays such a well and realistically characterised cast of main players AND supporting cast, but way over the tops the plotting, that in the end deflects the great action, characters and constructed reality; despite that it still manages to be compelling to the very end! A 6 out of 12 read - Three Stars.
2023 read
October 24, 2020
David Baldacci is a prolific author whose books are reliably good. I was very pleased to receive this book to review. It is the third book in the Atlee Pine series and, unusually, I have not read the earlier books but it Is not necessary for the enjoyment of this one. FBI agent Atlee Pine, based in Arizona, is having a mini sabbatical to learn what happened to her twin sister, Mercy, who was abducted when they were both six years old. As she is following a lead in Trenton, New Jersey, she crosses paths with John Puller, who is with Army CID. As there seems to be some overlap with their cases, and they know each other from previous investigations, they agree to work together.
Puller is a great character who had his own series (which I did read) and it was wonderful having him back on the page. I really love it when authors bring characters from one series into another one - it’s like meeting an old friend again. However, from there the plot takes them both on a dark journey of murder, high level corruption and entitlement. People will stop at nothing to hide their dark deeds and Pine and Puller find themselves in the crosshairs of a dangerous killer more than once. All the while Pine is learning more about her sister’s fate - and the news is not good!
David Baldacci is a master of the action thriller and fans of the genre will love this high octane story. It does end on a bit of a cliffhanger and I will be keen to see what the future holds for Pine. She is a strong female protagonist who can hold her own against most and she is a relentless investigator. My thanks go to Netgalley, Grand Central Publishing and David Baldacci for a copy of the book. My opinions are my own.
Puller is a great character who had his own series (which I did read) and it was wonderful having him back on the page. I really love it when authors bring characters from one series into another one - it’s like meeting an old friend again. However, from there the plot takes them both on a dark journey of murder, high level corruption and entitlement. People will stop at nothing to hide their dark deeds and Pine and Puller find themselves in the crosshairs of a dangerous killer more than once. All the while Pine is learning more about her sister’s fate - and the news is not good!
David Baldacci is a master of the action thriller and fans of the genre will love this high octane story. It does end on a bit of a cliffhanger and I will be keen to see what the future holds for Pine. She is a strong female protagonist who can hold her own against most and she is a relentless investigator. My thanks go to Netgalley, Grand Central Publishing and David Baldacci for a copy of the book. My opinions are my own.
June 4, 2023
A great addition to the series!!
Atlee Pine and her assistant Carol Blum are on the trail for answers. Atlee wants to know what happened to her sister Mercy who was abducted from their bed when she was six.
Her latest clue takes her to New Jersey and a man named Ito Vincenzo who seems to be the person who kidnapped her. No one knows where Ito is but she trails his grandson and when she tries to ask questions, he runs away. Unbeknownst to Atlee, she was interfering with a military bust by nonother than John Puller, military CID.
Feeling intrigued about where John Puller's case was taking them, she decides to stay and help with the investigation, hoping to find more clues about Mercy in the process.
Baldacci can make you root for his characters every single time. Atlee has become a quick favorite. A good FBI agent which for the most part uses her intellect but is not scared to use her strength to catch a bad guy.
I haven't read the John Puller series but my husband is a fan and he was excited to see the crossover of worlds.
By the end, we have more shocking discoveries and more clues into Mercy's fate. I can't wait to start the next one.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Atlee Pine and her assistant Carol Blum are on the trail for answers. Atlee wants to know what happened to her sister Mercy who was abducted from their bed when she was six.
Her latest clue takes her to New Jersey and a man named Ito Vincenzo who seems to be the person who kidnapped her. No one knows where Ito is but she trails his grandson and when she tries to ask questions, he runs away. Unbeknownst to Atlee, she was interfering with a military bust by nonother than John Puller, military CID.
Feeling intrigued about where John Puller's case was taking them, she decides to stay and help with the investigation, hoping to find more clues about Mercy in the process.
Baldacci can make you root for his characters every single time. Atlee has become a quick favorite. A good FBI agent which for the most part uses her intellect but is not scared to use her strength to catch a bad guy.
I haven't read the John Puller series but my husband is a fan and he was excited to see the crossover of worlds.
By the end, we have more shocking discoveries and more clues into Mercy's fate. I can't wait to start the next one.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
November 18, 2020
This feels like a very speedy follow up to the previous book. Baldacci must be working overtime and I am not complaining.
Daylight continues Atlee's search for her long lost twin sister, Mercy. There has always been the smallest chance that Mercy could still be alive, and this chance is getting stronger. However what kind of person she will be if she is ever found is unknown. It would appear that her childhood was traumatic to say the least.
Baldacci does a crossover in this book and brings in John Puller from another of his series. This works well. Puller is a great character and he matches Atlee Pine very well indeed. The story is very involved and I may have glazed over a bit with all the criminals and who was whose son and why they did what they did. Not understanding every detail did not spoil the book for me at all though.
A lot of people get shot, others get long stays in hospital, Atlee demonstrates her amazing fighting skills several times and the Puller brothers save the day. It is the kind of book which holds the reader's interest from the first page to the last, and now I am ready for book 4.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Daylight continues Atlee's search for her long lost twin sister, Mercy. There has always been the smallest chance that Mercy could still be alive, and this chance is getting stronger. However what kind of person she will be if she is ever found is unknown. It would appear that her childhood was traumatic to say the least.
Baldacci does a crossover in this book and brings in John Puller from another of his series. This works well. Puller is a great character and he matches Atlee Pine very well indeed. The story is very involved and I may have glazed over a bit with all the criminals and who was whose son and why they did what they did. Not understanding every detail did not spoil the book for me at all though.
A lot of people get shot, others get long stays in hospital, Atlee demonstrates her amazing fighting skills several times and the Puller brothers save the day. It is the kind of book which holds the reader's interest from the first page to the last, and now I am ready for book 4.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
February 3, 2021
Convoluted, disjointed and headed in the wrong direction.
December 13, 2020
This book should appropriately be labelled ‘Daylight (John Puller #5, Atlee Pine #3)’.
Never one to shy away from a great thriller, I turned to the latest in the Atlee Pine series, Daylight, by esteemed author David Baldacci. The story offers some great action and development in the Mercy Pine saga, though is overshadowed by a case headed by another Baldacci protagonist. Thankfully Atlee has no trouble sharing the ‘daylight’, though it does cast her in the shadows at times. A great book for Baldacci fans, even if patience and a John Puller storyline hijacking are two aspects for which the title does not prepare the reader.
Atlee Pine is a stellar agent with the FBI and knows how to track down a criminal with one hand tied behind her back. This might have something to do with the great support she’s offered by her administrative assistant, Carol Blum, but Pine is no slouch. When they take a leave from the Bureau to track done a lead in the Mercy Pine disappearance, both Atlee and Carol end up in New Jersey, hoping to put all the pieces together.
Arriving to speak with one Ito Vincenzo, brother to a high-ranking Mafia boss, Pine wonders if her sister’s kidnapping might have something to do with an act of revenge. Atlee’s mother apparently created quite the stir testifying and Ito may have wanted to take matters into his own hands.
Just as Pine arrives to extract some information, she stumbles into the middle of something and foils an ongoing investigation by Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID). The lead investigator, John Puller, is a little less than happy, but once he sees that it’s Atlee Pine, he softens a little. Pine and Puller have worked together before and, while another of the Vincenzo family has slipped away, the fact that it was in the hopes of finding Mercy Pine lessens the impact.
It would seem that Tony Vincenzo has been using his muscle to bring pills into Fort Dix, which is how Puller finds himself involved. With leads as hot as they come, Puller has little time to rest on his laurels, but does suppose that he and Pine might be able to work together, killing two birds with a single stone. They work their respective cases in tandem, trying to uncover leads and make progress however they can.
While Atlee learns little about her sister, she does discover that Tony Vincenzo’s narcotics reach may be only the tip of the iceberg, as there are people of some prominence caught in a larger web, reaching into the halls of Congress. However, without the big fish, it’s all a house of cards and will lead Puller nowhere. It would seem the sleuthing both Pine and Puller are doing has caused someone to feel the heat, as they are both targeted and almost killed.
Working the Vincenzo angle, much is discovered and Atlee inadvertently makes a discovery about where Mercy may have gone the night she was kidnapped. It’s not yet confirmed, but if it can be substantiated, things may finally be falling into place. With the truth out there, both Puller and Pine will have to watch themselves and step carefully, or fear never seeing daylight again.
I always enjoy what David Baldacci brings to the table and marvel at how he can keep multiple series on the go by himself. He has a way with words and keeps his readers enthralled. However, I think his interest in crossovers (this is the second in as many novels that has two protagonists working together) may have cost Atlee Pine the stardom that the book’s series tag suggests.
Atlee Pine is a gritty woman and strong beyond belief. Her background in MMA fighting and push to reveal the truth about her sister’s disappearance prove to be a key aspect to the protagonist’s overall development throughout this piece. While the Mercy Pine mystery proves a thread throughout this piece, Pine seems to take second chair to John Puller and his needs, thereby relegating her to losing true character development in this novel, which is unfortunate.
Baldacci’s use of strong supporting characters is on display here again. While I won’t call him supporting, John Puller’s presence is refreshing in this piece. He has a lot worth discussing throughout the piece and his appearance does complement Pine well, though, as I have said multiple times, he steals the show. Others help to shape the plot and keep the story moving forward, with banter and plot twists that are sure to keep the reader intrigued.
Baldacci’s writing is strong and proves to fit his usual outline of two strong, central characters, one male and one female. I have long used audio to read Baldacci, so I am used to the intertwined voices and characters that appear throughout. A mix of chapter lengths help provide the reader with the momentum needed to devour thgis book in short order, even if Baldacci’s plots alone serve this purpose. I remained curious throughout and the Mercy Pine revelations left me wanting more, hoping that Atlee will keep up her search for the truth about the sister she lost three decades ago. The final half dozen chapters prove essential to understanding advances in the Mercy Pine saga.
If I had to offer a critique, it would be the Puller hijacking of the book. While I am no author, I think Pine deserved her limelight and that John Puller could have been introduced later in the piece, thereby providing him a cameo/crossover spot and not taking things over. Might Pine have been chasing down the Vincenzo lead and stumbled upon something inside Fort Dix, the story could have blossomed from there. Pine could alert the authorities, subsequently dispatching Army CID and Puller to the scene, it may have allowed her to wrest control of the plot and not make her storyline seem secondary. Still, the book was exciting and Mercy Pine’s mystery does advance. Then again, I am but a single reader/reviewer and I have not seen others comment on this in their own summaries of the book.
Kudos, Mr. Baldacci, for another winner. While I have been somewhat critical, it is from my reviewing ivory tower. I love the writing and was thoroughly entertained.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Never one to shy away from a great thriller, I turned to the latest in the Atlee Pine series, Daylight, by esteemed author David Baldacci. The story offers some great action and development in the Mercy Pine saga, though is overshadowed by a case headed by another Baldacci protagonist. Thankfully Atlee has no trouble sharing the ‘daylight’, though it does cast her in the shadows at times. A great book for Baldacci fans, even if patience and a John Puller storyline hijacking are two aspects for which the title does not prepare the reader.
Atlee Pine is a stellar agent with the FBI and knows how to track down a criminal with one hand tied behind her back. This might have something to do with the great support she’s offered by her administrative assistant, Carol Blum, but Pine is no slouch. When they take a leave from the Bureau to track done a lead in the Mercy Pine disappearance, both Atlee and Carol end up in New Jersey, hoping to put all the pieces together.
Arriving to speak with one Ito Vincenzo, brother to a high-ranking Mafia boss, Pine wonders if her sister’s kidnapping might have something to do with an act of revenge. Atlee’s mother apparently created quite the stir testifying and Ito may have wanted to take matters into his own hands.
Just as Pine arrives to extract some information, she stumbles into the middle of something and foils an ongoing investigation by Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID). The lead investigator, John Puller, is a little less than happy, but once he sees that it’s Atlee Pine, he softens a little. Pine and Puller have worked together before and, while another of the Vincenzo family has slipped away, the fact that it was in the hopes of finding Mercy Pine lessens the impact.
It would seem that Tony Vincenzo has been using his muscle to bring pills into Fort Dix, which is how Puller finds himself involved. With leads as hot as they come, Puller has little time to rest on his laurels, but does suppose that he and Pine might be able to work together, killing two birds with a single stone. They work their respective cases in tandem, trying to uncover leads and make progress however they can.
While Atlee learns little about her sister, she does discover that Tony Vincenzo’s narcotics reach may be only the tip of the iceberg, as there are people of some prominence caught in a larger web, reaching into the halls of Congress. However, without the big fish, it’s all a house of cards and will lead Puller nowhere. It would seem the sleuthing both Pine and Puller are doing has caused someone to feel the heat, as they are both targeted and almost killed.
Working the Vincenzo angle, much is discovered and Atlee inadvertently makes a discovery about where Mercy may have gone the night she was kidnapped. It’s not yet confirmed, but if it can be substantiated, things may finally be falling into place. With the truth out there, both Puller and Pine will have to watch themselves and step carefully, or fear never seeing daylight again.
I always enjoy what David Baldacci brings to the table and marvel at how he can keep multiple series on the go by himself. He has a way with words and keeps his readers enthralled. However, I think his interest in crossovers (this is the second in as many novels that has two protagonists working together) may have cost Atlee Pine the stardom that the book’s series tag suggests.
Atlee Pine is a gritty woman and strong beyond belief. Her background in MMA fighting and push to reveal the truth about her sister’s disappearance prove to be a key aspect to the protagonist’s overall development throughout this piece. While the Mercy Pine mystery proves a thread throughout this piece, Pine seems to take second chair to John Puller and his needs, thereby relegating her to losing true character development in this novel, which is unfortunate.
Baldacci’s use of strong supporting characters is on display here again. While I won’t call him supporting, John Puller’s presence is refreshing in this piece. He has a lot worth discussing throughout the piece and his appearance does complement Pine well, though, as I have said multiple times, he steals the show. Others help to shape the plot and keep the story moving forward, with banter and plot twists that are sure to keep the reader intrigued.
Baldacci’s writing is strong and proves to fit his usual outline of two strong, central characters, one male and one female. I have long used audio to read Baldacci, so I am used to the intertwined voices and characters that appear throughout. A mix of chapter lengths help provide the reader with the momentum needed to devour thgis book in short order, even if Baldacci’s plots alone serve this purpose. I remained curious throughout and the Mercy Pine revelations left me wanting more, hoping that Atlee will keep up her search for the truth about the sister she lost three decades ago. The final half dozen chapters prove essential to understanding advances in the Mercy Pine saga.
If I had to offer a critique, it would be the Puller hijacking of the book. While I am no author, I think Pine deserved her limelight and that John Puller could have been introduced later in the piece, thereby providing him a cameo/crossover spot and not taking things over. Might Pine have been chasing down the Vincenzo lead and stumbled upon something inside Fort Dix, the story could have blossomed from there. Pine could alert the authorities, subsequently dispatching Army CID and Puller to the scene, it may have allowed her to wrest control of the plot and not make her storyline seem secondary. Still, the book was exciting and Mercy Pine’s mystery does advance. Then again, I am but a single reader/reviewer and I have not seen others comment on this in their own summaries of the book.
Kudos, Mr. Baldacci, for another winner. While I have been somewhat critical, it is from my reviewing ivory tower. I love the writing and was thoroughly entertained.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
November 17, 2020
When you read a book by author David Baldacci, you come to expect a certain level of writing that you know will keep you locked in for the entire book. In Daylight, the third Atlee Pine FBI thriller novel, Baldacci does not disappoint. This book can be read as a standalone, however the first two books are equally as good, so I really recommend reading them if you can.
From the very first chapter, Baldacci had me captivated by the action-packed plot. In the third book, FBI Agent Atlee Pine is following leads on a personal quest to find her missing twin sister, Mercy, who was abducted when they were both six years old. While following leads, Pine crosses paths with CID John Puller whom she has worked with on other cases and it appears that his case has some overlap with Pine’s case, so they decide to work together.
We have seen Puller before in another Baldacci series and it is nice to see him again in this book. When an author can interweave a character into two different series, I think it is magical!! It’s like revisiting an old friend. If you haven’t read the other books, Puller is a likeable character and you get to know him pretty quickly in this series. Working together, Pine and Puller uncover a gigantic cover-up and find themselves crossing paths with a threatening killer, all while Pine is trying to find leads on her missing sister!!
Baldacci is a one of the best writers of action-packed thrillers!! In this novel, the action is non-stop and will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. Daylight
ends on a cliffhanger, so I am already looking forward to the next book in the series!
From the very first chapter, Baldacci had me captivated by the action-packed plot. In the third book, FBI Agent Atlee Pine is following leads on a personal quest to find her missing twin sister, Mercy, who was abducted when they were both six years old. While following leads, Pine crosses paths with CID John Puller whom she has worked with on other cases and it appears that his case has some overlap with Pine’s case, so they decide to work together.
We have seen Puller before in another Baldacci series and it is nice to see him again in this book. When an author can interweave a character into two different series, I think it is magical!! It’s like revisiting an old friend. If you haven’t read the other books, Puller is a likeable character and you get to know him pretty quickly in this series. Working together, Pine and Puller uncover a gigantic cover-up and find themselves crossing paths with a threatening killer, all while Pine is trying to find leads on her missing sister!!
Baldacci is a one of the best writers of action-packed thrillers!! In this novel, the action is non-stop and will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. Daylight
ends on a cliffhanger, so I am already looking forward to the next book in the series!
January 13, 2021
Sad to say, I'm losing favor with this series. I loved the first, the second was a step down and find this last story scattered and unfulfilling. 2 of 10 stars
October 14, 2020
Daylight is the third Atlee Pine FBI thriller novel. Here, Agent Pine is following leads on a personal quest to find her missing sister, Mercy, in a plotline obviously developed in the first two novels in the series. In the course of investigating such leads, Agent Pine crosses paths with an Army CID officer simultaneously pursuing the same lead in an unrelated case. Indeed, after they join forces, they stumble into a gigantic coverup of epic proportions.
The storyline involving searching for Mercy may be a bit confusing at first for those who didn’t dip into the previous novels. It eventually becomes clear, but is quite a complex background story.
Mostly what makes this novel work is the nonstop action which keeps the pages turning. Pine, like all storybook heroes, is a force to be reckoned with.
The storyline involving searching for Mercy may be a bit confusing at first for those who didn’t dip into the previous novels. It eventually becomes clear, but is quite a complex background story.
Mostly what makes this novel work is the nonstop action which keeps the pages turning. Pine, like all storybook heroes, is a force to be reckoned with.
November 1, 2020
Atlee Pine is back and is like a dog with a bone! This is the 3rd book in this series and once again she is on the trail of her missing sister Mercy. I strongly recommend that these books are read in order to fully understand Atlee and her motivations. In Daylight she teams up with another much loved Baldacci character in John Pullen and they make a formidable team
This is an action packed adventure for the FBI agent and the Military CID who cross paths unintentionally whilst working their cases. They team up and find that they were only scratching the surface with their knowledge of their suspects. They discover that this is corruption of the very highest level, with global ramifications if it is not stopped. All the while, the clues to finding Mercy are falling into place, but she has now idea where it is going to lead her.
Atlee is a character that I have become quite attached to. She is strong, working in a male dominated field. She is often underestimated and she thrives on it. Her trusty assistant Carol is loyal and will do anything for her. She understands Atlee better than anybody and has a way of levelling and calming her when she really needs it. Together they are a great team and I look forward to plenty more books in this series.
Thanks to Macmillan Australia for sending me an advanced copy of this book to read.
This is an action packed adventure for the FBI agent and the Military CID who cross paths unintentionally whilst working their cases. They team up and find that they were only scratching the surface with their knowledge of their suspects. They discover that this is corruption of the very highest level, with global ramifications if it is not stopped. All the while, the clues to finding Mercy are falling into place, but she has now idea where it is going to lead her.
Atlee is a character that I have become quite attached to. She is strong, working in a male dominated field. She is often underestimated and she thrives on it. Her trusty assistant Carol is loyal and will do anything for her. She understands Atlee better than anybody and has a way of levelling and calming her when she really needs it. Together they are a great team and I look forward to plenty more books in this series.
Thanks to Macmillan Australia for sending me an advanced copy of this book to read.
June 13, 2022
The truth is whatever you can convince people it is...
I really really like John Puller (Army CID series) and this time his brother, Robert Puller also joined! They both were a major supporting cast as the case John was pursuing lead him to Atlee Pine and her assistant Carol Blum.
Do the Puller brothers make you think of the Reacher brothers? 🤔
I got lost reading Daylight. If you read the previous Atlee Pine books, we are still searching for Mercy. And we shall continue searching in book #4..... As the story progress I completely forgot about Puller's case and felt it was full on search for missing Mercy. Is Pine still on personal leave? She has a strange 'father' who isn't much help.
Pine's storyline 3 stars. Pullers appearance +1 star.
I really really like John Puller (Army CID series) and this time his brother, Robert Puller also joined! They both were a major supporting cast as the case John was pursuing lead him to Atlee Pine and her assistant Carol Blum.
Do the Puller brothers make you think of the Reacher brothers? 🤔
I got lost reading Daylight. If you read the previous Atlee Pine books, we are still searching for Mercy. And we shall continue searching in book #4..... As the story progress I completely forgot about Puller's case and felt it was full on search for missing Mercy. Is Pine still on personal leave? She has a strange 'father' who isn't much help.
Pine's storyline 3 stars. Pullers appearance +1 star.
December 29, 2023
Another really good story by David Baldacci. This series' main character is a female FBI agent and she's very likeable. There are two plots going on in this story and of course they end up being connected. Atless, the FBI female, is looking for her missing sister who was kidnapped years ago by a supposed gangster or his brother. So years later she is looking for the brother who is also missing. There is another crime connected with the gangster people that she becomes involved in because of this search. The reason I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 is because I did not feel that she ever resolved what happened to her sister. She found some pictures and a VCR tape and also found a lot more information about her parents and the missing gangster but was disappointed because I did not feel the missing sister part of the story was completely resolved. I hope this author continutes this in another book. Will definitely read.
November 27, 2020
⭐️4 Stars⭐️
Daylight is an action Packed crime thriller featuring kick ass FBI agent Atlee Pine along with her loyal assistant Carol Blum. Together the women continue in their search for Atlee's twin sister, Mercy.
Daylight is Baldacci's third book in the Atlee Pine Series. In this book she is on a sabbatical from her FBI role to follow leads in the search for her sister and to resolve the mystery surrounding the night she was left injured and her sister disappeared three decades ago when they were six years old.
This book can be easily read as a standalone as the author easily recaps Atlee's backstory and besides much of the story involves a new investigation that Atlee is sidetracked into.
Atlee receives a promising breakthrough with the identity of her sister's kidnapper and following this lead she stumbles into a military installation investigation along with John Puller (who also has a series of books about him by the author) and finds herself working with him on the case which involves corruption to the highest level and which leads them to a global conspiracy.
Atlee discovers secrets that have been carefully hidden away for decades about her sister that fill her with dread, but she won’t give up.
Daylight was well written, intense and it will leave you wanting book four!
I wish to thank Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy in return for an honest review.
Daylight is an action Packed crime thriller featuring kick ass FBI agent Atlee Pine along with her loyal assistant Carol Blum. Together the women continue in their search for Atlee's twin sister, Mercy.
Daylight is Baldacci's third book in the Atlee Pine Series. In this book she is on a sabbatical from her FBI role to follow leads in the search for her sister and to resolve the mystery surrounding the night she was left injured and her sister disappeared three decades ago when they were six years old.
This book can be easily read as a standalone as the author easily recaps Atlee's backstory and besides much of the story involves a new investigation that Atlee is sidetracked into.
Atlee receives a promising breakthrough with the identity of her sister's kidnapper and following this lead she stumbles into a military installation investigation along with John Puller (who also has a series of books about him by the author) and finds herself working with him on the case which involves corruption to the highest level and which leads them to a global conspiracy.
Atlee discovers secrets that have been carefully hidden away for decades about her sister that fill her with dread, but she won’t give up.
Daylight was well written, intense and it will leave you wanting book four!
I wish to thank Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy in return for an honest review.
November 11, 2022
David Baldacci is an American writer, author of detective stories with a total circulation of more than 150,000,000 books. This figure speaks without further ado about his success. Well, a little more about the fact that wealth and fame can be earned by modest merits of books, if Clint Eastwood makes a film based on one of them.
But the writer is also known as an active philanthropist, contributing a lot to the fund for the fight against multiple sclerosis, a disease that his sister suffers from. And if the greatest artistic merits of novels are not on one side of the scale, and the good that is done through royalties for them is on the other, then I am for Boldacci with both hands.
Daylight is the third novel in the Atlee Pine series. Fearless long-legged (the reader has no chance to forget about her long-legged, this will be mentioned twenty times) FBI agent Atlee completes with this novel the search for a twin sister abducted in childhood. The girls' mother was an undercover agent and exposed a dangerous criminal who was killed in prison, and in revenge his brother stole the girl, nothing has been known about her fate for thirty years. But right now, Atlee was on the trail.
Найти сестру, победить коррупцию
Они продают родину. чтобы спасти себя...
Дэвид Балдаччи (или Бальдаччи, или Болдаччи) американский писатель, автор детективов с суммарным тиражом книг более 150 000 000. Эта цифра без лишних слов говорит о его успехе. Ну и еще немного о том, что богатство и славу можно снискать скромных достоинств книгами, если по одной из них снимет фильм Клинт Иствуд.
Но писатель также известен как активный благотворитель, много отчисляющий в фонд борьбы с рассеянным склерозом - болезнью, которой страдает его сестра. И если на одной чаше весов не самые великие художественные достоинства романов, а на другой то добро, которое вершится посредством гонораров за них, то я двумя руками за Болдаччи.
"Нити тьмы" третий роман серии Этли Пайн. Бесстрашная длинноногая (забыть о ее длинноногости у читателя нет шансов, об этом будет упомянуто раз двадцать) агент ФБР Этли завершает этим романом поиск похищенной в детстве сестры-близнеца. Мать девочек была агентом под прикрытием и разоблачила опасного преступника, которого убили в тюрьме, и в отместку его брат украл девочку, о ее дальнейшей судьбе ничего не известно вот уже тридцать лет. Но именно сейчас Этли напала на след.
Не надеясь найти сестру живой, она хочет прекратить существовать в том подвешенном состоянии неизвестности, которое кислотой разъедает душу. И вот, начальство дает ей карт-бланш на розыск и беседу с внуком подозреваемого, тоже отпетым бандюганом, но юноша, пытается скрыться бегством. Преследуя его, Пайн срывает операцию военной следственной службе, которой руководит ее старый друг Джон Пуллер.
У военных к парню свои вопросы, а работать по этому делу отныне они будут вместе. И вместе огребать неприятности. Потому что, как вскоре выяснится, могущественные люди на самом верху хотели бы спустить все на тормозах, а нашим принципиальным героям, имевшим неосторожность вторгнуться в игры престолов, угрожают бедами и несчастьями.
На всем протяжении книги Этли и Джон станут вести себя в традициях классических идиотов из ужастиков и в одиночку лезть в бандитские логова. Впрочем, преступники демонстрируют примерно ту же степень интеллекта и кульбиты того же уровня. В принципе я даже понимаю, почему у прозы Балдаччи такое немыслимое количество поклонников, она льстит читателю, примерно как рост Эллочки-людоедки льстил мужчинам - с этим текстом любой может почувствовать себя гигантом мысли.
Сумеют ли наши герои распутать коррупционную схему? Найдется ли сестренка Этли? Прольется ли дневной свет (Daylight - оригинальное название книги) и разорвет ли он своими лучами опутавшие все вокруг нити тьмы? Читайте и да пребудет с вами сила света!
But the writer is also known as an active philanthropist, contributing a lot to the fund for the fight against multiple sclerosis, a disease that his sister suffers from. And if the greatest artistic merits of novels are not on one side of the scale, and the good that is done through royalties for them is on the other, then I am for Boldacci with both hands.
Daylight is the third novel in the Atlee Pine series. Fearless long-legged (the reader has no chance to forget about her long-legged, this will be mentioned twenty times) FBI agent Atlee completes with this novel the search for a twin sister abducted in childhood. The girls' mother was an undercover agent and exposed a dangerous criminal who was killed in prison, and in revenge his brother stole the girl, nothing has been known about her fate for thirty years. But right now, Atlee was on the trail.
Найти сестру, победить коррупцию
Они продают родину. чтобы спасти себя...
Дэвид Балдаччи (или Бальдаччи, или Болдаччи) американский писатель, автор детективов с суммарным тиражом книг более 150 000 000. Эта цифра без лишних слов говорит о его успехе. Ну и еще немного о том, что богатство и славу можно снискать скромных достоинств книгами, если по одной из них снимет фильм Клинт Иствуд.
Но писатель также известен как активный благотворитель, много отчисляющий в фонд борьбы с рассеянным склерозом - болезнью, которой страдает его сестра. И если на одной чаше весов не самые великие художественные достоинства романов, а на другой то добро, которое вершится посредством гонораров за них, то я двумя руками за Болдаччи.
"Нити тьмы" третий роман серии Этли Пайн. Бесстрашная длинноногая (забыть о ее длинноногости у читателя нет шансов, об этом будет упомянуто раз двадцать) агент ФБР Этли завершает этим романом поиск похищенной в детстве сестры-близнеца. Мать девочек была агентом под прикрытием и разоблачила опасного преступника, которого убили в тюрьме, и в отместку его брат украл девочку, о ее дальнейшей судьбе ничего не известно вот уже тридцать лет. Но именно сейчас Этли напала на след.
Не надеясь найти сестру живой, она хочет прекратить существовать в том подвешенном состоянии неизвестности, которое кислотой разъедает душу. И вот, начальство дает ей карт-бланш на розыск и беседу с внуком подозреваемого, тоже отпетым бандюганом, но юноша, пытается скрыться бегством. Преследуя его, Пайн срывает операцию военной следственной службе, которой руководит ее старый друг Джон Пуллер.
У военных к парню свои вопросы, а работать по этому делу отныне они будут вместе. И вместе огребать неприятности. Потому что, как вскоре выяснится, могущественные люди на самом верху хотели бы спустить все на тормозах, а нашим принципиальным героям, имевшим неосторожность вторгнуться в игры престолов, угрожают бедами и несчастьями.
На всем протяжении книги Этли и Джон станут вести себя в традициях классических идиотов из ужастиков и в одиночку лезть в бандитские логова. Впрочем, преступники демонстрируют примерно ту же степень интеллекта и кульбиты того же уровня. В принципе я даже понимаю, почему у прозы Балдаччи такое немыслимое количество поклонников, она льстит читателю, примерно как рост Эллочки-людоедки льстил мужчинам - с этим текстом любой может почувствовать себя гигантом мысли.
Сумеют ли наши герои распутать коррупционную схему? Найдется ли сестренка Этли? Прольется ли дневной свет (Daylight - оригинальное название книги) и разорвет ли он своими лучами опутавшие все вокруг нити тьмы? Читайте и да пребудет с вами сила света!
January 3, 2024
This is third book in this series I have read and they are all very good. One more to go and I'll get when I get to a Used Book Store! This whole series is about Atlee Pine, female FBI agent, trying to find out what happened to her twin sister who was kidnapped when they were 6 years old. This is book where she finds out a lot of information that can lead to her sister, so book 4 should be about her finding the sister. These books are over 400 pages but go very quickly because I could not stop reading them. There is always a side mystery going on in these stories and lots of interesting characters, short chapters, moves very quickly. Definitely recommend.
December 29, 2024
As is my way, I have picked up Daylight and read it, although I have not read the previous two installments of the Atlee Pine series. This book has a slight flow on but can well be read as a stand-alone novel.
Atlee Pine, a member of the FBI, is on leave from her main duties as she tries to find out what happened after her twin sister was kidnapped 30 years ago. This part of the plot forms the flow on from the previous two novels. In her pursuit of the truth she, and her dedicated assistant Carol Blum, arrive in the town of Trenton, which may just open up many secrets.
Whilst in this town, Pine and Blum find themselves involved in a local murder plot that can and should be handled by the local cops. Unfortunately, this town also holds an army base and prison and as one thing leads to another it becomes all too clear that nothing is clear.
CID in the army, John Puller, is also working on a case, and it turns out that both cases may be intertwined. Luckily, Pine and Puller already know each other, which is a great start. However, the more Pine gets pulled in, the less time she has to work on her personal case.
Or maybe not? Soon, Puller finds himself stonewalled. Suspects go missing, police won't help on a local or national level, and the case just gets bigger and bigger. Eventually, it becomes two cases in one as some of the suspects apply to both Puller's case and Pine's personal case, but that does not make things any easier.
This has all the markings of a real crime novel. It is not a courtroom drama but a criminal chase and crime-solving. What starts out as a personal discovery and a small local crime ends up adding layer upon layer, getting more convoluted by the chapter. It seems nobody can be trusted, and no level of society is untouched. It is just a fantastic read.
Atlee Pine, a member of the FBI, is on leave from her main duties as she tries to find out what happened after her twin sister was kidnapped 30 years ago. This part of the plot forms the flow on from the previous two novels. In her pursuit of the truth she, and her dedicated assistant Carol Blum, arrive in the town of Trenton, which may just open up many secrets.
Whilst in this town, Pine and Blum find themselves involved in a local murder plot that can and should be handled by the local cops. Unfortunately, this town also holds an army base and prison and as one thing leads to another it becomes all too clear that nothing is clear.
CID in the army, John Puller, is also working on a case, and it turns out that both cases may be intertwined. Luckily, Pine and Puller already know each other, which is a great start. However, the more Pine gets pulled in, the less time she has to work on her personal case.
Or maybe not? Soon, Puller finds himself stonewalled. Suspects go missing, police won't help on a local or national level, and the case just gets bigger and bigger. Eventually, it becomes two cases in one as some of the suspects apply to both Puller's case and Pine's personal case, but that does not make things any easier.
This has all the markings of a real crime novel. It is not a courtroom drama but a criminal chase and crime-solving. What starts out as a personal discovery and a small local crime ends up adding layer upon layer, getting more convoluted by the chapter. It seems nobody can be trusted, and no level of society is untouched. It is just a fantastic read.
November 17, 2020
You can never go wrong with David Baldacci. Addictively readable, high-octane thriller with a super badass female heroine who puts other kickass cops to shame. The best part about her is that her gender is not tokenized or made the focus of the story. She is just a kick ass protagonist, the best FBI agent in the story, and she also so happens to be a woman.
This book is the third in the Atlee Pine series, but it’s that rare series book you can just pick up and get right into the action. No feelings of getting lost or missing backstory. I knew and liked this character immediately.
There is an overarching story of Pine investigating a tragedy from her own life, as well as a web of other crime and deceit that may or may not be related. So subject matter-wise, there is nothing revolutionary here, but what makes this book stand apart is the sturdy, able plotting, the pulse pounding action, and Atlee’s constant badassery. I am looking forward to setting some time aside to read the first two books in this series, because Atlee Pine is a character I want to know better.
Thanks to Grand Central Publishing, NetGalley and David Baldacci for the ARC & introduction to this great heroine!
This book is the third in the Atlee Pine series, but it’s that rare series book you can just pick up and get right into the action. No feelings of getting lost or missing backstory. I knew and liked this character immediately.
There is an overarching story of Pine investigating a tragedy from her own life, as well as a web of other crime and deceit that may or may not be related. So subject matter-wise, there is nothing revolutionary here, but what makes this book stand apart is the sturdy, able plotting, the pulse pounding action, and Atlee’s constant badassery. I am looking forward to setting some time aside to read the first two books in this series, because Atlee Pine is a character I want to know better.
Thanks to Grand Central Publishing, NetGalley and David Baldacci for the ARC & introduction to this great heroine!
December 23, 2020
Does FBI Special Agent Atlee Pine succeed in finding her missing twin sister? How does John Puller tie into all this??
Please visit and read my detailed review here https://rb.gy/tssgxe
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It encourages the reader within!
Please visit and read my detailed review here https://rb.gy/tssgxe
Do Like, Comment or Share 🚩
It encourages the reader within!
February 20, 2023
Daylight is the 3rd book in the Atlee Pine series and carries on the desperate search for her missing sister with admirable drive and determination. This is an action thriller story featuring FBI agent Pine who becomes embroiled in a convoluted conspiracy involving drugs, sex parties, political intrigue and a sordid cover-up.
The mystery that has run through the Atlee Pine series from page 1 centers around the abduction of Mercy Pine, Atlee’s twin sister when they were 6 years old. Through the first couple of books she has uncovered small details that have led her closer and closer to finding her lost sister.
Atlee has reached the stage, at the start of Daylight, where she has identified the abductor as Ito Vincenzo. He vanished years ago but she has located his last known address where his grandson Tony now lives. Tony Vincenzo is a small-time drug dealer and is liable to run rather than answer questions from an FBI agent.
And that’s exactly what he does when she bangs on his front door. Her actions cause her to inadvertently stumble across the path of John Puller (Zero Day, The Forgotten, etc.) and army investigator with the CID. Although she has caused Puller to miss making his arrest, they quickly realise they have a similar goal and agree to pool their resources in a bid to track down Vincenzo.
Although both are top notch investigators and can quickly track down leads, there’s something very untoward going on when it comes to the extended Vincenzo family. Sudden murders are quickly shut down by the local police and then later completely quashed by government agencies and Puller is warned off from following up. It becomes clear that they’ve stumbled into a situation that is much larger than they first thought and the people pulling the reins have some serious clout.
The investigation races from one critical moment to the next at a rapid rate as Pine and Puller quickly come up with potential paths to follow and people to interview. The problem is, as they go along, the number of unexpected deaths starts to grow - often as a direct result of talking to the pair. Not only does this create a greater sense of urgency but it creates increased confusion while changing the course of the investigation.
Yet another powerful multi-levelled thriller by Baldacci with the initial hunt for Tony Vincenzo exploding into a complicated world of intrigue involving the rich and powerful. This becomes a case filled with twists and danger at every turn.
And then there’s the ongoing personal hunt for Mercy Pine. We’ve stuck with it over 3 books now, Atlee has uncovered some sensational information and there’s a real sense that we’re getting ever closer to bringing that side of her life to a highly emotional conclusion. (The fact that the next book in the series is titled Mercy is a kinda giveaway).
Although my recommendation would be to have read the previous books in the series to get the complete picture of Pine’s background, there is enough back-filling done to enable Daylight to be enjoyed as a stand alone action thriller.
Heaps of action, protagonists you can admire and get behind and a well-crafted plot that offers unexpected turns ensures that Daylight will keep you fully engaged from start to finish.
The mystery that has run through the Atlee Pine series from page 1 centers around the abduction of Mercy Pine, Atlee’s twin sister when they were 6 years old. Through the first couple of books she has uncovered small details that have led her closer and closer to finding her lost sister.
Atlee has reached the stage, at the start of Daylight, where she has identified the abductor as Ito Vincenzo. He vanished years ago but she has located his last known address where his grandson Tony now lives. Tony Vincenzo is a small-time drug dealer and is liable to run rather than answer questions from an FBI agent.
And that’s exactly what he does when she bangs on his front door. Her actions cause her to inadvertently stumble across the path of John Puller (Zero Day, The Forgotten, etc.) and army investigator with the CID. Although she has caused Puller to miss making his arrest, they quickly realise they have a similar goal and agree to pool their resources in a bid to track down Vincenzo.
Although both are top notch investigators and can quickly track down leads, there’s something very untoward going on when it comes to the extended Vincenzo family. Sudden murders are quickly shut down by the local police and then later completely quashed by government agencies and Puller is warned off from following up. It becomes clear that they’ve stumbled into a situation that is much larger than they first thought and the people pulling the reins have some serious clout.
The investigation races from one critical moment to the next at a rapid rate as Pine and Puller quickly come up with potential paths to follow and people to interview. The problem is, as they go along, the number of unexpected deaths starts to grow - often as a direct result of talking to the pair. Not only does this create a greater sense of urgency but it creates increased confusion while changing the course of the investigation.
Yet another powerful multi-levelled thriller by Baldacci with the initial hunt for Tony Vincenzo exploding into a complicated world of intrigue involving the rich and powerful. This becomes a case filled with twists and danger at every turn.
And then there’s the ongoing personal hunt for Mercy Pine. We’ve stuck with it over 3 books now, Atlee has uncovered some sensational information and there’s a real sense that we’re getting ever closer to bringing that side of her life to a highly emotional conclusion. (The fact that the next book in the series is titled Mercy is a kinda giveaway).
Although my recommendation would be to have read the previous books in the series to get the complete picture of Pine’s background, there is enough back-filling done to enable Daylight to be enjoyed as a stand alone action thriller.
Heaps of action, protagonists you can admire and get behind and a well-crafted plot that offers unexpected turns ensures that Daylight will keep you fully engaged from start to finish.
November 28, 2020
Another great book from one of the best thriller authors..
But as a reader with have two for one, and some guest appearances...
The third in the Atlee Pine series..
FBI Agent Atlee Pine's search for her sister Mercy clashes with military investigator John Puller's high-stakes case, leading them both deep into a global conspiracy -- from which neither of them will escape unscathed.
For many long years, Atlee Pine was tormented by uncertainty after her twin sister, Mercy, was abducted at the age of six and never seen again. Now, just as Atlee is pressured to end her investigation into Mercy's disappearance, she finally gets her most promising breakthrough yet: the identity of her sister's kidnapper, Ito Vincenzo.
With time running out, Atlee and her assistant Carol Blum race to Vincenzo's last known location in Trenton, New Jersey -- and unknowingly stumble straight into John Puller's case, blowing his arrest during a drug ring investigation involving a military installation.
Stunningly, Pine and Puller's joint investigation uncovers a connection between Vincenzo's family and a breathtaking scheme that strikes at the very heart of global democracy. Peeling back the layers of deceit, lies and cover-ups, Atlee finally discovers the truth about what happened to Mercy. And that truth will shock Pine to her very core.
How can you not love this book, Baldacci brings us two of his great characters, Carol Blum in a stronger role, in this well paced thriller. Two characters, two stories all in one book.
All we needed was to bring Will Robie in and it would have been perfect.
Five stars.
But as a reader with have two for one, and some guest appearances...
The third in the Atlee Pine series..
FBI Agent Atlee Pine's search for her sister Mercy clashes with military investigator John Puller's high-stakes case, leading them both deep into a global conspiracy -- from which neither of them will escape unscathed.
For many long years, Atlee Pine was tormented by uncertainty after her twin sister, Mercy, was abducted at the age of six and never seen again. Now, just as Atlee is pressured to end her investigation into Mercy's disappearance, she finally gets her most promising breakthrough yet: the identity of her sister's kidnapper, Ito Vincenzo.
With time running out, Atlee and her assistant Carol Blum race to Vincenzo's last known location in Trenton, New Jersey -- and unknowingly stumble straight into John Puller's case, blowing his arrest during a drug ring investigation involving a military installation.
Stunningly, Pine and Puller's joint investigation uncovers a connection between Vincenzo's family and a breathtaking scheme that strikes at the very heart of global democracy. Peeling back the layers of deceit, lies and cover-ups, Atlee finally discovers the truth about what happened to Mercy. And that truth will shock Pine to her very core.
How can you not love this book, Baldacci brings us two of his great characters, Carol Blum in a stronger role, in this well paced thriller. Two characters, two stories all in one book.
All we needed was to bring Will Robie in and it would have been perfect.
Five stars.
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July 28, 2025
3.5-Stars > 3.0-Stars “I liked it”
Daylight (Atlee Pine, #3) - by David Baldacci
Audiobook - 11:36 Hours - Narrated by Brittany Presley, Kyf Brewer
Listened to & finished 28 Dec 2020 - Review will follow shortly!
My first reaction after finishing this book was “is it worth a 4 Stars rating?” and I decided it was. Now, a month later, I think that was too generous for “Daylight”, and I have reduced the rating to 3.5-Stars, not rounded up.
I have heard the three “Atlee Pine” and the four “John Puller” audiobooks and enjoyed them all, so I looked forward to the two protagonists joining forces in “Daylight”. I agree with GR friend Matt Pechey’s review, Puller (plus his brother) seems to dominate while he is involved in the story, to the detriment of the supposed main character, Atlee Pine. I would love another John Puller book Mr Baldacci, but as you are continuing the Atlee Pine series, she is a great, strong character, so please leave her to her own devices.
And while I am on this particular subject, please drop the simpering traveling assistant, “Carol Blum”. Leave her back in Shattered Rock, Arizona, and let her mind the office - she can provide Pine with all the research and assistance from there. As it is, the credibility of the FBI is very much at stake in this series. Would the FBI really allow a sole resident agent AND her assistant leave the office to roam around the States, unsupervised, as they do? I rather think not.
It is not a spoiler to mention that Atlee does not actually find her sister in book #3, so while we can look forward to book #4, let’s hope the author has decided to end this improbable search and allows Atlee to do the awesome stuff she is good at, like tracking down proper bad guys and stopping them in her inimitable Atlee Pine fashion.
Daylight (Atlee Pine, #3) - by David Baldacci
Audiobook - 11:36 Hours - Narrated by Brittany Presley, Kyf Brewer
Listened to & finished 28 Dec 2020 - Review will follow shortly!
My first reaction after finishing this book was “is it worth a 4 Stars rating?” and I decided it was. Now, a month later, I think that was too generous for “Daylight”, and I have reduced the rating to 3.5-Stars, not rounded up.
I have heard the three “Atlee Pine” and the four “John Puller” audiobooks and enjoyed them all, so I looked forward to the two protagonists joining forces in “Daylight”. I agree with GR friend Matt Pechey’s review, Puller (plus his brother) seems to dominate while he is involved in the story, to the detriment of the supposed main character, Atlee Pine. I would love another John Puller book Mr Baldacci, but as you are continuing the Atlee Pine series, she is a great, strong character, so please leave her to her own devices.
And while I am on this particular subject, please drop the simpering traveling assistant, “Carol Blum”. Leave her back in Shattered Rock, Arizona, and let her mind the office - she can provide Pine with all the research and assistance from there. As it is, the credibility of the FBI is very much at stake in this series. Would the FBI really allow a sole resident agent AND her assistant leave the office to roam around the States, unsupervised, as they do? I rather think not.
It is not a spoiler to mention that Atlee does not actually find her sister in book #3, so while we can look forward to book #4, let’s hope the author has decided to end this improbable search and allows Atlee to do the awesome stuff she is good at, like tracking down proper bad guys and stopping them in her inimitable Atlee Pine fashion.
October 28, 2020
This was a great read! I raced through it. It's been too long since I've read one of David Baldacci's books and I will try not to let that happen again! This was the third in the Atlee Pine series, but it could have easily stood alone - I hadn't read the other two and I still loved this book.
Atlee Pine is an FBI agent, on leave from her job, while she searches for her twin sister Mercy, who was abducted in Georgia when they were six. She's finally starting to find a few clues when she unintentionally stumbles into a military operation which gets her involved in a big conspiracy involving the mob and some big politicians.
The was action-packed from the get-go and kept me greedily flipping through the pages for more. Great characters and a great plot. Atlee Pine is a strong, courageous protagonist and her military friend, John Puller is just an all-out admirable, stand-up guy (I heard someone say Baldacci had another series that focuses on Puller, so now I have to get those books too!).
Many thanks to Grand Central Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy!
Atlee Pine is an FBI agent, on leave from her job, while she searches for her twin sister Mercy, who was abducted in Georgia when they were six. She's finally starting to find a few clues when she unintentionally stumbles into a military operation which gets her involved in a big conspiracy involving the mob and some big politicians.
The was action-packed from the get-go and kept me greedily flipping through the pages for more. Great characters and a great plot. Atlee Pine is a strong, courageous protagonist and her military friend, John Puller is just an all-out admirable, stand-up guy (I heard someone say Baldacci had another series that focuses on Puller, so now I have to get those books too!).
Many thanks to Grand Central Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy!
January 19, 2021
3.5 Stars
This book follows up right on the heels of A Minute to Midnight. For those not familiar with Atlee Pine she is an FBI agent. When she was six years old a man broke into her home. She was almost killed and her twin sister, Mercy, was abducted and never seen again. Atlee is on a mission to find out what happened to Mercy.
In the previous book her search took her to Andersonville, Georgia where she had been living thirty years ago. That story ended with her learning the identity of the man who broke into their home and abducted Mercy. Ito Vincenzo. Last known address was Trenton, New Jersey. Atlee and her assistant, Carol Blum, head there next where they walk into someone else's case. Army CID officer John Puller is about to arrest Ito's grandson. Puller is the protagonist in another series by David Baldacci. As in Walk the Wire the author is bringing characters from different series into a single story.
Coincidently Atlee and Puller just happen to know each other. Small world. They join forces for the common good. Puller's case involves drugs on Ft Dix. Atlee is trying to find Ito. Things are not that simple though. They have stumbled onto a vast conspiracy that involves the military, politicians, law enforcement. The bodies start dropping like flies in order to keep Atlee and Puller from learning the truth. John Puller calls in his brother Robert for help. Even that may not be enough. Atlee and John have several near brushes with death. However the bad guys are no match for Atlee and the Puller brothers.
As in the other books in the series at the end Atlee learns more about what happened to Mercy. A few more clues. I like Atlee. She is strong, tenacious, determined. I have to wonder though how much longer the author can drag this out. How long will Atlee be allowed to be on leave from her job to search for Mercy? The reader is being spoon fed the answers one novel at a time. The way the story ended left me with the impression that there will be a fourth Atlee Pine novel. Maybe then we will learn the final piece of the puzzle.
This book follows up right on the heels of A Minute to Midnight. For those not familiar with Atlee Pine she is an FBI agent. When she was six years old a man broke into her home. She was almost killed and her twin sister, Mercy, was abducted and never seen again. Atlee is on a mission to find out what happened to Mercy.
In the previous book her search took her to Andersonville, Georgia where she had been living thirty years ago. That story ended with her learning the identity of the man who broke into their home and abducted Mercy. Ito Vincenzo. Last known address was Trenton, New Jersey. Atlee and her assistant, Carol Blum, head there next where they walk into someone else's case. Army CID officer John Puller is about to arrest Ito's grandson. Puller is the protagonist in another series by David Baldacci. As in Walk the Wire the author is bringing characters from different series into a single story.
Coincidently Atlee and Puller just happen to know each other. Small world. They join forces for the common good. Puller's case involves drugs on Ft Dix. Atlee is trying to find Ito. Things are not that simple though. They have stumbled onto a vast conspiracy that involves the military, politicians, law enforcement. The bodies start dropping like flies in order to keep Atlee and Puller from learning the truth. John Puller calls in his brother Robert for help. Even that may not be enough. Atlee and John have several near brushes with death. However the bad guys are no match for Atlee and the Puller brothers.
As in the other books in the series at the end Atlee learns more about what happened to Mercy. A few more clues. I like Atlee. She is strong, tenacious, determined. I have to wonder though how much longer the author can drag this out. How long will Atlee be allowed to be on leave from her job to search for Mercy? The reader is being spoon fed the answers one novel at a time. The way the story ended left me with the impression that there will be a fourth Atlee Pine novel. Maybe then we will learn the final piece of the puzzle.
January 1, 2021
Daylight is book three in the Atlee Pine series. In previous books Atlee has relentlessly dug into her past to reveal startling revelations about her parents. Her main agenda is to find out what happened to her twin sister, Mercy, who was kidnapped when they were six.
Currently on leave until she can sort out her personal demons, Atlee is joined by colleague and close friend, Carol Blum. Carol gives a calming presence to Atlee's, at times, bluntness and impulsiveness. Atlee stumbles across a police bust and in true Pine form becomes involved in the case.
Baldacci includes plenty of backstory making Daylight fine as a stand alone. However, to get the full experience I would recommend reading Long Road to Mercy and A Minute to Midnight.
In this latest novel Atlee shows that she is not immune to bad decisions as I found she made plenty during this investigation and I found myself shaking my head over some of the situations she found herself in.
Working together with CID Special Agent John Puller the pair investigate a suspected drug ring and how this connects to a teenager shot by police. Stopped at every turn, shutdown and shutout by higher powers they work to expose a cover-up of epic proportions.
Daylight is fast paced, action packed and suspense filled. Making this a must read for all crime fans.
I received a copy from the publisher
Currently on leave until she can sort out her personal demons, Atlee is joined by colleague and close friend, Carol Blum. Carol gives a calming presence to Atlee's, at times, bluntness and impulsiveness. Atlee stumbles across a police bust and in true Pine form becomes involved in the case.
Baldacci includes plenty of backstory making Daylight fine as a stand alone. However, to get the full experience I would recommend reading Long Road to Mercy and A Minute to Midnight.
In this latest novel Atlee shows that she is not immune to bad decisions as I found she made plenty during this investigation and I found myself shaking my head over some of the situations she found herself in.
Working together with CID Special Agent John Puller the pair investigate a suspected drug ring and how this connects to a teenager shot by police. Stopped at every turn, shutdown and shutout by higher powers they work to expose a cover-up of epic proportions.
Daylight is fast paced, action packed and suspense filled. Making this a must read for all crime fans.
I received a copy from the publisher
January 8, 2021
Atlee Pine is searching for answers in the abduction of her twin sister, thirty years earlier. Her sister, Mercy was taken, and Atlee was left, but assaulted and almost died. The events shattered her family and is one of the chief reasons she became an FBI agent. All three books have taken us a little closer to the truth of that night, but the focus of each story is divided into that ongoing mystery and a new mystery Atlee which is solved by the end.
I won’t spoil the series by detailing the progress in her search for answers about her sister and family, but I will say that it doesn’t fully resolve by the end of Daylight. Honestly, I was a little disappointed by that, but even so, Daylight was a captivating read! Murder and political corruption are at the center of this mystery, and this time in addition to her intrepid FBI assistant Carol Blum she has John Puller as a partner in tracking down these evil people. Lots of action and danger with them barely coming away with their lives had me on edge of my seat!
So far, there’s been no serious romance for Atlee, but I have hope (hopeless romantic here) that along with the truth, Atlee will find someone special. There was the possibility in the last book, but nothing concrete happened however something may come of it in the coming book (s?).
Atlee is my hero! She’s one badass having been an Olympic weightlifter and MMA competitor, she has the muscle and skill to take on the nastiest fights, and she has no problem fighting dirty when necessary! She’s a champion for victims and can’t stand to walk away when she should be focusing on her own investigation.
This series is best read in order.
I alternately listened and read the book, and the audio was fantastic! Brittany Pressley’s strong, calm voice made Atlee come alive, and I love that Kyf Brewer performed all the male parts. I listened at 1.3x normal speed.
A copy was kindly provided by Grand Central Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I won’t spoil the series by detailing the progress in her search for answers about her sister and family, but I will say that it doesn’t fully resolve by the end of Daylight. Honestly, I was a little disappointed by that, but even so, Daylight was a captivating read! Murder and political corruption are at the center of this mystery, and this time in addition to her intrepid FBI assistant Carol Blum she has John Puller as a partner in tracking down these evil people. Lots of action and danger with them barely coming away with their lives had me on edge of my seat!
So far, there’s been no serious romance for Atlee, but I have hope (hopeless romantic here) that along with the truth, Atlee will find someone special. There was the possibility in the last book, but nothing concrete happened however something may come of it in the coming book (s?).
Atlee is my hero! She’s one badass having been an Olympic weightlifter and MMA competitor, she has the muscle and skill to take on the nastiest fights, and she has no problem fighting dirty when necessary! She’s a champion for victims and can’t stand to walk away when she should be focusing on her own investigation.
This series is best read in order.
I alternately listened and read the book, and the audio was fantastic! Brittany Pressley’s strong, calm voice made Atlee come alive, and I love that Kyf Brewer performed all the male parts. I listened at 1.3x normal speed.
A copy was kindly provided by Grand Central Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 18, 2020
So not only is this my first Atlee Pine read, it’s my first novel by David Baldacci and boy I may be late to the party but glad I got there.
The aforementioned Pine is a female FBI agent in her 30s with a troubled family history. Here she continues the pursuit of her missing twin sister Mercy, missing since they were 6 years old.
Her enquiries have her cross paths with an army CID officer, John Puller, who is pursuing a similar lead and she ends up helping him along the way, where they uncover what starts off as a drug ring and ends up in much darker places of abuse, blackmail, murder and corruption up to the highest level!
Can they uncover the conspiracy before they become targets themselves and will it lead Atlee any closer to finding out what happened to her sister?
As a first time reader to this series, there was a hell of a lot to take in. A huge back story obviously, it took me a while to get up to speed but this is very readable as a stand alone.
The pace on this is relentless. There’s a huge amount squeezed in here and you will be exhausted by the end.(in a good way). The intricacy of the storytelling is hugely impressive as we are left dizzy with deeper and deeper layers of narrative, all delivered at an electric pace. There’s also a huge cast of characters, some major and some very minor but it somehow seems to work seamlessly, never being confusing or tripping over itself.
The main characters are very well written and Pine is a great central character to tie the whole thing together.
I really enjoyed this one. I’m only sorry I hadn’t read the first two in the series beforehand.
Many thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
The aforementioned Pine is a female FBI agent in her 30s with a troubled family history. Here she continues the pursuit of her missing twin sister Mercy, missing since they were 6 years old.
Her enquiries have her cross paths with an army CID officer, John Puller, who is pursuing a similar lead and she ends up helping him along the way, where they uncover what starts off as a drug ring and ends up in much darker places of abuse, blackmail, murder and corruption up to the highest level!
Can they uncover the conspiracy before they become targets themselves and will it lead Atlee any closer to finding out what happened to her sister?
As a first time reader to this series, there was a hell of a lot to take in. A huge back story obviously, it took me a while to get up to speed but this is very readable as a stand alone.
The pace on this is relentless. There’s a huge amount squeezed in here and you will be exhausted by the end.(in a good way). The intricacy of the storytelling is hugely impressive as we are left dizzy with deeper and deeper layers of narrative, all delivered at an electric pace. There’s also a huge cast of characters, some major and some very minor but it somehow seems to work seamlessly, never being confusing or tripping over itself.
The main characters are very well written and Pine is a great central character to tie the whole thing together.
I really enjoyed this one. I’m only sorry I hadn’t read the first two in the series beforehand.
Many thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
November 13, 2020
In this third book in the Atlee Pine series, FBI agent Pine and John Puller have to work together to achieve their goal. Their stories are separate but intertwined. And they will both have to walk the tightrope of conspiracy if they’re to learn the truth.
Time is running out for Pine to find her disappeared twin sister, Mercy.
Pine and her assistant, Carol Bloom, make their way to the home of Teddy Vincenzo, who Pine believes is guilty of the abduction. There, she learns that Teddy is in prison and his grandson Tommy has taken over the house for his own criminal purposes. Also there is military investigator, John Puller, at the point of arresting Tommy; an operation that is botched when Pine inadvertently allows Tommy escape.
From that moment on, Pine and Puller have to work together to tie every shred of information together to get hold of Tommy, who not only shines light on Pine’s search for the truth, but also might lead them to the people behind a global conspiracy—a conspiracy that needs to be unravelled before it is too late. In the few short days their investigation takes them on a twisted path with unexpected turns, and some self-reflection thrown in.
Baldacci does an excellent job in getting Puller and Pine together in this story, both because they’re well-matched characters, and also because of the ensuing action. Adding Carol Blum as Pine’s assistant was also a brilliant idea because she brings some calm and reassurance – not to mention humor! However, readers may find, as I did, that the elements of global conspiracy were a bit far-fetched.
Thanks to Mystery and Suspense and Netgalley for this digital review copy.
Time is running out for Pine to find her disappeared twin sister, Mercy.
Pine and her assistant, Carol Bloom, make their way to the home of Teddy Vincenzo, who Pine believes is guilty of the abduction. There, she learns that Teddy is in prison and his grandson Tommy has taken over the house for his own criminal purposes. Also there is military investigator, John Puller, at the point of arresting Tommy; an operation that is botched when Pine inadvertently allows Tommy escape.
From that moment on, Pine and Puller have to work together to tie every shred of information together to get hold of Tommy, who not only shines light on Pine’s search for the truth, but also might lead them to the people behind a global conspiracy—a conspiracy that needs to be unravelled before it is too late. In the few short days their investigation takes them on a twisted path with unexpected turns, and some self-reflection thrown in.
Baldacci does an excellent job in getting Puller and Pine together in this story, both because they’re well-matched characters, and also because of the ensuing action. Adding Carol Blum as Pine’s assistant was also a brilliant idea because she brings some calm and reassurance – not to mention humor! However, readers may find, as I did, that the elements of global conspiracy were a bit far-fetched.
Thanks to Mystery and Suspense and Netgalley for this digital review copy.
December 13, 2020
*4 stars plus! Book three is probably the best in this series so far. FBI agent Atlee Pine is searching for her twin sister Mercy who was abducted 30 years ago. Clues now lead her and her assistant Carol Blum to Trenton, New Jersey, to talk to the grandson of the man Atlee believes took her sister. Unfortunately she inadvertently walks into a take down in progress by Army Criminal Investigation Command and the man she seeks escapes. She offers to help Officer John Puller with his case and he accepts, so once again Atlee is working both cold and current cases which she hopes will lead to answers in her search. Strangely, their investigation is blocked at every turn. Who doesn't want them learning the truth?
There are some very interesting developments in this book, many shocking twists and turns. I can't wait to see where Baldacci takes this story next!
I received an arc of this thriller from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity.
There are some very interesting developments in this book, many shocking twists and turns. I can't wait to see where Baldacci takes this story next!
I received an arc of this thriller from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity.
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